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;
- and
- 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.
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, to a second position, in engagement with the gear, such that the brake element stops rotation of the intermeshed gears and the spindle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.