A DRILL ROD CHANGER ASSEMBLY

摘要

A drill rod changer assembly for a drill rig includes an elongated support shaft (5) having a housing (20, 30) at each end for retaining ends of drill rods, the support shaft being adapted for removable attachment to a drill rig structure (3), a carousel-type drill rod spacer (120) on the shaft and a pair of gripper arms (70, 74) adapted for removable attachment to a drill rig structure at spaced apart positions adjacent each end of the support shaft. A hydraulic actuation device (40) rotates the support shaft and carousel drill rod spacer between a rod storage position and a rod usage position. Each gripper arm is moved between the drill rod storage and usage positions by hydraulic actuation devices on each arm. Each gripper arm carries a sliding gate member that opens and closes the housings in response to movement of the gripper arm. The support shaft, and each gripper arm assembly being supplied as modularized assemblies that can be individually attached and removed from a drill rig to expeditiously change between various lengths of drill rod.