EP3191679A1

EP3191679A1 - Rod magazine system and method

Info

Publication number: EP3191679A1
Application number: EP15839451.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Juha Säärelä; Timo KÄMÄRÄINEN; Vesa Sieppi
Original assignee: Arctic Drilling Co Ltd Oy
Current assignee: Arctic Drilling Co Ltd Oy
Priority date: 2014-09-12
Filing date: 2015-09-10
Publication date: 2017-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-10
Also published as: EP3191679A4; CA2959970C; WO2016038252A1; EP3191679B1; PT3191679T; ES2769044T3; CA2959970A1; PL3191679T3

Abstract

A rod magazine system is presented, which comprises a substantially cylindrical rod magazine (110) for storing a plurality of rods (104) on different circumferences in the direction of the longitudinal axis (116) of the rod magazine (110), wherein: the rod magazine (110) is arranged to rotate around its longitudinal axis (116), and the rod magazine (110) is arranged to be attached to a three-dimensionally turning feed beam (102) of a boring machine; on its sides, the rod magazine (110) comprises a plurality of rod slots (112) extending towards the longitudinal axis (116) of the rod magazine (110), each of which is arranged to receive a plurality of rods (104) in such a manner that the rods (104) are stored parallel to the longitudinal axis (116) of the rod magazine (110) on a plurality of circumferences with different radii as seen from the longitudinal axis (116); wherein the inner length of the rod magazine (110) substantially corresponds to the length of one rod (104) being stored, whereby the stored rods (104) cannot essentially move in the longitudinal direction; and wherein the rod magazine system (110) comprises a locking member (114) which allows the rods to push into the rod slot (112) but prevents the unintentional falling of the stored rods (104) out of the rod slot (112).

Description

ROD MAGAZINE SYSTEM AND METHOD

Field

[0001] The invention relates to storing rods, such as boring rods or drilling rods, during boring and/or in between boring tasks. In particular, the invention relates to a rotating rod carousel for storing the rods in question.

Background

[0002] It is known to move drilling or boring rods on a boring line by hand. This is hard and prone to injuries.

Brief description

[0003] The objects of the invention are implemented by a device which is characterized by what is stated in the independent claims.

[0004] Some preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the figures

[0005] The invention is now described in closer detail in connection with preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0006] Figure 1 shows a rod magazine fixed to a bore beam;

[0007] Figures 2 - 4 show a series of images on how a rod is removed from a rod magazine on a boring line;

[0008] Figure 5 shows emptying of an entire rod slot;

[0009] Figure 6 shows a rotation of the rod magazine for emptying a new rod slot according to an embodiment;

[0010] Figure 7 shows the device according to an embodiment; and

[0011] Figure 8 shows a method according to an embodiment; and

[0012] Figures 9A - 9C illustrate the operation of locking members.

Description of embodiments

[0013] Boring rods may be several metres, such as three or six metres long rods, and as a general rule have an annular cylinder shape. At intervals, the need arises to either add these rods to a boring line pushing into the ground or take them out from there as boring proceeds or boring lines are pulled up. [0014] It is known that in such a situation rods are manually moved by people. Often, this additionally involves the screwing of the rod being moved to connect to the previous rod or unscrewing the threads of the previous rod. Work done manually is hard and risk-prone. As a result, machines have also been developed, such as gripping hands, which according to a specific path take a rod from a particular place and move it on the drilling line, or vice versa. In these cases, too, rods need to be manually brought to this one particular place from where the gripping hand fetches them. In addition, it takes a lot of room to store the rods, because the rod storage has been separate from the rest of the boring equipment. They may even have needed transfer equipment of their own as the boring machine was relocated. Therefore, the drawbacks of the prior art machines and methods include complexity, manual work, accident-proneness, and slowness.

[0015] It is consequently worth looking into new, convenient, and space-saving solutions for storing/stocking rods as wells as automatic and safe handling of rods during boring. This is why a rod magazine system according to the figures is set forth, which has a substantially cylindrical rod magazine 1 10 for storing a plurality of rods 104 on different circumferences parallel to the longitudinal axis 1 16 of the rod magazine, as shown by Figure 1. In an embodiment, the shape of the rod magazine 1 10 is, instead of an annular cylinder, a polygonal cylinder which, however, essentially corresponds to an annular cylinder.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1 , the rod magazine 1 10 is arranged to be mounted to a three-dimensionally turning feed beam, in other words, bore beam 102, on a boring machine. A boring machine refers to, for example, a movable machine used to carry out boring. It should be noted that boring can be performed in any direction, such as upward (in case the machine is underground), downward, on side walls, etc. In such a case, the bore beam 102 needs to be turnable arbitrarily in a three-dimensional manner in any direction, also up-side-down. It is such a case most important that rods 104 may be attached to the magazine 1 10 so that they cannot inadvertently fall from the magazine 1 10. It may additionally be worthwhile to prevent the movement of rods 104 inside the magazine 1 10 so that the rods 104 or magazine 1 10 are not damaged when the bore beam 102 and thus the magazine 1 10 move three-dimensionally. [0017] In an embodiment, the rod magazine 110 is mounted to a boring machine operating underground, such as in tunnels. In this case, the bore beam 102 may be secured to a boom of an underground digger, which can be moved according to the desired direction of boring. In another embodiment, the bore beam 102 is the bore beam 102 of an overground boring machine.

[0018] Although the figures show the rod magazine attached to a side of the bore beam 102, the rod magazine 1 0 may be located arbitrarily attached to the bore beam 102, such as above the bore beam 102.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1 , the rod magazine is arranged to rotate around its longitudinal axis 116. This rotation, shown by a curved arrow in Figure 1 , is advantageous because then the rod magazine 1 10 itself may be mounted in a fixed manner to the bore beam 102, and the emptying and filling of the rod slots in the rod magazine takes place with the aid of the magazine 1 10 rotating, as will be described below. In other words, the position of the rod magazine 1 10 in relation to the bore beam 102 is fixed, but the rod magazine 100 may stay in place and rotate around its longitudinal axis 116. The magazine 1 10 may rotate assisted by a hydraulic or an electric motor, for example.

[0020] As the figures indicate, the rod magazine 1 10 comprises on its sides a plurality of rod slots 102 extending towards the longitudinal axis 1 16 of the rod magazine, each of the slots being arranged to receive a plurality of rods 104. So, the rod slots 1 12 extend from the virtual side surface of the magazine 110 towards the centre axis, that is, the longitudinal axis/line 116. In such a case, the rods 104 are stored in the direction of the longitudinal axis 116 of the rod magazine on a plurality of circumferences with different radii as seen from the longitudinal axis 1 16, as Figure 2 illustrates. In such a case, the rods 104 in each recess constitute a pile of rods. The rod magazine 1 10 according to the embodiment of Figure 2 has 15 rod piles in fifteen different rod slots 1 12. It should also be noted that part of the rod slots 1 12 may be so short that they store one rod 104, only, although the figures do not show this.

[0021] As mentioned in the above, it may be worthwhile to prevent the movement of rods 104 inside the magazine 1 10 so that the rods 104 or magazine 1 10 are not damaged when the bore beam 102 and thus the magazine 1 10 move three-dimensionally. For this reason, the inner length of the rod magazine 1 10 essentially corresponds to the length of one storable rod 104. This means that the stored rods 104 cannot essentially move in the longitudinal direction. Rods of any length may be used as long as the length of the magazine 1 10 is appropriately determined according to the rod length. This length in an embodiment is three metres. In another embodiment, it is six metres. The length of the magazine 1 10 may be the distance between the end elements 11 1A, 1 1 B as measured from the inner walls of the end elements 1 1 1A, 1 11 B.

[0022] The rod magazine 1 10 further comprises at least one locking member 14. In an embodiment, each rod slot 1 12 may comprise these locking members at the mouth, for example, as shown in Figures 2 and 9A - 9C, for example. These locking members 114 allow the rods 104 to push into the rod slot 1 12 but prevent the unintentional falling of the stored rods 104 out of the rod slot 1 12 when the feed beam 102 is arbitrarily turned, for example. The locking members 1 14 may be, for example, flexible so that they give in slightly, or retract inward, as the rod 104 is being pushed past them into the rod slot 1 12. The locking member 1 14 may be shaped in such a manner that as the rod 104 is being pushed in, the rod 104 being pushed comes into contact with a gently rising surface of the locking member 1 14 and at the same time pushes the member 114 lightly out of its way (in other words, the member 1 14 gives in lightly or is pushed lightly inward). On the other hand, as seen from the other direction, that is when a rod 104 is being removed from a slot 1 12, the removable rod 104 comes into contact with a more steeply rising surface of the locking member 1 14, whereby the gravity or momentum of the rod 104 is not enough to push the locking member 1 14 out of its way. This is shown in Figures 9A - 9C. Although it is depicted that each rod slot 1 12 comprises two locking members 1 14 opposite each other on the essentially opposite sides of a rod slot, one locking member 1 14 is enough. It is furthermore obvious for a person skilled in the art that the locking member 1 14 may differ from what the figures show, as long as they lock rods 104 into a slot 1 12. By means of the locking members 1 14, the rods 104 will stay in the rod slot 112 also in the lateral direction when the bore beam 102 and therefore the rod magazine 1 10 are arbitrarily turned.

[0023] In an embodiment, the rods 104 of each rod slot 1 12 are in contact with each other by their side surfaces, and the locking member 114 is behind the furthest rod 104, only, as seen from the longitudinal axis 1 16. The length of each rod slot may hence be determined according to the number of rods intended to be placed inside a rod slot 112, and the diameter of the rods used. The width of the rod slot 1 12 may be determined according to the diameter of the rod 104 so that the rod 104 goes in the slot/recess 1 12 but cannot move in the slot 112.

[0024] In an embodiment, the rod magazine system has at least two supports around the rod magazine 1 10, which keep the rods 104 in the rod slots 1 12. Each support may have an opening at the emptying position 1 14, in connection with which may be the locking members 114. So, in this embodiment, there need not be locking members integrated into rod slots 112. However, in an embodiment, the supports may be in connection with the mouth of the rod slots 1 12 as a backup in addition to the locking members 1 14 to keep the rods 104 in place in the rod slots 112, during transfers of a boring machine, for example. Each support may be openable to add rods 104 into the magazine 110.

[0025] Therefore the magazine 110 put forth is useful because it can store a plurality of rods 104 on different circumferences and keep the rods in place in the magazine 1 10 as the rod magazine 1 10 is arbitrarily turning. Because the rods 104 are on different circumferences, that is, at different distances from the centre line 1 16, the magazine may hold considerably more rods 104 than if one circumference, only, were in use. Figure 2 shows four rod circumferences, the outermost circumferences of which have more rods 104 than the innermost circumferences. The location of a rod 104 in the circular direction is determined by the location of the rod slot 1 12 on the circumference whereas the location of the rod 104 in the radial direction is determined by the depth of the rod slot 1 12 and by the number of rods 104 there already are in place in the rod slot 1 12. The use of a plurality of circumferences also requires notably different structural solutions for the rod magazine 110 than a single- circumference model. For example, in a rod removal operation, solutions need to be used that would not be needed in a single-circumference model.

[0026] In an embodiment, as seen in Figures 1 and 3, among others, the rod magazine 1 10 additionally comprises two circular end elements 11 A, 111 B and at least a longitudinal axis 116 between the end elements 1 1 1A, 1 1 1 B. As referred to in . the above, the distance between the end elements 1 1 1 A, 1 1 1 B may correspond to the length of one rod 104 so that the rods are immovably stored in the magazine 1 10. A hollow space may remain between these end elements 1 11 A, 1 1 I B. A hollow space may be advantageous for the lightness of the structure.

[0027] In addition, between the end elements 11 1 A, 1 1 1 B there may be at least one longitudinal side element 1 3, arranged to connect the end elements 11 1 A, 1 1 1 B to each other and to support the structure of the magazine 1 0.

[0028] In an embodiment, between the end elements 1 1 1 A, 1 11 B there are at least two bossed elements 1 18A, 118B (in other words, grooved circular elements) where the gaps between the bosses form said rod slots 1 12. These may be located at any location. The use of the two elements 1 18A, 118B supports stored rods 104 well, it may be advantageous to place these elements 1 18A, 1 18B as far away from each other as possible to achieve optimal support for the rods 104. On the other hand, in an embodiment the elements 1 8A, 118B are off the end elements 1 1A, 1 1 B so that the potential dirt in the rods 104 is not hemmed in between elements 1 1 A and 118A and/or 1 1 1 B and 1 SB. The end elements 11 1 A, 1 1 1 B and the bossed elements 118A, 1 18B rotate as the rod magazine 110 rotates.

[0029] In an embodiment, the rod magazine may at first be filled with rods 104 manually. When the rod magazine 1 10 is filled, the rod magazine 1 10 may be rotated manually or with a motor so that the rods 104 may be pushed into the rod slots 112 in an economically good position. A filled rod magazine 1 10 may be seen in Figures 2 and 3, for example. When a rod magazine is at least partly filled with rods 104, a boring operation may be started. In the following, with the aid of Figures 2 - 6, automatic removal of rods 104 from the rod magazine 1 0 during a boring operation will be examined.

[0030] According to an embodiment, a rod magazine system additionally comprises an automated arm 120 and a rod gripper 122 secured to it, This arm 120, according to the embodiment, is arranged by software to move along a predetermined path and to move rods 104 between the emptying place 124 of the rod magazine 110 and a boring line 108. At least a part of the path is shown in Figures 2 - 4. in an embodiment, the arm 120 comprises one hinged joint, oniy. This establishes a simple and reliable arm 120. The arm 120 may be located between the rod magazine 1 10 and the bore beam 102, moving a rod 104 on its path by means of one joint. In another embodiment, the arm has a plurality of hinged joints. In an embodiment, the movement of the arm 120 may be accomplished by a cylinder-piston implementation, for example.

[0031] The emptying place 124 is seen in Figure 2, for example. The emptying place 124 is a predetermined place and its location in relation to the feed beam 102 may be fixed. The mouth of each rod slot 112 comes in turn to the emptying place 124 as the rod magazine 1 10 rotates around its longitudinal axis 16. In other words, the motor is used to control the rotation of the rod magazine 110 in such a manner that the mouth of a particular rod slot 112 comes to the emptying place 124. At this spot, the rotating of the rod magazine 1 10 is stopped whereby the arm 120 rises to its top position to pick up a rod 104. The arm 120 may be moved by hydraulics, for example. A rod gripper 122 at this point grasps the rod 104. The rod gripper 122 may also be moved under power of a hydraulic motor. As will be disclosed in greater detail below, a rod 104 may be pushed off a rod slot 1 12 straight to the rod gripper 122 by using a pushing element 130 which is transverse to the rod.

[0032] After this, as shown by Figures 3 and 4, the arm 120 lowers with the rod 104 to the low position. Holding on to the rod is a rod gripper 122 that may comprise a top and bottom jaw which clamp the rod 104 between them. The low position in Figure 4 corresponds to the position where the rod 104 is on the bore line 108, that is, on the line where the boring takes place. This rod 104, too, is to be mounted on this boring line 108 so that boring may continue further on. The mounting typically takes place by the threading on the rod 104 and the mating threading on the previous rod on the boring line.

[0033] To enable this, in an embodiment, the automated system of the boring device receives the rod 104 and carries out the tightening by turning it. In another embodiment, the rod gripper 122 of the arm 120 is arranged by means of software to screw a rod 104 into the previous rod as rods are fed on the boring line 108, and to uncouple a rod from the previous rod as rods are removed from the boring line 108. This is possible for example so that the upper and/or lower jaws of the rod gripper 122 are rotatable by a motor, whereby the screwing of a rod 104 into the mating threading of another rod takes place in an automated manner.

[0034] For the rod 04 to position securely and correctly in the boring line, the rod magazine 110 may comprise a rod support 126 arranged to receive the rod 104 brought by the arm 120 and to set the rod 104 in the boring line 108. The rod support 126 may make sure that the end of the rod 104 engages the previous rod in the boring line 108. The rod support 126 may additionally be movable so that when actual boring is taking place, the rod support 126 may release the rod 104.

[0035] In an embodiment, the rod magazine system additionally comprises an automated transfer element 128 for moving the rod in the longitudinal direction, as Figure 4 shows. The purpose of this transfer element is to transfer a rod 104 on the boring line in the longitudinal direction. The movement of the transfer element 128 may be accomplished by a cylinder- piston implementation, for example. This may prove useful, for example, when a rod 104 is being secured to the previous rod on the boring line 108. In other words, when a rod 104 is lowered on the rod line (that is, boring line) with the arm 120, the end of the rod may be slightly off the end of the previous rod. In such a case, it may be useful to push the rod on the boring line 108 to engage with the previous rod, so that rotating the rod makes it connect to the mating threading of the previous rod, and the rods are interconnected. In an embodiment, the longitudinal rod transfer element 128 moves the arm 120 in the longitudinal direction whereby a rod 104 held by the rod gripper 122 is pushed along with the arm 120 on the boring line 108.

[0036] Once a rod 104 has been screwed in the previous rod on the boring line 108, the arm 120 may after this have been arranged to move out of the way of the boring line 108 for the duration of boring. The arm may, for example, go down to a rest position, past the lower position. When boring has proceeded for the length of a rod 104, the arm have been arranged, as in Figure 5, to pick up a new rod from the rod magazine 1 10. As mentioned in the above, it may be useful to provide a solution where the rods may be pushed outward in a rod slot 1 12 towards the mouth where the rod gripper 122 awaits the rod.

[0037] It is consequently put forth in an embodiment that the rod magazine 1 10 comprises an automated transverse pushing element 130 of a rod, which is controllably first arranged to push a pile of rods outward of the longitudinal axis 116 of the rod magazine 1 10 during the removal of rods, so that the locking member 1 14 yields and the rod 104 is able to leave the rod slot 112. In other words, the force of the pushing element 130 is such that the locking member 1 14 yields and lets a pipe 104 pass the locking member 1 14 out of a rod slot 1 12, where the rod gripper 122 is waiting for the arrival of the rod 104. At this stage, the jaws of the rod gripper 122 compress against each other, and the arm 120 takes this new rod 104 on the boring line, as described in the above.

[0038] This way the entire rod slot 1 12 may be emptied one rod 104 at a time by the use of the pushing element 130. In another embodiment, the pushing element is replaced with a magnet and an extending rod gripper 122, for example, which, when extending, picks up a rod from the end of the rod slot 1 12 with the magnet. In an embodiment, the emptying place of the rod magazine 1 10 is at the bottom part of the rod magazine 110, as seen in the vertical direction, so that gravity makes the rods drop all the way to the locking member 1 14 from where the arm 120 and rod gripper 122 may pick it up.

[0039] The pushing element 130 in the transverse direction of the rod may also be arranged to retract to a rear position when a rod slot 112 becomes empty, as illustrated by Figure 6. In such a case, the rod magazine 1 10 may rotate around its longitudinal axis 1 16 so that the next rod slot 1 12 to be emptied arrives at the pushing element 130.

[0040] The longitudinal length of the pushing element may be whatever desired, as long as it can be used to push a rod 104 in the transverse direction out of the rod magazine 1 10. In the transverse direction, the pushing element 130 may reach all the way to the mouth of the rod slot 1 12. The pushing/retraction may be accomplished by a cylinder-piston implementation, for example. The pushing element 130 and emptying place 124 may have a fixed relation with each other so that a rod 104 pushed off by the pushing element 130 always leaves the emptying place 124 straight to the rod gripper 122 on the arm 120. In an embodiment, the pushing element 130 is located in a hollow space between two bossed elements 1 18A, 1 18B, whereby the pushing element 130 may move freely and push a pile of rods.

[0041] In an embodiment, the pushing element 130 is mounted to the longitudinal axis 1 16 of the rod magazine 1 10 by a screw, and the pushing element 130 is a scissor structure having a joint in the middle and moved by a piston. The pushing element 130 may also be any other mechanical structure that moves rods between the rod magazine 1 10 and boring line 108.

[0042] In an embodiment, the rod magazine 1 10 is not fixedly attached to a bore beam but moves by means of a cylinder, for example, on the boring line 108 where a rod 104 is released from a feeding opening 1 14 on a rod support 126, after which the rod magazine turns away from the rod line 108 and a transfer element 128 attaches the rod 104 on the rod line 108. This embodiment does not necessarily have an arm 120 or a pushing element 130.

[0043] In an embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the rod magazine system comprises at least one processor 702 and memory 704 which comprises a computer program code (PROG) in which the memory 704 and code (PROG) are, together with the processor 702, arranged to control the rotation of the rod magazine 1 10, operations of the arm 120 and rod gripper 122, as well as the operation of the pushing element 130 and/or transfer element 28, for example. In an embodiment, the operation of the rod magazine 10 is controlled so that one rod slot 112 at a time is emptied from the rod magazine 110 without, however, emptying adjacent rod slots one after the other. This may be beneficial in ensuring that the weight balance of the rod magazine 1 10 is stable as boring is proceeding. If all the rod slots 112 were to be emptied in one go, one side of the magazine would weight considerably more than the other, which might cause problems in the bearing, for example.

[0044] The processor 702 may additionally comprise, for example, a rod magazine control circuitry 710 which may be responsible for rotating the rod magazine 1 10, for example. The processor 702 may additionally comprise, for example, a control circuitry 712 for rod transfer, which may be responsible for moving a rod 104 with the aid of the arm 120, rod gripper 122, and pushing element 130, for example. The processor 702 may additionally comprise, for example, a control circuitry 714 for boring, which may be responsible for operating the boring machine and boring, for example.

[0045] At the time boring is being completed, the boring line is pulled up, whereby it will be necessary to remove rods 104 from the boring line 108, and to transfer these rods back to the rod magazine 1 10. This, too, may be accomplished by means of the arm 120 and rod gripper 122 whereby a rod is unscrewed from the previous rod on the boring line 108 and transferred to the rod slot 112 at the emptying place 124 of the magazine 1 10. As mentioned in the above, the rod may be pushed quite lightly in the rod slot 112 as the flexible locking member 1 14 gives way. In this context, too, one rod slot 112 may be filled at a time, but adjacent rod slots will not be filled one after the other in order to guarantee a good weight balance.

[0046] In an embodiment, the rod 104 is a boring rod 104. A boring rod is used in sample boring whereas drilling rods are typically used in production boring. Boring rods are considerably lighter than drilling rods, it would not be sensible to place very many drilling rods (on several circumferences, for example), because in such a case the weight of the magazine 1 10 would become immense. The smallish weight of boring rods makes it possible to store a plurality of boring rods in a magazine 1 10 set forth.

[0047J In an embodiment, some of the rod slots 1 12 are adapted to receive core rods and some to receive boring rods. Core rods are needed in diamond boring for taking samples. Their size is somewhat different from boring rods, so some of the rod slots 112 may be different from others. This may be advantageous for automated diamond boring. In such a case, the control logistics 710 may be arranged to transfer a core rod on the boring line 108 at regular intervals.

[0048] In accordance with an embodiment, a method according to Figure 8 is additionally disclosed, in which at step 800 a rod magazine 1 10 described in the above is attached to a three-dimensionally turning feed beam 102 on the boring machine. At step 802, rods 104 are installed into the rod magazine 1 10. At step 804, the automated arm 120 is controlled in such a manner that it is used to take one rod 104 at a time out of the rod slot 112 which at any one time is at the emptying place 124 of the rod magazine 110, and a rod 104 is transferred by means of the arm 120 on the boring line 108. Additionally, according to step 808, after one rod slot 1 12 has become empty, the rod magazine 1 10 is rotated around its longitudinal axis 1 16 so that the mouth of a new rod slot 1 12 arrives at the emptying place 124 and so that adjacent rod slots are not successively emptied.

[0049] The benefits of the rod magazine system set forth include reduced physical work, working becoming faster, reduced risk for accidents, boring work becoming faster, reduced space requirements for boring work, facilitated moving of boring equipment, and preventing boring rods from becoming damaged.

[0050] It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1 . A rod magazine system which comprises a substantially cylindrical rod magazine ( 10) for storing a plurality of rods (104) on different circumferences in the direction of the longitudinal axis (1 16) of the rod magazine (1 10), wherein:

the rod magazine (1 10) is arranged to rotate around its longitudinal axis (1 16), and the rod magazine (1 10) is arranged to be attached to a three- dimensionally turning feed beam (102) of a boring machine;

on its sides, the rod magazine (1 10) comprises a plurality of rod slots (1 12) extending towards the longitudinal a is (1 16) of the rod magazine (1 10), each slot being arranged to receive a plurality of rods (104) in such a manner that the rods (104) are stored parallel to the longitudinal axis ( 1 16) of the rod magazine (1 10) on a plurality of circumferences with different radii as seen from the longitudinal axis (116),

wherein the inner length of the rod magazine (1 10) substantially corresponds to the length of one rod (104) being stored, whereby the stored rods (104) cannot essentially move in the longitudinal direction; and

wherein the rod magazine system (1 10) comprises a locking member (1 14) which allows the rods to push into the rod slot (112) but prevents the unintentional falling of the stored rods (104) out of the rod slot (1 12).

2. A rod magazine system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rod magazine (1 10) comprises:

two circumferential end elements (1 1 1 A, 1 1 1 B) and at least a longitudinal axis (1 16) between the end elements (1 1 1 A, 1 1 B), wherein the distance between the end elements (1 1 1 A, 1 1 B) corresponds to the length of one rod (104); and

between the end elements (11 1 A, 1 1 1 B) at least two circumferential bossed elements (1 18A, 1 18B) where the gaps between the bosses form said rod slots (1 12).

3. A rod magazine system as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, which additionally comprises:

an automated arm (120) and attached thereto a rod gripper (122), wherein the arm (120) is arranged by software to move along a predetermined path and to move rods (104) between an emptying place (124) of the rod magazine (1 10) and a rod line (108), wherein the mouth of each rod slot (1 1 2) in turn arrives at the emptying place as the rod magazine rotates around its longitudinal axis (1 16).

4. A rod magazine system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rod gripper (122) is arranged by means of software to screw a rod (104) into the previous rod as rods (104) are fed into the boring line (108), and to uncouple a rod (104) from the previous rod as rods ( 04) are removed from the boring line

(108).

5. A rod magazine system as claimed in either claim 3 or 4, which additionally comprises:

a rod support (126) which is arranged to receive a rod (104) brought by the arm (120) and to guide the rod (104) into the previous rod on the boring line (108); and

an automated transfer element (128) of a rod in its longitudinal direction, arranged to transfer a rod (104) longitudinally on the boring line

(108).

6. A rod magazine system as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 5, wherein the rod magazine (1 10) additionally comprises an automated transverse pushing element (130), which is controllably arranged to:

push rods (104) stored in one rod slot (1 12) away from the longitudinal axis (1 16) of the rod magazine (1 10) during the removal of rods (104) so that the locking member (1 14) yields and a rod (104) may come out of the rod slot (1 12); and

retract to a back positon when the rod slot (1 12) has been emptied so that the rod magazine (1 10) may rotate around its longitudinal axis (1 16) so that the next rod slot (1 12) to be emptied arrives at the pushing element (130).

7. A rod magazine system as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 6, which additionally comprises:

at least one processor (702) and a memory (704) which comprises a computer program code wherein the memory and code are together with the memory arranged to control the rotation of the rod magazine (1 10) in such a manner that one rod s!ot (112) at a time is emptied from the rod magazine (1 10), but adjacent rod slots (1 12) are not, however, emptied one after the other.

8. A rod magazine system as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 7, wherein a rod (104) is a boring rod.

9. A rod magazine system as claimed in claim 8, wherein some of the rod slots (1 12) are adapted to receive core rods and some to receive boring rods.

10. A rod magazine system as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 9, wherein each of the rod slots (112) comprises said locking member (114).

11. A method comprising:

mounting (800) a rod magazine system as claimed in any one of claims 1 - 1 1 to a three-dimensiona!ly turning feed beam (102) of a boring machine;

placing (802) rods in a rod magazine (110);

controlling (804) an automated arm (120) in such a manner that it is used to take one rod (104) at a time out of the rod slot (112) of the rod magazine (110), which at any one time is at the emptying place (124) of the rod magazine (1 10), and transferring the rod (104) by means of the arm (120) on the boring line (108); and

after one rod slot (112) has become empty, rotating (806) the rod magazine (110) around its longitudinal axis (1 16) so that the mouth of a new rod slot (112) arrives at the emptying place (124), and adjacent rod slots (112) are not emptied one after the other.