Patent Publication Number: US-9422772-B2

Title: Drill head clean out apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present application generally relates to drilling devices for drilling holes in the ground. More particularly, the present application relates to a device that may be used to clean out debris, dirt, or clay that collects inside of a drill head during the drilling process. The present application is particularly useful as a clean out device for removing clay, dirt, or debris that collects inside a drill head that may be used for drilling holes in a landfill. 
     Landfills are used to store the vast majority of municipal solid waste generated in the United States. In fact, there are thousands of such landfills throughout the country. Landfill gas is produced by the chemical reactions and microbes during the decomposition of the waste material. The landfill gas typically contains methane gas, which is a combustible gas. As the landfill gas increases, the pressure and quantity of landfill gas may create a dangerous condition. As a result, holes are drilled into the landfill that are used to monitor the landfill gas or vent the landfill gas where it can be flared or “burned off.” In addition, in recent years efforts have been made to harness the gas produced in the landfill and use the gas as an energy source. Therefore, there are a number of reasons why holes are required to be drilled in a landfill. 
     The holes are typically drilled using a mobile drill rig, such as a drill rig based on a tractor or truck. A drill head or drill bucket is used to drill and remove the landfill materials as the hole is being formed. The holes may be of various sizes. For example, holes are typically in the range of 24-48 inches in diameter, with a 36 inch diameter hole being fairly common. However, in some applications holes 6 feet or more in diameter may be required. The drill head or drill bucket is typically formed as a hollow cylinder having a plurality of cutting teeth located on a periphery of the bottom of the drill head. The drill head is rotated and the cutting teeth drill into the landfill until the generally open interior of the drill head becomes filled with the debris from the landfill. The drill head is removed from the hole and the debris within the interior of the drill head is emptied from the drill head. The process is repeated until the hole reaches a desired depth. 
     Drilling holes in a landfill presents a number of problems. Many different types of materials are encountered in the solid waste of a landfill. For example, plastic bags, household waste, tree branches, and rebar may be encountered. This debris may become caught within the interior of the drill head and must be removed before the drilling operation can continue. Furthermore, landfills often contain clay, which may be used as a cover barrier or to absorb leachate in the landfill. Clay poses the additional problem of “sticking” to the interior of the drill head. Thus, removal of the landfill debris and/or clay from the drill head is an important aspect of the drilling operation. 
     In the past, a variety of different approaches to removing the landfill debris and/or clay from the drill head have been used. For example, drill rig operators have tried to “shake” the debris and/or clay loose by raising and then lowering the drill head with an abrupt stop, or by rotating the drill head back and forth with abrupt reversals. Another approach has been to swing the drill head back and forth to try to loosen the debris and/or clay from the drill head. These approaches may not work, or may only partially work, leaving some debris and/or clay stuck within the drill head. However, even if these approaches do work, they result in undesirable wear and fatigue on the components of the drill rig. For example, the slewing ring between the operator cab and the base of the drill rig may undergo undesirable wear and tear that shortens its lifespan, or the Kelly bar typically attached to the drill head may undergo fatigue and stress that limits its useful lifespan. The cost of replacing or repairing the Kelly bar can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. 
     Recognizing that various manipulations of the drill rig in an attempt to loosen and remove the debris and/or clay within the drill head may not be effective and result in undesirable wear on the drill rig components, other methods of removal have been attempted. For example, a vertical bar welded to a large steel trench plate has been constructed. To clean out the drill head, the drill head is lowered onto the vertical bar so that the vertical bar is positioned within the interior of the drill head, and then the drill head is rotated in an attempt to remove the debris and/or clay from the drill head. The vertical bar contacts the debris and/or clay as the drill head is rotated and may knock loose some of the debris or clay within the drill head. However, the vertical bar can often get “hung up” on the debris and/or clay. When this happens the force of the rotating drill head (created by the over 50,000 foot/pounds of torque that may be provided by the drill rig) is transferred to the vertical bar, and in turn to the large trench plate causing the vertical bar and large trench plate to rotate together with the drill head. 
     Another approach has been to pound or screw a vertical bar into the landfill. However, when using this technique when the vertical bar gets “hung up” on the debris and/or clay, the force of rotating the drill head may cause the vertical bar to become loose from the ground and wobble as the vertical bar rotates together with the drill head. 
     Cleaning out the drill head is an important part of the process of drilling holes in a landfill. When a drill rig operator is unable to remove the debris and/or clay from the drill head, no drilling can occur, resulting in costly downtime. Therefore, there is a need to provide a method and/or device that may be used to clean out the drill head that does not require excessive manipulation of the drill rig and that does not include an apparatus that rotates together with the drill head when the clean out tool gets “hung up” in the interior of the drill head. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a drill head clean out apparatus is provided having a clean out tool, a first bar having a first end and a second end, wherein the clean out tool is adapted to be positioned on the first end of the first bar, a coupling member having a first aperture adapted to receive the first bar when the first bar is in a vertical orientation, a second bar having a first end and a second end, wherein the coupling member has a second aperture adapted to receive a first end of the second bar when the second bar is in a horizontal orientation, and wherein the second end of the second bar is adapted to be positioned within an aperture in a base of a drill rig. 
     In a further aspect, a drill head clean out apparatus is provided having a drill rig having a base, with an aperture in the base, a first bar having a first end and a second end, a clean out tool positioned on the first end of the first bar, a coupling member retaining the first bar, wherein the first bar extends upwardly from the coupling member, a second bar having a first end and a second end, wherein the coupling member retains the first end of the second bar; and wherein the second end of the second bar is positioned within the aperture in the base of the drill rig. 
     In a further aspect, a method of cleaning out a drill head is provided having the steps of providing a drill rig having a base, with an aperture in the base, a first bar having a first end and a second end, a clean out tool positioned on the first end of the first bar, a coupling member retaining the first bar, wherein the first bar extends upwardly from the coupling member, a second bar having a first end and a second end, wherein the coupling member retains the first end of the second bar, wherein the second end of the second bar is positioned within the aperture in the base of the drill rig; positioning a drill head such that the clean out tool is positioned within an interior of the drill head; rotating the drill head to clean out debris or clay within the interior of the drill head; and preventing rotation of the drill clean out apparatus while the drill head is rotating by the positioning the second end of the second bar within the aperture in the base of the drill rig. 
     In addition, the embodiments also disclose means for preventing rotation of the drill head clean out apparatus when the clean out tool is positioned within the interior of the drill head and the drill head is being rotated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of drill head clean out apparatus  10  coupled to drill rig  100 , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of drill head  130  positioned above drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective close up view of drill head  130  lowered onto drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of drill head  130  positioned over drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in base  150  of drill rig  100 , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a another perspective view of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in base  150  of drill rig  100  shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7A  is another perspective view of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in base  150  of drill rig  100  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; 
         FIG. 7B  is a perspective bottom view of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in base  150  of drill rig  100  as shown in  FIG. 7A , after the bar  14  has been moved into the undercarriage of drill rig  100  so that clean out tool  30  is positioned close to the base  150 ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of drill head clean out apparatus  10  with end  36  of clean out tool  30  having a certain geometry, according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 8B  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than end in  FIG. 8A , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 8C  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 8D  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A-8C , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 8E  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A-8D , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 8F  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A-8E , according to an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of bar  14  extending into an undercarriage of drill rig  100  shown in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective close up view of bar  14  extending into an undercarriage of drill rig  100  shown in  FIG. 7A ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a method  1100  of cleaning out a drill head, according to an example embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present embodiments are directed to a drill head clean out apparatus that operates in conjunction with a drill rig. As noted above, mobile drill rigs are often used to drill holes in a landfill. The weight of the drill rig may be well over 50,000 pounds, and commonly used drill rigs may be 90,000 pounds or more. The disclosed drill head clean out apparatus embodiments advantageously use the weight of the drill rig to prevent the drill head clean out apparatus from rotating together with the drill head when the clean out tool gets “hung up” within the interior of the drill head. 
     As used herein the term “drill rig” is to be construed broadly to include mobile drill rigs, such as a drill rig where the drilling apparatus is supported on a truck or tractor, or a trailer, as well as stationary drill rigs that are capable of being moved from one location to another. The drill rigs are provided with a base, which may be the vehicle frame on a truck or trailer, or the frame about which the track rotates in the case of a tractor. The base of the drill rig supports (indirectly) the drill head that is used for drilling a hole. The base of the drill rig is provided with an aperture that in a preferred embodiment extends into an undercarriage of the drill rig. 
     The drill head clean out apparatus includes a first bar that extends in a vertical orientation and has a clean out tool positioned on an upper end of the first bar. The first bar extends into a coupling member which is used to retain the first bar, and preferably includes an aperture that encloses a portion of the first bar. The first end of a second bar is secured to the coupling member and extends in a horizontal orientation where the second end of the second bar is positioned within the aperture in the base of the drill rig. As used herein the term “vertical orientation” does not require the first bar to be absolutely vertical, only that it extends in a direction that is more vertical than horizontal. Similarly, the term “horizontal orientation” does not require the second bar to be absolutely horizontal, only that it extends in a direction that is more horizontal than vertical. 
     In order to clean out the drill head, the drill head is positioned over the clean out tool and then lowered so that the clean out tool is positioned within an interior of the drill head. The drill head is then rotated. As the drill head rotates the clean out tool removes debris and/or clay from within the interior of the drill head. The clean out tool is prevented from rotating together with the drill head because the second end of the second bar is positioned within the aperture in the base of the drill rig. In order for clean out tool to rotate together with the drill head (as happens in prior designs when the clean out tool gets “hung up” within the drill head), the base of the drill rig would have to be rotated as well, given that the clean out tool is indirectly attached to the base of the drill rig. It will be appreciated that given the various connections between the components of the drill head clean out apparatus, the term “preventing rotation” or “to prevent rotation” does not require that there is no rotation of any portion of the drill clean out apparatus, rather it means that the drill head clean out apparatus is prevented from rotating more than 90 degrees. 
     Example embodiments are shown in  FIGS. 1-11 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of drill head clean out apparatus  10  coupled to drill rig  100 . In this embodiment, drill rig  100  is a tractor style drill rig having a base  150  and tracks  140  and  142 . An operator cab  110  is part of base  150  and positioned above tracks  140  and  142  and rotates relative to a lower part of the base  150 . Drill component  120  is supported above base  150 . As used herein the term drill rig “base” shall be broadly construed and includes the components of the drill rig that are positioned beneath the drilling components, such as the vehicle frame, chassis, tracks, operator cab, etc. 
     Drill head clean out apparatus  10  is shown positioned adjacent base  150  with bar  14  extending horizontally from base  150  and secured to coupling member  18 . Clean out tool  30  is positioned on top of bar  20  that extends upwardly from coupling member  18 . A base  22  is provided on the bottom of bar  20  that may be positioned on ground  40 , although a base is not required. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of drill head  130  positioned above drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . Drill head  130  is shown connected to drill component  120  via bar  172 . Bar  172  may be what is referred to as a Kelly bar, which may be a solid square steel bar commonly used in the drilling process. Drill head clean out apparatus  10  is shown with bar  14  extending horizontally from base  150  positioned within track  140  and into coupling member  18 . Bar  20  extends vertically from base  22  and clean out tool  30  is positioned on top of bar  20 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective close up view of drill head  130  lowered onto drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Drill head  130  includes teeth  134  that are used to cut into the landfill during the drilling operation. Drill head  130  also includes doors, including door  132 , that may be moved inwardly to hold debris within the interior drill head  130  as drill head  130  is removed from the hole. The drill head  130  is moved to a desired location to dump the debris removed from the hole, and then the doors are moved outwardly to allow the debris to fall from drill head  130 . In  FIG. 3 , the door  132  is in its open position and drill head  130  has been lowered onto the drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Bar  14  is shown extending horizontally from coupling member  14 , plate  22  is positioned on the ground  40  and bar  20  is extending vertically into the interior of drill head  130 . 
       FIG. 4  is another perspective view of drill head  130  positioned over drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Teeth  34  are shown around the lower periphery of drill head  130 . Drill head  130  has been lowered onto top end  36  of clean out tool  30  that is used to clean out debris and/or clay  170  positioned within the interior of drill head  130 . Pin  31  is shown that is used to removably secure clean out tool  30  to vertically extending bar  20 . Bar  20  is retained within coupling member  18 . A pin  21  extends through bar  20  and rests atop coupling member  18  and may be used to position clean out tool  30  a desired distance above the ground. In addition, pin  19  is shown extending through coupling member  18  and bar  14  to removably secure bar  14  to coupling member  18 . Furthermore, pin  33  is used to removably secure plate  22  to the bottom of bar  20 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in base  150  of drill rig  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . Operator cab  110  is part of base  150  and positioned above tracks  140  and  142 . Drill head clean out apparatus  10  is shown positioned adjacent base  150  with bar  14  extending horizontally from base  150  and secured to coupling member  18 . Clean out tool  30  is positioned on top of bar  20  that extends upwardly from coupling member  18 . A base  22  is provided on the bottom of bar  20  that may be positioned on ground  40 . However, in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the base is pulled up into contact with coupling member  18  and is not in contact with the ground  40 . The drill head clean out apparatus  10  may be used to clean out the interior of a drill head when the plate  22  is positioned above the ground  40 . Furthermore, when it is time to move to a new location to drill a new hole, the bar  20  may be advantageously moved into the position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  so that the base  22  does not drag along the ground during movement of drill rig  100  to a new location. 
     A hollow member  155  is shown extending from base  150  of drill rig  100 . The second end of bar  14  is designed to extend into the aperture within hollow member  155 . A rolling member  156  may be positioned at the lower entrance to the aperture of hollow member  155  to facilitate movement of bar  14  into and out of the hollow member  155 . Another rolling member may be positioned above the entrance on the opposite side of hollow member  155  that also facilitates the movement of bar  14  into and out of hollow member  155 . The hollow member  155  may be comprised of a square tube adapted to receive bar  14 . The hollow tube  155  may extend all the way through base  150  and hollow member  155  into the undercarriage of drill rig  100 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, bar  14  is comprised of Kelly bar that has a square cross section. The Kelly bar may be a solid steel bar comprised of 4140 heat treated and tempered steel. In a preferred embodiment, the bar  14  may have a 3½×3½ inch cross section. Bar  20  also may have the same construction as bar  14  and be made from Kelly bar having a 3½×3½ inch cross section. This size Kelly bar has proven to provide sufficient strength to be suitable for use as bars  14  and  20  in drill head clean out apparatus  10 . However, different size bar stock may be used for bars  14  and  20  having different size and shape cross sections as desired. For example, bars having rectangular, hexagonal or even round cross section could be used for bars  14  and  20 , although a square cross section is preferred. In additions, bars  14  and  20  could also be hollow. In addition, bars  14  and  20  are not required to be a continuous member, and may be formed of a number of different components. For example, bars  14  and  20  could take the form of a truss having various members welded or connected together to form bars  14  and  20 . Hollow member  155  may be made of five inch square tube having ¾ inch thick walls that is available from Timken. 
       FIG. 7A  is another perspective view of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in hollow extension  155  in base  150  of drill rig  100  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Operator cab  110  is part of base  150  and positioned above tracks  140  and  142 . Drill head clean out apparatus  10  is shown positioned adjacent base  150  with bar  14  extending horizontally from base  150  and secured to coupling member  18 . Clean out tool  30  is positioned on top of bar  20  that extends upwardly from coupling member  18 . 
       FIG. 7B  is a perspective bottom view of bar  14  of drill head clean out apparatus  10  positioned in an aperture in base  150  of drill rig  100  as shown in  FIG. 7A , after the bar  14  has been moved into the undercarriage of drill rig  100  so that clean out tool  30  is positioned close to the base  150 . By moving the second end of bar  14  into the undercarriage of drill rig  10 , the drill head clean out tool  10  may be more easily transported to a new location. Of course, base  22  is preferably positioned above ground  40  during transport. 
     It will be appreciated that the aperture in base  150  into which bar  14  extends is not required to extend all the way through the base  150 . However, in a preferred embodiment the aperture extends all the way through base  150  so that the second end of bar  14  may be moved into the undercarriage of drill rig  100  as shown in  FIG. 7B . A flange or another hollow extension may also be positioned on the inside of the base positioned with track  142  when bar  14  is positioned in the undercarriage of drill rig  100  that may be used to support or retain the second end of bar  14  within the undercarriage. 
       FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of drill head clean out apparatus  10 . Coupling member  18  has an aperture  18   b  that retains bar  20  and through which bar  20  extends. As noted above, bar  20  preferably has a square cross section. Aperture  18   b  of coupling member  18  is preferably made of a hollow square tube have an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of bar  20 , which in a preferred embodiment is 3½ inches. The square inner shape of aperture  18   b  closely matches the outer shape of bar  20  and thereby prevents bar  20  from rotating within aperture  18   b  when clean out tool  30  and end  36  are positioned within the interior of a drill head and the drill head is rotated. 
     It will be appreciated that bar  20  extends all the way through aperture  18   b  in  FIG. 8A , and thus aperture  18   b  extends all the way through coupling member  18 . However, aperture  18   b  is not required to extend all the way through. For example, the end of bar  20  could be retained within aperture  18   b  and positioned above a base located in aperture  18   b . Thus the term “aperture” as used herein does not require a hole that extends all the way through, and an aperture may or may not extend all the way through a given member. 
     Moreover, although apertures  18   a  and  18   b  are shown being enclosed by material of coupling member  18  on all sides, that is not required. For example, an aperture may be only partially enclosed. In this regard, the aperture in base  150  into which second bar  14  extends could be formed as an extension attached to the base  150 . For example a plate with having walls could be attached to the plate (perhaps by welding) and the second bar  14  could extend between the walls on the extension, in which case the walls on the extension would be considered an “aperture.” The walls could be hinged to the plate or base  150  so that the second bar  14  could be rotated from a first, operational position perpendicular to the base  150  to a second, stowed position where the second bar  14  is parallel to the base  150 . In this manner, the drill head clean out apparatus  10  could be moved to the second, stowed position during movement of drill rig from one hole site to the next. 
     Similarly, it will be appreciated that bar  14  does not extend all the way through aperture  18   b  as shown in  FIG. 8A . However, it is possible that aperture  18   b  extends all the way through coupling member  18 . For example, bar  14  could extend all the way through aperture  18   b  and extend beneath the second end of bar  20 . 
     Accordingly, the term “aperture” as used herein does not require a hole that extends all the way through the coupling member  18  or the base  150 , and an aperture may or may not extend all the way through a given member. Furthermore, given that bar  14  and bar  20  may be positioned within or extend through apertures  18   a  and  18   b  respectively, an end of a bar may be “received” within an aperture if it is positioned within the aperture or has been extended through the aperture. 
     In  FIG. 8A , a pin  19  extends through hole  19   a  on coupling member  18  into an aperture on the first end of bar  14  to removably secure bar  14  to coupling member  18 . Pin  19  may, but is not required to, extend all the way through bar  14 . Similarly, pin  31  extends through hole  31   a  and into the first end of bar  20  to removably secure clean out tool  30  to bar  20 . However, other means of removably securing those components together could be used. For example, clean out tool  30  could be threaded onto bar  20 , or clamped to bar  20 , and similarly bar  14  could be threadingly secured to coupling member  18 , or clamped to coupling member  18 . Any suitable method of securing two parts to one another could be used. 
     In addition, it is also possible that bar  14  is permanently secured to coupling member  18 . For example bar  14  could be welded to coupling member  18 . As used herein, the term “secured to” includes components that are removably or permanently secured to each other. Similarly, first bar  20  is shown removably retained within aperture  18   b  of coupling member  18  in  FIG. 8A . It is also possible that bar  20  is permanently retained within aperture  18   b  of coupling member  18 , perhaps by welding. As used herein, the term “retained” includes both temporary and permanent retention. Moreover, as used herein, two components may be “secured” to each other either directly or indirectly. Similarly, one part may “retain” another part either directly or indirectly. Furthermore, it is possible that bar  14  could be permanently secured directly to bar  20 . In such a case, the “coupling member” is any component(s) used to secure bar  14  to bar  20 . In the case of bar  14  being welded directly (or indirectly) to bar  20 , the “coupling member” would comprise the welding material. 
     In  FIG. 8A , clean out tool  30  is shown removably secured to bar  20  with pin  31 . However, it is also possible that clean out tool  30  is integrally formed with bar  20 . Thus, clean out tool  30  could be a machined or formed first end of bar  20 , or even simply be the first end of bar  20 . 
     In  FIG. 8A , end  36  of clean out tool  30  is shown having a having a certain geometry shown in the above Figures. However, the end of the clean out tool may have any number of different geometries. For example, certain geometries may be more well-suited for a particular type of material encountered during drilling a hole in the landfill. 
       FIG. 8B  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than end in  FIG. 8A . Triangular end plate  37  comes to a point  39  and includes support  38 .  FIG. 8C  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . End  47  includes a spiral member  48  that could be used for cleaning a drill head with a spiral shape.  FIG. 8D  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A-8C . Paddle-shaped member  57  has an end  59  with cropped corners and includes support  58 . 
       FIG. 8E  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A-8D . Extending member  67  includes an angled end  69  that may be useful for cleaning debris from a spiral drill head.  FIG. 8F  is a perspective view of clean out tool  30  having an end with a different geometry than in  FIGS. 8A-8E . Extending member  77  includes a hooked end  79  that may be useful for pulling debris from the interior of a drill head. For example, drill head  130  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) could be lowered onto drill head clean out apparatus  10  having a clean out tool  30  with hooked end  79 . The drill head  130  could then be raised and the barb on hooked end  79  could serve to pull debris from the interior of drill head  130 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are perspective views of bar  14  extending into an undercarriage of drill rig  100  shown in  FIG. 7A . In particular, end  14   a  of bar  14  is shown extending through an aperture in end  155   a  of hollow tube  155  (shown in  FIG. 7A ) that extends through inner surface  150   a  of base  150  (shown in  FIG. 7A ) above track  140 . A pin  15  is positioned in an aperture in bar  14  that serves as a stop to prevent the end  14   a  of bar  14  from exiting base  150  during a clean out operation. A pin could also be placed through hollow tube  155  on the outer side of base  150  and into bar  14  to provide a stop. Other means for preventing the bar  14  from sliding out of the aperture in hollow tube  155  could also be used. For example, a cap could be screwed onto the end  14   a  of bar  14  to serve as a stop. 
     A method of cleaning out a drill head using the drill head clean out apparatus  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-10  may be used where the drill head clean out apparatus  10  is prevented from rotating together with the drill head  130  as the drill head  130  rotates. The drill head  130  may be rotated back and forth during the clean out operation. This method helps to eliminate the downtime caused when debris and/or clay becomes stuck within an interior of a drill head. 
     The method  1100  shown in  FIG. 11  may include the step  1102  of providing a drill a drill rig having a base, with an aperture extending into the base, a first bar having a first end and a second end, a clean out tool positioned on the first end of the first bar, a coupling member having a first aperture adapted to receive the first bar, wherein the first bar is positioned within the first aperture of the coupling member and extends upwardly from the coupling member, a second bar having a first end and a second end, wherein the coupling member has a second aperture adapted to receive a first end of the second bar, and wherein the first end of the second bar extends into the second aperture of the coupling member. 
     Method  1100  may further include the step  1104  of positioning the drill head such that the clean out tool is positioned within the interior of the drill head, as well as the step  1106  of rotating the drill head to clean out debris or clay within the interior of the drill head, and the step  1108  of preventing rotation of the drill clean out apparatus while the drill head is rotating by positioning the second bar within the aperture in the base of the drill rig. 
     The method  1100  may further include the step of placing a pin into a hole in the second bar to prevent the second end of the second bar from exiting the undercarriage of the drill rig. 
     It will be appreciated that the above disclosed embodiments are useful for drilling holes in a landfill. However, the use of drill head clean out apparatus  10  is not limited to drilling holes in a landfill, and may be used anywhere where a hole is drilled and there is a need to clean out the drill head. 
     Example embodiments have been described above. Those skilled in the art will understand that changes and modifications may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the present invention, which is defined by the claims.