Drilling rig apparatus for connecting and disconnecting well
pipe at a drilling rig. A remotely controlled power
wrench assembly is mounted on a remotely controlled lifting mechanism attached to a base spaced about the well axis on the rig floor. The
wrench assembly includes upper and lower wrenches carried by the lifting mechanism. The
wrench assembly includes a lower wrench for gripping a lower box
coupling of a
drill pipe section at the well center. An upper wrench is provided for
spinning an upper pin
coupling into or out of threaded engagement with the lower box
coupling. The upper wrench has two opposed spinner-roller pairs which translate between open and closed positions for
spinning the upper pin coupling when in a closed position. The upper wrench also has two opposed jaw blocks which translate between open and closed positions for gripping the pin coupling in a closed position. The spinner roller pairs and the jaw blocks move in directions perpendicular to each other into and out of a cavity through which the well axis passes vertically. Torque cylinders are provided by which the upper wrench is torqued in a first or "torquing up" direction while the jaw blocks are gripping the pin coupling and in a second or "breaking loose" direction. A
manipulator is pivotably carried on a rod supported from the wrench assembly. The
manipulator includes a remotely controlled arm and hand assembly which captures a
drill pipe section in its hand and transfers the
drill pipe while being supported vertically by the drilling rig between the well axis and a position at the side-of the wrench assembly. The drilling rig apparatus includes a bore arranged and designed for placement on the rig floor around the well axis. A slot is provided between frame members for placement of a pneumatically remotely controlled power slip
manipulator for setting and releasing slips in the rotary table for supporting the
drill pipe string in the well bore during connecting and disconnecting operations of
drill pipe sections.