A spindle assembly for connecting a drill string to a rotational drive for use in a horizontal directional drilling operation. The assembly comprises a saver sub attached to the rotational drive, and a drive chuck for connection to the drill string. The drive chuck and saver sub form a torque-transmitting connection by engaging through a seat in the saver sub and an engagement point on the drive chuck. Dowel pins may be used to rotationally lock and provide the engagement between the saver sub and the drive chuck. A collar may thread to the saver sub and cause an interference fit by engaging the drive chuck at a shoulder.

A vehicle joint has a drive sleeve, a pinion shaft and a drive nut. The sleeve has a vent hole, a first set of splines and a first set of venting grooves. The pinion shaft has a second set of splines engaged with the first set of splines. A fluid gap radially outboard of the engaged spines extends the length of the engaged splines. A second set of venting grooves is engaged with the first set of venting grooves. The pinion shaft also has a first set of threads. The drive nut has a second set of threads engaged with the first set of threads. The drive nut also has a radial aperture extending through the drive nut. The first vent hole is in fluid connection with the radial aperture through some of the features described above.

An actuating apparatus for operating a valve assembly includes an actuator body that selectively couples to the valve assembly and an actuator stem that has an end that extends into the actuator body. The valve assembly has having a valve body, a valve member in the valve body, a valve stem attached to the valve member, and a profile on an end of the valve stem distal from the valve member. The actuating apparatus also includes an adapter assembly in the actuator body having a threaded end that engages the actuator stem, and a profiled end distal from the threaded end that engages the profile on the valve stem and couples to the valve stem, so that selectively applying axial forces to the adapter assembly moves the valve stem and the valve member.

A joint assembly (200) comprising a first joint member (232) that is drivingly connected to a second joint member (272) by one or more torque transfer elements (290). Drivingly connected to at least a portion of the second joint member (312) is a stub shaft (292). An end of the stub shaft, opposite the second joint member, is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a second shaft. At least a portion of a second end portion of a first shaft (202) is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a first end portion of the first joint member (232) and at least a portion of a first end portion of the first shaft has a gear member (210) with a plurality of gear teeth thereon.

A joint assembly (200) comprising a first joint member (232) that is drivingly connected to a second joint member (272) by one or more torque transfer elements (290). Drivingly connected to at least a portion of the second joint member (312) is a stub shaft (292). An end of the stub shaft, opposite the second joint member, is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a second shaft. At least a portion of a second end portion of a first shaft (202) is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a first end portion of the first joint member (232) and at least a portion of a first end portion of the first shaft has a gear member (210) with a plurality of gear teeth thereon.

A spindle assembly for connecting a drill string to a rotational drive for use in a horizontal directional drilling operation. The assembly comprises a saver sub attached to the rotational drive, and a drive chuck for connection to the drill string. The drive chuck and saver sub form a torque-transmitting connection by engaging through a seat in the saver sub and an engagement point on the drive chuck. Dowel pins may be used to rotationally lock and provide the engagement between the saver sub and the drive chuck. A collar may thread to the saver sub and cause an interference fit by engaging the drive chuck at a shoulder.

A joint unit includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a gasket. The first joint member has a female screw portion. The second joint member has a second pipe portion and a second fastener. The second pipe portion has a male screw portion. The second fastener has a second fastener body and a second collar having an annular shape. The second fastener body has an external screw portion that is a male screw. The second collar has at an inner circumferential portion thereof an internal screw portion that is a female screw. The external screw portion is engaged with the female screw portion, and the male screw portion is engaged with the internal screw portion. In the joint unit, the second fastener body and the first joint member are fastened so that the second collar presses the second pipe portion toward the gasket.

The present invention is directed to a spindle assembly for connecting a drill string to a rotational drive for use in a horizontal directional drilling operation. The assembly comprises a saver sub attached to the rotational drive, and a drive chuck for connection to the drill string. The drive chuck and saver sub form a torque-transmitting connection by engaging through a seat in the saver sub and an engagement point on the drive chuck. Dowel pins may be used to rotationally lock and provide the engagement between the saver sub and the drive chuck. A collar may thread to the saver sub and cause an interference fit by engaging the drive chuck at a shoulder.

A mounting device for coaxially anchoring a machine element upon a rotary shaft is provided. The device fits between the interior bore of the machine element and the cylindrical surface of the shaft and is effective to position the element at any desired position longitudinally of the shaft and at any angular position circumferentially of the shaft. The device has inner and outer sleeves, the mating surfaces of which are similarly tapered so that relative axial displacement of the sleeves affects expansion and contraction of the interior bore and external surface of the combined elements. Rotation of a threaded nut at one end of the device effects the relative axial displacement of the inner and outer sleeves to afford expansion and contraction of the sleeves without excessively straining the material of the sleeves or the nut.