Automatic control system and method for a drilling tool changer apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523269-B2
Application number	US-201313964492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2013
Priority date	Sep 21, 2012
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A control system for an automatic drilling tool changer apparatus for use with a drilling rig includes a drilling control device programmed with a control scheme for controlling the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus, and a user interface coupled to the drilling control device for initiating actions of the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus and for interactively monitoring a status of the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus. The control scheme includes steps for an automatic drilling tool change-out operation, and the drilling control device and the user interface are configured to communicate with the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus over a network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automatically changing a drilling tool for a drilling rig, the system comprising:
a drilling tool changer apparatus, comprising:
a pivotally movable drill tower supporting a drill pipe; and
a pivotable drilling tool storage device comprising a laterally translatable carriage and a storage cassette having a storage receptacle for storing the drilling tool;
wherein the drilling tool storage device moves to position the drilling tool in coaxial alignment with the drill pipe;

a drilling control device programmed with a control scheme for controlling the drilling tool changer apparatus; and
a user interface coupled to the drilling control device for initiating actions of the drilling tool changer apparatus and for interactively monitoring a status of the drilling tool changer apparatus;
wherein the control scheme includes steps for an automatic drilling tool change-out operation; and
wherein the drilling control device and the user interface are configured to communicate with the drilling tool changer apparatus over a network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface permits a user to initiate the automatic drilling tool change-out operation, and to terminate the automatic drilling tool change-out operation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drilling control device receives feedback related to the drilling rig and the drilling tool changer apparatus from the drilling tool changer apparatus.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the user interface includes a screen image for presenting the feedback to a user.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the screen image includes a receptacle indicator that identifies a used drilling tool and a replacement drilling tool, and wherein the feedback includes tool information for the used drilling tool and the replacement drilling tool.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to communicate with the drilling tool changer apparatus wirelessly, and the network includes a wireless network.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the user interface includes a hand-held touch screen.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drilling control device permits initiation of the automatic drilling tool change-out operation based upon a single instruction from a user.

9. A method for controlling a drilling tool chancier apparatus to automatically change out a drilling tool, the method comprising:
providing a drilling control device having a user interface;
wirelessly coupling the drilling control device to the drilling tool chancier apparatus by a network; and
programming a control scheme including an automatic drilling tool change-out operation to the drilling control device,
wherein the automatic drilling tool change-out operation includes:
aligning and supporting a drill pipe by engaging a drill pipe positioner to the drill pipe;
positioning a used drilling tool to a breakout position aligned with a deck wrench;
engaging the deck wrench on the used drilling tool;
positioning a drilling tool storage device and a carriage of the drilling tool storage device such that an empty storage receptacle of a storage cassette is able to receive the used drilling tool;
breaking out the used drilling tool by clamping and unclamping a breakout wrench in conjunction with the deck wrench;
aligning used drilling tool flats with the deck wrench by forward rotating the drill pipe;
disengaging the deck wrench from the used drilling tool;
withdrawing the drill pipe and the used drilling tool to a retracted position;
pivotally rotating a drill tower from a drilling orientation to a change-out orientation;
moving a cassette access panel from a closed position to an open position;
extending the drill pipe and the used drilling tool to a change-out position above the drilling tool storage device;
pivotally raising the drilling tool storage device from a stowed position to a device change-out position;
de-coupling the used drilling tool from the drill pipe;
indexing the carriage such that a storage receptacle containing a replacement drilling tool is aligned with the drill pipe;
coupling the replacement drilling tool to the drill pipe;
lowering the drilling tool storage device from the change-out position to the stowed position;
withdrawing the drill pipe and the replacement drilling tool to the retracted position;
moving the cassette access panel from the open position to the closed position;
pivotally moving the drill tower from the change-out orientation to the drilling orientation;
extending the drill pipe and the replacement drilling tool to the breakout position;
engaging the deck wrench;
tightening the replacement drilling tool on the drill pipe by forward rotating the drill pipe up to a torque-up pressure;
aligning replacement drilling tool flats with the deck wrench; and
retracting the deck wrench.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein engaging the deck wrench on the used drilling tool includes:
verifying that the deck wrench is fully extended by examining a sensor signal output from a linear transducer;
if the deck wrench is not fully extended, then:
disengaging the deck wrench;
forward rotating the drill pipe by approximately 10 degrees;
engaging the deck wrench; and
verifying that the deck wrench is fully extended.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein positioning the drilling tool storage device and the carriage includes:
setting a target storage receptacle position to the empty storage receptacle;
verifying that the empty storage receptacle is aligned with the drill pipe; and
if the empty storage receptacle is not aligned with the drill pipe, then:
verifying that the target storage receptacle position is greater than an aligned storage receptacle currently aligned with the drill pipe; and
executing a controlled mechanical sequence until the empty storage receptacle is aligned with the drill pipe.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment Llc

Inventors

• Hoult Ross L
• Taylor Samuel C
• Wright Andrew
• Diekmann Timo
• Tang Chinpei
• Bähtz Marcus U
• Varghese Vin J

Classifications

• E21B44/00 Primary

  Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions · CPC title