Bit adapter and tube return for vertizontal geothermal loop
AssigneeTrue.Home Heating/Cooling, Inc.
InventorsTerry R. Biggs, Joseph A. Huck, Blake E. Edwards
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drill rod combination for creating a closed loop geothermal hole in the ground. The heat exchange tube is positioned in the hole simultaneously with the creation of the hole and is mounted to the drill rod. A rudder on the heat exchange tube limits twisting of the tube. An adaptor mounted to the outer end of the sone housing has the drill bit mounted on its distal end.
Claims19
A device used during the creation of a geothermal closed loop in a blind hole in the ground using an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion positioned in and extending out of the blind hole comprising:
- a drill rod having a drill end portion;
- a main body having an inlet and an outlet associated respectively with an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion with said main body forming an internal cavity opening at said inlet and said outlet;
- and,
- a mount on said drill end portion for mounting said main body and limiting rotation thereof as said drill rod and said drill end portion rotate in said blind hole but releasing the main body as the drill and end portion are pulled from the blind hole leaving the main body along with the inlet tube portion and the outlet tube portion within the ground.
A ruddered device mountable to a drill and associated with an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion to facilitate fluid flow from the inlet tube portion to the outlet tube portion while limiting rotation thereof while the drill is rotated into the ground comprising:
- a main body having an inlet and an outlet associated respectively with an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion with said main body forming an internal cavity opening at said inlet and said outlet, said main body further including a rudder extending outwardly therefrom to engage ground limiting rotation thereof while said main body is advanced into the ground by rotation of the drill.
A drill combination comprising:
- a drill rod having a longitudinally extending axis of rotation and a drill distal end;
- a sone housing mounted to said drill distal end and having the same axis of rotation as said drill rod, said housing having a housing distal mounting surface arranged angularly at a first angle with respect to said axis of rotation;
- a drill bit having a bit mounting surface extending in a drill bit plane that extends in the direction of said axis of rotation when mounted to said housing;
- and,
- an adapter mounting said drill bit to said housing and having the same axis of rotation as said drill rod, said adapter having an adapter inner end with a adapter proximal mounting surface arranged angularly at a second angle with respect to said axis of rotation with said first angle and said second angle being equal angles, said adapter having an adapter outer end with an adapter distal mounting surface defining a plane extending in the same direction as and containing said axis of rotation, said adapter distal mounting surface mountingly receiving said bit mounting surface and being in the same plane as said bit mounting surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.