Apparatus for handling and racking pipes

1. An apparatus for handling pipes in a derrick and racking the pipes on a pipe racking assembly mounted on the derrick, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable gate assembly mounted to the pipe racking assembly, said rotatable gate assembly having a substantially U-shaped collar and an arm,

said collar defining a gate opening to receive and secure an upper portion of a pipe stand, said collar rotatably mounted to a first end of a shaft,

said arm having a first and a second end, said first end of said arm pivotably and rotatably mounted to a second end of said shaft;

a releasable pipe mount mounted to said second end of said arm, said releasable pipe mount engaging a predetermined portion of said pipe wherein said releasable pipe mount comprises:

a guide extending vertically in parallel to said pipe stand such that said guide engages a predetermined mid portion length of said mid-portion of said pipe stand to substantially prevent movement of said pipe stand engaging a mid-portion of said pipe stand; and

a support member mounted to a first securing means attached to a lower end of said first securing means such that said support member receives said pipe stand to support the weight of said pipe stand and substantially prevent movement of said lower portion of said pipe stand;

wherein said first securing means and a second securing means provides support and stability to said pipe stand when said pipe stand engages said first securing means and said second securing means;

wherein said support member is configured to engage and mate with a tool joint on said pipe stand such that said support member supports the weight of said pipe stand and substantially prevents movement of said lower portion of said pipe stand, and

a first actuator configured to elevate said first and said second secure means such that said pipe stand securely engaged to said first and said second securing means may be vertically raised for transport between the derrick and the pipe racking assembly,

wherein when said first actuator elevates said first and said second securing means, said pipe stand slides vertically downwards until said tool joint engages and mates with said second securing means,

wherein said arm is operable by a second actuator such that said arm displaces between a vertical position substantially parallel to said pipe stand and an angled position,

wherein said arm displaces between said vertical position and said angled position such that said arm securely engages said guide and said second member to said pipe stand,

wherein said arm further displaces between said vertical position and said angled position such that said arm transfers said pipe stand to the pipe racking assembly,

wherein when said arm retracts to said vertical position after said guide and said support member securely engages said pipe stand, said collar receives said pipe stand in said gate opening such that said gate opening substantially prevents movement of said upper portion of said pipe stand,

wherein said arm secures and transfers said pipe stand from the derrick to the pipe racking assembly,

wherein a drive mechanism is mounted to said shaft, said drive mechanism for rotating said rotatable gate assembly between a pipe engaging position wherein said rotatable gate assembly is in operable communication with the derrick and a pipe racking position wherein said rotatable gate assembly is in operable communication with said pipe racking assembly.

2. An apparatus for handling pipe stands in a derrick over a well bore and racking the pipe stands substantially parallel to and offset from the well bore on a pipe racking assembly mounted on a pipe rack side of the derrick the apparatus comprising:

a gate assembly mounted to the pipe racking assembly so as to be offset from the well bore towards the pipe racking assembly, said gate assembly having a substantially U-shaped collar and an arm,

said collar defining a gate opening to receive and secure an upper portion of a pipe stand, said collar rotatably mounted on said gate assembly and selectively rotatable thereon by selective actuation of a collar actuator, said collar selectively rotatable by said collar actuator between, and so as to expose said gate opening in a first position on, a derrick side of said gate assembly, and, so as to engage said gate opening in a second position, a rack-side of said gate assembly,

said arm having a first and a second end, said first end of said arm pivotably and rotatably mounted on said gate assembly for simultaneous corresponding rotation with said rotation of said collar;

a releasable pine mount mounted to said second end of said arm, said releasable pipe mount releasably engaging a predetermined portion of said pine stand;

a support member mounted to said arm and configured to engage and mate with a tool joint on said pipe stand such that said support member supports the weight of said pipe stand and prevents movement of a lower portion of said pipe stand;

an arm actuator pivoting said arm between a retracted position substantially vertically aligned with said collar and first and second extended positions when said collar is in said first and second positions respectively and when in said first extended position said pipe mount engaging with and so as to hold said pre-determined portion of said pipe stand when over said well bore, and wherein said second extended position racking the pipe stand held by said pipe mount in the pipe racking assembly; and

wherein said arm secures and transfers said pipe stand from a position in the derrick in-line with the well bore to the pipe racking assembly by said collar receiving the pipe stand in said gate opening and, while the pipe stand remains in said gate opening, selectively rotating said collar between said first and second positions to thereby transfer the pipe stand through the pipe rack side of the derrick,

a first actuator configured to elevate said pipe mount and said support member such that said pipe stand is vertically raised for transport between the derrick and the pipe racking assembly,

wherein when said first actuator elevates said support member, said pipe stand slides vertically downwards until said tool joint engages and mates with said support member,

wherein said arm is operable by a second actuator such that said arm displaces between a vertical position substantially parallel to said pipe stand and an angled position to securely engage said pipe mount to said pipe stand,

wherein said arm displaces between said vertical position and said angled position such that said arm transfers said pipe stand securely engaged to said pipe mount to the pipe racking assembly,

wherein when said arm retracts to said vertical position after said pipe mount securely engages said pipe stand, said gate opening adapted such that said gate opening substantially prevents movement of said upper portion of said pipe stand.