# US 7,704,020 B1 · Core drilling machine

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- Number: US 7,704,020 B1
- Document ID: US7704020B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/860,041
- Filed: 2007-09-24
- Granted: 2010-04-27
- Earliest claimed: 2006-12-05
- Assignees: Marion Engineering & Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: James M. Stengel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7704020B1

## CPC

- B23B 39/205: {Turret head drilling machines}
- B23B 41/00: Boring or drilling machines or devices specially adapted for particular work {(surgical drilling machines A61B17/16)}; Accessories specially adapted therefor
- B23Q 1/66: Worktables interchangeably movable into operating positions
- B23Q 39/024: {consecutive working of toolheads}
- B23Q 39/028: {with a plurality of workholder per toolhead in operating position (with only one workholder in operating position B23Q1/66)}
- B23Q 39/04: the sub-assemblies being arranged to operate simultaneously at different stations, e.g. with an annular work-table moved in steps (associations of machines connected only by work-transferring means B23Q41/00)
- B28D 1/041: {with cylinder saws, e.g. trepanning; saw cylinders, e.g. having their cutting rim equipped with abrasive particles}
- B23B 2215/72: Tubes, pipes
- B23B 2226/75: Stone, rock or concrete
- Y10T 408/37: Turret of tools
- Y10T 408/375: Coaxial tools
- B23B: TURNING; BORING (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
- B28D: WORKING STONE OR STONE-LIKE MATERIALS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A drilling assembly for drilling holes in concrete structures. The assembly includes a base assembly defining a longitudinal axis and adapted to support at least two concrete structures, for example, on turntables positioned in spaced apart relation along the longitudinal axis. A drilling machine is movably mounted to the base assembly between the turntables for movement along the longitudinal axis, and includes a drill assembly having first and second drill bits each substantially aligned along the longitudinal axis and facing substantially opposite directions. In this manner, the drilling machine includes an in-line, dual drill bit assembly which allows the machine to move along a single horizontal axis for both drilling operations and for traversing between the turntables. Advantageously, the present assembly combines the traverse and drilling axes of the drilling machine into a single horizontal axis, thus eliminating the need to traverse the machine between a pair of turntables along a first horizontal axis and to perform drilling operations along a second horizontal axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A drilling assembly for drilling holes in concrete structures, said drilling assembly comprising:
a base assembly defining a longitudinal axis and adapted to support at least two concrete structures; and
a drilling machine mounted with respect to said base assembly for movement along said longitudinal axis between a pair of locations on said base assembly on which the concrete structures are adapted to be supported, said drilling machine comprising:
a frame;
a drive unit;
a drill assembly driven by said drive unit, said drill assembly including first and second drill bits facing in substantially opposite directions; and
a turret assembly carrying said drill assembly, said turret assembly selectively movable to position said first and second drill bits in alignment with said longitudinal axis and out of alignment with said longitudinal axis.

### Claim 2

A method of drilling holes in concrete structures, comprising the steps of:
providing a drill assembly mounted on a track and disposed between first and second concrete structure supports, the track and the concrete structure supports disposed along a longitudinal axis;
drilling a hole in a first concrete structure by moving a first drill bit of a drill assembly toward and away from the first concrete structure along a first axis;
actuating a turret assembly of the drill assembly to move the first drill bit out of alignment with the first axis and a second drill bit into alignment with the first axis; and
drilling a hole in a second concrete structure positioned on a side of the drill assembly opposite the first concrete structure by moving the second drill bit of the drill assembly toward and away from the second concrete structure along the first axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The drilling assembly of claim 1, wherein said base assembly includes a pair of turntables disposed substantially along said longitudinal axis, said turntables each adapted to rotatably support a concrete structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The drilling assembly of claim 1, wherein said base assembly includes a track substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis, said drilling machine movable along said track for drilling and traversing movement along said longitudinal axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The drilling assembly of claim 1, wherein said drilling machine includes at least a third drill bit, said turret assembly operable to move said third drill bit into and out of alignment with said longitudinal axis with concurrent movement of said first and second drill bits out of an into alignment with said longitudinal axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The drilling assembly of claim 1, wherein said drill assembly is vertically adjustably mounted with respect to said frame.

### Claim 7

A drilling assembly for drilling holes in concrete structures, said drilling assembly comprising:
a base assembly, comprising:
first and second concrete structure supports spaced from one another and disposed along a longitudinal axis; and
a track disposed between said first and second concrete structure supports and aligned along said longitudinal axis; and
a drilling machine movable along said track and disposed between said first and second concrete structure supports, said drilling machine comprising:
a frame; and
a rotatable turret assembly including dual in-line drill bit means for alternately traversing and drilling in opposite directions along said longitudinal axis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The drilling assembly of claim 7, wherein said concrete structure supports are rotatable turntables.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The drilling assembly of claim 7, wherein said dual in-line drill bit means includes at least one drill bit which is selectively movable into and out of alignment with said longitudinal axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The drilling assembly of claim 7, wherein said dual in-line drill bit means is vertically adjustably mounted with respect to said frame.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising, after said first drilling step, the additional step of:
traversing the drill assembly along the first axis away from the first concrete structure and toward the second concrete structure.

### Claim 12

A drilling assembly for drilling holes in concrete structures, said drilling assembly comprising:
a base assembly defining a longitudinal axis and adapted to support at least two concrete structures; and
a drilling machine mounted with respect to said base assembly for movement along said longitudinal axis and disposed between a pair of locations on said base assembly on which the concrete structures are adapted to be supported, said drilling machine comprising:
a frame;
a drive unit and at least one drill bit rotatably driven by said drive unit; and
a rotatable turret assembly upon which said drive unit is mounted, said turret assembly rotatable with respect to said frame to move said drill bit between a first position in which said drill bit is aligned along said longitudinal axis facing in a first direction and a second position in which said drill bit is aligned along said longitudinal axis facing in a second direction opposite said first direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The drilling assembly of claim 12, wherein said base assembly includes a pair of turntables disposed substantially along said longitudinal axis, said turntables each adapted to rotatably support a concrete structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The drilling assembly of claim 12, wherein said base assembly includes a track substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis, said drilling machine movable along said track for drilling and traversing movement along said longitudinal axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The drilling assembly of claim 12, wherein said drill assembly is vertically adjustably mounted with respect to said frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising, after said first drilling step, the additional step of:
rotating the concrete structure; and
drilling another hole in the first concrete structure by moving one of the first and second drill bits of the drill assembly toward and away from the first concrete structure along the first axis.