# US 10,871,042 B2 · Drill pipe rack with replaceable bushings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,042 B2 - Document ID: US10871042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/158,861 - Filed: 2018-10-12 - Published: 2020-04-16 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-12 - Assignees: Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC - Applicants: Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC - Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez; Jason Spitler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871042B2 ## CPC - E21B 7/02: Drilling rigs characterised by means for land transport {with their own drive}, e.g. skid mounting or wheel mounting - E21B 19/146: {Carousel systems, i.e. rotating rack systems} - E21B 7/023: {the mast being foldable or telescopically retractable} - E21B 7/024: {having means for adapting to inclined terrain; having means for stabilizing the vehicle while drilling} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A drill pipe rack for a mobile drilling machine is disclosed. The drill pipe rack may comprise a plurality of tubular receptacles extending from a base of the drill pipe rack to form a cup configuration. The drill pipe rack may further comprise a set of bushings, each bushing of the set of bushings may be received in a respective receptacle. Additionally, each bushing may have the same inner diameter, the inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of a drilling pipe segment of the mobile drilling machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drill pipe rack for a mobile drilling machine, comprising: a plurality of tubular receptacles fixedly attached to, and extending axially from, a top surface of a base of the drill pipe rack to form a cup configuration, wherein each of the plurality of tubular receptacles includes one or more holes, and the drill pipe rack further includes a removable fastener extending into one of the holes; and a set of tubular bushings, each tubular bushing of the set of bushings: being received in a respective receptacle, and having the same inner diameter, the inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of a drilling pipe segment of the mobile drilling machine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drill pipe rack of claim 1, wherein each bushing is a tubular bushing having two open ends. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drill pipe rack of claim 2, wherein each tubular bushing includes an inner surface taper at one of the two open ends. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drill pipe rack of claim 1, wherein each bushing of the set of bushings includes the same outer diameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drill pipe rack of claim 4, wherein each bushing of the set of bushings includes an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the tubular receptacles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drill pipe rack of claim 1, wherein each bushing of the set of bushings includes a height generally the same as the tubular receptacles when located in the tubular receptacles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drill pipe rack of claim 1, wherein each bushing of the set of bushings is selectively secured in the tubular receptacles so as to allow for replacement of the bushings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drill pipe rack of claim 1, wherein each bushing includes one or more holes aligned with the one or more holes of a respective receptacle, and the removable fastener extends into aligned holes of the receptacle of the bushing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drill pipe rack of claim 1, wherein the set of bushings are a first set of bushings, and the drill pipe rack includes a second set of bushings, the second set of bushings have the same outer diameter as the first set of bushings, but a different inner diameter than the first set of bushings. ### Claim 10 A tubular bushing inserted into a tubular receptacle fixedly attached to, and extending axially from, a top surface of a base of a drill pipe rack of a mobile drilling machine, the tubular bushing comprising: an outer surface that defines an outer diameter of the tubular bushing, wherein the bushing includes a tubular shape having two open ends; an inner surface that defines an inner diameter of the tubular bushing, the inner surface corresponding to a standard diameter of a drilling pipe segment for use in the mobile drilling machine; and one or more holes extending through the outer surface of the bushing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bushing of claim 10, wherein the one or more holes are located in a mid-section of the bushing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The bushing of claim 11, wherein the inner surface of the bushing includes a taper at one of the two open ends. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bushing of claim 12, wherein the bushing is made of metal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The bushing of claim 13, wherein the bushing includes two holes, each hole extending from an outer surface of the bushing through an inner surface of the bushing, wherein the two holes are located opposite each other. ### Claim 15 A drill pipe rack for a mobile drilling machine, comprising: a plurality of tubular receptacles fixedly attached to, and extending axially from, a top surface of a base of the pipe rack to form a cup configuration; a first set of tubular bushings, each tubular bushing of the first set of tubular bushings: being received in a respective receptacle, and having the same inner diameter, the inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of a drilling pipe segment of the mobile drilling machine; and a second set of tubular bushings configured to replace the first set of tubular bushings, each tubular bushing of the second set of tubular bushings: being received in a respective receptacle, and having the same inner diameter, but a different inner diameter than the first set of tubular bushings, the inner diameter of the second set of tubular bushings corresponding to a different outer diameter of a drilling pipe segment of the mobile drilling machine. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The drill pipe rack of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles includes one or more holes extending through a wall of the receptacle, and each bushing includes one or more holes for alignment with the one or more holes of the receptacles, and the drill pipe rack further including a removable fastener extending into aligned holes of the receptacle and bushing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The drill pipe rack of claim 16, wherein each bushing includes an outer diameter, the outer diameter being the same for the first set of bushings and the second set of bushings.