US 12,258,819 B1
Automated changing of drill bits via mast angle
John Francis Halterman, Sherman, TX (US); and Yagneshwar Natarajan, Chennai (IN)
Assigned to Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Denison, TX (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Denison, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/637,193.
Int. Cl. E21B 19/18 (2006.01); E21B 19/20 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 19/18 (2013.01) [E21B 19/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magazine to hold drill bits for a drilling rig, the magazine comprising:
a housing that includes a plurality of drill-bit pockets,
wherein each of the plurality of drill-bit pockets is configured to receive at least a portion of a drilling end of a drill bit, such that an engagement end of the drill bit is accessible at an open end of that drill-bit pocket, wherein the plurality of drill-bit pockets comprises one or more columns of two or more vertically arranged drill-bit pockets such that at least a first one of the plurality of drill-bit pockets is positioned vertically below a second one of the plurality of drill-bit pockets, and
wherein when the magazine of the drilling rig is in a position, the first drill-bit pocket holds a first drill bit such that a longitudinal axis of the first drill bit is held at a first angle with respect to a reference axis, and wherein the second drill-bit pocket holds a second drill bit such that a longitudinal axis of the second drill bit is held at a second angle with respect to the reference axis, wherein the second angle is smaller than the first angle.