Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to drilling equipment, and
more particularly to portable drilling machines designed for
drilling holes for mining and geological exploration and for
the oil and gas industry.
The present invention can be utilized to the greatest
advantage for drllling vertical and angle blast holes in the
mining industry.
Prior art portable drilling machines (e.g., Author's
Certificate No. 345,262, Cl. E21cl/14, USSR) comprise a crawler
vehicle having a machinery house, and a derrick mounted on this
vehicle and having longitudinal racks guiding a vertical traverse
mechanism carrying a traverse having a means designed for the
rotation of a drill pipe with a drill bit positioned longitudin-
ally in the derrick in alignment with the drilling axis.
A pulldown unit is mounted at the base of the derrick,
and is connected by a closed flexible transmission with the
vertical traverse mechanism and the traverse to provide, during
the working run thereof along the racks for feeding the drill
pipe to the bottom of the hole and pulling the drill pipe,
during the reverse run.
Further, a clamp intended for gripping the drill pipe
is installed at the base of the derrick, being embodied as a
wrench for spinning operations.
In the prior art portable drilling machines, a rotary -
drive means is provided wherein there is a motor in alignment
with the drill pipe, having a reducing gear wherein the outlet
shaft drives a spindle which is attached to the traverse and to
which the drill pipe is screwed.
me drilling operation is carried out by the afore-
said drilling machines as follows:
After the spotting operation, the rotary drive meansand the pulldown unit are put into operation to lower the vertical
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traverse mechanism and the traverse to the bottom of the hole
and thus to make a hole. After drilling to a depth equal to
the length of the drill pipe, drilling is interrupted, the
compressor supplying a scavenging agent through the hollow drill
pipe is switched off, the spindle of the traverse is disconnec-
ted from the drill pipe, the pulldown mechanism is put into
operation again, and the vertical traverse mechanism and the
traverse run back to the top of the derrick.
A pipe-handling apparatus then takes the next drill
pipe to the drilling axis, the drill pipe being first screwed
to the spindle of the traverse and then to the drill pipe in
the hole. The drilling operation continues then to a depth
equal to the length of the second pipe. All the aforesaid
operations are then repeated to make connection of the next or ~ ;
third pipe.
On completion of drilling to a preset depth (19-20 m),
drilling discontinues, the compressor is switched off, and the
pulldown unit raises the vertical traverse mechanism and the
traverse coupled with drill pipes forming a drill string to the
length of one drill pipe.
Thereafter the upper pipe is spun out from the lower
pipe and is taken by the pipe-handling apparatus. The vertical
traverse mechanism, the traverse, and the rotary drive means
move from the upper position thereof to the lower one thereof,
the spindle is screwed to the second pipe, and the aforesaid
operations are repeated.
All operations are then repeated in pulling the third
drill pipe from the hole.
The main disadvantage of the aforesaid drilling
machines is that in making a hole, two or three drill pipes ;
have to be successively added, and on completion of drilling,
the resulting drill string has to be disconnected and pipe
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sections have to be taken by the pipe-handling apparatus. This
operation takes about 15 per cent of the working time, which
thus considerably lowers the actual capacity of the drilling
machine.
Moreover, because addition and removal of pipes are
carried out with the compressor switched off, the arms of the
bit become plugged by cuttings, which wears the arms faster and
makes the bit life shorter.
In some of the prior art portable drilling machines,
the aforesaid disadvantages have been eliminated.
In such drilling machines, the derrick is lengthened
to provide for positioning a drill pipe whose length is ;
sufficient for drilling without adding pipes, which eliminates
the unproductive loss of time for spinning operations and makes
bit life longer, because the cutter arms are no longer plugged
up .
The aforesaid drilling machines, however, also have
a great number of serious disadvantages impairing large scale
' utilization thereof at mining enterprises.
The main disadvantages are as follows. ~-
The aforesaid drilling machines cannot be utilized in
a most efficient drilling manner (rotating speed of drill pipe
and load on drill pipe) because of considerable lateral and
longitudinal drill pipe vibration passing into resonance vibra-
tion transmitted to the entire drilling machine.
This phenomenon arises owing to the upper position of
the vertical traverse mechanism having a heavy (7-8 tons) rotary
drive means which applies the torque and the load on bit to the
top of a long 22 meter drill pipe which acquires a great
curvature; therefore, at a high rotating speed, it loses
stability that may cause an emergency situation
The upper position of the vertical traverse mechanism
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carrying the heavy rotary drive means makes drilling and angle
hole impossible, because tilting the mast from the vertical will
cause a considerable overturning moment. The upper position of
the vertical traverse mechanism also makes it very difficult for
the drilling machine to move within the bench with the mast
raised to the vertical. This requires the lowering of the mast
to the horizontal and subsequent raising for drilling a new hole.
Besides the aforesaid disadvantages, the embodiment
of drilling machines with the upper position of the vertical
traverse mechanism carrying the rotary drive means has caused
a multiple increase in the weight and dimensions of drilling
machines, unreasonably great investments to produce such heavy
drilling machines, and the necessity for deposits to be
developed by wide benches, which enlarges the overburden co-
efficient and considerably raises the cost of mining.
It is the main object of the present invention to
provide a portable drilling machine designed for drilling verti-
cal and angle boreholes to the full depth without the addition
of drill pipes and at the most efficient rotating speeds and
bit loads to raise the capacity of the drilling machine and,
at the same time, to improve the dependability thereof and to
increase the bit life.
It is an object of this invention to eliminate the
aforesaid disadvantages.
These and other objects are attained in the invention
according to which there is a drilling machine provided with a
derrick having longitudinal racks guiding a vertical traverse
mechanism carrying a traverse having a means designed for the
rotation of a drill pipe connected to a bit and positioned in
the derrick longitudinally in alignment with the drilling axis;
a pulldown unit connected by a closed flexible transmission with
the vertical traverse mechanism and the traverse to feed the
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drill pipe to the bottom of the hole during the working run
thereof along the racks and to hoist the drill pipe during the
idle run' and a clamp mounted at the base of the derrick and
designed for gripping the drill pipe at the end of the working
run of the vertical traverse mechanism. In accordance with the
invention, the means for rotating the drill pipe is designed as
a rotating drive chuck mounted in the traverse. Said chuck
grips said drill pipe during the drilling operation and can,
during an idle run when it is unclenched together with the
vertical traverse mechanism, regrip the drill pipe while the
pipe is held in position by the clamp.
Such a design permits the drilling of vertical and
angle boreholes to the full depth by one drill pipe and thus
eliminates excessive lateral pipe vibration and provides a most
efficient manner of drill performance, raises speeds and,
therefore, the capacity of the drilling machine, and makes the
drilling machine more maneuverable and stable in moving within
the bench because the vertical traverse mechanism having a tra-
verse, and a means designed for the rotation of the drill pipe,
can be lowered along the derrick to a position at the base
thereof.
Moreover, according to the design, the vertical tra-
verse mechanism having a traverse and a means designed for the
rotation of a drill pipe can be lowered to the position at the
base of the derrick, which permits convenient inspection and ~
repair of this mechanism even if an accident has happened during -
the drilling operation wherein the drill pipe connected to the
drill bit is partly fed into the hole and cannot be taken by the
pipe-handling apparatus.
Such a design also provides easy access to all the
; assemblies of the vertical traverse mechanism, which is the
operating member of the drill going out of action most frequently.
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In the preferred embodiment, a jaw chuck is used as
the rotating chuck wherein the body is at the same time the
traverse designed as a ring carrying a hollow spindle on bear-
ings, which permits a free passage of the drill pipe, and has
in the walls thereof radially positioned through ports to locate
jaws mounted on a face-plate enveloping the spindle. The chuck
is driveably engaged with the means for rotation of the drill
pipe through a flexible coupling having an elastic shell connec-
ted to a flange rigidly attached to the outlet shaft of the
reducing gear of the aforesaid means and to a bushing connected
to the spindle through a slit.
Such a design permits fast and reliable connection of
the drill pipe to the traverse, which increases the capacity of
the drilling machine, while the application of the coupling
eliminates the rigid connection of the means designed for rota-
tion of the drill pipe to the traverse and protects this means -
from vibration originating in the drill pipe and the traverse.
Further, in the preferred embodiment, additional racks
are mounted in the derrick to guide a swivel attached at the
top of the drill pipe and to connect the hollow drill pipe with
a scavenging agent feeding unit for cleaning cuttings from the
hole. ~-
Such a design permits a continuous feed of the scaveng-
ing agent into the bit throughout the period of making the hole,
including the idle runs of the vertical traverse mechanism with
the chuck in regripping the drill pipe, and therefore eliminates
the possibility of the arms of the cutters being plugged up with
cuttings, which considerably increases the bit life.
The pulldown unit designed for feeding and hoisting
the drill pipe can comprise two drawworks each having a drive
and brake drums, a flexible transmission connecting the afore-
- said drums with the traverse and the vertical traverse mechanism
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through a system of blocks and tackles.
Such a design provides a continuous feed of the bit
to the bottom of the hole by operating branches of an endless
cable while the dead branches thereof hold the vertical traverse
mechanism having the means designed for the rotation of the
drill pipe above the traverse with a preset clearing to elimin- -
ate the transfer of vibration from the drill pipe to this means.
Further, such a design permits utilization of one pulldown unit
for both feeding the drill pipe to the bottom of the hole and
for hoisting it.
Below one embodiment is exemplified in detail in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portable drilling
- machine embodying the invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the operating member
of the portable drilling machine;
Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the portion
A of Figure 1 showing the vertical traverse
mechanism, the traverse and the means designed
for the rotation of the drill pipe;
Figure 4 is a top view of the vertical traverse
mechanism and the rotary drive means of
Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line V-V of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is an elevational view of the clamp; and
Figure 7 is a sectional elevational view of the
swivel. -
Referring now to Figure 1, a portable drilling machine -
is crawler mounted with each crawler 1 being driven independently. -
A machinery house 2 enclosing equipment is mounted on the axes - -
; of the crawlers. On the frame of the machinery house 2 are
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mounted supports 3 on which a derrick 4 is mounted. Hydraulic
cylinders 5 provide a means for raising and lowering the derrick
to the operating position for vertical and angle drilling and
to the horizontal or traveling position.
The derrick 4 is a welded structure comprising two
rigidly connected pieces: a lower piece 6 and an upper piece 7.
In the lower piece 6 of the derrick 4 are mounted
longitudinal racks guiding a vertical traverse mechanism 8
(Figure 2) with a traverse 9 having a means designed for rota-
tion of a hollow drill pipe "B" with a drill bit. The drill
pipe "B" is positioned longitudinally in the derrick 4 in
alignment with the drilling axis.
In the lower piece 6 of the derrick 4 is also
mounted a pulldown unit comprising two drawworks 10 connected
by a closed flexible transmission 11 with the vertical traverse
mechanism 8 and the traverse 9 to feed, during the working run
thereof (downwards), the drill pipe "B" to the bottom of the
hole, and during the reverse run thereof (upwards), to hoist
the drill pipe or to regrip it.
Along the entire derrick 4 are mounted additional
racks guiding a swivel 12 (Figure 1) which attaches to the
top of the drill pipe "B" and connects the hollow pipe with a
scavenging-agent feeding device, (not shown) for cleaning
cuttings from the hole.
The means for rotating the drill pipe 'IB" is embodied
as a rotating jaw chuck 13 (Figure 3) mounted in the traverse.
This chuck clamps the drill pipe "B" during the drilling
operation and can, during an idle run, when it is unclenched,
together with the vertical traverse mechanism 8, regrip the
drill pipe while the pipe is held in alignment with the drilling
axis by a clamp 14 (Figure 1) mounted at the base of the derrick.
The jaw chuck 13 has a drive for its rotation compris-
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ing an electric motor 15 (Figure 3), a ventilator 16 intended
for cooling thereof, a reducing gear 17, and a flexible coupling
18 transmitting power from the reducing gear 17 to the jaw chuck
13.
The reducing gear 17 is embodied vertically and double.
The outlet pinion 19 of the reducing gear 17 is forced
on a hollow shaft 20 ended with a flange 21 to which is attached
an elastic shell 22 of the flexible coupling 18, which protects
the electric motor 15 and the reducing gear 17 from axial and
lateral vibrations of the drill pipe "B".
A splined collet 23 of a coupling 18 is connected to
the hollow spindle 24 of the jaw chuck 13 to make the spindle
rotate. The drill pipe 'IB'' loosely passes inside the spindle
24 (Figure 5). -
The body of the jaw chuck 13 is formed by the annular
traverse 9 having outer rectangular protrusions 25 placed in
the racks of the vertical traverse mechanism 8. On the outside,
the traverse is also provided with journals 26 on which are
forced tension blocks 27 connected by a flexible transmission
embodied as a system of blocks and tackles with the drawworks
10 (Figure 2) of the pulldown unit.
From below, the traverse 9 is entered by a cover 28
in which is mounted a bearing assembly for the spindle 24 of
the jaw chuck 13 to be installed. The bearing assembly com-
prises two radial 29 and two thrust 30 ball bearings
Inside the traverse 9 is installed a circular piston
31 of a hydraulic cylinder, sealed with rings 32 against the ~-
outer motionless surface of a sleeve 33.
From inside the piston 31 is provided with a protru-
sion on which is placed a faceplate 34 having a thrust bearing35 which is screwed tight from above by a nut a In the faceplate
34 are made three longitudinal slots in which are installed jaws
.
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36 reinforced with a hard alloy and splines to attach faceplates
34 to the spindle 24. At the top of the spindle 24 are mounted
eccentric jaws 36a designed for clamping the pipe "B" if the
pressure in the hydraulic cylinder drops.
The pulldown unit comprises two drawworks 10 (Figure
2) and a system of three-fold blocks and tackles (left and
right) and serves to load the drill pipe "B" by moving the
vertical traverse mechanism 8, the traverse 9 and the jaw chuck
13 downwards and to move thereof back along the derrick during
the regripping operation.
; Each drawwork is provided with two drums: drive 37
and brake 38 mounted on bearings in a dismountable body.
The three-fold system of blocks and tackles is formed
by a single cable successively passing around upper blocks 40
and 41, blocks 42 and 43 of the vertical traverse mechanism 8,
lower blocks 44 and the drums 37 and 38 of the drawworks 10.
One end of the cable 39 is fixed to the vertical traverse
mechanism 8, the other to the traverse 9. Each drive drum 37
transmits to the cable 39 a fractive effort arising through
friction between the drum and the cable, the friction force
- being created by preliminary tensioning of the downward branch
of the cable 39 coiled along the ring grooves of the drums 37
and 38 of the drawworks 10.
During the drilling operation, the down-running branch
of the cable 39 is tensioned by the weight of the vertical
traverse mechanism 8, suspended in the derrick by the upper
blocks 40 and 41, and by the weight of the drawworks 10, which
can turn around pivots 44.
Clearing "a", which provides the proper mutual arrange-
ment of the traverse and the vertical traverse mechanism during -
the drilling operation, is set up and maintained by cables -
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A clamp 14 (Figure 1) is intended for holding the
drill pipe "B" during regripping thereof by the jaw chuck 13 in
making a hole as well as for centering thereof during the drill-
ing operation. The clamp 14 comprises a body 45 tFigure 6)
wherein on rubber rings 46 is installed a bushing 47 enclosing
replaceable brasses 48. Two hydraulic cylinders with pivotally
attached rods 50 are also mounted in the body 45 of the clamp 14.
To the body of each hydraulic cylinder 49 is rigidly
attached a wedge 51, one side thereof interacting with the
thrust 52 of the side walls and the other or inclined side with
the body 53 of the insert 54.
This body 53 reciprocates to clamp and release the
drill pipe "B" by means of the inserts 54 which move along
guiding grooves in the side walls. The rod-side hollows 55 of
the hydraulic cylinders 49 work for clamping and the piston-side
hollows for release.
A swivel 12 (Figure 1) connects the drill pipe "B"
with the compressor (not shown) to feed the scavenging agent to
the bit and holds the drill pipe "B" in alignment with the
drilling axis.
The swivel 12 comprises a body 56 (Figure 7) having a
sleeve 57. A hollow spindle 58 connecting the body 56 of the -
swivel 12 with the drill pipe "B" is installed inside the body
56 on anti-friction bearings. To hold the pipe "B" in alignment
with the drilling axis, the swivel 12 is provided with two racks
59.
Sealing of the rotating spindle 58 with the body 56 of
the swivel 12 is provided by the use of collars 60.
The portable drilling machine operates as follows:
Being located at the panel controlling the motion of
the drilling machine, the operator sets up the machine at the
preset site and raises the derrick 4, by using the hydraulic
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cylinders 5, to a preset position for vertical or angle drilling.
Initially, the swivel 12 and the vertical traverse
mechanism 8 are in the uppermost positions thereof in the
derrick 4.
On engaging the hydraulic drive of the jaw chuck 13,
oil from the oil pump (not shown) enters into the hydraulic
cylinder above the piston 31 (Figure 5) which, as a result,
moves downwards and affects the jaws 36 through a nut, thrust
bearing 35, and faceplate 34. As a result, the jaws 36 protrude
inside the spindle 24 through radial ports in the spindle and
clamp the pipe "B".
The operator then switches on the electric motor 15 of
the means designed for rotation of the drill pipe 'IB". The rota~
tion of the shaft of the electric motor 15 is transmitted to the :~ -
spindle 24 through pinions of the reducing gear and the flexible
coupling 18, and then to the drill pipe "B" through the jaws 36.
At the same time, the drive of the pulldown unit is
engaged, this unit feeding the drill pipe "B" downwards by means
of the system of blocks and tackles 11. The drive drums 37 of
the drawworks 10 transmit the pulldown force to the cable 39 :
through friction of the cable 39 against the drum 37. The down-
running branch of the cable 39 is tensioned by the weight of
the vertical traverse mechanism 8.
Contemporaneously with the drives of the means designed
for rotation of the drill pipe and pulldown unit, a compressor
is put into operation (not shown), wherefrom the scavenging
` agent, through the inlet sleeve 57 (Figure 7) of the swivel 12,
~` enters into the hollow swivel, then into the hollow drill pipe
: "B", and to the bottom of the hole through holes in the bit.
After the borehold is drilled to approximately half the length
of the drill pipe "B", the drive of the means designed for
rotation of the drill pipe "B" is again disengaged and the jaw
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chuck 13 is unclenched to release the pipe ~IsllO To achieve
the aforesaid, oil is supplied under the piston 31 to move the
faceplate 34 and thus to unclench the jaws which move aside from
the pipe "B" through the ports of spindle 24.
An idle run of the vertical traverse mechanism 8 then
takes place, this mechanism moving from the lowermost position
thereof to the uppermost position thereof. Then the chuck
clamps the pipe "B" again, and the drives of the means designed
for rotation of the drill pipe and of the pulldown unit designed
for the feeding of the drill pipe to the bottom of the hole are
engaged. Drilling proceeds to a preset depth.
On completing the making of the hole, the pulldown
unit is switched from the working run to the idle run, and the
means is disengaged.
On reaching the uppermost position, the vertical tra-
verse mechanism 8 automatically engages the clamp 14 to grip
the pipe "B" while the jaw chuck 13 unclenches the pipe. ~ -
Thereafter the vertical traverse mechanism 8 is
lowered idly to grip the pipe "B" again, the clamp 14 unclench-
ing the pipe, and raises the pipe "B" for storage in the derrickto complete the making of the hole.
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