Abstract:
A drilling rig load indicator for use on a mobile drilling rig of the type which is provided with means for applying a downward force to a drill string and bit and for applying a lifting force to raise the drill string and bit, and being further provided with a hydraulic pressure source which operates a plurality of hydraulic jacks to support and level the drilling rig. The drilling rig load indicator is composed of a hydraulic totalizer, a pressure indicator, and, a plurality of hydraulic pressure gauges. The hydraulic totalizer has an input side which is connected by means of conduits to the hydraulic jacks and an output side which represents the summation of the loads upon the hydraulic jacks. In the event that the conduits cannot be connected to the hydraulic jacks, the conduits may be connected to separate hydraulic load cells which are placed between the hydraulic jacks and the earth. The pressure indicator, which is connected to the output side of the totalizer, and is adapted to visually display the summation of the loads upon the hydraulic jacks or load cells, is provided with a dial face that has two sectors, one sector representing the amount of applied downward force, the other representing the amount of applied lifting force.