Abstract:
A cleat anchoring system is disclosed for anchoring a mobile equipment rig using the dead weight of the mobile equipment rig to assist with anchoring. In one embodiment, an anchoring method generally comprises providing front and rear cleat pad assemblies. The rear cleat pad assembly is laid on a ground surface at a first desired position so that cleats on the rear cleat assembly engage the ground surface. The mobile equipment rig is moved to stand on the rear cleat pad assembly. The front cleat pad assembly is then laid on the ground surface at a second desired position so that cleats on the front cleat assembly engage the ground surface. A thrust plate associated with the rig is positioned to stand on the front cleat assembly. The front and rear cleat pad assembles are then rigidly connected.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, commonly-invented and commonly-assigned U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/862,505, filed Aug. 5, 2013. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The disclosure of this application is related generally to heavy equipment anchoring systems, and more specifically to a cleat anchoring system that is useful to anchor, for example, a mobile horizontal directional drilling rig. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Mobile horizontal directional drilling (“HDD”) rigs conventionally include a horizontal directional drilling machine pivotally mounted on a tracked vehicle or tractor. Such mobile rigs generally provide a directional drill bit which is “steerable”, and which is mounted on the end of a flexible drill stem. Such a drill is often used for drilling holes, for instance, for installing flexible fiber-optic cable underground, for laying electric cable underground, or similar applications. The fact that the drill is steerable permits a user of the drill to drill under roadways, driveways, sidewalks, and similar, without disrupting the surface. With the conventional drilling machine described above, drilling operations usually are initiated at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to the horizontal. Once the drill bit is underground, it can be steered to drill a passageway of desired azimuth and then withdrawn when the work is completed. 
         [0004]    It is necessary to anchor the rig prior to drilling. In addition to drilling torque forces, the drilling operations place push and pull back forces on the rig. These normal drilling forces cause reactionary forces on the rig that urge the rig to uproot or slide along the ground surface, for example. In conventional deployments, an anchor bar extends outwardly from the frame of the tractor and supports anchoring stakes. The anchoring stakes are driven into the support surface in an attempt to stabilize the drilling machine in place during drilling operations. 
         [0005]    Larger mobile HDD rigs can deliver over 100,000 pounds of pull back force. Conventional anchoring systems for such larger rigs often further include anchoring piles driven into the ground. The piles may also be cemented. Smaller rigs may be anchored with rotary auger-like stakes driven into the ground with, for example, a hydraulic motor. 
         [0006]    A typical anchoring setup has a main body portion which includes a stake-down plate. The stake-down plate is a rectangular metal plate, in which the front and rear long edges of the plate have been bent upwardly to make the stake-down plate have an elongated U-shape in cross-section from front to rear. The stake-down plate has top and bottom smooth surfaces, wherein metal stabilizers are welded to the top surface of the stake-down plate to give it rigidity. 
         [0007]    The anchoring assembly also includes stakes which, as noted, can be screwed in or hydraulically driven into the ground or other support surface on which the anchoring assembly is positioned. The stakes may be screwed-in or driven into the support surface so as to be vertical or at an angle to horizontal. The stakes help anchor the anchoring assembly to the support surface in order to resist sliding of the drilling machine during drilling operations. 
         [0008]    However, even with the stakes of the stake-down system of the anchoring assembly securely in place in the ground or other support surface, the advancing of the drill bit tends to create a force applied to the drill stem which urges movement of the tracked vehicle drilling machine with respect to the anchoring assembly. Furthermore, when withdrawing the drill bit, there is also a tendency to urge movement of the tracked vehicle drilling machine with respect to the anchoring assembly. 
         [0009]    In some drilling applications, it is not possible or desirable to drive the stakes into the ground. The earth may be frozen or there may be electrical cable or similar directly beneath the intended staking location. In these types of situations, the tendency of the drilling machine to slide is particularly troublesome. 
         [0010]    The prior art discloses various types of anchoring. U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,350 discloses a multiple-position stake-down assembly positioned beneath the HDD drive head. An anchoring regime is selectable at the stake-down assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,674 discloses a stake-down assembly positioned beneath the drive head, with additional gripping mechanisms deployed to oppose sliding forces on the stake-down assembly when the HDD rig exerts push and pull back forces. U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,276 discloses a rig anchoring system attached to the front of the rig itself. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,253,721, 5,231,899 and 4,953,658 disclose conventional stake anchoring systems for smaller rigs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,828 discloses a cleat pad for the underneath of outriggers on earthmoving equipment. 
         [0011]    All of the foregoing examples of the prior art overlook using the dead weight of the HDD rig itself to hold an anchoring system in the ground. For example, a mobile (track-driven) HDD rig capable of delivering over 100,000 pounds of pull back force may typically have a dead weight of 100,000 pounds itself. It would be advantageous to utilize that dead weight as much as possible to counteract reactionary forces to torque and push/pull back forces encountered during HDD operations. Therefore, there exists a need for an anchoring system that can harness that dead weight and use it to prevent the rig anchors from uprooting or sliding, for example, during push or pull back operations. 
       SUMMARY AND TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES 
       [0012]    The disclosure of this application addresses one or more of the above-described drawbacks of the prior art. Such disclosure includes a cleat anchoring system using the weight of the HDD rig to sit on top of a metal plate with cleats deployed on the underside of the plate. The weight of the rig presses the cleats into the earth and thus discourages the rig from moving or “sliding” in reaction to torsion or pull back forces exerted by the rig during HDD operations. Preferred embodiments deploy cleats in two locations: one in a front position, under the thrust plate (front pad) of the HDD drive, and the other in a rear position under the tracks of the rig. The two sets of cleats, or cleat pads, are joined with connecting rods so that they can act in concert to anchor the HDD rig. In other embodiments, the front and rear cleat pads may be connected with cables or chains. In yet further embodiments, the front and rear cleat pads may be deployed in sections that pin together. In an additional embodiment, a front “bull bar” is also provided attached to the cleat anchoring system, against which the HDD may be braced when reacting to high pull back forces. 
         [0013]    It is therefore a technical advantage of the disclosed cleat anchoring system to provide improved anchoring to heavy duty mobile equipment such as an HDD rig. There is a reduced tendency for the HDD rig to uproot or slide, for example, in reaction to torque or push/pull forces exerted during HDD operations. 
         [0014]    The disclosed cleat anchoring system, in addition to providing improved anchoring, also provides logistical and environmental advantages over conventional anchoring systems of this type. It is a simple design, enabling rapid set up, tear down and transport from one job to the next. Different sizes and specifications of cleat anchoring systems may easily be devised and customized to suit different types of equipment being used in different anchoring environments. The disclosed cleat anchoring system is much less disruptive to the local earth and soil environment than comparable conventional systems that might require heavy-duty augers and/or cement piles to provide the required anchoring. 
         [0015]    A further technical advantage is that setup, use, tear down and transportation of the disclosed cleat anchoring system should provide significant savings of time and money over comparable conventional anchoring systems. 
         [0016]    A further technical advantage is increased safety for personnel working in and around the HDD rig. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment of the disclosed cleat anchoring system, optional plates may be provided around the front and rear cleat pads, to which the cleat pads may be attached by, for example, conventional bolting. Further side rails may be provided framing the cleat pads. These additional optional plates may allow the disclosed cleat anchoring system also to capture fluids that may issue from the HDD rig, such as hydraulic oil or drilling fluids. Conventionally, a user has to put down tarpaulins or other protection to prevent these fluids from spilling into the soil. A technical advantage of these optional plates is to protect the soils surrounding the HDD rig without having to put down tarpaulins. 
         [0018]    The, foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the disclosure of this application, in order that the detailed description of the embodiments that follows may be better understood. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same general purposes of the material set forth in this disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    For a more complete understanding of embodiments described in detail below, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  depicts a general arrangement of one embodiment of the disclosed cleat anchoring system  200  deployed on an exemplary HDD rig  100 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 1A  is an enlargement of details on the front thrust plate  104  of the HDD rig  100  depicted on  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 1B  is an enlargement of details on or around the front of the tractor tracks  103  on the HDD rig  100  depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a second embodiment of the disclosed anchoring system without the exemplary HDD rig; and 
           [0024]      FIGS. 3A through 3D  illustrate, from the underside, exemplary embodiments of different cleat patterns and different three-dimensional cleat profiles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]      FIG. 1  depicts a general arrangement of one embodiment of cleat anchoring system  200  deployed on HDD rig  100 . As illustrated on  FIG. 1 , HDD rig  100  follows the general example of a model DD-440T by American Augers. However, it will be appreciated that HDD rig  100  may be any suitable equipment.  FIG. 1  illustrates HDD rig  100  as including tractor  101 , tractor tracks  103 , drive carriage  102 , front thrust plate  104  and rotary drive  105 . 
         [0026]    As further shown on  FIG. 1 , rotary drive  105  generates drilling forces to enable pipe joints to be drilled into or pulled out of the ground at the desired angle. Of particular (but not exclusive) interest to cleat anchoring system  200  are torque forces T and push/pull back forces P (as illustrated on  FIG. 1 ). It will be understood that these drilling forces create reactionary forces on HDD rig  100  which urge HDD rig  100  to uproot or to slide, for example, Cleat anchoring system  200  resists these reactionary forces to help keep HDD rig substantially motionless and stable. 
         [0027]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , cleat anchor system  200  includes front cleat pad  201  and rear cleat pads  203  joined rigidly together by connecting rods  202 . Note that on  FIG. 1 , only the near side rear cleat pad  203  and connecting rod  202  are labeled. It will be easily seen and understood from  FIG. 1  that a corresponding rear cleat pad  203  and connecting rod  202  are also provided on the far side. Rigid connection via connecting rods  202  enables front cleat pad  201  and rear cleat pads  203  to work together in concert to anchor HDD rig  100 . Connecting rods  202  may be made from any suitable material, such as steel, and may have any suitable profile, such as bars, rods, or structural members. 
         [0028]    In other embodiments (illustrated by example in  FIG. 2 ), cables or chains may be substituted for connecting rods  202 . In such embodiments, the cables or chains run between front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  to keep them from separating. With tractor  101  rigidly attached to rear cleat pad  203  and butted tight up to a front bull bar, and front thrust plate  104  of the HDD rig and rigidly attached to front cleat pad  201  butted up tight to a front bull bar, tension may be applied to the cables/chains. The tensioned cables/chains will have the same effect as connecting rods  202  as disclosed on  FIG. 1 . The exemplary embodiments illustrated in  FIG. 2  are discussed further below. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1A  is an enlargement of details on or around front thrust plate  104  of HDD rig  100  as depicted on  FIG. 1 . Items depicted on multiple FIGURES throughout this disclosure have the same part numbers on each FIGURE where they appear. It will be seen on  FIG. 1A  that front cleat pad  201  comprises front cleat plate  211  and front cleats  212 . Front cleat plate  211  may be made from any suitable material (such as steel) of any suitable thickness. Likewise, front cleats  212  may be made from any suitable material (again such as steel), and may be any suitable cross-sectional size, length or profile. Front cleat plate  211  may also be of any suitable or desired size. In  FIG. 1A , it will be seen that the illustrated embodiment depicts front cleat plate  211  generally conforming to the size of front thrust plate  104 . This disclosure is not limited in this regard, however. Front cleats  212  are rigidly attached to front cleat plate  211  by any suitable method, such as welding. In embodiments where front cleats  212  might be desired to be intentionally replaceable, front cleats  212  may also be attached to front cleat plate  211  by fasteners such as bolts. Front cleats  212  may be attached to front cleat plate  211  in any desired spacing or pattern. Different shapes or lengths of front cleats  212  may be mixed in a desired spacing or pattern. 
         [0030]    It will be thus appreciated from  FIG. 1A , and  FIGS. 3A through 3D , that multiple designs of front cleat pad  201  are available, choosing from among, for example, the design variables for front cleat plate  211  and front cleats  212  discussed in the previous paragraph. Designs of front cleat pad  201  may be selected for particular applications and surfaces in which anchoring is desired (for example, wet or dry surfaces, hard or soft surfaces, solid or grainy surfaces, etc.) 
         [0031]    With reference now to  FIGS. 3A through 3D , four exemplary embodiments of designs for front cleat pad  201  are illustrated, deploying various styles of front cleats  212  in various patterns, lengths and three-dimensional profiles. It will be understood that nothing in this disclosure should be interpreted, however, to limit the possible designs for front cleat pad  201  to those illustrated in  FIGS. 3A through 3D . It will also be noted in  FIGS. 3A through 3D , embodiments are illustrated including cable/chain hooks  215 , consistent with the embodiments of  FIG. 2  rather than the embodiments using connecting rods  202  as illustrated on  FIG. 1 . The cleat designs in  FIGS. 3A through 3D  are not limited in this regard, however. It will be further understood that the designs for front cleat pad  201  on  FIGS. 3A through 3D  are suitable for any structure by which front cleat pad  201  is connected to rear cleat pads  203 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3A  illustrates front cleats  212  in an offset pattern, in which front cleats  212  are a planar shape sharpened to a point.  FIG. 3B  illustrates front cleats  212  in an aligned pattern, in which front cleats  212  are a square profile sharpened to a point.  FIG. 3C  illustrates front cleats  212  in an offset pattern, in which front cleats  212  are a cone shape.  FIG. 3D  illustrates front cleats  212  in an aligned pattern, in which front cleats are an ‘X’ profile sharpened to a point. 
         [0033]    With momentary reference to  FIG. 2 , it will be appreciated that the exemplary designs for front cleats  212  on front cleat pad  201  (including pattern, length and three-dimensional profile) are analogously applicable to illustrate exemplary designs for rear cleats  222  on rear cleat pads  203 . The disclosure of the two immediately preceding paragraphs is analogously applicable in all regards to rear cleats  222  on rear cleat pads  203 . 
         [0034]    Returning now to  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A and  1 B,  FIG. 1A  further shows that connecting rods  202  are rigidly, but removably, attached to front cleat plate  211 . As noted above with reference to  FIG. 1 , rigid attachment via connecting rods  202  enables front cleat pad  201  and rear cleat pads  203  (not illustrated on  FIG. 1A ) to work together in concert to anchor HDD rig  100 . Removable attachment facilitates setup, tear down and transport of cleat anchoring system  200 . Removable attachment may be by any suitable conventional means, such as bolts or similar fasteners. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1B  is an enlargement of details on or around the front of the tractor tracks on the HDD rig depicted in  FIG. 1 . Items depicted on both  FIGS. 1 and 1B  have the same part numbers. Referring to  FIG. 1B , rear cleat pad  203  includes rear cleat plate  221  and rear cleats  222 . Tractor  101  provides structural member  204  attached near tracks  103  (for example, by welding). Lug  205  rigidly (but removably) attaches structural member  204  (and thus tractor  101 ) to rear cleat plate  221  and connecting rod  202 . The rigid but removable attachment may be by any suitable method, such as bolts or other fasteners. It will be understood that in some embodiments, structural member  204  and lug  205  may be omitted, and connecting rod  202  may be rigidly (but removably) attached directly to rear cleat plate  221 . 
         [0036]    As noted above, the disclosure above with reference to front cleat plate  211  and front cleats  212  on  FIG. 1A  and  FIGS. 3A through 3D  is analogously applicable to rear cleat plate  221  and rear cleats  222  illustrated on  FIG. 1B . Rear cleat plate  221  may be made from any suitable material (such as steel) of any suitable thickness. Likewise, rear cleats  222  may be made from any suitable material (again such as steel), and may be any suitable cross-sectional size, length or profile. Rear cleat plate  221  may also be of any suitable or desired size. In  FIG. 1B , it will be seen that the illustrated embodiment depicts rear cleat plate  221  generally conforming to the size of tractor track  103 . This disclosure is not limited in this regard, however. Rear cleats  222  are rigidly attached to rear cleat plate  221  by any suitable method, such as welding. In embodiments where rear cleats  222  might be desired to be intentionally replaceable, rear cleats  222  may also be attached to rear cleat plate  221  by fasteners such as bolts. Rear cleats  222  may be attached to rear cleat plate  221  in any desired spacing or pattern. Different shapes or lengths of rear cleats  222  may be mixed in a desired spacing or pattern. 
         [0037]    It will be thus appreciated from  FIG. 1B  (and  FIGS. 3A through 3D  by analogy) that multiple designs of rear cleat pad  203  are available, choosing from among, for example, the design variables for rear cleat plate  221  and front cleats  222  discussed in the previous paragraphs. Designs of rear cleat pad  203  may be selected for particular applications and surfaces in which anchoring is desired (for example, wet or dry surfaces, hard or soft surfaces, solid or grainy surfaces, etc.) 
         [0038]    It will also be appreciated that the disclosure above with reference to  FIG. 1B  is directed generally to features associated with a rear cleat pad  203  beneath tractor track  103  on the near side, as drawn, on  FIG. 1 . As noted above with respect to  FIG. 1 , however, a rear cleat pad  203  is also provided beneath tractor track  103  on the far side, as drawn on  FIG. 1 , and a far side connecting rod  202  rigidly connects the far side rear cleat pad  203  to front cleat pad  201 . 
         [0039]    It will be further understood that rear cleat pads  203  may be of a unitary design, or of differing designs, per user selection. Rear cleat pads  203  may also be rigidly (but removably) connected across or under tractor  101  in analogous fashion to connecting rods  202  connecting front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203 . Rear cleat pads  203  may also, in some embodiments, be a single rear cleat pad  203  spanning the underside of tractor  101  from track  103  to track  103 , such as is illustrated on  FIG. 2 . The ability of cleat anchoring system  200  as a whole to anchor HDD rig  100  may be enhanced in embodiments providing a single rear cleat pad  203  or connected rear cleat pads  203 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates alternative exemplary embodiments of front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203 . Rear cleat pad  203  on  FIG. 2  is illustrated in a unitary structure (as opposed to the two separate rear cleat pads  203  illustrated on  FIG. 1 ).  FIG. 2  further illustrates front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  with cable/chain hooks  215  provided, and connected together with chains  250  (although cables may be substituted for the chains). Rear cleat pad  203  further provides front bull bar  240 . Front cleat pad  201  may also provide a rear bull bar, which has been omitted from  FIG. 2  for clarity. The integrated function of chains  250  (or cables) together with front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  as illustrated on  FIG. 2  is described in more detail in the following paragraph. 
         [0041]    Looking at all the FIGURES as a whole, an exemplary method for setting up cleat anchoring system  200  would comprise several steps. First, front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  are laid out to their desired position. Tractor  101  is then reversed up over front cleat pad  201  and on to its rear cleat pads  203 . The dead weight of tractor  101  may thus be used to anchor both front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  into the ground. Tractor  101  and front thrust plate  104  are anchored to their respective cleat pads (rear and front)  203  and  201 . In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A and  1 B, connecting rods  202  are then installed and rigidly bolted down as disclosed above. Alternatively, in the embodiments of  FIG. 2 , chains  250  (or cables) may be used to connect front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203 . In such embodiments, once tractor  101  is standing on rear cleat pad  203 , it may be butted up against front bull bar  240 . Thrust plate  104  may similarly be butted up against rear bull bar on front cleat pad  201  (rear bull bar omitted on  FIG. 2  for clarity). Chains  250  (or cables) may then be installed using chain/cable hooks  251 , and tightened so that front cleat pad  201  is restrained from separating from rear cleat pad  203 . 
         [0042]    The cleat anchoring system  200  has been described throughout so far with reference to an HDD rig  100 . The cleat anchoring system is not limited in this regard, however, and could be used to stabilize and anchor other equipment, such as, without limitation, auger boring machines, pipe thrusters on pipe line jobs, and in deployments on pipe jacking and recovery situations. A recovery situation might require adding a winch onto the cleat anchoring system. 
         [0043]    The variety of applications of the disclosed cleat anchoring system further suggests various alternative embodiments (not illustrated herein). In lighter duty applications, some or all of the connecting rods or cables/chains could be omitted. Alternatively, the front and rear cleat pads may be deployed in sections that pin together. In heavier duty applications, front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  (as shown on  FIG. 1 ) could be further anchored with stakes, for example. Obviously, such additional anchoring would likely increase the setup and tear down time for the disclosed cleat anchoring system. However, such additional anchoring by stakes, for example, would be preferable to piling in applications where a further-anchored cleat system was comparable in performance to piling. 
         [0044]    As also described above in the “Summary” section, a further embodiment of the disclosed cleat anchoring system (not illustrated) may provide optional plates around front and rear cleat pads  201  and  203  (as shown on  FIG. 1 ), to which the cleat pads may be attached by, for example, conventional bolting. Further side rails may be provided framing the cleat pads. These additional optional plates may allow the disclosed cleat anchoring system also to capture fluids that may issue from the HDD rig, such as hydraulic oil or drilling fluids. 
         [0045]    Although the inventive material in this disclosure has been described in detail along with some of its technical advantages, it will be understood that various changes, substitutions and alternations may be made to the detailed embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of such inventive material.