GB2182372A

GB2182372A - Drilling machines

Info

Publication number: GB2182372A
Application number: GB08601968A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Lionel Gien
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-01-28
Filing date: 1986-01-28
Publication date: 1987-05-13
Also published as: GB2182372B; GB8601968D0

Abstract

A drilling machine is mounted on the flat deck of a vehicle and a lazy-tongs linkage (16) and (18) supports a motor (14) for movement in a vertical plane. An hydraulic ram (26) connected to one link 18 by a U-shaped arm 24 raises and lowers the motor 14. Drill rods are stored in a magazine 30. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drilling machines This invention relates to drilling machines.

One type of prior art drilling machine known to applicant comprises a columnar like frame structure rig which can be orientated in a vertical orientation and has a rotary drive means or drill motor which slides up and down rails fixed to the rig. The rotary drive means is in use moved up and down the rails by means of a mechanical or hydraulic arrangement. The rotary drive means is used to rotate drill rods and the mechanical or hydraulic arrangement is used to urge the drive means up or down.

When not in use the rig may be manipulated to a horizontal orientation in order that the vehicle whereon the rig is mounted may be moved around.

It will be appreciated that the entire arrangement is fairly cumbersome and complex and consequently machines of this nature tend to require substantial maintenance and are expensive to run.

A further problem with prior art machines of this nature occurs when adding further drill rod sections to the drill string, or when dismantling a drill string after a drilling operation.

The present methods of handling individual drill rod sections entail a substantial amount of manual manipulation which is both time consuming and labour intensive.

Generally drilling machines of this nature are mounted on the back of trucks, trailers or other similar vehicles. Rail vehicles and slides are also utilized. The term "vehicle" when used in this specification will mean any suitable means which will allow a drilling machine mounted thereon to be moved around.

It is an object of this invention to provide a drilling machine which has an efficient and effective drilling action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for handling drilling rod sections.

According to the invention there is provided a drilling machine comprising a drill motor supported by linkages which impart motion in a vertical plane to the drilling motor, the linkages consisting of first and second links pivotably connected together intermediate their respective ends in a 'lazy-tongs' configuration, the first link extending between the motor and a horizontally slidable anchor and the second link extending from a purchase opposite the anchor, and an hydraulic ram having a piston rigidly connected to one limb of a U-shaped thrust arm, the body of the ram being pivotably connected to one of the first and second links and the end of the other limb of the thrust arm being pivotably connected to the other of the first and second links.

The drilling machine may comprise a drill motor supported by linkages which impart motion in a vertical plane to the drill motor, the linkages consisting of first and second links pivotably connected together intermediate their respective ends in a 'lazy-tongs' configuration, the first link extending between the motor and a horizontally slidable anchor and the second link extending from a purchase opposite the anchor and in the vertical plane to a pivotable connection with one limb of an inverted U-shaped thrust arm, and an hydraulic ram with its piston connected to the other limb of the thrust arm and its body pivotably fixed to the first link at a point between the pivot of the lazy-tongs and the slidable anchor.

The drilling machine may include a magazine for holding a number of drill rods horizontally with their one ends in or near the vertical plane, in which the magazine is cog-like in cross-section to provide a peripheral array of longitudinal slots into which the drill rods fit.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a vehicle mounted drilling machine with a drill motor in its elevated position, Figure 2 shows the drill motor in its lowered position, Figure 3 shows the drill motor raising and removing a drilling rod from a magazine; and Figure 4 shows an rear end view of the magazine and the vehicle.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the drilling machine is mounted on a vehicle 12. A drill motor 14 is supported by first and second links 16 and 18 which form a "lazy tongs" linkage configuration. The motor 14 is moved in use in a vertical plane adjacent the rear of the vehicle 12. The first link 16 extends between the motor 14 and a horizontally slidable anchor 20 and the second link 18 extends between a purchase, supported by the vehicle on a suitable structure (not shown), and a pivotable connection with one limb of a inverted U-shaped thrust arm 24. An hydraulic ram 26 has its piston rigidly connected to the other limb of the thrust arm 24 and its body pivotally connected to the link 16 at a point between the lazy-tongs pivot and the anchor 20.

The motor 14 in Fig. 1 is shown in its raised position and the same drilling machine is shown in Fig. 2 with the motor 14 in its lowered position. It will be noted with this arrangement that the motor 14 moves from its extreme upper to its extreme lower position, or vice versa, without changing the direction of the stroke of the hydraulic ram 26.

There is a constant rate of movement between the motor 14 and the ram piston so that no operator interference is normally required to change the setting and control during a drilling sequence. The use of the lazytongs linkage enables drilling to be carried out more readily in situations where there are overhead obstructions. The motor 14 can be raised for example between overhead obstructions where they are interspaced. Alternatively, the motor 14 can be raised only to an intermediate height and lowered from there during drilling and shorter drill rods than otherwise used.

The flat bed of the vehicle is used to support one or more magazines containing drill rods. A number of drill rods 30 can be seen in Fig. 3 and an end view is shown in Fig. 4.

The magazine, or each magazine, consists of an elongate carrier body having a cog-like cross section to provide a number of longitudinal slots or cradles 32 to receive the drill rods. The carrier body is rotatable and only the drill rod that is in the uppermost slot is free to be released out of the magazine. Thus as the magazine is emptied, the carrier is rotated after its uppermost rod is removed to present a second and further rods in turn at its uppermost for removal. Filling the magazine is carried out in an opposite manner, each rod is placed in the then uppermost slot and then the carrier body is rotated a few degrees until an empty slot becomes uppermost to await the arrival of the next drill rod.

In Fig. 3 an intermediate point in the uploading of the drill rod is shown. In order to remove a drill rod from the magazine the motor 14 is lowered and swivelled to be horizontal and to face and be connected to the end of the drill rod, that is the uppermost drill rod in the magazine. The motor 14 is then raised and as it rises it lifts and slides the drill rod out of the magazine. When the rod is vertical, below the motor 14 it can be connected to any drill rod which has already been used and will be sticking up out of the hole being drilled.

It will be apparent that to replace any drill rod in the magazine, the end of the drill rod is presented to a point a little way along the top slot from the vertical plane in the carrier body and then by lowering the motor 14, the rod slides along the slot until the end can be disconnected when the motor 14 has been lowered to adjacent the end of the magazine. The lower end of the rod could also be held by a catch as it is lowered parallel to the longitudinal axis of the magazine and then released from the catch to enter a respective slot.

Thus the described magazine and the manipulation of the lazy-tongs linkage enables drill rods to be pulled out and returned to the deck of the vehicle for storage without the need for additional lifting tackle and with little or no manual labour.

It will be appreciated that the ram 26 could be inverted, that is the body could be connected to the link 16 and the arm 24 to the link 18. Also the ram 26 could be connected on the left hand side (as would be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of the pivot point of the lazy-tongs.

The exit/entry point for rods in the magazine can be at other chosen positions around the magazine, for example at the side, that 90" from the position shown in Fig. 4.

If preferred a sling or catcher may be provided adjacent the link 16 which holds any rods near and generally parallel to that link.

The sling or catcher is used to when raising up or lowering down a rod from and towards the magazine slots 32. This provides an alternative to the procedure described above where the rods are slid along the slots 32 when being removed or replaced in the magazine.

Claims

1. A drilling machine comprising a drill motor supported by linkages which impart motion in a vertical plane to the drilling motor, the linkages consisting of first and second links pivotably connected together intermediate their respective ends in a 'lazy-tongs' configuration; the first link extending between the motor and a horizontally slidable anchor and the second link extending from a purchase opposite the anchor and an hydraulic ram having a piston rigidly connected to one limb of a U-shaped thrust arm, the body of the ram being pivotably connected to one of the first and second links and the end of the other limb of the thrust arm being pivotably connected to the other of the first and second links.

2. A drilling machine comprising a drill motor supported by linkages which impart motion in a vertical plane to the drilling motor, the linkages consisting of first and second links pivotably connected together intermediate their respective ends in a 'lazy-tongs' configuration; the first link extending between the motor and a horizontally slidable anchor and the second link extending from a purchase opposite the anchor and in the vertical plane to a pivotable connection with one limb of an inverted Ushaped thrust arm, and an hydraulic ram with its piston rigidly connected to the other limb of the thrust arm and its body pivotably fixed to the first link at a point between the pivot of the lazy-tongs and the slidable anchor.

3. A drilling machine according to Claim 1 or 2, including a magazine for holding a number of drill rods horizontally with their one ends in or near the vertical plane, in which the magazine is cog-like in cross-section to provide a peripheral array of longitudinal slots into which the drill rods fit.

4. A drilling machine substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.