Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FIELD OF 'rHE INVENTION
2 The present invention relates to a rod p~lsh1ng and
3 pulling apparatus utilized in the formation of an underground bore
4 hole.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
6 At present, solid rod pusher-pullers are utilized to
7 prepare guided bores for the installation of pipes and cables into
8 the formed borehole. Typically, such pusher-pullers carry on the
9 first rod, an electronic tracking device, which is an off-the shelf
item used to ascertain that the desired directional borehole is
11 obt'ained. Such rod pusher-pullers usually comprise a hydraulically
12 actuated rod reciprocating mechanism and ~aws for gripping the rod.
13 In order to obtaln a well directed borehole, it is, however,
14 necessary to combine the pushing or pulling motion with a
rotational v~- -nL.
16 To Applicant's best knowledge, there is only one such
17 device whioh inco po,ates the co~cept of simultaneous reciprocatlon
18 with rotation. Thls unit sold as the Ditch Wltch, is manufactured
19 by The Charles Machlne Works, Inc., P. O. Box 66, Perry Ok, 73077
(Undated Brochure).
21 However, dlsadvantageously thls commercially available
22 prlor~art unlt is built wlth the rod belng reclprocated through the
23 cylinder. Consequently, the ~cc~ ted soll on the rod ~ams up
'24 the core of the cyllnder. In cold weather the problem ls further
compounded because the earth wlll stlck to the rod causlng stlll
26 further bulld up, the cyllnder wlll clog more frequently wlth
27 concomltantly longer equlpment down times. Addltionally, these
28 devices lack stability ln thelr method of rod-gripplng, thus in
29 many lnstances lt is necessary to tle the rod back. Generally,
these prior art unlts are e~ ely labour lntenslve, both to
31 render them operational, and durlng use.
32 A search of the prlor art plpe puller or pusher unlts was
33 conducted. Exemplary patents located include U.S. Patent 4,842,248
34 issued to M. H. Shy, U.S Patent 4,502,665 lssued to L.S. Yoder or
U. S. Patent 4, 251,058 issued to W.O. Schosek.
36 2
1 In light of the patents located, and the existing
2 available commercial units, it is evident that there is a need for
3 an apparatus having the following characteristics:
4 - capability of simultaneous reciprocation and rotation of
the rod with avoidance of the nece~s1ty of passing the rod
6 through the cylinder;
7 - need for less accurate requirements in the preparation of
8 the pit:
9 - a unit which is more highly automated, and
- a -r.h~ ne having the capability of exertin~ greater force
11 during the pushing or pulling v~ ~nts.
12
13 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
14 It is an objective of the present invention to provide a
15 apparatus which is capable of simultaneously pushing or pulling and
16 rotating the rod but which avoids the necessity of passing the rod
17 through the oylinder.
18 It is a second obJective to provide a more highly
19 automated unit.
It is stlll a further ob~ective to provide an apparatus
21 exerting a greater force during the plJ~hlng or pulling mo~ nts.
22 It is still yet another ob~ectIve to provide a novel rod
23 cleaner Acsoo~ated with the apparatus.
~'24 Flnally, the inventlon seeks to provide an apparatus
25 whioh has greater sensitivity of control and ~ -oved directional
26 borehole formation.
. :
27 In accordance with the present invention there is
28 provided an apparatus for puchl ng or pulllng a rod through the
29 ground to thereby form a borehole. The devioe is functional to
form horlzontal, vertical, undulating or direotional boreholes.
31 Preferably, the apparatus is best suited to form horizontally
32 directed boreholes.
33 More specifioally, the apparatus is mounted on a frame,
34 which is placed in a pit. A rod ls pushed or pulled through the
ground by the apparatus whereby once the borehole has been defined
36 3
1 pipe, cable or the like may be installed therein.
2 The apparatus comprises means for simultaneously pushlng
3 or pulling and rotating the rod together with releasable rod
4 gripping jaw means ( hereinafter termed Jaw gripping means). All
of thase means are operated using a single hydraulic cylinder
6 system and are operatively interconnected. Specifically, said
7 means for pushing or pulling and rotating the rod simultaneously,
8 comprises a carriage unit operatively co~nected to a bearing
9 housing and a cylindrical housing, a pair of hydraullc cylinders
and rotation means. Said rotation means preferably comprises a
11 spiral track engagable with a roller bearing mounted on said
12 cylindrical housing. The jaw gripping means comprises plvoted
13 linkages which are movable between a gripping position and a
14 release posltion upon actuation of the hydraulic cyllnders.
More specifically, the Jaw gripping means is comprised of two
16 dlstinct sets of ~aw gripping units.
17 The first unit utilizes two pairs of opposed pivotally
18 connected lin~ members which by means of r~-~o~able pins
.
19 interconnect the jaw holding - '- s with the carriage means.
~20 The~seaond unit comprises a s$ngle Jaw holding - ~?r having
21 ~spaced apart teeth. A single forward pivot pin and a rearward
~22 travelling pin are utl117e~ in place of the rather more complex
23 linkage SySt? of the first ~ ~o~ ~rt.
24 This second unit is further adapted for use with a novel
bearing housing, which employs nylotron blocks in place of
26 conventional thrust bearings.
27 Advantageously, the secon~ Jaw gripping unit is ~ n1cally
28 less complex than the first, and provides a more secure gripping i~
29 movement. Furthermore, the second unit, when used in con~unction
. . ~ .
with the novel bearing housing, provides a less expensive unit
31 having a longer wear life and the sheli bec~ ~s self-supporting.
32 Broadly stated the invention comprises a hydraulic rod
33 pusher-puller apparatus for fo. ~ ng an underground borehole which
34 comprises a frame adapted to receive said apparatus: a rotatable
cylindrical housing; jaw gripping means for releasably engaging
36 4
1 said rod, said means being mounted within said housing; and means
2 for simultaneously pushing or pulling and rotating said rod in a ~;
3 predete~ ined direction of travel.
4 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side-sectional view of the pusher puller apparatus
6 positioned in a pit. -
7 Figure 2 1S a plan view of the apparatus of figure 1 with the cover
8 removed.
9 Figure 3 is a side-sectional view of the apparatus of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the puller-pusher assembly of
11 figure 1.
12 Figure 5 is cross sectional illustration of the apparatus of
13 figure 1.
14 Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating the ~aw gripping unit of the
apparatus of figure 1. ~ ;
16 Figure 7 is a plan view of the ~aw gripping unit with the housing
17 shown only ln cross-section.
18 Flgure 8 1s a more detalled view of the ~aw gripping unit
19 illustrated in figure 7.
, ;:
Figure 9 i8 an exploded view of the bearlng housing and Jaw
21 grlpping - ~rs of the first Jaw gripplng unit.
22 Figure 10 i8 a detailed perspective of the rod cleaner.
23 Figure 11 ls a front view of the rod cleAner mounted on the frame.
'24 Figure 12 1s a plan vlew of the second embodiment of the ~aw
grlpplng unit.
26 Figure 13 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the ~aw gripping
27 unit.
28 DESCRIPTION OF THE ~K~ ~*~ EMBODIMENT -
29 Having reference to the accompanying drawings, there is
shown the pusher-puller apparatus 1. The apparatus comprises a ~
31 frame 2, a carriage unit 24, a Jaw gripping unit 26, and a rod ~-
32 cleaner 100.
33 The apparatus 1 is mounted on an upst~n~ng frame 2 which
34 is adapted for pl~r~ - t in a pit 4 in the ground. The apparatus
1 is functional to push or pull a rod 6 underground so as to form -
36 5
/~
1 a borehole.
2The frame 2 is provided with first and second stabilizing
3 brace plates 8 and 10 respectively at opposed ends thereof. The
4plates 8 and 10 each define cen~lal apertures 9 and 11
respectively.
6A telescoping unit comprising an outer tubular member 12
7 and an inner tubular member 14 is utilized. The inner tubular
8 member 14 is co~nected to the brace plate 8. The outer tubular
9member 12 supports a pair of hydraulic oylinders 16. A pin 18 on -~
the outer tubular member 12 is used to co~nect it to the cylinders
1116. Similarly, a pin 20 on the brace pla~e 8 is used to connect
12 the piston rod of cylinder 16 thereto. The brace plate 8 is forced
13 by the extension of the pistons of cylinders 16 into engagement
14 wlth the plt wall, or by retraction of the pistons of cylinders 16,
15out oP engagement with the pit wall. ;~
16ROD CLEANER
17~ Havlng particular refèrence to figures 10 and 11, thereis
18further provlded a rod oleaner 100. The rod cleaner is mounted on
19the~frame 2 ad~acent support plate 10.
, ~
~ 20 ;~ The rod cle~ner lOO comprises a first support plate 102
`-~ 21 with a sliding plate 104 posltloned rearwardly thereof. A pair of
. 22 ~ threaded fasteners 108 are posltloned at;the top and bottom of the
~23cleaner 100. The fasteners 108 have a wlng bar 110 and extend
.,
~ '24through alignment apertures 106. The plate 102 deflnes an ~
.,
25elongate straight slot 112. The rear plate 104 forms an arcuate
26slot 114. Thus, when the rear plate 104 and front plate 102 mate,
27a oircular aperture 116 is provided, whlch aperture ls functlonal ;~
28 to scrape the dlrt from the rod 6 as lt reciprocates therethrough.
29An arcuate, spring lo~e~ tightening lever }24 is -
30pivotally mounted at pivot point 122, which lever 124 is functional
: ~ .
31to rotate the rear plate 104 into and out of mating engagement with
32the front plate 102. A latch 120 engages the lever 124 into
33 looking engagement therewith.
34CARRIAGE UNIT
35AS clearly illustrated in figure 5, a carriage unit 24 is
36 6
1provided for reciprocating the jaw gripping assembly 26. ~-
2The carriage 24 comprises a base support 44 connected to
3the front and rear circular end plates 46 and 48 respectively. A
4pair of spacer bars 50 are placed between the end plates 46 and 48.
SA pair of sliders 54 are bolted to the base support 44 and are i
6 adapted for longitudinalov- srt along guide channels 28 formed in
7the frame 2. The end plates 46 and 48 respectively further form
8central apertures 60.
9A pair of pushing bars 86 are secured on diametrically
10opposed sides of the housing 62 to the carriage support 44 by means
11of bolts 92. Plastic bushings 90 are provided between pushing bars
1286 and the carriage support 44. The pushing bars 86 are connected ~ ;
13to hydraulic cylinders 30 and secured thereto by means of pins 34.
14At thelr outer ends, the cylinders 30 are connected to the outer
.. . . .
15tubular member 12 by means of a pin 32. ~
~ . .
16 JAW GRIPPING UNIT
17As mentioned earlier, there is provided a cylindrical
18 houslng 62, whlch has an access openlng 63.
19A pair of inner bearing houslngs 64 are secured at the
outer ends of housing 62. More specifically, and having particular
21 reference to Flgure 9, the bearing housings 64 comprise an outer
22body 64a, and an inner body 64b and a thrust bearlng 64d. A
: .
23 retainer rlng 64c extends clrcumferentlaIly ln a formed y-oovæ on
24 the outer body 64a. A threaded fastener 65 secures the bearing
25houslng 64 to the housing 62. The bearlng houslng 64 defines an
26 end face 88 and an inner bore 89.
27A pair of flanged sleeves 56, functionlng as ~aw
28 actuators, extend lnto the lnterior of housing 62. The flanged
29 sleeves 56 form an end surface 57, and further deflne a central
axial bore 58.
31Taking particular note of flgures 7 and 8, rectangular
32 bars 66 are mounted on dlametrlcally opposed sides of the houslng
33 62 and secured thereto by means of bolts 78.
34A pair of ~aw holding - h~r$ 68 are pivotally conn4cted
to the rectangular bars 66 by means of oval-shaped llnk members 70.
36 7
1 Removable pins 72 are utillzed to interco~nect link members 70 to
2 the jaw holding members 68. Pins 74 are used to secure the llnk
3 members 70 to the bars 66. Removable teeth 76 extend outwardly
4 from the side walls of plates 68, said teeth 76 being adapted to
grippingly engage the rod 6. It is to be noted that ~ vable pins
6 are employed so that when reversing the orientation of the link
7 members 70, reversal of the direction of travel of the pusher-
8 puller assembly 22 is attained.
9 ROTATION MEANS
Mounted on the outer surface 80 of the cylindrical
11 houslng 62, into a hole 84, there is thre~de~ly engaged a roller
12 bearing 82. The roller bearing 82 is adapted to travel in a spiral
13 track 38 which is defined on the inner surface of cover 36. A
14 hinge assembly 40 attaches cover 36 to the outer tubular member 12
and a locking assembly 42 is provided to secure the cover 36 to the
16 member 12.
17 Additionally, four centring rollers 52 are affixed to the
18 outer surfaae 80 of cyllndrical housing 62.
19 OPERATION
In operation, upon actuatlon of the cylinders 30, the
21 pushing bars 86 move the cylindrical housing 62 longitu~n~lly.
22 ~ As the housing 62 is moved, the plates 66 are moved into
23 abutment wlth the end face 57 of sleeve 56. As the ho~ ng 62 ls
'24 moved longituA~n~lly the link 70 are moved from an angled posltion
until perp~ clllar to the plate 66. At this point the teeth 76
26 are in grlpplng engagement with the rod 6, and the clearance
27 between the end surface of the flanged sleeve 57 and plate 66
28 reverses to the opposite sleeve end face and corresponding plate
29 edge. The ~aw gripplng unlt 26 and the carriage unit 24, then move
as a whole, once the rod 6 is in gripping engagement with the ~aw
31 gripping unit 26. Upon further actuation by the cylinders 30
32 longitudlnal mov~ art of the carriage unit 24 is caused, which is
33 in turn translated to the ~aw gripping unit 26. The direction of
34 v nt is selected so as to be in the desired push or pull mode.
The rotation is effected as follows. As the ~aw gripping unit 26
36 8
1and the carriage unit 24 are moved longitudinally, the roller
2bearing 82 and the spiral track 38 coopera~e to effect rotation of
3the jaw gripping unit 26, the unit turning one third of a
4revolution during each stroke of the pistons of cylinder 30.
5Upon retraction of the cylinders 30, plates 66 are moved
6out of engagement with sleeve 56, the llnks 70 are returned to the
7angled position, and teeth 76 move out of engagement with the rod
86. The carriage unit 24 is returned to its initial starting
9position. Meanwhile, the roller bearing 82 returns to the
10c onc~ -nt of the spiral track 38.
11SECOND JAW GRIPPING UNIT EMBODIMENT ...
12Having reference to figure 12, there is lllustrated an
13alternative embodiment of the pusher-puller assembly of the
14invention.
15More speaifically, there ls provided a cylindrical
16housing 62, a carriage unit ( not shown, but which is identical to
17that described earlier herein with the exception that no sleeves 56
18are provided), ~aw gripping means and means for rotatlng the rod
19(again identical to that described for the fir~t embodiment). ~;~
20Partially mounted wlthin the outer ends of the ~
21cylindrical housing are a~pair of circular, bearlng housings 130, ~i
, .:
22whlch houslngs define a central bore adapted to recelve tho rod 6 ;
23 exten~ng therethrough. The bearing housing 130 comprises an outer
24body 132 and an inner body 134. A ret~ n~ ng ring 136 secures by
25means of a screw 137 the outer and inner bodies 132 and 134
~6respeotively of the bearing housing 130. The bearing body 130
27 defines an interior face 138.
28A pair of ring plates 139 secure the connecting bars 140
29to said bearing housings 130. The con~ecting bars 140 extend
between opposed bearing housings 130.
31A pair of dlametrically opposed inner underlying plates
32142 are secured to the cylindrical housing 62. Pivot pins 146
33 extend through Jaw gripping - ~ers 144 and through ~l -vable
34 plates 143.
35Each jaw gripping member 144 comprises an integral,
36 9
:'i
1 generally mushroom-shaped member, which member 144 defines on its
2 circumferential edge a pair of spaced apart teeth members 76
3 adapted to grippingly engage the rod 6.
4Travelling pins 148 are provided adjacent the inner end
of the jaw gripping members 144 extendlng through slotted holes
6150. A pair of removable limit$ng pins 154 and 156 are mounted on
7 the cylindrlcal housing 62 and serve to restrict the travel of the
8 Jaw gripping members 144 so as to bring the teeth 76 out of
9gripplng engagement wlth the rod 6 when the faces 160 and 162 of
10the jaw - ~rs 144 abut the travelling pins. Four holes 158 are
11 provided at the forward and rearward ends respectively for the
12llmiting pins 154 and 156. Reinsertion of the pins 154 and 156 in
13 the opposed holes permits of reversal of direction of travel of the
14 rod.
15In operation, as the pl1ch~ng bars 86 are actuated by the
16 hydraulic oylinder ~y&L~ , the bearing housing 130 pushes on the
17pivot pin 148 rotating the jaw gripping member 144 until it is in
18 gripping engagement with the rod 6. The small bearings (not shown)
19 on the outslde of the cylindrical housing 62 function to restrict
20movement thereof. Il0:l3~er, the bearing housing 130 are functlonal
21 to slide in and out of sald cylindrioal hous~ng a small distance.
22Again, the frame, stab~l171ng means and rod cleaner are
23substantially ldentical to those of the first embodiment.
'24THIRD JAW GRIPPING EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
25ThiS version of the pipe puller pusher --hlne resides in the
26substitution of the thrust bearings for nylotron friction bearing
27members in the above-described second Jaw gripping unit.
28More speclflcally, having reference to figure 13, there is
29provlded a Jaw grlpping unit sl ~l ~r to that shown in figure 12
30with the following changes and substitutions. The conventional
31thrust bearing 64d is replaced by a bearing - ~er 160. The member
32160, which is interposed between the outer body 132 and the inner
33body 134, is preferably formed of a nylotron material which is a
34plastic exhibiting exceptional load-bearing and wear
35characteristics. A plurality of seals 162 are positioned between
36 10
1 the housing 62 and a sleeve 56 as illustrated ln the drawlng. It
2 is to be noted that no flange 58 is provided on said sleeve 56.In
3 this instance, the sleeve 56 functions as a support for the bearing
4 housings.
It can be seen, furthermore, that stops 164 are mounted at the
6 outer ends of the housing 62 to limit longitudinal travel thereof.
7 The stops 164 are also made of nylotron.
8 Advanageously, the four centring rollers 52 affixed to the
9 housing 62 are not required with this arrangement.
Again, a carriage unit, means for rotating the rod, a frame,
11 stabllizing means and rod cleaner~ identical to both first and
12 second embodiments of the invention descr~bed earlier herein are
13 provided.
14 ` It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is
defined by the claims which now follow and that it is not limited
16 to the specific best modes that has been described herein.
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