Apparatus and method of handling rod-shaped components

A. method of handling at least one rod component at a rig, comprising the steps of:

• depositing at least one rod component in a depositing means, substantially parallel to a connecting line between a drill hole center and a center of a drilling mast,
• picking up at least one rod component from the depositing means by a pick-up means mounted at a lift carriage, wherein the lift carriage forms a lifting means with a guide means for guiding the lift carriage and a drive for displacing the lift carriage, and
• pivoting the pick-up means with respect to the lift carriage in a plane perpendicular to the displacing direction of the lift carriage such that the rod component is arranged above the drill hole, and
• monitoring the movement of the rod components amongst the depositing means, the lifting means, and the pick-up means by a plurality of sensors.

An apparatus for handling at least one rod component at a rig, comprising:

• a depositing means for the rod components in which the rod components are deposited, substantially in parallel to a connecting line between a center of a drill hole and a center of a drilling mast,
• a lifting means including a lift carriage, a guide means for guiding the lift carriage and a drive for displacing the lift carriage in a displacing direction,
• a pick-up means attached to the lift carriage for picking up the rod component from the depositing means, wherein the pick-up means pivots with respect to the lift carriage at a plane perpendicular to the displacing direction (Z) of the lift carriage such that the rod components are arranged above the drill hole,
• the depositing means having a means for measuring the length of the rod component, wherein the length measuring means either
• a) includes at least two mechanical detecting means by which the respective introduced rod component and the position thereof relative to the depositing means are detectable, or
• b) includes a detecting means for contact-free detection of the rod component at a predetermined position.

A method of handling at least one rod component at a rig, comprising the steps of:

• depositing at least one rod component in a depositing means, substantially parallel to a connecting line between a drill hole center and a center of a drilling mast,
• picking up at least one rod component from the depositing means by a pick-up means mounted at a lift carriage, wherein the lift carriage forms a lifting means with a guide means for guiding the lift carriage and a drive for displacing the lift carriage, and
• pivoting the pick-up means with respect to the lift carriage in a plane perpendicular to the displacing direction of the lift carriage such that the rod component is arranged above the drill hole, and
• measuring a length of at least one rod component in the depositing means in which either:
• a) the introduced rod component is detected by at least two mechanical detecting means, or
• b) the rod component is detected contact-free at a predetermined position by a detecting means.