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US 2020/0347701 A1Published application
Virtual Brake System
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsJoseph G. Greenlee, Aleksander S. Wolfe, Jarred R. Callaway, Max A. Metcalf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake system for maintaining an angular position of a spindle assembly. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. When no rotation is desired, the spindle will slow, then stop at a desired angular orientation. A rotational sensor will determine the clock position, and a controller compares that to a desired angular orientation. If an error tolerance is exceeded, the motor will rotate the spindle back to the desired orientation.
Claims15
A horizontal directional drilling system comprising:
- a drill frame;
- a carriage supported on the drill frame and movable relative thereto;
- a spindle supported by the carriage;
- a motor configured to rotate the spindle;
- a sensor configured to detect a rotational orientation of the spindle;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- with the motor, rotate the spindle to a desired spindle orientation;
- advance the carriage;
- while advancing the carriage, monitor the spindle orientation;
- and
- in response to deviation between the spindle orientation and desired spindle orientation, rotate the spindle to correct the deviation.
9 more elements
A drilling system comprising:
- a drill string comprising a plurality of drill pipe sections having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a downhole tool and the second end is operably connected to a horizontal directional drill comprising:
- a machine frame;
- a carriage movable along a length of the machine frame;
- a spindle assembly;
- a motor for rotating the spindle assembly;
- and
- a sensor for determining a clock position of the spindle assembly;
- a controller having a virtual brake condition, in which the controller receives signals indicative of the clock position from the sensor;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- rotate the drill string with the spindle and advance the drill string with the carriage;
- receive an input of a desired spindle orientation;
- stop the spindle at the desired orientation;
- advance the drill string without rotation;
- monitor a clock position of the spindle;
- and
- rotate the spindle to the desired orientation when the difference between the clock position and the desired orientation exceeds an error tolerance.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.