Abstract: The invention relates to a handling unit for drill rods having an elevator bracket (30) which can be swiveled by means of a tilt arm (34) under the influence of a tilt cylinder (32), and means (42) for detecting a position of the at least one elevator bracket (30), in which is provided at least one valve (50) as means for detecting the position of the or each elevator bracket (30) and as part of a hydraulic switching control circuit (54) which continues outside the handling unit, and at least one connecting member (52) for the at least one valve (50), which connecting member can be moved by a movement of the tilt arm (34), wherein the or each valve (50) opens or closes the hydraulic switching control circuit (54) such that the state of the switching control circuit (54) can be evaluated as position information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a so-called topdrive (16) in the form of a device to drive drill pipes and to a method for operating this drive, in which means are provided to heat the gearbox oil (46) used by the topdrive (16), which means can also be supplied by an emergency power unit and comprise a hydraulic unit (28) and a pressure limiting valve (40) of the topdrive (16), wherein hydraulic fluid (36) is circulated through the pressure limiting valve (40) to heat the gearbox oil (46) by the hydraulic unit (28), and the heat energy thus generated is transferred through a heat exchanger (48) through which the hydraulic fluid (36) flows to the gearbox oil (46).

Abstract: The invention relates to a handling unit for drill rods having an elevator bracket (30) which can be swiveled by means of a tilt arm (34) under the influence of a tilt cylinder (32), and means (42) for detecting a position of the at least one elevator bracket (30), in which is provided at least one valve (50) as means for detecting the position of the or each elevator bracket (30) and as part of a hydraulic switching control circuit (54) which continues outside the handling unit, and at least one connecting member (52) for the at least one valve (50), which connecting member can be moved by a movement of the tilt arm (34), wherein the or each valve (50) opens or closes the hydraulic switching control circuit (54) such that the state of the switching control circuit (54) can be evaluated as position information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a handling device for drill pipes (18) and to a so-called top drive (16) comprising said handling device, a so-called pipe handler, and having means for detecting a position of an elevator bail (30) comprised by the handling device/pipe handler and for transmitting the associated position information, wherein the position information is transmitted from the pipe handler to, e.g., the top drive (16) and is converted into an electrical signal for detecting and avoiding potentially critical situations as a result of a position/deflection of the elevator bail (30).

Abstract: A drilling machine and drilling rig for exploratory drillings and producing wells, include a base mounting atop drive, and a multifunctional gripper for gripping drilling pipe from a stock and to be raised on the base for eventual positions positioning at a well center, an elevator being provided below the top drive. The base can be rotatably mounted and have a live ring at a base lower end region, the base being rotated to the pipe stock location and being rotatable to a well center as well. A drilling pipe upper end when raised on the base can be connected to the top drive, and an iron roughneck on a rig floor can be used to connect a pipe lower end to a pipe section in the well. Where two drilling machine are used, one can be used for actual drilling at the well center, and the second supplied with pipework for the operation.