Microtunnelling system and apparatus
First Claim
1. A tunneling apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of separate intermediate drill rod units that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rod units and that can be disconnected from one another to disassemble the string of intermediate drill rod units, each intermediate drill rod unit including a first end positioned opposite from a second end, each intermediate drill rod unit including a drill rod drive shaft rotatably mounted within a drill rod casing assembly, the drill rod casing assemblies each including at least first and second separate axially extending passage defining structures that extend generally from the first ends to the second ends of the intermediate drill rod units, the first passage defining structures being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the first passage defining structures define a continuous first passage that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the second passage defining structures being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the second passage defining structures define a continuous second passage that extends along the length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, and the drill rod drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rod units, the drill rod casing assemblies also including outer shells that extend generally from the first ends to the second ends of the intermediate drill rod units, the outer shells having outer surfaces that define outer boundaries of the intermediate drill rod units, the first and second passage defining structures being positioned between the outer boundaries and the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units, the drill rod drive shafts not being positioned within the first continuous passage of the intermediate drill rod units and the drive shafts not being positioned within the second continuous passage of the intermediate drill rod units;
a drill head unit mounted at a distal end of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the drill head unit including a distal end positioned opposite from a proximal end, the drill head unit including a drill head drive shaft that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the drill head unit, the drill head drive shaft being rotatably mounted in a drill head casing assembly of the drill head unit, the proximal end of the drill head unit being configured to be connected to the distal end of the string of intermediate drill rod units, and the drill head unit including a cutting unit that mounts to the drill head drive shaft at the distal end of the drill head unit; and
an external drive positioned adjacent a proximal end of the string of intermediate drill rod units, wherein the external drive applies torque to the string of intermediate drill rod units that is transferred to the cutting unit by the drill rod drive shafts and the drill head drive shaft to cause rotation of the cutting unit, and wherein the external drive also applies thrust to the string of intermediate drill rod units.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microtunnelling apparatus and system that includes an external drive system having rotational and linear thrust drive means, a drill head section having drill rotor and drill rod and connecting to intermediate drill rods allowing extension of the boring hole created by the drill head section driven by the drive system. The drill head includes a modular construction having a plurality of circular disc like elements, a bearing module, a steering module, a spacer module, and a mounting module, for axial alignment and abutment and mounting within a cylindrical steering shell. Directional steering of the drill head includes a plurality of substantially radially extending channels in steering module, each with an hydraulically movable protuberance movable by control means to redirect the outer steering casing and thereby redirect the drill head section mounted on the distal end of the drill rods.
146 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A tunneling apparatus comprising:
-
a plurality of separate intermediate drill rod units that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rod units and that can be disconnected from one another to disassemble the string of intermediate drill rod units, each intermediate drill rod unit including a first end positioned opposite from a second end, each intermediate drill rod unit including a drill rod drive shaft rotatably mounted within a drill rod casing assembly, the drill rod casing assemblies each including at least first and second separate axially extending passage defining structures that extend generally from the first ends to the second ends of the intermediate drill rod units, the first passage defining structures being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the first passage defining structures define a continuous first passage that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the second passage defining structures being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the second passage defining structures define a continuous second passage that extends along the length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, and the drill rod drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rod units, the drill rod casing assemblies also including outer shells that extend generally from the first ends to the second ends of the intermediate drill rod units, the outer shells having outer surfaces that define outer boundaries of the intermediate drill rod units, the first and second passage defining structures being positioned between the outer boundaries and the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units, the drill rod drive shafts not being positioned within the first continuous passage of the intermediate drill rod units and the drive shafts not being positioned within the second continuous passage of the intermediate drill rod units; a drill head unit mounted at a distal end of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the drill head unit including a distal end positioned opposite from a proximal end, the drill head unit including a drill head drive shaft that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the drill head unit, the drill head drive shaft being rotatably mounted in a drill head casing assembly of the drill head unit, the proximal end of the drill head unit being configured to be connected to the distal end of the string of intermediate drill rod units, and the drill head unit including a cutting unit that mounts to the drill head drive shaft at the distal end of the drill head unit; and an external drive positioned adjacent a proximal end of the string of intermediate drill rod units, wherein the external drive applies torque to the string of intermediate drill rod units that is transferred to the cutting unit by the drill rod drive shafts and the drill head drive shaft to cause rotation of the cutting unit, and wherein the external drive also applies thrust to the string of intermediate drill rod units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A drill string comprising:
-
a plurality of intermediate drill rod units that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rod units, each intermediate drill rod unit including a drive shaft rotatably mounted within a casing assembly including an outer shell that surrounds the drive shaft and defines a generally cylindrical outer boundary of each intermediate drill rod unit, each intermediate drill rod unit including a first end positioned opposite from a second end, the casing assemblies defining outer passages defining outwardly facing open sides that extend along entire lengths of the intermediate drill rod units, the outer passages being aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the outer passages cooperate to define a continuous outer channel that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rod units, and the open sides of the outer passages providing access to the continuous outer channel from outside the cylindrical outer boundaries of the intermediate drill rod units; wherein male and female torque transfer structures are provided at opposite ends of the drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units, wherein the male and female torque transfer structures are respectively provided adjacent the first and second ends of the intermediate drill rod units, wherein the plurality of intermediate drill rod units include first and second intermediate drill rod units, and wherein when the first and second intermediate drill rod units are interconnected the female torque transfer structure of the first intermediate drill rod unit receives the male torque transfer structure of the second intermediate drill rod unit such that torque can be transferred between the drive shafts of the interconnected first and second intermediate drill rod units; wherein each casing assembly defines first and second separate internal passages that extend through the entire length of the respective intermediate drill rod unit, the first and second separate passages being positioned between the drive shaft and the outer shell of the respective intermediate drill rod unit; wherein the first internal passages of the intermediate drill rod units align with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the first internal passages cooperate to define a continuous first internal channel that extends along the length of the string of intermediate drill rod units; and wherein the second internal passages of the intermediate drill rod units align with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the second internal passages cooperate to define a continuous second internal channel that extends along the length of the string of intermediate drill rod units. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A tunneling apparatus comprising:
-
a plurality of intermediate drill rod units that can be connected together to form a string of intermediate drill rod units and that can be disconnected from one another to disassemble the string of intermediate drill rod units , each intermediate drill rod unit having a center axis, each intermediate drill rod unit also including a drill rod drive shaft co-axially aligned along the center axis and rotatably mounted within a drill rod casing assembly, the drill rod casing assemblies each defining axially extending first and second bores having axes that are offset from the center axes of the intermediate drill rod units, the first bores being co-axially aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the first bores cooperate to define a continuous first passage that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the second bores being co-axially aligned with one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together such that the second bores cooperate to define a continuous second passage that extends along a length of the string of intermediate drill rod units, the drill rod casing assemblies each including an outer shell defining an outer boundary of each of the intermediate drill rod units, the first and second bores being positioned between the outer boundaries and the drill rod drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units, and the drill rod drive shafts of the intermediate drill rod units being connected to one another when the intermediate drill rod units are connected together to allow torque to be transferred through the string of intermediate drill rod units; a drill head unit including a distal end positioned opposite from a proximal end, the drill head unit including a drill head drive shaft that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the drill head unit, the drill head drive shaft being rotatably mounted in a drill head casing assembly of the drill head unit, and the drill head unit including a cutting unit positioned at the distal end of the drill head unit; and an external drive for applying torque to the string of intermediate drill rod units that is transferred to the cutting unit of the drill head unit by the drill rod drive shafts and the drill head drive shaft to cause rotation of the cutting unit, and wherein the external drive also applies thrust to the string of intermediate drill rod units.
-
Specification