MICROTUNNELLING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microtunnelling apparatus and system that includes an external drive system having rotational and linear thrust drive means, a drill head section having drill rotor and drill rod and connecting to intermediate drill rods allowing extension of the boring hole created by the drill head section driven by the drive system. The drill head includes a modular construction having a plurality of circular disc like elements, a bearing module, a steering module, a spacer module, and a mounting module, for axial alignment and abutment and mounting within a cylindrical steering shell. Directional steering of the drill head includes a plurality of substantially radially extending channels in steering module, each with an hydraulically movable protuberance movable by control means to redirect the outer steering casing and thereby redirect the drill head section mounted on the distal end of the drill rods.
99 Citations
65 Claims
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1-37. -37. (canceled)
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38. A tunneling apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of intermediate drill rods that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rods, each intermediate drill rod including a drive shaft rotatably mounted within a casing, the casings each defining at least first and second separate axially extending cavities that extend along lengths of the casings from first ends to opposite second ends of the casings, the first cavities being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together such that the first cavities define a continuous first channel that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rods, the second cavities being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together such that the second cavities define a continuous second channel that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rods, and the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rods being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rods; a drill head positioned adjacent a first end of the string of intermediate drill rods; and an external drive positioned adjacent a second end of the string of intermediate drill rods. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A tunneling apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of intermediate drill rods that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rods, each intermediate drill rod including a drive shaft rotatably mounted within a casing including a casing that surrounds the drive shaft, the casings including outer portions adapted to line a bore being drilled by the tunneling apparatus, the outer portions defining outer cavities having outwardly facing open sides that extend along lengths of the casings, the outer cavities being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together such that the outer cavities cooperate to define a continuous outer channel that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rods, and the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rods being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rods; a drill head positioned adjacent a first end of the string of intermediate drill rods; and an external drive positioned adjacent a second end of the string of intermediate drill rods.
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63. A tunneling apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of intermediate drill rods that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rods, each intermediate drill rod having a center axis, each intermediate drill rod also including a drive shaft rotatably mounted within a casing, the casings defining axially extending first bores that are offset from the center axis of the intermediate drill rods, the first bores being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together such that the first bores cooperate to define a continuous first channel that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rods, and the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rods being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rods are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rods; a drill head positioned adjacent a first end of the string of intermediate drill rods; and an external drive positioned adjacent a second end of the string of intermediate drill rods.
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64. A drill rod comprising:
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a casing defining a length that extends axially between a first end and an opposite second end of the casing, the casing defining a first cavity that extends axially along the casing from the first end of the casing to the second end of the casing, the casing also defining a second cavity that extends axially along the casing from the first end of the casing to the second end of the casing; and a drive shaft rotatably mounted within the casing, the drive shaft extending axially through the casing generally from the first end of the casing to the second end of the casing.
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65. A drill string comprising:
first and second interconnected drill rods that defining a central axis, the first and second drill rods including drive shafts aligned along the central axis, the first and second drill rods also including elongate casings that extend along the central axis, the drive shafts being rotatably mounted within the casings, the casings defining cavities that extends axially though the casings at a location offset from the central axis, the first drill rod including an axial projection that projects axially outwardly from one end of the casing of the first drill rod at a location offset from the central axis, the second drill rod including a projection receiver in one end of the casing of the second drill rod at a location offset from the central axis, the axial projection being axially received within the projection receiver to provide alignment between the cavity of the first drill rod and the cavity of the second drill rod.
Specification