Makeup And Breakout System For Horizontal Directional Drilling

Abstract

A horizontal directional drill has a wrench assembly and a lubricant application assembly. The wrench assembly operates to make-up and break out pipe segments from a drill string while the lubricant application assembly applies lubricant to the pipe joints. The wrench assembly has a rotatable wrench and a stationary wrench for applying torque to pipe joints. Each of these wrenches is substantially vertically oriented, with a movable upper jaw and a stationary lower jaw. Lubricant pressure is maintained in the application assembly with a pump and a follower weight disposed on the surface of a storage container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A horizontal directional drill comprising:
 a wrench assembly comprising:
 a first wrench; 
 a rotating frame rotatable relative to the first wrench; 
 a second wrench disposed within the rotating frame; 
 wherein the second wrench and the first wrench each comprise:
 a cylinder having an extendable rod and a barrel end; 
 a first jaw attached to the extendable rod; 
 a frame in a fixed relationship with the barrel end of the cylinder; and 
 a second jaw not movable relative to the frame and supported by the frame in spaced relationship with the first jaw. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a lubricant applicator comprising a nozzle, wherein the nozzle is disposed between the first wrench and the second wrench. 
 
     
     
         3 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 2  wherein the lubricant applicator comprises a lubricant storage container, the lubricant storage container comprising a follower weight disposed on the container to pressurize lubricant within the lubricant storage. 
     
     
         4 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 1  further comprising a rotation cylinder to rotate the rotating frame. 
     
     
         5 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 1  wherein the drill defines a rotating spindle. 
     
     
         6 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 5  wherein the spindle defines a first axis and the wrench assembly defines an aperture formed therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 6  wherein the first jaw of the first wrench, second jaw of the first wrench and cylinder of the first wrench are disposed on a reference line orthogonal to the first axis and passing through a footprint of the horizontal directional drill. 
     
     
         8 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 7  wherein the reference line is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         9 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 6  wherein the rotating frame is rotatable about the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 6  further comprising a pipe segment comprising a first and second end, wherein the first end is attached to the spindle and the second end is gripped by the first and second jaw of the second wrench. 
     
     
         11 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 10  wherein the pipe segment is substantially centered on the first axis. 
     
     
         12 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 1  wherein each of the first wrench and the second wrench comprise one and only one cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . A wrench assembly comprising:
 a first wrench;   a rotating frame rotatable relative to the first wrench;   a second wrench disposed within the rotating frame;   wherein the first wrench and the second wrench each comprise:
 one and only one cylinder; and 
   opposed and substantially vertically oriented jaws movable between an open position and a closed position by the one and only one cylinder.   
     
     
         14 . The wrench assembly of  claim 13  wherein the first wrench and the second wrench each comprise:
 the one and only one cylinder having an extendable rod and a barrel end; 
 a first jaw attached to the extendable rod; 
 a second jaw opposed to and spaced a distance apart from the first jaw, wherein the distance is smaller when the rod of the one and only one cylinder extends and greater when the rod of the one and only one cylinder retracts. 
 
     
     
         15 . The wrench of  claim 13  further comprising a rotation cylinder to rotate the rotating frame relative to the first wrench. 
     
     
         16 . A horizontal directional drill comprising:
 a rotating spindle configured to provide thrust and rotation to a pipe section, the spindle defining a first axis;   the wrench assembly of  claim 13 ;   wherein the stationary wrench and rotating wrench are disposed with their first jaw and second jaw on opposing sides of the first axis.   
     
     
         17 . The horizontal directional drill of  claim 16  wherein the rotating frame rotates about the first axis. 
     
     
         18 . A method using the horizontal directional drill of  claim 16  comprising:
 rotating an advancing a pipe section using the rotating spindle; 
 gripping a pipe string with the first wrench in a closed position; 
 extending the one and only one cylinder of the second wrench to grip the pipe section; 
 rotating the second wrench with the rotating frame; 
 moving the first wrench and the second wrench to an open position by retracting the one and only one cylinder of the first wrench and the one and only one cylinder of the second wrench; and
 rotating and advancing the pipe section and drill string with the spindle.