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:
Jun. 09, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 03, 1996
Eugene Y Cheng, Roanoke, VA (US);
Stuart A Connell, Buchanan, VA (US);
Danny S Bailey, Troutville, VA (US);
Phillip A Mayhew, Roanoke, VA (US);
Ingersoll-Rand Company, Woodcliff Lake, NJ (US);
Abstract
A drill rod changer assembly for a drill rig includes an elongated support shaft having a housing at each end for retaining ends of drill rods, the support shaft being adapted for removable attachment to a drill rig structure, a carousel-type drill rod spacer on the shaft and a pair of gripper arms adapted for removable attachment to a drill rig structure at spaced apart positions adjacent each end of the support shaft. A hydraulic actuation device rotates the support shaft and carousel drill rod spacer between a rod storage position and a rod usage position. Each gripper arm is moved between the drill rod storage and usage positions by hydraulic actuation devices on each arm. Each gripper arm carries a sliding gate member that opens and closes the housings in response to movement of the gripper arm. The support shaft, and each gripper arm assembly being supplied as modularized assemblies that can be individually attached and removed from a drill rig to expeditiously change between various lengths of drill rod.