System and Method for Disassembling Drill Assemblies

A machine, comprising:

• a main frame;
• a mast coupled to the main frame and adapted to be moved for alignment along a height and a width of the main frame;
• a drill assembly slidably retained relative to the mast and adapted to facilitate drilling of a borehole through a surface, the drill assembly including:
• a drill bit;
• and
• one or more columns interlinked with each other and with the drill bit, and adapted to extend the drill bit into the borehole;
• and
• a system for disassembling the one or more columns and the drill bit of the drill assembly, the system including:
• a first clamping mechanism adapted to engage one of the drill bit or a first column of the one or more columns;
• a second clamping mechanism adapted to engage a second column of the one or more columns, the second column being disposed successively to the one of the drill bit or the first column, the second clamping mechanism adapted to be turned relative to the first clamping mechanism to at least partially delink the second column from the first column or the drill bit;
• and
• a first actuator adapted to move one of the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism relative to the other of the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism to define a gap therebetween to reveal an interface between the second column and the drill bit or the first column for delinking the second column relative to the drill bit or the first column.

A method for disassembling a drill assembly, the drill assembly including a drill bit and one or more columns interlinked with each other, the one or more columns adapted to extend the drill bit into a borehole defined through a surface, the method comprising:

• moving, by a first actuator, one of a first clamping mechanism or a second clamping mechanism relative to the other of the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism to define a gap therebetween to reveal an interface between a first column of the one or more columns or the drill bit and a second column of the one or more columns, the second column being disposed successively to the one of the drill bit or the first column for delinking the second column relative to the drill bit or the first column;
• engaging one of the drill bit or the first column by the first clamping mechanism;
• engaging the second column by the second clamping mechanism;
• and
• turning, by a second actuator, the second clamping mechanism relative to the first clamping mechanism to at least partially delink the second column from the first column or the drill bit.