Flowmole Corporation

Glen Baker

John E Mercer

Albert W Chau

James A Fikse

A technique for providing a continuous underground tunnel between first and second spaced-apart points and for installing new cable, pipe or conduit is disclosed herein. This technique utilizes a boring device including means for boring through soil and a thrust conduit which pushes the boring device through the soil from a first starting point to a second end point as the device bores through the soil, whereby to form a tunnel between the two points. Thereafter, the cable to be installed within the tunnel is attached to the front end of the boring device and the latter is pulled back through the tunnel to its starting point by means of the thrust cable, thereby automatically pulling the new cable in place.

Technique for providing an underground tunnel utilizing a powered boring

A technique for providing a continuous underground tunnel is disclosed herein. This technique utilizes an elongated boring device including a forward facing, off-axis high pressure fluid jet which is rotated about the elongated axis of the device while the latter is urged forward through the soil, whereby to cause the device to bore a tunnel through the soil as it moves forward. In accordance with one feature of this technique, the boring device is steered by modulating the speed and/or the direction of rotation of its off-axis fluid jet in a way which depends upon the desired direction to be taken by the boring device within the soil. In accordance with another feature of the overall technique, the pitch angle of the boring device, as defined by its elongation axis, is monitored relative to a horizontal ground plane, independent of the roll position of the device. In accordance with still another feature of the technique, the roll angle of the boring device and the position of its off-axis jet are simultaneously monitored whereby to monitor the precise rotational position of the jet relative to its roll position.

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Kent, WA, United States of America

Glen Baker