Abstract: An elongated pipe carrier in a blast hole drilling vehicle allows a drill pipe to be more easily connected and disconnected to a drill string in a hole being drilled at an angle. At the lower end of the carrier a receptacle with hydraulically operated doors is secured by a hydraulically operated lock. Near the upper end a gate is pneumatically operated in response to the hydraulic operation of the receptacle lock. Also disclosed are two methods, one for connecting the upper end of the pipe to a drill head, then unlocking and opening the doors of the receptacle, and then connecting a lower end of the pipe to the drill string while supporting the pipe at an angle on the open carrier. In the second method, the receptacle is closed, and is then locked around the lower end of the drill pipe, so that pawls inside the receptacle can block rotation of the pipe in one direction. The pipe is then disconnected from the drill head.

Abstract: A shock absorber for dampening longitudinal and torsional vibrations in a drill is disposed intermediate a hollow drive shaft member and a hollow driven shaft member of a drill string. Resilient means are sandwiched between a drive plate attached to the drive shaft member and a driven plate secured to the driven shaft member. Additional resilient means are sandwiched between the driven plate and a pressure plate which surrounds the driven shaft member at a position beneath the driven plate. Pins project from the driven plate through the resilient means into vertically spaced openings formed in the drive plate and the pressure plate. Fastening means extend between the drive plate and the pressure plate to precompress the resilient means, and a shielding sleeve is connected to the drive shaft member for sliding movement within the driven shaft member.

Abstract: The guide bushing of a blast hole drill is resiliently mounted to dampen lateral vibrations of the drill string. The mounting arrangement comprises four pads symmetrically placed about the bushing and restrained against all but radial movement. Each pad includes a radially inner bearing section that bears against the exterior of the bushing, an outer backing section that is radially movable with respect to the bearing section, and a resilient cushion between the two sections. A four-lobed cam ring surrounds and faces the backing sections and is rotated to simultaneously load all the cushions to a selected degree. In the preferred embodiment, the mounting components are in an enclosed housing that defines guide channels for the pad and that can easily be fitted into the deck of a machine.