| CPC E21B 7/046 (2013.01) [E21B 3/02 (2013.01); E21B 12/00 (2013.01); E21B 19/083 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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14. A method for drilling a bore hole underground in a substantially horizontal direction from a surface dug hole, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a pit launch horizontal drilling device to said surface dug hole, said device comprising:
a chassis component comprising a back plate, a front plate configured to allow passage of a drill bore therethrough, and a centrally located chassis joining said back plate to said front plate, said chassis including a top surface and lateral opposing sides, each said chassis side comprising a toothed rack having a continuous substantially straight tooth profile extending along the chassis longitudinal axis and, coupled thereto,
a carriage component comprising
a pair of laterally opposed toothed gears dimensioned and positioned to engage said chassis toothed racks as pinions,
a hydraulic drive motor for rotating said toothed gears such that said carriage component can travel forward and back along said chassis toothed racks between two limiting positions,
a hydraulic rotary drive for releasably coupling to a drill stem end to form a drill stem joint and rotating said coupled drill stem in opposing directions,
a straddle seat casing associated with said carriage component toothed gears such that said straddle seat casing can travel forward and back along said chassis toothed rack, said straddle seat dimensioned and configured to allow an operator to sit on said seat and operate said device, and
hydraulic controls for directing rotation of said coupled drill stem and traversal of said carriage component along said chassis toothed racks, said controls being manipulatable by said operator when seated on said straddle seat such that said seated operator can travel forward and back at will on said carriage component in said chassis component;
(b) said operator on said straddle seat providing hydraulic power to said hydraulic rotating drive to engage a drill stem end and form a first drill stem joint;
(c) said operator on said straddle seat providing hydraulic power to said hydraulic motor to move said carriage component and said operator forward along said chassis until said first drill stem joint is at said aperture in said front plate and said carriage is at said second limiting position;
(d) said operator on said straddle seat positioning a first rotation inhibiting element on said drill stem at said aperture and reversing direction of said drill stem rotation to disengage said drill stem from said rotating drive means thereby leaving a free drill stem end at said aperture;
(e) said operator on said straddle seat moving said carriage component and said operator back along said frame to said first limiting position;
(f) said operator on said straddle seat providing one end of a new drill stem having two ends to said free drill stem end at said aperture and the second end to said hydraulic rotating drive;
(g) said operator on said straddle seat providing hydraulic power to said hydraulic rotating drive and said hydraulic motor, moving said carriage component and said operator forward while engaging said new drill stem, thereby forming a new first drill stem joint at said hydraulic rotating drive, and a second drill stem joint at said aperture;
(h) said operator on said straddle seat positioning said rotation inhibiting element off said drill stem at said aperture and moving said carriage component and said operator forward along said chassis until said first drill stem joint is at said aperture in said front plate, said second drill stem joint is in the bore hole, and said carriage is at said second limiting position;
(i) said operator on said straddle seat positioning said rotation inhibiting element on said new drill stem and reversing direction of said rotating drive to disengage said new drill stem from said rotating drive thereby leaving a free drill stem end at said aperture;
(j) said operator on said straddle seat moving said carriage component and said operator back along said frame to said first limiting position, and
(k) said operator on said straddle seat repeating steps (f)-(j) until said bore hole is complete.
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