Drill rod handling system for moving drill rods to and from an operative position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9593543-B2
Application number	US-201414584877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

A drill head assembly for receiving a drill rod in an operative position. The drill head assembly has a chuck and cradle configured for movement between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of a drill mast. In the second position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast. From the first position, the cradle is configured for sequential axial and then pivotal movement relative to the transverse axis to reach the second position, with pivotal movement being restricted until axial movement is completed. Drill rod handling systems having such drill head assemblies, and methods of using such drill head assemblies, are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drill head assembly for securing a drill rod in an operative position, the drill rod having a longitudinal axis, the drill head assembly operatively coupled to a drill mast, the drill mast having a longitudinal axis, the drill head assembly comprising:
a cradle configured for movement relative to both the longitudinal axis of the drill mast and a transverse axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast; and
a chuck operatively supported by the cradle, the chuck having a longitudinal axis and defining an opening, the opening being configured to securely receive a portion of the drill rod such that the longitudinal axis of the drill rod is substantially axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the chuck,
wherein the cradle is configured for movement between a first position and a second position,
wherein, in the first position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast,
wherein, from the first position, the cradle is configured for sequential axial and then pivotal movement relative to the transverse axis to reach the second position,
wherein, in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast, and
wherein, during movement of the cradle between the first and second positions, pivotal movement of the cradle is restricted until the completion of axial movement relative to the transverse axis.

2. The drill head assembly of claim 1 , wherein, from the second position, the cradle is configured for sequential pivotal and then axial movement relative to the transverse axis to return to the first position.

3. The drill head assembly of claim 2 , wherein, during movement of the cradle from the second position to the first position, axial movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis is restricted until the completion of pivotal movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis.

4. The drill head assembly of claim 1 , wherein, in the second position, the cradle is axially spaced from the drill mast relative to the transverse axis.

5. The drill head assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect the completion of axial movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis, and wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect the completion of pivotal movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis.

6. The drill head assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of proximity switches.

7. The drill head assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of hydraulic sequence valves.

8. The drill head assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a first hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled to the cradle and positioned in communication with the plurality of hydraulic sequence valves, the hydraulic cylinder having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the transverse axis, wherein activation of the hydraulic cylinder is configured to effect axial movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis.

9. The drill head assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a second hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled to the cradle and positioned in communication with the plurality of hydraulic sequence valves, wherein activation of the hydraulic cylinder is configured to effect pivotal movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis.

10. The drill head assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of spaced guide bars operatively coupled to the cradle, each guide bar of the plurality of guide bars having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the transverse axis, wherein the cradle is configured for movement along the plurality of guide bars relative to the transverse axis, and wherein the plurality of guide bars are configured to support the cradle during axial and pivotal movement of the cradle relative to the transverse axis.

11. A drill rod handling system, comprising:
a loading device configured to engage a drill rod, the drill rod having a longitudinal axis, wherein, upon engagement between the loading device and the drill rod, the longitudinal axis of the drill rod is substantially parallel to a translational axis;
a drill mast having a longitudinal axis; and
a drill head assembly configured to receive the drill rod from the loading device in an operative position, the drill head assembly operatively coupled to the drill mast, the drill head assembly comprising:
a cradle configured for movement relative to both the longitudinal axis of the drill mast and a transverse axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast; and
a chuck operatively supported by the cradle, the chuck having a longitudinal axis and defining an opening configured to receive a portion of the drill rod such that the longitudinal axis of the drill rod is substantially axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the chuck,
wherein the cradle is configured for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast, wherein, from the first position, the cradle is configured for sequential axial and then pivotal movement relative to the transverse axis to reach the second position, and wherein, in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill mast,

wherein, when the cradle is in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the chuck is substantially axially aligned with the translational axis and the longitudinal axis of the drill rod, and
wherein, during movement of the cradle of the drill head assembly from the first position to the second position, pivotal movement of the cradle is restricted until the completion of axial movement relative to the transverse axis.

12. The drill rod handling system of claim 11 , wherein the loading device is configured to permit movement of the drill rod relative to the translation axis but restrict rotation of the drill rod relative to the translation axis.

13. The drill rod handling system of claim 12 , wherein the loading device comprises:
a base assembly having at least one horizontal roller, each horizontal roller having a respective longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis of each horizontal roller is substantially perpendicular to the translation axis;
a support assembly secured to the base assembly, the support assembly having at least one support roller, each support roller of the at one support roller having a respective longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis of each support roller is substantially perpendicular to the translational axis and the longitudinal axis of each respective horizontal roller; and
a clamping assembly spaced from the support assembly relative to a transverse axis, the transverse axis being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each respective horizontal roller, the clamping assembly having at least one clamping roller configured for movement relative to the transverse axis between an open position and an engaged position,
wherein the horizontal, support, and clamping rollers cooperate to define a receiving space, the receiving space being configured to receive at least a portion of the drill rod, and
wherein, in the engaged position of the clamping roller, the horizontal, support, and clamping rollers are positioned in engagement with

Assignees

• Longyear Tm Inc
• Bly Ip Inc

Inventors

• Wright Christopher Allen
• Markham Anthony Charles William

Classifications

• E21B19/20

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

• E21B19/06

  Elevators, i.e. rod- or tube-gripping devices · CPC title

• E21B19/24

  Guiding or centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes · CPC title

• E21B19/155 Primary

  Handling between horizontal and vertical position · CPC title

• E21B15/00

  Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts · CPC title