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Homing technique for an in-ground boring device

  • US 4,881,083 A
  • Filed: 10/02/1986
  • Issued: 11/14/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A homing system including an in-ground boring device for directing said device through the ground from its particular location at a given point to a specific in-ground target point, said system comprising:

  • (a) first means including a transmitting antenna carried by said boring device for producing a near full electromagnetic dipole field which functions as a predetermined homing signal;

    (b) second means including a receiving antenna arrangement and cooperating circuitry located at a ground level point for detecting said homing signal and for producing its own internal signal containing information which indicates whether the horizontal component of movement of the boring device is on or off a course leading to said target point and, if the boring device is off said course, whether its horizontal component of movement is headed to the left or right of some course which will bring the boring device to the target point;

    (c) third means including a second transmitting antenna and cooperating circuitry also located at said ground level point and responsive to said internal signal for producing a control signal containing said information and transmitting said control signal by electromagnetic waves to a remote location; and

    (d) control means located in part at said remote location and in part on said boring device and at least in part responsive to said control signal for steering said device on a course to said target point.

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