Make-Up/Break-Out Device For Drilling Hammers

Abstract

A make-up/break-out device for use with a hammer used in horizontal directional drilling operations. The hammer comprises a drill bit assembly and a housing that are connected via low helix angle threads. The make-up/break-out device is used with the hammer to tighten or loosen the connection between the drill bit assembly and the housing. The make-up/break-out device comprises a vise arm, a lever arm, and drive arm. The drive arm reacts torque on both the vise arm and the lever arm which in turn react torque on the drill bit assembly and the housing

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus to make-up or break-out a drill bit assembly and, a housing used in horizontal directional drilling operations, the drill bit assembly comprising external low helix angle threads and at least two pockets on opposing sides of an outer surface, and the housing comprising internal low helix angle threads, the apparatus comprising:
 a vise arm comprising a gripper to hold the housing against rotation;   a lever arm comprising an opening and at least two pins disposed within the opening to engage the pockets to secure the drill hit assembly within the opening; and   a drive arm connected to the vise arm and the lever arm;   wherein operation of the drive arm drives movement of the lever arm to rotate the external low helix angle threads of the drill bit assembly relative to the internal low helix angle threads of the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the opening of the lever arm is an arc shape which comprises two apertures formed in the lever arm for receiving the pins. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the two apertures are threaded. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the pins are threaded into the two apertures. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drive arm comprises a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill bit assembly comprises a chuck and a drill bit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the chuck comprises the at least two pockets. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill bit assembly comprises a plurality of pockets formed in a circle around an outer circumference of the drill bit assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill bit assembly is adapted to rotate in two different directions. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill bit assembly comprises a steering feature adapted to deviate the housing from a linear path. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drill bit assembly comprises retaining rings. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gripper comprises a chain. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the angle of the external low helix angle threads and the internal low helix angle threads is in the range of 0.25 to 4.0 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus to make-up or break-out a drill bit assembly and a housing of a hammer used in horizontal directional drilling operations, the drill bit assembly comprising external low helix angle threads and at least two pockets on opposing sides of an outer surface, and the housing comprising internal low helix angle threads, the apparatus comprising:
 a vise arm comprising a gripper to hold the housing against rotation;   a lever arm comprising an opening formed by two arms extending from the lever arm, and at least one pin disposed within each of the two arms to engage the pockets to secure the drill bit assembly within the opening; and   a drive arm connected to the vise arm and the lever arm;   wherein operation of the drive arm drives movement of the lever arm to rotate the external low helix angle threads of the drill bit assembly of the hammer relative to the internal low helix angle threads of the housing of the hammer.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein each of the two arms comprises an aperture for receiving each pin. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the apertures are threaded. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein each pin is threaded into each aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drive arm comprises a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drill bit assembly comprises a chuck and a drill bit. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the chuck comprises the at least two pockets. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drill bit assembly of the hammer comprises a plurality of pockets formed in a circle around an outer circumference of the drill bit assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drill bit assembly of the hammer is adapted to rotate in two different directions. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drill bit assembly of the hammer comprises a steering feature adapted to deviate the housing from a linear path. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drill bit assembly comprises retaining rings. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the gripper comprises a chain. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the angle of the external low helix angle threads and the internal low helix angle threads is in the range of 0.25 to 4.0 degrees. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drill hit assembly comprises an asymmetrical steerable drill bit. 
     
     
         28 . A method for disassembling a hammer used in underground drilling operations, the method comprising the steps of:
 securing a vise arm to a housing comprising internal low helix angle threads;   engaging an opening of a lever arm with a drill bit assembly comprising external low helix angle threads;   inserting at least two pins into the opening of the lever arm and into at least two pockets formed on the drill bit assembly to secure the drill bit assembly to the lever arm; and   extending a drive arm connected to both the vise arm and the lever arm to rotate the drill bit assembly of the hammer relative to the housing of the hammer to loosen the external low helix angle threads of the drill bit assembly from the internal law helix angle threads of the housing.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising threading the pins through the lever arm and into the pockets to a distance needed to secure the drill bit assembly within the opening of the lever arm. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein extending the drive arm comprises operating a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising providing a chuck of the drill bit assembly with the at least two pockets.