Patents by Inventor William C. Shafer

William C. Shafer 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).

  • Method of landing items at a well location
    Patent number: 6644413
    Abstract: A method of lowering items from a drilling rig to a well located below it through the use of a landing string comprised of drill pipe having an enlarged diameter section with a shoulder, in combination with upper and lower holders having wedge members with shoulders that engage and support the drill pipe at the shoulder of the enlarged diameter section. The shoulder of the drill pipe and the shoulders of the wedge members are rotatable with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Oil & Gas Rental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burt A. Adams, William C. Shafer, Norman A. Henry
  • Method of landing items at a well location
    Publication number: 20020162665
    Abstract: A method of lowering items from a drilling rig to a well located below it through the use of a landing string comprised of drill pipe having an enlarged diameter section with a shoulder, in combination with upper and lower holders having wedge members with shoulders that engage and support the drill pipe at the shoulder of the enlarged diameter section, the shoulder of the drill pipe and the shoulders of the wedge members being rotatable with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Burt A. Adams, William C. Shafer, Norman A. Henry
  • Method of landing items at a well location
    Patent number: 6378614
    Abstract: A method of lowering items from a drilling rig to a well located below it through the use of a landing string comprised of drill pipe having an enlarged diameter section with a shoulder, in combination with upper and lower holders having wedge members with shoulders that engage and support the drill pipe at the shoulder of the enlarged diameter section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Oil & Gas Rental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burt A. Adams, William C. Shafer, Norman A. Henry
  • Drill pipe handling apparatus
    Patent number: 6364012
    Abstract: A drill pipe handling apparatus for oil and gas drilling rigs, the drill pipe having an enlarged diameter section positioned between the ends of the drill pipe. The enlarged diameter section of drill pipe has a shoulder which corresponds with and is engaged by a shoulder located on wedge members of lower and upper holders on a drilling rig for supporting the drill pipe without damaging it during and after addition or removal of joints of drill pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Oil & Gas Rental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burt A. Adams, William C. Shafer, Norman A. Henry
  • Drilling rig, pipe and support apparatus
    Patent number: 6349764
    Abstract: A drill pipe for oil and gas drilling rigs, the drill pipe having an enlarged diameter section positioned between the ends of the drill pipe. The enlarged diameter section of drill pipe has a shoulder which corresponds with and is engaged by a shoulder located on wedge members of a holder in a drilling rig for supporting the drill pipe without crushing or otherwise damaging the drill pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Oil & Gas Rental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burt A. Adams, William C. Shafer, Norman A. Henry
  • Method and apparatus for the disassembly of drill pipe
    Patent number: 6148924
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for destabbing (disassembling) two vertically oriented drill pipe joint sections provides a two part clamp arrangement that holds the assembled joint at their interface. A lower end of the clamp arrangement is tightly clamped to the lower joint so that the upper joint rotates when the two joint are gripped with power tongs or like pipe handling devices and unthreaded or "destabbed".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Oil & Gas Rental Services, Inc.
    Inventor: William C. Shafer