US20090159271A1 - Top drive systems for wellbore & drilling operations - Google Patents

Abstract

A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system in certain aspects including a main body, a motor (in certain aspects a salient pole motor), a motor apparatus, a motor shaft extending from the motor, a gear system driven by the motor shaft and interconnected with a drive shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the drive shaft, the gear system having a housing and a bearing retainer integral with the housing. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• This invention is directed to top drive systems; parts thereof; and methods of their use.
• 2. Description of Related Art
• The prior art discloses a variety of top drive systems; for example, and not by way of limitation, the following U.S. patent application and U.S. patents present exemplary top drive systems and components thereof: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,768; 4,589,503; 4,753,300; 4,800,968; 4,807,890; 4,813,493; 4,872,577; 4,878,546; 4,984,641; 5,433,279; 6,007,105; 6,276,450; 6,536,520; 6,679,333; 6,705,405; 6,913,096; 6,923,254; 7,186,686; and 7,270,189—these patents all incorporated fully herein for all purposes.
• Certain typical prior art top drive drilling systems have a derrick supporting a top drive which rotates tubulars, e.g., drill pipe. The top drive is supported from a traveling block beneath a crown block. A drawworks on a rig floor raises and lowers the top drive. The top drive moves on a guide track.
• Certain prior art systems include a top drive with a gear system with a lower or second stage planetary carrier which rotates with respect to multiple (e.g. two) vertically spaced-apart bearings which are secured in place and which do not float radially (or axially).
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention, in certain aspects, provides a top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including: a main body; a motor apparatus (e.g. one motor, two or more spaced-apart motors; a plurality of motors, two, three, four or more stacked one on the other and providing power in series; or a plurality of motors providing power in parallel; and, e.g., to drive a single gear of a top drive gear system); a drive shaft; a gear system interconnected with the motor for driving the drive shaft; the gear system having a housing which in one aspect has an integral bearing retainer for retaining in position bearings below the gear system.
• In one aspect, the present invention discloses a top drive system with a motor having a housing that includes top and bottom parts connected together by tie rods.
• Accordingly, the present invention includes features and advantages which are believed to enable it to advance top drive and top drive motor and gear apparatus technology. Characteristics and advantages of the present invention described above and additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings.
• Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures, functions, and/or results achieved. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described below and which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
• What follows are some of, but not all, the objects of this invention. In addition to the specific objects stated below for at least certain preferred embodiments of the invention, there are other objects and purposes which will be readily apparent to one of skill in this art who has the benefit of this invention's teachings and disclosures. It is, therefore, an object of at least certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide:
• New, useful, unique, efficient, non-obvious top drive systems, components and parts thereof, and methods of their use; and
• Such systems with a gear system with a removable bearing cartridge;
• Such systems with a movable bearing holder permitting radial movement of a bearing adjacent a planetary carrier, and, in one aspect, such systems with a single bearing adjacent a planetary carrier;
• Such systems with a movable gear system bearing movable radially which does not interfere in a horizontal plane with a system shaft bearing; and
• Such a system with a lower part of a gear housing for retaining a system shaft bearing.
• The present invention recognizes and addresses the problems and needs in this area and provides a solution to those problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this invention's realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, various purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent's object to claim this invention no matter how others may later attempt to disguise it by variations in form or additions of further improvements.
• The Abstract that is part hereof is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and scientists, engineers, researchers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent terms or legal terms of phraseology to determine quickly from a cursory inspection or review the nature and general area of the disclosure of this invention. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention, which is done by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting of the scope of the invention in any way.
• It will be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention may include one, some, or all of the disclosed, described, and/or enumerated improvements and/or technical advantages and/or elements in claims to this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
• A more particular description of embodiments of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by references to the embodiments which are shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification. These drawings illustrate certain preferred embodiments and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or equivalent embodiments.
• FIG. 1A is a back view of a top drive system according to the present invention.
• FIG. 1B is a side view of the top drive system ofFIG. 1A.
• FIG. 1C is a front view of the top drive system ofFIG. 1A.
• FIG. 1D is a cross-section view alongline1D-1D ofFIG. 1C.
• FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a top drive system according to the present invention with a motor/gear apparatus according to the present invention.
• FIG. 2B is a partially exploded view of the top drive system and motor/gear apparatus shown inFIG. 2A.
• FIG. 2C is a cross-section view of the system ofFIG. 2A.
• FIG. 2D is a side view of the system ofFIG. 2A.
• FIG. 2E is a front view of the system ofFIG. 2A.
• FIG. 3 is a rear view of a top drive system of according to the present invention.
• FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a gear apparatus for a top drive system according to the present invention.
• FIG. 4B is a side view partially in cross-section of the apparatus ofFIG. 4A (alongline4B-4B ofFIG. 4C).
• FIG. 4C is a top of the apparatus ofFIG. 4A.
• FIG. 4D is a bottom view of the apparatus ofFIG. 4A with part in cross-section (alongline4D-4D ofFIG. 4B).
• FIG. 4E is an enlargement of part of the apparatus ofFIG. 4B.
• Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. Various aspects and embodiments of the invention are described below are some are set out in the dependent claims. Any combination of aspects and/or features described below or shown in the dependent claims can be used except where such aspects and/or features are mutually exclusive. It should be understood that the appended drawings and description herein are of preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention or the appended claims. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In showing and describing the preferred embodiments, like or identical reference numerals are used to identify common or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
• As used herein and throughout all the various portions (and headings) of this patent, the terms “invention”, “present invention” and variations thereof mean one or more embodiment, and are not intended to mean the claimed invention of any particular appended claim(s) or all of the appended claims. Accordingly, the subject or topic of each such reference is not automatically or necessarily part of, or required by, any particular claim(s) merely because of such reference.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate atop drive system10 according to the present invention which has a plurality of components including: agooseneck11, abonnet12,brakes13, amotor14, agear system15, adrive shaft16, a bearingsystem17, aswivel body18, a pipehandler lock assembly19, alink support22, aswivel ring23 and a load (or landing)collar29. The components can be collectively suspended in a typical derrick from a typical traveling block for up and down movement in the derrick.
• During certain operations, themotor14 within ahousing14arotates the drive shaft which, in turn, rotates a drillstring and a drill bit to produce an earth bore. Fluid pumped into the top drive system through thegooseneck11 passes through thedrive shaft16, a drillstring, and a drill bit and enters the bottom of an earth bore.
• In certain aspects, themotor housing14a(e.g. made of sheet metal or aluminum) includes a series oftie rods14bwhich are secured to atop member14cand abottom member14dto strengthen thehousing14a. In certain particular aspects thehousing14ais made of metal such as aluminum or steel. In one particular aspect themotor14 is a motor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,686. In another particular aspect the motor14 (as may be any motor herein) is a salient pole permanent magnet motor.
• Thegear system15 is located above a bearingretainer21 which serves to maintain thedrive shaft16 in place (radially and axially) e.g. during drilling, and houses an upper race of athrust bearing system16b. As shown inFIG. 1D, the bearing retainer is a separate item secured to and below the housing of thegear system15. As discussed in detail below, in one embodiment of the present invention, a bearing retainer is made integral with the gear system housing. Aload flange16aof thedrive shaft16 moves onbearings16c.
• An encoder/resolver24 (seeFIG. 1D) measures the position and speed of themotor14 and provides a signal indicative of the position of thedrive shaft16. With certain salient pole motors, the encoder/resolver24 can be deleted since motor controls for salient pole permanent magnet motors indicate the position of the rotor of the motor and, therefore, the position of the drive shaft16 (e.g., the position of the drive shaft during tubular connection make-up and break-out and during drilling). Certain typical salient pole motors (with embedded tangential or radial rotor magnets) have relatively higher inductance than non-salient motors and provide smoother starting from a standstill.
• Thetop drive system10 has a motor control system20 (shown schematically,FIG. 1A) which, in certain aspects, includes anoutput reactor20a(also called an “inductor”) which insures efficient operation by increasing the inductance applied to the motor. This inductor is used with certain low inductance motors. In other aspects, by using a relatively high inductance motor, e.g. a relatively high inductance salient pole motor, theinductor20ais eliminated since the high inductance motor applies a sufficient amount of inductance.
• FIG. 2A-2D shows atop drive system30 according to the present invention which, in some aspects, is like thesystem10,FIG. 1A (and like numerals indicate like parts). Amotor14m(like any of the motors14) is above a gear system25 (instead of the gear system15) has ahousing14h.
• Parts of thehousing14hincluding sides14s, top14t, and bottom14vfollowing assembly are not connected together by tie rods (as are housing parts in the top drive ofFIG. 1A). In one aspect thehousing14his made of steel and is sufficiently strong so that a portion of it is threaded to threadedly connect thebonnet12 thereto. A steel housing motor can be relatively larger than a motor with a weaker (e.g. aluminum) housing. This novel elimination of tie rods allows a motor of a greater diameter (larger size) to be used in a similar space. This relatively larger diameter means that the motor provides relatively greater horsepower with greater efficiency.
• Alower portion48 of agear housing46 serves as a bearing retainer to retainbearing44.FIGS. 2A-2D are exploded views or views that show parts not assembled together. When assembled, thebearing44 is within a bearingretainer48. The bearing retainer, alower portion48 of thehousing46 is releasably secured to thehousing46, e.g. with bolts.
• FIG. 3 shows a top drive system50 (partially exploded view) according to the present invention. Amotor60 has abrake system54 and anoutput shaft56. Theoutput shaft56 is connected to agear system100. Thegear system100 driven by themotor60, drives amain drive shaft70. Bearings58 (thrust bearings) are retained in place by a bearingretainer80 which is bolted to or integral with thegear system100. An attachment frame90 (a “swivel body”) provides for the connection of a torque track for conducting torque from the system to the torque track. Theswivel body90 is, typically, suspended from a block in the derrick by bails.
• FIGS. 4A-4D show thegear system100 of thetop drive system50. Ahousing102 has amotor mounting surface104 on which the motor is positioned. Apart107 is releasably secured to the housing withbolts107b.Gear reducer system110 within thehousing102 includes agear reducer111 and abearing116. Thegear reducer system110 includes afirst stage carrier112; a secondstage sun pinion113; asecond stage carrier114; and abearing cartridge115. Thecartridge115 with thebearing117 is held in place bybolts115b. Removing thebolts107band thebolts115bpermits removal of thecartridge115 for bearing replacement, in one aspect, with asingle bearing117.
• There are three first stage planetary gears (not shown). The gear box has a bottom surface130 (seeFIG. 4D). Atemperature gauge134 can be inserted in a tapped thread portion132. A tip of the gauge sits in the oil flow path and dynamically measures the temperature of the oil flow.
• Alower portion120part107 of the of thehousing102 serves as a bearing retainer to retain in place thebearing44. Aninline flow meter121 which measures oil flow to the housing has anoil inlet port122.Magnetic plugs123 are positioned inholes124 to attract and hold metal shavings and debris. Anair breather125 is in communication with the interior of thehousing120.
• As shown inFIGS. 4B and 4E, thecartridge115 has apart115bwhich is adjacent apart115a. Thepart115aincludes anupper part115gand a side115f. Thepart115bis encompassed within structure of thepart115b(upper part115gand side115f) and atop surface107aof thepart107. Thepart115arests on atop surface107bof thepart107 and against aside107cof thepart107. In one aspect, thetop surface107ais lower thantop surface107b.
• Due to the tolerances between thepart115band thepart115asome slight movement is possible of thepart115bwith respect to thepart115a. An interface between theparts115band115ais sealed by one or more seals—two o-ring seals115care shown in correspondingrecesses115din thepart115b. These seals are sized, configured, and positioned to accommodate the movement of thepart115bwith respect to thepart115a.
• Thebearing117 is held in place by aholder114cbolted to thesecond stage carrier114 and rests partially on aledge115eof thepart115band under ashoulder114dof thecarrier114. The bearing117 can move radially (and/or axially) the extent that thepart115bcan move radially (and/or axially), thus permitting thebearing117 when it is movable radially to “float” horizontally. This inhibits interference in the horizontal plane between the bearing117 and the bearing44 (which can cause excessive bearing wear and premature failure). Thebearing117 does not float so much that the second state carrier moves too far axially, i.e., so far that splines114son thesecond stage carrier114 would not properly mesh with corresponding splines on the main shaft of the motor.
• The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including: a main body; a motor apparatus; a main shaft extending from the main body, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the main shaft having a main shaft flow bore therethrough from top to bottom through which drilling fluid is flowable; a quill connected to and around the main shaft; and, in one aspect, the quill is part of a gearbox of a gear system; a gear system interconnected with the quill, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the quill and thereby drives the main shaft, the main shaft passing through the gear system; upper components connected to the main body above the top end of the main shaft.
• The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including a motor and gearing system including a motor housing, a motor within the motor housing, and the motor housing comprising a top and a bottom and a plurality of rods interconnected between the top and bottom to connect the top and the bottom together.
• The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including: a main body; a top drive shaft; a motor apparatus; a motor shaft extending from the motor; a gear system driven by the motor shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the top drive shaft, the gear system including a lower planetary carrier; the gear system including gear apparatus enclosed within a gear housing; a single bearing adjacent and in contact with the lower planetary carrier; a bearing cartridge connected to the gear housing; and the bearing cartridge abutting the single bearing and in contact with and holding the single bearing in position with respect to the lower planetary carrier. Such a system may have one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: the bearing cartridge including an outer part secured to the gear housing, and an inner part within the outer part, the inner part movable radially with respect to the outer part; the single bearing abuts the inner part and the inner part is movable radially with the single bearing; the single bearing maintains the lower planetary carrier in radial position; a shaft bearing around the top drive shaft, and a bearing retainer portion on a lower part of the gear housing for retaining the shaft bearing; wherein the inner part and the single bearing are movable to inhibit interference in the horizontal plane of the single bearing with the shaft bearing; wherein the motor apparatus is a salient pole permanent magnet motor apparatus; at least one seal on the inner part, the at least one seal projecting from the inner part and abutting the outer part, and the at least one seal accommodates movement of the inner part with respect to the outer part; there are two spaced-apart seal recesses on the inner part, and the at least one seal is two seals, one seal in each seal recess; wherein the bearing cartridge is releasably secured to a first part of the gear housing; and/or wherein the first part is releasably secured to the gear housing.
• The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including: a main body; a top drive shaft; a motor apparatus; a motor shaft extending from the motor; a gear system driven by the motor shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the top drive shaft, the gear system including a lower planetary carrier; the gear system including gear apparatus enclosed within a gear housing; a single bearing adjacent and in contact with the lower planetary carrier; a bearing cartridge connected to the gear housing; the bearing cartridge abutting the single bearing and in contact with and holding the single bearing in position with respect to the lower planetary carrier; the bearing cartridge including an outer part secured to the gear housing; an inner part within the outer part, the inner part movable radially with respect to the outer part; the single bearing abuts the inner part and the inner part is movable radially with the single bearing; wherein the single bearing maintains the lower planetary carrier in radial position; a shaft bearing around the top drive shaft; a bearing retainer portion on a lower part of the gear housing for retaining the shaft bearing; and wherein the inner part and the single bearing are movable to inhibit interference in the horizontal plane of the single bearing with the shaft bearing.
• The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a method for facilitating rotation of a lower planetary carrier of a gear system of a top drive system, the top drive system having a motor and gearing system including a motor housing, a motor within the motor housing, and the motor housing being a top and a bottom and a plurality of rods interconnected between the top and bottom to connect the top and the bottom together, the method including: rotating the lower planetary carrier with respect to the single bearing, and holding the single bearing in position with the bearing cartridge. Such a method may have one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: the bearing cartridge including an outer part secured to the gear housing, and an inner part within the outer part, the inner part movable radially with respect to the outer part, wherein the single bearing abuts the inner part and the inner part is movable radially with the single bearing, the method further including allowing the single bearing to move radially to an extent of possible radial movement of the inner part; wherein the single bearing maintains the lower planetary carrier in radial position, the method further including maintaining the lower planetary carrier in position with the single bearing; the top drive system having a shaft bearing around the top drive shaft, and a bearing retainer portion on a lower part of the gear housing for retaining the shaft bearing, the method further including retaining the shaft bearing in position with the bearing retainer portion; wherein the inner part and the single bearing are movable to inhibit interference in the horizontal plane of the single bearing with the shaft bearing, the method further including inhibiting interference in the horizontal plane between the single bearing and the shaft bearing; and/or the top drive system having at least one seal on the inner part, the at least one seal projecting from the inner part and abutting the outer part, the at least one seal accommodates movement of the inner part with respect to the outer part, the method further including with the at least one seal accommodating movement of the inner part with respect to the outer part.
• The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a method for inhibiting interference in the horizontal plane between a single bearing in a gear housing adjacent a lower planetary carrier of a gear system of a top drive system and a shaft bearing around a top drive shaft of the top drive system, the top drive system having a main body, a top drive shaft, a motor apparatus, a motor shaft extending from the motor, a gear system driven by the motor shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the top drive shaft, the gear system including a lower planetary carrier, the gear system including gear apparatus enclosed within a gear housing, a single bearing adjacent and in contact with the lower planetary carrier, a bearing cartridge connected to the gear housing, and the bearing cartridge abutting the single bearing and in contact with and holding the single bearing in position with respect to the lower planetary carrier, the method including allowing the single bearing to move radially with respect to the gear housing in a controlled manner.
• In conclusion, therefore, it is seen that the present invention and the embodiments disclosed herein and those covered by the appended claims are well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends set forth. Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each element or step recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to the step literally and/or to all equivalent elements or steps. The following claims are intended to cover the invention as broadly as legally possible in whatever form it may be utilized. The invention claimed herein is new and novel in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 102 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 102. The invention claimed herein is not obvious in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 103 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 103. This specification is in accordance with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112. The inventors may rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the scope of their invention and of the claims that follow as they may pertain to apparatus not materially departing from, but outside of, the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All patents and applications identified herein are incorporated fully herein for all purposes. What follows are some of the claims for some of the embodiments and aspects of the present invention, but these claims are not necessarily meant to be a complete listing of nor exhaustive of every possible aspect and embodiment of the invention. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function.

Claims (20)

1. A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system comprising

a motor and gearing system including a motor housing,

a motor within the motor housing, and

the motor housing comprising a top and a bottom and a plurality of rods interconnected between the top and bottom to connect the top and the bottom together.

2. A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system comprising

a main body,

a top drive shaft,

a motor apparatus,

a motor shaft extending from the motor,

a gear system driven by the motor shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the top drive shaft, the gear system including a lower planetary carrier,

the gear system including gear apparatus enclosed within a gear housing,

a single bearing adjacent and in contact with the lower planetary carrier,

a bearing cartridge connected to the gear housing, and

the bearing cartridge abutting the single bearing and in contact with and holding the single bearing in position with respect to the lower planetary carrier.

3. The top drive system ofclaim 2 further comprising

the bearing cartridge including

an outer part secured to the gear housing, and

an inner part within the outer part, the inner part movable radially with respect to the outer part.

4. The top drive system ofclaim 3 wherein

the single bearing abuts the inner part and the inner part is movable radially with the single bearing.

5. The top drive system ofclaim 4 wherein the single bearing maintains the lower planetary carrier in radial position.

6. The top drive system ofclaim 2 further comprising

a shaft bearing around the top drive shaft, and

a bearing retainer portion on a lower part of the gear housing for retaining the shaft bearing.

7. The top drive system ofclaim 6 wherein the inner part and the single bearing are movable to inhibit interference in the horizontal plane of the single bearing with the shaft bearing.

8. The top drive system ofclaim 2 wherein the motor apparatus is a salient pole permanent magnet motor apparatus.

9. The top drive system ofclaim 3 further comprising

at least one seal on the inner part, the at least one seal projecting from the inner part and abutting the outer part, and

the at least one seal accommodates movement of the inner part with respect to the outer part.

10. The top drive system ofclaim 9 wherein

there are two spaced-apart seal recesses on the inner part, and

the at least one seal is two seals, one seal in each seal recess.

11. The top drive system ofclaim 2 wherein the bearing cartridge is releasably secured to a first part of the gear housing.

12. The top drive system ofclaim 11 wherein the first part is releasably secured to the gear housing.

13. A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system comprising

a main body,

a top drive shaft,

a motor apparatus,

a motor shaft extending from the motor,

a gear system driven by the motor shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the top drive shaft, the gear system including a lower planetary carrier,

the gear system including gear apparatus enclosed within a gear housing,

a single bearing adjacent and in contact with the lower planetary carrier,

a bearing cartridge connected to the gear housing,

the bearing cartridge abutting the single bearing and in contact with and holding the single bearing in position with respect to the lower planetary carrier,

the bearing cartridge including

an outer part secured to the gear housing,

an inner part within the outer part, the inner part movable radially with respect to the outer part,

the single bearing abuts the inner part and the inner part is movable radially with the single bearing,

wherein the single bearing maintains the lower planetary carrier in radial position,

a shaft bearing around the top drive shaft,

a bearing retainer portion on a lower part of the gear housing for retaining the shaft bearing, and

wherein the inner part and the single bearing are movable to inhibit interference in the horizontal plane of the single bearing with the shaft bearing.

14. A method for facilitating rotation of a lower planetary carrier of a gear system of a top drive system, the top drive system comprising a motor and gearing system including a motor housing, a motor within the motor housing, and the motor housing comprising a top and a bottom and a plurality of rods interconnected between the top and bottom to connect the top and the bottom together, the method comprising

rotating the lower planetary carrier with respect to the single bearing, and

holding the single bearing in position with the bearing cartridge.

15. The top drive method ofclaim 14 wherein the top drive system includes the bearing cartridge with an outer part secured to the gear housing, and an inner part within the outer part, the inner part movable radially with respect to the outer part, wherein the single bearing abuts the inner part and the inner part is movable radially with the single bearing, the method further comprising

allowing the single bearing to move radially to an extent of possible radial movement of the inner part.

16. The method ofclaim 14 wherein the single bearing maintains the lower planetary carrier in radial position, the method further comprising

maintaining the lower planetary carrier in position with the single bearing.

17. The method ofclaim 14 wherein the top drive system includes a shaft bearing around the top drive shaft, and a bearing retainer portion on a lower part of the gear housing for retaining the shaft bearing, the method further comprising

retaining the shaft bearing in position with the bearing retainer portion.

18. The method ofclaim 14 wherein the inner part and the single bearing are movable to inhibit interference in the horizontal plane of the single bearing with the shaft bearing, the method further comprising

inhibiting interference in the horizontal plane between the single bearing and the shaft bearing.

19. The method ofclaim 15 wherein the top drive system includes at least one seal on the inner part, the at least one seal projecting from the inner part and abutting the outer part, the at least one seal accommodates movement of the inner part with respect to the outer part, the method further comprising

with the at least one seal accommodating movement of the inner part with respect to the outer part.

20. A method for inhibiting interference in the horizontal plane between a single bearing in a gear housing adjacent a lower planetary carrier of a gear system of a top drive system and a shaft bearing around a top drive shaft of the top drive system, the top drive system comprising a main body, a top drive shaft, a motor apparatus, a motor shaft extending from the motor, a gear system driven by the motor shaft, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the top drive shaft, the gear system including a lower planetary carrier, the gear system including gear apparatus enclosed within a gear housing, a single bearing adjacent and in contact with the lower planetary carrier, a bearing cartridge connected to the gear housing, and the bearing cartridge abutting the single bearing and in contact with and holding the single bearing in position with respect to the lower planetary carrier, the method comprising

allowing the single bearing to move radially with respect to the gear housing in a controlled manner.

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