Patent ID: 9534705
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: E21B,F16L

Claim:
1. A portable pipe thrusting apparatus for thrusting a pipe into and out of an earthen formation during a thrusting operation, comprising: a collar configured to releasably grip the pipe, the collar defining a cavity configured to permit the pipe to extend completely through the collar; a support frame; at least one rear leg assembly coupled to a rear end of the support frame, the at least one rear leg assembly configured to move the rear end of the support frame between a lowered position and a raised position to align the pipe for the thrusting operation; and a bi-directional driver coupled to the collar and the support frame, the bi-directional driver configured to drive the collar toward and away from the earthen formation to insert and remove the pipe from the earthen formation, wherein the collar comprises at least at least one energized gripping shoe configured to move radially inward and outward to engage and disengage the pipe and at least one fixed gripping shoe opposite to the at least one energized gripping shoe, the at least one fixed gripping shoe being pivotable about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cavity.