Earth boring machine and method

• US 4,403,664 A
• Filed: 08/28/1980
• Issued: 09/13/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard Sullinger
• Original Assignee: Richard Sullinger
• Inventors: Sullinger, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pate, III, William F.
• Application Number:
  US06/182,413
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 175/26, 175/45, 175/62, 175/61, 175/173, 175/93, 175/171, 175/24, 175/73, 175/76, 299/1, 299/30
• US Class Current: 175/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/005 Below-ground automatic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/046 horizontal drilling drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/068 drilled by a down-hole drilling motor down-hole drives per se E21B4/00, E21B7/067 takes precedence

Abstract

An earth boring machine and method are disclosed. An above-ground reference line, such as a laser beam, is established for a hole to be bored. The direction of the reference line is detected. The direction of a cutting head of the boring machine in a bore hole is detected and signals of the detected direction are transmitted to a control unit for comparison with the reference line direction. The boring machine is controlled with, for example, cam actuated adjustable peripheral cutters on the cutting head so that the direction of the boring machine can be adjusted to that of the reference line.

Claims

1. Remote controlled earth boring machine comprising,

means for boring a hole through the earth, said means for boring including a cutting head and auger means connected to said cutting head,

means for detecting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole,

means for adjusting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole,

means for producing an above-ground reference line for a hole to be bored, said reference line extending in a direction having at least a directional component which is essentially parallel to a corresponding directional component of said hole to be bored,

means for detecting the direction of at least said directional component of said reference line, and

means for remotely controlling said adjusting means whereby the direction of said boring means can be adjusted to at least said directional component of said reference line.

2. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing an above-ground reference line provides a light beam as said reference line.

3. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing an above-ground reference line provides a laser beam as said reference line.

4. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 3, wherein said means for detecting the direction of at least said directional component of said reference line includes a laser beam receiver means.

5. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 1, wherein said reference line extends in a direction having at least a horizontal directional component which is essentially parallel to the horizontal directional component of said hole to be bored, and wherein said means for detecting the direction of at least said directional component of said reference line detects at least the horizontal directional component of said reference line.

6. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 1 or 5, wherein said reference line extends in a direction having at least a vertical directional component which is essentially parallel to the vertical directional component of said hole to be bored, and wherein said means for detecting the direction of at least said directional component of said reference line detects the vertical directional component of said reference line.

7. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for detecting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole includes a direction sensor in said boring means and radio transmitting means for the wireless transmission of detected direction signals to a remote location.

8. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole includes at least one adjustable peripheral cutter in said cutting head.

9. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 8, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole further includes a rotatable cam in said cutting head for adjusting the position of said at least one peripheral cutter.

10. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 9, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said boring means further includes push rod means extending between said cam and each adjustable peripheral cutter for adjusting the position thereof with relative rotation between said cam and said at least one peripheral cutter.

11. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 10, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said boring means further includes drive motor means for adjusting the position of said cam and power source means for oprating said drive motor means, said power source means operating said drive motor means in response to said remote control means.

12. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 11, wherein said auger means includes a lead auger section connected to said cutting head, said drive motor means and said power source means being located in said lead auger section.

13. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 12, wherein said drive motor means is an electric motor and said power source means is a battery pack.

14. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 8, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole includes a plurality of adjustable peripheral cutters in said cutter head.

15. Remote controlled earth boring machine for forming a bore having a generally round cross section in the earth along a predetermined course comprising,

a rotatable cutting head,

auger means connected to said cutting head for rotation therewith,

drive means for rotating said auger means and cutting head to bore a hole in the earth,

means for detecting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole,

means for adjusting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole, said means for adjusting including cutting head adjusting motor means and power source means for operating said cutting head adjusting motor means, said cutting head adjusting motor means and said power source means being located entirely within at least one of said auger means and said cutting head, and

means for remotely controlling said cutting head adjusting motor means.

16. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 15, wherein said drive means for rotating said auger means and said cutting head includes a drive motor which is positioned outside of the bore hole.

17. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 15, wherein said means for detecting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole includes a direction sensor located in said cutting head and radio transmitting means for the wireless transmission of detected direction signals to a remote location.

18. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 17, wherein said radio transmitting means is located in a lead auger section of said auger means adjacent said cutting head.

19. Remote controlled earth boring machine comprising,

a cutting head,

auger means including a lead auger section connected to said cutting head,

drive means for rotating said auger means and cutting head to bore a hole in the earth,

means for detecting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole,

means for adjusting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole, said means for adjusting including cutting head adjusting motor means and power source means for operating said cutting head adjusting motor means, said cutting head adjusting motor means and said power source means being located within at least one of said lead auger section and said cutting head, and

means for remotely controlling said cutting head adjusting motor means,

wherein said cutting head is an adjustable cutting head and said means for adjusting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole includes at least one adjustable peripheral cutter in said cutting head.

20. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 19, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said adjustable cutting head in a bore hole further includes a rotatable cam in said cutting head for adjusting the position of said at least one peripheral cutter.

21. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 20, wherein said means for adjusting the direction of said cutting head in a bore hole further includes push rod means extending between said cam and each adjustable peripheral cutter for adjusting the position thereof with relative rotation between said cam and said at least one peripheral cutter.

22. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 20, wherein said cutting head adjusting motor means adjusts the position of said cam, said power source means operating said cutting head adjusting motor means in response to said remote control means.

23. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 22, wherein said cutting head adjusting motor means and said power source means are located in said lead auger section.

24. The remote controlled earth boring machine according to claim 23, wherein said cutting head adjusting motor means is an electric motor and said power source means is a battery pack.

25. Remote controlled earth boring machine for forming a bore having a generally round cross section in the earth along a predetermined course comprising,

a rotatable cutting head,

auger means connected to said cutting head for rotation therewith,

drive means for rotating said auger means and cutting head to bore a hole in the earth,

means for detecting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole, said direction detecting means including a direction sensor located in or adjacent said cutting head and radio transmitting means for the wireless transmission of detected direction signals to a remote location,

means for adjusting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole, said means for adjusting including power source means for effecting said adjusting, said power source means being located entirely in at least one of said cutting head and said auger means whereby multiple connections from a remote power source means are avoided, and

means for remotely controlling said adjusting means.

26. Apparatus for boring a hole through the earth comprising, means for producing an above-ground reference line for a hole to be bored, said reference line extending in a direction having at least a directional component which is essentially parallel to a corresponding directional component of said hole to be bored, means for detecting the direction of at least said directional component of said reference line, means for boring a hole through the earth, said means for boring including a cutting head and auger means connected to said cutting head, means for detecting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole, means for adjusting the direction of said boring means in a bore hole, and means for controlling said adjusting means whereby the direction of said boring means can be adjusted to at least said directional component of said reference line.

27. Method of boring a hole through the earth with an earth boring machine including a cutting head and auger means connected to said cutting head comprising producing an above-ground reference line for a hole to be bored, said reference line extending in a direction having at least a directional component which is essentially parallel to a corresponding directional component of said hole to be bored, determining the direction of at least said directional component of said reference line, determining the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole, comparing the direction of the cutting head in the bore hole and the direction of at least said directional component of the reference line for the hole to be bored, and controlling the cutting head to adjust the direction of the cutting head to at least said directional component of said reference line.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said reference line is a laser beam.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of determining the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole involves sensing the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole with a sensor and wirelessly transmitting detected direction signals to a remote location for said comparing step.

31. The method of boring a hole through the earth according to claim 27, wherein said reference line extends in a direction which is essentially parallel to the direction of said hole to be bored, the direction of said reference line being determined and compared with the direction of the cutting head, and wherein said controlling step involves controlling the cutting head to adjust the direction of the cutting head to the direction of said reference line.

30. Earth boring machine comprising,

a cutting head,

auger means including a lead auger section connected to said cutting head,

drive means for rotating said auger means and cutting head to bore a hole in the earth,

means for detecting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole,

means for adjusting the direction of the cutting head in a bore hole, said means for adjusting including cutting head adjusting motor means and power source means for operating said cutting head adjusting motor means, said cutting head adjusting motor means and said power source means being located entirely within at least one of said lead auger section and said cutting head, and

means for controlling said cutting head adjusting motor means of said adjusting means.