Articulated mast for a coiled tubing rig

Abstract

An articulated mast for use in supporting a coiled tubing injector on a deck of a transport trailer and capable of accomplishing storage of the mast and the injector in a compact manner on the deck for transport on the one hand in conjunction with other equipment in drilling operations, and yet capable of ready deployment of the injector to an operative position above a well head on the other hand. The mast includes boom sections pivotally joined relative to each other for movement between a position in which the sections are folded one on top of the other on the deck to an extended position for holding the tube injector above the well head rear of the transport deck.

1 . An articulated mast for use in locating a tubing injection unit over a well head, said mast including: 
 a lower mast section pivotally connected at one end to a carrier unit,    an upper mast section pivotally connected at one end to a second end of said lower mast section opposite to said one end,    an extendible mast section carried at an end of said upper mast section opposite said one end and having an outer end for supporting said injector,    a first actuator means connected between said lower mast section and said carrier unit for raising said lower mast section from a lowered transport position disposed substantially horizontally on said deck to a more upright operating position,    a second actuator means connected between said lower mast section and said upper mast section for pivoting said upper mast section independently of said first actuator means from a transport position immediately overlying said lower mast section in said transport position to a raised operative position, and    a third actuator means operative independently of said first and second actuator means for moving said extendible mast section relative to said upper mast section from a retracted position to a position selectively projecting beyond said outer end of said upper mast section.    
     
     
         2 . An articulated mast as defined in  claim 1 , wherein; 
 said carrier is a transport trailer having an upper mast supporting deck,    said lower mast section is an elongated unit having said one end connected to said deck adjacent a rear of said deck by a transverse pivot connection and wherein,    said lower mast in said lowered transport position is positioned substantially horizontally immediately above said supporting deck, and in said operating position extends upright adjacent said rear end of said supporting deck.    
     
     
         3 . An articulated mast as defined in  claim 2 , wherein; 
 said upper mast section is an elongated unit having said one end connected to the second end of said lower mast section by a transverse pivotal connection having an axis of pivot parallel to said transverse axis connection of said lower mast section, and,    said upper mast section is an elongated unit having a lower position closely overlying said lower mast section in its lowered transport position, and in said operative position extending rearwardly of said second end of said lower mast section and at angles of attitude relative to the horizontal.    
     
     
         4 . An articulated mast as defined in  claim 3 , wherein; 
 said extendible mast section is movable relative to said upper mast position by said third actuator means for movement between various extended positions in alignment with the attitude of said upper mast section    
     
     
         5 . An articulated mast as defined in  claim 4 , and further comprising, a linkage connection at an outer end of said extendible mast providing a connection to said outer end for mounting said injection unit to thereby provide pivoting of said injection unit about an transverse axis parallel to said transverse axis connection of each lower and upper mast section.  
     
     
         6 . An articulated mast supporting a tubing injector unit for use on a transport carrier of the type having a rear deck portion: 
 said articulated mast comprising;    a lower mast section,    a first connection means connecting one end of said lower mast section to said rear deck portion for pivotal movement from a substantially horizontal position on said rear deck about a transverse axis to a raised substantially vertical position, first actuator means for raising and lowering said lower mast section between said horizontal and raised positions,    an upper mast section having a main body portion,    a second connection means for connecting a first end of said upper mast section to a second end of said lower mast section for pivotal movement of said upper mast section about a transverse axis parallel to the transverse axis of said first connecting means, said pivot movement being from a first horizontal position atop said lower mast section in said horizontal position of said lower mast section to a raised working position having upward and rearward components,    second actuator means for raising and lowering said upper mast section between said positions of said upper mast,    said upper mast section including an extendible portion at a second end thereof and connected to said main body portion of said upper mast section for telescopic movement relative thereto to provide for positioning of said extendible portion between a retracted position and an extended position for thereby increasing the length of said upper mast when in the extended position,    third actuator means for moving said extendible portion between said retracted and extended positions, and    connection means mounted on said extendible portion of said upper mast member for carrying the tubing injection unit.