A pipe shuttle for moving a pipe segment from an operating position to a pipe box. The pipe shuttle has a pair of gripper arms flanking a cradle. The cradle has a spring-loaded pad that has a concave surface for holding a pipe segment. As the pipe shuttle moves from underneath a pipe box to near a cradle, rollers are positioned to engage a guide plate. When the shuttle is underneath the pipe box, the rollers engage the guide plate to keep the cradle open. When moved towards an operating position, the rollers no longer engage the guide plate and cause grippers to close on the pipe segment. The spring-loaded pad allows the pipe shuttle to be moved relative to the pipe segment when the pipe segment is in its operating position.

A pipe shuttle for moving a pipe segment from an operating position to a pipe box. The pipe shuttle has a pair of gripper arms flanking a cradle. The cradle has a spring-loaded pad that has a concave surface for holding a pipe segment. As the pipe shuttle moves from underneath a pipe box to near a cradle, rollers are positioned to engage a guide plate. When the shuttle is underneath the pipe box, the rollers engage the guide plate to keep the cradle open. When moved towards an operating position, the rollers no longer engage the guide plate and cause grippers to close on the pipe segment. The spring-loaded pad allows the pipe shuttle to be moved relative to the pipe segment when the pipe segment is in its operating position.

A system including an elevator to move a tubular, the elevator including two or more remotely operable latches that can configure the elevator to handle various tubular diameters. A portion of the latches can be laterally offset from each other and another portion can overlap adjacent latches. The elevator can be Atmosphere Explosible (ATEX) certified or International Electrotechnical Commission for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx) certified according to explosive (EX) Zone 1 requirements with an electronics enclosure contained within a sealed chamber. The elevator can be rotated greater than 90 degrees relative to a pair of links that support the elevator. The elevator can use rotary actuators to operate the latches and rotate the housing of the elevator.

A pipe handling system can include a bridge disposed in an inclined position, having first and second rails with a space therebetween, and an arm coupled to the first and second rails, the arm being configured to manipulate a tubular through the space between the first and second rails. A method that can include gripping a tubular at a well center on a rig floor via an arm coupled to a bridge, the bridge comprising first and second rails with a space therebetween, moving the tubular from the well center and through the space, and moving the tubular along the bridge via the arm, with the bridge being inclined from a horizontal storage area to the rig floor.

A pipe handling system can include a bridge disposed in an inclined position, having first and second rails with a space therebetween, and an arm coupled to the first and second rails, the arm being configured to manipulate a tubular through the space between the first and second rails. A method that can include gripping a tubular at a well center on a rig floor via an arm coupled to a bridge, the bridge comprising first and second rails with a space therebetween, moving the tubular from the well center and through the space, and moving the tubular along the bridge via the arm, with the bridge being inclined from a horizontal storage area to the rig floor.

A positionable carriage assembly is disclosed. In one aspect, the positionable carriage assembly includes an actuation device, such as one or more linear hydraulic cylinders, that is linked to a linear drive element. The linear drive element can include a first and second gear racks. The positionable carriage assembly may also include a first carriage member having a third gear rack and a second carriage member having a fourth gear rack. A first gear structure may be provided that operably intermeshes with the first and third racks while a second gear structure may be provided that operably intermeshes with the second and fourth racks. In operation the actuation device imparts a linear movement in a first direction onto the linear drive element which in turn imparts a synchronized linear movement in a second direction orthogonal the first direction onto the carriage members via the intermediate first and second gear structures.

A positionable carriage assembly is disclosed. In one aspect, the positionable carriage assembly includes an actuation device, such as one or more linear hydraulic cylinders, that is linked to a linear drive element. The linear drive element can include a first and second gear racks. The positionable carriage assembly may also include a first carriage member having a third gear rack and a second carriage member having a fourth gear rack. A first gear structure may be provided that operably intermeshes with the first and third racks while a second gear structure may be provided that operably intermeshes with the second and fourth racks. In operation the actuation device imparts a linear movement in a first direction onto the linear drive element which in turn imparts a synchronized linear movement in a second direction orthogonal the first direction onto the carriage members via the intermediate first and second gear structures.

A horizontal directional drilling machine having a modular pipe loader system. The system comprises a first and second pipe loader assembly supported on a drill frame. Each assembly supports a shuttle arm. The shuttle arms are configured to move independently of one another along a shuttle path that is traverse to a longitudinal axis of the drill frame. Movement of each shuttle arm is powered by an actuator supported on each pipe loader assembly. Each pipe loader assembly includes a sensor used to measure parameters related to the position of each shuttle arm relative to the drill frame. A controller analyzes the measured parameters and directs operation of each actuator in order to keep the shuttle arms moving in unison during operation.

A horizontal directional drilling machine having a modular pipe loader system. The system comprises a first and second pipe loader assembly supported on a drill frame. Each assembly supports a shuttle arm. The shuttle arms are configured to move independently of one another along a shuttle path that is traverse to a longitudinal axis of the drill frame. Movement of each shuttle arm is powered by an actuator supported on each pipe loader assembly. Each pipe loader assembly includes a sensor used to measure parameters related to the position of each shuttle arm relative to the drill frame. A controller analyzes the measured parameters and directs operation of each actuator in order to keep the shuttle arms moving in unison during operation.

A pipe handler trailer assists with the handling of very large and heavy pipes that are regularly raised to and lowered from an elevated surfaces. A height adjustment assembly sets the maximum height that a skidway will reach when a lift cylinder is fully extended and lift arms are thereby rotated. Located within lift arms are toothed racks. An adjustment block couples the skidway to lift arms through the racks and also supports locking blocks that have teeth complementary to the teeth on the racks. A lock will vary from firm contact with the inner wall of lift arms to having a gap there between. When the lock engages the inner wall of the lift arm this drives the complementary teeth into secure engagement with the rack teeth, which can then rigidly support heavy load without motion.