Apparatus for guiding and steering earth boring casing
First Claim
1. Earth boring apparatus for boring and laying pipe casings underground beginning at a boring station pit to form a cased bore which includes means for forming a bore and pushing the pipe casings through the bore as it is formed, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of pipe casings joined together having a forward casing at a forward end of said casings;
a steering head carried by said forward casing;
a cutting head carried by said steering head for forming said bore;
hinge means connecting said forward casing and steering head for rotation about a first axis and a second axis disposed at an angle to said first axis; and
actuation means connected to said steering head for imparting an actuation force to rotate said steering head through said hinge means about said first and second axes to steer said steering head.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for guiding and steering pipe casing bored and pushed underground by an earth boring machine is disclosed which includes hinge assemblies pivotally connecting a steering head to a front casing. Each hinge assembly includes two pivots. A first pivot has a horizontal pivot axis and a second pivot has a vertical pivot axis. Preferably, the hinge assemblies are compound hinges so that the pivots are carried by a unitary hinge assembly. Actuators are provided which impart an actuation force on the steering head to rotate the steering head about the first and second pivot axes. One of the actuators is provided by slidably mounting one of the hinge assemblies so that the first and second pivot axes of that hinge assembly are compounded and moved unitarily. A second actuator is connected to the steering head to move the steering head about the first pivot axis while the hinge assembly slides to pivot the steering head about the second axis.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. Earth boring apparatus for boring and laying pipe casings underground beginning at a boring station pit to form a cased bore which includes means for forming a bore and pushing the pipe casings through the bore as it is formed, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of pipe casings joined together having a forward casing at a forward end of said casings; a steering head carried by said forward casing; a cutting head carried by said steering head for forming said bore; hinge means connecting said forward casing and steering head for rotation about a first axis and a second axis disposed at an angle to said first axis; and actuation means connected to said steering head for imparting an actuation force to rotate said steering head through said hinge means about said first and second axes to steer said steering head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Earth boring apparatus for boring and laying pipe casings underground to form a cased bore from a boring pit, and includes means for forming a bore and pushing the pipe casings through the bore as it is formed, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of pipe casings joined together having a forward casing at a lead end of said casings; a steering head carried by said forward casing; a cutting head carried by said steering head for forming said bore; hinge means connecting said steering head and said forward casing so that said steering head rotates relative to said forward casing about at least a first axis; actuator means connected to said steering head for imparting an actuation force to rotate said steering head through said hinge means to steer said steering head in a desired direction; and said hinge means including a bearing mount carried by said steering head, bearing means carried about said bearing mount constructed from a low friction material, and a bearing hinge carried by said forward casing which surrounds said bearing means so that said bearing means is sandwiched between said bearing mount and said bearing hinge. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification