Automatic drive hammer system and method for use thereof

An automatic drive hammer system adapted for operation from an earth drilling rig having a drill rod feed mechanism support structure, the system comprising;

• a support bucket pivotally mounted to the support structure for movement between an on-hole position and an off-hole position;
• an automatic drive hammer apparatus comprising a housing with a suspension hook, a hammer weight mounted for reciprocal sliding movement within said housing to cyclically strike an anvil and drive a drill rod into the earth;
• a winch assembly disposed for operation from high atop the support structure, said winch assembly including a cable having a distal end constantly connected to the hook of said drive hammer apparatus;
• and,
• wherein the drive hammer system has a storage position, a loading/unloading position and an operating position, the storage position including said drive hammer apparatus sitting within said bucket and said bucket being in the off-hole position, the loading/unloading position including said drive hammer apparatus sitting within said bucket and said bucket being in the on-hole position, and the operating position including said drive hammer apparatus being suspended by said winch assembly in the on-hole position out of said bucket and said bucket being in the off-hole position, and further including an upper stop bracket mounted to the support structure for stabilizing said drive hammer apparatus in the storage position.

An automatic drive hammer system adapted for operation from an earth drilling rig having a drill rod feed mechanism support structure, the system comprising;

• a support bucket pivotally mounted to the support structure for movement between an on-hole position and an off-hole position;
• an automatic drive hammer apparatus comprising a housing with a suspension hook, a hammer weight mounted for reciprocal sliding movement within said housing to cyclically strike an anvil and drive a drill rod into the earth;
• a winch assembly disposed for operation from high atop the support structure, said winch assembly including a cable having a distal end constantly connected to the hook of said drive hammer apparatus;
• and,
• wherein the drive hammer system has a storage position, a loading/unloading position and an operating position, the storage position including said drive hammer apparatus sitting within said bucket and said bucket being in the off-hole position, the loading/unloading position including said drive hammer apparatus sitting within said bucket and said bucket being in the on-hole position, and the operating position including said drive hammer apparatus being suspended by said winch assembly in the on-hole position out of said bucket and said bucket being in the off-hole position,
• wherein said automatic drive hammer apparatus further includes an anvil with an impact portion slidable within said housing, a trip rail connected to said anvil to slide as a unit with the impact portion within said housing, and lifting means mounted to and alongside of said housing for cyclically engaging with and lifting said hammer weight.

An automatic drive hammer apparatus, comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a hammer disposed for reciprocal sliding movement within said housing;
• an anvil having an impact portion slidable within said housing;
• a trip rail connected to said anvil and adapted to slide as a unit with the impact portion and within said housing, said trip rail having a top end;
• lifting means mounted to and alongside of said housing for cyclically engaging with and lifting said hammer;
• and
• follower means connected to said hammer and for disengaging said lifting means from said hammer when said follower means reaches the top end of said trip rail.

An apparatus for taking soil samples used in conjunction with an earth drilling rig for drilling a hole in earth comprising

• a support structure positioned in fixed relation to a hole in the earth,
• an automatic drive hammer having a housing surrounding a hammer disposed for cyclical movement within the housing,
• winch means for lifting the automatic drive hammer, the winch means including a mast assembly pivotally mounted on the support structure, and
• bucket means for supporting the automatic drive hammer, said bucket means being pivotally mounted on the support structure for movement between an on-hole position located above the hole and an off-hole position away from the hole so that the bucket means and the automatic hammer supported by the bucket means can be swung from the off-hole position away from the hole to the on-hole position above the hole, the winch means can be engaged to lift the automatic hammer out of the bucket means, and the bucket means can be swung back to the off-hole position away from the hole.