Claims
- 1. A slip-type gripping assembly for gripping a tubular member having a substantially vertical axis, comprising:
- an outer body defining a longitudinal through opening for receiving the tubular member;
- a plurality of slip bodies each generally disposed within the outer body and circumferentially spaced about the through opening, each slip body having gripping teeth on a radially inner surface thereof for gripping engagement with the tubular member, each slip body having an upper portion, a lower portion, a left side, and a right side, each slip body further including a longitudinal inclined camming surface for radial movement of the slip body with respect to the outer body in response to longitudinal movement of the slip body with respect to the outer body for gripping engagement of the slip body with the tubular member; and
- a pivot mechanism for pivoting each of a plurality of slip bodies with respect to the outer body both within a vertical plane and about a respective tangential axis for radial movement of the upper portion of the slip body with respect to the lower portion of the slip body, and simultaneously within a horizontal plane and about a respective longitudinal axis for radial movement of the left side of the slip body with respect to the right side of the slip body, such that each slip body pivots for uniform engagement of the gripping teeth with the tubular member.
- 2. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism includes a surface both curved in a vertical plane for pivoting about the respective tangential axis and curved in a horizontal plane for pivoting about the respective longitudinal axis.
- 3. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the pivot mechanism further comprises:
- a spherical-shaped surface pivotable with respect to a respective slip body; and
- a mating spherical-shaped surface pivotable with respect to the outer body.
- 4. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of slip bodies comprises at least three slip bodies uniformly positioned circumferentially about the outer body.
- 5. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
- a setting member for applying a radially inward force to initially engage each of the plurality of slip assemblies with the tubular member.
- 6. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism further comprises:
- a radially outward member carried by the outer body;
- a radially inward member pivotable with respect to the outward member and with respect to the outer body; and
- a connecting member for movably interconnecting the outward member and the inward member.
- 7. A slip-type gripping assembly for gripping a tubular member having a substantially vertical axis, comprising:
- an outer body defining a longitudinal through opening for receiving the tubular member;
- a plurality of slip bodies each generally disposed within the outer body and circumferentially spaced about the through opening, each slip body having a radially inner surface for engagement with the tubular member;
- a corresponding plurality of longitudinal inclined camming surfaces for radial movement of a respective slip body in response to longitudinal movement of each slip body with respect to the outer body; and
- a corresponding plurality of pivot mechanisms for pivoting a respective slip body with respect to the outer body both within a vertical plane and about a respective tangential axis, and within a horizontal plane and about a respective longitudinal axis, such that each slip body pivots for uniform engagement of the radially inner surface with the tubular member.
- 8. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein the plurality of pivot mechanisms each include a surface both curved in a vertical plane for pivoting about the respective tangential axis and curved in a horizontal plane for pivoting about the respective longitudinal axis.
- 9. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein the plurality of pivot mechanisms each further comprises:
- a spherical-shaped surface pivotable with respect to a respective slip body; and
- a mating spherical-shaped surface pivotable with respect to the outer body.
- 10. The slip-type gripping mechanism as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of pivot mechanisms includes one surface curved in a vertical plane for pivoting about the respective tangential axis and another surface curved in a horizontal plane for pivoting about the respective longitudinal axis.
- 11. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein the plurality of slip bodies comprises at least three slip bodies uniformly positioned circumferentially about the outer body.
- 12. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 7, further comprising:
- a setting member for applying a radially inward force for initially engaging each of the plurality of slip assemblies with the tubular member.
- 13. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the setting member is a hydraulic piston and cylinder mechanism.
- 14. The slip-type gripping assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of pivot mechanisms further comprises:
- a radially outward member carried by the outer body;
- a radially inward member pivotable with respect to the outward member and with respect to the outer body; and
- a connecting member for movably interconnecting the outward member and the inward member.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/994,640, filed Dec. 22, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,756.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
323333 |
Jan 1930 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
994640 |
Dec 1992 |
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