Abstract: A mud cleaning apparatus is set forth and has an upstanding cylindrical housing supported by a frame work with legs. There is a mud inlet line at the top of the housing. Centrally, a motor drives a drive shaft extending vertically in the housing and supporting cascaded circular screens which are rotated. Each screen has mesh openings to remove particles of particular size and mud flows through that screen into a funnel there below and is directed by the funnel into the next screen. Typically, three screens and three funnels are included wherein the bottom funnel connects with an outlet mud line to remove the clean mud. Trash removed from mud flow collects on the screens which are rotated, and such motion couple with vibration imparted to the screens causes the trash to migrate across the screens for ejection from the screens and accumulation in the bottom of the cylindrical housing and removal on a conveyor system.

Abstract: A method of using an apparatus for handling heavy pipe is set forth. Pipe is rolled off the end of a pipe rack into a waiting elongate trough. The trough is moved on a pair of trolley cables extending from that area up towards a rig floor, the trolley cables being raised, and the trough being pulled along the trolley cables by means of a control cable which moves the trough toward the rig floor. At a registered location, the trough is stopped and a lock device is extended on generally horizontally positioned hydraulic cylinders. The lock device is brought down onto and locks around the upper portions of the pipe. The lock device is able to support the pipe as it is rotated upwardly toward the derrick and moved into an aligned position whereby the pipe is supported vertically on the lock device free of the trough and the lower end of the pipe hangs above the rotary table ready for threading in the next step of assembly of the pipe string.

Abstract: As a preferred embodiment of the invention shown herein, a winch is stationed to one side of an oil field derrick and a cable spooled on the winch extended over a pipe rack and secured at a convenient location above the derrick floor. A pair of spaced pulleys or carriages are independently pulled along the extended portion of the taut cable by a pair of selectively-controlled winches respectively carrying a cable or wire coupled to the carriages. Pipe carriers are dependently coupled to the carriages and operatively arranged for carrying a pipe laid between the carriers in a nearly-horizontal position as the selectively-controlled winches move the carriages along the extended cable between the derrick floor and the pipe rack. The pipe section is selectively raised or lowered over the pipe rack by operating the first winch to either tighten or slack off on the extended cable.

Abstract: As a preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, a winch is stationed to one side of an oil field derrick and a cable spooled on the winch extended over a pipe rack and secured at a convenient location above the derrick floor. A pair of spaced pulleys or carriages are independently pulled along the extended portion of the taut cable by a pair of selectively-controlled winches respectively carrying a cable or wire coupled to the carriages. Pipe carriers are dependently coupled to the carriages and operatively arranged for carrying a pipe laid between the carriers in a nearly-horizontal position as the selectively-controlled winches move the carriages along the extended cable between the derrick floor and the pipe rack. The pipe section is selectively raised or lowered over the pipe rack by operating the first winch to either tighten or slack off on the extended cable.

Abstract: A pair of open framework type pipe supporting stands are arranged in side by side spaced-apart relation transversely of a work path along which sections of pipe are moved. Each stand includes a top rail pivotally connected longitudinally with the respective ends of the stand and vertically movable at one end to form a horizontal or inclined plane for supporting a joint of pipe when horizontally disposed thereon transversely of the stands. Each stand further includes, at one end portion, a normally depending arm member vertically movable at one end portion between the plane formed by the top rails and an inclined plane slopping away from one end of the stand defined by a pair of skids connected at one end with the respective stand and extending at their other end portion toward a horizontally disposed pipe rack adjacent the surface of the earth for receiving a joint of pipe from the top rails and lowering and depositing the pipe joint on the pipe rack.