Abstract: A sonde housing construction that is cost effective to manufacture, has a prolonged service life and has an internal cartridge that has replaceable parts and that can be entirely replaced. The cartridge which in service contains and protects a radio transmitter also serves to protect a main shell body from abrasion by drilling/cooling fluid while sealing radio wave apertures formed in the shell body. The cartridge creates an annular flow path for drilling/cooling fluid that ensures complete cooling protection of the transmitter.

Abstract: A swivel for placing utility product with horizontal directional drilling techniques comprising a head piece and a tail piece rotationally mounted on the head piece. A bearing assembly of oppositely disposed units with high thrust capacity and self-alignment properties is mounted on a stub shaft integral with the head piece and enclosed by a shell body associated with the tail piece. A gap between the head piece and shell body is sealed with a metal face seal assembly. A juncture between the shaft and main part of the head piece is shaped to avoid a stress riser condition and a thrust washer has a configuration complimentary to the juncture to transmit forces between the head piece and bearing assembly. A joint between the tail piece and shell body is locked with a weld bead technique that enables the unit to be refurbished with reduced labor.