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US 2006/0188340 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for installing underground pipe
OwnerStephen Lafontaineinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus employing an axially elongated ground piercing tool for forming an in-ground tunnel under a surface structure with forward axial movement of the tool in the ground under the structure with a pipe carried by the tool for depositing in the tunnel after a removal of a tip of the tool and a rearward pulling of the remainder of the tool from the tunnel.
Claims2
A method for installing underground pipe under a ground supported structure, comprising:
- forming first and second trenches in the ground on opposite sides of the structure;
- placing an axially elongated ground piercing tool in the first trench with a ground piercing tip of the tool facing the second trench;
- driving the tool through the ground under the structure toward the second trench to form an in-ground tunnel between the first and second trenches;
- and
- placing an underground pipe in the in-ground tunnel while pulling the tool rearward from the tunnel toward the first trench comprising the additional steps of
- pre-mounting the pipe on the tool with the pipe extending between the tip and an end portion of the tool;
- removing the tip from the tool;
- and
- pulling the tool from the in-ground tunnel leaving the pipe in place.
6 more elements
A system for installing underground pipe under a surface structure, comprising:
- an axially elongated ground piercing tool for forming an in-ground tunnel under a surface structure with a forward movement of the tool in the ground under the structure, the tool having a pointed tip portion threaded to a threaded forward end portion of an axially extending rod portion of the tool;
- and
- a pipe carried by the rod between the tip and an end portion of the tool for depositing in the in-ground tunnel with a removal of the tip end portion from the rod and a pulling of the rod rearward leaving the pipe in place in the tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.