Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to earth drilling and boring machines, systems and methods and more particularly to earth drilling systems that allow directional control of the drilling axis prior to and after earth entry for boring purposes. The new drilling system and method uses a flexible and rotateable drilling pipe or tube powered by a machine and having a drill bit.  
           [0002]    Earth drilling and boring machines have been known for many years. Such machines and systems have been used to drill into the earth to gain access to oil, water and other resources as well as to create holes and bores to route man made elements such as gas lines, electrical or communication conduits and the like.  
           [0003]    Earth drilling in a generally horizontal direction is also known. Such drilling is generally accomplished by use of a drilling machine that powers a rotating drill string or a pneumatic compression mole that is introduced at a slant angle to the earth to then be guided in an arcuate path to for example create a borehole under a roadway or a building. This method requires sufficient space on either side of a structure to allow drilling at a slant angle.  
           [0004]    An alternative used in situations where sufficient space does not exist is to trench adjacent the structure, e.g., roadway, and locate a drilling machine in the trench. Short lengths of pipe may be joined in sequence as the boring operation proceeds through the earth. This operation may be time consuming and inefficient as compared to the slant angle drilling methods.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention is directed to systems and methods for drilling boreholes in the earth having a drilling rig with a power source attached to a rotateable pipe or tube container. A drill pipe or tube may be attached to and retainable in the rotateable pipe container that also may have an aperture therein through which an end of the drill pipe or tube may be extended and retrieved. A drill bit may be attached to an end of the drill pipe or tube. A drive mechanism may be positioned adjacent to the aperture for receipt and movement of the drill pipe or tube therethrough.  
           [0006]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic side elevation representation of a drilling rig in use for drilling a horizontal borehole;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 illustrates a partial sectional view of a drill pipe;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 illustrates an end cross-sectional view of a drill pipe;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 illustrates a partial sectional view of a drill pipe with sectional coupling;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic side view of a drill pipe drive mechanism;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic partial view of a drill pipe drive mechanism and drill pipe;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 illustrates an end cross-sectional view of a drill pipe drive mechanism and drill pipe;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic side view of a drill pipe drive mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic side elevation representation of a prior art drilling machine;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic side elevation representation of a drilling machine according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 illustrates a partial schematic perspective side elevation view of the drilling machine taken at line A-A of FIG. 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    The following detailed description is the best currently contemplated modes for carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1, a drilling rig  10  may include a transport vehicle  12  with drilling fluid equipment  14 , power source  16  and drilling machine  20  installed thereon. The drilling machine  20  may have rotation support  22  supporting pipe container  24  that may be rotated about axis  26  by power source  16 . A drill pipe  60  may be contained in and extend from the pipe container  24  through aperture  28 . While pipe may be used as a general descriptor, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this may include flexible drill pipe, tubing and the like.  
         [0020]    A drill pipe drive mechanism  40  may be positioned rearward of aperture  28 . Drill pipe  60  may be moved through the drive mechanism  40  in a forward or rearward direction. As the drill pipe  60  is moved through the drive mechanism  40  in a rearward direction the drill pipe  60  may be routed through a conduit  80  to guide it to drill in for example a horizontal direction in the earth  100 . As drilling progresses drill pipe  80  may be supplied from pipe container  24 .  
         [0021]    The conduit  80  may be attached rearward of the drive mechanism  40  and positioned to have a drilling end  82  located in a trench  122 , hole or other prepared entry opening for horizontal drilling in the earth  120 . The conduit  80  may also have a rotation connector  84  that may be attached to the vehicle  12  to aid in initial guiding of the drill pipe  60  and drill bit  110 . While a generally horizontal rotation connector  84  is illustrated, other connection joints may be used as for example a three dimensional universal rotation connector (not shown). Also, the drilling end  82  of the conduit  80  may have other directional orientations than the illustrated generally horizontal drilling direction.  
         [0022]    The drill bit  110  may be a directional drill bit with a slanted or spade front surface element to aid in changing direction when drilling in the earth. When the drill pipe  60  is not rotating the drill bit  110  may be urged forward using drilling fluid and drive mechanism  40 . The slanted front surface of the drill bit  110  may cause the drill bit  110  to move away from the previous boring axis. When the drill pipe  60  is rotating the drill bit  110  may tend to bore in a straight line axis. Also, a mud motor apparatus may be used for applying rotational torque to a drill bit by hydraulic action. The pumping of drilling fluid through the tubing  92  causes rotation of the drill bit without rotating the drill string or tubing  92 . The tubing  92  may be rotated for directional steering, see FIG. 10. A mud motor has a slight bend in it that may cause turning as the drill bit progresses through the earth.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, a drill pipe  60  may have an inner conduit  62  for flow of fluid, such as, drilling mud, under pressure to aid in drill bit  80  cutting as such cutting is understood in the art. A wire coil  64  may be located coaxially around the inner conduit  62 . The wire coil  64  may have coil elements  66  oriented at an angle other than orthogonal to the drill pipe axis  68 . As illustrated in FIG. 2 the coil elements  66  are oriented at an approximate 70 degree angle from the drill pipe axis  68 .  
         [0024]    A second wire coil  70  may be located coaxially around the wire coil  64 . The second wire coil  70  may have second coil elements  72  oriented at an angle other than orthogonal to the drill pipe axis  68 . As illustrated in FIG. 2 the second coil elements  72  are oriented at an approximate 110 degree angle from the drill pipe axis  68  as measured in the same angular rotation as coil elements  66 .  
         [0025]    Wire  74 , flexible metal rods or the like may be positioned intermediate the wire coil  64  and second wire coil  70  that may provide additional longitudinal support for drill pipe  60 . The wire coils  62 ,  70  and the wire  74  may be attached along the longitudinal length by for example welding or other appropriate attachment methods. The drill pipe elements  62 ,  66 ,  70 ,  74  may be fastened in a coupling  76  at each end thereof. The couplings  76  may be used for attachment of a drill bit, for attachment to a pipe container and for attachment to the output of a drilling fluid equipment system. The couplings  76  may also be used to connect two sections of drill pipe as illustrated in FIG. 4.  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, a drill pipe drive mechanism  40  may have a pair of rotating gear mechanisms  42  that engage and drive a pair of continuous loop chains  44 . Drive blocks  46  may be attached at sides  48 ,  50  thereof between chains  44 . The drive blocks  46  may have a pipe trough  52  with ridges  54  for engaging the coil elements or second coil elements of a drill pipe  60  to be moved through the drive mechanism  40 . The drill pipe  60  may be supported for movement through the drive mechanism  40  by a guide trough  56  positioned opposite the path of the drive blocks  46 .  
         [0027]    In operation, when the gear mechanism  42  is rotated to move chains  44  and drive blocks  46 , the drill pipe  60  may be moved through the drive mechanism  40  by engagement of the ridges  54  in drill pipe  60 . When the pipe container  24  is rotated, as for example, to rotate the drill pipe  60  and drill bit  90  to cut into the earth, the movement of the drive mechanism  40  may be synchronized with the rotation of the pipe container  24  to inhibit retraction of the drill pipe  60  into the pipe container  24 . The drive mechanism  40  may also be operated at a speed during any such rotation motion to urge the drill pipe  60  and drill bit  90  forward into the earth to advance the bore hole formation. When desired, the drive mechanism  40  may be operated to retract the drill pipe  60 .  
         [0028]    Referring to FIG. 8, a drill pipe drive mechanism  40  may have a rotating gear mechanism  58  to move the drill pipe  60  therethrough. The gear elements  59  may have gear teeth (not shown) that engage the coil elements of the drill pipe  60 . Movement and synchronization would be similar to that described above.  
         [0029]    While the invention has been shown and described using a drill pipe  60  having one or more wire coils, other flexible drilling pipe or tubing may be used. Referring to FIG. 9, a conventional drilling machine  20  has a reel  90  on which coiled steel tubing  92  may be wound as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The tubing  92  is routed through a tube guide  94  that may be supported by a tube guide support  96  attached to the reel axis  98 . As the tubing  92  is unwound it may be guided through and moved by an injector unit  100  for drilling into the earth. The tubing  92  may have a hydraulic or jet spray drill bit  110  attached thereto.  
         [0030]    Coiled steel tubing  92  may also be used in the drilling machine  20  illustrated in FIG. 1. The drive mechanism  40  may be modified to facilitate movement of the tubing  92  in a rearward and forward direction by use of an injector unit  100  or a variation thereof.  
         [0031]    Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the drive mechanism  40  may be replaced with a reel  90  and appropriate reel support  22  elements as well as fluid connection to the drilling fluid equipment  14  and power source  16  illustrated in FIG. 1. A tube guide  94  may be structured to guide the tubing  92  from the reel  90  to exit the tube guide  94  at tube aperture  95  coincident with the reel axis  98 . The tube guide  94  may be supported by a guide support arm  102 . The guide support arm  102  and tube guide support  96  may be attached to the reel axis  98  by rotating coupling  104  located with a reel mount  106 . The tubing  92  may be unreeled and moved by drive mechanism or injector unit  100  to drill into the earth. When it is desired to change the drilling direction the tube guide  94  may be rotated by engaging rotating coupling  104  to lock reel  90  and tube guide  94 . Rotating the reel  90  may cause the tube guide  94  and tubing  92  to rotate thereby causing the drill string and drill bit  110  to rotate and change the down hole orientation.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the drill pipe  60  may be fabricated in lengths for use with rigid steel drill pipe (not shown). The drill pipe  60  may then be inserted in a drill pipe string to add flexibility to such drill pipe string. Drill pipe  60  may also be used to form larger portions of a drill pipe string for down hole drilling flexibility.  
         [0033]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to the illustrated and preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: e