Drilling machine having a non-impact breakout system

Abstract

The drilling machine includes a base member that is mounted on a deck for pivotal movement relative to an opening in the deck. A lower wrench is mounted on the base member for pivotal movement therewith relative to the deck and for movement relative to the base member such that the lower wrench is engageable with flat surfaces of a lower drill rod. An upper wrench is movable relative to the deck and engageable with flat surfaces of an upper drill rod such that pivotal movement of the base member relative to the deck when the upper wrench engages the upper drill rod and when the lower wrench engages the lower drill rod rotates the lower drill rod relative to the upper drill rod to break the joint between the upper and lower drill rods.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A drilling machine for use with a drill string including an upper drill rod having thereon flat surfaces and a lower drill rod having thereon flat surfaces, the upper and lower drill rods being connectable to form a joint between the drill rods, the drilling machine comprising 
 a frame supported for movement over the ground,    a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally horizontal upper surface with an opening through which the drill string is extendable,    a tower mounted on the frame,    a rotary head movable along the tower, the rotary head being engageable with the upper drill rod for rotating the drill string,    a base member mounted on the deck for pivotal movement relative to the opening in the deck,    a lower wrench mounted on the base member for pivotal movement therewith relative to the deck, and for movement relative to the base member such that the lower wrench is engageable with the flat surfaces on the lower drill rod so as to prevent rotation of the lower drill rod relative to the base member, and    an upper wrench movable relative to the deck and engageable with the flat surfaces on the upper drill rod so as to prevent rotation of the upper drill rod relative to the deck,    such that pivotal movement of the base member relative to the deck when the upper wrench engages the upper drill rod and when the lower wrench engages the lower drill rod rotates the lower drill rod relative to the upper drill rod to break the joint between the upper and lower drill rods.    
     
     
         2 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the frame is supported by crawlers.  
     
     
         3 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tower is movable relative to the frame between a substantially vertical position and a non-vertical position.  
     
     
         4 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , and further comprising an operator station on the frame.  
     
     
         5 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the lower wrench moves reciprocally and linearly relative to the base member.  
     
     
         6 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the lower wrench includes a plurality of flat surfaces engageable with the flat surfaces on the lower drill rod.  
     
     
         7 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising a pair of cylinder/piston assemblies for moving the lower wrench relative to the base member.  
     
     
         8 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the base member surrounds the opening in the deck.  
     
     
         9 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , and further comprising a cylinder/piston assembly for pivoting the base member relative to the deck.  
     
     
         10 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the upper wrench pivots relative to the deck.  
     
     
         11 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the upper wrench includes a plurality of flat surfaces engageable with the flat surfaces on the upper drill rod.  
     
     
         12 . A drilling machine for use with a drill string including an upper drill rod having thereon flat surfaces and a lower drill rod having thereon flat surfaces, the upper and lower drill rods being connectable to form a joint between the drill rods, the drilling machine comprising 
 a frame supported for movement over the ground,    a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally horizontal upper surface with an opening through which the drill string is extendable,    a tower mounted on the frame,    a rotary head movable along the tower, the rotary head being engageable with the upper drill rod for rotating the drill string,    an upper wrench pivotable relative to the deck and engageable with the flat surfaces on the upper drill rod so as to prevent rotation of the upper drill rod relative to the deck, and    a lower wrench movable relative to the deck and engageable with the lower drill rod so as to rotate the lower drill rod relative to the deck,    such that rotating the lower drill rod relative to the deck with the lower wrench when the upper wrench engages the upper drill rod rotates the lower drill rod relative to the upper drill rod to break the joint between the upper and lower drill rods.    
     
     
         13 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the frame is supported by crawlers.  
     
     
         14 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the tower is movable relative to the frame between a substantially vertical position and a non-vertical position.  
     
     
         15 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 12 , and further comprising an operator station on the frame.  
     
     
         16 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the swing wrench includes a plurality of flat surfaces engageable with the flat surfaces of the upper drill rod.  
     
     
         17 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the positions of the plurality of flat surfaces of the swing wrench are fixed relative to each other.  
     
     
         18 . A drilling machine as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising a cylinder/piston assembly for pivoting the upper wrench relative to the deck.  
     
     
         19 . A method for breaking a joint between upper and lower drill rods of a drill string of a drilling machine, the drill string including an upper drill rod having thereon flat surfaces and a lower drill rod having thereon flat surfaces, the upper and lower drill rods being connectable to form a joint between the drill rods, the drilling machine including a frame supported for movement over the ground, a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally horizontal upper surface with an opening through which the drill string is extendable, a tower mounted on the frame, and a rotary head movable along the tower, the rotary head being engageable with the upper drill rod for rotating the drill string, the method comprising: 
 providing an upper wrench movable relative to the deck and engageable with the flat surfaces on the upper drill rod so as to prevent rotation of the upper drill rod relative to the deck;    providing a lower wrench movable relative to the deck and engageable with the lower drill rod so as to rotate the lower drill rod relative to the deck;    engaging flats on the lower drill rod with a lower wrench;    engaging the flats of the upper drill rod with the upper wrench to prevent rotation of the upper drill rod relative to the deck; and    rotating the lower drill rod with the lower wrench while the flats of the upper drill rod are engaged by the upper wrench to break the joint between the upper and lower drill rods.    
     
     
         20 . A method as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 prior to engaging the flats of the upper drill rod with the upper wrench, rotating the drill string with the lower wrench to align the flats of the upper drill rod with the upper wrench.    
     
     
         21 . A method as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 prior to engaging the flat on the lower drill rod with a lower wrench, rotating the drill string with the rotary head to align the flats of the lower drill rod with the lower wrench.