Apparatus and method for controlling an underground boring machi

Boring or penetrating the earth – Automatic control

Patent

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

175 27, 175 48, E21B 4400

Patent

active

06109367&

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method for controlling an underground boring machine during boring or reaming operations. A boring tool is displaced along an underground path while being rotated at a selected rate of rotation. In response to variations in underground conditions impacting boring tool progress along the underground path, a control system concurrently modifies the rate of boring tool displacement along the underground path while rotating the boring tool at the selected rotation rate. The controller monitors the rate at which liquid is pumped through the borehole and automatically adjusts the rate of displacement and/or the liquid flow rate so that sufficient liquid is flowing through the borehole to remove the cuttings and debris generated by the boring tool. Sensors are provided to sense pressure levels in the rotation, displacement, and liquid dispensing pumps and an electronic controller continuously monitors the levels detected by the sensors. When the controller detects a rise in rotation pump pressure above an unacceptable level, the controller disengages the boring tool by reducing the rate of boring tool displacement along the underground path, while maintaining rotation of the boring tool at a pre-selected rate. Such disengagement reduces the load on the rotation pump and allows the pressures to recover to an acceptable level. The controller re-engages the boring tool after detecting that the rotation pump pressure has fallen below a set level.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4165789 (1979-08-01), Rogers
patent: 4787463 (1988-11-01), Geller et al.
patent: 4953638 (1990-09-01), Dunn
patent: 5318136 (1994-06-01), Roswell et al.
patent: 5355965 (1994-10-01), Rozendaal
patent: 5746278 (1998-05-01), Bischel et al.
patent: 5944121 (1999-08-01), Bischel et al.
A. F. Kathage, Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, Geological Survey of Finland, "A Challenge: GPR in Advance of Horizontal Drilling," Special Paper 16, pp. 119-124 (Jun. 1992).
L. Landberg, "Light Equipment, Boring System Monitor Detects Changes," Construction Equipment, p. 104 (May 1995).
Vermeer Manufacturing Company, D-14/D-24, Brochure, 1994.
Vermeer Manufacturing Company, D-7/D-10, Brochure, 1994.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Apparatus and method for controlling an underground boring machi does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for controlling an underground boring machi, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for controlling an underground boring machi will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1239363

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.