Horizontal directional drilling system with operator lift
AssigneeVermeer Manufacturing Company
InventorsJames Brian Tooley, Jeffrey Dale Langner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A horizontal directional drilling machine includes a frame providing a base, a rack movable to different drilling angles with respect to the base, and a carriage having a rotating assembly for engaging a drill rod, the carriage being movable along the rack to drive the drill rod into the ground. The horizontal directional drilling machine further includes an operator lift including an operator area provided alongside the rack and being adjustable for height with respect to the rack to provide access to the carriage for wireline operations. The operator lift is supported by at least one frame element of the frame.
Claims14
A horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a rack having a front end supported by a ground anchor and a rear end movable to different elevations above a ground;
- a carriage having a rotating assembly for engaging a drill rod, the carriage being movable along the rack to drive the drill rod into the ground;
- and
- an operator lift including an operator platform provided alongside the rack and being elevation adjustable with respect to the rack to provide access to a front end of the carriage for wireline operations with the carriage positioned toward the rear end of the rack, wherein the operator lift is mounted to the frame,
- wherein a control system interlock is configured to prevent concurrent operation of a ground drive of the horizontal directional drilling machine and a set of lift controls that control the elevation of the operator lift.
A horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a rack having a front end supported by a ground anchor and a rear end movable to different elevations above a ground;
- a carriage having a rotating assembly for engaging a drill rod, the carriage being movable along the rack to drive the drill rod into the ground;
- an operator lift including an operator platform provided alongside the rack and being elevation adjustable with respect to the rack to provide access to a front end of the carriage for wireline operations with the carriage positioned toward the rear end of the rack, wherein the operator lift is mounted to the frame;
- a drive system for moving the horizontal directional drilling machine along the ground;
- and
- a control system having a sensor for detecting that the operator platform is in a lowered transport position, wherein the control system includes an interlock between the drive system and a set of lift controls such that if the drive system is activated, the operator lift is prevented from moving the operator platform, and if the operator platform is not in the lowered transport position, the drive system is prevented from moving the horizontal directional drilling machine.
A method of installing wireline into a drill rod on a horizontal directional drilling machine, the method comprising:
- providing a drill rod on a rack of the horizontal directional drilling machine;
- elevating a wireline technician to access an upper end of the drill rod using a movable operator lift supported on a frame of the horizontal directional drilling machine;
- and
- from the operator lift, handling an upper end of a length of wireline that extends through the drill rod, and connecting the upper end of the length of wireline to an electrical connector on the horizontal directional drilling machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.