Patents by Inventor R. Michael Barnes

R. Michael Barnes 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).

  • Patent number: 9441428
    Abstract: A master control system with remote monitoring that can perform, monitor, and control operations of a portable rig with a pipe handler as the pipe handler installs tubulars into a drill string or breaks out tubulars from a drill string for a wellbore. The master control system can include a processing device communicatively coupled to a data storage. The processing device receives a communication associated with a component of a portable rig. The processing device determines a position of the component of the portable rig based on the received communication. The processing device further provides an executive dashboard that includes at least one drilling rig function associated with the component of the portable rig. The processing device also initiates the portable rig to perform the at least one drilling rig function associated with the component of the portable rig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignees: Canyon Oak Energy LLC, Loadmaster Universal Rigs, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, James A. Zapico
  • Patent number: 9291010
    Abstract: A guide dolly for a drilling rig, the guide dolly having: a first dolly engagement roller assembly that is to move in parallel with a drilling mast of the drilling rig. The guide dolly also having a first dolly arm pivotably connected to the first dolly engagement roller assembly. The first dolly arm is configured to attach to a top drive of the drilling rig. A movement of the first dolly arm is to change a position of the top drive over a drilling location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: Canyon Oak Energy LLC, Loadmaster Universal Rigs, Inc.
    Inventor: R. Michael Barnes
  • Patent number: 9243461
    Abstract: A method for moving tubulars from a horizontal position to a vertical position to perform one or more drilling operations, production operations, workover operations, or combinations thereof can include using a catwalk positioned adjacent to a drilling rig and a top drive connected to the drilling rig to hoist tubulars from the horizontal position to the vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: LOADMASTER UNIVERSAL RIGS, INC.
    Inventor: R. Michael Barnes
  • Patent number: 9243450
    Abstract: A top drive assembly having a top drive traveling block; a retracting guide dolly for use with the top drive traveling block and top drive operably by a master control system to hydraulically operate all of the top and bottom dolly arms simultaneously to extend and retract the top drive and top drive traveling block laterally and move the dolly as needed based on signals from a plurality of sensors disposed on the drilling rig, or on equipment adjacent the drilling rig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignees: Canyon Oak Energy LLC, Loadmaster Universal Rigs, Inc.
    Inventor: R. Michael Barnes
  • Patent number: 9212526
    Abstract: A portable moveable horizontal to vertical pipe handler for a drilling rig having a high load non-deforming frame; a plurality of hydraulic lifting cylinders secured between the high load non-deforming frame and a hydraulic power unit; a tapered beam attached to the frame, a plurality of bottom and top securing grippers for grabbing a tubular; a pinion allowing the tapered beam with grippers holding a tubular to pivot from a horizontal position to a vertical position using the hydraulic lifting cylinders; a pair of moveable skates connected to the tapered beam to elevate the tubular and a controller communication with the hydraulic lifting cylinder, the securing grippers and the skates. The controller has a processor with computer instructions for operating the hydraulic cylinders, moveable skates, and securing grippers synchronously or independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: Canyon Oak Energy LLC, Loadmaster Universal Rigs, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, James A. Zapico
  • Patent number: 8949416
    Abstract: A master control system with remote monitoring that can perform, monitor, and control operations of a portable rig with a vertical pipe handler as the vertical pipe handler installs tubulars into a drill string or breaks out tubulars from a drill string for a wellbore. The master control system can include a server, a network, a data storage, and a plurality of client devices with an executive dashboard of rig functions viewable by individual users connected to the network. In embodiments, a computing cloud is used with a cloud server with processor and cloud data storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Canyon Oak Energy LLC, Loadmaster Universal Rigs, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, James A. Zapico
  • Patent number: 8936424
    Abstract: A vertical pipe handler with pivoting arms for a drilling rig can include a central support and a central support center line. The vertical pipe hander can grab a tubular with top and bottom pipe grabbers, and lift the tubular using a bottom non-rotating collar and a bottom rack and bottom pinion lift mechanism. The tubular can be vertically positioned before being moved downward; thereby allowing for a next tubular in a series to be positioned and inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignees: Canyon Oak Energy LLC, Loadmaster Universal Rigs, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, James A. Zapico
  • Patent number: 8051930
    Abstract: A vehicle for positioning a transportable and relocatable equipment having at least four walking assemblies attached to a frame, each walking assembly having a walking pad, a roller tread, a lift assembly connected to a central collar, a rotatable motion gear assembly disposed around the lift assembly, a motor for actuating the rotatable motion gear assembly, a pivoting collar disposed around the rod operated by a controlling means with a processor, a push pull traveling system for receiving fluid and extending a specified distance causing movement of the vehicle in a first direction, and enabling the walking assemblies to raise, reorient, lower, and travel in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Loadmaster Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, Robert R. Cuddie, Richard E. Robey
  • Patent number: 7806207
    Abstract: A method for transporting and relocating heavy equipment using a fluid to lift heavy equipment with a lift assembly with a rotatable motion gear assembly. The method can include disengaging a rod one of four walking assemblies secured to the lift assembly and extending a push pull travelling system to move equipment in a first direction using roller treads. The method can include raising one of the four walking assemblies with the lift assembly and pivoting one walking assembly in an opposite direction. The method can include retracting the push pull travelling system and rotating the walking assembly to orient in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Loadmaster Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, Robert R. Cuddie, Richard E. Robey
  • Patent number: 7681674
    Abstract: A system for positioning a transportable and relocatable equipment having at least four walking assemblies attached to transportable and relocatable equipment each walking assembly has a walking pad, roller tread for rolling the roller bearing surface, a lift assembly connected to the central collar, a rotatable motion gear assembly disposed around the lifting assembly, a motor for actuating the rotatable motion gear assembly, a pivoting collar disposed around the rod operated by a controlling means with a processor, a push pull travelling system for receiving fluid and extending a specified distance causing movement of the equipment in a first direction, and enabling the walking assemblies to raise, reorient, lower, and travel of the transportable and relocatable heavy equipment in a second direction using the treads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Loadmaster Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Michael Barnes, Robert R. Cuddie, Richard E. Robey
  • Patent number: 7413393
    Abstract: A method for unloading a drilling rig substructure at a drilling site entails transporting the substructure to the drilling site using a truck and a dolly. The substructure is lowered onto the dolly rollers. The dolly is secured and the truck moves towards the dolly pushing the substructure along the rollers. The gooseneck is disconnected from the substructure and connected to the dolly. A first wireline is connected from a first winch to the substructure and a second wireline is connected from the second winch to the substructure through the sheave block. The second winch pulls the substructure along the rollers and is disconnected once the substructure contacts the site. The dolly is unsecured and the truck moves in an opposite direction from the rig, thereby allowing the substructure to move along rollers onto the site. A method for loading a drilling rig substructure onto a truck and a dolly is also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Inventor: R. Michael Barnes
  • Patent number: 7308953
    Abstract: An embodied mobile drilling rig is made of three sections, two substructures and a mast section, which are easily transported and installed at a drilling site. Each substructure includes a mast starting section; a floor side box connected to the mast starting section; a subbase side box; elevating legs connected to the floor side box and the subbase side box; and a raising cylinder. The mast section connects to the mast starting sections. The raising cylinders engage the mast in order to raise the mast into a vertical orientation and then raise the floor side boxes into an operating position. The embodied mobile drilling rigs are configurable to be transported by road with as little as three major loads, all within legal or permitable load and dimensional limits for most regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Inventor: R. Michael Barnes
  • Patent number: 7306055
    Abstract: A method for installing a mobile drilling rig at a drilling site entails transporting the mobile drilling rig to the drilling site, wherein the mobile drilling rig is made three sections: two substructures and a mast section. The substructures are placed parallel to one another at the drilling site. The mast section is connected to the mast starting sections located on each substructure. Raising cylinders on the substructures engage the mast and raise the mast into a substantially vertical orientation, wherein the mast is locked in place. The raising cylinders are retraced and then re-extended into a drillfloor raising position. The method ends by extending the raising cylinders to raise the driller's floor side box and the off-driller's floor side box into an operating elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Inventor: R. Michael Barnes