Remote lock-out system and method for a horizontal direction drilling system

• US 6,408,952 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Delonti, Fred G., Brand, Ivan R., Austin, Gregg A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEUDER, WILLIAM P
• Application Number:
  US09/466,502
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 175/19, 175/24, 175/26, 175/27, 175/40, 175/45, 175/48, 175/61, 340/853.2, 340/853.3, 340/863.4, 340/853.5, 340/853.6
• US Class Current: 175/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling

Abstract

Systems and methods for remotely altering operation of a horizontal directional drilling machine provide for remotely disabling movement of a drill string coupled to a cutting head or reamer and, in addition, disabling dispensing of fluid, foam and/or air communicated through the drill string. A lockout signal is transmitted from a portable or hand-manipulatable remote unit operated by an operator remotely situated with respect to the drilling machine. The lockout signal is received at the drilling machine. In response to the received lockout signal, a controller of the drilling machine prevents movement of the drill string and thus the cutting head or reamer. The controller also disables dispensing of fluid, foam and/or air through the drill string in response to the received lockout signal. The controller effects transmission of a verification signal from the drilling machine to the remote location. The verification signal indicates successful receipt of the lockout signal by the drilling machine, disablement of drill string movement and, if applicable, disablement of fluid, foam and/or air supply through the drill string. The remote unit, in response to the verification signal received from the drilling machine, communicates to a user of the remote unit one or more of a visual, audible, and/or tactile indication that the verification signal has been received, thus providing unambiguous assurance to operators working on or proximate the drill string/cutting head that all drill string/cutting head movement and fluid dispensed through the drill string has been successfully disabled.

Claims

1. A method of remotely altering operation of a horizontal directional drilling machine, the drilling machine comprising a driving apparatus coupled to a drill string and a cutting head or reamer, the method comprising:

transmitting a lockout signal from a location remote from the drilling machine;

receiving the lockout signal at the drilling machine;

preventing movement of the drill string in response to the received lockout signal;

transmitting a verification signal from the drilling machine to the remote location, the verification signal indicative of successful receipt of the lockout signal by the drilling machine and disablement of drill string movement; and

detecting a loss of communication connectivity between the drilling machine and the remote location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing movement of the drill string comprises preventing rotation and displacement of the drill string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing movement of the drill string comprises clamping the drill string.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

clamping the drill string to prevent drill string movement; and

manipulating a drill string rod while clamping the drill string.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating a clamp signal in response to successfully clamping the drill string, wherein the verification signal is transmitted in response to the generated clamp signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling machine further comprises a fluid dispensing unit that supplies fluid, foam, air or a combination thereof into the borehole, the method further comprising disabling supplying of the fluid, foam and/or air into the borehole in response to the received lockout signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating to an operator at the remote location one or more of a visual, audible, and/or tactile indication in response to receiving the verification signal at the remote location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating to an operator at the remote location one or more of a visual, audible, and/or tactile warning indication in response to not receiving the verification signal at the remote location after expiration of a predetermined time period following transmission of the lockout signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating to a user at the remote location one or more of a visual, audible and/or tactile indication of the loss of communication connectivity between the drilling machine and the remote location.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating to a user at the remote location one or more of a visual, audible and/or tactile warning indication in response to a change of state at the drilling machine that affects movement of the drill string and/or a supply of the fluid, foam and/or air into the borehole.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating to an operator of the drilling machine one or both of a visual and/or audible indication of receipt of the lockout signal transmitted from the remote location.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an operating mode signal from the remote location;

receiving the operating mode signal at the drilling machine; and

altering operation of the drilling machine in response to the operating mode signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the operating mode signal comprises a CREEP mode signal; and

altering drilling machine operation comprises reducing drill string displacement from a nominal level to a pre-established level in response to the CREEP mode signal.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the operating mode signal comprises one of a PUSH, PULLBACK or ROTATE mode signal; and

altering drilling machine operation comprises altering forward drill string displacement in response to the PUSH mode signal, altering reverse drill string displacement in response to the PULLBACK mode signal or altering drill string rotation in response to the ROTATE mode signal.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the operating mode signal comprises a STEERING mode signal; and

altering drilling machine operation comprises imparting a heading change at the cutting head in response to the STEERING mode signal.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein altering drilling machine operation is effected automatically or in response to user control inputs.

17. A system for remotely altering operation of a horizontal directional drilling machine, the drilling machine comprising a driving apparatus coupled to a drill string and a cutting head or reamer, the system comprising:

a remote unit comprising a transceiver;

a user interface provided on the remote unit, the user interface comprising a lockout switch, a status indicator, and a mode indicator, the remote unit transmitting via the transceiver a lockout signal in response to user actuation of the lockout switch; and

a controller provided at the drilling machine communicatively coupled to the driving apparatus, the controller preventing movement of the drill string in response to the received lockout signal and transmitting a verification signal to the remote unit, the mode indicator of the remote unit, in response to the received verification signal, communicating to the user one or more of a visual, tactile and/or audible indication of successful receipt of the lockout signal by the drilling machine and disablement of drill string movement, and the status indicator indicating a loss of communication connectivity between the remote unit and the drilling machine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the driving apparatus comprises a rotation pump/motor and a displacement pump/motor each coupled to the drill string, the controller preventing movement of the drill string by disabling the rotation pump/motor and the displacement pump/motor.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a clamp mechanism mounted to the drilling machine which selectively engages and disengages the drill string to respectively prevent and permit movement of the drill string; and

a drill rod manipulation device, wherein the controller actuates the clamp mechanism to prevent movement of the drill string and contemporaneously enables the drill rod manipulation device to manipulate a drill rod relative to the clamped drill string.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a clamp sensor, the clamp sensor generating a clamp signal in response to the clamp mechanism successfully engaging the drill string so as to prevent drill string movement, wherein the controller transmits the verification signal in response to receiving the clamp signal generated by the clamp sensor.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the drilling machine further comprises a fluid dispensing unit that supplies fluid, foam and/or air through the drill string, the controller disabling dispensing of the fluid, foam, and/or air in response to the received lockout signal.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote unit comprises one or more of a visual, audible, and/or tactile indicator, the indicator providing an indication of receipt of the verification signal.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote unit comprises a timer and one or more of a visual, audible, and/or tactile warning indicator, the warning indicator providing an indication of non-receipt of the verification signal after elapsing of the timer following transmission of the lockout signal.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote unit comprises one or more of a visual, audible and/or tactile warning indicator, the indicator providing an indication of a change of state at the drilling machine that affects movement of the drill string.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises an indicator that indicates relative strength of a signal communicated between the remote unit and the drilling machine.

26. The system of claim 17, further comprising one or more repeaters for enhancing communication of signals between the remote unit and the drilling machine.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is coupled to one or both of a visual and/or audible indicator, the controller activating the indicator in response to the lockout signal.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote unit further comprises a user actuatable operating mode control, the operating mode control, when actuated by the user, producing an operating mode signal and the controller altering operation of the drilling machine in response to the operating mode signal.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the operating mode signal comprises a CREEP mode signal, and the controller reduces drill string displacement from a nominal level to a pre-established level in response to the CREEP mode signal.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the operating mode signal comprises one of a PUSH, PULLBACK or ROTATE mode signal, and the controller alters forward drill string displacement in response to the PUSH mode signal, alters reverse drill string displacement in response to the PULLBACK mode signal or alters drill string rotation in response to the ROTATE mode signal.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the controller alters drilling machine operation automatically or in response to user control inputs.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote unit comprises a user actuatable steering control, the steering control, in response to user actuation, producing a STEERING mode signal, and the controller effecting cutting head steering changes in response to the STEERING mode signal.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the steering control comprises a plurality of switches each representative of a position on clock face, the STEERING mode signal indicative of a desired cutting head steering direction corresponding to the position of an actuated switch on the clock face.