Drilling tool storage device and method of changing a drilling tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644436-B2
Application number	US-201313964829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2013
Priority date	Sep 21, 2012
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A drilling tool changer apparatus for a drilling rig includes a drill tower pivotable between a drilling orientation and a change-out orientation, the drill tower supporting a drill string comprising a drill pipe coupled to a drilling tool. The drilling tool changer apparatus also includes a drilling tool storage device pivotally movable about a hinge axis between a stowed position and a deployed position. The drilling tool storage device includes a drilling tool storage cassette including a replacement drilling tool. The drilling tool storage device and the drill tower are pivotally alignable in a substantially co-planar manner when the drilling tool storage device is in the deployed position and the drill tower is in the change-out orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drilling tool changer apparatus for a drilling rig, the drilling tool changer apparatus comprising:
a drill tower pivotable between a drilling orientation and a change-out orientation, the drill tower supporting a drill string comprising a drill pipe coupled to a drilling tool; and
a drilling tool storage device pivotally movable about a hinge axis between a stowed position and a deployed position, the drilling tool storage device comprising a drilling tool storage cassette including a replacement drilling tool;
wherein the drilling tool storage device and the drill tower are pivotally alignable in a substantially co-planar manner when the drilling tool storage device is in the deployed position and the drill tower is in the change-out orientation, wherein the drilling tool storage device includes a laterally translatable carriage having a storage receptacle for supporting the replacement drilling tool, so that the storage receptacle can be indexed into and out of coaxial alignment with the drill pipe during a change-out operation, and wherein the drilling tool storage cassette is removably coupled to the laterally translatable carriage.

2. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drilling control device configured to communicate with the drill tower and the drilling tool storage device;
wherein the drilling tool storage device and the drill tower are at least semi-automated to change out the drilling tool for the replacement drilling tool in response to instructions from the drilling control device.

3. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drilling control device includes a programmable logic controller and a computer-based user interface.

4. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drilling tool storage cassette is configured to accommodate combined storage of rotary drilling bits and hammer drilling bits of various sizes.

5. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drilling tool storage device includes an actuator coupled to the laterally translatable carriage for indexing the storage receptacle.

6. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the storage receptacle includes an anti-rotation element to substantially prevent rotation of the replacement drilling tool while within the storage receptacle.

7. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cover panel being deployable between an open position and a closed position as needed to permit the drilling tool and the replacement drilling tool to be attached and detached from the drill pipe.

8. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the cover panel in the closed position provides a substantially uniform work surface on a platform of the drilling rig, covering the drilling tool storage device to protect the drilling tool storage device from contaminants and damage.

9. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the cover panel is deployed between the open position and the closed position by an actuator coupled to the cover panel.

10. The drilling tool changer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drilling tool storage device has a low profile and fits beneath a platform of the drilling rig adjacent to the drill tower when in the stowed position.

11. A drilling tool storage device, comprising:
a substantially rectangular outer frame having a hinge mechanism that permits the drilling tool storage device to be pivotally raised about a hinge axis between a stowed position and a change-out position;
rails extending substantially parallel to the hinge axis and fixed to opposite sides of the substantially rectangular outer frame;
a laterally translatable carriage coupled to the rails;
a storage cassette removably coupled to the laterally translatable carriage and having a storage receptacle supporting a replacement drilling tool;
an actuator operable to extend and retract in order to shift the laterally translatable carriage along the rails; and
a cradle configured to support and facilitate alignment of a drill pipe with the replacement drilling tool and the storage receptacle during a change-out operation,
wherein the laterally translatable carriage includes attachment points for removing and replacing the storage cassette.

12. The drilling tool storage device of claim 11 , wherein the storage cassette is configured to accommodate combined storage of rotary drilling bits and hammer drilling bits of various sizes.

13. The drilling tool storage device of claim 11 , wherein the storage cassette includes an anti-rotation element to substantially prevent rotation of the replacement drilling tool while within the storage receptacle.

14. The drilling tool storage device of claim 13 , wherein the anti-rotation element includes a shoulder configured to engage a flat on the replacement drilling tool to prevent the rotation of the replacement drilling tool.

15. The drilling tool storage device of claim 11 , wherein the actuator is operable to index the storage receptacle and the replacement drilling tool into coaxial alignment with the drill pipe during the change-out operation.

16. The drilling tool storage device of claim 11 , further comprising bushings coupled to the laterally translatable carriage and configured to slide along the rails in a low-friction manner.

17. The drilling tool storage device of claim 11 , further comprising a second actuator coupled to the substantially rectangular outer frame for pivotally raising the substantially rectangular outer frame about the hinge axis.

18. A method for changing a drilling tool for a drilling rig, the method comprising:
withdrawing a drill pipe coupled to a used drilling tool away from a drill hole to a break-out position;
loosening the used drilling tool from the drill pipe;
withdrawing the drill pipe and the used drilling tool further away from the drill hole to a retracted position;
moving a cover panel from a closed position to an open position;
pivoting the drill pipe from a drilling orientation to a change-out orientation;
extending the drill pipe and the used drilling tool to a change-out position;
raising a drilling tool storage device from a stowed position to a deployed position to receive the used drilling tool in an empty storage receptacle within the drilling tool storage device;
rotating the drill pipe to de-couple the drill pipe from the used drilling tool;
withdrawing the drill pipe to a standby position;
indexing a carriage to align a replacement drilling tool with the drill pipe;
extending and rotating the drill pipe into engagement with the replacement drilling tool;
lowering the drilling tool storage device from the deployed position to the stowed position;
withdrawing the drill pipe and the replacement drilling tool to the retracted position;
moving the drill pipe from the change-out orientation to the drilling orientation;
extending the drill pipe and the replacement drilling tool to an extended position and tightening the replacement drilling tool on the drill pipe; and
moving the cover panel from the open position to the closed position and re-commencing a drilling operation.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment Llc

Inventors

• Hoult Ross L
• Taylor Samuel C
• Wright Andrew
• O'Brien Jason P
• Lawler Mark R
• Taylor Kayne D

Classifications

• E21B19/00

  Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables · CPC title

• E21B19/20

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

• E21B15/003

  adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells · CPC title

• E21B19/15 Primary

  Racking of rods in horizontal position; Handling between horizontal and vertical position · CPC title

• E21B17/00

  Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; {Cables;} Casings; Tubings · CPC title