Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and associated method for robotic drill rod handling. The system includes a frame, a drill rod magazine for storing and dispensing drill rods, the magazine removably coupled to the frame, a robotic arm for manipulating drill rods, the robotic arm coupled to the frame and a drill rod end effector, for grasping drill rods, the end effector coupled to the robotic arm. The system is configured to manipulate the robotic arm such that the end effector surrounds a second drill rod in a grasping position of the system, grasp the second drill rod with the end effector, manipulate the second drill rod to align the second drill rod with a first drill rod which is coupled to a drilling rig and rotate the second drill rod to couple the second drill rod to the first drill rod.

Abstract: An elevator system in which an elevator car travels in a hoistway is provided. The elevator system includes an anchor, a tensioning mass, a car-mounted governor (CMG) affixable to the elevator car, a rope and a processing board. The CMG includes idler and traction pulleys and at least one encoder mountable on one of the idler and traction pulleys and configured to generate a signal reflective of rotation of the one of the idler and traction pulleys on which the at least one encoder is mounted. The rope is extendible from the anchor, around the idler and traction pulleys and to the tensioning mass to cause idler and traction pulley rotation when the elevator car travels in the hoistway. The processing board is receptive of the signal and is configured to determine at least a position of the elevator car in the hoistway from the signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and associated method for robotic drill rod handling. The system includes a frame, a drill rod magazine for storing and dispensing drill rods, the magazine removably coupled to the frame, a robotic arm for manipulating drill rods, the robotic arm coupled to the frame and a drill rod end effector, for grasping drill rods, the end effector coupled to the robotic arm. The system is configured to manipulate the robotic arm such that the end effector surrounds a second drill rod in a grasping position of the system, grasp the second drill rod with the end effector, manipulate the second drill rod to align the second drill rod with a first drill rod which is coupled to a drilling rig and rotate the second drill rod to couple the second drill rod to the first drill rod.

Abstract: A piezoelectric rotary optical mount including a clamp including a first hole to hold a hollow member, wherein a contact between the clamp and the hollow member generates a coefficient of friction; a bias element adjacent to the first hole to apply a force to control rotational movement of the hollow member by adjusting the coefficient of friction; and a piezoelectric element to actuate the bias element to apply the force. The clamp may include a housing body including a first end and a second end, wherein the first hole extends in a first axis through the housing body to accommodate the hollow member; a pair of elongated cutout regions extending from the first hole towards the second end to define the bias element; and a second hole adjacent to at least one of the cutout regions to accommodate the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tractor assembly and an elevator. The tractor assembly includes: a rack; multiple tractors; and multiple traction parts connected to an elevator car and an elevator counterweight respectively via the tractors; wherein the multiple tractors are mounted on the rack respectively, and are staggered along a horizontal direction; the vertical direction extends along an elevator hoistway, and the horizontal direction transects the elevator hoistway to extend. With such arrangement, on the one hand, arrangement of two tractors is implemented without making too many changes to an existing structure space; on the other hand, compared with a unit that uses a heavy load tractor, the product cost can be reduced significantly while achieving basically the same technical effect. In addition, the use of two tractors of a relatively small size also implements machine room-free or small machine room arrangement.