Patents by Inventor Gianmaria Vitali

Gianmaria Vitali has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Automated rod manipulator
    Patent number: 10145188
    Abstract: An automated rod manipulator system for moving a drill rod section from a storage magazine to a drill rig and connecting the drill rod to a drill string of the drill rig without manual manipulation of any parts. The automated rod manipulator system may comprise a magazine to store and dispense a plurality of drill rod sections, a carriage to convey one of the plurality of drill rod sections from the magazine to a transfer position; and a gripping arm coupled to a drill rig mast of a drilling rig, the gripping arm operable to convey one of the plurality of drill rod sections from a transfer position to a position aligned with a spindle center line of the drilling rig. The automated rod manipulator may also include a control system and an alignment assembly for aligning the drill rod section on a spindle centerline of the drill rig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Layne Christensen Company
    Inventors: Brian Smith, Stefano Campanini, Gianmaria Vitali, James Maggert, Paul Mander
  • AUTOMATED ROD MANIPULATOR
    Publication number: 20140209382
    Abstract: An automated rod manipulator system for moving a drill rod section from a storage magazine to a drill rig and connecting the drill rod to a drill string of the drill rig without manual manipulation of any parts. The automated rod manipulator system may comprise a magazine to store and dispense a plurality of drill rod sections, a carriage to convey one of the plurality of drill rod sections from the magazine to a transfer position; and a gripping arm coupled to a drill rig mast of a drilling rig, the gripping arm operable to convey one of the plurality of drill rod sections from a transfer position to a position aligned with a spindle center line of the drilling rig. The automated rod manipulator may also include a control system and an alignment assembly for aligning the drill rod section on a spindle centerline of the drill rig.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Layne Christensen Company
    Inventors: Brian Smith, Stefano Campanini, Gianmaria Vitali, James Maggert, Paul Mander