Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Jacob Richard Smith

Michael David Langenfeld

Tyler J Dorin

A reamer for drill string pullback of a horizontal directional drill includes a shaft portion defining a central axis and a first end configured for attachment with a drill string of the horizontal directional drill. A plurality of vanes extend radially from an outer periphery of the shaft, each of the plurality of vanes defining an outer peripheral tooth base surface. On each of the plurality of vanes, a plurality of cutter teeth are individually and removably secured along the outer peripheral tooth base surface thereof, each one of the plurality of cutter teeth including a body and a PDC insert manufactured separately from the body and joined therewith. Each cutter tooth of the plurality is coupled to the respective one of the plurality of vanes by a removable fastener extending at least partially through the cutter tooth and at least partially through the one of the plurality of vanes.

HDD reamer having removable cutting teeth

A rotary drill bit for use with a horizontal directional drill string. A coupler at a proximal axial end is configured to attach the rotary drill bit to a drill head at a distal end of the drill string. A cutting portion at a distal axial end is provided with a plurality of vanes with respective cutters that operate to cut a hole in earth when the rotary drill bit is rotated about a central axis. The plurality of vanes project radially outwardly from a surface of the cutting portion such that the surface forms respective troughs circumferentially interspersed with the plurality of vanes. A plurality of engagement features is positioned axially within the cutting portion and radially inward of an outer cutting diameter to facilitate attachment of a product pullback device between the plurality of vanes without removing the rotary drill bit, or any portion thereof, from the drill head.

Pullback system for drilling tool

A drill string joint includes a box end member defining, at a first axial end thereof, a first bore and a second deeper bore of smaller cross section than the first bore. A pin end member defines a first insertion portion corresponding to the first bore and a second insertion portion corresponding to the second bore. A conical tapered surface interface is defined between the second insertion portion and the second bore. Cross pins extend through apertures formed through the box end member, at the first bore, and the first insertion portion, within an axial span of the joint separate from an axial span in which the conical tapered surface interface of the second insertion portion and the second bore is defined. A torque coupling is established between the box end member and the pin end member at an axial position between the separate axial spans.

Drill string joint for horizontal directional drilling system

A combination of a pullback adaptor and a drill bit includes a pullback adaptor having a first end, a second end, a body extending between the first end and the second end, and a protrusion extending from the body adjacent the second end. The protrusion has a threaded aperture defining an adaptor mounting axis, and the protrusion defines an annular planar mount surface generally perpendicular to the adapter mounting axis. A drill bit has a body with a steering surface, an aperture extending through the body at the steering surface, and an adaptor mount surface adjacent the aperture. The pullback adaptor is mounted to the drill bit with a fastener that extends through the aperture in the drill bit and into the threaded aperture of the pullback adaptor such that the annular planar mount surface of the protrusion engages the mount surface of the drill bit.

Mounting arrangement for pullback adaptor

A flow collar for use on a dual rod drill rod assembly includes an uphole end defined in part by a first interior portion having a first interior diameter and a downhole end defined in part by a second interior portion having a second interior diameter that is larger than the first interior diameter. The flow collar further includes a plurality of radially-extending peripheral fluid passages extending through the flow collar to the second interior portion. An outer rod interfacing surface defines a continuous annular surface with a constant outer diameter.

Dual rod directional drilling system

A coupler for a drill rod includes a body defining an inner bore extending along a longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the inner bore defining a non-circular profile having a plurality of flats including a first pair of adjacent flats defining a vertex therebetween. A cross aperture of the body has a central axis that is perpendicular to and offset from the longitudinal axis. A radially-innermost portion of the cross aperture extends perpendicular to a reference line extending from the longitudinal axis to the vertex.

Rod coupler and coupled rod assembly

A pullback device for attaching to a rotary drill bit that has a pair of wrench flats on its base without disassembling or removing the rotary drill bit from a drill string. The pullback device includes an anchoring portion including a collar configured to engage with the wrench flats of the rotary drill bit. The pullback device includes a plurality of arms, each of the plurality of arms having a first end including an attachment location configured to attach product to the pullback device for pullback of the product by the drill string, and each of the arms including a second end opposite the first end, the second end attached to the collar.

A coupler includes a main body that has an inner bore. The inner bore has a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis. The coupler includes a cross aperture disposed in the main body. The cross aperture has an axis that is nonintersecting with the longitudinal axis of the main body.

A coupler includes a main body that has an inner bore. The inner bore has a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis. The coupler includes a cross aperture disposed in the main body. The cross aperture has an axis that is nonintersecting with the longitudinal axis of the main body. The coupler also includes a sleeve that is positioned around an exterior surface of the main body. The sleeve has at least one drilling fluid flow passage.

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Altoona, IA, United States of America

Jacob Richard Smith