IP Library › Granted Patent US 12692756

Granted Patent B2

US 12692756 · App. 18/953,233 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

System for determining health of drill string components of drilling machines

Inventors: Yagneshwar Natarajan (Chennai, IN); Charles Taylor Hudson (Sherman, TX); Roberto Garcia (Sherman, TX); Rex Glover (Deer Creek, IL)

Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC

E21B19/165 E21B12/02 G08B21/182

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12692756
App. No.: 18/953,233
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A system for determining health of a drill string component of a drilling machine is disclosed. The system comprises a controller configured to receive, from a sensing device, a signal indicative of a duty cycle of an actuator corresponding to an engaged position of a deck wrench. The actuator is operably coupled to the deck wrench to facilitate movement of the deck wrench between a disengaged position to allow a rotational movement of the drill string component and the engaged position to restrict the rotational movement of the drill string component. The controller is further configured to determine a wear level of the drill string component based on the duty cycle of the actuator corresponding to the engaged position of the deck wrench.

Claims (45)

1 . A system for determining health of a drill string component of a drilling machine, the system comprising:

a sensing device configured to measure a stroke length of a rod portion of an actuator, wherein the rod portion of the actuator is coupled to a deck wrench, the actuator configured to shift the rod portion and the deck wrench coupled thereto in a first linear direction to move the deck wrench toward the drill string component and a second linear direction opposite the first linear direction to move the rod portion and the deck wrench coupled thereto away from the drill string component; and

a controller having a memory configured to store an initial stroke length representative of an initial clearance between the deck wrench and the drill string component when the drill string component is unworn;

the controller configured to:

receive, from the sensing device, the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator that corresponds to linear movement of the rod portion in the first linear direction from a first position wherein the deck wrench is disengaged from the drill string component and permits rotational movement of the drill string component relative to the deck wrench to a second position wherein the deck wrench is engaged with the drill string component and restricts rotational movement of the drill string component relative to the deck wrench;

compare the stroke length of the rod portion moving linearly from the first position to the second position and the initial stroke length representative of the initial clearance between the deck wrench and the drill string component when the drill string component is unworn; and

determine a wear level of the drill string component based on the comparison of the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator as the rod portion is moved from the first position to the second position corresponding to the engagement of the deck wrench with the drill string component and the initial stroke length.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the wear level of the drill string component is a first wear level based at least in part upon the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator being within a first range.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein, upon determining the wear level of the drill string component is the first wear level, the controller is configured to output a first alert signal indicating a first level warning.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the wear level of the drill string component is a second wear level based at least in part upon the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator being within a second range greater than the first range, and wherein, upon determining the wear level of the drill string component is the second wear level, the controller is further configured to output a second alert signal indicating a second level warning.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to output a third alert signal indicating a third level warning based at least in part upon the stroke length of the actuator exceeding the first wear level for a predetermined number of movements of the rod portion of the actuator between the first and second position.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator including a cylinder fixedly coupled to a mast frame, wherein the rod portion is displaceably positioned relative to the cylinder and defining a first end couplable to the deck wrench, and a second end opposite to the first end, and wherein the sensing device includes a proximity transducer disposed within the cylinder.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the drill string component includes at least one of a drill pipe, a drill pipe adapter, and a drill bit.

8 . A drilling machine, comprising:

a mast frame;

a drill string component configured to perform an operation of the drilling machine;

a deck wrench configured to move between a disengaged position to allow a rotational movement of the drill string component and an engaged position to restrict the rotational movement of the drill string component;

an actuator coupled to the mast frame, the actuator having a rod portion coupled to the deck wrench to move the deck wrench from the disengaged position to the engaged position, the rod portion having a first position wherein the rod portion positions the deck wrench in the disengaged position and a second position wherein the rod portion positions the deck wrench in the engaged position, the actuator configured to shift the rod portion and the deck wrench coupled thereto in a first linear direction to move the deck wrench toward the drill string component and a second linear direction opposite the first linear direction to move the rod portion and the deck wrench coupled thereto away from the drill string component, the rod portion having a stroke length that corresponds to linear movement of the rod portion in the first linear direction as the actuator shifts the rod portion from the first position to the second position;

a sensing device configured to measure the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator; and

the controller configured to:

receive, from the sensing device, the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator that corresponds to linear movement of the rod portion from the first position to the second position;

9 . The drilling machine of claim 8 , the controller is configured to determine that the wear level of the drill string component is a first wear level based at least in part upon the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator being within a first range.

10 . The drilling machine of claim 9 , wherein, upon determining the wear level of the drill string component is the first wear level, the controller is further configured to output a first alert signal indicating a first level warning.

11 . The drilling machine of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the wear level of the drill string component is a second wear level based at least in part upon the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator being within a second range greater than the first range, and wherein, upon determining the wear level of the drill string component is the second wear level, the controller is configured to output a second alert signal indicating a second level warning.

12 . The drilling machine of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to output a third alert signal indicating a third level warning based at least in part upon the stroke length of the actuator exceeding the first wear level for a predetermined number of movements of the rod portion of the actuator between the first and second position.

13 . The drilling machine of claim 8 , wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator including a cylinder fixedly coupled to the mast frame, wherein the rod portion is displaceably positioned relative to the cylinder and defining a first end couplable to the deck wrench, and a second end opposite to the first end, and wherein the sensing device includes a proximity transducer disposed within the cylinder.

14 . The drilling machine of claim 8 , wherein the drill string component includes at least one of a drill pipe, a drill pipe adapter, and a drill bit.

15 . A method for determining health of a drill string component of a drilling machine, the method comprising:

causing an actuator to move a rod portion through a stroke length in a linear direction from a first position to a second position, the rod portion coupled to a deck wrench to move the deck wrench upon movement of the rod portion;

measuring, via a sensing device, the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator from the first position wherein the deck wrench is disengaged from a drill string component and permits rotational movement of the drill string component relative to the deck wrench to the second position wherein the deck wrench is engaged with the drill string component and restricts rotational movement of the drill string component relative to the deck wrench;

comparing the stroke length of the rod portion moving linearly from the first position to the second position and an initial stroke length representative of an initial clearance between the deck wrench and the drill string component when the drill string component is unworn; and

determining, by a controller, a wear level of the drill string component based on the comparison of the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator corresponding to the engagement of the deck wrench with the drill string component and the initial stroke length.

16 . The method of claim 15 further including:

determining, by the controller, the wear level of the drill string component to be a first wear level based at least in part upon the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator being within a first range.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further including:

outputting, by the controller, a first alert signal indicating a first level warning.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further including:

determining, by the controller, the wear level of the drill string component to be a second level based at least in part upon the stroke length of the rod portion of the actuator being within a second range greater than the first range; and

outputting, by the controller, a second alert signal indicating a second level warning.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further including:

outputting, by the controller, a third alert signal indicating a third level warning based at least in part upon the stroke length of the actuator exceeding the first wear level for a predetermined number of movements of the rod portion of the actuator from the first to second position.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator including a cylinder fixedly coupled to a mast frame, wherein the rod portion is displaceably positioned relative to the cylinder and defining a first end couplable to the deck wrench, and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein the sensing device includes a proximity transducer disposed within the cylinder, and wherein the drill string component includes at least one of a drill pipe, a drill pipe adapter, and a drill bit.