A rotation brake for stopping rotation of a spindle assembly on a horizontal directional drill. The rotation brake comprises a brake lock that is actuated by a cylinder and spring to interact with a non-rotating brake cap and a rotating pinion, thereby stopping rotation of the pinion. The brake lock is removed from the pinion by applying pressurized fluid to a cylinder such that a cylinder rod moves the brake lock out of a cavity between the brake cap and the pinion. Upon removing fluid pressure from the cylinder, a compressed spring moves the brake lock back to into the cavity, preventing rotation.

A rotation brake for stopping rotation of a spindle assembly on a horizontal directional drill. The rotation brake comprises a brake lock that is actuated by a cylinder and spring to interact with a non-rotating brake cap and a rotating pinion, thereby stopping rotation of the pinion. The brake lock is removed from the pinion by applying pressurized fluid to a cylinder such that a cylinder rod moves the brake lock out of a cavity between the brake cap and the pinion. Upon removing fluid pressure from the cylinder, a compressed spring moves the brake lock back to into the cavity, preventing rotation.

An apparatus, a method for positioning a rock drilling, and a rock drilling rig is provided. The rock drilling rig includes a mobile drilling platform and a drilling mast connected to the drilling platform. The drilling platform is levelled vertically before initiating drilling. The apparatus determines the needed vertical levelling requirement. The levelling causes displacement of a drilling tool line passing through a drilling tool. The apparatus estimates the displacement and provides aid for the operator to position the drilling platform in order to compensate for the estimated displacement distance.

An adjustable drilling rig is provided for drilling and installation of foundational micropile matrices in difficult to access locations. A platform and separately adjustable legs are provided to level the platform. Arms and a crossbar mount to the legs, and each includes a bushing slidably mounted and moveable there along. A mast is slidably attached to the crossbar bushing through a mounting plate. The mast carries a drill head to which a drill will be attached. Various adjusters are mounted to bushings, mounting plate and other components of the adjustable drilling rig and are independently and selectively activated to adjust the drill head translationally along the X-, Y- and Z-axes and rotationally about the X- and Y-axes to achieve five degrees of freedom in five planes. The entire adjustable drilling rig is provided in two frames for easy transport to remote work sites and may be assembled without complex tools.

A power system and method for the adaptive power control of a drilling rig. While operating the internal combustion engine in its efficient operating range, unrequired mechanical power is converted to electrical power for storage, or use via the electrical bus on the rig. When the internal combustion engine is not required to provide mechanical or electrical power it is deactivated, and then reactivated—electrical storage on the system in the meantime providing electrical power to the bus as required. The power supply and management system could be retroactively fitted to an existing drilling rig by the incorporation of a generator and electrical storage device thereon. The system and method of the present invention allow for the optimized use of combustion-based power on a drilling rig while minimizing environmental emissions from the idle running of the at least one internal combustion engine.

A method of controlling a horizontal directional drill having a rotary drive system. The rotary drive system includes a variable displacement pump providing pressurized fluid to a motor, a displacement control that adjusts motor displacement, a torque limiter valve that opens at a torque limit to provide pressurized fluid to the displacement control to allow the system to limit torque, and cross-port relief valves that open at a cross-port relief pressure to limit pressure applied across a motor inlet and a motor outlet. The method includes adjusting the torque limiter pressure to vary the maximum torque applied to a drill string based on operating parameters of the horizontal direction drill, and adjusting the cross-port relief pressure to be higher than the torque limiter pressure each time that the torque limiter pressure is adjusted.

A method of controlling a horizontal directional drill having a rotary drive system. The rotary drive system includes a variable displacement pump providing pressurized fluid to a motor, a displacement control that adjusts motor displacement, a torque limiter valve that opens at a torque limit to provide pressurized fluid to the displacement control to allow the system to limit torque, and cross-port relief valves that open at a cross-port relief pressure to limit pressure applied across a motor inlet and a motor outlet. The method includes adjusting the torque limiter pressure to vary the maximum torque applied to a drill string based on operating parameters of the horizontal direction drill, and adjusting the cross-port relief pressure to be higher than the torque limiter pressure each time that the torque limiter pressure is adjusted.

A horizontal directional drilling machine includes a drill string rotational drive unit having an output member configured to connect with and selectively drive rotation of a drill string, the rotational drive unit including a hydraulic motor. A hydraulic circuit has a configuration that puts the motor in a drive mode to apply torque and a second configuration that puts the motor in a freewheel mode disabled from applying torque. The hydraulic circuit includes a first fluid flow path for connecting the hydraulic motor through a first rotary ball valve to one of an inlet side and an outlet side of a drive pump, and a second fluid flow path for selectively connecting the hydraulic motor through a second rotary ball valve to the other side of the drive pump. In the first configuration, there is no pressure drop across the first and second rotary ball valves.

A horizontal directional drilling machine includes a drill string rotational drive unit having an output member configured to connect with and selectively drive rotation of a drill string, the rotational drive unit including a hydraulic motor. A hydraulic circuit has a configuration that puts the motor in a drive mode to apply torque and a second configuration that puts the motor in a freewheel mode disabled from applying torque. The hydraulic circuit includes a first fluid flow path for connecting the hydraulic motor through a first rotary ball valve to one of an inlet side and an outlet side of a drive pump, and a second fluid flow path for selectively connecting the hydraulic motor through a second rotary ball valve to the other side of the drive pump. In the first configuration, there is no pressure drop across the first and second rotary ball valves.

A linkage assembly for a drilling machine includes a first arm, a second arm, an actuation member, and a connector assembly. A first end of the first arm is pivotally coupled to a positioning member at a first pivot joint. A first end of the second arm is pivotally coupled to a feed table at a second pivot joint. A first end of the actuation member is pivotally coupled to the feed table at a third pivot joint. The connector assembly is fixedly coupled to a second end of the first arm, and pivotally coupled to a second end of the second arm and a second end of the actuation member. The linkage assembly is adapted to pivot the feed table relative to the positioning member about a pivot axis based on movement of the actuation member between an extended position and a retracted position.