Patent ID: 8087473

Claim:
A drilling rig comprising: a thrust frame having forward and rearward portions, the forward portion of the thrust frame connectable to a towing vehicle; a drilling carriage slidably disposed on the thrust frame, the drilling carriage having a rotatably driven spindle for engaging a drill pipe; a wheel truck at least partially supporting the rearward portion of the thrust frame, the thrust frame pivoting with respect to the wheel truck between a stowed position and a deployed position; and at least one jack assembly engaging the thrust frame for pivoting the thrust frame with respect to the wheel truck between the stowed and deployed positions; wherein the wheel truck supports a rearward portion of the thrust frame higher than a forward portion of the thrust frame in the deployed position; and wherein the at least one jack assembly comprises forward and rearward jack assemblies disposed on the respective forward and rearward portions of the thrust frame.