Patent ID: 6474932
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:a magazine for holding a plurality of elongated rods, the magazine including a plurality of columns in which the rods are held, each of the columns having a separate bottom opening; a feed member for feeding the rods to and from the magazine, the feed member including a plurality of upwardly opening pockets sized for receiving the rods, the feed member being moveable from a retracted position in which all of the pockets are positioned beneath the magazine to an index position in which at least one of the pockets is laterally offset from the magazine; a lift unit for loading the magazine by lifting the rods from the pockets of the feed member up through the bottom openings of the columns; a rotational drive head for propelling the rods into the ground; and a transfer mechanism for moving the rods between the rotational drive head and the feed members the transfer mechanism including a transfer member having a rod holder, and the transfer mechanism being mechanically operatively connected to the lift unit so as to be raised and lowered relative to the feed member by the lift unit.