1. n. [Drilling]

A hinged mechanism that may be closed around drillpipe or other drillstring components to facilitate lowering them into the wellbore or lifting them out of the wellbore. In the closed position, the elevator arms are latched together to form a load-bearing ring around the component. A shoulder or taper on the component to be lifted is larger in size than the inside diameter of the closed elevator. In the open position, the device splits roughly into two halves and may be swung away from the drillstring component.

See related terms: hook,  racking back pipe,  zip collars