A rock drilling device has a feed beam (1) and a rock drilling machine (2) movable along the feed beam. The rock drilling machine is fed along the feed beam (1) by a feed line (7), which is routed over a sheave (6) arranged at the movable end (5) of a pressure medium cylinder (3). A further line (8) is arranged between two points (9, 10) which are fixed relative to the movable end of the pressure medium cylinder. The further line (8) is connected to a measuring device (11) which is fixed to the feed beam (1) for measuring displacement of the rock drilling machine (2) along the feed beam.

A pipe gripping device is taught which is useful for moving pipe into and/or out of a well. The pipe gripping device includes a first set of slips for holding a pipe in a pipe light condition and a second set of slips for holding a pipe in a pipe heavy condition. The second set of slips are actuatable independently from the first set of slips. The pipe gripping device can include a slip moving system which prevents the slip carrier blocks from being driven outwardly against the housing, to thereby prevent the carrier blocks from locking, by being driven against the housing.

A metal fence post driving apparatus is formed by a platform rearwardly supported by the three point hitch of a conventional tractor and having a fluid pressure generating unit on the platform driven by the tractor power takeoff. A mast having a top end portion rotatable about its vertical axis pivotally supports a boom intermediate its ends for horizontal and vertical pivoting movement of its respective end portions by a first fluid pressure operated cylinder. A second fluid pressure cylinder pays out and retracts one end portion of the wire line of a block and tackle unit for elevating and lowering a fluid pressure operated reciprocating unit axially disposed on a post top to be driven into the ground.

The present invention is a portable drilling rig having a support tower. A drilling engine, mounted within a cradle, and a lift winch are attached to the support tower. A stabilizer bar is attached to the lower end of the support tower to prevent swaying of the support tower. The engine transfers torque to the transmission mounted below the engine, to which a steel swivel, housing a quill, allows passage of air and/or water to a drill steel to provide rotary force to power a drill bit. A pull-down system, preferably a weighted bar, is attached to the lower end of the support tower and to the drilling engine to pull the drilling ending downwardly. Manual transport is provided by means of a main base wheel dolly system for easy one-man mobilization. A counterweight is attached to the lower end of the support tower to prevent the support tower from being lifted as the pull-down system forces the drilling bit into the ground. Deflectors attached to the support tower prevent debris coming out of the hole from splashing on the present invention and the operators. A gas/water control manifold attached to the collar of the drilling engine functions to mix water and gas which is forced through the center of the drilling rod to cool the drilling bit and remove drilling debris from the hole.

An excavation apparatus especially useful when mounted on backhoes and other lighter vehicles used in the construction industry. The excavation apparatus does not require a winch for letting out and retracting its cable nor a reel for storing retracted cable which reduces the weight of the excavation apparatus, lowers its cost while facilitating both operation and servicing. The apparatus has a kelly assembly housing which houses an outer kelly section, and an extendable innermost kelly section adaptable for attachment of a tool. More than one extendable kelly section can be used. A rotary table rotates the kelly sections. A support structure supports the rotary table and the housing. A frame allows the housing to slide relative to the frame in a direction parallel to the axis of the assembly. A downcrowd mechanism, supported by the frame, downcrowds the support structure relative to the frame. A kelly deployment and retraction mechanism deploys all extendable inner kelly sections out of the housing and retracts them back into the housing. This mechanism has at least one kelly extension sheave supported by the frame, and a cable having one end attached to the innermost kelly section and a second end attached to either the support mechanism or the frame. The cable is alternately looped under lower extension, and over upper, extension sheaves so that the downcrowd mechanism also serves for letting out and retracting the cable.