Makeup And Breakout System For Horizontal Directional Drilling
A horizontal directional drill has a wrench assembly and a lubricant application assembly. The wrench assembly operates to make-up and break out pipe segments from a drill string while the lubricant application assembly applies lubricant to the pipe joints. The wrench assembly has a rotatable wrench and a stationary wrench for applying torque to pipe joints. Each of these wrenches is substantially vertically oriented, with a movable upper jaw and a stationary lower jaw. Lubricant pressure is maintained in the application assembly with a pump and a follower weight disposed on the surface of a storage container.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/198,423 filed on Jul. 29, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELDThis invention relates generally to wrenches for horizontal directional drilling applications.
SUMMARYA horizontal directional drill comprising a wrench assembly. The wrench assembly comprises a stationary wrench, a rotating frame rotatable relative to the stationary wrench and a rotating wrench. The rotating wrench is disposed within the rotating frame. The rotating wrench and the stationary wrench each comprise a cylinder, a first jaw, a frame, and a second jaw. The cylinder has an extendable rod and a barrel end. The first jaw is attached to the extendable rod. The frame is in a fixed relationship with the barrel end of the cylinder. The second jaw is attached to the frame and opposed to the first jaw in the direction of extension of the extendable rod.
Shown in the figures in general, and
With reference to
The spindle 25 is utilized to remove or add pipe segments 22 to a pipe string 14. The spindle 25 connects to the pipe segment 22 at its uphole end and rotates about an axis of rotation 17. The pipe segment 22 is threaded to the drill string 14 at the pipe segment's downhole end (
The second wrench 30 and first wrench 32 are located at an end 34 of the support frame 24. The second wrench 30 and first wrench 32 are supported by a wrench mount 36. In this embodiment, the second wrench 30 is “uphole” from the first wrench 32 and is rotationally movable while the first wrench is rotationally fixed. The wrench mount 36 is fixed to the ground or a machine frame such that the first wrench 32 is not rotatable relative to said ground or support frame.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference again to
The rotating wrench 30 may rotate when the jaws 40, 42 of both the rotating wrench 30 and the stationary wrench 32 are gripping opposing sides of a pipe joint. Such action makes up or breaks out the pipe section 22 on the drill string 14. Preferably, this relative motion occurs along the axis of rotation 17 (
With reference again to
With reference back to
The wrench mount 36, rotating wrench frame 48 and stationary wrench frame 47 define an aperture 60 that extends through these frames for placement of the pipe segment 22 and pipe string 14. The aperture 60 may be substantially centered about the axis of rotation 17 (
With reference now to
The strut 76 is fixed at each end to the wrench mount 36 The rotation cylinder 70 is able to rotate relative to the strut 76. Therefore, the rotation cylinder 70 may extend, causing the rotation subassembly 58 to rotate relative to the wrench mount about the aperture 60. Therefore, the aperture 60 will be unimpeded by frame elements of the subassembly 58. As shown, the rotating wrench 30 is shown in a rotated position relative to the stationary wrench 32. The rotation cylinder 70 shown herein is hydraulically powered, but alternative means, such as screw drives, may be utilized to rotate the rotating wrench 30
The stationary wrench 32 is shown, for exemplary purposes, with a hydraulic system 80 connected. The hydraulic system 80 comprises an extension inlet 82 and a retraction inlet 84. Application of hydraulic fluid to the extension inlet 82 activates the cylinder 44, causing the movable jaw 42 to move toward the stationary jaw 40. The application of hydraulic fluid to the retraction inlet 80 deactivate the cylinder 44, causing the movable jaw 42 to move away from the stationary jaw 40.
Thus, the jaws 40, 42 are caused to grip a pipe section 22 or pipe string 14 at diametrically opposed locations when the cylinder 44 is activated of in a closed position. When the cylinder is deactivated, the pipe section 22 and pipe string 14 are not contacted by the jaws 40, 42 as shown in
Referring to
With reference to
In makeup operation, with reference to
An opposite operation allows “breakout” of pipe sections 22 from a pipe string 14. The pipe string 14 is retracted until a pipe joint is located between the stationary wrench 32 and rotating wrench 30. Both the rotating wrench 30 and stationary wrench 32 rip the pipe string, and the rotating wrench rotates, removing the high-torque connection. The “broken out” pipe segment 22 is then unthreaded from the pipe string by the pipe spindle and the pipe string retracted and the process repeated.
With reference now to
The application system 28 also supports a rod wiper 102, which may be integral or separately provided. The rod wiper 102 is preferably sized such that liquid and solid particulate matter associated with a horizontal directional drilling operation may be removed from the external wall of pipe 22 prior to breaking out sections of pipe, keeping stored pipe and the wrenches 30, 32 cleaner. Pipe guides 104 may be provided in addition to pipe guide 61 previously discussed to maintain the drill string 14 (
With reference now to
A follower 116, such as a weight having similar dimensions as the lubricant storage 110, may be utilized to pressurize the lubricant within the lubricant storage. Further, the follower may prevent air from entering the lubricant application system 28 and maintain positive head on the pump 112. Thus, as the volume of lubricant in the lubricant storage 110 decreases, the follower 116 may move with the height of lubricant within the lubricant storage. The follower 116 may be separated from the lubricant in the lubricant storage itself by a barrier, such as a plastic wall of the lubricant storage 110. The lubricant storage 110 may vent air into the environment, allowing the lubricant storage to deform and release air as lubricant is used by the system.
A conduit 118 is placed between the lubricant storage 110 and the pump 112. The pump 112 provides pressure to lubricant within the conduit 118, such that pressurized lubricant may be provided to the nozzle 100 through a tube 120.
With reference to
With reference now to
While the makeup and breakout of a threaded pipe string is discussed herein, one will appreciate that the system may be utilized with a two-pipe system having an inner member, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. RE38,418, issued to Deken, et. al., which is incorporated herein by reference. In a two-pipe system, the wrench assembly disclosed herein is utilized along with a geometric-fit inner rod. In such a system, makeup of the inner rod would be verified by sensor or other means before advancing the drill string and adding additional segments of dual pipe. These alternatives may be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention disclosed herein and in the Figures.
Claims
1. A horizontal directional drill comprising:
- a wrench assembly comprising: a first wrench; a rotating frame rotatable relative to the first wrench; a second wrench disposed within the rotating frame; wherein the second wrench and the first wrench each comprise: a cylinder having an extendable rod and a barrel end; a first jaw attached to the extendable rod; a frame in a fixed relationship with the barrel end of the cylinder; and a second jaw not movable relative to the frame and supported by the frame in spaced relationship with the first jaw.
2. The horizontal directional drill of claim 1 further comprising:
- a lubricant applicator comprising a nozzle, wherein the nozzle is disposed between the first wrench and the second wrench.
3. The horizontal directional drill of claim 2 wherein the lubricant applicator comprises a lubricant storage container, the lubricant storage container comprising a follower weight disposed on the container to pressurize lubricant within the lubricant storage.
4. The horizontal directional drill of claim 1 further comprising a rotation cylinder to rotate the rotating frame.
5. The horizontal directional drill of claim 1 wherein the drill defines a rotating spindle.
6. The horizontal directional drill of claim 5 wherein the spindle defines a first axis and the wrench assembly defines an aperture formed therethrough.
7. The horizontal directional drill of claim 6 wherein the first jaw of the first wrench, second jaw of the first wrench and cylinder of the first wrench are disposed on a reference line orthogonal to the first axis and passing through a footprint of the horizontal directional drill.
8. The horizontal directional drill of claim 7 wherein the reference line is substantially vertical.
9. The horizontal directional drill of claim 6 wherein the rotating frame is rotatable about the first axis.
10. The horizontal directional drill of claim 6 further comprising a pipe segment comprising a first and second end, wherein the first end is attached to the spindle and the second end is gripped by the first and second jaw of the second wrench.
11. The horizontal directional drill of claim 10 wherein the pipe segment is substantially centered on the first axis.
12. The horizontal directional drill of claim 1 wherein each of the first wrench and the second wrench comprise one and only one cylinder.
13. A wrench assembly comprising:
- a first wrench;
- a rotating frame rotatable relative to the first wrench;
- a second wrench disposed within the rotating frame;
- wherein the first wrench and the second wrench each comprise: one and only one cylinder; and
- opposed and substantially vertically oriented jaws movable between an open position and a closed position by the one and only one cylinder.
14. The wrench assembly of claim 13 wherein the first wrench and the second wrench each comprise:
- the one and only one cylinder having an extendable rod and a barrel end;
- a first jaw attached to the extendable rod;
- a second jaw opposed to and spaced a distance apart from the first jaw, wherein the distance is smaller when the rod of the one and only one cylinder extends and greater when the rod of the one and only one cylinder retracts.
15. The wrench of claim 13 further comprising a rotation cylinder to rotate the rotating frame relative to the first wrench.
16. A horizontal directional drill comprising:
- a rotating spindle configured to provide thrust and rotation to a pipe section, the spindle defining a first axis;
- the wrench assembly of claim 13;
- wherein the stationary wrench and rotating wrench are disposed with their first jaw and second jaw on opposing sides of the first axis.
17. The horizontal directional drill of claim 16 wherein the rotating frame rotates about the first axis.
18. A method using the horizontal directional drill of claim 16 comprising:
- rotating an advancing a pipe section using the rotating spindle;
- gripping a pipe string with the first wrench in a closed position;
- extending the one and only one cylinder of the second wrench to grip the pipe section;
- rotating the second wrench with the rotating frame;
- moving the first wrench and the second wrench to an open position by retracting the one and only one cylinder of the first wrench and the one and only one cylinder of the second wrench; and rotating and advancing the pipe section and drill string with the spindle.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 29, 2016
Publication Date: May 11, 2017
Inventors: Max A. Metcalf (Stillwater, OK), Rick G. Porter (Perry, OK)
Application Number: 15/224,250