Rod handler apparatus

A rod handler apparatus for selectively transferring a drill rod from a first position in a stack in a rod rack to a second position substantially aligned with a bore hole, said drill rod having a central axis of elongation, said rod handler apparatus comprising:

• a base having a longitudinal axis, the base including a rear end portion that is adjacent to the bore hole and a front end portion that is longitudinally spaced from the rear end portion and is adjacent to the rod rack, the stack of drill rods supported in the rod rack having the rod central axes inclined to extend upwardly and longitudinally forwardly relative to the base;
• a generally horizontally extending, elongated track assembly, the track assembly including an elongated track having a generally horizontal pivot axis extending transversely relative to the base, said track being elongated in a transverse direction relative to the base;
• a slide mounted on the track for generally horizontal movement relative thereto in the direction of the track elongation and pivotal movement with the track;
• a boom assembly having a central axis of elongation, said boom assembly having a lower end portion mounted to the slide in fixed relationship thereto and an upper end portion;
• first selectively operated powered means connected to the slide for selectively moving the slide transversely along the track, and second selectively operated powered means mounted to the base and connected to the track for pivoting the track about the track transverse pivot axis between a boom assembly rod pick up position and a boom assembly rod release position;
• gripping means operative between a rod gripping position to clampingly engage a drill rod in the stack when the boom assembly is in its rod pick up position, and a rod release position when the boom assembly is in its rod release position, said gripping means being moved upwardly and rearwardly relative to the base during the movement of the boom assembly from the boom assembly rod pick up position to the boom assembly rod release position;
• and
• first mounting means for mounting the gripping means to the boom assembly upper end portion for movement therewith, said first mounting means having a pivot axis generally parallel to the transverse pivot axis;
• the gripping means and first mounting means having cooperating means for moving, including rotating, a drill rod relative to the boom assembly to align the drill rod axis to extend parallel to the boom assembly axis in the event the drill rod axis is out of parallel alignment with the boom assembly axis as the drill rod is being clampingly engaged and moved upwardly and away from the rack, the gripping means comprising only one rod gripping jaw assembly.