Nozzle assembly for horizontal drilling operations

Abstract

An improved water nozzle ( 100, 200 ) for use in a horizontal drill string ( 14 ) to prevent clogging of the string when water flow is stopped so a new section of drill rod ( 12 ) can be added to the string. The nozzle includes a tapered passage ( 116, 216 ) in which a ball ( 20 ) is installed. The resulting ball valve allows water injected into the one end of the rod string to flow through the nozzle during drilling. However, when water flow stops for attachment of a new section of rod to the string, the valve blocks the flow path back through the nozzle so sand, gravel, and other particles are not sucked into the string causing it to clog and necessitating that the string be withdrawn from the hole and disassembled so the nozzle can be cleaned out and unclogged.

1 . An improved water nozzle for use in a drill string used in generally horizontal drilling operations to prevent clogging when water flow through the string is stopped so a new section of a drill rod can be added to the string, comprising:
 a nozzle adapted for mounting to an outer end of the drill rod on an outer end of the string;   a tapered passage extending through the nozzle, the passage tapering in diameter from the outer end of the nozzle to the inner end thereof; and,   a ball installed in the passage and freely movable therein, the ball allowing water injected into the rod string to flow through the nozzle during drilling, but when water flow is stopped for attachment of a new section of rod to the string, pressure on the ball created when the flow is stopped drawing the ball into a position blocking the passage so sand, gravel, and other particles are not sucked through the nozzle into the drill string causing the string to clog and necessitating disassembly of the string so the nozzle can be cleaned out and unclogged.   
   
   
       2 . The improved nozzle of  claim 1  in which the passage is a sloping passage. 
   
   
       3 . The improved nozzle of  claim 1  further including a spray unit fitted onto the outer end of the nozzle to direct water injected through the nozzle at an area surrounding the outer end of the string so to facilitate drilling. 
   
   
       4 . The improved nozzle of  claim 3  in which the spray unit includes at least one passage therethrough for water injected into the nozzle passage to be sprayed out of the spray unit. 
   
   
       5 . The improved nozzle of  claim 4  in which the spray unit includes a pair of passages.