Underground pipe pulling process and pipe pull head

A system operable to pull a pipe underground from a first location to a second location, comprising:

• a pull head, including:
• a first shell piece and a second shell piece, the first and second shell pieces are hinged to one another by two hinges that are spaced from one another, the first and second shell pieces are pivotable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position at which the first and second shell pieces surround an adaptor coupled to the pipe, wherein the adaptor comprises a substantially cylindrical and tubular adaptor having a first end, a second end, an interior surface defining a flow passageway between the first end and the second end, an exterior surface, and a flange extending radially outwardly from the exterior surface, the flange is located between the first end and the second end, the flange is spaced from the first end and the flange is spaced from the second end, wherein the pull head is removably attachable to the adaptor;
• the first and second shell pieces include an interior surface that defines a channel when the first and second shell pieces are at the closed position, the channel is positioned on the interior surface and is configured to receive a flange on the adaptor when the first and second shell pieces are in the closed position;
• and
• a pull eye connected to the first and second shell pieces, the pull eye is connectable to a pull line that applies a pulling force to the pull head.

A pull head operable to pull a pipe underground from a first side to a second side, the pull head comprising:

• first and second shell pieces that are connected to one another by two hinges that are spaced from one another, the first and second shell pieces are moveable between an open position at which the first and second shell pieces remain connected to one another and a closed position to surround an adaptor coupled to the pipe;
• the first and second shell pieces include an interior surface that define a channel when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are in the closed position, the channel is positioned on the interior surface and is configured to receive a flange on the adaptor when the first shell piece and the second shell pieces are in the closed position;
• each of the first shell piece and the second shell piece includes a pull head cap piece that is integrally formed therewith that together define a pull eye when in the closed position that is connectable to a pull line that applies a pulling force to the pull head, each of the pull head cap pieces includes an opening formed therethrough, where the openings in the pull head cap pieces align with one another when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are in the closed position;
• the pull head cap pieces project from an end of the first shell piece and an end of the second shell piece, respectively, in a direction away from the channel;
• the first and second shell pieces have a length whereby ends of the first and second shell pieces opposite the pull head cap pieces do not overlap the pipe when the first and second shell pieces are in the closed position surrounding the adaptor.