Automated drill bit changer

Abstract

A drill bit changer system for a drill rig including a drill bit storage holder assembly arranged to be movable mounted to the drill rig. The drill bit assembly includes a rotatable drill bit storage holder, a plurality of bit holder receptacles located within the drill bit storage holder, and a plurality of drill bit adaptor assemblies disposed in the bit holder receptacles. Each adaptor assembly includes an adaptor having opposed ends, one end of the adaptor being arranged to engage a drill string of the drill rig and another end of the adaptor being engageable with a drill bit, wherein the adaptor has a rounded section disposed between the opposed ends, the rounded section being engageable by an adaptor arm of the drill bit holder assembly to engage and disengage the drill bit adaptor assembly from the drill string. A method of changing a drill bit is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill bit changer system for a drill rig, the system comprising:
 a drill bit storage holder assembly arranged to be movably mounted to the drill rig,   the drill bit assembly including a rotatable drill bit storage holder;   a plurality of bit holder receptacles located within the drill bit storage holder; and   a plurality of drill bit adaptor assemblies disposed in the bit holder receptacles, each drill bit adaptor assembly being received within a respective bit holder receptacle, and each adaptor assembly including an adaptor having opposed ends, one end of the adaptor being arranged to engage a drill string of the drill rig and another end of the adaptor being engageable with a drill bit, wherein the adaptor has a rounded section disposed between the opposed ends, the rounded section being engageable by an adaptor arm of the drill bit holder assembly to engage and disengage the drill bit adaptor assembly from the drill string.   
     
     
         2 . The drill bit changer system of  claim 1 , wherein the drill bit storage holder is a rotatable carousel that is indexable to position a respective drill bit adaptor assembly or an empty bit holder receptacle to the drill string. 
     
     
         3 . The drill bit changer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the drill bit storage holder is indexable by a slew drive. 
     
     
         4 . The drill bit changer system of  claim 1 , wherein the drill bit storage holder is pivotally connected to a mast of the drill rig to move the drill bit storage holder between a stowed position to an engaged position for a new or used adaptor bit assembly to be added or removed from the drill string. 
     
     
         5 . The drill bit changer system of  claim 5 , wherein the drill bit storage holder is pivotally connected to the drill mast by at least one hydraulically operated arm. 
     
     
         6 . The drill bit changer system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one processing device arranged to execute a computer executable code to control the pivotable and rotatable movement of the drill bit storage holder. 
     
     
         7 . A method of changing a drill bit of a drill rig comprising the steps of:
 providing a drill bit changer system, the drill bit changer system including a drill bit storage holder assembly arranged to be movable mounted to the drill rig, the drill bit storage assembly including a rotatable drill bit storage holder, a plurality of bit holder receptacles located within the drill bit storage holder and a plurality of drill bit adaptor assemblies disposed in the bit holder receptacles, each drill bit adaptor assembly being received within a respective bit holder receptacle, and each adaptor assembly including an adaptor having opposed ends, one end of the adaptor being arranged to engage a drill string of the drill rig and another end of the adaptor being engageable with a drill bit, wherein the adaptor has a rounded section disposed between the opposed ends, the rounded section being engageable by an adaptor arm of the drill bit holder assembly to engage and disengage the drill bit adaptor assembly from the drill string;   pivoting the drill bit storage system to a first position whereby the drill bit storage holder is positioned to engage a drill bit adaptor assembly;   removing a used drill bit and adaptor assembly from the drill string;   indexing the drill bit storage holder to position a new drill bit adaptor assembly to the drill string;   attaching the new drill bit adaptor assembly to the drill string; and   pivoting the drill bit storage system to a second position whereby the drill bit storage system is stowed away from the drill string.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the piviotal movement of the drill bit storage system and the indexing of the drill bit storage holder is controlled by a computerized control unit executing a computer executable code.