Drill rod changer, rock drilling unit and method of changing drill rods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10294738-B2
Application number	US-201615379387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a changing device, rock drilling unit and a method of changing drill rods in rock drilling. The changing device includes a first drill rod station for receiving a second drill rod and a second drill rod station for receiving a third drill rod. The second drill rod station may be moved to the first drill rod station and the first drill rod station may be moved to drilling axis by moving the whole changing device in a transverse direction relative to a feed beam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A changing device for handling drill rods in connection with a rock drilling unit having a longitudinal drilling axis and a first drill rod located on the longitudinal drilling axis, the changing device comprising:
a body movably connected to the drilling unit;
a first drill rod station for receiving one single changeable drill rod;
a gripping device at the first drill rod station arranged for gripping and releasing the one single changeable drill rod located at the first drill rod station;
at least one transfer device arranged to move the changing device in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the drilling unit, the changeable drill rod being located initially at the first drill rod station and then moved by the changing device to the first drill rod at the drilling axis; and
at least one second drill rod station configured to receive one single additional drill rod, the second drill rod station being selectively movable to the first drill rod station and away to a side position relative to the longitudinal drilling axis.

2. The changing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second drill rod station is only movable stepwise between two extreme positions without stoppage to intermediate positions between the first drill rod station, the side position being located at extreme positions of a movement range of the second station.

3. The changing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second drill rod station is located at a distal end portion of the changing device.

4. The changing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second drill rod station is supported by pivot means which arranged to pivot the second drill rod station along an arc shaped movement path relative to the body of the changing device, the second drill rod station being movable between the first drill rod station and the side position by a turning actuator.

5. The changing device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second drill rod station is movable relative to the pivot means by a fluid operated cylinder.

6. The changing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second drill rod station includes at least one clamp element, which is operable without external driving power and is configured to hold the additional drill rod at the second station.

7. The changing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second drill rod station includes at least one clamp element, the clamp element being supported by a pivot pin to a separate frame fastened to a side surface of the body of the changing device, the clamp element being movable between the extreme positions relative to the pivot pin by a hydraulic cylinder arranged between the clamp element and the frame.

8. A rock drilling unit comprising:
an elongate feed beam;
a rock drilling machine arranged movably on the feed beam and defining a drilling axis, whereby the rock drilling machine includes a shank for connecting a first drill rod to the drilling axis; and
at least one changing device including a body connected movably to the feed beam, a first drill rod station for receiving one single changeable drill rod, a gripping device at the first drill rod station and arranged to grip and release the changeable drill rod located at the first drill rod station, and at least one transfer device arranged to move the changing device in a transverse direction relative to the feed beam and for positioning the gripping device at a side position relative to the drilling axis, the changeable drill rod being located initially at the first drill rod station and then moved by the changing device to the first drill rod at the drilling axis, and at least one second drill rod station configured to receive one single additional drill rod, the second drill rod station being selectively movable to the first drill rod station and away to the side position relative to the longitudinal drilling axis, and wherein the changing device allows one single drill rod at a time to be stored at the second drill rod station.

9. The rock drilling unit as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising at least one additional support element arranged to provide for the drill rod, which is located at the second drill rod station, additional support when the changing device is moved between the drilling axis and the side position.

10. The rock drilling unit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the changing device is connected by a pivot means to the feed beam and is configured to be pivoted relative to the pivot means when being moved between the drilling axis and the side position, the additional support element having an arc shaped support surface for providing support for the drill rod located at the second drill rod station when the changing device is turned, and the additional support surface being absent at the side position of the changing device to allow the drill rod located at the second drill rod station to be moved to the first drill rod station.

11. A method of changing drill rods in a rock drilling unit, the rock drilling unit including a feed beam, a rock drilling machine and at least one retainer device, the method comprising:
connecting at least two drill rods together at a drilling axis of the drilling machine for forming an extension rod assembly;
dismantling the extension rod assembly after drilling;
holding the extension rod assembly by the retainer device, wherein the connecting and dismantling includes moving the drill rods in a transverse direction relative to the feed beam between the drilling axis and at least one side position, the side position being parallel to the drilling axis and located at a distance from the drilling axis;
moving the drill rods between the drilling axis and the side position by at least one changing device arranged to be transversally movable relative to the feed beam;
providing the changing device with a first drill rod station and a second drill rod station, which are both capable of supporting one single drill rod at a time;
moving the first drill rod station between a first storage position and the drilling axis by moving the changing device relative to the feed beam;
moving the second drill rod station between a second storage position and the first storage position by moving the second drill rod station relative to the changing device; and
moving the second drill rod station from the first storage position to the drilling axis by moving the changing device relative to the feed beam.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising supporting the drill rod at the first drill rod station by gripping jaws and supporting the drill rod at the second storage position by a clamp element being independently operable relative to the gripping jaws.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising providing additional support for the drill rod being stored at the second drill rod station when the changing device is moved between the drilling axis and the side position.

Assignees

• Sandvik Mining & Construction Oy

Inventors

• Koskinen Jouni
• Pajunen Antti
• Pyorny Ilmo
• Haataja Risto
• Seppala Timo

Classifications

• E21B19/16

  Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints (E21B19/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/087 Primary

  by means of a swinging arm · CPC title

• E21B19/20

  Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically · CPC title

• E21B19/146 Primary

  Carousel systems, i.e. rotating rack systems · CPC title

• E21B7/025

  Rock drills, i.e. jumbo drills · CPC title