Removable hand guard for drilling rig hand tongs

Abstract

A removable hand guard is provided for installation on drilling rig hand tongs and used to protect the hands of workers from being accidentally crushed when gripping the tong handle. The hand guard can include resilient body and tabs, which allow the guard to be positioned on the tong handle. The hand guard can be locked into place using locks and fasteners. The hand guard can include a slot, which can form a secondary handle to be used by a second worker to maneuver the tongs.

Claims

1. A hand guard for attaching to a drilling rig hand tong handle, the tong handle comprising top and bottom supports each having front and rear portions and a tong grip therebetween, the hand guard comprising: a) a body capable of attaching to the tong handle, the body having a connecting portion configured to connect to the tong handle and a protecting portion configured to provide a barrier to guard against objects impacting the tong grip; b) the body comprising an L-shaped portion connected at one end to the protecting portion and having top and bottom tabs extending from the L-shaped portion and spaced from the protecting portion, the L-shaped portion capable of being inserted between the top support and the bottom support to position the protecting portion on the front side of the top and bottom supports and the top and bottom tabs on the rear side of the top and bottom support; c) the top tab extending from the L-shaped portion of the body in a first direction towards the top support and the bottom tab extending from the L-shaped portion of the body in a second direction towards the bottom support; and d) means for securing the body to the tong handle, thereby guarding the tong handle.

2. The hand guard as set forth in claim 1, wherein the securing means further comprises top and bottom locks configured to sandwich a portion of the L-shaped member therebetween, each lock comprising an aperture passing therethrough, and a fastener configured to pass through the apertures and secure the locks to the hand guard.

3. The hand guard as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body is comprised of a resilient material.

4. The hand guard as set forth in the claim 3, wherein the resilient material comprises one or more of the group consisting of metal, fiber composite, plastic and urethane.

5. The hand guard as set forth in claim 2, wherein the body is comprised of a resilient material.

6. The hand guard as set forth in claim 5, wherein the resilient material comprises one or more of the group consisting of metal, fiber composite, plastic and urethane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

(1) FIG. 1 is a side perspective view depicting the prior art tong jaw and handle.

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the tong jaw illustrated in FIG. 1, the hand guard and the guard lock.

(3) FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view depicting the hand guard in the process of being inserted into the tong jaw handle.

(4) FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view depicting the hand guard inserted in place on the tong jaw handle.

(5) FIG. 5 is an assembled front perspective view of the hand guard locked on the tong jaw handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS:

(6) Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, a representative embodiment of a removable hand guard for drilling rig hand tongs is illustrated, generally identified by reference numeral 20.

(7) Referring to FIG. 2, hand guard 20 can include body 22 with slot 24. In some embodiments, top and bottom tabs 26a and 26b can be disposed at the base of body 22, and can further allow hand guard 20 to be installed in front of handle 12 with tabs 26a and 26b positioned behind handle boundaries 16 and 18, thereby guarding handle 12 of tong 10. In some embodiments, L-shaped member 27 can be disposed between tabs 26a and 26b, and body 22 thereby defining notches 23 on body 22, Hand guard 20 can be locked in place by top lock 28 and bottom lock 30 connected by bolt 32 and connecting nut 34 passing through apertures 33 disposed through locks 28 and 30, or any other functionally equivalent types of fasteners such as a ready rod and quick pin, or a lag bolt, or any other fastener as known by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, top lock 28 can further comprise tab 29, and bottom lock 30 can further comprise tab 31.

(8) Referring to FIG. 3, hand guard 20 is shown in a partially installed state on tong 10. Tabs 26 of hand guard 20 can be positioned through opening 36 between handle 12 and tong 10. Body 22 and tabs 26 of hand guard 20 can be made of a resilient material, so that tabs 26 are resilient enough to remain in place behind handle boundaries 16 and 18 and body 22 is resilient enough to protect the hands of drilling rig personnel from being crushed. Body 22 and tabs 26 of hand guard 20 can be made of metal, fiber composite, plastic, urethane, or other functionally equivalent resilient materials as known by those skilled in the art.

(9) Referring now to FIG. 4, hand guard 20 can be turned into place with tabs 26 and body 22 on opposite sides of handle boundaries 16 and 18.

(10) Referring now to FIG. 5, hand guard 20 can be locked into position on tong 10 with locks 28 and 30 placed in notches 23 of body 22 wherein tabs 29 and 31 can fit behind L-shaped member 27. Bolt 32 can then placed through apertures 33 to threadably attach to nut 34. In other embodiments, aperture 33 disposed in bottom lock 30 can be threaded to threadably receive bolt 32 thereby eliminating the need for nut 34.

(11) When in use, hand guard 20 can protect a worker's hand (not shown) when operating tong 10 by gripping handle 12. In one embodiment, slot 24 in hand guard 20 can form secondary handle 38, which can be gripped by a second worker in order to assist in pulling the tong jaw 14 into a closed position.

(12) Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The terms and expressions used in the preceding specification have been used herein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the invention is defined and limited only by the claims that follow.