The Charles Machine Works, Inc.

Max Allen Metcalf

Aleksander S Wolfe

Joseph G Greenlee

Jarred R Callaway

Greg Lowell Slaughter, Jr

Floyd R Gunsaulis

Rick G Porter

Rick E Barrett

Philip J Wosmek

Harry Bendure

Taylor C Culpepper

Pete Ramos

A spindle with a mechanism for transferring axial force from an inner drive assembly to an outer drive assembly. The spindle's inner drive shaft is connected to an inner member of a dual-rod pipe by a drive rod having a sliding sleeve. The sleeve is fixed rotationally with the drive shaft, but not axially. When axial force drives the drive rod toward the drive member of the spindle, the sleeve contacts a stop member which is paired to the outer drive assembly. The stop member may be a pair of dowel pins. Axial force is thereby transferred from the inner member to the outer member, allowing such forces to be absorbed by the outer member's larger drive components.

Apparatus for capturing axial force on an inner drive member

A brake system for maintaining an angular position of a spindle assembly. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. When no rotation is desired, the spindle will slow, then stop at a desired angular orientation. A rotational sensor will determine the clock position, and a controller compares that to a desired angular orientation. If an error tolerance is exceeded, the motor will rotate the spindle back to the desired orientation.

Virtual brake system

A rotation brake for stopping rotation of a spindle assembly on a horizontal directional drill. The rotation brake comprises a brake lock that is actuated by a cylinder and spring to interact with a non-rotating brake cap and a rotating pinion, thereby stopping rotation of the pinion. The brake lock is removed from the pinion by applying pressurized fluid to a cylinder such that a cylinder rod moves the brake lock out of a cavity between the brake cap and the pinion. Upon removing fluid pressure from the cylinder, a compressed spring moves the brake lock back to into the cavity, preventing rotation.

Drill string rotation brake

A sensor assembly supported on a horizontal directional drilling machine adjacent a magazine. The magazine includes a plurality of vertical columns configured to store a plurality of pipe sections. The sensor assembly comprises an elongate tower that suspends a rigid support structure above the plurality of columns. The rigid support structure includes a sensor housing that carries a plurality of proximity sensors. The proximity sensors correspond with the columns in one-to-one relationship. The proximity sensors measure values indicative of the number of pipe sections contained within each column and transmit the measured values to a processor included in the drilling machine.

Pipe storage box

A pipe handling device and method for use with a horizontal directional drilling system. The pipe handling device stores sections of drill pipe in individual columns within a magazine. The magazine is constructed so that it can be mounted to a boring machine in a pin-up or pin-down orientation. A plurality of signal elements are attached to the magazine and each extend at least partially within a footprint of each column. The signal elements may move from a first position, indicating the column is full of pipe sections, to a second position, indicating the column is not full of pipe sections. A proximity sensor assembly detects movement of the individual signal elements and signals a processor accordingly. These signals indicate whether or not a given column is full of pipe sections.

A spindle assembly for connecting a drill string to a rotational drive for use in a horizontal directional drilling operation. The assembly comprises a saver sub attached to the rotational drive, and a drive chuck for connection to the drill string. The drive chuck and saver sub form a torque-transmitting connection by engaging through a seat in the saver sub and an engagement point on the drive chuck. Dowel pins may be used to rotationally lock and provide the engagement between the saver sub and the drive chuck. A collar may thread to the saver sub and cause an interference fit by engaging the drive chuck at a shoulder.

Horizontal directional drill pipe drive connection with locking feature

A pipe handling assembly carried by a horizontal boring machine includes a pipe box having a plurality of columns. One or more pipe sections may be received and stored in any of the columns. A pair of shuttle arms are used to move the pipe sections from the pipe box to a carriage included in the machine. The pipe column selection assembly includes an elongate rotatable shaft that carries a series of stop elements. A shaft-mounted pinion gear drives movement of the shuttle arms. A longitudinally positionable bolt element can block the rotational path of any selected one of the stop elements. Such blockage stops movement of the shuttle arms beneath a corresponding one of the columns. The pipe column selection assembly allows an operator to select which column to load or unload a pipe section into and from within a pipe box.

Pipe handling assembly

A system for assuring that a rotation brake has engaged on a directional drilling machine. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. The spindle is in turn attached to the above-ground end of a drill string. After the rotation brake is actuated, a controller causes the motor to transmit oppositely-directed rotational pulses to the spindle. If the brake is properly engaged, the pulses will produce spikes in pressure within the hydraulic circuit that powers the pump. When a pressure sensor detects such spikes, it signals the controller and confirms that the brake is engaged.

Growing community of inventors

Stillwater, OK, United States of America

Max Allen Metcalf