Laboratory-scale drilling rigs open the opportunities for conducting investigations and testing of new equipment and technologies. Since field experiments with the real-scale installations are quite difficult, dangerous and expensive, the miniature rigs provide useful alternatives for innovative researches of drilling processes and creation of modern devices. The Montanuniversitat MiniRig is one of the few of its kind and its development is an important goal of the department. The installation includes all the main systems inherent in industrial drilling rigs: rotary system, hoisting and circulation systems. The key advantage of the MiniRig is the control system which is presented by programmable logical controller (PLC). With the use of PLC automatic drilling operations are implemented, thus the prospects of full automation of drilling rigs can be investigated. However, the current setup is not equipped with pipes hold and supply system. Therefore, it can¿t perform drill string connection operations in automatic regime to substitute manual work on pipes screwing. Such restrictions do not allow to fully implement experiments on automation and study of drilling processes. To enhance the functionality of MiniRig the continuous drill pipe connection system was designed. First of all, all the necessary tasks that the system should conduct were defined. The system combines pipe holding and feeding mechanisms and makes possible making up and breaking out operations in automatic mode. The next step involved determining of the general appearance and building the mechanical components using SolidWorks CAD. Also the limitations due to laboratory conditions are taking into consideration. The designed concept integrates a setback and a pipe supplier and represents the rotating cylinder with channels for pipes. Since at each moment of time one of the retained pipes is on the well center, drilling and tripping are carried out through the cylinder. Moreover, the pipe holding mechanism is used not only inside the channels of the cylinder, but also as slips near the drill floor. For the purpose of substantiation of the selected design feasibility the calculations of the key mechanical parameters of each unit were conducted. The outcome of the work is the model of the continuous drill pipe connection system which is accompanied by the main mechanical calculations. Next, the designed system will be built and automated.