Method and apparatus for installment of underground utilities

• US 4,787,463 A
• Filed: 04/18/1988
• Issued: 11/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UtilX Corporation (Novinium, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Flowmole Corporation
• Inventors: Mercer, John, O'Hanlon, Tom, Geller, Edward, Reichman, Jim, Svendsen, Robert, Theimer, Ken, Kirby, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US07/183,414
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• Field of Search: 175/26, 175/45, 175/61, 175/62, 175/67, 175/75, 175/424, 405/184
• US Class Current: 175/45
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0232 at least one of the energy sources or one of the detectors being located on or above the ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/065 using oriented fluid jets
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/18 Drilling by liquid or gas jets, with or without entrained pellets E21B7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for installing underground utilities using an offset head fluid jet drilling and reaming apparatus. The drill is maneuverable and provides means for remote sensing of orientation and depth. Embodiments are illustrated with single and multiple jet cutting orifices.

Claims

1. A method of installing a utility line comprising the steps of:

drilling a hole in the vicinity where the line is desired by means of a fluid jet which is advanced without rotation to drill a curved section and which is advanced with rotation to drill a straight section;

monitoring the progess of said drilling step;

applying correction to eliminate any deviation from the desired path;

reaming said hole drilled in said drilling step with a reamer provided with fluid jets; and

,

pulling said reamer back through the drilled reamed hole; and

,

towing the utility line through the drilled reamed hole with said reamer by connecting the utility line to the reamer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring step is accomplished by means of a radio transmission from the vicinity of said fluid jet to a receiver at the surface level.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of monitoring the pitch of said fluid jet drill.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said fluid jet is provided by means of a drilling apparatus including

(a) a bendable, hollow drill string which has a front end and back end and which when maintained straight defines a straight, longitudinal axis;

(b) a nozzle assembly connected to the front end of said drill string and including a nozzle body having at least one jet orifice which is located at the front end of the assembly and which defines a jet flow axis disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said drill string when the latter is straight, said nozzle body having one outer side surface thereof which extends from the front of the nozzle assembly rearwardly to a limited extent in a fixed direction at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said drill string when the latter is straight, said outer side surface of said nozzle body being disposed above said orifice when said jet flow axis is angled downward;

(c) means for supplying high pressure fluid through said drill string and to said orifice for producing a fluid jet out of said orifice in the direction of said jet flow axis, and thereby at an acute angle with respect to said longitudinal axis;

(d) means for intermittently rotating said drill string and said nozzle assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drill string whereby to cause said fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to rotate about said longitudinal axis; and

(e) means for pushing said drill string and nozzle body in the forward direction in the presence of said fluid jet so as to cause the drill string and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to move along a straight line path when said fluid jet is simultaneously rotated and so as to cause the drill string and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and outer side surface to turn in the direction of said jet flow axis when said fluid jet is not rotating whereby said outer side surface because of its location relative to said orifice lies outside the turn as said nozzle assembly is caused to make a turn.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said nozzle body is connected to said drill string in a way which prevents the nozzle body from rotating relative to the drill string.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said nozzle body is connected to said drill string by means of a coupling assembly including a key and interconnecting slot.

7. A method of installing a utility line comprising the steps of:

drilling a hole in the vicinity where the line is desired by means of a fluid jet from a boring device which is advanced, in part, while being rotated about its own axis by means of a drill string connected at one end to the back end of the boring device and at its opposite end to a motor means for rotating the drill string and therefore the boring device; and

, using a key and slot arrangement forming part of the boring device and part of the drill string, interlocking the boring device to the drill string so that the boring device will not rotate about its own axis relative to the drill string, whereby the boring device remains circumferentially aligned with the drill string.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said drill string includes a plurality of lengthwise sections which are interconnected together at adjacent ends thereof by means of cooperating key and slot arrangements identical to said first-mentioned key and slot arrangement.

9. An apparatus for drilling an underground passageway comprising:

(a) a bendable, hollow drill string which has a front end and a back end which when maintained straight defines a straight, longitudinal axis;

(b) a fluid jet producing nozzle assembly having a nozzle body connected to the front end of said drill string by means of a key and slot arrangement whereby to prevent the nozzle body from rotating relative to the drill string;

(c) means for supplying high pressure fluid through said drill string and to said nozzle assembly whereby to cause at least one fluid jet to flow from said nozzle assembly;

(d) means for intermittently rotating said drill string and said nozzle assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drill string; and

(e) means for pushing said drill string and nozzle assembly in a forward direction.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said drill string includes a plurality of lengthwise sections which are interconnected together at adjacent ends thereof by means of cooperating key and slot arrangements identical to said first-mentioned key and slot arrangement.

11. A method of drilling an undergound passageway comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a bendable, hollow drill string which has a front end and a back end and which when maintained straight defines a straight, longitudinal axis, and a nozzle assembly connected to the front end of said drill string and including a nozzle body having at least one jet orifice which is located at the front end of the assembly and which defines a jet flow axis disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said drill string when the latter is straight, said nozzle body having one outer side surface thereof which extends from the front of the nozzle assembly rearwardly to a limited extent in a fixed direction at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said drill string when the latter is straight, said outer side surface of said nozzle body being disposed above said orifice when said jet flow axis is angled downward;

(b) supplying high pressure fluid through said drill string and to said orifice for producing a fluid cutting jet out of said orifice in the direction of said jet flow axis, and thereby at an acute angle with respect to said longitudinal axis, whereby the fluid cutting jet serves to cut through the soil in front of said nozzle body;

(c) intermittently rotating said drill string and said nozzle assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drill string whereby to cause said fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to rotate about said longitudinal axis; and

pushing said drill string and nozzle body in the forward direction in the presence of said fluid jet so as to cause the drill string and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to move along a straight line path when said fluid jet is simultaneously rotated and so as to cause the drill string and nozzle assemlby including said angled fluid jet and outer side surface to turn in the direction of said jet flow axis when said fluid jet is not rotating whereby said outer side surface becasue of its location relative to said orifice lies outside the turn as said nozzle assembly is caused to make a turn.

12. A method of drilling an underground passageway comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a bendable, hollow drill string which has a front end and a back end and which when maintained straight defines a straight, longitudinal axis and a nozzle assembly connected to the front end of said rill string and including a nozzle body having at least one jet orifice which is located at the front end of the assembly and which defines a jet flow axis disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said drill string when the latter is straight, said nozzle body having one outer side surface thereof which extends from the front of the nozzle assembly rearwardly to a limited extend in a fixed direction at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said drill string when the latter is straight, said outer side surface of said nozzle body being disposed above said orifice when said jet flow axis is angled downward;

(b) supplying high pressure fluid through said drill string and to said orifice for producing a fluid cutting jet out of said orifice in the direction of said jet flow axis, and thereby at an acute angle with respect to said longitudinal axis, whereby the fluid cutting jet serves to cut through the soil in front of said nozzle body;

(c) intermittently rotating said nozzle assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drill string whereby to cause said fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to rotate about said longitudinal axis; and

(d) pushing said drill string and nozzle body in the forward direction in the presence of said fluid jet so as to cause the drill string and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to move along a straight line path when said fluid jet is simultaneously rotated and so as to cause the drill string and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and outer side surface to turn in the direction of said jet flow axis when said fluid jet is not rotating whereby said outer side surface because of its location relative to said orifice lies outside the turn as said nozzle assembly is caused to make a turn.

13. A method of drilling an underground passageway comprising the steps of:

(a) providing bendable tubular means having a front end and a back end and which when maintained straight defines a straight, longitudinal axis, and a nozzle assembly connected to the front end of said tubular means and including a nozzle body having at least one jet orifice which is located at the front end of the assembly and which defines a jet flow axis disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular means when the latter is straight, said nozzle body having one outer side surface thereof which extends from the front of the nozzle assembly rearwardly to a limited extend in a fixed direction at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said tubular means when the latter is straight, said outer side surface of said nozzle body being disposed above said orifice when said jet flow axis is angled downward;

(b) supplying high pressure fluid through said tubular means and to said orifice for producing a fluid cutting jet out of said orifice in the direction of said jet flow axis, and thereby at an acute angle with respect to said longitudinal axis, whereby the fluid cutting jet serves to cut through the soil in front of said nozzle body;

(c) intermittently rotating said nozzle assembly about the longitudinal axis of said tubular means whereby to cause said fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to rotate about said longitudinal axis; and

(d) pushing said tubular means and nozzle body in the forward direction in the presence of said fluid jet so as to cause the tubular means and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and said outer side surface of said nozzle body to move along a straight line path when said fluid jet is simultaneously rotated and so as to cause the tubular means and nozzle assembly including said angled fluid jet and outer side surface to turn in the direction of said jet flow axis when said fluid jet is not rotating whereby said outer side surface because of its location relative to said orifice lies outside the turn as said nozzle assembly is caused to make a turn.

14. A method of installing a utility line comprising the steps of:

(a) drilling a hole in the vicinity where the line is desired by means of a drill string carrying a fluid jet which is advanced without rotation to drill a curved section and which is advanced with rotation to drill a straight section;

(b) monitoring the progress of said drilling step;

(c) applying correction to eliminate any deviation from the desired path;

(d) pulling said drill string back through the drilled hole; and

towing the utility line through the drilled hole with said drill string by connecting the utility line to the drill string.

15. A nozzle assembly for use as a part of an apparatus for drilling an underground passageway by means of at least one high pressure fluid cutting jet, which apparatus includes bendable cable means for supporting said nozzle assembly at one end thereof, means for supplying high pressure fluid for said cutting jet, means for intermittently rotating said nozzle assembly about an axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis of cable means when the latter is straight, and means for urging the cable means and nozzle assembly in the forward direction, whereby to cause the nozzle assembly to move through the ground and turn in a controlled way at desired times, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a nozzle body having at least one jet orifice which is located at the front end of the assembly, which defines a jet flow axis disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said cable means when the latter is straight, and which is configured to be placed in fluid communication with said supply of high pressure fluid to produce said fluid cutting jet out of said orifice, said nozzle body having one outer side surface thereof which extends from the front of the nozzle assembly rearwardly to a limited extent in a fixed direction at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said cable means when the latter is straight, said outer side surface of said nozzle body being disposed above said orifice when the jet flow axis is angled downward, whereby when said nozzle assembly is caused to turn, said outer side surface because of its location relative to said orifice lies outside the turn and aids the nozzle assembly in making the turn.

16. A nozzle assembly according to claim 15 wherein said outer side surface is substantially parallel with said jet flow axis.

17. A nozzle assembly according to claim 15 wherein said nozzle body includes a second outer side surface which is located opposite said first mentioned outer side surface and which extends from the front of said nozzle assemlby rearwardly to a limited extent in a fixed direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said cable means when the latter is straight.