Abstract: An actuator for opening and closing a valve connected into a tubular element at the upper end of a drill string, to close off the flow of fluid through the element, and including a sleeve about the tubular element movable upwardly and downwardly relative thereto and mechanism carried by the sleeve for pivoting a valve actuating member to open and close the valve upon upward and downward movement of the sleeve. The specified mechanism preferably includes a part which interfits with the valve actuating member in a manner pivoting it upon upward and downward movement of the sleeve, but which desirably moves out of that interfitting relation in the extreme upper and lower positions of the sleeve to enable manual actuation of the valve in those positions without interference by the actuating mechanism.

Abstract: A top drive well drilling unit which is connected to the upper end of a drill string to drive it rotatively in drilling a well and is movable upwardly and downwardly with the string along a guide structure, and which is provided with pipe handling mechanism beneath the drilling unit for making and breaking a threaded connection between the drilling unit and the string and including an elevator which can suspend a section of drill pipe or the entire string when disconnected from the drilling unit.

Abstract: A hook for suspending a pipe string or other load in a well rig, including a tubular outer body supported by a first connector structure which is attachable to a suspending line, a tubular inner body which supports a second connector structure preferably taking the form of a hook, with the inner body being received within the outer body and being yieldingly urged upwardly relative thereto by a resilient unit or assembly located within the inner body, and with a structure within the inner body bearing upwardly against and supporting the resilient assembly and attached to the first connector structure. A cam mechanism between the inner and outer bodies automatically cams the inner body to a predetermined rotary position upon upward movement, with a locking device or devices serving to retain the inner body in fixed rotary position and/or to lock the camming mechanism in a fixed position in a manner determining the rotary setting to which the inner body returns upon upward movement.

Abstract: A jacking mechanism for jacking a well casing or other well pipe vertically, and including a hydraulic control system in which a reversible variable displacement pump acts in one condition to deliver pressure fluid in parallel with another pump to the lower end of a jacking cylinder to actuate the piston thereof upwardly, with fluid discharging from the upper end of the cylinder to the variable displacement pump and being metered therethrough to regulate the rate of upward movement of the piston. In a second condition of the apparatus, flow through the variable displacement pump is reversed to lower the piston, and a variable restriction valve regulates discharge of fluid from the lower end of the cylinder to act with the variable displacement pump in regulating downward movement of the piston and supported pipe.

Abstract: Well apparatus including elevator links connected to a hook or other unit suspended in a derrick and hanging therefrom at opposite sides of the well axis to support an elevator or the like, with power actuated means provided for swinging the lower ends of the links laterally outwardly relative to the upper ends of the links and essentially about those upper ends, to shift the suspended elevator to a side of the well axis.

Abstract: A jack for lowering casing from a drilling rig into a well, including a plurality of piston and cylinder mechanisms extending vertically at different sides of the well axis and supported at their lower ends from a base, a first structure extending between upper ends of the cylinders of those mechanisms and supported from the base through the cylinders, a second structure supported by and movable with the pistons, and gripping units carried by the two structures and releasably engageable with the casing to lower it in steps by relative vertical actuation of the two structures by the piston and cylinder mechanisms.

Abstract: A well pipe spinner includes two body parts carrying rollers and mounted by two pivotal connections for swinging movement between a closed position in which the rollers grip and drive a well pipe and an open position releasing the pipe. A structure extends between and interconnects the two pivotal connections in a relation permitting relative adjustment of their pivotal axes toward and away from one another for gripping different sizes of pipe. The tool is supported by a structure which is adapted to be suspended from a line or other element and which suspends the two body parts and pivotal connections at essentially the locations of the two pivotal axes.

Abstract: Jacking mechanism for moving a string of casing or other well pipe vertically within a well and including two units operable to releasably engage and support the pipe, power actuated mechanism for moving one of the units upwardly and downwardly relative to the other to jack the pipe vertically through a wellhead structure, and apparatus for supporting the power actuated mechanism and units at least in part from that wellhead structure.

Abstract: A casing jacking mechanism is positionable in the rotary table opening of a well drilling rig to lower casing into the well, and is preferably formed sectionally of a number of components adapted to be assembled temporarily on the rig and subsequently dismantled after the casing has been lowered. The jacking mechanism may include a first support structure to be located above the upper end of the well, two piston and cylinder mechanisms adapted to be lowered at different sides of the axis of the well to positions in which their cylinders are connected by the support structure, a second support structure connectable to and actuable vertically by the pistons of the piston and cylinder mechanisms, a spider unit adapted to be placed on the first support structure and releasably engageable with the well pipe, and an elevator to be positioned on the second support structure for movement vertically therewith and also releasably engageable with the well pipe.

Abstract: Well drilling apparatus including a powered drilling unit connectable to the upper end of a drill string and adapted to rotate it to drill a well, and a vertically extending guide track structure which guides the drilling unit for movement along the axis of the well, with a portion of the guide track structure being mounted for swinging movement between a drilling position in which the drilling unit is aligned with the axis of the well and a slightly inclined position in which the track structure guides the drilling unit for movement along an inclined axis in alignment with a mousehole, and with the drilling unit also preferably being mounted for movement to a laterally retracted position at a side of the well in which it leaves an area along the axis of the well unobstructed for use of conventional hoisting equipment in making a `round trip` of the drill string out of and then back into the well.

Abstract: Well drilling apparatus including a top drive drilling assembly having a motor driven stem adapted to be attached to the upper end of a drill string and drive it during a drilling operation, a torque wrench carried by the top drive assembly and movable upwardly and downwardly therewith and operable to break a threaded connection between the drill string and the stem, and an elevator carried by and suspended from the top drive assembly and adapted to engage a section of drill pipe beneath the torque wrench in suspending relation. The torque wrench and elevator are preferably retained against rotation with the rotary element which drives the drill string, but may be movable vertically relative to that rotary element and relative to one another in a manner actuating the apparatus between various different operating conditions.

Abstract: A well pipe spinner having two body parts carrying rollers adpated to engage a pipe at different locations about its periphery and grip and spin the pipe by rotation of one or more of the rollers, with the two body parts being mounted by pivotal connections for swinging movement about two spaced axes respectively to grip and release the pipe, and with an adjustable connection attaching the two pivotal connections together for relative lateral adjusting movement to shift their pivotal axes toward and away from one another for gripping different sizes of pipe.

Abstract: Connections for attaching together successive sections of an axially driveable pile, including pin and box ends having engaging threads which are tapered and which as viewed in axial section have opposite side faces both disposed at a very small angle of not over about 5.5 degrees with respect to a line extending perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of the threaded connection, preferably between about 4.5 and 5.5 degrees, so that the threads can take very high axial driving and rebounding forces. Each thread desirably has an axial thickness at its pitch line at least about one and one-half times the height of the thread from its root to its crest. The pin and box elements preferably do not have shoulders engageable to limit the extent to which the parts can be screwed together in the fully made-up condition of the joint.

Abstract: A jacking mechanism for lowering a string of casing or other well pipe into a well includes two structures which extend generally vertically beneath the floor of a drilling rig and which have portions functioning as power operated actuating units for moving one of two pipe supporting units upwardly and downwardly relative to the other, with the two specified generally vertical structures being offset circularly about the well axis from the location of a tubular mousehole element, and with one or more blowout preventers beneath the rig floor having a portion projecting outwardly away from the well axis at a location circularly between one of the generally vertical structures of the jacking mechanism and the mousehole.

Abstract: A well drilling system designed to eliminate the usual rotary table, kelly and kelly bushing, and including a drilling unit having a tubular part connectible to the upper end of the drill string and a motor for driving that tubular part rotatively, with the drilling unit being mounted by a guide structure for vertical movement, and in addition being mounted for movement transversely of the axis of the well from the normal drilling position to at least one laterally offset position. Preferably, the drilling unit is movable to two different laterally offset positions, in one of which the drilling unit is above a mousehole location to pick up or release a pipe section, and in the other of which the drilling unit is at an inactive location at which it may remain during a trip of the drill string into or out of the well.

Abstract: A pipe spinner is provided which includes two parts carrying rollers and mounted by two pivotal connections for swinging movement between a closed position in which the rollers grip and drive a well pipe or the like and an open position releasing the pipe, with an adjustable connection attaching the two pivotal connections together for relative lateral movement to shift the two pivotal axes toward and away from one another for gripping different sizes of pipe, and with the spinner including a hanger or support structure attached to the mentioned adjustable connection and adapted to be suspended by a line or other element in a manner suspending the entire tool through the adjustable connection.

Abstract: A spinner for turning a well drilling kelly or the like and including a member connectible to the kelly to drive it rotatively, a reversible motor, and a drive between the rotor of the motor and said member including two gears for driving the member in opposite directions respectively, with the two gears being mounted by threaded connections for axial movement between active driving positions and retracted non-driving positions. Rotation of the motor acts by virtue of a threaded connection or connections to shift one of the gears to its active driving position to turn the driven member in a first direction, while retaining the second of the gears in its retracted position. Rotation of the motor in the opposite direction acts to shift the second of the gears to active position driving the member in its second direction while retracting the first of the gears to its inactive position.

Abstract: A well drilling rig having a rotary table for driving a drill string rotatively and having jacking mechanism for lowering casing into the well after drilling, with the jacking mechanism including fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder means which may be left in the rig during drilling and which are positioned low enough in the rig to avoid interference with operation of the rotary table. The jacking mechanism also includes a structure which is adapted to be connected to the piston and cylinder means when the casing or other well pipe is to be lowered and which is actuable upwardly and downwardly and carries one of two pipe gripping units for progressively jacking the pipe downwardly by vertical reciprocation of that structure. The reciprocating structure may take the form of a beam extending between two pistons and actuable thereby, with a second beam being connected to cylinders within which the pistons are contained and being utilized to support the second gripping element.

Abstract: Well drilling apparatus including a powered drilling unit connectable to the upper end of a drill string and adapted to rotate it to drill a well, and a vertically extending guide track structure which guides the drilling unit for movement along the axis of the well, with a portion of the guide track structure being mounted for swinging movement between a drilling position in which the drilling unit is aligned with the axis of the well and a slightly inclined position in which the track structure guides the drilling unit for movement along an inclined axis in alignment with a mousehole, and with the drilling unit also preferably being mounted for movement to a laterally retracted position at a side of the well in which it leaves an area along the axis of the well unobstructed for use of conventional hoisting equipment in making a `round trip` of the drill string out of and then back into the well.

Abstract: A jack usable for leveling a marine platform jacket by lifting a tubular leg or pile guide relative to a pile extending upwardly therethrough includes a gripping unit having slips which engage and grip the pile and which in a predetermined elevated condition of the tubular member are engaged by that member and urged axially thereby in a grip tightening direction acting to positively lock the gripping unit against movement either upwardly or downwardly relative to the pile.