Abstract: A rotary blasthole drilling apparatus comprises a rotary blasthole drill and a drill automation control system. The apparatus includes a pull-down motor and a drill motor. The pull-down motor is driven by a pump to provide a pull-down force to a drill string, and the drill motor is used to provide rotary force to rotate a drill bit of the drill string. The drill automation control system includes a number of functional components including a user interface. Through the user interface, an operator sets a rotary torque set point that determines an amount of torque applied to the drill bit by the drill motor. The control system further includes a detector, for detecting pressure in the pump during a drilling operation, and a processor, which is operative under the control of a program stored therein and responsive to the rotary torque set point and signals from the pull-down pressure sensor for generating an error signal.

Abstract: In an impact drilling apparatus, an impact hammer is provided that includes a body portion and a piston head on the body portion. The piston head has a larger outer periphery than the body portion. The body portion and the piston head have substantially the same cross-sectional area at all points along a longitudinal axis of the hammer. The piston head is disposed at one end of the body portion and is funnel-shaped.