Drill rod indexing device

Claim 2

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automaticAlly engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; wherein said relieved areas define a plurality of teeth serially arranged along said surface, said teeth extending from said member; and said engageable means comprises a pawl extending from said rod perpendicularly from the axis of longitudinal movement of said rod.

Claim 3

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein: a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; further including bracket means for facilitating an attachment of said motor to said machine; wherein said bracket means has means for constraining said engageable means in constant contact with said member throughout movement of said rod in both of said first and second directions; and wherein said bracket means further has a trunnion yoke; said motor has a mounting sleeve disposed within said yoke; and said bracket means further including pivot pins interconnecting said yoke and said sleeve effecting a pivotal mounting of said motor in said yoke.

Claim 4

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein: a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; further including bracket means for facilitating an attachment of said motor to said machine; wherein said bracket means has means for constraining said engageable means in constant contact with said member throughout movement of said rod in both of said first and second directions; and wherein said bracket means further has a trunnion yoke; said motor has a mounting sleeve disposed within said yoke; and said bracket means further including pivot pins interconnecting said yoke and said sleeve effecting a pivotal mounting of said motor in said yoke.

Claim 5

A device, according to claim 2, wherein: said constraining means comprises resilient means interconnected between said motor and said frame.

Claim 6

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; and further including adjustable brake means, operatively interposed between said member and said machine, for controlling member movement.

Claim 7

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; and further including adjustable brake means, operatively interposed between said member and said machine, for controlling member movement.

Claim 8

In combination with a drilling machine having a frame, and a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said frame for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member rigidly fixed to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; and a fluid-actuable motor, attached to said frame, having a rod longitudinally movable extendibly from said motor in first and second directions toward and away from said relieved areas, in response to motor actuation; said rod having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions, and automatically Disengageable therefrom upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member and said unit with actuation of said motor; and wherein said member comprises a ratchet wheel assembly having a rotation axis; said assembly having a plurality of ratchet wheels fixed in juxtaposition along said rotation axis; ratchet teeth of at least two wheels of said plurality thereof being in line parallel with said axis; and said engageable means comprises a pawl extending perpendicularly from the longitudinal movement axis of said rod.

Claim 9

In combination with a drilling machine having a frame, and a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said frame for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member rigidly fixed to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; and a fluid-actuable motor, attached to said frame, having a rod longitudinally movable extendibly from said motor in first and second directions toward and away from said relieved areas, in response to motor actuation; said rod having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions, and automatically Disengageable therefrom upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member and said unit with actuation of said motor; and wherein said member comprises a ratchet wheel assembly having a rotation axis; said assembly having a plurality of ratchet wheels fixed in juxtaposition along said rotation axis; ratchet teeth of at least two wheels of said plurality thereof being in line parallel with said axis; and said engageable means comprises a pawl extending perpendicularly from the longitudinal movement axis of said rod.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 5, further including: bracket means attaching said motor to said frame; said bracket means having means constraining said engageable means in constant contact with said member throughout movement of said rod in both of said first and second directions.

Claim 11

A device, according to claim 6, further including: adjustable brake means, operatively interposed between said member and said frame, for controlling member movement.

Claim 12

A device, according to claim 6, wherein: said ratchet wheel assembly has at least one annular, brake-drum surface intermediate one pair of wheels of said plurality thereof; and further including a double-ended brake band having an intermediate portion disposed in constraint on at least a portion of said brake-drum surface, and the ends thereof coupled to said frame.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 8, wherein: one end of said band is pivotally coupled to said frame, and the other end thereof has means for adjusting said band constraint.

Claim 14

A device, according to claim 5, further including: supply of motor-actuable fluid; and means for conducting fluid from said supply to said motor for enabling actuation thereof.

Claim 15

A device, according to claim 10, wherein: said motor comprises a hydraulically actuable piston-cylinder; said rod comprises a piston rod; and said supply comprises pressured hydraulic fluid.

Claim 16

In combination with a drilling machine having a frame, and a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said frame for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member rigidly fixed to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; and a fluid-actuable motor, attached to said frame, having a rod longitudinally movable extendibly from said motor in first and second directions toward and away from said relieved areas, in response to motor actuation; said rod having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions, and automatically disengageable therefrom upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member and said unit with actuation of said motor; and further including bracket means attaching said motor to said frame; said bracket means having means constraining said engageable means in constant contact with said member throughout movement of said rod in both of said first and second directions; and wherein said bracket means further has a trunnion yoke; said motor has a mounting sleeve disposed within said yoke; and said bracket means further includes pivot pins interconnecting said yoke and said sleeve effecting a pivotal mounting of said motor in said yoke.

Claim 17

In combination with a drilling machine having a frame, and a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said frame for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member rigidly fixed to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; and a fluid-actuable motor, attached to said frame, having a rod longitudinally movable extendibly from said motor in first and second directions toward and away from said relieved areas, in response to motor actuation; said rod having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions, and automatically disengageable therefrom upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member and said unit with actuation of said motor; and further including bracket means attaching said motor to said frame; said bracket means having means constraining said engageable means in constant contact with said member throughout movement of said rod in both of said first and second directions; and wherein said bracket means further has a trunnion yoke; said motor has a mounting sleeve disposed within said yoke; and said bracket means further includes pivot pins interconnecting said yoke and said sleeve effecting a pivotal mounting of said motor in said yoke.

Claim 18

A device, according to claim 12, wherein: said bracket means further has a double-ended support; and said yoke is fixed to said support at one end thereof, and said support is fixed to said frame at the other end thereof.

Claim 19

A device, according to claim 13, wherein: said constraining means comprises resilient means interconnected between said motor and said other end of said support.

Claim 20

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; further including bracket means for facilitating an attachment of said motor to said machine; wherein said bracket means has means for constraining said engageable means in contact with said member; and wherein said constraining means comprises resilient means interconnected between said motor and said frame.

Claim 21

For use in a drilling machine having a drill rod changer and storage unit movable relative to said machine for selective positioning of successively stored drill rods, an automatic drill rod indexing device, comprising: a member for rigid attachment thereof to said unit; said member having at least a first surface with a plurality of relieved areas formed therein; a motor, for attachment thereof to said machine, having an extended, longitudinally movable rod; said motor being actuable to move said rod; and said rod being longitudinally movable in first and second directions toward and away from said member, and having means automatically engageable with successive ones of said areas, upon movement of said rod in one of said directions and automatically disengageable therefrom, upon rod movement in the other of said directions, to effect movement of said member with actuation of said motor; further including bracket means for facilitating an attachment of said motor to said machine; wherein said bracket means has means for constraining said engageable means in contact with said member; and wherein said constraining means comprises resilient means interconnected between said motor and said frame.