A sucker rod tong assembly for fastening together sucker rods to a rod coupling, where the assembly can include a two-stage mechanical drive mechanism. The first stage can connect an upper sucker rod to a lower sucker rod via a rod coupling. The first stage can be limited in mechanical ability to tighten the connection to a pre-set shoulder torque value. The second stage can then be hydraulically and mechanically sequenced, using a linear gear drive mechanism, to rotate a main tong pinion gear that can further rotate the sucker rod connection through a fixed circumferential displacement to a mechanical stop.

A drill rod handler (30) for use on a drilling rig (10). In at least one embodiment, the drill rod handler (30) comprises a boom (32) having jaws (38) for releasably grasping a drill rod (14) in at least two spaced apart positions along the length of the drill rod, and a boom positioning means for positioning the boom so that the jaws may grasp a drill rod (14) from a rod storage (18) on the drilling rig or from another rod storage at a different location (16). In another embodiment, a drill rod handler comprising a boom having jaws for releasably grasping a drill rod in at least two spaced apart positions along the length of the drill rod, a boom tilt mechanism for raising or lowering an end of the boom and a drill rod when the drill rod is grasped by the jaws; and an interconnect for connection to the end of the boom for stabilising the end of the boom with respect to the a mast (20) of the drilling rig (10) when the boom (32) is in a rod presentation position.

A gripping device for a drill string component handling device in a rock drill rig. Gripper element pairs are supported by a body and include at least one gripper element, being pivotally movable around a pivot joint, between a closed position, including a gripping position, and an open position. The pivotally movable gripper element is pivotal in a respective gripper plane forming a right angle to an axial direction. Each movable gripper element includes an actuation portion, which co-operates with a wedge device being movable in directions parallel to the axial direction for pivoting said movable gripper element. A method, a drill string component handling device for a rock drill rig and a rock drill rig including a drill string component handling device.

A gripping device for a drill string component handling device in a rock drill rig. Gripper element pairs are supported by a body and include at least one gripper element, being pivotally movable around a pivot joint, between a closed position, including a gripping position, and an open position. The pivotally movable gripper element is pivotal in a respective gripper plane forming a right angle to an axial direction. Each movable gripper element includes an actuation portion, which co-operates with a wedge device being movable in directions parallel to the axial direction for pivoting said movable gripper element. A method, a drill string component handling device for a rock drill rig and a rock drill rig including a drill string component handling device.

A lifting arm arrangement includes a gripper head arm, a lifting arm, and a lifting cylinder. A gripper head is fastened to a first gripper head arm end. A first lifting arm end is pivotally connected to the gripper head arm. A second lifting arm end is pivotally connected to a stationary lifting cylinder part. A second gripper head arm end is pivotally connected to a movable lifting cylinder part. The stationary lifting cylinder part comprises a cylinder with a cylinder cavity having first and second cylinder openings. A piston rod with a piston is arranged in the cylinder cavity. A first piston rod portion projects from a first piston end of the piston. A second piston rod portion projects from an opposite second piston end of the piston. Working areas of the first and second piston ends are substantially equal to each other.

A lifting arm arrangement includes a gripper head arm, a lifting arm, and a lifting cylinder. A gripper head is fastened to a first gripper head arm end. A first lifting arm end is pivotally connected to the gripper head arm. A second lifting arm end is pivotally connected to a stationary lifting cylinder part. A second gripper head arm end is pivotally connected to a movable lifting cylinder part. The stationary lifting cylinder part comprises a cylinder with a cylinder cavity having first and second cylinder openings. A piston rod with a piston is arranged in the cylinder cavity. A first piston rod portion projects from a first piston end of the piston. A second piston rod portion projects from an opposite second piston end of the piston. Working areas of the first and second piston ends are substantially equal to each other.

A guide arm with dual guiding functionality is disclosed. The guide arm comprises two parallelogram mechanisms with a slew drive in between. The first parallelogram mechanism may move the guide arm between different travel positions. The slew drive may rotate the second parallelogram mechanism between different clock positions. The second parallelogram mechanism may extend and retract the guide arm. The guide arm may be mounted to a belly board or to a derrick wall rather than on a drill floor. A first guiding functionality may include guiding the lower end of a pipe stand in transfer between a drilling rig well center and a storage position. A second guiding functionality may include guiding the pin end of a single tubular between a drilling operation and a catwalk.

A guide arm with dual guiding functionality is disclosed. The guide arm comprises two parallelogram mechanisms with a slew drive in between. The first parallelogram mechanism may move the guide arm between different travel positions. The slew drive may rotate the second parallelogram mechanism between different clock positions. The second parallelogram mechanism may extend and retract the guide arm. The guide arm may be mounted to a belly board or to a derrick wall rather than on a drill floor. A first guiding functionality may include guiding the lower end of a pipe stand in transfer between a drilling rig well center and a storage position. A second guiding functionality may include guiding the pin end of a single tubular between a drilling operation and a catwalk.

A pipe handling system for handling drill pipe may include a lifting system configured for handling a load of a pipe stand and a pipe handling robot configured for manipulating a position of the pipe stand. The robot may include an end effector configured for engaging the pipe stand. The system may also include a controller configured for controlling the pipe handling robot to maintain the end effector in substantial alignment with the pipe stand using a vector constraint.

A pipe handling system for handling drill pipe may include a lifting system configured for handling a load of a pipe stand and a pipe handling robot configured for manipulating a position of the pipe stand. The robot may include an end effector configured for engaging the pipe stand. The system may also include a controller configured for controlling the pipe handling robot to maintain the end effector in substantial alignment with the pipe stand using a vector constraint.