Hole opener having interchangeable sleeve reamer

Abstract

A hole opener for use in the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Industry is provided having an interchangeable sleeve reamer. The hole opener is in the form of a three-piece tool comprising a top shaft member, an interchangeable sleeve member and a bottom sub member, the interchangeable sleeve member being configured to be securely and removably mounted onto the top shaft member such that is does not rotate freely about the axis of the shaft member. In one embodiment, the bottom sub member also is interchangeable with other bottom sub members.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer comprising 
 (a) a top shaft member having an externally threaded lower end, a distal second end and an elongated cylindrical body joining said externally threaded lower end and said distal second end;    (b) an interchangeable sleeve member having an open upper end, a distal open lower end and a body portion having a cylindrical opening therethrough connecting said open upper end and open lower end, and    (c) a bottom sub member having an internally threaded first end, a distal second end and an elongated cylindrical body joining said internally threaded first end and said second distal end, said internally threaded first end being configured to engage said externally threaded lower end of said top shaft, thereby removably securing said top shaft member to said bottom sub member,    wherein, said elongated cylindrical body of said top shaft member has an exterior surface upon which is disposed a first mating arrangement and wherein said cylindrical opening of said interchangeable sleeve member has a wall upon which is disposed a second mating arrangement which is configured to complement said first mating arrangement in such a manner that when said top shaft member is introduced within said cylindrical opening, said first and second mating arrangements can be aligned to form a cooperating arrangement which can be used to removably secure said interchangeable sleeve member onto said top shaft member.    
     
     
         2 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said first mating arrangement is at least two top keyway half-slots longitudinally disposed along the exterior surface of said top shaft member and said second mating arrangement is at least two sleeve keyway half-slots longitudinally disposed from said open lower end along the wall of said cylindrical opening, and wherein when each of said top keyway half-slots is aligned with a complementary sleeve keyway half-slot, complete keyway slots are formed.  
     
     
         3 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising a key member which is dimensioned to be introduced into one of said keyway slots and tightly fitted therein.  
     
     
         4 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein a key member is provided for each of said complete keyway slots.  
     
     
         5 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said first mating arrangement is at least two top apertures disposed on the exterior surface of said top shaft member and said second mating arrangement is at least two sleeve openings disposed through said wall of said cylindrical opening and wherein when each of said top apertures can be aligned with a complementary sleeve opening.  
     
     
         6 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a bolt member which is dimensioned to be introduced through one of said sleeve openings and into one of said top apertures and tightly fitted therein.  
     
     
         7 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said interchangeable sleeve member is selected from the group consisting of interchangeable sleeve reamers, split bit reamers, wing cutters and fly cutters.  
     
     
         8 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said bottom sub member is interchangeable with bottom sub members selected from the group consisting of solid subs, pulling eye subs and barrel reamer subs.  
     
     
         9 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said bottom sub is a solid sub member and said interchangeable sleeve member is an interchangeable sleeve reamer.  
     
     
         10 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer comprising: 
 (a) a top shaft member having an externally threaded lower end, a distal second end, an elongated cylindrical body having an exterior surface, and at least two top keyway half-slots longitudinally disposed along said exterior surface, each of said two top keyway half-slots having a lower end;    (b) an interchangeable sleeve member having an open upper end, a distal open lower end, a body portion having a cylindrical opening therethrough connecting said open upper end and open lower end, said cylindrical opening having a wall, and at least two sleeve keyway half-slots longitudinally disposed along said wall beginning at said open lower end,    (c) a bottom sub member having an internally threaded first end, a distal second end and an elongated cylindrical body joining said internally threaded first end and said second distal end, said internally threaded first end being configured to engage said externally threaded lower end of said top shaft, thereby removably securing said top shaft member to said bottom sub member,    wherein, said interchangeable sleeve member can be slidingly introduced over said top shaft member in such a manner that when said open lower end of said interchangeable sleeve member is aligned with said lower end of said top keyway half-slots, said top keyway half-slots can be aligned with said sleeve keyway half-slots to form complete keyway slots.    
     
     
         11 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said at least two top keyway half-slots are three top keyway half-slots spaced 120° apart about the outer circumferences of said elongated cylindrical body of said top shaft member and wherein said at least two sleeve keyway half-slots are three sleeve keyway half-slots spaced 120° apart about inner circumference of said wall of said cylindrical opening.  
     
     
         12 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein when said three top keyway half-slots are aligned with said three sleeve keyway half-slots, three complete keyway slots are formed.  
     
     
         13 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising three key members, each of said key members being dimensioned to be tightly fitted within one of said keyway slots.  
     
     
         14 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein each of said top keyway half-slots and said sleeve keyway half-slots is about five inches (5″) in length and about one-quarter inch (¼″) in depth, and wherein each of said key members is about five inches (5″) in length and slightly larger than one-half inch (½″) in width, thereby enabling said key members to be tightly fitted with respective keyway slots.  
     
     
         15 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising at least three fluid holes disposed within said top shaft member and at least three fluid holes disposed within said interchangeable sleeve member, wherein when said top and sleeve keyway half-slots are aligned, said fluids holes disposed within said top shaft member are aligned with said fluid holes disposed within said interchangeable sleeve member.  
     
     
         16 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said interchangeable sleeve member is selected from the group consisting of interchangeable sleeve reamers, split bit reamers, wing cutters and fly cutters.  
     
     
         17 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said bottom sub member is interchangeable with bottom sub members selected from the group consisting of solid subs, pulling eye subs and barrel reamer subs.  
     
     
         18 . A hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said bottom sub is a solid sub member and said interchangeable sleeve member is an interchangeable sleeve reamer.