Abstract: A system for monitoring installation of a utility product pipe within an underground borehole and detecting any issues with the installation process. The system utilizes one or more sensors to measure a parameter concerning the product pipe as the product pipe is pulled into the borehole, and one or more sensors to measure a parameter concerning the drill string as the drill string is pulled out of the borehole. The measured parameters are compared and analyzed to determine if any damage is likely to occur to the product pipe if the installation operation is not stopped and any issues remedied prior to continuing operation.

Abstract: A system for preventing an engine included in a work machine from restarting, after the work machine is tipped over. A sensor included in the work machine is configured to detect a tipping incident. If a tipping incident is detected, the sensor sends out a signal configured to shut down the engine and a tilt signal configured to prevent the engine from restarting. The engine is only restarted if certain steps are undertaken by an operator and a reset switch is activated.

Abstract: A system for breaking the skin friction between an underground pipe section and the surrounding soil. The system uses a pipe twisting device attached to one end of the pipe section. The pipe twisting device applies a torsional force to the pipe section so as to torsionally deform the pipe section. Such deformation breaks the skin friction between the pipe section and the surrounding soil. After the skin friction is broken along the entire length of the pipe section, an apparatus configured to apply an axial force to the pipe section pulls the pipe section out of the soil.

Abstract: A horizontal directional drilling system. The system has a pilot drill and an exit side drill, with a drill string extending between them. A backreamer is positioned between the drills to enlarge a borehole. The pilot drill pulls and rotates the backreamer. The exit side drill adds segments to the product pipe and pushes the product pipe into the enlarged borehole. The exit side drill is equipped with a rotational disconnect. The disconnect is engaged to allow torque transfer between a motor and a spindle when adding segments to the product pipe. The disconnect is disengaged to prevent torque transfer between the motor and the spindle when pushing the product pipe into the enlarged borehole.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing drill string drag. Rotation encoders are provided for tracking the rotation of an inner and outer member of a dual-member drill string. Based upon the drilling conditions, the readings of the encoder can detect when the inner member is dragging on the outer member. When such a drag condition is detected, a processor can trigger remedial measures, which may include increasing a rotation rate of the inner member, sending a warning signal, stopping operation, or a combination of these.

Abstract: An offloading vacuum system. The system has a tank to capture debris from an excavation site. The debris is pulled into the tank due to a blower pulling air into an attached hose. An internal conveyor within the tank conveys material to an offloading hub. The offloading hub has a ground-facing door which opens to deposit debris into an external conveyor. The external conveyor, when deployed, can move debris from below the tank to a dump container with a wall greater than a height of the tank.

Abstract: A retention system for attaching a collar to a pipe. The collar has an internally-disposed groove configured for placement of a ring. The ring is sized such that in one orientation, it can enter the collar between torque-transmitting features into the internally-disposed groove. Once in the groove, the ring may be adjusted such that its aperture is generally aligned with the axis of the collar. In this orientation, the features retain the ring within the groove. A bolt and a pipe may then be placed within the collar from opposite sides. The bolt is attached to the pipe through the ring. Once joined, the collar is joined to the pipe, forming its box end. Such a retention system may be used to join a series of inner pipe members of a dual-member pipe assembly, as in horizontal directional drilling.

Abstract: A pipe assembly used in horizontal directional drilling operations. The pipe assembly has an outer member, an inner member, and first removable collar. The inner member has a polygonal outer profile of uniform shape along its length and is partially contained within the outer member. The first removable collar is supported on the inner member within the outer member and limits relative axial movement of the inner member and the outer member.

Abstract: An engine cooling system comprising an exhaust enclosure formed in an engine compartment of a work machine. An exhaust processing system is situated within the exhaust enclosure. The exhaust enclosure is bounded in part by spaced upper and lower panels that are exposed to the ambient environment. At least one opening is formed in each panel. When an engine and fan also contained within the engine compartment are shut down, ambient air flows into the exhaust enclosure through the opening in the lower panel. The air flows around the exhaust processing system and back into the ambient environment through the opening formed in the upper panel.

Abstract: A cruise control system for work machines. The system comprises one or more levers for controlling the velocity of the work machine and one or more magnet assemblies. The magnet assemblies comprise means of overcoming the neutral bias of a control lever so that the velocity of the work machine may be maintained without manual input from the operator. The magnets may act directly upon a control lever or a surface adjacent a control lever. Additional controls may be employed to set a maximum cruising speed for the work machine when cruise control is engaged.

Abstract: A system for uncovering a desired and pre-planned trench. A trenching machine is equipped with sensors, including visual imaging sensors. The sensors detect the inclination of the ground and movement of the trenching machine, as well as the angle of a trenching boom. Using this information, and a pre-determined preferred trench grade, a processor commands the trenching boom to adjust its angle to maintain the preferred trench grade. Surface irregularities may therefore be accounted for along the length of the trench to maintain a constant grade at the trench bottom.

Abstract: An insert for installation on an inner pipe member of a dual-pipe member assembly. The insert is interposed between an external shoulder formed on the inner pipe member and an internal shoulder formed in an outer pipe member. Shoulder-to-shoulder impacts between pipe members results in wear to the insert, rather than to either pipe member. The insert has the shape of an unclosed loop and is positioned within an endless external groove formed in the inner pipe member.

Abstract: A system for tracking a below-ground transmitter from an aerial receiver. The receiver has an antenna assembly, a processor, and a propulsion system. The antenna assembly detects the magnetic field from an underground transmitter and generates an antenna signal. The processor is programmed to receive the antenna signal and generate a command signal, which moves the receiver to a position above the transmitter. Once in the desired position, which may be a reference plane at a fixed elevation, the antenna assembly measures the magnetic field to determine the location of the drill bit along borepath.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method for detecting a beacon signal using an above-ground tracker. The tracker comprises an antenna assembly comprising a plurality of antennas. Each antenna is oriented in a different direction. During operation, if the beacon signal is interrupted due to a local noise source, transmission of the beacon signal is stopped. The tracker then detects radiation from the local noise source and the processor determines a direction from which peak ambient noise arrives at the tracker. The beacon signal is then resumed. A processor included in the tracker excludes any signals generated by the antenna assembly that are representative of radiation that arrived at the tracker from the same direction the peak ambient noise arrived at the tracker. The tracker then detects the beacon signal using the non-excluded signals.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A wellbore gas separator having a pair of helical ramps. The separator ingests a liquid-gas solution, and a pump draws the solution into a first course between the pair of ramps. As centrifugal force is imparted upon the solution prior to the pump inlet, gas is forced out of solution. The liquid portions of the solution may fall into a dead space prior to the pump inlet. Gaseous portions enter into a second course between the pair of ramps and escapes, unimpeded, up the separator before being released into an annulus of a wellbore.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A centrifugal fan is formed from an impeller installed within a casing. The impeller is formed from two plates that are interconnected by a plurality of blades. A duct extends through each blade. At each of its ends, the duct opens at one of the plates. Air enters the fan from through a central opening formed in one of the plates, moves to a medial zone between the plates, and exits the fan at the medial zone's unwalled periphery. Air also crosses the fan by way of the ducts formed within each blade.