Power tong and backup tong apparatus

Abstract

A power tong assembly and backup tong assembly are disclosed. The power tong assembly includes a drive motor driving a drive gear engaged with a rotatable portion of a bearing assembly. The rotatable portion of the bearing assembly is connected to a cylindrical rotor positioned concentrically about jaws that grippingly engage and rotate a first tubular member when the portion of the bearing assembly rotates. The backup tong assembly comprises a pair of diametrically opposed gripper assemblies each having a cylinder with a cylinder rod, connected to a head member, connected to a pair of gripper members with gripping surfaces, so that extension of the cylinder rods causes the gripper members to grippingly engage a second tubular member. The power tong assembly and the backup tong assembly may be concentrically aligned to connect and disconnect the first and second tubular members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power tong assembly for rotating a tubular member, the power tong assembly comprising:
 a jaw assembly comprising:
 a plurality of jaws having an internal gripping portion and an external gear portion, the jaws arranged to form a tubular member receiving space central to the jaws; and 
 a cylindrical rotor positioned concentrically about the jaws, the rotor having a plurality of internal gear teeth interfaced with the external gear portion of the jaws such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the jaws relative to the tubular member receiving space such that the internal gripping portion of the jaws is movable relative to the tubular member receiving space to engage and rotate the tubular member when same is positioned in the tubular member receiving space, the rotor further having a lower flange extending perpendicularly from the rotor; 
   a bearing assembly positioned concentrically to the jaw assembly and comprising a stationary inner portion and a rotatable outer portion, the outer portion having an external gear ring and being connected to the lower flange of the rotor such that rotation of the outer portion causes rotation of the rotor;   a housing encompassing the jaw assembly and at least a portion of the bearing assembly, the housing having an upper plate, a lower plate, and a plurality of sidewall members, the upper and lower plates having tubular member receiving openings aligned with the tubular member receiving space central to the jaws, the lower plate connected to the inner portion of the bearing assembly; and   at least one drive assembly comprising at least one drive gear powered by at least one drive motor, the drive gear interfaced with the gear ring of the bearing assembly such that rotation of the drive gear causes rotation of the gear ring.   
     
     
         2 . The power tong assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller remotely positioned from the jaw assembly and configured to control the drive assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The power tong assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of guide plates connected with the upper and lower plates of the housing, the guide plates having an opening aligned with the tubular member receiving space, the opening having beveled rims that define tapered guide surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The power tong assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lower flange of the rotor substantially surrounds the circumference of the rotor. 
     
     
         5 . A backup tong assembly for holding a tubular member stationary, the backup tong assembly comprising:
 a tubular housing having a first side with a first opening and a second side with a second opening, the first and second opening aligned with each other to form a tubular member receiving space, the housing further having a first end and a second end opposite from one another;   a first gripper assembly secured through the first end of the housing, the first gripper assembly comprising:
 a first cylinder connected to the first end of the housing; 
 a first cylinder rod extending from the first cylinder through the housing toward the tubular member receiving space, the first cylinder rod having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a first head member connected to the distal end of the first cylinder rod; and 
 a first pair of gripper members connected to the first head member, each gripper member having a gripping surface; and 
   a second gripper assembly secured through the second end of the housing in a diametrically opposed relationship to the first gripper assembly, the second gripper assembly comprising:
 a second cylinder connected to the second end of the housing; 
 a second cylinder rod extending from the second cylinder through the housing toward the tubular member receiving space, the second cylinder rod having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a second head member connected to the distal end of the second cylinder rod; and 
 a second pair of gripper members connected to the second head member, each gripper member having a gripping surface; 
   wherein extension of the first and second cylinder rods causes the first and second pairs of gripper members to grippingly engage the tubular member when same is positioned in the tubular member receiving space.   
     
     
         6 . The backup tong assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a controller remotely positioned from the housing and configured to control the gripper assemblies. 
     
     
         7 . The backup tong assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each gripper member is pivotally connected to the head member about a pivot axis, and wherein each gripper surface is positioned concentric to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         8 . The backup tong assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each gripper surface is arcuate shaped. 
     
     
         9 . An assembly comprising:
 a power tong assembly comprising:
 a jaw assembly comprising:
 a plurality of jaws having an internal gripping portion and an external gear portion, the jaws arranged to form a first tubular member receiving space central to the jaws; and 
 a cylindrical rotor positioned concentrically about the jaws, the rotor having a plurality of internal gear teeth interfaced with the external gear portion of the jaws such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the jaws relative to the first tubular member receiving space such that the internal gripping portion of the jaws is movable relative to the first tubular member receiving space to engage and rotate the tubular member when same is positioned in the first tubular member receiving space, the rotor further having a lower flange extending perpendicularly from the rotor; 
 
 a bearing assembly positioned concentrically to the jaw assembly and comprising a stationary inner portion and a rotatable outer portion, the outer portion having an external gear ring and being connected to the lower flange of the rotor such that rotation of the outer portion causes rotation of the rotor; 
 a power tong housing encompassing the jaw assembly and at least a portion of the bearing assembly, the power tong housing having an upper plate, a lower plate, and a plurality of sidewall members, the upper and lower plates having tubular member receiving openings aligned with the first tubular member receiving space central to the jaws, the lower plate connected to the inner portion of the bearing assembly; and 
 at least one drive assembly comprising at least one drive gear powered by at least one drive motor, the drive gear interfaced with the gear ring of the bearing assembly such that rotation of the drive gear causes rotation of the gear ring; and 
   a backup tong assembly comprising:
 a tubular backup tong housing having a first side with a first opening and a second side with a second opening, the first and second opening aligned with each other to form a second tubular member receiving space concentrically aligned with the first tubular member receiving space of the power ton assembly, the backup tong housing further having a first end and a second end opposite from one another; 
 a first gripper assembly secured through the first end of the backup tong housing, the first gripper assembly comprising:
 a first cylinder connected to the first end of the backup tong housing; 
 a first cylinder rod extending from the first cylinder through the backup tong housing toward the second tubular member receiving space, the first cylinder rod having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a first head member connected to the distal end of the first cylinder rod; and 
 a first pair of gripper members connected to the first head member, each gripper member having a gripping surface; and 
 
 a second gripper assembly secured through the second end of the backup tong housing in a diametrically opposed relationship to the first gripper assembly, the second gripper assembly comprising:
 a second cylinder connected to the second end of the backup tong housing; 
 a second cylinder rod extending from the second cylinder through the backup tong housing toward the second tubular member receiving space, the second cylinder rod having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a second head member connected to the distal end of the second cylinder rod; and 
 a second pair of gripper members connected to the second head member, each gripper member having a gripping surface; 
 
 wherein extension of the first and second cylinder rods causes the first and second pairs of gripper members to grippingly engage the tubular member when same is positioned in the second tubular member receiving space. 
   
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one controller remotely positioned from the jaw assembly and configured to control at least one of the drive assembly and the first and second gripper assemblies. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the backup tong assembly is connected to the lower plate of the power tong housing. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of guide plates connected with the upper and lower plates of the power tong housing, the guide plates having an opening aligned with the first tubular member receiving space, the opening having beveled rims that define tapered guide surfaces. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the lower flange of the rotor substantially surrounds the circumference of the rotor. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one resilient support connected to the power tong housing to permit movement of the power tong assembly relative to the backup tong assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of resilient supports extending between the power tong housing and the backup tong housing to permit movement of the power tong assembly relative to the backup tong assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each gripper member is pivotally connected to the head member about a pivot axis, and wherein each gripper surface is positioned concentric to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each gripper surface is arcuate shaped.