kelly bushing diagram quotation

The Kelly Drive Bushing acts as an adapter that serves to connect the rotary table to the Kelly. The Kelly bushing has an inside diameter profile that matches that of the Kelly, usually square or hexagonal. It is connected to the rotary table by four large steel pins that fit into mating holes in the rotary table. The rotary motion from the rotary table is transmitted to the bushing through the pins, and then to the kelly itself through the square or hexagonal flat surfaces between the Kelly and the Kelly drive bushing. The Kelly then turns the entire drillstring because it is screwed into the top of the drillstring itself.

A kelly drive is a type of well drilling device on an oil or gas drilling rig that employs a section of pipe with a polygonal (three-, four-, six-, or eight-sided) or splined outer surface, which passes through the matching polygonal or splined kelly (mating) bushing and rotary table. This bushing is rotated via the rotary table and thus the pipe and the attached drill string turn while the polygonal pipe is free to slide vertically in the bushing as the bit digs the well deeper. When drilling, the drill bit is attached at the end of the drill string and thus the kelly drive provides the means to turn the bit (assuming that a downhole motor is not being used).

The kelly is the polygonal tubing and the kelly bushing is the mechanical device that turns the kelly when rotated by the rotary table. Together they are referred to as a kelly drive. The upper end of the kelly is screwed into the swivel, using a left-hand thread to preclude loosening from the right-hand torque applied below. The kelly typically is about 10 ft (3 m) longer than the drill pipe segments, thus leaving a portion of newly drilled hole open below the bit after a new length of pipe has been added ("making a connection") and the drill string has been lowered until the kelly bushing engages again in the rotary table.

The kelly hose is the flexible, high-pressure hose connected from the standpipe to a gooseneck pipe on a swivel above the kelly and allows the free vertical movement of the kelly while facilitating the flow of the drilling fluid down the drill string. It generally is of steel-reinforced rubber construction but also assemblies of Chiksan steel pipe and swivels are used.

The kelly is below the swivel. It is a pipe with either four or six flat sides. A rotary bushing fits around the flat sides to provide the torque needed to turn the kelly and the drill string. Rollers in the bushing permit the kelly free movement vertically while rotating. Since kelly threads would be difficult to replace, normally the lower end of the kelly has saver sub — or a short piece of pipe — that can be refurbished more cheaply than the kelly. Usually, a ball valve, called the lower kelly cock, is positioned between the kelly and the kelly saver sub. This valve is used for well control if the surface pressure becomes too high for the rotary hose or surface conditions.

According to the ″Dictionary of Petroleum Exploration, Drilling and Production″, ″[The] kelly was named after Michael J. (King) Kelly, a Chicago baseball player (1880-1887) who was known for his base running and long slides.″

RK Pipe sells new and used square and pin kelly bushings and replacement parts for your drilling equipment. Please peruse our online inventory and contact our sales department for questions and quotes.

Square drive kelly bushing dimensions, pin drive kelly bushing dimensions, square drive master bushings dimensions, and pin drive master dimensions are shown in Figure 1 and Table 1 (based on API Spec. 7K).

1. In the first design, the drive rollers are in a single plane. Depending on the manufacturer, the kelly bushing may have a split or solid body casing.

2. The second basic design of kelly drive bushings used two rollers for each driving surface on the kelly. The rollers are stacked one above the other in “cages”. All roller pins and bearings are part of this cage assembly. The cages are removable from the bushing body. The two plane roller bushing for hex kellys is adjustable for kelly and bushing wear. The two plane roller bushing for square kellys is not adjustable.

RK Pipe & Supply sells new and used square and hexagonal kellys from multiple manufacturers. Please see our online inventory and contact our sales department for information and quotes.

Kellys are manufactured with one of two drive configurations, square or hexagonal. Dimensions are listed in Table 1 and 2. Square kellys are furnished as forged or machined in the drive section. Hexagonal or fully machined square kellys are machined from full length quenched and tempered round bars.

In figure 1, #20 (in blue) is the rotary table. The kelly drive #19, is inserted through the center of the rotary table and kelly bushings, and has free vertical (up & down) movement to allow downward force to be applied to the drill string, while the rotary table rotates it. (Note: Force is not actually applied from the top (as to push) but rather the weight is at the bottom of the drill string like a pendulum on a string.)

The rotary bushings are located at the center of the rotary table. These can generally be removed in two separate pieces to facilitate large items, i.e. drill bits, to pass through the rotary table. The large gap in the center of the rotary bushings is referred to as the “bowl” due to its appearance. The bowl is where the slips are set to hold up the drill string during connections and pipe trips as well as the point the drill string passes through the floor into the wellbore. The rotary bushings connect to the kelly bushings to actually induce the spin required for drilling.

Rotary Table openings for square drive master bushings and for pin drive master bushings shall conform to the requirements of Table 3 (based on API Spec 7K).

RK Pipe & Supply sells new and used kelly valves and mud valves from various manufacturers. Please see our online inventory and contact our sales department for information and quotes.

An upper kelly cock is intended for use between the lower end of the swivel sub and the upper end of the kelly. Upper kelly cocks are furnished in 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 psi maximum working pressure ratings and have a working temperature rating of 180 degrees F maximum.

Upper kelly cocks are furnished with box up and pin down (both left hand) rotary shouldered connections in the size and style shown in Tables 1 and 2.

The outside diameters, bores and bevel diameters on each end of upper kelly cocks conform to the dimensions shown in Tables 1 and 2. The O.D. and shape of the kelly cock body will vary with the manufacturer.

API requires that licensed manufacturers of upper kelly cocks subject each valve to a hydrostatic shop test pressure as shown in Table 3. The required manufacturer’s hydrostatic shop pressure test consists of:

A lower kelly cock (shown in Figure 2) is intended for use between the lower end of the kelly and the upper end of the drill pipe or upper end of the kelly saver sub. Routinely lower kelly cocks are furnished with 5,000 psi maximum pressure ratings. Designs for higher working may be acquired from some manufacturers. The working temperature rating for lower kelly cocks is 180 degrees F.

Lower kelly cocks are furnished with box up and pin down (both right hand) rotary shouldered connections in the sizes and styles shown in Tables 3 and 4. For the upper box and lower pin connections on lower kelly cocks used with 4-1/4 and 5-1/4 square kellys and 5-1/4 and 6 hexagonal kellys, two sizes and styles of connections are standard. The purchase order should state the size and style desired.

New lower kelly cocks are furnished in lengths sufficient to provide a minimum tong space of 8 inches after the box and pin connections have been re-cut at least once.

Lower kelly cocks may be furnished with outside diameters as large as operations in the well permit, in order to produce kelly cocks with a minimum strength in torsion and in tension at least as great as the respective strengths of the tool joints used in the string.

API requires that licensed manufacturers of lower kelly cocks subject each value to a 10,000 psi shop hydraulic test pressure. If higher test pressures are required, the manufacturer should be contacted to arrange the testing.

Mud saver valves (shown in Figure 3) are proprietary valves designed to prevent the drilling mud contained in the kelly from running from the kelly when the lower connection is unscrewed. They are intended for use between the lower end of the kelly and the upper end of the drill pipe.

Rotary drilling rigs for forming boreholes require a rotary table centrally positioned on the floor of the drilling rig. The rotary table has a rotating center which receives a kelly bushing therein which imparts rotation into a kelly. The kelly is free to slide within the bushing and has a string of drill pipe connected at the lower end and a swivel at the upper end thereof.

The rotating table center and kelly bushing usually have bolt heads, fastener heads, and various other protrusions as well as various different indentions formed thereon. This is especially so on the older rotary drilling rigs.

This invention relates to drilling rig safety equipment, and specifically to a guard for a rotary table and a kelly, such as may be found on a rotary drilling rig or a workover unit. The guard of this invention has a lower end in the form of a flat circular show member from which there upwardly extends a wall member. The upper end of the wall member terminates at a bearing means. The bearing means is spaced from and concentrically arranged respective to the shoe, and has a rotatable part which slidably receives a marginal length of the kelly therethrough. The rotating kelly rotates the rotatable part of the bearing while the remainder of the bearing means remains stationary. Hence, the guard encapsulates the most dangerous parts of the rotary table and kelly and prevents extraneous items from falling into contact therewith.

This invention relates to a rotary table and kelly bushing guard for use in conjunction with a drilling rig, workover rig, or the like. In drilling boreholes, the massive rotary table, kelly, and kelly bushing are exposed in the center of the greatest activity of the drilling operation. From time to time, a roughneck will inadvertently catch a hose or chain or the like in the rotating mass, whereupon he often is violently thrown into the apparatus and fatally injured. Accordingly, the apparatus of the present invention isolates this dangerous mechanism from the surrounding area so that extraneous material cannot inadvertently come into contact therewith.

As seen in FIG. 1, a derrick floor 10 of a rotary drilling rig includes the non-rotating, circumferentially extending floor area 12 which overlies a rotary mechanism 14. The mechanism imparts rotation into a kelly bushing 16 by means of a drive sprocket 18 connected to the end of a pinion shaft of the rotary device. The kelly 20 is slidably received in a telescoping manner through the kelly bushing 16 in the usual manner, while drive mechanism 22 removably receives the kelly bushing 16 in the usual manner. As mechanism 16, 20, and 22 rotate respective to the fixed floor 12, there is a danger area 24" which must be avoided. There is always the grave danger that someone will somehow or another slip and fall into the danger area and thereby become severely injured.

In order to obviate this catastrophe, a rotary table and kelly bushing guard 24, made in accordance with the FIGS. 2--11 of the present invention, is slidably received about the kelly 20, thereby encapsulating the dangerous rotating mechanism of the drilling rig. The guard 24 includes an upper member in the form of bearing means 26 which slidably receives the rotating kelly therethrough. A heavy rubber shoe 28 forms a lower support member and is supported by the non-rotating area located outwardly of the rotary table, while a mid-portion 30 in the form of a circumferentially extending wall interconnects the bearing means 26 with the shoe 28.

As seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, together with other figures of the drawing, the bearing means includes Teflon rotatable member 36 within which there is formed an axial passageway 38 which slidably mates and rotates with the kelly 20. Bearing housing 40 is of annular configuration and preferably has the upper marginal end of ribs 32 molded therewithin. Washer 42 is split as indicated at 43 and is removably affixed to the fixed housing 40 by means of a plurality of fasteners 44 so that the rotating member 36 is captured in low friction relationship within the non-rotating member 40. This expedient enables the rotating member 36 to slidably receive and rotate with kelly 20 while non-rotating member 40 is held in a non-rotatable manner respective to the derrick floor and to the mid-portion 30.

Ribs 32 downwardly extend from the fixed upper housing member 40, as indicated by numeral 46. Member 36 is split into portions 48 and 50 so that the spaced fastener means 52 can be utilized for assembling the apparatus onto the kelly. Numeral 54 is the interface formed between the two members. The fasteners are received through apertures 56 and can include self-locking nuts and the like as may be desired.

In operation, fasteners 44 are removed to permit the two halves of washer 42 to be removed from the Teflon bearing assembly located at the upper end of the safety guard 24. Fasteners 52 are removed in order to split the rotating bearing member into halves 48 and 50 thereby facilitating assembly. The halves are placed about the kelly in the illustrated manner of FIG. 2. Stop member 25 preferably is a clamp device smaller in diameter than the pin or threaded male end of the kelly, and is tapered at the lower end to facilitate entrance through the kelly bushing and into the rat hole. The clamp holds the guard in the illustrated position of FIG. 3.

Bearing member 36 slidably engages the kelly for axial movement so that the kelly can continuously move in a downward direction as drilling progresses. When the kelly is lifted from the rotating table, the bearing means 36 of the protector device of the present invention engages the stop 25 and is lifted therewith in the manner of FIG. 3 so that another joint of drill pipe can be added to the drill string.

Hence, the rotating Teflon bearing axially slides respective to the kelly and captures the kelly therewithin so that it is rotated therewith. The heavy plastic guard cover 30 is nonrotatable and does not turn during kelly operation. The guard cover prevents one from inadvertently falling or stepping onto the rotary table, and furthermore prevents objects such as chains or hoses or ropes from catching the rotary table or kelly, and being wound thereabout, causing possible injury to adjacent personnel.

The heavy rubber shoe is located at the lower end of the safety guard. The shoe is provided with the illustrated small inside diameter 68 which forms a heel and tapers in an outward direction and terminates in a toe at large outside diameter 72. The bottom of the shoe is seen at 70. The marginal lower end of members 32 are imbedded within the shoe as noted by the numeral 74. This configuration forms a low profile so that a roughneck will not inadvertently stump his toe on the shoe. The present invention can be used in conjunction with any type of drilling or workover unit having a rotary table thereon. The non-rotating slidable safety guard of the present invention can be made of plastic, fiberglass, rubber, or metal, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The safety guard can be left on the kelly and need not be removed for extended periods of time.

The center of the rotating bearing 36 can be made square as illustrated or hexagon to accommodate a hex shaped kelly as well as being made in other configurations for accommodating any other type kelly.

The JOTKB MODEL 27 PDHD OR 20 PDHD are developed for pin drive master bushing for rotary table sizes from 27-1/2" to 49-1/2" having 25-3/4" and 23" dia pin center. This unit is used for heavy duty drilling operations and high torque conditions on off shore as well as on shore drilling operations, and handle Kelly sizes from 3" to 6" Square or Hexagonal.

Kelly bushing is that elevated device positioned right on top of the rotary table and used to transmit torque from the rotary table to the kelly. The kelly bushing is designed to be the connection between the rotary table and the kelly. The kelly is a 4 or 6 sided steel pipe.

The purpose of the rotary table is to generate the rotary action (torque) and power necessary to rotate the drillstring and drill a well. The torque generated by the rotary table is useless if it is not transferred to the kelly (the drillstring is connected to the kelly).

Hence, through the kelly bushing the torque generated at the rotary table is transferred to the kelly. To achieve this connection, the inside profile of the kelly bushing matches the outer profile of the kelly so that the kelly fits or “sits” comfortably in the kelly bushing.

There are various designs for the kelly bushing including the split type, the pin-drive type and the square-drive type. Each of these designs has different ways in which they are connected and disconnected from the rotary table.

The internal diameter of the kelly bushing can be cut into the shape of a square (4-sided) or a hexagon (6-sided) depending on the outer shape of the kelly that will be used. The internals of a Kelly bushing is designed to resemble the outer shape of a Kelly just like the insides of a key lock is cut to exactly match the outer shape of the key.

The kelly bushing is not designed to hold tightly onto the Kelly; the kelly is still permitted to move up and down through the kelly bushing. This requirement is a must since drilling cannot progress if the kelly remains on a fixed spot. As the well is drilled deeper, the kelly also moves downward through the Kelly bushing.

The kelly bushing is sometimes used as a reference point from which depth measurements can be taken. All depths must be recorded with respect to a reference point; the kelly bushing (KB) is one of the depth references used in the oil and gas industry.

The top of the kelly bushing is normally used as the depth reference.For example, 7500ft KB means 7500ft below the kelly bushing or 7500ft measured from the top of the kelly bushing down to that point in the well.

In some other cases, depths could be recorded as 7500ft MDBKB meaning 7500ft measured depth below the kelly bushing. This is mostly used when the measured depth is different from the true vertical depth of the well, common with deviated and horizontal wells.