Apparatus for rock handling, rock drilling unit and method

Abstract

An apparatus for handling drilling rods, a rock drilling unit and a method of handling drilling rods is provided. The apparatus includes a rod feeder and a swing device, which cooperate and move drilling rods between a pick-up position and a drilling center defined by a rock drilling machine of the drilling unit. The rod feeder and the swing device are separate devices, which are independently controllable.

1 . An apparatus ( 36 ) for rod handling, which is mountable in connection to a rock drilling unit ( 1 ) and wherein the apparatus ( 36 ) is configured to move rock drilling rods ( 2 ) between at least one pick-up position ( 14 ) and a drilling center ( 10 ) of the rock drilling unit ( 1 );
 the apparatus ( 36 ) comprising:   a rod feeder ( 13 ) for moving the drilling rods ( 2 ) between the pick-up position ( 14 ) and an intermediate position ( 15 ),   a swing device ( 11 ) is configured to move the drilling rods ( 2 ) between the intermediate position ( 15 ) of the gripping device ( 21 ) of the rod feeder ( 13 ) and the drilling center ( 10 ); and   at least one gripper for gripping the rods ( 2 );   characterized in that   the rod feeder ( 13 ) and the swing device ( 11 ) are separate units, which are movable independently relative to each other, and   wherein the swing device ( 11 ) has a fixed mounting and the only movement of the swing device ( 11 ) is transversal turning movement relative to the drilling center ( 10 ).   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that
 direction of movements of the rod feeder ( 13 ) and the swing device ( 11 ) are transversal relative to each other.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in any one of the previous  claims 1  to  2 , characterized in that
 the rod feeder ( 13 ) comprises at least two arms ( 16   a ,  16   b ) connected to each other by means of at least one connecting joint ( 17   c ) axis of which connecting joint is perpendicular to the drilling axis ( 10 ). 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
 location of the pick-up position ( 14 ) is adjustable by adjusting movement control of the rod feeder ( 13 ).   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
 the rod feeder ( 13 ) and the swing device ( 11 ) are both provided with at least one dedicated gripper ( 21 ,  30 ) for gripping the rods ( 2 ).   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
 the apparatus ( 36 ) is mountable on either longitudinal side of the rock drilling unit ( 1 ).   
     
     
         7 . A rock drilling unit ( 1 ), comprising:
 a feed beam ( 5 );   a rock drilling machine ( 7 ) supported on the feed beam ( 5 ) and comprising at least a rotating device ( 7   a ) for rotating drilling rods ( 2 );   a feed device ( 6 ) for moving the rock drilling machine ( 7 ) longitudinally on the feed beam ( 5 );   an alignment device ( 8 ) for aligning a new rod ( 2 ) on the drilling center ( 10 ) with a previous rod ( 2 ) passing through the rock drilling machine ( 7 );   a threading unit ( 9 ) arranged to be movable on the drilling center ( 10 ) and configured to rotate the new rod and to simultaneously feed the new rod relative to the previous rod;   an apparatus ( 36 ) for rod handling, wherein the apparatus ( 36 ) is configured to move the rods ( 2 ) between at least one pick-up position ( 14 ) and the drilling center ( 10 ), and wherein the apparatus ( 36 ) comprises a rod feeder ( 13 ) and a swing device ( 11 );   and wherein the rock drilling unit ( 1 ) is supported to a base structure ( 3 );   characterized in that   the apparatus ( 36 ) for rod handling is according to any one of the preceding claims; and further   the swing device ( 11 ) is supported to the drilling unit ( 1 ) and the rod feeder ( 13 ) is supported directly to the base structure ( 3 ).   
     
     
         8 . The rock drilling unit according to  claim 7 , characterized in that
 the apparatus ( 36 ) comprises at least one control unit (CU); and   the control unit (CU) is configured to control the rod handling apparatus ( 36 ) to move according to its work cycle simultaneously and independently relative to the operation of the threading unit ( 9 ).   
     
     
         9 . The rock drilling unit according to  claim 7  or  8 , characterized in that
 the apparatus ( 36 ) comprises at least one control unit (CU); 
 the control unit (CU) is configured to determine position and orientation of the intermediate position ( 15 ) and the pick-up position ( 14 ), which are both imaginary positions without being mechanically limited; and 
 the control unit (CU) is configured to control the rod feeder ( 13 ) to move between the determined intermediate position ( 15 ) and pick-up position ( 14 ). 
 
     
     
         10 . The rock drilling unit according any one of the preceding  claims 7  to  9 , characterized in that
 the threading unit ( 9 ) is located at an extension of the feed beam ( 5 ). 
 
     
     
         11 . The rock drilling unit according to any one of the preceding  claims 7  to  10 , characterized in that
 the rod handling apparatus ( 36 ) is configured to co-operate with at least one rod manipulator for feeding drilling rods ( 2 ) automatically from a rod storage ( 18 ) to the pick-up position ( 14 ) and correspondingly for removing the rods ( 2 ) from the pick-up position ( 14 ) automatically to the rod storage ( 18 ). 
 
     
     
         12 . A method of handling drilling rods in core drilling wherein drill holes are drilled by means of a rock drilling unit ( 1 ) comprising a feed beam ( 5 ) and a rock drilling machine ( 7 ),
 the method comprising:   moving the rods ( 2 ) between at least one pick-up position ( 14 ) and an intermediate position ( 15 ) by means of a rod feeder ( 13 );   moving the rods ( 2 ) between the intermediate position ( 15 ) and a drilling center ( 10 ) defined by the rock drilling machine ( 7 ) by means of a swing device ( 11 ); and   moving the swing device ( 11 ) and the rod feeder ( 13 ) along movement paths which are transversal relative to each other;   characterized by   using in rod handling physically and operationally separate devices as the swing device ( 11 ) and the rod feeder ( 13 );   moving the swing device ( 11 ) and the rod feeder ( 13 ) simultaneously and independently along their transversal movement paths, and   moving the swing device ( 11 ) in a transversal turning movement relative to the drilling center ( 10 ).   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , characterized by
 detecting position and orientation of the rock drilling unit ( 1 ) by means of at least one sensing device; and   determining position and orientation of the intermediate position ( 14 ) on the basis of the detected position and orientation of the rock drilling unit ( 1 ).   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12  or  13 , characterized by
 holding one drill rod ( 2 ) at the intermediate position ( 15 ) by means of the rod feeder ( 13 ) while the swing device ( 11 ) is handling another drill rod ( 2 ).