Hydraulic drill steel handling apparatus

An apparatus for handling drill steel being re-threaded by a lathe comprising:

• a frame capable of supporting a drill steel piece, the frame comprising;
• at least one drive cylinder;
• at least one support cylinder;
• a pivot cylinder;
• and
• a control panel;
• whereby,
• the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and positions an end of the drill steel piece in the lathe,
• the at least one support cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one drive cylinder breaks contact with the drill steel piece, the at least one support cylinder supports the drill steel piece as it is being re-threaded,
• when re-threading is complete, the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one support cylinder breaks contact, the at least one drive cylinder moves the drill steel piece out of the lathe,
• the pivot cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one drive cylinder breaks contact with the drill steel piece, the pivot cylinder pivots the drill steel piece to present another end of the piece to the lathe,
• the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the pivot cylinder breaks contact, the at least one drive cylinder positions the another end of the drill steel piece in the lathe,
• the at least one support cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one drive cylinder breaks contact with the drill steel piece, the at least one support cylinder supports the drill steel piece as it is being re-threaded,
• when re-threading is complete, the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one support cylinder breaks contact, the at least one drive cylinder moves the drill steel piece out of the lathe, and
• contact and breaking contact with the drill steel piece by the at least one drive cylinder, said at least one support cylinder, and said pivot cylinder is controlled by an operator using the control panel.

An apparatus for handling drill steel being re-threaded by a lathe comprising:

• a frame capable of supporting a drill steel piece, the frame comprising;
• three drive cylinders with V-shaped rollers;
• three support cylinders with two rollers parallel a longitudinal axis of the drill steel piece;
• a pivot cylinder;
• and
• a control panel;
• whereby,
• the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and positions an end of the drill steel piece in the lathe,
• the at least one support cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one drive cylinder breaks contact with the drill steel piece, the at least one support cylinder supports the drill steel piece as it is being re-threaded,
• when re-threading is complete, the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one support cylinder breaks contact, the at least one drive cylinder moves the drill steel piece out of the lathe,
• the pivot cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one drive cylinder breaks contact with the drill steel piece, the pivot cylinder pivots the drill steel piece to present another end of the piece to the lathe,
• the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the pivot cylinder breaks contact, the at least one drive cylinder positions the another end of the drill steel piece in the lathe,
• the at least one support cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one drive cylinder breaks contact with the drill steel piece, the at least one support cylinder supports the drill steel piece as it is being re-threaded,
• when re-threading is complete, the at least one drive cylinder contacts the drill steel piece and the at least one support cylinder breaks contact, the at least one drive cylinder moves the drill steel piece out of the lathe, and
• contact and breaking contact with the drill steel piece by the at least one drive cylinder, said at least one support cylinder, and said pivot cylinder is controlled by an operator using the control panel.