A materials handling vehicle having a chassis, two front ground engaging wheels, two rear ground engaging wheels, a front loading arm pivotally mounted relative to the chassis about a generally horizontal front loading arm axis extending laterally relative to the vehicle, a rear arm being a single rigid rear arm and being pivotally mounted at a first end relative to the chassis about a generally horizontal first axis, the rear arm being pivotable relative to the chassis about a generally vertical second axis and a piling rig for removing spoil to form a hole, the piling rig being pivotally mounted at a second end of the rear arm about a generally horizontal third axis extending laterally relative to the arm.

An apparatus for handling drilling rods, a rock drilling unit and a method of handling drilling rods is provided. The apparatus includes a rod feeder and a swing device, which cooperate and move drilling rods between a pick-up position and a drilling center defined by a rock drilling machine of the drilling unit. The rod feeder and the swing device are separate devices, which are independently controllable.

An apparatus for handling drilling rods, a rock drilling unit and a method of handling drilling rods is provided. The apparatus includes a rod feeder and a swing device, which cooperate and move drilling rods between a pick-up position and a drilling center defined by a rock drilling machine of the drilling unit. The rod feeder and the swing device are separate devices, which are independently controllable.

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.

An automated drilling rig system includes a drilling rig and a catwalk system. The drilling rig includes a rig floor, a substructure, a mast, a top drive, and a pipe handling apparatus. The pipe handling apparatus includes a column coupled to the rig floor at a position offset from the well centerline. The catwalk system includes a pipe tub, a catwalk lift frame, and a catwalk assembly. The pipe tub is configured to store one or more tubular members for use with the drilling rig. The catwalk assembly includes a base and a catwalk slide. The catwalk lift frame is coupled to the base of the catwalk assembly and extends substantially vertically to the rig floor. The catwalk slide is coupled to the catwalk lift frame at a first end and pivotably coupled to the base at a second end via a leveling strut. The catwalk slide includes a skate adapted to slide along the length of the catwalk slide.

The invention relates to a method of drilling ground along a drilling direction, the method comprising: providing at least first and second drill tubes (40, 42); providing an articulated and motorized manipulator arm (12) having a gripper member (30); using the gripper member (30) to take hold of the first drill tube (40); moving the gripper member in the drilling direction so as to drive the first drill tube into the ground, the gripper member releasing the first drill tube; then taking hold of the second drill tube and fastening the second drill tube to the first drill tube; and moving the gripper member so as to drive the first and second drill tubes into the ground.

The invention relates to a method of drilling ground along a drilling direction, the method comprising: providing at least first and second drill tubes (40, 42); providing an articulated and motorized manipulator arm (12) having a gripper member (30); using the gripper member (30) to take hold of the first drill tube (40); moving the gripper member in the drilling direction so as to drive the first drill tube into the ground, the gripper member releasing the first drill tube; then taking hold of the second drill tube and fastening the second drill tube to the first drill tube; and moving the gripper member so as to drive the first and second drill tubes into the ground.

A robotic apparatus for performing drill floor operations comprises a support arrangement and at least one manipulator arm. The at least one manipulator arm is configured to carry an end effector configured to manipulate one or more of tubing, tools and/or equipment on a drill floor or pipe deck of an oil and gas rig in order to perform a given drill floor operation.

An apparatus can include a telescoping arm having a guiding means and a pivot at opposite ends, the telescoping arm being rotatable about the pivot relative to a spider, and the pivot being secured to the spider. A method can include extending a telescoping arm upward relative to a rig floor, pivoting an upper end of the telescoping arm toward a tubular string, then clamping an umbilical to the tubular string, then lowering the tubular string, then retracting the telescoping arm and pivoting the upper end of the telescoping arm away from the tubular string, and then applying torque to a connection in the tubular string. A system can include an actuator operative to rotate a telescoping arm about a pivot, an upper end the actuator is connected to the telescoping arm, and a lower end of the actuator is positioned within an outer circumference of a spider.