Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC

Timo Diekmann

Carl John Moberg

Ross L Hoult

Samuel C Taylor

Marcus U Bähtz

Vin J Varghese

Chinpei Tang

Rex Aaron Glover

Ahsan Shahid

Rajesh R Gunda

Hyppolite Kuissi

Andrew Wright

Alois Poettker

Cary Gist

A drilling machine includes an inclination-based levelling system. The drilling machine includes a frame with front and rear portions, and a plurality of support jacks including a pair of rear jacks proximate the rear portion of the frame and a front jack proximate the front portion of the frame. Each jack is extendable and retractable. The drilling machine also includes a sensor configured to monitor and transmit sensor data, the sensor data including at least one of a roll of the drilling machine and a pressure. A controller operatively associated with the sensor, is configured to calculate a volume of debris to be produced during an operation of the drilling machine, to select a machine height setting based on the calculated volume of debris, and to extend and retract the plurality of support jacks according to the selected machine height setting.

Inclination-based levelling system

An anti-jam control system for mobile drilling machines is disclosed. The anti-jam control system may include a method for automatically clearing a jam during an automatic drilling mode of a mobile drilling machine including a drill bit mounted on a drill string. The method may include: monitoring a feed rate of the drill bit during the automatic drilling mode; and automatically initiating an anti-jam operation when the feed rate is below a predetermined feed rate threshold.

Anti-jam control system for mobile drilling machines

A collar control system and methods for mobile drilling machines are disclosed. One method may include: automatically initiating rotation of a drill bit based on collar settings; automatically feeding the drill bit at a feed rate to form an initial hole at a predetermined reaming increment; and automatically retracting the drill bit from the initial hole when the predetermined reaming increment is achieved, but prior to reaching a collar depth. Another method may include: measuring values of multiple drill bit inputs at a predetermined sample depth region during the collar operation; storing average values for each of the drill bit inputs over the predetermined sample depth region; monitoring values of the drill bit inputs when the drill bit moves beyond the predetermined sample depth region; and ending the collar operation prior to a desired collar depth when any of the monitored values change by a predetermined threshold.

Collar control system for mobile drilling machines

A pipe loading system for a blast hole drilling rig. The blast hole drilling rig includes a drilling platform, a drill tower supported on the drilling platform, a drill motor supported at an upper end of the drill tower, operatively coupled to a drilling head configured to selectively engage with and rotate a drill pipe, and a pipe loader pivotably supported on the drilling platform and configured to selectively index a drilling tool into coaxial alignment with the drill pipe during a drilling tool change-out operation. The pipe loader includes a pipe support pod at a lower end and a pipe holding clamp at an upper end. Sensors detect a presence of the drilling tool in the pipe holder, an interconnection between the drilling head and the drill pipe, and a state of the pipe holding clamp. The pipe loading system closes the pipe holding clamp when the drilling tool is in the pipe loader and the pipe holding clamp is not in a closed position.

Drilling tool loading control system

A drill string rotation angle sensor diagnostic system includes a first rotation angle sensor assembly, a second rotation angle sensor assembly, an operator interface; and a control module. The control module is configured to receive a first signal from the first rotation angle sensor assembly, receive a second signal from the second rotation angle sensor assembly, determine if a valid state exists based on the first signal and the second signal, and indicate a fault on the operator interface if a valid state does not exist.

Rotation angle sensing and advanced diagnostics

A drilling machine includes a mast, a rotary head movably coupled to the mast, a drill string component having a pair of opposed flat surfaces, and a securing structure including engagement surfaces shaped to engage the opposed flat surfaces and secure the drill string component from rotating. The drilling machine also includes a controller configured to track a rotational location of the flat surfaces of the drill string component during rotation of the drill string component. The controller is further configured to receive tracking information from a sensor associated with the rotary head and control the rotary head to align the opposed flat surfaces for engagement by the securing structure.

System and method of tracking flat surfaces of a component of a drilling machine

Display screen with graphical user interface

A control system for an automatic drilling tool changer apparatus for use with a drilling rig includes a drilling control device programmed with a control scheme for controlling the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus, and a user interface coupled to the drilling control device for initiating actions of the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus and for interactively monitoring a status of the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus. The control scheme includes steps for an automatic drilling tool change-out operation, and the drilling control device and the user interface are configured to communicate with the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus over a network.

Automatic control system and method for a drilling tool changer apparatus

Mobile drilling devices and systems, methods, and computer-readable media for controlling such devices are provided. One method includes receiving user input from a user of a mobile computing device. The method further includes transmitting data based on the user input from the mobile computing device to a control circuit of a mobile drilling device via a wireless network connection. The method further includes generating a plurality of control signals based on the data received from the mobile computing device. Each of the plurality of control signals is configured to control movement of a separate one of a plurality of movement devices of the mobile drilling device. The plurality of movement devices are configured to move the mobile drilling device between locations.

Growing community of inventors

Castrop-Rauxel, Germany

Timo Diekmann