Conduit pulling apparatus and method for use in horizontal drilling

Abstract

An apparatus for pulling a conduit through a horizontal bore includes a drill head having a forward most end including a pocket configured to receive an elongated body; coupler, a coupling member including an elongate body configured to fit in the pocket and a connecting end extending outside of the drill head beyond the pocket configured for coupling the coupling member and drill head to a conduit pulling means, a hole in the drill head intersecting the pocket alignable with a retainer aperture in the elongate body and a retainer adapted to pass through the aperture and hole to secure the coupling member to the drill head. In one variation, a clevis and or bearing swivel passed through an eyelet in the connecting end is used with a rope, chain or cable to connect the drill head to a pipe puller for pulling a pipe or conduit through an underground horizontal bore.

1 . An apparatus for pulling a conduit through a horizontal bore comprising: 
 a drill head having a forward most end including a pocket configured to receive an elongated body; coupler    a coupling member including an elongate body configured to fit in the pocket and a connecting end extending outside of the drill head beyond the pocket, the connecting end configured for coupling the coupling member and drill head to a conduit pulling means.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill head further comprises a hole intersecting the pocket and adapted to receive a retainer for retaining the elongate body in the pocket.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the elongate body further comprises a retainer aperture, the retainer aperture being alignable with the hole in the drill head and configured to receive a retainer for retaining the elongate member in the pocket.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the pocket is outwardly angled with respect to a central axis of the drill head.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the hole is substantially perpendicular to the pocket.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the connecting end includes a hole configured to receive coupler for coupling the drill head to a conduit pulling means.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the connecting end comprises an eyelet.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pocket is adapted to receive a cutting tooth for use in drilling operations.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill head includes a steering face for steering the drill during drilling operations.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the drill head includes a plurality of spaced apart pockets adapted to receive a plurality of cutting teeth.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for pulling a conduit through a horizontal bore comprising: 
 a drill bit comprising a generally cylindrical body having a forward most end, the drill bit including a plurality of spaced apart pockets disposed in the forward most end including a central pocket configured to receive an elongate body;    a coupling member including an elongate body adapted to fit in the central pocket and a connecting end extending beyond the forward most end, the connecting end configured for coupling the coupling member and drill head to a conduit puller.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the drill bit further comprises a hole intersecting the central pocket and wherein the elongate body further comprises a retainer aperture, the hole and the aperture being alignable to receive a retainer for retaining the coupling member in the central pocket.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein each of the pockets is adapted to receive a cutting tooth for use in drilling operations.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the drill head includes a steering face for steering the drill during drilling operations.  
     
     
         15 . A method of pulling a conduit through a horizontal bore comprising: 
 positioning a drill string in a substantially horizontal underground bore with a drill bit coupled to the drill string being positioned in a location outside the bore;    inserting a coupling member in a pocket in the drill bit, the coupling member including an elongate body configured to fit in the pocket and a connecting end extending outside of the pocket;    coupling the connecting end to a conduit; and    pulling the drill string and the conduit through the bore.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising installing a retainer in alignable holes in the drill bit and coupling member to retain the coupling member in the pocket.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of attaching a flexible pulling means to the connecting end of the coupling member and the conduit puller means.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the flexible pulling means is one of a rope, cable and chain.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  17  wherein the connecting end includes an eyelet and the flexible pulling means comprises a clevis.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the flexible pulling means further comprises a bearing swivel.