Adjustable Breakout Wrench for Blasthole Drill Rods of Different Diameters
Adjustable Breakout Wrench for Blasthole Drill Rods of Different Diameters that works through an automatic sequence of movements, which are approaches (turns), bar tightening, and exponential torque combined with pressure from two hydraulic cylinders, which act with built-in sequential valve regulation, as well as automatic adjustment that considers the wear in the external diameter of the rod. This tool, which has the general shape of an alligator wrench, can be mounted on drilling machines. It is designed to loose threaded rod joints of different diameters. For this purpose, it provides a practical and quick exchange of Jaw Kits, which have the preconceived dimensions to efficiently tighten each rod measure. This tool is efficient, practical, easy to maintain and above all versatile so that it can operate in drilling production with different diameters of rods, only making simple changes of components without disassembling the wrench from its support.
The present invention relates in general to drill rigs, and more particularly to an adjustable breakout wrench for blasthole drill rods of different diameters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIt is common in the mining industry, and in particular in the field of drill rigs used for blasthole drilling through hard rock, that the connections between sections of the drill string and the drill rod become fixed together by the normal operational loads of the drill rig. This creates sections that are difficult to loose without the use of a breakout wrench to apply high torques to the drill strings in order to loose the fixed connections. These breakout wrenches are traditionally only useful for disengaging a drill string of a definite diameter. In cases in which different diameters of drill strings need to be loosed, different wrenches need to be used for each of them, resulting in an ineffective process of replacing the breakout wrench of the blasthole drill, each time that a drill string of a new diameter needs to be loosened. A breakout wrench which has Interchangeable jaws for different drill rod diameters, allowing for the replacement of these jaws, would eliminate the need of using different wrenches for each diameter of drill rod, saving time and costs, and greatly advancing the field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe main object of this invention is to obtain a novel breakout wrench with a compact and practical concept to facilitate the parts replacement and maintenance processes when loosing drill strings of different diameters in blasthole drill rigs.
This Breakout Wrench can be achieved by combining some or all of the following elements:
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- a) An Alligator Wrench design having a Main Body, a Main Arm and a Torque Arm.
- b) A Wrench Support that can be permanently fixed to the surface of a blasthole drill.
- c) A Main Shaft connecting the Wrench Support to the Main Body and which is the turning point of the Wrench's Main Body.
- d) Holder Inserts
- e) Interchangeable Jaw Kits, each having two Jaw Holders, a Backing Jaw, a Torque Jaw, and a Grip Jaw, for at least three drill rod diameters, which leaves the Wrench 100% compatible to operate with different diameters, just by changing the Jaw Kits.
- f) A Split pin with an automatic sequence of movements, including approaches (turns), rod tightening, and exponential torque combined with pressure from two hydraulic cylinders, which act with built-in sequential valve regulation, as well as automatic adjustment that considers the wear in the external diameter of the rod.
- g) A Grip Cylinder, which has the purpose of gripping or tightening the rod.
- h) A Positioning Cylinder, for positioning the wrench, moving it towards the rod.
- i) A Torque Cylinder, for rotation and torque, which works in conjunction with the Positioning Cylinder to loosen and release the strings.
- j) A Sequential Valve specially designed for this wrench.
- k) A Traction Spring, which keeps the Torque Arm with a tendency to open.
- l) Support for the Torque Cylinder fixed to the Wrench Support.
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- m) Support for the Sequential Valve fixed to the wrench's Main Body.
The design of the breakout wrench aims to optimize spaces and to order related peripherals, for example, hydraulic hoses, considering cylinder design to be able to leave the connection of the hoses only in the rear area of the wrench, therefore allowing for the cleaning of its upper front area. With this, it is also possible to focus the area of hose connections in a single sector of the wrench greatly facilitating the maintenance of this tool.
The Adjustable Breakout Wrench for Blasthole Drill Rods of Different Diameters subject of the present specification discloses a design that considers component ordering, to achieve a compact concept and above all practical for parts replacement and maintenance processes. The wrench works through an automatic sequence of movements, which are approaches (turns), bar tightening, and exponential torque combined with pressure from two hydraulic cylinders, which act with built-in sequential valve regulation, as well as automatic adjustment that considers the wear in the external diameter of the rod. This tool, which has the general shape of an alligator wrench, is designed to loose threaded rod joints used in drilling machines, being compatible to loose different diameters of Drill Rods, for example, 8⅝″, 9¼″, and 10¾″ diameter threaded drill rods used in drilling machines. For this purpose, it provides a practical and quick exchange of Jaw Holders, which have the preconceived dimensions to efficiently tighten each rod measure. The design of the key is provided, so that it can be mounted on the “PV-351” Drilling models. This tool is efficient, practical, easy to maintain and above all versatile so that it can operate in drilling production with different diameters of rods, only making simple changes of components without disassembling the wrench from its support.
Some general aspects of the present invention have been summarized so far in the first part of this detailed description and in the previous sections of this disclosure. Hereinafter, a detailed description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings will be provided. While some aspects of the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The specific materials, methods, structures, and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting. Instead, the intended function of this disclosure is to exemplify some of the ways—including the presently preferred ways—in which the invention, as defined by the claims, can be enabled for a Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art. Therefore, the intent of the present disclosure is to cover all variations encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and any reasonable equivalents thereof.
As
Three Holder Inserts 10c are shown, and so is a Jaw Kit, formed by, two Jaw Holders 10a and 10b, and three Jaws 11a, 11b and 11c. Those Holder Inserts 10c can be made of steel with heat treatment, which increases its toughness and the lifetime of parts, and a welding process can be considered, with a protocol that includes heat treatment to reduce the risk of fractures. One of those Holder Inserts 10c is designed to hold the Backing Jaw 11e, while the other two Holder Inserts 10c are designed to respectively hold the First Jaw Holder 10a to which the Grip Jaw 11a can be attached, and the Second Jaw Holder to which the Torque Jaw 11b can be attached. These Jaw Holders, 10a and 10b, and these Jaws 11a, 11b and 11c, are easily removable and replaceable respectively by other Jaw Holders, 10a and 10b, and other jaws 11a, 11b and 11c of different sizes in order to be able to adapt to the different diameters of drill rods as will be shown later in
In
Lastly,
The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.
Claims
1. An Adjustable Breakout Wrench Tool for Blasthole Drill Rods of Different Diameters comprising:
- a) A Main Body;
- b) a Main Arm;
- c) a Torque Arm;
- d) a Wrench Support susceptible of being permanently fixed to the surface a blasthole drill;
- e) a Main Shaft connecting said Wrench Support to said Main Body, wherein said Main Shaft acts as turning point of said Main Body;
- f) three fixed Holder Inserts;
- g) at least three interchangeable Jaw Kits, each of said Jaw Kits comprising two Jaw Holders, a Backing Jaw, a Torque Jaw, and a Grip Jaw, wherein said first Jaw Kit is adapted to grip and loosen a Drill Rod having a first diameter, said second Jaw Kit is adapted to grip and loosen a Drill Rod having a second diameter and said Third Jaw Kit is adapted to grip and loosen a Drill Rod having a third diameter;
- h) a Grip Cylinder;
- i) a Positioning Cylinder;
- j) a Torque Cylinder;
- k) a Sequential Valve;
- l) a Traction Spring which keeps said Torque Arm with a tendency to open;
- m) a Torque Cylinder Support fixed to said Wrench Support;
- and
- n) a Sequential Valve Support fixed to said Main Body.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 7, 2022
Publication Date: Dec 7, 2023
Inventor: Mauricio Pareja (Talca)
Application Number: 17/834,175