X-y-z pipe racker for a drilling rig

A drilling arrangement for a drilling rig including a mast, comprising:

• a column racker device vertically disposable on the drilling rig adjacent the mast and being configured to grasp and carry a tubular adapted for well drilling, the column racker device comprising:
• a support column having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being disposed to carry the weight of the support column and weight of a tubular carried by the column racker device;
• a lower drive structurally interfacing with the lower portion of the support column and arranged to move the lower portion of the support column in a direction toward and away from a well center and in a direction transverse to the direction toward and away from the well center;
• a rotation driver cooperatively connected to the support column and configured to rotate the support column between a first position and a second position;
• and
• a top stabilizing structure disposed at the top portion of the support column and extending from the mast to the support column and structurally arranged to allow movement of the support column in the direction toward and away from the well center and in the direction transverse to the direction toward and away from the well center.

A column racker device vertically disposed on a drilling rig and supported in a vertically extending position by a mast on the drilling rig and being configured to grasp and carry a tubular adapted for well drilling, the column racker device comprising:

• a support column having an upper portion and a lower portion and defining a longitudinal axis;
• a base support at the lower portion of the support column and arranged to carry the weight of the support column and weight of a tubular carried by the column racker device, the base support being arranged to move the lower portion of the support column in a direction toward and away from a well center and in a direction transverse to the direction toward and away from the well center;
• a top stabilizing structure disposed at the top portion of the support column and extending from the mast to the support column and structurally arranged to allow movement of the support column in the direction toward and away from the well center and in the direction transverse to the direction toward and away from the well center.
• a rotation driver cooperatively connected with the support column to rotate the support column about the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position;
• a carriage connected to and vertically displaceable along the support column, the carriage being arranged to carry weight of a tubular to be manipulated by the column racker device;
• a manipulator arm extending from and being pivotably connected to the carriage, the manipulator arm being pivotable relative to the carriage between a first position angled more closely parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second position more closely perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a gripper head carried at end of the manipulator arm, the gripper head arranged to selectively grasp a tubular, the manipulator arm being arranged to move the gripper head closer to or further away from the support column when pivoting relative to the carriage.