AU9329398A

AU9329398A - A positioning system for drilling rods

Info

Publication number: AU9329398A
Application number: AU93293/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Colin Ernest Crook; Michael Norman Martin; David Elwood Sherar
Original assignee: DRILLTORQUE AUST Pty Ltd
Current assignee: DRILLTORQUE (AUST) Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-11-20
Filing date: 1998-11-20
Publication date: 1999-06-17

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

LODGED:

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED:

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PUBLISHED:

RELATED ART: 4' NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): DRILLTORQUE (AUST) PTY LTD DAVID ELWOOD SHERAR COLIN ERNEST CROOK MICHAEL NORMAN MARTIN ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: LORD COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 4 Douro Place West Perth, Western Australia, 6005

AUSTRALIA.

"A POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR DRILLING RODS" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application Number PP0474 filed on November 1997.

The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

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TITLE

"A POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR DRILLING RODS" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a positioning system including a container for holding drilling rods and a positioning apparatus for positioning drilling rods.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Drilling rods are used when drilling into the ground, such drilling rods being carried by a S' i drilling vehicle so that the drilling rods may readily be added to or removed from a series of drilling rods connected end to end. A drilling rod typically weighs 160-200kg.

Current methods for changing drilling rods include the use of a jib at the top of a drilling tower, the jib including a wire extending from the jib and the jib being attachable to a drilling rod located on the side of the drilling vehicle. To move a drilling rod, the jib is attached to the rod and the wire is drawn upwards thereby lifting the drilling rod. The drilling rod is then swung from the side of the drilling vehicle into position adjacent the i drilling tower for connection to an adjacent drilling rod. However, swinging a drilling rod in this way can be dangerous and is therefore undesirable.

The present invention seeks, among other things, to overcome the above mentioned problem.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a positioning system for drilling rods, said positioning system including a container adapted to removably hold a plurality of drilling rods when the container is in either a substantially horizontal orientation or a substantially upright orientation, and an elongate member pivotably connected, in use, to a drilling vehicle, the elongate member being engageable with the container such that pivotal movement of the elongate member effects corresponding pivotal movement of the container, the arrangement being such that, in use, drilling rods received in the container are pivotable from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially upright orientation substantially corresponding to an orientation of the drilling rods in use, said upright orientation of the drilling rods thereby facilitating safe transfer, in use, of drilling rods from the container to a drilling tower located, in use, adjacent the positioning system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a container of a positioning system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of an attachment means for use with a positioning system in t P5 accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of a positioning apparatus of a positioning system

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in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the positioning apparatus shown in Figure 4 taken along the line A-A in Figure 4 in the direction of the arrows; Figure 6 is an upper perspective view of the positioning apparatus shown in Figures 4 and Figure 7 is an upper perspective view of a positioning system in accordance with the present invention with the positioning apparatus shown in a first position; and

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Figure 8 is an upper perspective view of the positioning system shown in Figure 7 with the positioning apparatus shown in a second position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a container 10 of a positioning system in accordance with the present invention, the container 10 including a base 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16. The base 12 also includes two opposed sides 18. The container 10 further includes a plurality of side walls 20, each side wall 20 extending upwardly from the base 12.

The container 10 further includes an end wall 24 extending upwardly from the base 12 at the first end 14. The side walls 20, the end wall 24 and the base 12 define an interior portion 15 of the container 10. In use, one or more drilling rods 40 are longitudinally positioned within the interior portion 15 and a drilling end of each drilling rod 40 abuts the end wall 24.

The container 10 further includes two rows of spaced separating means 22. The 16 i separating means 22 are in the form of a plurality of members extending upwardly from ,i the base 12. In use, the separating means 22 ensure that drilling rods 40 longitudinally positioned in the interior portion 15 form vertical columns which are spaced apart by the separating means 22, as best seen in Figure 2. The upwardly extending members 22 are interposed between adjacent columns of drilling rods The end wall 24 further includes a plurality of slots 26, each slot 26 extending from an upper edge of the end wall 24 to a location adjacent the base 12. In use, a portion of the drilling end of each drilling rod 40 is accessible via the slots 26. The end wall 24 is arranged such that it prevents the drilling rods 40 within the container 10 from sliding out of the first end 14 when the container 10 is inclined.

The container 10 further includes a collection tray 28 located at the first end 14. The collection tray 28 is in the form of an open topped vessel which has an interior portion In use, fluids may drain into the interior portion 30 of the collection tray 28 from the drilling rods 40 held within the container Referring to Figure 3, there is shown an attachment means 45 which includes a member 42 with a hook 44 located at a first end, a clamp 46 located at an opposite second end and a wire 48 extending from the second end.

The slots 26 of the container 10 are arranged such that the hook 44 may extend through a slot 26 into the drilling end of a selected one of the drilling rods 40. Further, since the drilling rods 40 are spaced apart by the separating means 22, the clamp 46 may grapple the selected drilling rod 40. The wire 48 may then be lifted thereby lifting the o I, selected drilling rod 40 out of the container Referring to Figures 4 to 6, there is shown a positioning apparatus 50 of the positioning system which includes an elongate member 52 having a first end 54, a second end 56, a a and a pivoting means 58. The pivoting means 58 may be in the form of a member a" extending perpendicular to the elongate member 52 and being rotatably attached at a Spivot point to a rear corner of a drilling vehicle 68. The pivoting means 58 is closer to the first end 54 than to the second end 56.

The positioning apparatus 50 may further include an extendable foot 60 attached to the elongate member 52 by an inner sleeve member 62 which may be telescopically extended from the first end 54. A ram 64 may be employed to extend the inner sleeve member 62 from the first end 54 and thus move the foot 60 away from the first end 54.

The ram 64 is located inside the inner sleeve member 62 and the elongate member 52.

The ram 64 is connected at one end to the elongate member 52 at a connection point 86 and is connected at the other end to a connection point 88 attached to the foot 60. The positioning apparatus 50 may further include a ram 66 for driving the pivoting action of the elongate member 52. The ram 66 is located inside the elongate member 52. The elongate member 52 includes an aperture (not shown). The aperture extends along a portion of a bottom side of the elongate member 52. The aperture allows the ram 66 to pass therethrough as the ram 66 is pivoting the elongate member 52. The ram 66 has a first connection point 74 which connects the ram 66 to a point on the drilling vehicle 68.

An opposite end of the ram 66 is connected to a point 76 on the inside of an upper side of the elongate member 52.

The ram 64 and the ram 66 may employ hydraulic pumping means (not shown) in order to extend or retract the rams 64 and 66.

The elongate member 52 further includes a plurality of attachment means 78 on the upper side of the elongate member 52 for receiving and attaching to a container 10 for holding S drilling rods 40. The attachment means 78 may be in the form of tabs or hooks which the 15, container 10 engages with.

The positioning apparatus 50 is adapted to be positioned on the rear side of the drilling 44•5 vehicle 68 and locates, in use, adjacent a drilling tower 92, as seen in Figure 6. The elongate member 52 is longitudinally positioned on a surface 80 of the rear of the drilling vehicle 68. The elongate member 52 is further positioned adjacent a rear corner lifting jack 72 of the drilling vehicle 68.

Referring to Figure 7, there is shown a positioning system 100 in a first position. The positioning system 100 includes a container 10 as previously described and a positioning apparatus 50 as previously described, wherein the container 10 is releasbly attached to the positioning apparatus 50. The container 10 is oriented such that the first end 14 of the container 10 is adjacent the first end 54 of the positioning apparatus 50. In the first position the container 10 is substantially horizontal.

Referring to Figure 8, there is shown the positioning system 100 in a second position, wherein the ram 66 has caused the positioning apparatus 50 and thereby the elongate member 52 to pivot towards a generally upright orientation. The foot 60 has been extended to meet the ground and the second ends 16 and 56 are raised so that the container 10 is inclined. The positioning system 100 positions the drilling rods 40 held within the container 10 such that they are adjacent the drilling tower 92.

The method of use and operation of the present invention will now be described with iO reference to the accompanying drawings.

SA container 10 is loaded with a plurality of drilling rods 40. The drilling rods 40 are Soriented so that they will be in a position with a drilling end of each drilling rod

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abutting the end wall 24. The drilling rods 40 are stacked in columns within the interior portion 15 of the container 10 and are caused to be spaced apart by the separating means 22. The container 10 may, for example, hold twenty drilling rods 40. The container

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with twenty rods would weigh in the order of 4 to 4.5 tonnes. The container 10 would be lifted by, for example, a crane onto the rear side of a drilling vehicle 68 having a positioning apparatus 50. The container 10 is placed on top of the elongate member 52 of the positioning apparatus 50, such that the first end 14 of the container 10 is adjacent the first end 54 of the elongate member 52. The container 10 is engaged with the positioning apparatus 50 by the engagement means 78. The positioning system 100 is thus in the first position as shown in Figure 7.

When the drilling vehicle 68 is in position to drill, the drilling tower 92 is inclined and the jack 72 is extended thereby lifting the drilling vehicle 68 from the ground as shown in Figure 8. The container 10 and elongate member 52 of the positioning system 100 may then be pivoted by the pivoting means 58 so that the drilling rods 40 are positioned adjacent the drilling tower 92. The foot 60 is extended to provide support for the positioning system 100 when the container 10 and the elongate member 52 are inclined.

In this way, the drilling rods 40 are oriented such that they may be moved by a jib and wire from the container 10 to the drilling tower 92 ready for use.

Used drilling rods 40 may be returned to the container 10 in a similar fashion.

The container 10 may be inclined in the second position as shown in Figure 8 at an angle of, for example, up to 800 and operate most effectively at an angle between 600 and Any fluids running from the drilling rods 40 within the container 10 will be collected by 4 I I the collection tray 28 while the container 10 is inclined.

The container 10 and the elongate member 52 may be lowered back to the first position .as shown in Figure 7.

The drilling rods 40 and the container 10 may be positioned on the positioning apparatus 1. 50 by a jib and wire which may, for example, be attached to the upper portion of the rear S corner jack 72 or to an upper end of the drilling tower 92.

SThe container 10 may include eyelets provided on upper portions op of the side walls to enable it to be readily lifted.

The container 10 may be arranged so that it is stackable on other similar containers Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A positioning system for drilling rods, said positioning system including a container adapted to removably hold a plurality of drilling rods when the container is in s either a substantially horizontal orientation or a substantially upright orientation, and an elongate member pivotably connected, in use, to a drilling vehicle, the elongate member being engageable with the container such that pivotal movement of the elongate member effects corresponding pivotal movement of the container, the arrangement being such that, in use, drilling rods received in the container are pivotable from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially upright orientation substantially corresponding to an orientation of the drilling rods in use, said upright orientation of the drilling rods thereby facilitating safe transfer, in use, of drilling rods from the container to a drilling tower located, in use, adjacent the positioning system. Ii

2. A positioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container includes an elongate base portion, an end wall disposed adjacent a first longitudinal end of the said base portion and extending upwardly of the base portion, a first side wall extending upwardly of the base portion and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall and extending upwardly of the base portion, the end wall serving to restrict movement of drilling rods received in the container in a substantially longitudinal direction towards the end wall and the first and second side walls serving to restrict movement of drilling rods received in the container in a substantially transverse direction towards the first side wall or the second side wall.

3. A positioning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end wall includes at least one slot extending upwardly of the base portion, the at least one slot being arranged such that a portion of an attachment means may extend through the slot, in use, and engage with a drilling rod received in the container.

4. A positioning system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the container further includes separating means extending upwardly of the base portion, the separating means being disposed on the base portion so as to ensure that drilling rods received in the container define a plurality of columns, each column extending upwardly of the base A0 portion. 4 A positioning system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the separating means includes at least one elongate member extending upwardly of the base portion. 4t4 44

6. A positioning system as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein a first separating means is provided disposed adjacent the end wall and a second separating means is oi provided disposed adjacent a second longitudinal end of the base portion opposite to the first longitudinal end.

7. A positioning system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the container further includes a collection tray portion disposed intermediate the end wall and the first longitudinal end of the base portion, the collection tray portion being adapted to receive and collect fluid when the container is inclined relative to horizontal. 11

8. A positioning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including a sleeve member telescopically received in the elongate member and a foot member disposed on an end of the sleeve member remote from the elongate member, wherein the foot member is movable relative to the elongate member so that the foot member contacts the ground when the elongate member is disposed in a substantially upright orientation.

9. A positioning system as claimed in claim 8, further including a first ram means actuable to effect movement of the foot member towards or away from the elongate member. A positioning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further 1( 4 including a second ram means actuable to effect pivotal movement of the elongate member relative to a drilling vehicle to which the elongate member is pivotably 15,, connected in use. i i I I

11. A positioning system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 19 T' DAY OF NOVEMBER 1998. DRILLTORQUE (AUST) PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.