Patent ID: 7993078

Claim:
A method of installing an underground pipe, comprising the steps of: placing a leading end of a pipe section at an entry point for the underground pipe, the pipe section having an arcuate soil shoe attached to an inside surface thereof the at leading end of the pipe section, which soil shoe and pipe section form a passageway between the inside surface of the pipe section and an outside surface of the soil shoe with one or more liquid outlets, and a conduit is positioned to feed a lubricating liquid into the passageway to come into contact with the inside surface of the pipe section and the outside surface of the soil shoe, which liquid passes through the one or more liquid outlets to enter the inside of the pipe section; positioning a driver at a trailing end of the pipe section; driving the pipe section into the earth; and supplying a lubricating liquid through the conduit, which liquid passes into the passageway and out the one or more liquid outlets into the inside of the pipe section.