Drill string rotation brake
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsMax A. Metcalf, Philip J. Wosmek, Harry Bendure, Rick E. Barrett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotation brake for stopping rotation of a spindle assembly on a horizontal directional drill. The rotation brake comprises a brake lock that is actuated by a cylinder and spring to interact with a non-rotating brake cap and a rotating pinion, thereby stopping rotation of the pinion. The brake lock is removed from the pinion by applying pressurized fluid to a cylinder such that a cylinder rod moves the brake lock out of a cavity between the brake cap and the pinion. Upon removing fluid pressure from the cylinder, a compressed spring moves the brake lock back to into the cavity, preventing rotation.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:
- an elongate frame;
- a carriage movable along the frame and comprising:
- a motor;
- a rotatable spindle;
- a series of intermeshed gears configured to rotationally couple the motor to the spindle;
- a brake element disposed in a laterally offset relationship to one of the gears and movable between a first position, out of engagement with the gear, and a second position, in engagement with the gear;
- in which the gear is rotatable in the first position of the brake element and is not rotatable in the second position of the brake element;
- and
- an actuator engageable with the brake element and configured to move the brake element between its first and second positions, the actuator comprising:
- a chamber;
- a reciprocating piston disposed within the chamber;
- and
- an axially reciprocating rod secured to the piston, extending out of the chamber at its first end, the first end engageable with the brake element.
A method of stopping rotation of a rotatable spindle included in a carriage supported on an elongate frame of a horizontal directional drilling machine, in which the carriage is movable along the frame, the method comprising:
- rotating the spindle using a series of intermeshed gears rotationally coupled to the spindle and a motor included in the carriage;
- and
- moving a brake element included in the carriage from a first position, out of engagement with the gear and in a laterally offset position with a break cap, to a second position, in engagement with the gear and the brake cap and surrounded by the brake cap, such that the brake element stops rotation of the intermeshed gears and the spindle.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:
- an elongate frame;
- a carriage movable along the frame and comprising:
- a motor;
- a rotatable spindle;
- a series of intermeshed gears configured to rotationally couple the motor to the spindle;
- a brake element disposed in a laterally offset relationship to one of the gears and movable between a first position, out of engagement with the gear, and a second position, in engagement with the gear;
- in which the gear is rotatable in the first position of the brake element and is not rotatable in the second position of the brake element;
- and
- a brake cap, in which the brake cap is laterally offset from the brake element when the brake element is in the first position, and in which the brake cap surrounds and engages the brake element when the brake element is in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.