Earth Tool Company, LLC Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140294512 | Powered Slip Actuation - A system for pushing and pulling rod strings through the ground or an underground pipe. The apparatus has a downhole tool attached to the distal end of the rod string. The push/pull machine has a stationary frame that is placed against the ground to provide a reaction surface. The stationary frame has an opening for the rod string to pass through. A rod gripping assembly is supported on the machine frame and moveable relative to the stationary frame. The rod gripping assembly has a slip bowl, jaws, a thrust member and an actuator. The actuator powers movement of the jaws into the slop bowl to cause a powered gripping of the rod string by the machine. With the rod string gripped a cylinder assembly is activated to push the rod gripping assembly toward the stationary frame thereby pushing the rod string into the ground. | 10-02-2014 |
20140270970 | Stepped Load Pull Back Using Rams - A thrust apparatus for a rod string. The apparatus has a stationary frame, a thrust frame with a rod gripper, two hydraulic cylinders and two rams in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinders. During low-load operations, the hydraulic cylinders act alone, providing the load to the grippers to pull or push the rod string. When higher loads are required, a check valve is activated, allowing fluid from the hydraulic cylinders to activate the rams. The rams provide additional force to the grippers, and may be activated without mechanical or significant hydraulic changes to the apparatus. | 09-18-2014 |
20140255103 | Directional Drill Hammer Pullback Device - A pull back system to install or replace underground utilities that is used with a hammer used in horizontal directional drilling operations. The system comprises a drill bit attached to the hammer. The drill bit comprises a cutting face comprising a first and second passage. The system further comprises a pull back adapter comprising an attachment member, a first member, and a second member. The attachment member may be secured to the cutting face of the drill bit by inserting the first member of the pull back adapter through the first passage of the cutting face and inserting the second member of the pull back adapter through the second passage of the cutting face. The first member secures to the second member within an internal cavity of the drill bit to hold the attachment member for movement with the drill bit. A new pipe may be secured to a shackle on the pull back adapter. The drilling machine will then pull the hammer rearwardly through the borehole which in turn pulls the new pipe into the borehole. | 09-11-2014 |
20140251694 | Directional Boring Tooling Reed Type Checkflow Valve - A pipe joint used in horizontal direction drilling operations having a removable valve assembly secured between the pin of a first member and the socket of a second member. The valve assembly reduces backflow of drilling fluid uphole of the downhole tool and reduces the risk of malfunction due to clogging of tooling. | 09-11-2014 |
20140248089 | Wire Rope Payout Upon Tensile Demand - A control system for a capstan assembly for use with a winch during wire rope payout. The control system comprises a sensor that detects the rope when it is in a predetermined position indicative of tension placed on the rope by an operator. The control system further comprises an actuator for rotating the capstans such that the wire rope is paid out from the winch when the actuator is in a first position. The control system causes the capstans to rotate and the wire rope to pay out when the rope is in the predetermined position and the actuator is in the first position. The control system ceases rotation when the actuator is removed from the first position or the rope is no longer in the predetermined location. | 09-04-2014 |
20140131110 | Make-Up/Break-Out Device For Drilling Hammers - A make-up/break-out device for use with a hammer used in horizontal directional drilling operations. The hammer comprises a drill bit assembly and a housing that are connected via low helix angle threads. The make-up/break-out device is used with the hammer to tighten or loosen the connection between the drill bit assembly and the housing. The make-up/break-out device comprises a vise arm, a lever arm, and drive arm. The drive arm reacts torque on both the vise arm and the lever arm which in turn react torque on the drill bit assembly and the housing | 05-15-2014 |
20130243530 | Deep Trench Rod Loader Apparatus - The present invention relates to a pipe handling assembly for use with a rod pushing and pulling machine in pipe bursting and pipe replacement operations. The assembly uses a rod transport assembly to transport a rod from a vertical receiving position to a horizontal receiving position. A rod transfer assembly then axially advances the rod in a horizontal receiving position to the rod pushing and pulling machine where the rod can be incorporated into a drill string. The rod handling assembly also can be used for transporting rods out of an excavation pit after they have been broken off from a rod string by a rod pushing and pulling machine. | 09-19-2013 |
20130098686 | Dynamic Steering Tool - The present invention is directed to a dynamic steering tool for use with a horizontal directional drilling machine. The tool comprises and inner member, an outer member, a steering member, a drill stem, and a drill bit. The drill stem extends from within a borehole to the surface while the outer member only extends the length of the inner member within the borehole. The outer member is powered via the use of a progressive cavity motor. In operation, the drill stem, inner member, and drill bit rotate in a clockwise position while the outer member rotates in a counterclockwise direction. Rotating the outer member opposite the inner member allows the outer member to remain stationary and cause the tool to steer while the inner member continues to rotate. | 04-25-2013 |
20120235686 | Non-Magnetic Transmitter Housing - A sonde assembly of the invention includes a sonde housing in the form of a nonmagnetic tube having windows therein for permitting a radio signal to be transmitted out the tube from the inside, means such as a device enclosing a front end of the tube, a sonde disposed inside the non-magnetic tube and closely fitting in a sonde cavity thereof in engagement with a front end plug. The sonde comprises a sensor and a transmitter connected to the sensor to transmit a directional signal based on sensor output, which sensor and transmitter are disposed inside a non-magnetic sonde cavity. | 09-20-2012 |
20120043132 | Reamer Assembly - An adapter for connecting drilling components having an elongate tubular member with a non-circular exterior surface profile and a connector. A ground engaging member generally characterized as a reamer has a non-circular inner surface profile whereby the ground engaging member is slidably mounted on and engages the non-circular exterior surface of the tubular member. A flange assembly is connected to the ground engaging member and the tubular member to restrict axial movement of the ground engaging member relative to the tubular member. | 02-23-2012 |
20120018221 | Drill String Tooling Joint - A joint connecting a pair of members rotatable about a common axis end to end includes a first member having a threaded end portion and a non-circular exterior surface rearwardly of the threaded end portion, a second member having a threaded socket wherein the threaded end portion of the second member can be engaged, and a non-circular exterior surface, a ground engagement sleeve having a non-circular profile on an inner surface thereof whereby the sleeve can be slidably mounted on the non-circular exterior profiles of the first and second members when such profiles are brought into alignment by rotation of one member relative to the other in a manner effective to pass torque from one member to the other by means of the non-circular profiles, a first pair of alignable holes in the sleeve and first member to receive a fastener to secure the sleeve to the first member and a hole in the second member penetrating the threaded socket and positioned to receive a fastener to secure the second member to a third member in place of the first member, the third member having a hole in a threaded end portion thereof alignable with the hole in the second member. | 01-26-2012 |
20110188943 | Rod Pulling And Pushing Machine For Pipe Bursting - A rod pushing and pulling machine includes at least one hydraulic cylinder having a front end thereof engagable with a reaction surface at an entry opening of an existing pipeline or borehole, a spindle assembly, and a dual vise assembly. The spindle assembly includes a frame, a spindle shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a distal end of the spindle shaft being threaded for engagement with a mating thread of a rod, a drive system for rotating the spindle shaft in threading and unthreading directions, the spindle frame being secured to a rear end of the hydraulic cylinder for pushing or pulling of a rod string engaged to the spindle shaft upon extension or retraction of the hydraulic cylinder, and a support assembly for the spindle shaft. The support assembly includes a set of roller bearings rotatably supporting the spindle shaft, a radial flange on the spindle shaft, and a load flange secured to the spindle frame positioned to engage the radial flange, whereby the radial flange comes into engagement with the load flange during pulling operation to prevent rotation of the spindle shaft during pulling operation, and leaves engagement with the load flange during pushing operation so that the spindle shaft may rotate during pushing operation supported by the roller bearings. The dual vise assembly has two pairs of separately actuable jaws positioned to grip a rod nearest the spindle shaft and a rod adjacent the rod nearest the spindle shaft. | 08-04-2011 |
20100263930 | Impact Powered Transmitter For Directional Drilling - A pneumatic earth boring tool includes a cylindrical body, a transmitter mounted in the body, the transmitter generating a signal usable for operating the earth boring tool, a linear generator mounted in the body for generating an electrical current to power the transmitter and a rectifier for converting the electrical current produced by the linear generator to direct current. Electrical power generated by the linear generator is used to power the transmitter to generate a signal useful for locating the tool. | 10-21-2010 |