AU2018211262B2 - Drill Rod Lifter and Holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A drill rod lifter 10 comprises an elongate receiving area 12 for receiving a drill rod laterally from the length of the receiving area; a lifting mechanism 18 for receiving the drill rod in the receiving area and movable from the receiving area to a position 42 above the receiving area for collection by a rod handler; and a gate 52 for releasing a drill rod onto the receiving area. 1/4 36 N 10 N 30 20 38 N4 16N N 22 14 32 14N 12 344 N N8 N N8 A N N0 141 N N4 FIG N

Description

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Drill Rod Lifter and Holder

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for lifting drill rods and storing drill rods on a drill rig.

Background

[0002] Drill rigs are used for exploratory drilling in the field of mineral, and oil and gas exploration, along with other applications, such as drilling for water. The drill rig comprises a mast that handles a string of drill rods that is progressively built as the drill string drills its way into the earth. As the current drill rod is lowered into the ground by the drilling operation, it will be necessary to add another rod to the drill string. A rod handler is used to take the next drill rod from a storage bin and place it in an operational position for attachment to the end of the current drill string so as to extend the length of the drill string once the new rod is attached. The rod handler also returns each rod to the rod storage bin as the string is disassembled.

[0003] The storage bin is typically an allocated space on the drill rig or rod truck, which holds the drill rods in a stack, and which is added to by placing a drill rod into the storage bin on top of other rods in the storage bin. Removal of the drill rods from the bin occurs by taking them one at a time from the top of the stack. This system is a sort of last-in-last-out stack. This means that the more frequently used drill rods are usually at the top of the stack and therefore these tend to be more worn.

[0004] For exploration drill rigs, it is typical to have a rod bin on one side of the rig. The holder may have a 'tilt'function by providing a pivoted rack, which is generally a number of rods wide and several rows of rods high. Each row of rods is separated by a flat spacer to allow rods to roll. This type of rack has a different pick-up height for each row of rods. The return height of each row is generally different to the pickup height because of the tilt, which is normally inboard.

[0005] In some applications it is desirable to have a first-in-first-out stack in the storage bin. This in turn means that the first out drill rod may be at the bottom of the storage bin and it might not be accessible to the rod handler, or in another application the drill rod might not be in the same place every time.

[0006] In a manual system, a drill operator can adjust for this. However it is desirable for more and more operations of a drill rig to be automated. This presents a problem of needing to have the drill rod in an accessible location and preferably in the same location each time for the rod handler to pick up.

[0007] The present invention seeks to address this problem.

[0008] Any references to documents that are made in this specification are not intended to be an admission that the information contained in those documents form part of the common general knowledge known to a person skilled in the field of the invention, unless explicitly stated as such.

Summary of the Invention

[0009]According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a drill rod lifter comprising: an elongate receiving area for receiving a drill rod laterally from the length of the receiving area; a lifting mechanism for receiving the drill rod in the receiving area and movable from the receiving area to a position above the receiving area for collection by a rod handler.

[0010] In an embodiment, the lifter further comprises a gate for releasing a drill rod onto the receiving area. In an embodiment, the gate is at the bottom of a rod holder.

[0011] In an embodiment, the position above the receiving area is within reach of a rod handler for positioning a lifted rod for engagement by a mast of a drill rig. In an embodiment, the position above the receiving area is substantially next to a rod receiving opening of the rod holder. In an embodiment, position above the receiving area is substantially at the top of the rod holder.

[0012] In an embodiment, the gate releases the drill rod onto the receiving area from a release zone of a drill rod holder.

[0013] In an embodiment, the lifting mechanism comprises two spaced apart arms onto which the drill rod is received. In an embodiment the arms comprise a back against which the drill rod is stopped. In an embodiment, the arms are sloped to urge the drill rod to roll into contact with the back. In an alternative, the arms are curved. In another alternative, the arms are flat and a keeper holds the rod in place.

[0014] In an embodiment, the position above the receiving area is substantially directly vertically above the receiving area.

[0015] In an embodiment, the receiving area comprises a tray. In an embodiment the tray is between the arms of the lifter. In an embodiment, the receiving area comprises spaced apart platforms on the outside of the arms. In an embodiment, the receiving area comprises spaced apart platforms on the inside of the arms.

[0016] In an embodiment, the lifter comprises a sensor for detection of the presence of a drill rod.

[0017] In an embodiment, the lifter comprises a sensor for determining when the lifter is at the receiving area and when the lifter is at the position above the receiving area. In an embodiment, the lifter comprises a sensor for determining the height of the lifter.

[0018] In an embodiment, the lifter comprises a collar engaged with a vertically extending guide. In an embodiment, the back is formed on the collar and the arm extends from the collar.

[0019] In an embodiment, the lifter comprises a chain pulley system for moving the collar up or down the vertically extending guide. Alternatively, the lifter comprises a worm gear for moving the collar up or down the vertically extending guide. Alternatively, the lifter comprises a hydraulic cylinder for moving the collar up or down the vertically extending guide.

[0020] In an embodiment, the position above the receiving area comprises a shifter for shifting the drill rod from the position above the receiving area to a receiving bay of a drill rod holder.

[0021] In an embodiment, the shifter is configured to push the drill rod up the slope of the arms.

[0022] In an embodiment the lifter and the rod holder are positioned side by side on a drill rig. In an embodiment the lifter is between the rod holder and a mast of the drill rig in plan view. In an embodiment, the rod holder is removable from the drill rig. In an embodiment the rod holder is positioned longitudinally along a side of the drill rig. In an embodiment, the rod holder extends substantially vertically beside the rod lifter. In an embodiment, the position above the receiving area is adjacent to a rod receiving opening in the bin holder.

[0023] According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a drill rod dispensing assembly comprising a lifter according to one of more of the forms described above and a rod holder, the holder comprising: a housing having an upper opening into which a drill rod can be received and a lower opening through which a lowermost rod can exit, the upper and lower openings being within a footprint of the drill rod bin.

[0024] In an embodiment, the upper opening is substantially vertically positioned above the lower opening.

[0025] In an embodiment, the holder comprises the gate for controllably releasing the lowermost rod through the lower opening. In an embodiment the opening is in a longitudinal side of the housing and presents to the receiving area.

[0026] In an embodiment, the upper opening comprises a cushion onto which a drill rod can be received from the shifter.

[0027] In an embodiment, the gate is electronically actuated. In an embodiment, the gate releases the drill rod from a release zone of a drill rod holder though the lower opening. In an embodiment, the release zone comprises a sensor for detecting the presence of a drill rod in the release zone.

[0028] In an embodiment, the release zone is sloped so that upon opening of the gate the rod can roll from the release zone.

[0029] In an embodiment, the release zone comprises an ejector for pushing the drill rod from the release zone. In an embodiment, the release zone is adjacent the receiving area.

[0030] In an embodiment, the gate is configured to release only one drill rod at a time. In an embodiment, the gate is configured to automatically close after only one drill rod has passed through the gate.

[0031]According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a drill rig comprising the drill rod dispensing assembly as defined above.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of handling a drill rod comprising: holding a drill rod in a rod holder positioned adjacent to a lifter; releasing the drill rod from the hold holder when needed; moving the drill rod to a receiving area of the lifter; lifting the drill rod with the lifter so as to be positioned above the receiving area, clear of the rod holder and presented to a drill rod handler; returning the used drill rod to an opening in the top of the rod holder.

[0033] Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Summary of Drawings

[0034] In order to provide a better understanding of the present invention embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of a drill rod lifter according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the drill rod lifter of Figure 1 having received a drill rod for lifting;

[0037] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a drill rig configured with the drill rod lifter of Figure 1, having lifted a drill rod;

[0038] Figure 4 is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 3 showing the lifted drill rod; and

[0039] Figure 5 is the enlarged view of Figure 4 with a rod handler grasping the lifted drill rod.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

[0040] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown one embodiment of a drill rod lifter 10 comprising an elongate receiving area 12 for receiving a drill rod 40. The drill rod 40 is received laterally from the length of the receiving area 12 as indicated by arrow A. The lifter 10 further comprises a lifting mechanism 18 which is able to receive the drill rod in the receiving area 12 and is movable from the receiving area 12 to a position 42 above the receiving area 12. In Figure 1 the lifting mechanism 18 is shown part-way between the receiving area 12 and the position 42 and is shown in lifting a drill rod 40 in phantom.

[0041] The embodiment of the lifting mechanism 18 comprises two spaced apart arms 20 onto which is received the drill rod 40. The arms 20 each comprise a back 22 against which the drill rod 40 is stopped. The arms 20 are each sloped downwardly towards the respective back 22 so as to urge the drill rod 40 to roll into contact with the back 22. Rods of a variety of sizes can be received in the arms 20.

[0042] The embodiment of the lifting mechanism 18 comprises a collar 34 engaged with a vertically extending guide 32. The vertically extending guide 32 extends parallel to and is connected at each end to a vertically extending post 30. In an embodiment, each back 22 is formed of an impact pad coupled to the respective collar 34. In an embodiment, the respective arm 20 extends from the corresponding collar 34.

[0043] In an embodiment, the lifting mechanism 18 comprises a chain or belt pulley system extending between ends of each post 30 for moving the respective collar 34 up or down the vertically extending guide 32. In an embodiment, each pulley system is driven by a motor 36, such as a hydraulic motor. Other mechanisms aside from the pulley system can be used, such as a worm drive, or a hydraulic ram.

[0044] The lifting mechanism 18 may comprise a sensor 38 for detection of the presence of a drill rod 40 on the arms 20. This is used in an automated system so that the system knows that the drill rod 40 is present on the lifting mechanism for lifting, when the drill rod 40 is yet to arrive on the arms 20, when the drill rod 40 has been removed from the arms 20, or if the sensor 38 is reading something that it should not be according to where the system is up to in a cycle.

[0045] In an embodiment the receiving area 12 comprises a tray between the arms 20 of the lifting mechanism 18. In an embodiment the receiving area 12 comprises spaced apart platforms on the outside of the arms 20. In an embodiment the receiving area 12 comprises spaced apart platforms on the inside of the arms 20. In an embodiment each platform comprises a pair of arms 14 onto which is received the drill rod 40 when it is received in the receiving area 12. The arms 14 each comprise a back 16 against which the drill rod 40 is stopped. The arms 14 are each sloped downwardly towards the respective back 16 so as to urge the drill rod 40 to roll into contact with the back 16.

[0046] In an embodiment, the lift mechanism 18 comprises a sensor for determining when the arms 20 are in the receiving area 12 and when the arms 20 are at the position 42. In an embodiment the lifter 10 comprises a sensor for determining the height of the collar 34 (and thus the height of the arms 20).

[0047] Referring to Figure 2, in an embodiment the drill rod lifter 10 further comprises a gate 52 for releasing a drill rod 40 onto the receiving area 12 and for holding back a further drill rod

50 from the receiving area 12, until the lifting mechanism 18 is ready to receive the next drill rod 50 into the receiving area 12.

[0048] In an embodiment, the gate 52 releases the drill rod 50 onto the receiving area from a release zone 54 of a drill rod holder 100. In one example the lifter 10 and the rod holder 100 form a drill rod dispensing assembly that may be installed on a drill rig 60 (Figure 3).

[0049] In an embodiment the position 42 is an exit position within reach of a rod handler 62 for positioning a lifted rod for engagement by a mast 64 of the drill rig 60, or within reach of another device.

[0050] Typically, the rod handler 62 will take the drill rod 40 to the mast 64 for use in a drilling operation and then once it is no longer needed in the drilling operation, the rod handler 62 will return the drill rod 40 to a receiving bay 70 of the drill rod holder 100. However, it may be desirable to remove a particular drill rod or cycle the drill rods through the holder 100. Accordingly, in an embodiment the exit position 42 comprises a shifter for shifting the drill rod from the exit position 42 to the receiving bay 70 of a drill rod holder.

[0051] In an embodiment the shifter is in the form of a ram configured to push the drill rod up the slopes of the arms 20 and into the receiving bay 70. Alternatively the rod handler 62 acts as the shifter as it is able to move the drill rod from the exit position 42 to the receiving bay 70.

[0052] In one embodiment, the drill rod holder 100 comprises a housing comprising structural members, end walls, a back side wall and front side wall. A top face of the housing comprises an upper opening 124 of the receiving bay 70 into which a drill rod can be received and an opening 126 through which a lowermost drill rod 50 can exit. The upper 124 and lower 126 openings drill rod holder 100 are provided within the overall dimensional footprint of the drill rod holder 100 and in a substantially vertical alignment with one another.

[0053] In this embodiment, the lifter 10 is positioned side by side with the rod holder 100 and between the mast 64 and the rod holder 100 so as to be within operational reach of the rod handler 62.

[0054] In the embodiment shown, the drill rod holder 100 comprises the gate 52 for controllably releasing the lowermost rod 50 in the holder 100 through the lower opening 26. In the arrangement shown, the gate 52 is electronically actuated by an actuator mechanism. The gate 52 releases the drill rod 50 from the release zone which is the drill rod position immediately before the opening 126. The release zone comprises a sensor for detecting the presence of the drill rod 50 in the release zone. In an embodiment the release zone is sloped so that upon opening of the gate 52 the rod can roll from the release zone to the receiving area 12. The drill rod 50 can therefore roll laterally from the rod holder 100 to the rod lifter 10.

[0055] In some embodiments, the release zone comprises an ejector for pushing the drill rod 50 from the release zone to the receiving area 12.

[0056] In some embodiments, the gate 52 is configured to release only one drill rod at a time by automatically closing after only one drill rod has passed through the gate 52.

[0057] Figure 5 shows a rod 58 that has been released from the rod holder 100 has been grasped by a rod handler 62 (after being lifted by the rod lifter 10).

[0058]The rod handler 62 can then provide the rod 58 to the mast 64 for use in a drilling operation.

[0059] After the drilling operation is concluded, the rod handler 62 is able to move the drill rod over the opening 124 into the bay 70 and is then able to release the drill rod into the bay 70. In some embodiments there may be a feed hopper for returned drill rods, or a gate to allow the returned drill rod to enter the opening 124 into the holder 100.

[0060] In an embodiment, the holder 100 comprises a plurality of sloped tiers within the housing for holding the drill rods. Each tier vertically cascades into the next, so that a drill rod in a higher tier can descend into a lower tier when there is space available in the next lower tier. The downward direction of the sloping tiers alternates through each tier so that the drill rods snake their way down the tiers.

[0061] In the automated system there is also a processor programmed to receive signals from the sensors and to control the gate 52 and motor 36 so as to present rods to the rod handler 62 or to receive rods from the rod handler 62, and account for their presence in the rod holder 100.

[0062] One embodiment of a method of operation of the drill rod lifer and rod holder will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0063] A drill rod is released into the rod receiving bay 70 through the upper opening 124 in the rod holder 100. It will roll down the sloped upper surface of the cascading ramps until it reaches the release zone where it will be stopped by the gate 52 or other rods in the holder 100.

[0064] When another rod is released into the upper opening 124 it will follow the same process of rolling down the tiers in their alternating directions so as to snake its way down through the drill rod holder 100 until it contacts a drill rod already in the drill rod holder 100, whereupon it will stop and be held until a rod is released through the lower opening 126.

[0065] A drill rod 50 is held in the release zone 54 of the rod holder 100 by the gate 52 until required. When the lowermost the drill rod 50 is required, and when the lifter 10 is ready, including the arms 20 being in the receiving area 12 and the receiving area 12 being empty, the gate 52 will be opened to release the drill rod 50. It will roll from the release zone and the gate 52 will be closed once the drill rod 50 has passed through the lower opening 126, so as to prevent the next drill rod from being released until it is required.

[0066] The void made by the release of the drill rod 50 will be filled by the next drill rod, which will advance to the release position and other drill rods in the holder will likewise advance into the release zone 54 and can be held by the gate 52. The released drill rod rolls (or may be pushed) into the receiving area 12. This drill rod is then indicated as 40.

[0067] When automated, there are additional steps including detecting that the collars 34 are at the bottom of the guides 32 and that there is no drill rod in the receiving area 12. Additionally a sensor may be employed to detect that there is a drill rod in the release zone 54. When these conditions are met and a command to get a drill rod is received, the gate 52 is triggered to release the drill rod 40. The sensor 38 then detects that the released drill rod 40 is now on the arms 20.

[0068]The motors 36 are then activated to lift the collars 34 and thus the arms 20, and accordingly the drill rod 40, until it reaches the exit position 42. Once at the exit position 42, the drill rod 40 can then be taken by the rod handler 62. Because the exit position 42 is clear of the rod holder 100, and in the same positon each time, obtaining the drill rod 40 from the exit position 42 is thereby made easier.

[0069] In the automated version, the collars 34 are detected as being at the top of the guides 32, which in turn triggers the rod handler 62 to take the drill rod 40 from the exit position 42. The removal of the drill rod 40 from the arms 20 is then detected by the sensors 38. The rod handler may have its own sensors to confirm it now has the drill rod 40.

[0070] The motors 36 can then be activated to lower the collars 34 to the bottom of the guides 32 until the arms 20 are aligned with the arms 14, whereupon the lifter 10 is ready to lift another drill rod.

[0071] In the automated version, once the position of the collars 34 is detected as being at the bottom of the guides 32 then this triggers the start of a new cycle.

[0072] A red returned by the rod handler 62 is able to be placed in the opening 124 of the rod holder 100 ready for reuse.

[0073] Modifications may be made to the present invention within the context of that described and shown in the drawings. Such modifications are intended to form part of the invention described in this specification. In one such modification, the arms 20 are pivotable upwardly only so that they can move downwardly past a rod in the receiving area 12, but will not pivot down and thus will hold the rod as they are lifted.

Claims (14)

Claims

1. A drill rod lifter comprising: a gate for releasing a drill rod from a rod holder so as to be received laterally onto an elongate receiving area with respect to the length of the receiving area, the elongate receiving area being laterally spaced from the rod holder; a lifting mechanism, separate from the rod handler, for moving the received drill rod from the receiving area to a position above the receiving area for collection by a rod handler picking the drill rod up from the position above the receiving area; and the position above the receiving area being spaced from the rod holder such that the rod handler can pick up the rod clear of the rod holder and move the rod so as to be used in a drilling operation.

2. A drill rod lifter according to claim 1, wherein the gate is at the bottom of the rod holder.

3. A drill rod lifter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position above the receiving area is within reach of the rod handler for positioning a lifted rod for engagement by a mast of a drill rig.

4. A drill rod lifter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the position above the receiving area is laterally adjacent to a rod receiving opening of the rod holder.

5. A drill rod lifter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lifting mechanism comprises two spaced apart arms onto which the drill rod is received, and the arms are sloped to urge the drill rod to roll into contact with a back.

6. A drill rod lifter according to claim 5, wherein each arm is spaced apart such that the rod handler can grasp the raised rod between the arms.

7. A drill rod lifter according to claim 5 or 6, wherein each arm is movable on a respective substantially vertically extending shaft.

8. A drill rod lifter according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lifting mechanism operates as a support for receiving drill rods returned by the rod handler at the position above the receiving position.

9. A drill rod lifter according to claim 8, further comprising a shifter for shifting the drill rod from the position above the receiving area to a receiving bay at a top of the rod holder.

10. A drill rod dispensing assembly comprising a lifter according to claim 9 and the rod holder beside the lifter, wherein the holder comprises: a housing having an upper opening into which a drill rod can be received and a lower opening through which a lowermost rod can exit, the upper and lower openings being within a footprint of the drill holder.

11. A drill rig comprising the drill rod dispensing assembly according to claim 10 and the rod handler arranged to pick up the rod from the position above the receiving area clear of the rod holder and to move the rod so as to be used in a drilling operation.

12. A drill rig according to claim 11, wherein the rod handler is arranged to place a rod on the position above the receiving area when the lifter is raised without a rod and the shifter is arrange to shift the rod from the position above the receiving area into the receiving bay of the rod holder.

13. A method of handling a drill rod comprising: holding a drill rod in a rod holder separate from and positioned adjacent to a lifter; releasing the drill rod laterally from the hold holder when needed; moving the drill rod to a receiving area of the lifter; lifting the drill rod with the lifter so as to be positioned above the receiving area, laterally clear of the rod holder and presented to a drill rod handler for the rod handler to pick up the drill rod from the position above the receiving area; returning the used drill rod to an opening in the top of the rod holder.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of returning the used drill rod to an opening in the top of the rod holder comprises the rod handler placing the used drill rod on the lifter in the raised position so that the lifter supports the rod in the raised position; moving the rod handler clear; shifting the drill rod from the raised position into the opening in the top of the rod holder.