Abstract: A system for placing and removing pipe from a finger rack of a drilling rig includes a pipe handling apparatus and finger rack having at least one finger board with at least two fingers defining a slot and a multiplicity of latches that are arranged therebetween to define a space for a pipe and selectively movable between an open and closed position. At least one camera has a plurality of the latches in a field of view and is adapted to capture an image of the latches and send the image to a master control computer that analyzes the image for details indicative of at least one latch being in an open or closed position, concludes that the latch is in an open or closed position, and allows or disallows the pipe handling apparatus to place or remove a pipe in the finger rack based on the conclusion.

Abstract: A system for placing and removing pipe from a finger rack of a drilling rig, the system comprising a pipe handling apparatus (140) and a finger rack (139) having at least one finger board (102) having at least two fingers (103 to 106) defining a slot (107 to 109) and a multiplicity of latches (114) arranged therebetween defining a space for a pipe, each latch (114) of the multiplicity of latches selectively movable between an open position and a closed position, the system further comprising at least one camera (101) having said at least one latch (114) of said multiplicity of latches in a field of view, capturing an image of said latch and sending said image to a master control computer (12?), said master computer control computer (12?) programmed with a set of instructions to analyze said image for details indicative of the latch (114) being in an open position or closed position, concluding the latch (114) to be in an open position or closed position and allowing or disallowing a pipe handling apparatus to

Abstract: A system for placing and removing pipe from a finger rack of a drilling rig, the system comprising a pipe handling apparatus (140) and a finger rack (139) having at least one finger board (102) having at least two fingers (103 to 106) defining a slot (107 to 109) and a multiplicity of latches (114) arranged therebetween defining a space for a pipe, each latch (114) of the multiplicity of latches selectively movable between an open position and a closed position, the system further comprising at least one camera (101) having said at least one latch (114) of said multiplicity of latches in a field of view, capturing an image of said latch and sending said image to a master control computer (12?), said master computer control computer (12?) programmed with a set of instructions to analyse said image for details indicative of the latch (114) being in an open position or closed position, concluding the latch (114) to be in an open position or closed position and allowing or disallowing a pipe handling apparatus to