Abstract: A pump pumps a drive fluid through a drill string and drill head during drilling. A movable element is mounted in the drill head for effecting a lateral movement on the drill head when moved in response to the pressure of the drive fluid in the drill head. This is in the form of pistons that are extended outwardly sideways from the drill head against the side of the borehole or an asymmetrical drill bit that applies a lateral force when a longitudinal force is applied to it. Steering is achieved by applying the lateral force when the drill head is in a selected rotational position. An indication is provided at the out-of-ground end of the drill string of the orientation of the drill head during rotation. A manually or automatically operated apparatus applies an impulse of force to the drive fluid at the out-of-ground end of the drill string when the drill head is at the selected orientation. This produces an impulse of increased pressure to the element in the drill head while the drill string is rotating.

Abstract: A steerable subsurface soil-boring head arranged to be rotated and advanced by a pipe string operated by an above-surface drilling apparatus which also provides a supply of high-pressure fluid emitted from a nozzle in the head as an eroding jet stream. The head comprising a body portion coupled to a pipe string and a nose portion hingedly coupled to the body portion with a biasing mechanism coupled therebetween to align the head portions. The head when rotated and advanced retains the nose portion and body portion in alignment due to the rotation of the head and the effect of the biasing mechanism. When advanced without rotation, the nose portion pivots about the hinged coupling and compresses the biasing mechanism to follow the contour of the cavity ahead of the nose portion. The body portion and the nose portion return to alignment when the head is rotated due to rotation and recovery of the biasing mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an underground bore hole employing a steerable boring head at the end of a remotely driven drill string. The boring head, preformed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the trailing pipe string to bore along a curvilinear path is straightened by increasing the pressure of the fluid within the drill string above a predetermined range to enable drilling along a linear path. Subsequent reduction of the fluid pressure to normal drilling pressure returns the boring head to its former state along a resumption of a curvilinear drill path.

Abstract: In an apparatus for creating an underground bore hole using high-pressure fluid within a steerable drill string to disturb and displace the subsoil, the improvement of the steering capability of the boring head by the inclusion of a percussive device to hammer the drill string forward after the desired steering of the boring head has take place to cause the boring head to fully engage the media being bored so that upon resumption of normal rotary drilling the boring head will proceed in the selected path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an underground bore hole using high pressure fluid within a drill string to disturb and displace the subsoil. The drill string is steerable by increasing the pressure of the fluid above a predetermined range to a second range and apparatus is responsive thereto to effect a bending movement and change in the direction of the drill string.

Abstract: A fluid-operated self-propelled subsoil penetrating tool of the type including an elongated housing member having a penetrating nose portion capable of ejecting a jet of liquid under high pressure to break up and disrupt the subsoil adjacent such nose portion followed by a two-component hammering of such soil to displace and compact same as the tool advances. Remotely-operated steering mechanisms control the path of the tool while remotely-read instruments denote the position, depth, direction and attitude of the tool. A trailing umbilical cord provides all motive and operational fluids and electrical power while transmitting instructions and data between the tool and the remote control station. A unique internal structure reduces the rotation of the tool as it advances and provides for the reverse movement of the tool and electrical supplies through the bore created by the movement of the tool through the subsoil.

Abstract: A means and method to pre-tension a cable or components thereof which provides an auxiliary reel mounted upon the primary cable reel, which auxiliary reel can be rotated independently of said primary cable reel and also rotated with said primary cable reel. The rotation of such auxiliary reel, when attached to a tension member, prior to rotation of the primary cable reel, pre-tensions, such tension member and said cable to limit rotation, deformation and distortion of the cable under preset conditions. The rotation of the auxiliary reel with the primary cable reel maintains such pre-tension regardless of whether the rotation of the primary cable reel increases such tension in the cable.

Abstract: A fluid-operated self-propelled subsoil penetrating tool of the type including an elongated housing member having a penetrating nose portion capable of ejecting a jet of liquid under high pressure to break up and disrupt the subsoil adjacent such nose portion followed by a two-component hammering of such soil to displace and compact same as the tool advances. Remotely-operated steering mechanisms control the path of the tool while remotely-read instruments denote the position, depth, direction and attitude of the tool. A trailing umbilical cord provides all motive and operational fluids and electrical power while transmitting instructions and data between the tool and the remote control station. A unique internal structure reduces the rotation of the tool as it advances and provides for the reverse movement of the tool and electrical supplies through the bore created by the movement of the tool through the subsoil.

Abstract: The invention deals with a device and method of using such device to seal the duct about an elongate object such as a pipe or cable extending therethrough into a sewer, cable vault or the like. The device consists of two or more collars of a conforming and compressible material, such as sponge rubber, in a cylindrical shape and having a reinforcing nylon tube extending axially therethrough. Each collar is formed about the elongate object and placed within the duct. Compression bands are placed about the collars to compress them in the direction of the elongate object and expand them each in planes perpendicular thereto to more completely engage the outer surface of the elongate object and the inner surface of the duct. A compliant sealing material may be placed upon one interior face of one of the collars to be spread and extruded beyond the collar periphery to better seal to the elongate object and duct.

Abstract: A cable used with a subsoil penetrating tool which contains a plurality of tubes and hoses used to transport all operational fluids and a plurality of electrical conducting wires used to transmit power ane electrical impulses for information. A unique internal structure reduces the rotation of the cable as the tool advances and provides rigidity to the cable to allow for the transmission of compressional forces along the cable to be applied to the advancing tool.

Abstract: A fluid-operated self-propelled subsoil penetrating tool of the type including an elongated housing member having a penetrating nose portion capable of ejecting a jet of liquid under high pressure to break up and disrupt the subsoil adjacent such nose portion followed by a two-component hammering of such soil to displace and compact same as the tool advances. Remotely-operated steering mechanisms control the path of the tool while remotely-read instruments denote the position, depth, direction and attitude of the tool. A trailing umbilical cord provides all motive and operational fluids and electrical power while transmitting instructions and data between the tool and the remote control station. A unique internal structure reduces the rotation of the tool as it advances and provides for the reverse movement of the tool and electrical supplies through the bore created by the movement of the tool through the subsoil.

Abstract: A cable reeling system which provides means to control the tension applied to a cable during rereeling including a reel having an axle supported by members mounted upon a first skid which also supports a drive motor for such a reel. The first skid is mounted upon a second, longer, skid to which is coupled by 4 links so as to aligned the skids adjacent their first ends. A tension gauge is mounted on second skids adjacent to its second end and coupled to the first skid at its second end to measure the actual tension between first and second skid which is related to the tension applied to the cable by the reeling system.

Abstract: A plug assembly for sealing a conduit. The assembly includes an annular, deformable sealing member, bound by an inner surface that includes opposed convexly curved surface portions. Opposed disks, each having an annular boundary edge, are positioned with the boundary edges of the disks underlying the inner surface portions of the sealing member. These disks are drawn together to produce radial expanding of the sealing member in regions where the member overlies the disks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing an in-ground support footing around subterranean and above-ground portions of an upstanding elongate object, such as a structural pole, post or the like, to enhance structural integrity thereof, includes providing a cylindrical casing of hollow construction having a cutting end concentrically positionable around a lower, above-ground region of the elongate object so that the cutting end engages the ground. A driver is then positionable about a circumferential portion of the casing means operable for engaging and rotating the casing means about its longitudinal axis while simultaneously imparting a downwardly-directed force against the upper edge of the casing means thereby to drive it in the ground to a predetermined depth.

Abstract: The technical field of the invention generally concerns groundline reinforcement of elongate objects such as a pole (20) and, in particular, a portable appartus (50) for installing an improved cylindrical split casing (30) around both the subterranean and above-ground portions of such an elongate object without cutting, moving, or otherwise disturbing it. The split casing (30) is assembled from two partial cylinders (32) having helical threads (34) formed at one end for engaging the ground (24) about the pole (20). Assembly of these two partial cylinders (32) about the pole (20) establishes a hollow annulus (44) between the pole (20) and the split casing (30). The apparatus (50) for installing the split casing (30) includes a split shell casing rotary drive (52) which is rigidly secured circumferentially about the assembled split casing (30). Also included in the apparatus (50) is a rotary driver (90) which mates with, engages, and is supported upon the split shell casing rotary drive (52).

Abstract: An apparatus for installing cable underground is disclosed herein along with its method of operation. The apparatus utilizes a power driven land vehicle and a cable laying plow blade supported by and for movement with the vehicle in a way which places a bottom end portion of the blade in the ground so as to plow through the soil. A supply of cable is also supported on and movable with the vehicle along with a cable feed arrangement cooperating with the blade for laying a continuous length of the cable from its supply into the ground at a fixed depth relative to and along the path of the plow blade. The feed arrangement itself includes a feed shoe which makes it easy to bring up to ground level intermittent sections of the cable as the latter is installed and without withdrawing the plow blade. These spaced above ground cable sections serve as terminals for ready access to the buried cable.

Abstract: An impulse injector apparatus operates to produce pulsed delivery of injected material, with the material moving during a delivery pulse at high velocity and under the urging of a compressed captured gas supply which is permitted to rapidly expand. The device includes an elongate cylinder and an actuating piston mounted for reciprocal movement within the cylinder. A captured compressible gas supply is located within a chamber which is defined between one end of the piston and one extremity of the cylinder. Another chamber is defined between the opposite end of the piston and the opposite extremity of the cylinder. A pressurized fluid is controllably admitted into the other chamber, thereby causing movement of the actuating cylinder towards the one extremity of the cylinder and resulting in compression of the captured gas supply.

Abstract: A plug assembly for encircling a cable and encapsulating it within a conduit includes a first and second ring members, each of which is formed of resilient material and has an inner wall conformable to a circumferential portion of the cable's outer surface. A rigid spacer is disposed between the first and second ring members for defining a sealant-receiving channel therebetween. Sealant material, such as a silicone compound, is dispensed within the channel, and a compression means associated with the plug assembly is operable for deforming the first and second ring members axially and radially, thereby to deform the channel so that at least some sealant material received in the channel is displaced into the region between the inner walls of the first and second ring members and corresponding portions of the cable's outer surface to provide a cushion/sealant between the ring members and the cable.