Drilling rig rod handling apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650849-B2
Application number	US-201414891532-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2014
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A drill rod handling apparatus is configured to feed rods to and from a drill string created by a drill rig. The apparatus includes a gripper unit configured to contact and hold a rod to be transported to the drill rig and an alignment tool mounted at the gripper unit to provide correct mating of the rod ends during coupling.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drill rod handling apparatus arranged to feed rods to and from a drill string created by a drill rig, the apparatus comprising:
a gripper unit including rod engagers for contacting and holding a first rod to be transported to the drill rig, the gripper unit being pivotally and axially movably mounted for movement in x, y and z directions during rod transport;
a transporter to transport the gripper unit from a rod collection position to a rod coupling position at the drill rig, such that the first rod is aligned axially with the drill string at the rod coupling position, the gripper unit including a support frame mounted to the transporter and a sled axially movable with respect to the support frame; and
an alignment tool mounted at the gripper unit via an elongate connector, the alignment tool having a pair of alignment jaws, at least one of the jaws being moveable to allow the jaws to open and close around the first rod, wherein a part of the jaws when in a closed state defines a coupling region, and a guide mouth projecting radially outward from one end of a part of the coupling region to guide axial alignment of the coupling region over a second rod forming an end of the drill string to provide aligned coupling of the first and second rods within the coupling region.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each jaw is pivotally mounted at the support frame to move radially to and from a longitudinal axis extending through the coupling region.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling region includes a sleeve having a radially inward facing surface with a substantially cylindrical shaped profile.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the guide mouth includes a radially inward facing surface having a substantially conical shaped profile.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a drive actuator mounted at the support frame and coupled to at least one of the jaws to drive movement of the at least one jaw to open and close around the first rod.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first end of the elongate connector is mounted at the gripper unit and a second end of the elongate connector is mounted at the alignment tool, the connector being configured to flex in a direction laterally of its longitudinal axis such that the alignment tool is capable of lateral deflections relative to the gripper unit.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rod engagers include a pair of rod engaging jaws moveable to open and close about the first rod and engaging rollers mounted at the jaws for contacting and holding the first rod in a clamped position at the gripper unit.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the coupling region is positioned substantially coaxially with the rod engaging jaws so that a first region of the first rod may be gripped by the rod engaging jaws and a second region of the first rod may be surrounded by the alignment jaws.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor mounted at the gripper unit to detect an axial movement change between the gripper unit and the first rod.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the guide mouth projects radially outward from an inward facing surface the coupling region at an angle in the range 5 to 20°.

11. An automated drill rod handling assembly comprising:
a drill rod handling apparatus arranged to feed rods to and from a drill string created by a drill rig, the apparatus including a gripper unit having rod engagers arranged to contact and hold a first rod to be transported to the drill rig, the gripper unit being pivotally and axially movably mounted for movement in x, y and z directions during rod transport, and a transporter arranged to transport the gripper unit from a rod collection position to a rod coupling position at the drill rig, such that the first rod is aligned axially with the drill string at the rod coupling position, the gripper unit including a support frame mounted to the transporter and a sled axially movable with respect to the support frame, and an alignment tool mounted at the gripper unit via an elongate connector, the alignment tool having a pair of alignment jaws, at least one of the jaws being moveable to allow the jaws to open and close around the first rod, wherein a part of the jaws when in a closed state defines a coupling region, and a guide mouth projecting radially outward from one end of a part of the coupling region to guide axial alignment of the coupling region over a second rod forming an end of the drill string to provide aligned coupling of the first and second rods within the coupling region; and
a device to control movement of the gripper unit and the alignment tool relative to the drill string according to an automated sequence.

12. A drill rig arranged to feed rods to and from a drill string, the drill rig comprising:
a feed frame;
a rotation unit mounted at the feed frame to provide rotational drive to the drill string;
a rod holder mounted at the feed frame to mount an end region of the drill string, the rotation unit being axially slidable to and from the rod holder; and
a rod handling apparatus configured to transport rods between rod collection and rod coupling positions to axially align a first rod with an end rod of the drill string held by the rod holder and/or the rotation unit, the apparatus including a gripper unit having rod engagers arranged to contact and hold the first rod to be transported to the drill rig, the gripper unit being pivotally and axially movably mounted for movement in x, y and z directions during rod transport, and a transporter arranged to transport the gripper unit from a rod collection position to a rod coupling position at the drill rig, such that the first rod is aligned axially with the drill string at the rod coupling position, the gripper unit including a support frame mounted to the transporter and a sled axially movable with respect to the support frame, and an alignment tool mounted at the gripper unit via an elongate connector, the alignment tool having a pair of alignment jaws, at least one of the jaws being moveable to allow the jaws to open and close around the first rod, wherein a part of the jaws when in a closed state defines a coupling region, and a guide mouth projecting radially outward from one end of a part of the coupling region to guide axial alignment of the coupling region over a second rod forming an end of the drill string to provide aligned coupling of the first and second rods within the coupling region.

13. A method of feeding rods to a drill string created by a drill rig, the method comprising:
contacting and holding a first region of a first rod at a rod collection position via rod engagers positioned at a gripper unit, the gripper unit being pivotally and axially movably mounted for movement in x, y and z directions;
moving the gripper unit from the rod collection position to a rod coupling position where the first rod is aligned substantially axially with a second rod forming an end part of the drill string;
engaging a second region of the first rod axially separated from the first region by an alignment tool having a pair of alignment jaws that close around the second region and support the first rod via a coupling region defined by the jaws during the step of contacting the first region of the rod with the rod engagers;
axially advancing the first rod towards the second rod; and
guiding engagement of the second rod within the coupling region via a guide mouth flared radially outward from a part of the coupling region to position the fir

Assignees

• Sandvik Intellectual Property

Inventors

• Jelgert Johan
• Larsson Lars-Erik
• Vilen Per
• Evermark Kent

Classifications

• E21B19/161 Primary

  using a wrench or a spinner adapted to engage a circular section of pipe (E21B19/168 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/24

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

• E21B19/15

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

• E21B19/20

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

• E21B19/165

  Control or monitoring arrangements therefor · CPC title