Drilling apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to accessory equipment for a drilling apparatus for drilling holes into the ground. The accessory equipment ( 10 ), in its operative configuration, is mounted on the support structure ( 52 ) of the drilling apparatus by a mounting bracket thereof ( 22 ), the mounting bracket having an elongate carrier formation ( 24 ) mounted thereon that defines an operatively vertical axis and that has a carrier means ( 26 ) displaceably located thereon, displacement means ( 30 ) providing for displacement of the carrier means with respect to the carrier formation along the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier formation. The carrier means serves to carry a drill bit wrench ( 16 ) for required loosening of adjacent drill bit segments ( 12, 14 ) with respect to one another, the accessory equipment permitting, through displacement of the carrier means, the drill bit wrench to operate at different required levels, as determined by the length of drill bit segments involved.

1 . Accessory equipment for a drilling apparatus which includes a mounting structure for mounting a drill bit wrench on the support structure of a drilling apparatus, the mounting structure including, in its in use configuration,
 a mounting bracket securable to the support structure of a drilling apparatus;   an elongate carrier formation secured on the mounting bracket and defining a longitudinal axis along the length thereof which, with the mounting bracket secured to the support structure of a drilling apparatus, is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit to be used with the drilling apparatus;   carrier means located by the carrier formation in a configuration in which it is displaceable with respect to the carrier formation along the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier formation, the carrier means having support formations for supporting a drill bit wrench in a configuration in which, with the mounting bracket secured to the support structure of a drilling apparatus, it can serve to loosen drill bit segments of the drill bit of the drilling apparatus; and   displacement means for displacing the carrier means with respect to the carrier formation along the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier formation.   
   
   
       2 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the configuration of the mounting bracket is adapted to cooperate with the support structure of a particular predetermined drilling apparatus, to be securable thereto. 
   
   
       3 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the carrier formation is one of a round and a square tubular formation and in which the carrier means is displaceable within this tubular formation, with the support formations for supporting a drill bit wrench projecting from the tubular formation. 
   
   
       4 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the support formations of the carrier means for supporting a drill bit wrench are pivotally displaceable with respect to the carrier formation, permitting displacement of a drill bit wrench, supported by the support formations and with the mounting bracket secured to the support structure of a drilling apparatus, between an inoperative position and an operative position in which it can be used for loosening adjacent drill bit segments of a drill bit with respect to one another. 
   
   
       5 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the displacement means is a hydraulically operable means. 
   
   
       6 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the displacement means is a piston/cylinder arrangement operatively connected between the carrier means and the elongate carrier formation. 
   
   
       7 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a drill bit wrench supported by the support formations of the carrier means. 
   
   
       8 . Accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 7 , which includes hydraulically operable piston/cylinder arrangements that are operable for displacing the jaws of the drill bit wrench with respect to one another for gripping a drill bit segment of a drill bit and for displacing the lever of the drill bit wrench for loosening two adjacent drill bit segments of the drill bit with respect to one another. 
   
   
       9 . A drilling apparatus which is adapted to have accessory equipment, as claimed in  claim 1 , mounted thereon. 
   
   
       10 . A drilling apparatus which includes as part thereof accessory equipment as claimed in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       11 . Accessory equipment for a drilling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.