Frustoconical Safety Cable Mount Assembly for Drilling Rigs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety mechanisms for drilling rigs require significant effort and fasteners for installation and removal, and lack a temporary, tool-free solution for fall arrest during rig-up and rig-down procedures.
Innovation Solution
A personnel safety cable mount assembly featuring a frustoconical base that fits within a rotary table's recess by gravity, with a retractable lock assembly and self-retracting lanyard system, allowing for easy installation and removal without fasteners, providing a temporary fall arrest system during equipment installation and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temporary posts and cables are installed as a fence, then personnel safety is improved, but installation effort and time are significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the safety function from complex post-and-cable assemblies and concentrates it into a single integrated mount assembly that combines the mounting base, cable support, and anchoring mechanism into one unit that can be rapidly deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The safety system is segmented into modular mount assemblies that can be independently installed at different locations around the drill floor, allowing for flexible configuration and rapid deployment without installing an entire fence system at once
2Reliability
If fasteners are used to attach safety mechanisms, then installation security is improved, but removal complexity and tool requirements are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting mechanism transitions from a static fastened state to a dynamic release state through the cam lever mechanism, allowing the base to be securely held during operation and easily released when needed, eliminating the need for tools to remove fasteners
Solution Approach 2:
The cam lever mechanism provides self-locking during installation by automatically securing the base when lowered into the recess, and self-releasing during removal when the lever is actuated, eliminating the need for external tools or complex removal procedures
3Stability of the object's composition
If permanent attachments are made to the rig, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability for temporary operations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mount assembly provides dynamic adaptability by transitioning from a removable temporary state during rig-up to a securely anchored state during operations, and back to removable state during rig-down, allowing the same structure to serve both temporary and stable requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The mount assembly serves multiple functions: it provides temporary support during installation, secure anchoring during operations, and easy removal when needed, making it universally applicable to both rig-up and rig-down procedures without requiring different systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, tool-free, and temporary safety mechanism for personnel on drilling rigs, ensuring fall protection during rig-up and rig-down procedures without compromising the rig's functionality or requiring permanent attachments.
Implementation Method 1
The frustoconical base of the assembly is retained by gravity in the frustoconical recess
Data Source
AI summary
A personnel safety cable mount assembly for a floor having a frustoconical recess in the floor. In one preferred embodiment, the assembly includes a base receivable in and through an opening or recess of the floor. A pole extends vertically from the base. A connector bracket is located at a top of the pole. At least one lanyard is connected to the connector bracket with the lanyard having an extending cable adapted to attach to personnel.