US1919468A - Tong - Google Patents

Description

0. V. JONES July 25, 1933.

TONG

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNE).

Patented July 25, 1933 NETED ST "res OSCAR V. J ONES, F DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR. 0F THREE-EIGHTS T0 FElLIX VOGEIES, OF DALLAS, TEXAS TONG- Application filed August 14, 1931, Serial No. 556,973. Renewed June 10, 1933.

This invention relates to oil well tools and equipment and it has particular reference to new and useful improvements in tongs for handling pipes and casings.

The principal object of the invention resides in the provision of certain cooperating elements whose relationship in the tong will prevent crushing or squeezing to a dangerous degree, of the pipe, tubing 01' casing to which the tongis applied.- The cooperating elements are so designed that the work gripping jaws of the tong will uniformly engage the work with increasing pressure uniformly to rotate the same, such as in breaking joints of well casing or tubing and in fact, any character of work to which the tong may be adapted.

Another object of the invention resides in an improved jaw latching arrangement,

which is entirely automatic in its function and may be locked and unlocked at the will of the operator without danger. The locking arrangement embodies the use of a tapered element in the form of a wedge, cooperating with which is a hook, both of which elements are actuated to operative and inoperative positions by certain movements of the handle of the tong, the latter being moved either manually or by means of catlines or jerklines.

lVith the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tong embodying the elements of the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the tong partly in section, showing the relationship of the elements constituting the jaw locking mechanism.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference is primarily made to Figure 1 showing major and minor work engaging jaws 1 and 2 respectively. The major work engaging aw is so shaped as to provide a bearing 3, pivotally receiving the handle 4: and an adjacent bearing 5 to which is pivotally connected a bifurcated portion of the minor work engaging jaw 2. Pins I a and Z) form respective pivotal points for the handle and the minor work engaging aw 2. The pivotal relationship between the awe and the handle obviously allows the minor work engaging jaw 2 to swing well away from the companion jaw.

It is not considered necessary, in view of the well known history oftools of this character, to dwell upon its use andv operation, other than to say that the tong is suspended in the conventional manner in a derrick so as to be readily moved toward and away from the pipe or casing assembly. In explaining its use in this connection however, it is not intended that tho tong shall be limited for use as a well tong since it is obvious that it may be equally as well applied in many other cases too numerous to mention. The tong is also manually locked when the jaws 1 and 2 collapse about the work. A description of the manner in which this is accomplished will follow presently.

The major work engaging aw-l is further provided with integral ears 6, between which is pivoted an arm 7 at 0. The peculiar construction of this arm provides a tail portion 8, which extends rearwardly of the jaws 1 and 2 and passes between spaced pins 9, which are fixed'i'n a bifurcated project-ion 10, integral with and extending at right angles from the handle 1. The pins 9 function as a guide for the arm 7 and due to the angular surface of the tail portion 8 engaged by the pins 9,

clock-wise movement of the handle 4 will displace the arm 7 on its pivot c and cause the opposite end to move toward the jawl. A tapered member or wedge 11 isprovided, which has a square aperture 12 in one end to receive the free end of the arm 7. The arm is freely movable in the aperture 12 and has a stop pin 13 in the extreme outer end thereof so as to prevent its release from the wedge 11. An integral projection 14 also carried by the arm 7 is disposed on the opposite side of the wedge 11 to limit the sliding movement of the end of the arm? through the aperture 12 of the wedge.

of the wedge is rounded serves to minimize friction at this point since it is required to slide in the small space between the outer wall of the jaw 1 and the surface of a block 16, pivoted at (Z in the bifurcatee free end of the jaw. A projection 17 extending from the curved end 15 of the wedge 11 enters a slotor groove 18 in the block 16. The block 16 is shaped to define a hook 19, which protrudes from between the portions of the jaw embracing the block and the hook is so disposed that it will engage a pin 20 passing through the forked end of the companion jaw 2. The locked relationship between the hook 19 and the pin 20 is sh own in Figure 2, which is the locked position of the jaws. It is important to note the angle of that portion of the hook 19 which engages the pin 20 and designated at e. The fact that the hook extends quite a distance outward and the further fact that the undersurface a is inclined or angular, variation in the size of the pipe to which the tong is applied will have no effect in preventing secure locking of the elements. At the same time, it is impossible for the tong to crush the pipe when actuated by a catline, not shown, connected to the extreme end of the handle 1 in the aperture 21 provided therefor.

In operation, assuming that the tong is adapted for use in connection with rotary well drilling rigs, it is suspended from some point in the derrick in such manner that it will operativelv swing to and from the work. By urging he handle t in a counter-clockwise direction, the portion 8 of the arm 7 will be so engaged by the pins 9 in the handle as to urge the opposite end of the arm 7 downwardly, thereby withdrawing the wedge 11 from between the walls of the jaws 1 and 2. The. projection 17 carried by the end of the wedge will slide in the groove 18 in the block 16 and will thereby rock the latter on its pivot (Z. obviously disengaging the hook from the pin 20 carried by the minor working engaging aw 2. Ordinarily, the jaw 2 will swing outwardly to the position shown in Figure 1 without manual effort but if necessary to manually move the jaw 2, a hand grip 22 is provided for this purpos Thusthe tong ma be removed from the work.

VWhen applying the tong, it is advanced upon the work with the jaw out spread in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 and upon engaging the work, the aws are manually closed about the same and a pull in a clockwise direction upon the handle t by the line will cause the arm 7 to urge the wedge 11 into position between the block 16 and the aws i and the projections 17 carried thereby sliding in the groove 18 of the block. The hook 19 is thus urged into position to engage the pin 20 on the minor aw 2, whichaction securely locks the jaws together about the work as explained. Reciprocation of the tong on the work will intermittently rotate the latter by reason of the gripping elements 28, whose construction is such as to engage the work when the tong is rotated in one direction and release the same upon rotation of the tong in the opposite direction. It will be noted that these slips or gripping elements are removable and interchangeable. A pin 24 is rovicled for holding the elements in place.

danifestly, the construction shown and described is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe and easing tong including a pair of semi-circular jaws hinged for relative movement and having serrated work engaging slips removably mounted therein, one of said jaws having a handle pivoted thereto adjacent the hinged point between said jaws, said handle having a bifurcated projection extending therefrom, a jaw latching mechanism, said mechanism comprising a block pivoted in the free end of one of said jaws having a grooved side and a hook shaped end and capable of engaging within a recess in the companion jaw, a wedge having a projection entering the groove of said block and means pivoted to the jaw carrying said block having operative connection with said handle and said wedge whereby to actuate said block upon movement of said handle.

2. A pipe and easing tong including substantially semi-circular jaws hinged for relative movement and having bifurcated free ends, ahook shaped latch pivoted in one of said bifurcations to engage within the bifurcation of the other of said aws to hold the same in lockedposition, a handle pivoted to one of said jaws, a wedge arranged to slidably engage said hook shaped member to effect pivotal movement of said hook shaped member and means pivoted to said last mentioned jaw and having operative connection with said wedge and handle to actuate said wedge upon movement of said handle.

8. A pipe and easing tong including substantially semi-circular jaws pivoted together for relative movement, a hook shaped member pivoted in one of said jaws, a pin in the other of said jaws to receive said member to holdsaid jaws in closed position, a handle pivoted to one of said jaws, a wedge arranged to slidingly bear against one side of said hook shaped member and means for actuating said wedge upon movement of said handle tomove said hook shaped member to locked and unlocked position.

1. A pipe and casing tongincluding jaws arranged to embrace the work, a handle carried by one of said jaws, each of said jaws having bifurcated ends for receiving cooperating latching mechanism, said mechanism comprising a member pivoted in one of said one of said jaws having one end loosely connected to said latter means and its other end slidably connected With said handle whereby movements of said handle will be transmitted to actuate said hook member.

OSCAR V. JONES.

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