Pullback system for drilling tool

A rotary drill bit for use with a horizontal directional drill string, the rotary drill bit comprising:a coupler provided at a proximal axial end of the rotary drill bit and configured to attach the rotary drill bit to a drill head at a distal end of the drill string;a cutting portion provided at a distal axial end of the rotary drill bit and provided with a plurality of vanes with respective cutters that operate to cut a hole in earth when the rotary drill bit is rotated about a central axis, wherein the plurality of vanes project radially outwardly from a surface of the cutting portion such that the surface forms respective troughs circumferentially interspersed with the plurality of vanes, and wherein each of the respective troughs extends from the distal axial end of the rotary drill bit in a direction toward the proximal axial end of the rotary drill bit;

• anda plurality of engagement features positioned radially inward of an outer cutting diameter to facilitate attachment of a product pullback device without removing the rotary drill bit, or any portion thereof, from the drill head, and wherein the plurality of engagement features are formed in respective rearward axial ends of the plurality of vanes.

A method comprising:operating a horizontal directional drilling machine to thrust a drill string having a rotary drill bit into the earth to drill an underground hole from a start location to an end location, the rotary drill bit having a cutting portion defined by a plurality of vanes projecting radially outward from a surface to define an outer cutting diameter;at the end location, attaching a pullback device to the rotary drill bit, the attached pullback device extending axially beyond a distal axial end of the rotary drill bit, without extending radially beyond the plurality of vanes, wherein a plurality of arms of the pullback device are secured to the rotary drill bit for axial load transfer by a fastener that engages with the plurality of arms and further engages with a plurality of engagement features of the rotary drill bit that are formed in respective rearward axial ends of the plurality of vanes;attaching a product to an attachment portion of the pullback device at the end location;pulling the drill string, including the rotary drill bit, the pullback device, and the product, back through the underground hole from the end location to the start location to install the product into the underground hole;

• anddetaching the product from the pullback device at the start location.