摘要 |
A biased door member is provided in an external wall of a drill rod supply magazine mounted on a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine. The door member swings inwardly from a first position parallel to the external wall to a second position within the distal column. At least one cut-out is formed in the external wall at the bottom of the retaining guides located at the longitudinal ends of the magazine. The cut-out creates a window through which the added drill rod is inserted. In operation, a drill rod is moved through the biased door member and window cut-outs into the distal column. The pocket of a rod transfer mechanism is positioned below the last column, and a rod lifter lowers the added drill rod into the pocket. The rod transfer mechanism then moves the added drill rod into alignment with the drill string.
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