Patent Publication Number: US-2022213734-A1

Title: Horizontal directional drilling system with operator lift

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/846,827, filed May 13, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to horizontal directional drilling (HDD) systems that are configured to drive a drill rod string into the ground for trenchless underground utility installation. At the end of the drill string is a rotating drilling tool or drill bit. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the invention provides a horizontal directional drilling machine including a base, a rack movable to different drilling angles with respect to the base, and a carriage having a rotating assembly for engaging a drill rod, the carriage being movable along the rack to drive the drill rod into the ground. The horizontal directional drilling machine further includes an operator lift including an operator area provided alongside the rack and being adjustable for height with respect to the rack to provide access to the carriage for wireline operations. The operator lift is supported by at least one frame element of the horizontal directional drilling machine. 
     In another aspect, the invention provides a method of installing wireline into a drill rod on a horizontal directional drilling machine. A drill rod is provided on a rack of the horizontal directional drilling machine. A wireline technician is elevated to access an upper end of the drill rod using a movable operator lift supported on a frame element of the horizontal directional drilling machine. From the operator lift, an upper end of a length of wireline that extends through the drill rod is handled and connected to an electrical connector on the horizontal directional drilling machine. 
     In yet another aspect, the invention provides a horizontal directional drilling machine including a base, a rack movable to different drilling angles with respect to the base, and a carriage having a rotating assembly for engaging a drill rod, the carriage being movable along the rack to drive the drill rod into the ground. The horizontal directional drilling machine further includes an operator lift including an operator area provided alongside the rack and being adjustable for height to provide access to the carriage for wireline operations. The operator lift is not secured to the rack and thus configured for independent movement in order to facilitate connection of a wireline that extends through the drill rod. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the HDD machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an operator lift assembly of the HDD machine of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the operator lift assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the HDD machine of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , showing the operator lift assembly in a partially raised position. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the HDD machine of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , showing the operator lift assembly in the partially raised position. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the operator lift assembly in a fully raised position. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the operator lift assembly in the fully raised position. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a HDD machine according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure in which an operator lift assembly includes a boom lift. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the boom lift of the HDD machine of  FIG. 9 , shown in an extended position. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of a HDD machine according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure in which an operator lift assembly includes a boom lift, and the HDD machine further includes a carriage-mounted work platform accessible by the operator lift assembly. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of a HDD machine according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure in which an operator lift assembly includes a boom lift having a base supported on the ground anchor of the HDD machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before any embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
       FIGS. 1-8  illustrate a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine  100  according to a first illustrated embodiment. The HDD machine  100  is part of a HDD system including a plurality of drill rod assemblies that are sequentially connected end-to-end on the HDD machine  100  to form a drill string. The drill string is driven into the ground by the HDD machine, e.g., for trenchless underground utility installation. At the end of the drill string is a drill head having a rotating drilling tool or drill bit. As discussed further below, the drill head can include electronics (e.g., gyroscopic sensor(s), a data relay receiver, a beacon, a steering mechanism) for tracking and/or steering the drill head underground, and a wireline within the drill string connects the drill head electronics to the HDD machine  100  during operation. The HDD machine  100  includes a base  104  supporting a plurality of mechanical systems operable to assemble and disassemble a drill string and operable to plunge and retract the drill string into and out of the ground in a direction that is at least partially horizontal with respect to the ground. The base  104  can include a main frame  106  and optionally a drive system such as the illustrated tracks  108  configured to move the HDD machine  100  along the ground under its own power, for example powered by an on-board diesel engine or alternative power source. In other constructions, the base  104  is fixed and the frame  106  may be attached to an additional support structure such as a skid or trailer, or alternately a floating structure such as a barge or floating platform. A rack  112  is movably supported on the base  104 , particularly on the main frame  106 . The rack  112  is an elongate structure defining an axis A that sets the initial drilling direction. 
     A rear end  112 A of the rack  112  is configured to be adjustably elevated above the ground by a lifting mechanism between the base  104 , particularly the main frame  106 , and the rack  112 , such as one or more hydraulic cylinders. A front end  112 B of the rack  112  is supported by a ground anchor  116 . The ground anchor  116 , which can be separate from the frame element(s) forming the main frame  106  in some constructions, constitutes another frame element of the HDD machine  100 . The rack  112  supports a carriage  120  and includes a gear rack  124  to enable driving of the carriage  120  along the rack  112 . Although not all shown, the carriage  120  includes a plurality of motors, a gearbox  126 , and an output pinion engaged with the gear rack  124 . One of the plurality of motors, along with the gearbox  126 , defines a rotation system  127  of the carriage  120  and of the HDD machine  100  operable to rotate the drill string and/or a single drill rod on the rack  112  about the axis A. In other constructions, the rotation system  127  can be a direct drive system in which a motor drives the output directly, without an intermediate gearbox. A sub saver  128  is supported at a front end of the carriage  120  and forms part of a rotating assembly rotated by the rotation system  127 . Adjacent the front end  112 B of the rack  112 , a fixed or movable break out mechanism  132  (e.g., a vise system) is provided for selectively gripping the upper end of the downhole drill string during attachment with and detachment from the lower end of the on-rack drill rod assembly. After a new drill rod assembly is coupled (to the drill string), the rotation system  127  travels longitudinally on the rack  112  toward the break out mechanism  132 , while simultaneously rotating the drill rod assembly, to continue the drilling operation. When the rotation system  127  reaches the break out mechanism  132  at the end of the rack  112 , the rotation system  127  is de-coupled from the drill rod assembly and retracted to the rear end  112 A of the rack  112  to accommodate the next drill rod assembly. This process is repeated until the drilling operation is complete, and then reversed during a pullback operation in which the HDD machine  100  removes the drill from the ground, one drill rod assembly at a time. 
     Optionally, the HDD machine  100  can include a storage compartment for drill rod assemblies and a fixed operator station (e.g., cabin as shown in  FIGS. 9-11 ) having a seat and controls for manipulation of the HDD machine  100 . The cabin can be attached to the HDD machine  100  or provided separately (e.g., as a box positioned near the HDD machine  100  with cords connecting the cabin to the machine). Whether drill rod assemblies are stored on or off the HDD machine  100 , a drill rod assembly handling device, such as a crane, an articulating arm, etc. is utilized as part of the HDD system, either on the HDD machine  100  or adjacent thereto. An engine compartment  136  at least partially encloses the diesel engine, a fuel tank, one or more hydraulic motors, pumps, and reservoirs for operating hydraulic implements that move the rack  112  and/or operate grippers in the break out mechanism  132 , and a water pump for pumping drilling fluid along the drill string. 
     Rearward of the engine compartment  136 , the HDD machine  100  includes an operator lift  140  for supporting an operator (i.e., human technician) above the base  104 . The operator lift is not secured to the rack  112 , and therefore, the operator lift  140  is operable to move independent of the rack  112 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , the operator lift  140  can include controls  145  within an operator area  144  (e.g., man bucket, cage, or platform) that are configured to raise/lower the lift  140  on the HDD machine  100 , and optionally also control one or more implements on the HDD machine  100 , including any one or more of: drive of the rotation system  127 , output of the diesel engine, movement of the carriage  120  along the rack  112 , movement of the rack  112  relative to the base  104 , vises or grips within the break out mechanism  132 , and rotation of the carriage/drill string. The operator lift  140  can alternately or additionally be controlled by a remote control. In some constructions, the remote control may be docked in a docking station on the operator lift  140 . 
     The operator lift  140  can be positioned alongside the rack  112 , with or without a direct connection thereto. The operator lift  140  is shown in further detail in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in a retracted or lowermost position. One or more steps provided in the form of a ladder or stairs  146 , either fixed or retractable, may provide access to the operator area  144  of the lift  140 . The steps may be configured to only provide access to the operator area  144  when the operator lift is in its lowered position (e.g., lowermost). For example, the steps can be supported in position on the main frame  106  and remain in position there while a floor of the operator area  144  may be raised more than 2 feet higher (e.g., up to 4 feet, 6 feet, or more). Although commonly available standalone lifts provide very limited operating ranges, effectively requiring a near flat working surface, the operator lift  140  incorporated into the HDD machine  100  may be required to be operated while on terrain at an incline of up to 10 degrees. As commonly appreciated in the art, a typical self-propelled lift will have inclination limitations such as those disclosed in “JLG® Scissor Lifts: How Variable Tilt Technology Work” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8JmxEE3w4s (i.e., beyond 1.5 degrees incline, the elevation is limited in steps, and the lift is only operable at all at an inclination of 2.75 degrees or less). While it may be feasible during certain jobs to first prepare a levelled work area for the HDD machine  100 , this is often not possible, or economical, and the HDD machine  100  needs to be capable of being operated on a slight hill or incline. Such working conditions would prevent direct incorporation of commonly available lifts and generally leads those of skill in the art away from adding an operator lift to an HDD machine as proposed herein. Because the HDD machine  100  provides a more expansive plan view footprint for the operator lift  140 , and includes a vast amount of mass positioned outward of the operator lift  140  (i.e., the majority of the HDD machine mass is outward of the operator lift  140 ), conventional lift tilt limits are not necessarily suitable. 
     In some constructions, as illustrated, a longitudinal length L of the operator area  144  is larger than a transverse width W, with the longitudinal direction being parallel to the axis A of the rack  112  when the rack  112  is lowered to horizontal. The operator area  144  can be rectangular in plan view as shown, or may take alternate forms including regular and irregular geometric shapes. As shown, the operator area  144  provides human access adjacent the front end of the carriage  120  at least when the carriage  120  is positioned at the rear end  112 A of the rack  112  (or further toward the rear end  112 A than the front end  112 B) and allows an operator to access the rotation system  127  and/or sub saver  128  from the operator lift  140 , especially to access or install the wireline  200  ( FIG. 2 ), regardless of the height or angle setting of the rack  112 . Thus, the operator lift  140  is a wireline lift. However the operator lift  140  can be used for inspection, service, or maintenance in some constructions or in some circumstances. The length L of the operator area  144  may be 4 feet, 5 feet, or 6 feet, with longer lengths accommodating variations in drill rod assembly length, which necessitates different starting positions of the carriage  120 . The operator lift  140  includes a collapsible scissor lift mechanism  148  that is hydraulically or otherwise driven to expand for raising the height of the operator area  144  (e.g., hydraulic cylinder  172 ,  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The operator area  144  may extend horizontally from the scissor lift mechanism  148  farther in one longitudinal direction (e.g., forward) than the other. Likewise, the operator area  144  may extend horizontally from the scissor lift mechanism  148  farther in one widthwise direction than the other. The scissor lift mechanism  148  is supported by a bracket  152  that mounts (e.g., with a plurality of bolted joints) to the frame  106  of the HDD machine  100 . In particular, the operator lift bracket  152  is coupled to a rearmost extension of the frame  106 , behind the engine compartment  136 . The bracket  152  positions the operator lift  140  above a water pump manifold  154  having a water inlet port and a water outlet port.  FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate the operator lift  140  in a partially raised position on the HDD machine  100 .  FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate the operator lift  140  in a fully raised position. 
     Via a controller  300 , various operational features of the operator lift  140  described herein may be achieved, alone or in combination. The controller  300  is programmed with various sets of instructions and operates with additional electrically connected hardware to provide a control system. Some exemplary features are described below. An inclinometer  162  can be provided on the HDD machine  100  in some constructions and, if provided, can detect the incline of the HDD machine  100 , including with it the operator lift  140 . The inclinometer  162  can report a corresponding signal to the controller  300  so that the controller  300  maintains the operator lift  140  in an operable condition exclusively within a prescribed incline range with respect to level ground. The upper limit of the prescribed incline range can be in some constructions, without limit: 3 degrees or more, 6 degrees or more, or up to 8 degrees. Tilt of the HDD machine  100  in excess of the prescribed range may result in a warning indicator being provided to a machine operator. In some constructions, the operator lift  140  automatically stops at a specified location relative to the rack  112  (i.e., specified elevation, unless operator lift has horizontal movement range as in following embodiments). The automatic stop feature can be accomplished by controller logic alone (e.g., with PLC or microprocessor controls, relays, etc.) by taking into consideration the mechanical properties of the operator lift  140  and the current angle of the rack  112 . Alternatively or additionally, one or more sensors (e.g., proximity sensor  156 ) may be used to position the lift  140  correctly, achieving a prescribed height of the operator area working platform relative to the rack  112 , by detecting a portion of the rack  112  or the carriage  120  thereon. The sensor(s) used to stop the operator lift  140  can include photoelectric, inductive, magnetic, LIDAR, or biometric, among others. As disclosed, the operator lift  140  is designated for human technician(s) and in some embodiments is not provided for lifting equipment and as such, there may be a suitable weight limit (e.g., less than 1000 lbs, or less than 700 lbs, and in some constructions, the weight limit is 500 lbs) to the function of the operator lift  140 , which may be employed utilizing a weight sensor  158  to communicate with the controller  300 . The weight sensor  158  can be a load cell or pressure transducer, either incorporated into the working surface atop the lift mechanism or into the lift mechanism itself, such as within the lift cylinder  172  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Alternatively, the weight limit may be implemented in a passive manner such as a relief valve or counterbalance valve, or simply designing an electrical or hydraulic system to only operate at a specific lifting capacity. Detection of an overweight condition can result in illumination of an indicator light(s) for display to an operator. The weight limit may only be active to limit raising of the operator lift  140 , while lowering function is unaffected. 
     The operator lift  140  can be selectively enabled with an operator interlock/operator presence device to limit operation of the lift  140  when the operator is detected to be engaged and/or detected present. For example, an enable switch is provided and must be maintained in the “on” position to put the lift  140  into an operable state for movement. For example, an up/down switch is only active when the enable switch is held in the on position (e.g., against a bias toward the “off” position). Such controls can be provided at the operator area  144  for the on-board operator and also at the fixed operator station, with the operator area controls having precedence. The operator lift  140  can include one or both of an emergency shut-down switch and a manual over-ride feature to control the lifting device (e.g., controlled descent) in the case of functionality loss, such as a power loss for example. An interlock on an access gate of the operator lift  140  may be enabled to prevent movement of the lift  140  if the gate is open. An interlock can be provided between ground drive of the HDD machine  100  and the lift controls such that if the ground drive is activated, the operator lift  140  is prevent from moving, and vice versa. Movement of the HDD machine  100  along the ground, for example by the drive system and tracks  108 , can be prohibited by the control system when the operator lift  140  is raised above its bottom or “transport” position, or a prescribed elevation level. For example, a sensor  159  (with physical detection switch or other electronic detection means) is provided to detect the operator lift  140  in the transport position and report to the controller  300  as a prerequisite for activating the drive system. 
     In an exemplary method of the present disclosure, an operator (i.e., human worker) occupies the operator area  144  of the operator lift  140 , for example via the ladder or stairs  146  when a drill rod  160  is put onto the rack  112  for attachment with the existing drill string. The operator handles a new length of wireline  200 , either feeding the new length of wireline  200  down through the drill rod  160  from its upper end or receiving it as it is fed up from the bottom (e.g., via fish tape). The upper end of the newly added wireline  200  is coupled via an electrical connector  164  (e.g., a terminal post, an alligator clip, etc. along with a rotary electrical joint in the form of a swivel or slip ring) to a length of wire on the rack  112  that extends to the controller  300 , along with display(s) and control(s) that communicate with the controller  300 . In some constructions, the wireline  200  may be threaded through a port in the sub saver  128 . Prior to connection of the drill rod  160  at the break out mechanism  132 , the operator or another operator splices the lower end of the wireline  200  to the existing wireline that extends through the drill string to the drill head. The splicing can include stripping insulation, crimping of conductive wire or cable, and applying a heat shrink wrap over the splice joint. The operator may lower the operator lift  140  from a raised position adjacent the carriage rotation system  127  and the sub saver  128  to a lowered position and subsequently disembark from the operator area  144  and the operator lift  140  to work on the ground near the break out mechanism  132  to perform the wireline splice operation. A similar method, carried out in reverse, is used during pullback of the drill string for extracting and removing segments of the wireline  200  so that the wireline  200  may remain functional during pullback. Alternately, the entire wireline  200  may be removed prior to pullback. 
     A conventional lockout switch near the carriage  120  can be switched by the wireline technician to disable rotation of the rotational motor (no rotation of any attached components—chuck, sub saver, drill rod, drill string) and disable movement of the carriage  120  up and down the rack  112  (no thrust or pullback). In alternate constructions, an automatic lockout of any or all of these functions may be triggered in response to detection of the wireline technician in or near the operator area  144 , or the operator lift  140  being in a raised position. In some constructions, the control system may provide the drill operator (separate from the wireline technician) with only limited function of the carriage  120  based on the condition of an operator in the operator area  144  and/or the operator lift  140  being raised to a position near the carriage  120 . Limited function may include: limited rotation (low torque, low speed—to ‘jog’ the rotation to facilitate access to wireline components, such as the port on the sub saver  128 ), and/or limited movement of the carriage  120  up and down the rack (low torque, low speed—to ‘jog’ the carriage  120  up and down the rack to facilitate access to wireline components). These limited carriage functions may be available via operator controls from the operator area  144  on the operator lift  140  so that they can be controlled by the wireline technician in the operator area  144  to facilitate wireline operations. Such operator controls in the operator area  144  can be restricted controls having limited capability (e.g., limited movement range and/or limited speed) compared to the HDD machine main drilling controls. 
     The HDD system including the HDD machine  100  is operable with a control system to execute a plurality of software instructions that, when executed by the controller  300 , cause the system to implement the methods and otherwise operate and have functionality as described herein. In some examples, the controller  300  is in communication with the diesel engine, the rotation system  127 , the rack  112 , the break out mechanism  132 , electronics in the drill head, the operator&#39;s controls/display(s), and/or other components of the system. The controller  300  may comprise a device commonly referred to as a microprocessor, central processing unit (CPU), digital signal processor (DSP), or other similar device, and may be embodied as a standalone unit or as a device shared with components of the system  100 , such as the HDD machine  100 . The controller  300  may include memory (e.g., RAM and/or ROM) for storing software instructions, or the system may further comprise a separate memory device for storing the software instructions that is electrically connected to the controller  300  for the bi-directional communication of the instructions, data, and signals therebetween. In some examples, the controller  300  waits to receive signals from the operator&#39;s controls before communicating with and operating the components of the HDD machine  100 . In other examples, the controller  300  can operate autonomously, without receiving signals from the operator&#39;s controls, to communicate with and control the operation of the components of the HDD system including the HDD machine  100 . 
       FIGS. 9-12  illustrate HDD machines  100   2 ,  100   3 ,  100   4  according to three additional embodiments of the present disclosure, each of which can incorporate the controller  300 , the control system, and any or all of the above described features and functions, except where expressly prohibited. As such, the description below focuses on those features of the HDD machines  100   2 ,  100   3 ,  100   4  not covered in the preceding description. Each of the HDD machines  100   2 ,  100   3 ,  100   4  can provide a portion of a HDD system operable to manipulate drill rods of a drill string for horizontal directional drilling. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the operator lift  140   2  is a boom lift including a boom arm  170  supporting the operator area  144 , e.g., at a distal end thereof. The boom arm  170  can be an articulating arm and/or a telescoping-retracting arm. As shown, the boom arm  170  has both an articulating arm portion  170 A and a telescoping-retracting arm portion  170 B. The boom arm  170  is thusly operable to articulate to assume different shapes and/or extend-retract in length through one or more actuators, which may include one or more hydraulic cylinders  172 . A base  174  of the boom arm  170  is pivotably or fixedly coupled to the base  104 , and particularly the main frame  106  of the HDD machine  100   2 . The boom arm  170  extends from its base  174  in a direction away from the ground anchor  116  and toward the rear end  112 A of the rack  112 . In some construction the boom arm  170  is one of multiple arms supporting the operator area  144  of the operator lift  140   2 . The boom arm  170  is operated to move relative to the rack  112  to provide operator access to at least the front end of the carriage  120  and the upper end of an on-rack drill rod to carry out wireline installation and/or removal operations as described above. As with the operator lift  140  including the collapsible scissor lift mechanism  148 , the operator lift  140   2  having the boom arm  170  may lift the operator area  144  with operator automatically to the prescribed working height adjacent the carriage  120 , or by manual controls, e.g., within the operator area  144 . The operator lift  140   2  can be manipulated to place the operator area  144  on or adjacent ground level (e.g., so that an operator support floor is within 18 inches or 12 inches of ground level) to provide ingress and egress for the operator directly from and to the ground adjacent the HDD machine  100   2 . However, the operator lift  140   2  can alternately or additionally be manipulated to place the operator area  144  adjacent a platform either on the HDD machine  100   2  or adjacent to it for providing ingress and egress to and from the operator area  144 . The operator lift  140   2  has a working range that provides the requisite operator access for wireline operations, regardless of the height or angle setting of the rack  112 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a HDD machine  100   3  that, in addition to the operator boom lift  140   2  supporting the operator area  144 , includes a separate, rack-mounted operator area  182 . The operator area  182  can include a man bucket, cage, or platform. In some constructions, the operator area  182  is positioned in longitudinal alignment with the sub saver  128  and/or at least the front portion of the rotation system  127 . As illustrated, the operator area  182  may directly overlap the sub saver  128  and/or at least the front portion of the rotation system  127  in side view. The operator lift  140   2  is operated to provide access to the rack-mounted operator area  182 , and the operator occupies the rack-mounted operator area  182  to perform wireline operations. One or both of the operator areas  144 ,  182  can have latching gates providing for operator movement therebetween. In some constructions, the rack-mounted operator area  182  is open on one side and the operator lift  140   2  is brought to the open side (e.g., directly adjacent or abutting therewith), and the control system locks out further movement of the operator lift  140   2  while the operator occupies the rack-mounted operator area  182 . This can be accomplished through weight sensor(s), presence sensor(s), or other suitable means. The operator area  182  can be mounted to the rack  112  directly or indirectly through the carriage  120 . The mount can include a pivot  184  for setting a horizontal orientation of the operator area  182  through a range of different operational rack angles. The control system may set the orientation of the operator area  182  automatically in response to setting the rack angle for drilling. Tilt limiters may be provided to physically obstruct tilting beyond a prescribed angle relative to horizontal. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a HDD machine  100   4  according to yet another construction, which provides an alternate mounting location for the operator lift  140   2  on the HDD machine  100   4 . Rather than having the boom arm base  174  supported on the main frame  106 , the base  174  is supported on the ground anchor  116  to which the front end  112 B of the rack  112  is coupled. The operator lift  140   2  can have the same construction as one or both of the operator lifts of  FIGS. 9-11 , or a modified form thereof, for example having an extended reach. As illustrated, the operator area  144  can be mounted so that the distal end of the boom arm  170  is coupled to an upper portion or edge of the operator area  144  rather than a lower portion or edge of the operator area  144  as is shown in  FIGS. 9-11 . Benefits of mounting the operator lift  140   2  on the ground anchor  116  include: simple reconfiguration between being mounted on the left or right side of the HDD machine  100   4 , the lift does not add to the transport weight, height, or width of the HDD machine  100   4 , would not add to the transport height or width, the telescoping function of the boom arm  170  allows greater range of motion for positioning the operator, and the operator lift  140   2  can move up, down, left, right, or longitudinally up and down the rack  112 . 
     In further constructions, features of the above-described embodiments may be combined, including the provision of more than one operator lift on the HDD machine. In some constructions, the HDD machine supports both an operator lift and a separate lift for handling drill rods (loading onto/unloading from the rack  112 ). One or both of these may be supported on the ground anchor  116 . In other constructions, one or both of such lifts are supported on the main frame  106 . It is also conceived that a single lift (e.g., boom lift) may be convertible from a drill rod handler end effector to an operator area and vice versa, or that a single lift may simultaneously provide both a drill rod handler end effector and an operator area. The control system may operate to alter the available functions (e.g., software programming to alter or limit available speed and/or range, lockout of designated equipment or functions) of the lift based on the configuration as a drill rod handler versus an operator lift. One such scenario is that operation of the lift by remote control, which is used for drill rod handling, can be disabled when configured or used as an operator lift. The various operator lifts disclosed herein may be positioned on either the right hand side or the left side of the rack  112 . In some constructions, the operator lift is removably attached (e.g., with bolted joints or other removable fasteners, rather than being permanently affixed by welding or other means). Furthermore, the operator lift may be supported on the HDD machine with a folding mechanism to put the lift into a non-operational stowed position (e.g., under the rack  112 ) for transport of the HDD machine. 
     Changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.