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US 12,590,496 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for supporting a collar region of a blast hole during drilling
AssigneeAquirian Technology Pty Ltd
InventorsGregory Patching, Jonathan Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bore hole drilling system includes a mobile bore hole drilling platform including a mast disposed on the platform including a support for a drill string and a tube member for location within the collar region of a bore hole. The tube member includes an internal longitudinal passage for receiving a drill string therethrough and an external surface for facing outwardly against a wall of the bore hole. The system includes a coupling mechanism that is configured to couple and decouple the tube member and the drilling platform when the tube member is located coaxially within the collar region of the bore hole and substantially axially aligned with the drill string and/or the mast.
Claims13
A bore hole drilling system including:
- a mobile bore hole drilling platform including a mast disposed on the platform, the mast including a support for a drill string;
- a tube member for locating within a collar region of a bore hole and including an internal longitudinal passage for receiving a drill string therethrough and an external surface for facing outwardly against a wall of the bore hole;
- a coupling mechanism that is configured to couple and decouple the tube member and the drilling platform when the tube member is located coaxially within the collar region of the bore hole and substantially axially aligned with the drill string and/or the mast;
- wherein the coupling mechanism includes:
- a support body movably connected to the drilling platform;
- and
- coupling elements including one or more movable latch members movably connected and disposed radially about a longitudinal axis of the support body and a static member that is fixed to the tube member;
- the static member including a downwardly facing ledge and the latch members each comprising a radially movable and upwardly facing abutment portion adapted for face to face contact with the ledge upon relative radial movement of the latch member and the static member, and an elongated portion that is pivotally connected at one end to the support body and that is connected at an opposite end to the upwardly facing abutment portion,
- wherein the latch members are pivotable towards and away from each other for engagement and disengagement with the ledge;
- wherein the support body is movable vertically relative to the drilling platform and/or the mast for positioning the coupling elements of the support body and the tube member relative to each other for engagement to thereby couple the support body and the tube member.
7 more elements
A bore hole drilling system including:
- a mobile bore hole drilling platform including a mast disposed on the platform including a support for a drill string;
- a tube member for locating within a collar region of a bore hole and including an internal longitudinal passage for receiving a drill string therethrough and an external surface for facing outwardly against a wall of the bore hole;
- a coupling mechanism that is configured to couple and decouple the tube member and the drilling platform when the tube member is located coaxially within the collar region of the bore hole and substantially axially aligned with the drill string and/or the mast,
- wherein the coupling mechanism includes a support body movably connected to the drilling platform and coupling elements associated with the support body and the tube member,
- wherein the support body is movable vertically relative to the drilling platform and/or the mast for positioning the coupling elements of the support body and the tube member relative to each other for engagement to thereby couple the support body and the tube member, the support body including a transverse outlet opening for cuttings and/or bailings to exit the tube member, and
- wherein the outlet opening is coupled to a flexible hose that in turn is coupled to a vacuum pump system to be directed to a desired location on a bench surface.
3 more elements
A bore hole drilling system including:
- a mobile bore hole drilling platform including a mast disposed on the platform including a support for a drill string and accompanying percussion air blast drilling apparatus;
- a tube member for locating within a collar region of a bore hole and including an internal longitudinal passage for receiving a drill string therethrough and an external surface for facing outwardly against a wall of the bore hole;
- a coupling mechanism that is configured to couple and decouple the tube member and the drilling platform when the tube member is located coaxially within the collar region of the bore hole and substantially axially aligned with the drill string and/or the mast;
- wherein the coupling mechanism includes a support body movably connected to the drilling platform and coupling elements associated with the support body and the tube member, wherein the support body is movable vertically relative to the drilling platform and/or the mast for positioning the coupling elements of the support body and the tube member relative to each other for engagement to thereby couple the support body and the tube member,
- wherein the percussion air blast drilling apparatus includes a blower configured to blow pressurised air through the drill string into the bore hole to evacuate and purge cuttings and/or bailings when drilling is paused, and wherein the support body includes a transverse outlet opening for the cuttings and/or bailings to exit the tube member.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.