Drilling accessories

Drilling accessories

Illustration No. 3 shows some of the accessories that are used with these machines. These accessories will vary from one machine to another, but the basic tools are similar. With regard to the bit detaching chuck shown, the shape may vary from one make to another, but each of the machines will have some type of chuck or holding device to use in detaching the bit from the hammer or drill rod.

The centralizer split bushings are merely a device to keep the hammer in the center of a particular part of the machine, either the rotary table when a rotary table machine is used, or in a holding device when a top-head drive type machine is used.

The hydraulic wrench tong will be found in some fashion on each of the machines. Although on some rotary table drive machines the wrench tong does not connect to a hydraulic cylinder. Instead, it will attach to an arm on the machine. The rotation power of a rotary table is used to do the turning.

The centralizer is similar to the centralizer split bushing but is a solid piece, rather than being a split piece. The centralizer fork chuck is used in some manner with most makes of machines that are top-head drive, and the rotary table drive generally would have what is known as a set of slips which consist of two pieces made to fit in the rotary table and catch and hold the drill pipe.

In either event they are used to hold the weight of the drill pipe while changes are being made and, in some instances, are being used to prevent the rotation of the drill pipe, or to cause it to rotate with the table.

The rod handling chuck is merely used to lift drill rods and varies in design from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some manufacturers use a swivel type box or pin to accomplish the same purpose. The drill rod latching bar is merely a locking device to hold the drill rods on the machine while traveling to the job site.

In some machines use of this will be unnecessary and in some others pins or similar locking devices will be used. The rod handling sling is used to lift drill rods to prevent them from tilting when they are picked up. Some machines do not use these, but instead use a swivel lifting device on the top of the drill rod.

These slings are generally used where the weight of the drill rod is picked up at the bottom and the sling is attached part-way up the drill rod to keep it from tilting over. A bit grinder is an air-driven grinder that is used to sharpen carbide-type bits.