Apparatus and method for drilling an arcuate bore from ground surface under an obstruction to ground surface

Claim 2

In an earth boring apparatus having a motor driving a flexible drive shaft in turn driving a drill bit, an improvement for drilling an arcuate bore in the earth from a first surface area to a second surface area comprising the provision of: a flexible tubular imperforate casing means about said drive shaft and mounting said drill bit for guiding said bit upon rotation to drill an arcuate bore through the earth, said flexible casing means having a forward portion, adjacent said bit, permanently deformed into a predetermined arcuate configuration corresponding generally to a segment of the arc of the bore to be drilled, and a rearward flexible portion of generally linear configuration capable of elastic deformation into an arcuate configuration to follow said forward position through the bore.

Claim 3

In an earth boring apparatus having a motor driving a flexible drive shaft in turn driving a drill bit, an improvement for drilling an arcuate bore in the earth from a first surface area to a second surface area comprising the provision of: a flexible tubular imperforate casing means about said drive shaft and mounting said drill bit for guiding said bit upon rotation to drill an arcuate bore through the earth, said flexible casing means having a forward portion, adjacent said bit, permanently deformed into a predetermined arcuate configuration corresponding generally to a segment of the arc of the bore to be drilled, and a rearward flexible portion of generally linear configuration capable of elastic deformation into an arcuate configuration to follow said forward position through the bore.

Claim 4

In an earth boring apparatus having a motor driving a flexible drive shaft in turn driving a drill bit, an improvement for drilling an arcuate bore in the earth from a first surface area to a second surface area comprising the provision of: a flexible tubular imperforate casing means about said drive shaft and mounting said drill bit for guiding said bit upon rotation to drill an arcuate bore through the earth, said flexible casing means having a forward portion, adjacent said bit, permanently deformed into a predetermined arcuate configuration corresponding generally to a segment of the arc of the bore to be drilled, and a rearward flexible portion of generally linear configuration capable of elastic deformation into an arcuate configuration to follow said forward position through the bore.

Claim 5

A guide casing means for use with a boring tool having a drill bit, a flexible drive shaft and a motor for drilling an arcuate bore from the ground surface, under an obstruction and back to the ground surface on the opposite side of the obstruction, said guide casing means comprising: an initially curved portion for mounting the drill bit on one end thereof, and an initially straight portion joined to the curved portion, said drill bit being mounted on the end of the initially curved portion to, upon rotation, be guided by the initially curved portion for drilling an arcuate bore into the ground under the obstruction, wherein a plurality of individual flexible driving guide sections constitute the portions, a section adjacent said bit including said initially straight portion over approximately one third of its length and said initially curved portion over the rest of its length to said bit said other sections being initially straight and joined tO each other in a line and joined to the initially straight portion of the section adjacent said bit.

Claim 6

A guide casing means for use with a boring tool having a drill bit, a flexible drive shaft and a motor for drilling an arcuate bore from the ground surface, under an obstruction and back to the ground surface on the opposite side of the obstruction, said guide casing means comprising: an initially curved portion for mounting the drill bit on one end thereof, and an initially straight portion joined to the curved portion, said drill bit being mounted on the end of the initially curved portion to, upon rotation, be guided by the initially curved portion for drilling an arcuate bore into the ground under the obstruction, wherein a plurality of individual flexible driving guide sections constitute the portions, a section adjacent said bit including said initially straight portion over approximately one third of its length and said initially curved portion over the rest of its length to said bit said other sections being initially straight and joined tO each other in a line and joined to the initially straight portion of the section adjacent said bit.

Claim 7

An earth boring apparatus for drilling an arcuate bore from ground surface under an obstruction to ground surface on the opposite side of the obstruction, said apparatus including a drill bit, and a motor unit with a motor for rotatively driving the drill bit, and comprising: flexible driving guide means mounted to the motor unit and mounting the drill bit for rotation thereof, said means having an initially curved portion adjacent the drill bit joined to an initially straight portion, said curved portion causing the drill bit upon rotation thereof to drill an arcuate bore, said initially straight portion conforming to the arcuate bore as the initially straight portion moves therein to continue to drill the arcuate bore under the obstruction, wherein the driving guide means is made up of a plurality of flexible individual driving guide sections, all of said sections being generally straight except for the one section adjacent said bit, said one section including both the straight portion and the curved portion, said straight portion being joined in a line to the other sections and extending over at least one third of the total length of the one section.

Claim 8

An earth boring apparatus for drilling an arcuate bore from ground surface under an obstruction to ground surface on the opposite side of the obstruction, said apparatus including a drill bit, and a motor unit with a motor for rotatively driving the drill bit, and comprising: flexible driving guide means mounted to the motor unit and mounting the drill bit for rotation thereof, said means having an initially curved portion adjacent the drill bit joined to an initially straight portion, said curved portion causing the drill bit upon rotation thereof to drill an arcuate bore, said initially straight portion conforming to the arcuate bore as the initially straight portion moves therein to continue to drill the arcuate bore under the obstruction, wherein the driving guide means is made up of a plurality of flexible individual driving guide sections, all of said sections being generally straight except for the one section adjacent said bit, said one section including both the straight portion and the curved portion, said straight portion being joined in a line to the other sections and extending over at least one third of the total length of the one section.

Claim 9

The invention as in claim 3 wherein two individual driving guide sections are provided, one generally straight and the other having the initially straight portion and initially curved portion.

Claim 10

An earth boring apparatus for drilling an arcuate bore from ground surface under an obstruction to ground surface on the opposite side of the obstruction, said apparatus including a drill bit and a motor unit with a motor for rotatively driving the drill bit, comprising: flexible driving guide means mounted to the motor of the unit and mounting the drill bit for rotation thereof, said means having an outer tubular casing having an initially curved portion adjacent the drill bit joined to an initially straight portion, said curved portion causing the drill bit, upon rotation thereof, to drill an arcuate bore, said initially straight portion conforming to the arcuate bore as the initially straight portion moves therein to continue to drill the arcuate bore under the obstruction: an inner flexible drive shaft on the casing and having the front end thereof mounting the drill bit and the rear end thereof drivingly mounted to the motor to be rotated thereby; and bearing means between the drive shaft and the casing for centering the drive shaft in the casing and for permitting rotation of the drive shaft within the casing to rotate the drill bit thereby; wherein the motor unit includes a stationary frame to which the motor is mounted, said frame having a tubular motor adapter mounted thereto; wherein the inner end of the tubular casing is mounted to the tubular motor adapter; wherein the drive shaft is mounted to the motor to be rotated thereby, and additionally comprising; means for receiving water in communication with the space between the casing and the drive shaft and valve means for controlling the flow of water from the receiving means into the space between the casing and the drive shaft to flow out the drill bit.

Claim 11

An earth boring apparatus for drilling an arcuate bore from ground surface under an obstruction to ground surface on the opposite side of the obstruction, said apparatus including a drill bit and a motor unit with a motor for rotatively driving the drill bit, comprising: flexible driving guide means mounted to the motor of the unit and mounting the drill bit for rotation thereof, said means having an outer tubular casing having an initially curved portion adjacent the drill bit joined to an initially straight portion, said curved portion causing the drill bit, upon rotation thereof, to drill an arcuate bore, said initially straight portion conforming to the arcuate bore as the initially straight portion moves therein to continue to drill the arcuate bore under the obstruction: an inner flexible drive shaft on the casing and having the front end thereof mounting the drill bit and the rear end thereof drivingly mounted to the motor to be rotated thereby; and bearing means between the drive shaft and the casing for centering the drive shaft in the casing and for permitting rotation of the drive shaft within the casing to rotate the drill bit thereby; wherein the motor unit includes a stationary frame to which the motor is mounted, said frame having a tubular motor adapter mounted thereto; wherein the inner end of the tubular casing is mounted to the tubular motor adapter; wherein the drive shaft is mounted to the motor to be rotated thereby, and additionally comprising; means for receiving water in communication with the space between the casing and the drive shaft and valve means for controlling the flow of water from the receiving means into the space between the casing and the drive shaft to flow out the drill bit.

Claim 12

The invention as in claim 5 wherein the means for receiving water includes a water housing adapter, said housing adapter having a receptacle for connection to a water hose and passages from the receptacle and wherein the valve means includes the mounting of the housing adapter around the motor adapter for rotation between two positions, said motor adapter having a hole therein communicating with the passage of the housing adapter when the housing adapter is in one position and not communicating therewith when the housing adapter is in the other position, whereby water is supplied to the casing when the housing adapter is in the one position and is closed off from the casing when the housing adapter is in the other position.