Thread protector drive mechanism

1. A drive mechanism for installing thread protectors on threaded pipe ends, comprising:

a servo motor;

a housing;

a gripper;

a coaxial rotationally coupled shaft assembly operationally connecting the servo motor and the gripper, wherein the gripper is mounted to the shaft assembly outside of the housing;

a plurality of gripper jaws mounted on the gripper;

a first contact plate mounted to the shaft assembly and a second contact plate mounted to the gripper, wherein the first and second contact plates are biased away from one another; and

a sensor mounted on the housing to monitor the motion of the shaft assembly.

2. The drive mechanism of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of springs are mounted on a plurality of guide pins between the first contact plate and the second contact plate to bias the first and second contact plates away from one another.

3. The drive mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is operationally attached to a robotic arm.

4. A drive mechanism for installing thread protectors on threaded pipe ends, comprising:

a servo motor;

a housing;

a shaft assembly having a hollow shaft, rotatably mounted within the housing and operatively engaged with the servo motor to receive rotation therefrom, and a solid shaft, slidably mounted within the hollow shaft and rotationally coupled with the hollow shaft to permit relative axial motion between the solid shaft and the hollow shaft;

a gripper mounted to the solid shaft outside of the housing;

a plurality of gripper jaws mounted on the gripper;

a first contact plate mounted to the hollow shaft and a second contact plate mounted to the gripper, wherein the first and second contact plates are biased away from one another; and

a sensor mounted on the housing to monitor the relative axial motion between the solid shaft and the hollow shaft.

5. The drive mechanism of claim 4 , wherein a plurality of springs are mounted on a plurality of guide pins between the first contact plate and second contact plate to bias the first and second contact plates away from one another.

6. The drive mechanism of claim 5 , wherein the hollow shaft has an annular cross section and one or more keyway apertures about its circumference, and the solid shaft has one or more drive keys extending radially therefrom, and wherein the drive keys and keyway apertures are shaped such that the drive keys fit within the keyway apertures to rotationally couple the solid shaft with the hollow shaft and permit relative axial motion therebetween.

7. The drive mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the shaft assembly has a maximum travel distance which the solid shaft is permitted to move relative to the hollow shaft, defined by the length of the keyway apertures and the drive keys.

8. The drive mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the shaft assembly permits the gripper to move relative to the housing between a fully compressed position, wherein the first and second contact plates are in abutment, and a fully extended position, wherein the first and second contact plates are spaced apart by the maximum travel distance of the shaft assembly.

9. The drive mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more sensors configured to detect when the gripper is in the fully compressed position.

10. The drive mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more sensors configured to detect when the gripper is in the fully extended position.

11. The drive mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more sensors configured to detect when the gripper is in the fully compressed position and when the gripper is in the fully extended position.

12. The drive mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the gripper has a front face and a drive lug, which is attached to the front face and configured to engage with a complementarily shaped recess on a thread protector.

13. The drive mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the drive lug comprises a rectangular bar that extends across the front face of the gripper.