Auxiliary equipment for use with drilling apparatus

Abstract

An auxiliary working apparatus configured for use with a drilling apparatus including a platform which is supported above ground and a drill pipe which extends through a hole in the platform to be displaced into the ground for drilling a hole in the ground. The drill pipe is of a type having a central passage along which pressurized air is blown. The apparatus is mounted to an underside of the platform by means of an auxiliary support structure which includes a hub, a number of vanes mounted to the hub and a hydraulic motor for driving the hub. The vanes are in the form of flexible rubber flaps which are circumferentially spaced and extend radially outwardly from the hub. The vanes revolve around the drill pipe so as to displace chippings which are blown from the hole during a drilling operation, outwardly away from the drill pipe to form an annular mound around and spaced from the hole.

1 . An auxiliary working apparatus for use with a drilling apparatus for drilling holes into the ground, the drilling apparatus including a support structure which is located on the ground and which includes a platform which forms a barrier at a spaced location above the ground on which the support structure is operatively positioned, a drill motor, a drill pipe displacement mechanism supported by the support structure operatively above the platform and a drill pipe section operatively connected to the drill motor and extending through a hole in the platform to be displaced into the ground in which a hole is to be drilled, the auxiliary working apparatus including, in its operative configuration with respect to such a drilling apparatus,
 an auxiliary support structure supported by the support structure of the drilling apparatus operatively beneath the platform of the drilling apparatus, the auxiliary support structure including a hub defining a central aperture through which the drill pipe operatively extends;   displacement means comprising a number of vanes which are mounted to the hub of the auxiliary support structure and which are operable to revolve around the drill pipe thereby to displace chippings which are displaced from a hole being drilled by the drill pipe, in use, to a location spaced from the hole; and   operating means for rotating the hub.   
     
     
         2 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hub has a sealing device which forms a seal between the hub and the drill pipe, in use, which resists displacement of chippings through said central aperture of the hub. 
     
     
         3 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vanes of the displacement means extend radially outwardly from the hub of the auxiliary support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the vanes extend outwardly along radial axes intersecting a centre of the hub when the hub is viewed in top plan view. 
     
     
         5 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the vanes are mounted to the hub so as to extend outwardly at rake angles relative to said radial axes. 
     
     
         6 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the vanes may extend operatively rearwardly relative to a direction of rotation of the hub. 
     
     
         7 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vanes are in the form of panel elements. 
     
     
         8 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the vanes are in the form of flexible panel elements. 
     
     
         9 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the vanes are in the form of rubber flaps. 
     
     
         10 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary support structure of the auxiliary working apparatus of the invention particularly comprises a structure that can support the displacement means in its required operative configuration with respect to a drill pipe and a hole being drilled by the drill pipe, in use, of the drilling apparatus with which the auxiliary working apparatus is operatively used. 
     
     
         11 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the support of the auxiliary support structure of the auxiliary working apparatus by the support structure of the associated drilling apparatus, the auxiliary working apparatus includes a set of elongate flexible elements which operatively support the auxiliary support structure in a suspended configuration from the support structure of the drilling apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , the operating means of the auxiliary working apparatus includes a coupling arrangement for coupling the displacement means to a power output associated with the drilling apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the operating means includes drive means operatively connected to the displacement means for operating the displacement means. 
     
     
         14 . A drilling apparatus which includes the auxiliary working apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , as part thereof.