Horizontal directional drill pipe drive connection with locking feature
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsGreg L. Slaughter, Jr., Floyd R. Gunsaulis, Max A. Metcalf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spindle assembly for connecting a drill string to a rotational drive for use in a horizontal directional drilling operation. The assembly comprises a saver sub attached to the rotational drive, and a drive chuck for connection to the drill string. The drive chuck and saver sub form a torque-transmitting connection by engaging through a seat in the saver sub and an engagement point on the drive chuck. Dowel pins may be used to rotationally lock and provide the engagement between the saver sub and the drive chuck. A collar may thread to the saver sub and cause an interference fit by engaging the drive chuck at a shoulder.
Claims24
A torque-transmitting assembly comprising:
- a saver sub;
- a drive chuck;
- an internal locking mechanism comprising at least one dowel pin that maintains the drive chuck and saver sub in rotationally-fixed relationship;
- and
- a collar that surrounds at least a portion of the saver sub and drive chuck in which the collar comprises a threaded connection;
- wherein the saver sub and the drive chuck are in torque-transmitting engagement only at the internal locking mechanism and the collar and in which the threaded connection engages one and only one of the saver sub and the drive chuck.
A torque-transmitting assembly comprising;
- a saver sub having a rim in which a plurality of concavities are formed;
- a drive chuck having a rim in which a plurality of concavities are formed, the concavities being alignable in one-to-one face-to-face correspondence with the plural concavities in the other rim;
- an internal locking mechanism comprising a plurality of dowel pins positionable between the plural concavities of the saver sub and the plural concavities of the drive chuck, wherein the plurality of dowel pins maintain the drive chuck and saver sub in rotationally-fixed relationship;
- a collar that surrounds at least a portion of the saver sub and drive chuck;
- wherein the saver sub and the drive chuck are in torque-transmitting engagement only at the internal locking mechanism and the collar;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of dowel pins is radially removable from directly between the drive chuck and saver sub.
A method for securing a drive chuck and a saver sub, the saver sub and the drive chuck each having a rim in which a plurality of concavities are formed, the method comprising:
- placing a plurality of pins between the rim of the saver sub and the rim of the drive chuck such that each of the plurality of pins engages one of the plurality of concavities in torque-transmitting relationship;
- placing a collar about the rim of the saver sub and the rim of the drive chuck to maintain them in coaxial relationship, such that at least a portion of the rim of the saver sub is opposed to and does not contact the rim of the drive chuck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.