US 11,697,966 B2
Underground horizontal directional drill
Casey Lee Adkins, Apple Valley, MN (US); and Benjamin Allan Street, Northfield, MN (US)
Assigned to THE TORO COMPANY, Bloomington, MN (US)
Filed by THE TORO COMPANY, Bloomington, MN (US)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/710,497.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/783,382, filed on Dec. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0199940 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. E21B 7/02 (2006.01); E21B 3/02 (2006.01); E21B 7/04 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 7/024 (2013.01) [E21B 3/02 (2013.01); E21B 7/046 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
10. A horizontal directional drill comprising:
a chassis defining a front end and a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends;
drive members adapted to propel the chassis over a ground surface;
a drill drive system attached to the chassis and adapted to rotate and axially advance a drill string comprised of two or more drill rods connected to one another;
a front anchor located proximate the front end of the chassis; and
a rear stabilizer located proximate the rear end of the chassis, the rear stabilizer comprising:
an arm extending rearwardly from the chassis;
a ground-engaging stabilizing foot pivotally attached to the arm via an arm pivot, the stabilizing foot defining a foot axis, wherein the stabilizing foot and the foot axis extend transversely to the arm, and wherein the stabilizing foot is movable between a transport position and a ground-engaging position; and
an actuator attached directly to the stabilizing foot and directly to the arm, the actuator adapted to change an angular orientation of the stabilizing foot and the foot axis, about the arm pivot, relative to the arm.