One or more apparatuses are described for drilling, and related methods. The apparatus can include a mast articulation mechanism supported by a base structure, an elongated mast, and a mast actuator.

A drilling machinery orientation apparatus, including an orientation device permanently affixed to, and integral with a structure of, a drilling machine at a point of integration. The orientation device comprises orientation means capable of determining at least an azimuth of a drill rod of the drilling machine prior to drilling a drill hole and determining a change in the azimuth of the drill rod when drilling the drill hole.

A bollard drilling jig including a base plate, an elongated bar coupled to the base plate, and at least two guide collars spaced apart from each other on the elongated bar. The at least two guide collars each include an interior channel that is sized to receive a drilling tool therethrough.

A manually operated pneumatic rock drill positioner for mining shaft wall boring, said positioner comprising: an articulated boom having one end for releasable coupling to a mobile ground platform and another end opposite said one end thereof; a rigid elongated drill turret defining a main body with an exposed outer wall, an inner wall opposite said outer wall, and first side edge wall and second side edge wall opposite said first side edge wall, and first end and second end opposite said first end, a lengthwise rail member integrally mounted to said turret outer wall; a carriage slidingly engaging said rail member, said carriage for slidingly carrying a pneumatic drill head over said turret exposed outer wall for reciprocating motion thereof between said first end and second end thereof; drive means for power actuating said carriage sliding motion along said rail member; a cradle member releasably anchored to said boom another end and defining a well sized and shaped for releasable engagement by an intermediate section of said turret inner wall and said first side edge wall thereof; anchoring means for anchoring said turret to said cradle member; first coupling means for pivotally connecting said turret to said cradle member for relative pivotal movement of said turret about said cradle member along a first axis; second coupling means for pivotally connecting said turret to said cradle member for relative tilting movement of said turret about said cradle member along a second axis transverse to said first axis; all in such a way that the intersection of said first axis and second axis coincides with the center of gravity of said turret positioner and is located within said turret main body, providing a balanced load-free manual operation of the positioner.

A drilling machine includes a self-propelled motor vehicle, a front drilling member, and a rear drilling member, wherein at least one of the front or rear drilling members, has at least one drilling head suited to be oriented in any direction with respect to the advance direction of the machine, and wherein at least one of the front or rear drilling members has an integrated sliding means system suited to stabilize the member on the ground.

Apparatus for splitting rock, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a drill assembly mounted to the housing and configured to move longitudinally relative to the housing, the drill assembly comprising a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a drive element for selectively rotating the shaft and a drill bit mounted to the distal end of the shaft for drilling a hole into rock; a splitter assembly mounted to the housing and configured to move longitudinally relative to the housing, the splitter assembly comprising a tether and a wedge, the tether and the wedge being configured to be moved independently relative to one another; wherein the wedge comprises a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the wedge being wider than the distal end of the wedge; wherein the tether comprises a radially-reduced profile when the wedge is disposed proximal to the tether, and wherein the tether comprises a radially-expanded profile after the wedge is moved distally relative to the tether.

An excavation apparatus includes a supporting linkage mountable to a vehicle, and a rotary spindle operable to drive a coring element about a cutting axis. The supporting linkage supports the rotary spindle and is operable to displace the rotary spindle relative to a ground surface. The supporting linkage can lower the rotary spindle to a deployed position and raise the rotary spindle to a stored position. The cutting axis can be maintained in a vertical direction in the deployed and stored positions. The rotary spindle can move relative to the supporting linkage about a hinge axis. The hinge axis can be generally parallel to the vertical direction.

A method for mounting a roll of protective mesh material to an underground rock drilling machine comprising at least one drilling boom. The method comprises at least the following steps: inserting a first end of a first bar from a first lateral side of the roll of protective mesh material into a center of the roll of protective mesh material, fastening the first bar directly or indirectly to the drilling boom, inserting a first end of a second bar from a second lateral side of the roll of protective mesh material opposite the first lateral side into the center of the roll of protective mesh material, fastening the second bar directly or indirectly to the drilling boom in a location that is spaced apart from the first bar, securing the roll of protective mesh material against autonomous unrolling.

A core drill assembly includes a core drill and a stand upon which the core drill is mounted. The stand includes a base supportable upon a mounting surface, a mast defining a longitudinal axis and extending upward from the base, a carriage moveably coupled to the mast and configured to support the core drill thereon, and at least one leg pivotably coupled to the base between a deployed position, in which the leg extends away from the base, and a stowed position, in which the leg is at least partially recessed within the base.

A method of ground anchoring a plurality of posts (11), especially to erect a fence or barrier. The method includes anchoring a first plurality of posts (11) into the ground, preferably simultaneously, using a plurality of post anchoring stations (50) located on at least one movable platform (10) that can be moved along a path, and then anchoring a second plurality of posts (11), again preferably simultaneously, into the ground using the plurality of post anchoring stations (50). In preferred forms there are a plurality of movable platforms which may be mechanically and/or wireless linked.