Drilling rig for drilling from underground tunnels

Abstract

A rig for drilling a borehole from an underground tunnel includes a base assembly, a drilling assembly mounted to the base assembly, an upper frame assembly mounted to the drilling assembly above the base assembly, and a support hood coupled to the drilling assembly and positioned above the upper frame assembly. The support hood is configured to bear against a ceiling of the tunnel during drilling operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rig for drilling a borehole from an underground tunnel, the rig comprising:
 a base assembly;   a drilling assembly mounted to the base assembly;   an upper frame assembly mounted to the drilling assembly above the base assembly;   a support hood coupled to the drilling assembly and positioned above the upper frame assembly, wherein the support hood is configured to bear against a ceiling of the tunnel during drilling operations.   
     
     
         2 . The rig of  claim 1 , wherein the base assembly comprises:
 a trolley configured to roll along a track;   a drilling floor including a drilling hole configured to pass a drill string; and   a plurality of positioning assemblies mounted to the trolley, wherein each positioning assembly includes a foot configured to extend downward into engagement with a floor of the underground tunnel.   
     
     
         3 . The rig of  claim 2 , wherein the drilling assembly is pivotally coupled to the base. 
     
     
         4 . The rig of  claim 2 , wherein the base assembly further comprises a clamping system disposed below the drilling rig floor and configured to deliver rotational torque to a pipe joint disposed in the drilling hole. 
     
     
         5 . The rig of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling assembly comprises:
 a drilling carriage including a top drive; and   an actuator mounted to the drilling carriage, the support hood, and the base assembly;   wherein the actuator is configured to move the drilling carriage downward to apply weight-on-bit.   
     
     
         6 . The rig of  claim 1 , wherein the upper frame assembly comprises:
 a frame member coupled to the drilling assembly; and   a track assembly coupled to both the frame member and a tunnel track extending along the underground tunnel;   a pipe carriage moveably coupled to the track assembly, wherein the pipe carriage supports a plurality of pipe joints.   
     
     
         7 . The rig of  claim 6 , wherein the track assembly is coupled to the tunnel track with a switch, and wherein the switch is configured to selectively allow the pipe carriage to enter the track assembly from the tunnel track. 
     
     
         8 . The rig of  claim 7 , wherein the upper frame assembly further comprises a toothed gear rotatably coupled to the upper frame assembly and configured to engage teeth disposed on the pipe carriage. 
     
     
         9 . The rig of  claim 1 , further comprising a pipe handling assembly coupled to the drilling rig assembly, wherein the pipe handling assembly includes a pipe manipulator configured to engage and rotate a pipe joint. 
     
     
         10 . The rig of  claim 9 , wherein the pipe manipulator comprises:
 a housing;   a finger pivotally coupled to the housing;   a first roller disposed on the finger;   a second roller disposed on the housing; and   a third roller disposed on the finger, adjacent the first roller;   wherein one of the first, second, and third rollers is configured to be rotated by an actuator.   
     
     
         11 . A rig for drilling a borehole from an underground tunnel, the rig comprising:
 a base assembly;   a drilling assembly mounted to the base assembly;   an upper frame assembly   a pipe handling assembly mounted to the drilling assembly;   a track assembly positioned above the pipe handling assembly, wherein the track assembly is configured to deliver pipe joints to the pipe handling assembly during drilling operations.   
     
     
         12 . The rig of  claim 11 , further comprising a support hood coupled to the drilling assembly, wherein the support hood is configured to bear against a ceiling of the tunnel during drilling operations. 
     
     
         13 . The rig of  claim 11 , wherein the base assembly comprises a base; and
 wherein the drilling assembly is pivotally coupled to the base.   
     
     
         14 . The rig of  claim 12 , wherein the drilling assembly comprises:
 a drilling carriage;   a top drive coupled to the drilling carriage; and   an actuator extending vertically between the support hood and the base assembly;   wherein the actuator is coupled to the drilling carriage and configured to move the drilling carriage up and down.   
     
     
         15 . The rig of  claim 11 , wherein the pipe handling assembly comprises:
 a pipe manipulator configured to engage a pipe joint during drilling operations, the pipe manipulator further comprising:   a housing;   a finger pivotally coupled to the housing;   a first roller disposed on the finger;   a second roller disposed on the housing; and   a third roller disposed on the finger, adjacent the first roller;   wherein one of the first, second, and third rollers is configured to be rotated by an actuator.   
     
     
         16 . The rig of  claim 15 , wherein the track assembly is coupled to a tunnel track extending along the underground tunnel; and
 wherein the tunnel track and track assembly are each configured to guide a pipe carriage holding a plurality of pipe joints.   
     
     
         17 . The rig of  claim 16 , wherein the upper frame assembly further comprises a pipe carriage positioning mechanism disposed adjacent the track assembly and configured to position a pipe carriage relative to the pipe handling assembly. 
     
     
         18 . A method of drilling a borehole from an underground tunnel, the method comprising:
 (a) supplying a plurality of pipe joints to a drilling rig;   (b) gripping a first pipe joint with a pipe handling assembly;   (c) coupling the first pipe joint to a drill string with the pipe handling assembly;   (d) applying a vertical load to the drill string; and   (e) bearing against a ceiling of the tunnel during (d).   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein (a) comprises:
 carrying the plurality of pipe joints with a pipe carriage;   guiding the pipe carriage along a track assembly to the drilling rig; and   aligning the pipe joint with the pipe handling assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  19 , wherein aligning the pipe joint with a pipe handling assembly comprises engaging teeth disposed on the pipe carriage with a sprocket rotatably mounted to the drilling rig. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein (b) further comprises extending a pipe manipulator to engage a pipe joint, the pipe manipulator comprising:
 a housing;   a finger pivotally coupled to the housing;   a first roller disposed on the finger;   a second roller disposed on the housing;   a third roller disposed on the finger, adjacent the first roller   wherein one of the first, second, am third rollers is configured to be rotated by an actuator.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein (b) comprises engaging the pipe joint between the first, second, and third rollers. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising rotating the pipe joint during (c) with the first, second, or third roller. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein (d) comprises extending a linear actuator to force a drilling carriage downward. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 (e) supporting the drilling assembly on a base assembly;   (f) rotating the drilling assembly about the base assembly;   (g) engaging rollers disposed on the base assembly with a track disposed within the underground tunnel.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising engaging a floor of the underground tunnel with a foot disposed on the base assembly.