DRILL ROD GUARD AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USING SAME

摘要

A drill rod guard having a feed shaft assembly that supports a feed shell for receiving a drill rod. First and second shafts are respectively pivotally coupled to opposed sides of the feed shaft assembly. A plurality of guard elements are operatively coupled to the first and second shafts, and opposed guard elements are selectively engageable with one another. Upon engagement between the opposed guard elements, the guard elements cooperate with the feed shell and/or the feed shaft assembly to substantially enclose the portion of the drill rod within the feed shell to thereby prevent contact with the drill rod.

主权项

1. A drill rod guard for use with a drilling system, the drill rod guard having a longitudinal axis, the drilling system comprising a feed shell having first and second side portions positioned on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis of the drill rod guard, the feed shell being configured to receive at least a portion of a drill rod, the drill rod guard comprising:
a feed shaft assembly configured to support the feed shell, the feed shaft assembly comprising at least one support element, wherein each support element comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion being positioned on an opposing side of the longitudinal axis of the drill rod guard from the second side portion, wherein the first side portion of each support element is configured to be positioned proximate the first side portion of the feed shell, and wherein the second side portion of each support element is configured to be positioned proximate the second side portion of the feed shell; opposed first and second shafts, the first shaft being pivotally coupled to the first side portions of each support element of the feed shaft assembly, the second shaft being pivotally coupled to the second side portions of each support element of the feed shaft assembly, wherein the first shaft is configured for selective rotation relative to a first rotational axis and the second shaft is configured for selective rotation relative to a second rotational axis, and wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill rod guard; and a plurality of guard elements, the plurality of guard elements comprising a first set of guard elements operatively coupled to the first shaft and a second set of guard elements operatively coupled to the second shaft, each guard element of the first set of guard elements being substantially opposed from and configured for selective engagement with a corresponding guard element of the second set of guard elements, wherein, upon engagement between the first set of guard elements and the second set of guard elements, the plurality of guard elements are configured to cooperate with the first and second side portions of the feed shell to substantially enclose the portion of the drill rod within the feed shell.