Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B19/00—Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
  • E21B19/20—Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
  • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
  • B66C1/10—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
  • B66C1/62—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means comprising article-engaging members of a shape complementary to that of the articles to be handled
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a clamping apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1, a drill string component for use with such a clamping apparatus according to the preamble of claim 18, and a rock drilling rig including such a clamping apparatus according to the preamble of claim 23.
• a drill string having a reamer at its free end has to be assembled in accordance with the advancement of the reamer into the rock structure.
• drill string components are accordingly joined so as to form the drill string, generally by screwing a new drill string component onto a proximal end of the advanced drill string.
• a new drill string component is similarly added to the proximal end of the thus advanced drill string, and so on.
• Disassembly of the drill string is carried out in the opposite way, i.e. the drill string is drawn into the drilling machine under successive loosening of the proximal drill string component from the rest of the drill string.
• the drill string components have to be transported to the assembling area from a drill string component storage and vice versa.
• This transportation may be carried out in a number of ways, e.g. by hand-carrying the drill string components, by lifting them by means of lifting means or by transporting them on a conveyor, or a combination thereof.
• at least part of the transportation is advantageously carried out by means of a hoisting crane. Wrien using a hoisting crane, the drill string component is clamped by means of jaw means, e.g. resembling a timber tong, and thxen transported to a desired location.
• jaw means e.g. resembling a timber tong, and thxen transported to a desired location.
• One problem when using- such clamping means is that a large portion of the drill string component casing has to be accessible for the jaw means.
• the clamping apparatus comprises first and second jaw means for gripping a drill string component, and jaw actuator means, the first and second jaw means comprising first and second gripping means, respectively, fo_r gripping respective corresponding engagement means o -f a respective end portion of the drill string component, wherein said engagement means are arranged so as to allow clamping independently of the rotational position of the drill string component as seen with respect to its axis of symmetry.
• the engagement means may be complementary to the gripping means, and/or vice versa.
• the clamping apparatus may further comprise means for self aligning the first and second jaw means with, the longitudinal axis of the drill string component.
• the means for self aligning may include a pivoting joint and cu ⁇ rved alignment surfaces on a portion of the first and second jaw means, respectively.
• the present invention may be used in situations where the drill rod components are to be clamped or released on an inclined surface .
• One of said gripping means and said engagement means may consist of an annular or curved groove or slot, and the other of said means may consist of an annular or curved portion from the group: rib, or one or more projecting parts from the group: pins.
• said engagement means consists of an annular groove or slot
• said gripping means may consist of said curved portion or at least one of sea-id projecting parts .
• clamping may be arranged to be effected by relatively moving at least one of said first or second gripping means in a direction towards the other gripping means, the direction substantially corresponding to the longitudinal axis of said drill string component.
• the clamping apparatus may further comprise actuating means for relatively moving at least one of said first or second gripping means in respect of the other gripping means by relatively moving at least one of said first and second jaw means.
• the actuating means may be constituted by at least one hydraulic motor, e.g. a hydraulic cylinder, or a pneumatic motor or an electric motor.
• the clamping apparatus may further comprise means for tilting the drill string component when and/or after clamping the drill string component.
• the tilting means may be arranged such that the tilting angle can be continuously variable, e.g. from -25° to 25°, from -90° to 90 ° or from 0° to 25°.
• the tilting means may consist of at least one hydraulic motor, e.g. a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic motor or an electric motor.
• connection means may consist of a universal joint for connection to a hoisting crane. This has the advantage that it reduces stress on the crane jib.
• Fig. 1 is a section through a drift extending through a rock and a rock drilling rig therein for drilling a series of intersecting holes.
• Fig. 2 shows a front view of the rock drilling of fig. 1.
• Figs. 3a-b show a clamping apparatus and a drill string component according to the present invention.
• Figs. 4a-e show various states when clamping a drill string component with a clamping apparatus according to the present invention .
• Figs. 5a-b show self-alignment of the clamping apparatus according to the present invention.
• FIG. 1 In figs. 1 and 2 is shown a rock drilling rig 1 suitable ffor use with the present invention.
• the rock drilling rig 1 In Fig. 1 the rock drilling rig 1 is shown having at its right end a compartment 5 forr storing drill string components 2' to be assembled into a drill string.
• a derrick 8 includes assembling means for assembling the drill string components into a drill string" which is getting longer during the drilling process.
• the assembling means may include a holding wrench.
• FIG. 2 is shown a front view of the rock drilling rig in an ongoing drilling process.
• the apparatus 1 is used to excavate an inclined cylindrical portion of a rock formation.
• the drilling is performed by a reamer 3 with a relatively larger diameter mounted together with a pilot b>it 4 of a smaller diameter.
• the pilot bit is used to ascertain that the drilling is performed in a desired direction throughout the drilling of the particular hole.
• the reamer 3 is carried by a drill string 2, at present constituted by drill string components 2a, 2b, 2c, where additional drill string components 2d, 2e, etc. (not shown) may be added to the drill string by the assembling device as the drilling process progresses until a hole of desired length has been acquired.
• Each drill string component 2 ' may for example be of 1000 mm length .
• the drill string component Each time a new drill string component has to be added to the drill string 2, the drill string component has to be moved from the drill string compartment 5 to the derrick 8. Conversely, each time a drill string component has to removed from the drill string, i.e. when drilling of the particular hole is finished and the drill string is pulled out from the drilled hole and disassembled, the drill string component has to be moved from the derrick 8 to the drill string compartment.
• the movement of the drill string component may be carried out in a number of ways, e.g. by moving the components by means of a conveyor, a hoisting crane or a combination thereof. In respect of the present invention, the drill string components are moved at least part of the way by means of a hoisting crane.
• a clamping apparatus 9 according to the present invention that advantageously may be used together with hoisting means to move drill string components to/from the drill string compartment.
• the clamping apparatus 9 comprises a rotator 10 for coupling to hoisting means, e.g. via a universal joint 11 as shown in the figure.
• the rotator 10 is connected to first and second jaw means 12, 13.
• the first jaw means 13 is fixed to the rotator by means of a pivot joint 20.
• the first and second jaw means are mounted on two bars 21, 22.
• the first jaw means 12 is rigidly connected to the bars by means of clamp bushings not explicitly shown, though indicated at 24a-d, and the second jaw means 13 is slidably mounted on the two bars by means of sliding bearings 23a-d. As can be seen in the figures, the first and the second jaw means are thus aligned by means of the two bars 21 and 22. Further, the first and second jaw means are coupled together by means of a hydraulic cylinder 25.
• the first and second aw means comprise first and second gripping means 14, 15, respectively, for gripping respective corresponding engagement means 16 and 17, located at each end portion of the drill string component 30.
• the engagement means 16, 17 consist of an annular groove at the outer periphery of each drill string component end.
• the annular grooves are symmetrical and thus allow clamping of the drill string component independently of the rotational position of the drill string component, as seen with respect to its axis of symmetry A-A.
• the gripping means 14, 15 of the jaw means consist of a curved rib portion in form of e.g. part of a ring, the curvature corresponding to the curvature of the groove (s) and the height substantially corresponding to, but not being greater than, the groove width such that the gripping means may be introduced into the groove (s) 16, 17.
• the gripping means are complementary to the engagement means .
• the clamping apparatus 9 When clamping the drill string component, the clamping apparatus 9 is lowered towards the drill string component, as is shown in fig. 4a. When the clamping apparatus 9 is lowered such that it abuts against the drill string component 30, shown in fig. 4b, clamping is effected by relatively moving the jaw means 12 and 13 towards each other. This is effected by operating the hydraulic cylinder 25 such that its piston is pulled into the cylinder housing, which pulls the second jaw means 13 towards the first jaw means 12, which in turn causes the first and second gripping means 14, 15 to be introduced into the corresponding grooves 16, 17 in the drill string component. The clamping apparatus is now secured to the drill string component, and the drill string component may be lifted and transported by connecting suitable hoisting means to the universal joint 11. Connection of the clamping apparatus to hoisting means via a universal joint is advantageous since this reduces stress on e.g. a hoisting crane jib.
• the clamping apparatus is further provided with a second hydraulic cylinder 26.
• This cylinder in combination with the pivoting joint 20, provides the apparatus with the ability to tilt the drill string component. This is illustrated in figs. 4d, where the drill string component is tilted towards the left, and in fig. 4e where the drill string component is tilted towards the right.
• the tilting angle may be continuously varied from -25° to 25°, with respect to a horizontal plane.
• other tilting angle ranges such as from -90° to 90° or from 0° to 25°, are possible.
• a tilting angle range such as from -90° to 90° requires a modified tilting mechanism.
• Tilting of the drill sting component makes it possible to keep the drill string component substantially horizontal with respect to its longitudinal axis, irrespective of if the universal joint 11 is vertically aligned with the centre of gravity of the drill string component. Further, this has the advantage that when the drill string component is to be positioned on an inclined surface, the drill string component may be tilted prior to surface contact so as to ensure a dropoff with minor stress on the drill string component.
• the pivot joint 20 has a further advantage as will be described in connection with figs. 5a-b. If, as is shown in fig. 5a-b, the drill string component rests on an inclined surface, the pivoting joint 20 may be used to self align the first and second jaw means with the longitudinal axis of the drill string component. When the clamping apparatus 9 in fig. 5a is lowered towards the drill string component, the clamping apparatus will first abut against the right most end of the drill string component as shown in fig. 5a.
• the pivoting joint 20 will cause the lowering of the leftmost end of the clamping apparatus to continue until both the first and the second jaw means abut, and are aligned with, the drill string component, shown in fig. 5b, whereupon the drill string component may be clamped as described above.
• the jaw means may include guide members 28a, 29a and 29b, shown in fig. 3b. These members 28a, 29a and 29b are arranged on the surfaces 28 and 29 and directed towards the drill string component when the clamping apparatus is positioned. They are preferably curved with a radius substantially corresponding to the radius of the drill string component.
• the guide members may be replaceable so as to allow the size and form of the guide members to be varied to allow the clamping apparatus to suite various drill string components, e.g. drill string components of different diameters. Also, the position and number of guide members on the surfaces 28 and 29 may be varied. As an alternative, the guide members may be omitted, in which case the surfaces 28 and 29 may be used as alignment surfaces, preferably curved with a radius substantially corresponding to the radius of the drill string component.
• the above described clamping apparatus further has the advantage that neither threads used for connecting drill string components to each other, nor contact surfaces (shown in fig. 3 on one end of the drill string component, indicated at 18), which abut each other when drill string components are to be connected to each other, are subjected to any interference of gripping means during lifting/transportation of the drill string components. This is very important since it is vital to keep these threads and contact surfaces intact in order to achieve a proper drilling process.
• the drill string component is provided with the grooves and the clamping apparatus is provided with the gripping ribs.
• the drill string component is provided with annular engagement ribs, and the clamping apparatus with corresponding recesses arranged such that a portion of the annular rib fits therein.
• the gripping/engagement ribs may instead of ribs be constituted by other projecting parts, such as e.g. pins.
• the above described clamping apparatus may be adapted to fit drill string components of various lengths, e.g. by varying the length of the jaw means or the length of the hydraulic cylinder (s) so that one clamping apparatus may be used for two or more drill string component lengths.
• the clamping apparatus has been shown as comprising first and second jaw means, where the second jaw means is movably connected to the first jaw means, and where the first jaw means is connected to hoisting means via the pivoting joint.
• the clamping apparatus further comprises a centre portion which is connected to the hoisting means, and wherein the first and the second jaw means are connected to the centre portion via actuating means and sliding bearings.
• only one of the jaw means may be movably connected to the centre portion, and the other jaw means may be rigidly connected to the centre portion.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
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• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
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• 2004
  • 2004-04-05 SE SE0400899A patent/SE529204C8/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2005
  • 2005-02-28 DE DE602005006997T patent/DE602005006997D1/de active Active
  • 2005-02-28 AT AT05711147T patent/ATE396322T1/de active
  • 2005-02-28 WO PCT/SE2005/000287 patent/WO2005098196A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-02-28 PT PT05711147T patent/PT1733118E/pt unknown
  • 2005-02-28 CN CN2005800080039A patent/CN1930363B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-02-28 EP EP05711147A patent/EP1733118B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2005-02-28 ES ES05711147T patent/ES2303226T3/es active Active
  • 2005-02-28 ZA ZA200606599A patent/ZA200606599B/xx unknown
  • 2005-02-28 CA CA2556430A patent/CA2556430C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-02-28 AU AU2005231223A patent/AU2005231223B2/en not_active Ceased

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