Astec Industries, Inc.

American Augers, Inc.

Guy Randall

Neil M Baker

Jared E Bird

Richard W Gentry

William G Riel

Justin Wheeler

Joseph R Szarka

Christopher A Huck

Brian Hollis

Rich Gentry

Pengfei Yang

William Burky

Joe Szarka

Christopher L Shepherd

Jack Weyer

Stephen Berger

Jared Bird

A tool for making up and breaking out a drill string at an exit side of a bore. The tool includes a fixed vise and a moveable vise for torqueing a pipe joint, a roller assembly for threading and unthreading adjacent sections of pipe, and a retainer assembly to retain a detached pipe section. The components of the tool are mounted on a frame, which is pivotally connected to a hydraulic machine such as an excavator. Thus, the tool may be manipulated to remove and add sections of pipe to a drill string remote from the primary horizontal directional drill.

Tool for use on exit side of bore and method of use thereof

A tool for making up and breaking out a drill string at an exit side of a bore. The tool includes a fixed vice and a moveable vice for torquing a pipe joint, a roller assembly for threading and unthreading adjacent sections of pipe, and a retainer assembly to retain a detached pipe section. The components of the tool are mounted on a frame, which is pivotally connected to a hydraulic machine such as an excavator. Thus, the tool may be manipulated to remove and add sections of pipe to a drill string remote from the primary horizontal directional drill.

A pipe handler comprising a skid and a base having a base longitudinal axis. The base is adjustably mounted on the skid. The pipe handler comprises a means for adjusting the base, a boom, and a means for moving the boom between a position substantially parallel to the base longitudinal axis and a position substantially perpendicular to the base longitudinal axis. The pipe handler includes a pipe gripper that is pivotally attached to the boom. The base of the pipe handler is adapted to be adjusted in any direction relative to the skid when the boom is in any position from substantially parallel to the base longitudinal axis to substantially perpendicular to the base longitudinal axis. The method also includes engaging a pipe with a pipe gripper, moving the boom in a direction toward a pipe rotation mechanism, adjusting the base, and releasing the pipe from the pipe gripper.

Apparatus and method for a pipe handler

A drilling assembly for drilling pipe into a drilling surface using a drill bit. The drilling assembly comprises a power unit, a thrust frame, a means for moving the thrust frame, a rotary and carriage assembly and a microprocessor adapted to control the load on the drill based upon the level of mud pressure in the assembly. The drilling assembly is adapted to drill pipe at any angle relative to the drilling surface between substantially parallel to the drilling surface and substantially perpendicular to the drilling surface. The method comprises providing a such drilling assembly, placing a drill pipe onto the drilling assembly, moving the thrust frame to a desired drilling angle, moving the rotary and carriage assembly into direct contact with the drill pipe, applying rotational, thrust and pull-back forces to the drill pipe, drilling the pipe into the drilling surface and controlling the load on the drill bit.

Apparatus and method for a drilling assembly

A handling assembly for pipe sections for a horizontal directional drill includes a thrust frame and a pipe handler assembly track that is attached to the thrust frame so as to define a pipe section transfer location. The handling assembly also includes a pipe handler carrier that is mounted on the pipe handler assembly track and a magazine that is mounted adjacent to the pipe handler carrier and adapted to discharge a pipe section from the bottom of a selected column to the pipe section transfer location. The pipe handler carrier may be moved along the pipe handler assembly track to a plurality of positions in each of which a pipe section at the bottom of a column of the magazine is aligned with the transfer location, and a column selector rod is mounted with respect to the thrust frame so as to selectively locate the pipe handler carrier along the pipe handler assembly track at a position to align a column of the magazine with the pipe section transfer location.

Column selector for pipe section magazine of directional drill

A hydraulic fluid tank for a drilling machine includes a primary chamber and a secondary chamber. The primary chamber is located entirely below the hydraulic pump of the drilling machine, and the secondary chamber is located above and in fluid communication with the primary chamber. The secondary chamber is adapted to maintain a hydraulic fluid level that is above the pump suction centerline of the drilling machine pump as the hydraulic fluid in the tank reaches its normal operating temperature during operation of the drilling machine. The secondary chamber is also sized and configured to allow for thermal expansion of hydraulic fluid in the amount of at least about 5% of the total tank volume as the hydraulic fluid in the tank reaches its normal operating temperature during operation of the drilling machine.

Hydraulic fluid tank for drilling machine

An auger boring machine includes a track having an initial end and a terminal end, and the track is provided with a rack. The boring machine also includes a sled that is mounted on the track and adapted to be moved between the initial end and the terminal end of the track. The boring machine also includes a mechanism for rotating an auger on the sled and a drive system. The drive system includes a pinion which is mounted so as to engage with the rack on the track and a mechanism for rotating the pinion so as to drive the sled along the track.

Drive mechanism for boring machine

A device for enlarging a bore includes an elongate body having a forward end, a rear end and an axis of rotation. The body of the device is adapted to be moved through the bore while being rotated about its axis. The device also includes a cutting blade which is attached to the body at or near its forward end, and a plurality of mixing wings. Each of the mixing wings has a unique shape, and each is attached to the body behind the cutting blade so that the axis of rotation of the body is within the plane spanned by the mixing wing.

Growing community of inventors

Wooster, OH, United States of America

Guy Randall