Patents by Inventor James M. Burks

James M. Burks has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Modular instrumented shell for a top drive assembly and method of using same
    Patent number: 9581010
    Abstract: An instrumented shell for sensing drilling parameters of a drilling assembly positionable at a wellsite. The drilling assembly includes a top drive assembly and a downhole tool. The instrumented shell includes a shell body, instruments and an interconnector. The shell body is positionable about the top drive assembly, and has pockets extending therein and a cover positionable about the shell body. The instruments include sensors, and are removably disposable in the pocket and sealable therein with the at least one cover. The interconnector includes a top drive connector removably connectable to the top drive assembly and a shell connector removably connectable to the shell body with a cable therebetween to pass signals therebetween whereby drilling parameters of the downhole tool may be directly collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventors: Jason Richard Anderson, James Edgar Standefer, James Brent Welch, James M. Burks
  • MODULAR INSTRUMENTED SHELL FOR A TOP DRIVE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USING SAME
    Publication number: 20150285055
    Abstract: An instrumented shell for sensing drilling parameters of a drilling assembly positionable at a wellsite is provided. The drilling assembly includes a top drive assembly and a downhole tool. The instrumented shell includes a shell body, instruments and an interconnector. The shell body is positionable about the top drive assembly, and has pockets extending therein and a cover positionable about the shell body. The instruments include sensors, and are removably disposable in the pocket and sealable therein with the at least one cover. The interconnector includes a top drive connector removably connectable to the top drive assembly and a shell connector removably connectable to the shell body with a cable therebetween to pass signals therebetween whereby drilling parameters of the downhole tool may be directly collected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Jason Richard Anderson, James Edgar Standefer, James Brent Welch, James M. Burks