A connection system for a lid in a beacon housing. The lid is connected to the housing at a tab at a first end, after a lip of the lid is placed under a shelf at its second end. The tab has a cross-bore for receiving a connection pin through both the cross-bore and corresponding holes in the housing which form a continuous passage. The lid is placed under tension to reduce relative vibration between the lid and the housing. A set screw is placed within the tab to place a force on the connection pin. Further set screws are distributed about the lid and place the lid in tension relative to the housing. The lid can be removed by reducing the tension provided by the set screws, removing the connection pin, and adjusting the lid such that it is no longer under the shelf of the housing.
A drill attachment for a work machine. The attachment has a drill frame which supports a spindle and carriage for rotating and translating a pipe segment, or a made up section of pipe. A wrench is utilized to make up and break out sections of pipe from a pipe string. The attachment is carried by a compact work machine's lift arms, and is generally oriented such that the path of the drill string is perpendicular to the path of the lift arms. The drill attachment is powered by the prime mover of the work machine, through hydraulic, electrical, or other connections.
An offloading vacuum system. The system has a tank to capture debris from an excavation site. The debris is pulled into the tank due to a blower pulling air into an attached hose. An internal conveyor within the tank conveys material to an offloading hub. The offloading hub has a ground-facing door which opens to deposit debris into an external conveyor. The external conveyor, when deployed, can move debris from below the tank to a dump container with a wall greater than a height of the tank.
A spindle with a mechanism for transferring axial force from an inner drive assembly to an outer drive assembly. The spindle's inner drive shaft is connected to an inner member of a dual-rod pipe by a drive rod having a sliding sleeve. The sleeve is fixed rotationally with the drive shaft, but not axially. When axial force drives the drive rod toward the drive member of the spindle, the sleeve contacts a stop member which is paired to the outer drive assembly. The stop member may be a pair of dowel pins. Axial force is thereby transferred from the inner member to the outer member, allowing such forces to be absorbed by the outer member's larger drive components.
F16D 3/06 - Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions specially adapted to allow axial displacement
A track tensioning system configured to automatically adjust and maintain tension on an endless track used in a track assembly. Tension is applied to the track by pressure applied by one of the rollers included in the track assembly. The roller is movable relative to the other components of the track assembly using a linear actuator. Power is supplied to the linear actuator via a power source. The power source is configured to regulate the amount of power supplied to the linear actuator to maintain the track assembly at a desired track tension.
A cable gripping assembly. The gripping assembly has two jaw assemblies for gripping and pulling a cable. Each jaw assembly has a jaw block with a tapered cavity, and a jaw subassembly which fits within the tapered cavity to grip a cable when frictional forces, caused by a hydraulic cylinder or other actuator, force the jaws into the tapered cavity. The jaw subassembly has a guide plate, which carries pins affixed to the jaws. The guide plate is ordinarily allowed to move the pins along angled slots in a jaw plate. However, when actuated by a plunger, the guide plate and pins are forced to a widest point of the angled slots, maintaining the jaws in an open position, allowing for easy removal of the strand from the gripping assembly.
H02G 1/08 - Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing, or dismantling electric cables or lines for laying cables, e.g. laying apparatus on vehicle through tubing or conduit, e.g. rod or draw wire for pushing or pulling
A tension link for use in downhole operations. The tension link has a link body connecting two features, such as a backreamer and product pipe, which are towed through a borehole. The tension link has electronics which can monitor the tension in the link body. The electronics may include a Bluetooth radio or similar device, which uses a power source to send a low power signal including the tension data to a beacon, which is located in a separate cavity of the tension link. The beacon encodes received information about tension onto a stronger electromagnetic field. This electromagnetic field may, in turn, be used to power the electronics. No direct link between the electronics and the beacon exists, and the beacon may be used in other downhole operations other than tension monitoring, such as directional drilling. The electromagnetic field signal is detected at a receiving antenna at an uphole location.
E21B 47/013 - Devices specially adapted for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits
E21B 47/13 - Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling by electromagnetic energy, e.g. of radio frequency range
G01L 1/22 - Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluidsMeasuring force or stress, in general by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress using resistance strain gauges
G01L 5/10 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands using electrical means
A track frame with a tensioning system. The track frame has a first section, connected to a number of rollers, including a front roller, and a nested second section attached to a rear roller. The orientation of the first and second sections, and thus the tension on a track, is adjusted by a grease cylinder. The track frame has an indicator window, which displays the position of a plate indicative of tension on the track. When the plate is in alignment with the window, tension is appropriate. In addition, the position of the indicator window within a larger window in the first section is indicative of the stroke of the grease cylinder, which may indicate the need to replace the track.
A calibration method for calibrating an underground beacon and tracker system for use with horizontal directional drilling. The beacon emits a magnetic field, which is received at an above-ground receiving antenna. The antenna is used to locate front and rear null points in the emitted field. The vertical and horizontal offset between the null points is determined to locate the beacon. Then, the magnetic field strength is determined at one of the null points. This value may be used to calculate or update a calibration constant. The calibration constant is then used in subsequent locating step while the characteristics of the underground environment surrounding the beacon remain similar.
E21B 47/092 - Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wellsIdentifying the free or blocked portions of pipes by detecting magnetic anomalies
G01V 3/08 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices
G01V 3/38 - Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation or for correction
An optimizable beacon and method of using the same. The beacon has an onboard power source with a finite capacity. The system uses a capacitor bank to adjust the capacitance of the beacon, thereby maximizing the signal provided considering conditions, rather than simply using a theoretical value. With the specified capacitance being used, the beacon may be optimized in both a high and low power mode by driving the current to ensure the measured power is greater than or equal to a target. The system may also have a motion sensor to toggle the power off, or to a low-power mode, when the beacon is moving, and location measurements are not taking place. The optimization process may also consider the chemistry of the battery being utilized.
A brake system for maintaining an angular position of a spindle assembly. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. When no rotation is desired, the spindle will slow, then stop at a desired angular orientation. A rotational sensor will determine the clock position, and a controller compares that to a desired angular orientation. If an error tolerance is exceeded, the motor will rotate the spindle back to the desired orientation.
E21B 41/00 - Equipment or details not covered by groups
E21B 44/00 - Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systemsSystems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
E21B 44/10 - Arrangements for automatic stopping when the tool is lifted from the working face
F16D 63/00 - Brakes not otherwise provided forBrakes combining more than one of the types of groups
F16D 65/16 - Actuating mechanisms for brakesMeans for initiating operation at a predetermined position arranged in or on the brake
A mapping device for use in locating and mapping underground utility lines. The mapping device includes a survey pole interposed between an electromagnetic locator and a satellite navigation receiver such that a longitudinal axis extends through the center of each of the components. During operation, because the locator and the satellite navigation receiver are aligned, the locator may locate an underground utility line and the satellite navigation receiver may pinpoint the location of the underground utility at the same time using a single step process. Data acquired by the locator and the satellite navigation receiver may be displayed on a map on a display device during operation.
G01V 3/08 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices
G01S 19/14 - Receivers specially adapted for specific applications
A method and system for using GPS signals and a magnetic field to track an underground magnetic field source. A tracker having an antenna for detecting the magnetic field and a GPS receiver is coupled to a processor. The magnetic field is used by the antenna to direct the tracker to a field null point. Once multiple measurements of the field are taken, the changes in signal strength as the absolute position of the tracker is changed, are used to determine whether the closest field null point is in front of or behind the underground beacon. The position and depth of the beacon can then be estimated.
G01S 19/45 - Determining position by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
G01S 5/00 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
G01S 19/38 - Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
G01S 19/48 - Determining position by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
G01V 3/08 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices
A guidance system for remotely guiding a work machine along a virtual path. The system uses a vision system to capture image data representative of areas surrounding the work machine. The image data is used to produce a spatial map. Analysis of image data allows the work machine's then-current position to be represented on the spatial map. A virtual path extending from the work machine's position is next added to the spatial map. The virtual path may be generated in response to external input provided at the display showing an image of the spatial map. Using continuously-updated image data, the work machine is driven toward the virtual path. During operation, the actual path of the work machine is compared to the virtual path. If any deviation between the paths is detected, the trajectory of the work machine is automatically adjusted.
A system for regulating the temperature of a light source positioned within a liner soaked in resin and installed within an underground pipeline. The system measures the temperature of light emitting diodes supported on the light source as the light source is pulled through the liner to cure the resin. The system is configured to automatically stop the curing process and subsequently step down the power level and the rate of travel of the light source each time a designated temperature threshold is reached. Power is indefinity shut down to the light source if a maximum temperature is reached.
H05B 45/56 - Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED] responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDsCircuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED] responsive to LED lifeProtective circuits involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs
A drilling machine having a three jaw system on each of two wrench assemblies, for gripping and rotating a pipe. Each wrench assembly has a frame, and hosts a trio of jaws: a lower jaw on a sliding subframe, and two upper jaws, each on an arm which is pivotally attached to the sliding subframe. Actuators, such as hydraulic cylinders, extend between the frame and one of the arms. As actuators extend, the subframe is carried toward a pipe joint. Upon contact between the pipe joint and the lower jaw, the arms pivot, causing the upper jaws to contact and grip the pipe joint. The wrenches of the wrench assembly may be adjustable relative to one another along a longitudinal axis of the pipe.
(1) Earth boring machines, tunneling machines, guided boring machines, trenchless drilling machines and machines for handling mud used with boring and drilling equipment
17 - Rubber and plastic; packing and insulating materials
Goods & Services
Polymer textile liners impregnated with a resin prior to
pipeline installation for the repair or reconstruction of
underground or above-ground pipelines.
A system for preventing an engine included in a work machine from restarting, after the work machine is tipped over. A sensor included in the work machine is configured to detect a tipping incident. If a tipping incident is detected, the sensor sends out a signal configured to shut down the engine and a tilt signal configured to prevent the engine from restarting. The engine is only restarted if certain steps are undertaken by an operator and a reset switch is activated.
A locating and marking device. The device has one or more antennas capable of detecting a signal emanating from an underground line. A marking device, such as a paint canister, is located on the frame of the device. This marking device leaves a physical or virtual mark at an above-ground path overlying the underground line. A processor receives signals from the antennas and directs the device to place the marking device above the above-ground path. The marking device may move back and forth on a frame of the device, or the device may steer to maintain the marking device in the proper position.
G01C 15/00 - Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups
B05C 17/005 - Hand tools or apparatus using hand-held tools, for applying liquids or other fluent materials to, for spreading applied liquids or other fluent materials on, or for partially removing applied liquids or other fluent materials from, surfaces for discharging material through an outlet orifice by pressure
G01V 3/17 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat operating with electromagnetic waves
A horizontal directional drilling system. The system has a pilot drill and an exit side drill, with a drill string extending between them. A backreamer is positioned between the drills to enlarge a borehole. The pilot drill pulls and rotates the backreamer. The exit side drill adds segments to the product pipe and pushes the product pipe into the enlarged borehole. The exit side drill is equipped with a rotational disconnect. The disconnect is engaged to allow torque transfer between a motor and a spindle when adding segments to the product pipe. The disconnect is disengaged to prevent torque transfer between the motor and the spindle when pushing the product pipe into the enlarged borehole.
E21B 7/28 - Enlarging drilled holes, e.g. by counterboring
E21B 19/08 - Apparatus for feeding the rods or cablesApparatus for increasing or decreasing the pressure on the drilling toolApparatus for counterbalancing the weight of the rods
An offloading vacuum system. The system has a tank to capture debris from an excavation site. The debris is pulled into the tank due to a blower pulling air into an attached hose. An internal conveyor within the tank conveys material to an offloading hub. The offloading hub has a ground-facing door which opens to deposit debris into an external conveyor. The external conveyor, when deployed, can move debris from below the tank to a dump container with a wall greater than a height of the tank.
A hinged cover overlays an opening that provides access to a pressurized inversion drum. A releasable latch assembly holds the cover in a closed and locked position. The latch assembly comprises a plurality of first knuckles formed in the cover that are interlaceable with a plurality of second knuckles formed in the body adjacent the opening. The latch assembly further comprises a rotatable latch pin that may be installed within the first and second knuckles. The latch assembly is moved from an unlocked to a locked position by rotation of the latch pin within the knuckles.
F16L 55/18 - Appliances for use in repairing pipes
E05C 3/04 - Fastening devices with bolts moving pivotally or rotatively without latching action with operating handle or equivalent member rigid with the bolt
E05C 9/08 - Arrangement of simultaneously-actuated bolts or other securing devices at well-separated positions on the same wing with a rotary bar for actuating the fastening means
E05C 19/00 - Other devices specially designed for securing wings
17 - Rubber and plastic; packing and insulating materials
Goods & Services
(1) Polymer textile liners impregnated with a resin prior to pipeline installation for the repair or reconstruction of underground or above-ground pipelines.
A retention system for attaching a collar to a pipe. The collar has an internally-disposed groove configured for placement of a ring. The ring is sized such that in one orientation, it can enter the collar between torque-transmitting features into the internally-disposed groove. Once in the groove, the ring may be adjusted such that its aperture is generally aligned with the axis of the collar. In this orientation, the features retain the ring within the groove. A bolt and a pipe may then be placed within the collar from opposite sides. The bolt is attached to the pipe through the ring. Once joined, the collar is joined to the pipe, forming its box end. Such a retention system may be used to join a series of inner pipe members of a dual-member pipe assembly, as in horizontal directional drilling.
E21B 17/04 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod
E21B 17/042 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod threaded
E21B 17/046 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches
A trench filling machine having a hopper supported below a tub containing trench filling material. The hopper is configured to deposit the trench filling material into a narrow trench formed in the ground surface. The hopper is attached to a frame of the machine using a suspension system. The suspension system includes a shock absorber configured to raise and lower the hopper in response to shifting of the machine's trajectory. The suspension system further permits limited lateral movement of the hopper in response shifting of the machine's trajectory or variations of the path of the trench.
An articulating work vehicle with a radially-pivoting lift arm, attached to a radially-pivoting base. The vehicle has a wheeled back section, on which an operator may stand, and a front, tool-carrying section, connected to the back section by an articulation joint. The front section has a system of actuators. These actuators cause a base tower to pivot relative to a frame, and a loader arm to pivot relative to the base tower. A tool, carried by the loader arm, may be self-levelling, and a bell crank allows the loader arm actuator's reaction point to float relative to the base tower.
E02F 3/34 - DredgersSoil-shifting machines mechanically-driven with digging tools mounted on a dipper- or bucket-arm, e.g. dippers, buckets with bucket-arms directly pivoted on the frames of tractors or self-propelled machines
E02F 3/42 - Drives for dippers, buckets, dipper-arms or bucket-arms
32.
System for applying torsional force to a buried pipe to facilitate extraction
A system for breaking the skin friction between an underground pipe section and the surrounding soil. The system uses a pipe twisting device attached to one end of the pipe section. The pipe twisting device applies a torsional force to the pipe section so as to torsionally deform the pipe section. Such deformation breaks the skin friction between the pipe section and the surrounding soil. After the skin friction is broken along the entire length of the pipe section, an apparatus configured to apply an axial force to the pipe section pulls the pipe section out of the soil.
An articulated work machine with individually powered drive members. Each drive member is controlled by a corresponding electric motor, and is capable of rotating at a different speed and in the opposite rotational direction than all other drive members. Each drive member may also remain stationary while all other drive members rotate. The electric motors are commanded by a controller, which may be directed by inputs from by an operator. A lift arm extends from the front end of the vehicle, and a platform station extends from the rear end of the vehicle. The lift arm is connected to a tool, such as a bucket.
B62D 12/00 - Steering specially adapted for vehicles operating in tandem or having pivotally connected frames
B62D 11/04 - Steering non-deflectable wheelsSteering endless tracks or the like by differentially driving ground-engaging elements on opposite vehicle sides by means of separate power sources
B62D 11/00 - Steering non-deflectable wheelsSteering endless tracks or the like
B62D 51/00 - Motor vehicles characterised by the driver not being seated
B62D 51/02 - Motor vehicles characterised by the driver not being seated the driver standing in the vehicle
A bearing assembly for a door linkage. The bearing assembly is placed about a shaft which runs through a central opening in an arm, and the arm rotates about the shaft. The bearing assembly comprises a central composition bushing, a boss which is rotationally locked with the arm, and a plate. The central opening is large enough such that all the elements of the bearing assembly can be removed without disassembling the arm. The plate retains the elements of the bearing assembly in place when the arm is in use. The plate may also provide torque transmission between the boss and the arm.
A method for detecting a beacon signal using an above-ground tracker. The tracker comprises an antenna assembly comprising a plurality of antennas. Each antenna is oriented in a different direction. During operation, if the beacon signal is interrupted due to a local noise source, transmission of the beacon signal is stopped. The tracker then detects radiation from the local noise source and the processor determines a direction from which peak ambient noise arrives at the tracker. The beacon signal is then resumed. A processor included in the tracker excludes any signals generated by the antenna assembly that are representative of radiation that arrived at the tracker from the same direction the peak ambient noise arrived at the tracker. The tracker then detects the beacon signal using the non-excluded signals.
H04B 1/10 - Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference
H01Q 1/04 - Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use
H01Q 7/00 - Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
H01Q 21/24 - Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction
H01Q 21/29 - Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic
An apparatus for gripping and pulling a wire strand. The apparatus is carried by a cylinder assembly attached to a frame. The cylinders provide force to pull the strand. Jaws are situated in a jaw block, and are tapered such that movement of the jaw block by the cylinders will tend to force the jaws closer to one another within a tapered cavity. Movable, spring-loaded J-rods are provided to retain the jaws within the jaw block when desired. The J-rods can be rotated to a position which does not retain the jaws when the wire strand is being added to, or removed from, the apparatus.
A dual-cylinder tilting assembly for use with a vacuum tank. The tank is mounted on a frame, such as a trailer or a truck bed, at a pivotal connection at its end. A door is disposed near the end with the pivotal connection. The tilting assembly is at the other end, and has two cylinders with their rods facing alternate directions. The rod of one of the cylinders is pivotally attached to the frame and the rod of the other is pivotally attached to the tank. The barrels of the two cylinders are joined physically and hydraulically linked. The cylinder assembly, when fully extended, extends approximately three times its unextended length and tilts the tank at an angle of thirty to fifty degrees.
F15B 15/14 - Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to anotherGearing associated therewith characterised by the construction of the motor unit of the straight-cylinder type
A spindle with a mechanism for transferring axial force from an inner drive assembly to an outer drive assembly. The spindle's inner drive shaft is connected to an inner member of a dual-rod pipe by a drive rod having a sliding sleeve. The sleeve is fixed rotationally with the drive shaft, but not axially. When axial force drives the drive rod toward the drive member of the spindle, the sleeve contacts a stop member which is paired to the outer drive assembly. The stop member may be a pair of dowel pins. Axial force is thereby transferred from the inner member to the outer member, allowing such forces to be absorbed by the outer member's larger drive components.
F16D 3/06 - Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions specially adapted to allow axial displacement
A downhole energy harvesting system configured for use in a downhole tool. The system utilizes at least one harvesting antenna supported within the downhole tool. During operation, the harvesting antenna harvests energy from a beacon signal emanating from a beacon included in the downhole tool. The harvested energy is used to power electronics included within the downhole tool during the course of a boring operation.
E21B 7/26 - Drilling without earth removal, e.g. with self-propelled burrowing devices
E21B 47/13 - Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling by electromagnetic energy, e.g. of radio frequency range
H02J 50/00 - Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
A brake system for maintaining an angular position of a spindle assembly. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. When no rotation is desired, the spindle will slow, then stop at a desired angular orientation. A rotational sensor will determine the clock position, and a controller compares that to a desired angular orientation. If an error tolerance is exceeded, the motor will rotate the spindle back to the desired orientation.
E21B 41/00 - Equipment or details not covered by groups
E21B 44/00 - Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systemsSystems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
E21B 44/10 - Arrangements for automatic stopping when the tool is lifted from the working face
F16D 63/00 - Brakes not otherwise provided forBrakes combining more than one of the types of groups
F16D 65/16 - Actuating mechanisms for brakesMeans for initiating operation at a predetermined position arranged in or on the brake
17 - Rubber and plastic; packing and insulating materials
Goods & Services
Polymer textile liners impregnated with a resin prior to pipeline installation for the repair or reconstruction of underground or above-ground pipelines
A system for tracking an underground object. An above-ground tracking device has an antenna array located at a terminal end. The antenna array can determine a location of the underground object based upon the direction and magnitude of a magnetic field emanating from that object. The tracking device is registrable with a rover such that the antenna array may be moved by the rover in response to the magnetic field. A processor onboard the tracking device may communicate commands to the rover to either maintain its position relative to the underground object, or move to a location where the magnetic field can be measured.
A pipe shuttle for moving a pipe segment from an operating position to a pipe box. The pipe shuttle has a pair of gripper arms flanking a cradle. The cradle has a spring-loaded pad that has a concave surface for holding a pipe segment. As the pipe shuttle moves from underneath a pipe box to near a cradle, rollers are positioned to engage a guide plate. When the shuttle is underneath the pipe box, the rollers engage the guide plate to keep the cradle open. When moved towards an operating position, the rollers no longer engage the guide plate and cause grippers to close on the pipe segment. The spring-loaded pad allows the pipe shuttle to be moved relative to the pipe segment when the pipe segment is in its operating position.
A bearing assembly having independently rotatable concentric inner and outer tubes. A bearing chamber containing multiple bearings is disposed between the tubes, allowing thrust but not rotation to be transferred between them. The bearing chamber is sealed from the inside of the inner tube. To prevent high pressure fluid from leaking from the inner tube to an exterior of the tool through the bearing chamber, damaging components, a flow path is formed. An annular piston responds to high pressure within the bearing chamber and the inner tube, opening a flow path from the inner tube to the environment.
A system for preventing an engine included in a work machine from restarting, after the work machine is tipped over. A sensor included in the work machine is configured to detect a tipping incident. If a tipping incident is detected, the sensor sends out a signal configured to shut down the engine and a tilt signal configured to prevent the engine from restarting. The engine is only restarted if certain steps are undertaken by an operator and a reset switch is activated.
A replaceable tooth assembly. A number of tooth assemblies are provided round the periphery of a microtrenching blade. The assemblies include a cartridge, usually welded to the periphery of the microtrenching blade, and a tooth, which has a projection or flange shaped to fit within a cavity formed in the cartridge. The cartridge and projection each have a transverse hole formed in them, which, when aligned, form a continuous passage for placement of a removable pin which is used to join the cartridge to the tooth body. The cartridge may also have a more radially-aligned channel which intersects the cavity, which a rubber shim may be placed in. Such a shim reduces the relative vibration between the tooth and cartridge, improving life and reducing wear.
E02F 9/28 - Small metalwork for digging elements, e.g. teeth
E02F 5/10 - Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes for digging trenches or ditches with arrangements for reinforcing trenches or ditchesDredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes for digging trenches or ditches with arrangements for making or assembling conduits or for laying conduits or cables
A connection system for a lid in a beacon housing. The lid is connected to the housing at a tab at a first end, after a lip of the lid is placed under a shelf at its second end. The tab has a cross-bore for receiving a connection pin through both the cross-bore and corresponding holes in the housing which form a continuous passage. The lid is placed under tension to reduce relative vibration between the lid and the housing. A set screw is placed within the tab to place a force on the connection pin. Further set screws are distributed about the lid and place the lid in tension relative to the housing. The lid can be removed by reducing the tension provided by the set screws, removing the connection pin, and adjusting the lid such that it is no longer under the shelf of the housing.
A system for tracking and steering a downhole tool using an augmented reality device. A tracker tracks the location of a downhole tool as it moves underground and transmits data to the device, while one or more sensors measure a position and orientation of the device. The device analyzes the data received from the tracker and the sensors and generates a virtual image of the downhole tool. The virtual image is displayed on the device at its detected location relative to the ground surface and relative to the position of the device. The position of the displayed virtual image is modified in response to updated information from the tracker or the sensors. Virtual images representing various parameters of the drilling operation are also displayed on the device in juxtaposition with the virtual image of the downhole tool.
E21B 47/092 - Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wellsIdentifying the free or blocked portions of pipes by detecting magnetic anomalies
A vehicle having two configurations. The vehicle has two track frames, one on each side of a vehicle frame. The position of the track frames is adjustable relative to the vehicle frame by removing a connector, such as a first bolt, from a hole in the vehicle frame and a plate extending from the track frame. Another bolt is disposed in the vehicle frame and a slot in the plate. The track frame may be moved inwardly or outwardly to change the vehicle's configuration, and the first bolt reattached through the plate at a different hole in the vehicle frame.
A method of handling pipe segments during makeup and breakout of a drill string. The method uses a hydraulic circuit, which provides fluid to a motor or motors for translating a drill pipe segment. The drill pipe segment is supported by a carriage, which places the segment next to a drill string for addition thereto. Hydraulic pressure within the circuit is monitored to determine if a pressure fluctuation exists. If so, the translation speed is adjusted by modifying the hydraulic fluid flow to the motors. Sensors may be utilized to determine whether or not the system is in a “transition zone” and therefore ready for pressure monitoring for makeup and breakout functions.
A hydraulic control system for use with a work machine. The work machine has a platform which supports an operator. When the operator is not on the platform, the platform moves into a first position, causing a signal generator to send a signal to a controller. The controller is configured to limit the hydraulic flow to the ground drive motor when the platform is in the first position. The controller may directly reduce operation of the engine, or may adjust a valve which diverts a portion of hydraulic flow. The limitation may be overridden when desired by the operator.
A system for connecting a drill bit and pipe puller to a drill string. The system includes a downhole tool having an internal cavity and a through-hole in its wall. A coupler may be slidingly received in the cavity and connected using one or more fasteners which interconnect a groove in the coupler to the wall of the downhole tool. Fasteners used may be screws or bolts interconnecting the wall of the tool with radial holes in the coupler. Alternatively, bolts may interconnect the wall with a circumferential groove on the coupler. A drill bit may be threaded into the coupler. The coupler allows drill bits and other tools to be connected and disconnected from a downhole tool without unthreading the drill bit.
E21B 17/046 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches
A horizontal directional drilling machine having a modular pipe loader system. The system comprises a first and second pipe loader assembly supported on a drill frame. Each assembly supports a shuttle arm. The shuttle arms are configured to move independently of one another along a shuttle path that is traverse to a longitudinal axis of the drill frame. Movement of each shuttle arm is powered by an actuator supported on each pipe loader assembly. Each pipe loader assembly includes a sensor used to measure parameters related to the position of each shuttle arm relative to the drill frame. A controller analyzes the measured parameters and directs operation of each actuator in order to keep the shuttle arms moving in unison during operation.
A vehicle may include an undercarriage with a vacuum spoils tank and a multi-cyclone body housing mounted thereon. A vacuum spoils tank may be in fluid connection to the multi-cyclone body housing. The vacuum spoils tank may include both an inlet and an outlet. A multi-cyclone body may be housed within the multi-cyclone body housing. The housing may be positioned at the vacuum spoils tank outlet, and the multi-cyclone body may carry a plurality of mini-cyclonic chambers. Each mini-cyclonic chamber may include an outlet tube and a mini-cyclonic separator. The mini-cyclonic separator may be in fluid communication with the vacuum spoils tank outlet. The outlet tube may be in fluid communication with a multi-cyclone body housing outlet and a filtration system
Trench digging machines; ditch digging machines; ground
trenching machines and attachments therefor, namely, rock
saws; rock saws as a power-operated machine attachment.
A retention system for attaching a collar to a pipe. The collar has an internally-disposed groove configured for placement of a ring. The ring is sized such that in one orientation, it can enter the collar between torque-transmitting features into the internally-disposed groove. Once in the groove, the ring may be adjusted such that its aperture is generally aligned with the axis of the collar. In this orientation, the features retain the ring within the groove. A bolt and a pipe may then be placed within the collar from opposite sides. The bolt is attached to the pipe through the ring. Once joined, the collar is joined to the pipe, forming its box end. Such a retention system may be used to join a series of inner pipe members of a dual-member pipe assembly, as in horizontal directional drilling.
E21B 17/042 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod threaded
E21B 17/046 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches
(1) Trench digging machines; ditch digging machines; ground trenching machines and attachments therefor, namely, rock saws; rock saws as a power-operated machine attachment.
Earth excavation equipment, namely, vacuum excavators; material handling equipment in the nature of earth moving machines, namely, excavators that feature pumps and tanks for collecting and transporting slurry, sludge and spoil
A calibration method for calibrating an underground beacon and tracker system for use with horizontal directional drilling. The beacon emits a magnetic field, which is received at an above-ground receiving antenna. The antenna is used to locate front and rear null points in the emitted field. The vertical and horizontal offset between the null points is determined to locate the beacon. Then, the magnetic field strength is determined at one of the null points. This value may be used to calculate or update a calibration constant. The calibration constant is then used in subsequent locating step while the characteristics of the underground environment surrounding the beacon remain similar.
E21B 47/092 - Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wellsIdentifying the free or blocked portions of pipes by detecting magnetic anomalies
G01V 3/08 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices
G01V 3/38 - Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation or for correction
A system for tracking a below-ground transmitter from an aerial receiver. The receiver has an antenna assembly, a processor, and a propulsion system. The antenna assembly detects the magnetic field from an underground transmitter and generates an antenna signal. The processor is programmed to receive the antenna signal and generate a command signal, which moves the receiver to a position above the transmitter. Once in the desired position, which may be a reference plane at a fixed elevation, the antenna assembly measures the magnetic field to determine the location of the drill bit along borepath.
G01V 3/16 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat specially adapted for use from aircraft
G01V 3/165 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device
B64C 39/02 - Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use
E21B 47/024 - Determining slope or direction of devices in the borehole
E21B 47/092 - Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wellsIdentifying the free or blocked portions of pipes by detecting magnetic anomalies
B64U 101/00 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
A centrifugal fan is formed from an impeller installed within a casing. The impeller is formed from two plates that are interconnected by a plurality of blades. A duct extends through each blade. At each of its ends, the duct opens at one of the plates. Air enters the fan from through a central opening formed in one of the plates, moves to a medial zone between the plates, and exits the fan at the medial zone's unwalled periphery. Air also crosses the fan by way of the ducts formed within each blade.
A system for monitoring installation of a utility product pipe within an underground borehole and detecting any issues with the installation process. The system utilizes one or more sensors to measure a parameter concerning the product pipe as the product pipe is pulled into the borehole, and one or more sensors to measure a parameter concerning the drill string as the drill string is pulled out of the borehole. The measured parameters are compared and analyzed to determine if any damage is likely to occur to the product pipe if the installation operation is not stopped and any issues remedied prior to continuing operation.
A wellbore gas separator having a pair of helical ramps. The separator ingests a liquid-gas solution, and a pump draws the solution into a first course between the pair of ramps. As centrifugal force is imparted upon the solution prior to the pump inlet, gas is forced out of solution. The liquid portions of the solution may fall into a dead space prior to the pump inlet. Gaseous portions enter into a second course between the pair of ramps and escapes, unimpeded, up the separator before being released into an annulus of a wellbore.
A machine for extracting a ductile pipe. The machine has a vise which can grip the pipe, and a wire clamp. Each of the wire clamp and vise are supported on a carriage which is movable relative to a frame. This enables the vise to grip and pull the ductile pipe. Additionally, a wire strand may be disposed through the pipe from a far end to the end at which the machine is placed. The wire clamp allows the machine to pre-stress the strand to improve the extraction of the ductile pipe.
A cruise control system for work machines. The system comprises one or more levers for controlling the velocity of the work machine and one or more magnet assemblies. The magnet assemblies comprise means of overcoming the neutral bias of a control lever so that the velocity of the work machine may be maintained without manual input from the operator. The magnets may act directly upon a control lever or a surface adjacent a control lever. Additional controls may be employed to set a maximum cruising speed for the work machine when cruise control is engaged.
G05G 9/02 - Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only
G05G 5/00 - Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member
G05D 9/04 - Level control, e.g. controlling quantity of material stored in vessel with auxiliary non-electric power
F16H 61/47 - Automatic regulation in accordance with output requirements for achieving a target output speed
G05G 9/047 - Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks
A method and system for using GPS signals and a magnetic field to track an underground magnetic field source. A tracker having an antenna for detecting the magnetic field and a GPS receiver is coupled to a processor. The magnetic field is used by the antenna to direct the tracker to a field null point. Once multiple measurements of the field are taken, the changes in signal strength as the absolute position of the tracker is changed, are used to determine whether the closest field null point is in front of or behind the underground beacon. The position and depth of the beacon can then be estimated.
G01S 19/45 - Determining position by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
G01S 19/48 - Determining position by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
G01V 3/08 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices
G01S 5/00 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
G01S 19/38 - Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
A method for breaking the friction between a buried pipe section and its surrounding soil. A linear actuator or a pneumatic impact mole pushes on one end of the pipe section while a pipe extractor pulls on the opposing end of the pipe section. In an alternative embodiment, a device is used to excite the pipe section's natural vibrational frequency while a pipe extractor pulls on one end of the pipe section. After the friction between the pipe section and its surrounding soil is broken, the pipe extractor may remove the pipe section from its borehole. In another embodiment, the pipe section may be cut into smaller sections and each section may be individually removed from the ground using a pipe extractor. Alternatively, the smaller pipe sections may be individually loosened from the surrounding soil and then rejoined before being removed from the ground by a pipe extractor.
A magnetic coupler for inducing a signal on a buried utility wire. The coupler has two elongated jaws, each extending along a separate longitudinal axis. The jaws are attached at a hinge. The jaws may be placed about an exposed portion of the utility wire. A signal generate provides a signal which is emitted from a transmitter in each of the jaws. The signals emitted from each jaw are antiphase to one another, such that they are additive to a utility wire disposed between the jaws but out of phase with respect to any utility not between the jaws. The signal is thus induced on the utility wire and can be detected as emitted from its below ground length by a conventional locator.
G01V 3/10 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices using induction coils
Trench digging machines; ditch digging machines; ground trenching machines; and attachments therefor, namely, rock saws; rock saws as a power-operated machine attachment
A horizontal directional drilling system. The system has a pilot drill and an exit side drill, with a drill string extending between them. A backreamer is positioned between the drills to enlarge a borehole. The pilot drill pulls and rotates the backreamer. The exit side drill adds segments to the product pipe and pushes the product pipe into the enlarged borehole. The exit side drill is equipped with a rotational disconnect. The disconnect is engaged to allow torque transfer between a motor and a spindle when adding segments to the product pipe. The disconnect is disengaged to prevent torque transfer between the motor and the spindle when pushing the product pipe into the enlarged borehole.
E21B 19/16 - Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints
E21B 19/08 - Apparatus for feeding the rods or cablesApparatus for increasing or decreasing the pressure on the drilling toolApparatus for counterbalancing the weight of the rods
E21B 7/28 - Enlarging drilled holes, e.g. by counterboring
Machines, namely, machines for rehabilitating damaged and deteriorated pipes including sanitary sewers, storm sewers, water conduits and the like; lead pipe replacement kits, consisting of an expander code, jaw assembly cable, drum, lead slitting blades and tooling assembly charts and instructions
73.
Apparatus for capturing axial force on an inner drive member
A spindle with a mechanism for transferring axial force from an inner drive assembly to an outer drive assembly. The spindle's inner drive shaft is connected to an inner member of a dual-rod pipe by a drive rod having a sliding sleeve. The sleeve is fixed rotationally with the drive shaft, but not axially. When axial force drives the drive rod toward the drive member of the spindle, the sleeve contacts a stop member which is paired to the outer drive assembly. The stop member may be a pair of dowel pins. Axial force is thereby transferred from the inner member to the outer member, allowing such forces to be absorbed by the outer member's larger drive components.
F16D 3/06 - Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions specially adapted to allow axial displacement
An optimizable beacon and method of using the same. The beacon has an onboard power source with a finite capacity. The system uses a capacitor bank to adjust the capacitance of the beacon, thereby maximizing the signal provided considering conditions, rather than simply using a theoretical value. With the specified capacitance being used, the beacon may be optimized in both a high and low power mode by driving the current to ensure the measured power is greater than or equal to a target. The system may also have a motion sensor to toggle the power off, or to a low-power mode, when the beacon is moving, and location measurements are not taking place. The optimization process may also consider the chemistry of the battery being utilized.
A system and for providing a bore sight in a piercing tool. A transmitter emits a magnetic field. The flux lines which emanate along the transmitter axis are substantially straight. A receiver at a remote, target location can detect these flux lines. The receiver and transmitter are oriented such that the substantially straight flux line are along an intended bore path. Then, a piercing tool or other boring tool is oriented along the same path and a bore is created.
G01V 3/08 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices
G01V 3/38 - Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation or for correction
E21B 47/0228 - Determining slope or direction of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor
A check valve assembly disposed within a pipe joint. The valve assembly is bounded by a pin end on one side and a liner tube on the other. In a first flow condition, a ball is forced away from the pin end and toward a stop member. The stop member has a geometry to allow fluid flow around the ball and through passageways within the stop when in the first flow condition. In a second flow condition, opposite the first flow condition, the ball is forced toward a tapered seat on the pin end, restricting fluid flow in the second flow condition.
A pipe assembly has a hollow inner member nested within a hollow outer member. A series of pipe assemblies are connected end-to-end to form a dual-member drill string useful in horizontal directional drilling operations. The drill string has mutually exclusive first and second fluid paths. Fluid seals, interposed between adjacent inner members of the string, isolate the first fluid path from the second fluid path. Compressed air is delivered into the first fluid path from above ground level, and routed to an underground boring tool. The expelled air and spoils are returned to above ground level by way of the second fluid path. One or more baffle elements are supported on the drill string adjacent the boring tool. The baffle elements are configured to prevent compressed air and spoils from flowing between the walls of the borehole and the drill string.
A system and for providing a bore sight in a piercing tool. A transmitter emits a magnetic field. The flux lines which emanate along the transmitter axis are substantially straight. A receiver at a remote, target location can detect these flux lines. The receiver and transmitter are oriented such that the substantially straight flux line are along an intended bore path. Then, a piercing tool or other boring tool is oriented along the same path and a bore is created.
G01B 7/31 - Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for measuring angles or tapersMeasuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for testing the alignment of axes for testing the alignment of axes
A system for connecting a drill bit and pipe puller to a drill string. The system includes a downhole tool having an internal cavity and a through-hole in its wall. A coupler may be slidingly received in the cavity and connected using one or more fasteners which interconnect a groove in the coupler to the wall of the downhole tool. Fasteners used may be screws or bolts interconnecting the wall of the tool with radial holes in the coupler. Alternatively, bolts may interconnect the wall with a circumferential groove on the coupler. A drill bit may be threaded into the coupler. The coupler allows drill bits and other tools to be connected and disconnected from a downhole tool without unthreading the drill bit.
E21B 17/046 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches
E21B 17/18 - Pipes provided with plural fluid passages
E21B 10/62 - Drill bits characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable
A track tensioning system configured to automatically adjust and maintain tension on an endless track used in a track assembly. Tension is applied to the track by pressure applied by one of the rollers included in the track assembly. The roller is movable relative to the other components of the track assembly using a linear actuator. Power is supplied to the linear actuator via a power source. The power source is configured to regulate the amount of power supplied to the linear actuator to maintain the track assembly at a desired track tension.
An antenna arrangement. The arrangement uses four conductive loops, each within a distinct plane from the other conductive loops. The four conductive loops have a common center point. Each loop is within a dipole magnetic field, and detects a component thereof. By balancing the signals received between matched pairs of the conductive loops, the difference between the signals can be used to guide the antenna arrangement to a null point—that is—a point in the magnetic field where each pair of conductive loops is balanced. The antenna arrangement can further be used to determine the depth of the dipole field source using the magnitude of the field.
G01V 3/10 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices using induction coils
G01V 3/38 - Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation or for correction
G01V 3/165 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device
Underground drilling equipment in the nature of drilling accessories adapted for use with powered drilling equipment, namely, drill bits and blades, back reamers, sonde housings, starter rods, connection adapters, and drive chucks
A pipe shuttle for moving a pipe segment from an operating position to a pipe box. The pipe shuttle has a pair of gripper arms flanking a cradle. The cradle has a spring-loaded pad that has a concave surface for holding a pipe segment. As the pipe shuttle moves from underneath a pipe box to near a cradle, rollers are positioned to engage a guide plate. When the shuttle is underneath the pipe box, the rollers engage the guide plate to keep the cradle open. When moved towards an operating position, the rollers no longer engage the guide plate and cause grippers to close on the pipe segment. The spring-loaded pad allows the pipe shuttle to be moved relative to the pipe segment when the pipe segment is in its operating position.
A brake system for maintaining an angular position of a spindle assembly. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. When no rotation is desired, the spindle will slow, then stop at a desired angular orientation. A rotational sensor will determine the clock position, and a controller compares that to a desired angular orientation. If an error tolerance is exceeded, the motor will rotate the spindle back to the desired orientation.
E21B 41/00 - Equipment or details not covered by groups
E21B 44/10 - Arrangements for automatic stopping when the tool is lifted from the working face
F16D 65/16 - Actuating mechanisms for brakesMeans for initiating operation at a predetermined position arranged in or on the brake
F16D 63/00 - Brakes not otherwise provided forBrakes combining more than one of the types of groups
E21B 44/00 - Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systemsSystems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
A bearing assembly having independently rotatable concentric inner and outer tubes. A bearing chamber containing multiple bearings is disposed between the tubes, allowing thrust but not rotation to be transferred between them. The bearing chamber is sealed from the inside of the inner tube. To prevent high pressure fluid from leaking from the inner tube to an exterior of the tool through the bearing chamber, damaging components, a flow path is formed. An annular piston responds to high pressure within the bearing chamber and the inner tube, opening a flow path from the inner tube to the environment.
An offloading vacuum system. The system has a tank to capture debris from an excavation site. The debris is pulled into the tank due to a blower pulling air into an attached hose. An internal conveyor within the tank conveys material to an offloading hub. The offloading hub has a ground-facing door which opens to deposit debris into an external conveyor. The external conveyor, when deployed, can move debris from below the tank to a dump container with a wall greater than a height of the tank.
An insert for installation on an inner pipe member of a dual-pipe member assembly. The insert is interposed between an external shoulder formed on the inner pipe member and an internal shoulder formed in an outer pipe member. Shoulder-to-shoulder impacts between pipe members results in wear to the insert, rather than to either pipe member. The insert has the shape of an unclosed loop and is positioned within an endless external groove formed in the inner pipe member.
E21B 17/04 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod
E21B 17/046 - CouplingsJoints between rod and bit, or between rod and rod with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches
A rotation brake for stopping rotation of a spindle assembly on a horizontal directional drill. The rotation brake comprises a brake lock that is actuated by a cylinder and spring to interact with a non-rotating brake cap and a rotating pinion, thereby stopping rotation of the pinion. The brake lock is removed from the pinion by applying pressurized fluid to a cylinder such that a cylinder rod moves the brake lock out of a cavity between the brake cap and the pinion. Upon removing fluid pressure from the cylinder, a compressed spring moves the brake lock back to into the cavity, preventing rotation.
E21B 15/04 - Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts specially adapted for directional drilling, e.g. slant hole rigs
E21B 17/03 - CouplingsJoints between drilling rod or pipe and drill motor, e.g. between drilling rod and hammer
E21B 19/16 - Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints
F16H 47/08 - Combinations of mechanical gearing with fluid clutches or fluid gearing the fluid gearing being of the hydrokinetic type the mechanical gearing being of the type with members having orbital motion
A method for building a dual-member drill string comprising an inner drill string and an outer drill string. Inner pipe sections are connected using non-threaded connections, while outer pipe sections are connected using threaded connections. A new inner pipe section is rotated in a first direction until the inner pipe section applies torque to the existing inner pipe string. If the magnitude of the torque applied to the inner pipe string exceeds a pre-determined threshold value, the inner pipe section is automatically rotated in an opposite second direction. The inner pipe section rotates between opposite directions, once torque is sensed in each direction, until the inner pipe section is coupled to the inner pipe string.
A pipe assembly used in horizontal directional drilling operations. The pipe assembly has an outer member, an inner member, and first removable collar. The inner member has a polygonal outer profile of uniform shape along its length and is partially contained within the outer member. The first removable collar is supported on the inner member within the outer member and limits relative axial movement of the inner member and the outer member.
An engine cooling system comprising an exhaust enclosure formed in an engine compartment of a work machine. An exhaust processing system is situated within the exhaust enclosure. The exhaust enclosure is bounded in part by spaced upper and lower panels that are exposed to the ambient environment. At least one opening is formed in each panel. When an engine and fan also contained within the engine compartment are shut down, ambient air flows into the exhaust enclosure through the opening in the lower panel. The air flows around the exhaust processing system and back into the ambient environment through the opening formed in the upper panel.
F01N 3/20 - Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust characterised by methods of operationControl specially adapted for catalytic conversion
F01P 3/18 - Arrangement or mounting of liquid-to-air heat-exchangers
17 - Rubber and plastic; packing and insulating materials
Goods & Services
non-metallic flexible liners and flexible replacement pipes for the repair or reconstruction of existing conduits, pipelines, water pipes, and passageways
A centrifugal fan is formed from an impeller installed within a casing. The impeller is formed from two plates that are interconnected by a plurality of blades. A duct extends through each blade. At each of its ends, the duct opens at one of the plates. Air enters the fan from through a central opening formed in one of the plates, moves to a medial zone between the plates, and exits the fan at the medial zone's unwalled periphery. Air also crosses the fan by way of the ducts formed within each blade.
