LATCH SYSTEM FOR FRICTION-LOCKED TUBULAR MEMBERS

摘要

A TECHNIQUE FOR SECURING DRILLING RISER JOINTS (30) IN A DRILLING RISER STRING (20) IS PRESENTED. THE DRILLING RISER JOINTS (30) HAVE A TUBULAR HOUSING THAT HAS A BOX CONFIGURATION (38) ON ONE END AND A PIN CONFIGURATION ON THE OTHER END. THE DRILLING RISER STRING (20) IS ASSEMBLED BY CONNECTING THE PIN END (40) OF ONE DRILLING RISER JOINT (30) TO THE BOX END (38) OF AN ADJOINING DRILLING RISER JOINT (30). A MOVEABLE RING IS USED TO CONNECT ADJOINING DRILLING RISER JOINTS (30). THE MOVEABLE RING IS USED TO DRIVE A FASTENER, SUCH AS A DOG (70), OF ONE DRILLING RISER JOINT (30) AGAINST THE ADJOINING DRILLING RISER JOINT (30). THE MOVEABLE RING IS DRIVEN AXIALLY FROM A FIRST POSITION, WHERE THE FASTENER IS NOT ENGAGED AGAINST THE ADJOINING DRILLING RISER JOINT (30), TO A SECOND POSITION WHERE THE FASTENER IS ENGAGED AGAINST THE ADJOINING DRILLING RISER JOINT (30). A LATCH (48) IS USED TO PREVENT THE MOVEABLE RING FROM MOVING INADVERTENTLY FROM THE SECOND POSITION. THIS PREVENTS THE DRILLING RISER JOINTS (30) FROM DISCONNECTING INADVERTENTLY. THE MOST ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWING IS