Drilling sampling/testing equipment

Claim 2

Drilling, sampling and testing equipment comprising a drill; a plurality of sample receivers and a testing means mounted for entering with the drill a bore being drilled by the drill, the sample receivers being movable so as successively to be disposed at a sampling station and the testing means being movable to be disposed at a testing station adjacent said sampling station; first means for operating that sample receiver disposed at said sampling station to obtain a sample therein; second means for operating the testing means to effect testing; and third means, arranged to be actuated in dependence upon sample receiver operation effected by said first means to move the so-operated sample receiver with its obtained sample away from said sampling station and to move the next successive sample receiver to said sampling station whereby samples can be obtained by successive sample receivers at successive levels in a bore hole during drilling of the bore hole; said second means being operable such that sampling and testing can be carried out at the same time.

Claim 3

Equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the individual sample receivers of said plurality of such receivers are disposed in a circular array and said first means is disposed such that it is brought into operative association with each of these individual receivers in turn by step-by-step relative rotation of the array and the first means.

Claim 4

Equipment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the individual sample receivers are mounted in a rotatable cassette, and wherein said first means is a hydraulic ram arrangement disposed to be placed in alignment with each individual receiver in turn by step-by-step rotation of the cassette.

Claim 5

Equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein each sample receiver includes a pair of telescopically engaged members, one of these members being fast with said cassette and the other member being retained in a normal withdrawn position by retaining means, said ram arrangement when aligned with any one such receiver being operable to release the retaining means and effect an extension sampling stroke of this other member.

Claim 6

Equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein said ram arrangement acts on said other member via a holder that automatically engages the other member for effecting withdrawal thereof after an extension stroke, said holder automatically releasing said other member at the completion of a withdrawal stroke.

Claim 7

Equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein said testing means is mounted centrally in said cassette, and wherein said second means is in the form of a further hydraulic ram arrangement that is disposed in alignment with said testing means for operating said testing means.

Claim 8

Equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the further hydraulic ram arrangement and the first-mentioned hydraulic ram arrangement are operatively associated such that a first working stroke of the first-mentioned hydraulic ram arrangement is triggered by a first working stroke of the further hydraulic ram arrangement, this first working stroke of the first-mentioned hydraulic ram arrangement triggers a return working stroke of the further ram arrangement, and this return working stroke of the further ram arrangement triggers a return working stroke of the first-mentioned ram arrangement.

Claim 9

Drilling, sampling and testing equipment comprising a drill; a plurality of sample receivers and a testing means mounted for entering with the drill a bore being drilled by the drill, the sample receivers being movable so as successively to be disposed at a sampling station and the testing means being movable to be disposed at a testing station adjacent said sampling station; first means for operating that sample receiver disposed at said sampling station to obtain a sample therein; second means for operating the testing means to effect testing; and third means, arranged to be actuated in dependence upon sample receiver operation effected by said first means to move the so-operated sample receiver with its obtained sample away from said sampling station and to move the next successive sample receiver to said sampling station whereby samples can be obtained by successive sample receivers at successive levels in a bore hole during drilling of the bore hole; said second means being operable such that sampling and testing can be carried out at the same time; wherein the individual sample receivers of said plurality of such receivers are disposed in a circular array and said first means is disposed such that it is brought into operative association with each of these individual receivers in turn by step-by-step relative rotation of the array and the first means; wherein the individual sample receivers are mounted in a rotatable cassette, and wherein said first means is a hydraulic ram arrangement disposed to be placed in alignment with each individual receiver in turn by step-by-step rotation of the cassette; and wherein said second means includes a detent wheel and pawl arrangement and a linkage connected to be actuated by operation of said ram arrangement to effect said step-by-step rotation of said cassette.

Claim 10

Drilling, sampling and testing equipment comprising a drill; a plurality of sample receivers and a testing means mounted for entering with the drill a bore being drilled by the drill, the sample receivers being movable so as successively to be disposed at a sampling station and the testing means being movable to be disposed at a testing station adjacent said sampling station; first means for operating that sample receiver disposed at said sampling station to obtain a sample therein; second means for operating the testing means to effect testing; and third means, arranged to be actuated in dependence upon sample receiver operation effected by said first means to move the so-operated sample receiver with its obtained sample away from said sampling station and to move the next successive sample receiver to said sampling station whereby samples can be obtained by successive sample receivers at successive levels in a bore hole during drilling of the bore hole; said second means being operable such that sampling and testing can be carried out at the same time; wherein the individual sample receivers of said plurality of such receivers are disposed in a circular array and said first means is disposed such that it is brought into operative association with each of these individual receivers in turn by step-by-step relative rotation of the array and the first means; wherein the individual sample receivers are mounted in a rotatable cassette, and wherein said first means is a hydraulic ram arrangement disposed to be placed in alignment with each individual receiver in turn by step-by-step rotation of the cassette; and wherein said second means includes a detent wheel and pawl arrangement and a linkage connected to be actuated by operation of said ram arrangement to effect said step-by-step rotation of said cassette.