Laser positioning system for earth boring apparatus
First Claim
1. Earth boring apparatus which includes pipe casing, and means for pushing the casing through the earth and steering the casing as the casing is pushed through the earth to form a bore in a prescribed direction, said apparatus comprising:
- an operating platform disposed at a starting point;
a plurality of individual pipe casings joined together to form a casing string;
a plurality of casing joints defined between adjacent pipe casings;
a plurality of measuring units carried by said casings at pre-determined locations along said casing string including at least a first, second, and third measuring unit carried successively on adjacent first, second, and third casings, respectively;
said measuring units including a first beam transmitted in a first direction and a second beam directed in a second, reverse direction;
a pair of targets carried at opposing ends of said measuring units including a first target disposed on one end and a second target disposed on an opposing end;
said first beam of said second measuring unit impinging upon a second target of said third measuring unit;
said second beam of said second measuring unit impinging upon a first target of said first measuring unit;
said second target of said third measuring unit including a detector for providing first and second signals in response to the impingement of said first beam upon said detector representing a positional relationship between said second and third measuring units; and
said first target of said first measuring unit including a detector for providing a third signal responsive to the impingement of said second beam upon said detector representing a positional relationship between said first and second measuring units.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser positioning and measuring system for an earth boring apparatus is disclosed which includes a unique measuring unit comprising a pair of lasers mounted in a back-to-back relation with targets at their free ends. The targets include a beam passage through which laser beams from the measuring units are emitted. The emitted laser beams strike a target on an adjacent measuring unit. The area of which the laser beam impinges upon the adjacent targets generates a signal to indicate the displacement of the laser beams with respect to the adjacent targets to provide a coordinate and angle signals. The signals are processed in the computer to indicate deviations between the measuring units. The measuring units are spaced along the bore, for example, by attachment near the joints of the individual pipe casings which are pushed through the bore by the earth boring apparatus. The deflection of the casings from the desired bore direction is measured by the measuring units as disposed at the joints of the casing and processed to indicate a deviation in the distance of the leading pipe casing from the point of origin. Each target comprises a photo array of light sensing elements which detects the impingement area of the beam coming from the adjacent measuring unit.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. Earth boring apparatus which includes pipe casing, and means for pushing the casing through the earth and steering the casing as the casing is pushed through the earth to form a bore in a prescribed direction, said apparatus comprising:
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an operating platform disposed at a starting point; a plurality of individual pipe casings joined together to form a casing string; a plurality of casing joints defined between adjacent pipe casings; a plurality of measuring units carried by said casings at pre-determined locations along said casing string including at least a first, second, and third measuring unit carried successively on adjacent first, second, and third casings, respectively; said measuring units including a first beam transmitted in a first direction and a second beam directed in a second, reverse direction; a pair of targets carried at opposing ends of said measuring units including a first target disposed on one end and a second target disposed on an opposing end; said first beam of said second measuring unit impinging upon a second target of said third measuring unit; said second beam of said second measuring unit impinging upon a first target of said first measuring unit; said second target of said third measuring unit including a detector for providing first and second signals in response to the impingement of said first beam upon said detector representing a positional relationship between said second and third measuring units; and said first target of said first measuring unit including a detector for providing a third signal responsive to the impingement of said second beam upon said detector representing a positional relationship between said first and second measuring units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. Earth boring apparatus of the type which includes a cutting head for cutting an underground bore through the earth, and steering system for steering the cutting head through the earth to form a bore in a prescribed direction, said apparatus comprising:
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an operating platform disposed at a starting point; a plurality of measuring units disposed successively along said bore in relational position to a desired direction of said bore, and carried at least by said cutting head and near said platform; said measuring units including a first beam transmitted in a first direction and a second beam directed in a second, reversed direction; a pair of targets carried at opposing ends of said measuring units including a first target disposed on one end and a second target disposed on an opposing end; said first beam of a first measuring unit passing through a first target and impinging upon a second target of a second measuring unit disposed near said first measuring unit in said first direction; said second beam of said first measuring unit passing through said second target, and impinging upon a first target of a third measuring unit disposed near said first measuring unit in said second direction; said second target of said second measuring unit including a detector for providing coordinate position signals in response to the impingement of said first beam upon said detector representing a position defined by two coordinates; and said first target of said first measuring unit including a detector for providing an angle signal responsive to the impingement of said second beam upon said detector representing an angular relationship between said first and second measuring units. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Apparatus for forming an underground bore of the type which uses a cutting head which is steered underground from an operating platform to form said bore in a prescribed direction and a measuring system for determining the position of said cutting head, wherein said measuring system comprises:
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a measuring unit which includes first laser unit emitting a first beam in a first direction; a second laser unit mounted in a back-to-back relation to said first laser unit, said second laser unit emitting a second beam directed in a second reversed direction; and a pair of targets carried at opposing ends of said measuring unit including a first target disposed on one end and a second target disposed on an opposing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification