The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 04, 2018
Filed:
Jan. 24, 2014
Layne Christensen Company, Kansas City, KS (US);
Brian Smith, The Woodlands, TX (US);
Stefano Campanini, Piacenza, IT;
Gianmaria Vitali, Collecchio, IT;
James Maggert, Fort Myers, FL (US);
Paul Mander, Spring, TX (US);
Layne Christensen Company, Kansas City, KS (US);
Abstract
An automated rod manipulator system for moving a drill rod section from a storage magazine to a drill rig and connecting the drill rod to a drill string of the drill rig without manual manipulation of any parts. The automated rod manipulator system may comprise a magazine to store and dispense a plurality of drill rod sections, a carriage to convey one of the plurality of drill rod sections from the magazine to a transfer position; and a gripping arm coupled to a drill rig mast of a drilling rig, the gripping arm operable to convey one of the plurality of drill rod sections from a transfer position to a position aligned with a spindle center line of the drilling rig. The automated rod manipulator may also include a control system and an alignment assembly for aligning the drill rod section on a spindle centerline of the drill rig.