Structural connector for a drilling rig substructure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for connecting sections of a drilling rig substructure is disclosed. The disclosed invention is a unique structural connector in which sections of a drilling rig substructure can be connected together without the use of pins or pin-type connectors. The structural connector of the present invention utilizes specially-shaped fixed members connected to, and extending through, support plates that are attached to sections of a drilling rig substructure that mate with specially-shaped mating lugs that are mounted on mating lug plates that are attached to separate sections of the drilling rig substructure. When the sections of the drilling rig substructure to be connected are positioned together, the specially-shaped mating lugs engage the specially-shaped fixed members and form a high strength structural connection between the sections of the drilling rig substructure.

1 . A structural connector comprising: 
 a support plate comprising a plurality of fixed support members extending therethrough, the fixed support members having side walls and contoured tops;    a mating lug assembly comprising a pair of mating lug plates and a plurality of mating lugs attached to each mating lug plate, each mating lug having a support notch therein that is shaped and sized to mate with the fixed support member.    
   
   
       2 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of fixed support members extend outwardly from both sides of the support plate.  
   
   
       3 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein the side walls of each fixed support member are substantially vertical.  
   
   
       4 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein the support notch of each mating lug has tapered guide surfaces at the entry point of the support notch.  
   
   
       5 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein the support notches of the mating lugs comprise substantially vertical side walls and contoured top surfaces.  
   
   
       6 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein the mating lugs are welded to the mating lug plates.  
   
   
       7 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein the mating lugs are formed by cutting the shape of the support notch into the mating lug plates.  
   
   
       8 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein a vertical load on the structural connector is carried by the mating of the contoured tops of the support notches with the contoured tops of the fixed support members.  
   
   
       9 . The structural connector of  claim 1  wherein a horizontal load on the structural connector is carried by the mating of the side walls of the support notches of the mating lugs with the side walls of the fixed support members.  
   
   
       10 . A structural connector comprising: 
 a support plate having one or more fixed support members extending therethrough, the one or more fixed support members extending outwardly from both sides of the support plate and comprising side walls and a contoured top;    a mating lug assembly comprising one or more mating lug plates and one or more mating lugs attached to each of the one or more mating lug plates, each of the one or more mating lugs having a support notch therein;    wherein the support notch of each of the one or more mating lugs comprises tapered guide surfaces at the entry point of the support notch, side walls, and a contoured top.    
   
   
       11 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein the side walls of each of the one or more fixed support members are substantially vertical.  
   
   
       12 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein the side walls of the support notches of each of the one or more mating lugs are substantially vertical.  
   
   
       13 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein the mating lugs are welded to the mating lug plates.  
   
   
       14 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein the mating lugs are formed by cutting the shape of the support notch into the mating lug plates.  
   
   
       15 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein a vertical load on the structural connector is carried by the mating of the contoured tops of the support notches with the contoured tops of the one or more fixed support members.  
   
   
       16 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein a horizontal load on the structural connector is carried by the mating of the side walls of the support notches with the side walls of the one or more fixed support members.  
   
   
       17 . The structural connector of  claim 10  wherein the structural connector is used to connect a unitized equipment floor of a drilling rig to the substructure of the drilling rig.  
   
   
       18 . A method of connecting structural components comprising: 
 providing a first structural component with one or more support plates attached thereto;    providing each support plate with a plurality of fixed support members extending therethrough, each fixed support member comprising side walls and a contoured top;    providing a second structural component with one or more mating lug assemblies attached thereto, each mating lug assembly comprising a plurality of mating lug plates and a plurality of mating lugs attached to each mating lug plate;    providing each mating lug with a support notch, the support notch comprising tapered guide surfaces at the entry point of the support notch, side walls, and a contoured top;    positioning the first structural component and the second structural component for connection;    guiding the fixed support members of the support plates into engagement with the support notches of the mating lugs using the tapered guide surfaces of the support notches.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising providing the fixed support members with substantially vertical side walls.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising welding the mating lugs to the mating lug plates.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising cutting the shape of the support notches into the mating lug plates.