US 11,746,606 B2
Method of mounting a Kelly bar on a drilling machine, relevant mounting tool and a drilling machine equipped with such mounting tool
Marco Casadei, Cesena (IT); and Primo Smeraldi, Cesena (IT)
Assigned to SOILMEC S.P.A., Cesena (IT)
Filed by SOILMEC S.P.A., Cesena (IT)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/391,200.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000019756 (IT), filed on Aug. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0042382 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 7/02 (2006.01); E21B 19/24 (2006.01); E21B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 19/24 (2013.01) [E21B 3/00 (2013.01); E21B 7/02 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of mounting a kelly bar on a drilling machine, the method comprising:
setting a pull-down cylinder containing a rod in an extended condition to bring a rotary carriage and a drilling rotary to a distance H or to a position close to the distance on a guide tower;
locking the rotary carriage on the guide tower;
disengaging the rotary carriage from the pull-down cylinder;
switching the pull-down cylinder from the extended condition to a retracted condition by an extent at least equal to a length of a mounting tool provided with at least one traction element;
installing the mounting tool between the rod of the pull-down cylinder and the rotary carriage;
unlocking the rotary carriage on the guide tower;
switching the pull-down cylinder to the extended condition to bring the drilling rotary to a distance H1 greater than the distance H;
connecting a rope to the kelly bar;
lifting the kelly bar by operating a main winch of the drilling machine, up to bring a lower end of the kelly bar above the drilling rotary;
aligning the kelly bar with an annular passage of a drive sleeve of the drilling rotary;
retracting the rod of the pull-down cylinder to obtain a rise of the rotary carriage and the drilling rotary up to a point, which has a distance from a head of the guide tower that is equal to or less than the distance H, the retraction of the rod of the pull-down cylinder determining a sliding engagement of the annular passage of the drive sleeve of the drilling rotary to the kelly bar;
locking the rotary carriage on the guide tower;
disassembling the mounting tool by disengaging the at least one traction element between the rod of the pull-down cylinder and the rotary carriage;
switching the pull-down cylinder in to the extended condition;
connecting the rod of the pull-down cylinder to the rotary carriage; and
unlocking the rotary carriage on the guide tower,
wherein
the head of the guide tower is provided with at least one pulley for the rope from the main winch of the drilling machine to engage one end of the kelly bar, directly or indirectly, through a rotatable element, to move the kelly bar;
the drilling rotary is slidingly engaged to the guide tower through the rotary carriage and has the driving sleeve with the annular passage for inserting and engaging the kelly bar;
the pull-down cylinder is engaged to the guide tower;
the pull-down cylinder is engaged to the rotary carriage and the drilling rotary via the rod of the pull-down cylinder to move the rotary carriage and the drilling rotary along the guide tower;
the retracted condition is a condition in which the rod of the pull-down cylinder is disposed within the pull-down cylinder;
the extended condition is a condition in which the rod of the pull-down cylinder is disposed outside the pull-down cylinder; and
the distance H is defined by a maximum downward sliding of the rotary carriage controlled by the rod of the pull-down cylinder in the extended condition.