Cable feed device

Claim 2

A drilling apparatus comprising; an elongated drill guide frame, cable guide members mounted at longitudinally spaced points of said guide frame, a rigid member movably supported on said guide frame for relative longitudinal movement therealong, a flexible driving cable extending continuously from a first operative connection on said rigid member about said cable guide members seriatim to a second operative connection on said rigid member for so moving said rigid member, control means cooperable with said driving cable for selectively moving said cable in opposite directions, and at least one of said operative connections including tensioning means.

Claim 3

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said tensioning means is operatively connected to at least one end of said cable and has a portion thereof fixedly connected to said rigid member.

Claim 4

A drilling assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tensioning means maintains said cable in tension throughout the operation of said drilling apparatus and said tension is approximately equal to the maximum load applicable by said control means.

Claim 5

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 2 wherein said tensioning means comprises an elongated spring assembly.

Claim 6

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 4 wherein said one end of said cable extends axially through said spring assembly and retaining means is fixedly secured to said one end of said cable to retain said cable within said spring assembly.

Claim 7

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 5 wherein said retaining means is movable with respect to said rigid member and said drill guide frame.

Claim 8

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 2 wherein said tensioning means comprises: a sealed piston chamber; and a piston assembly having at least a portion thereof slidingly and sealingly received within said chamber and with said one end of said cable being in operative communication with said piston assembly.

Claim 9

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 2 wherein said driving cable has intermediate portions thereof which are reversibly trained about said longitudinally spaced guide members and with said guide members are rotatably mounted on said guide frame.

Claim 10

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 8 additionally including; a second rigid member mounted for relative longitudinal movement on said guide frame; a second flexible driving cable selectively orbitably movable in opposite directions with respect to said guide frame, said second cable having laterally spaced runs which extend longitudinally with respect to said guide frame and with the respecTive ends of said second cable being in operative communication with said second rigid member for said last mentioned longitudinal movement; second control means cooperable with said second driving cable for selectively moving said second driving cable in said opposite directions; and tensioning means for maintaining said second cable in tension, including biasing means operatively connected to said second driving cable.

Claim 11

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 9 wherein said second control means comprises a frictional drive portion which is integral with at least one of said guide members, said drive portion frictionally engaging said second driving cable such that the friction between the contact surfaces of said drive portion and said second cable moves said second cable in said opposite directions.

Claim 12

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 10 wherein said frictional drive portion has a pitch diameter thereof less than the pitch diameter of said one of said guide members for driving said second driving cable at a velocity thereof less than the velocity of said first mentioned driving cable.

Claim 13

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 11 wherein said pitch diameter of said frictional drive portion is 1/2 of the pitch diameter of said one of said guide members.

Claim 14

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said first mentioned rigid member comprises a drill saddle adapted to receive a drill motor assembly thereon and said second rigid member comprises a drill rod centralizer and mid-point support assembly mounted on said guide frame intermediate one end thereof and said first mentioned rigid member.

Claim 15

A drilling apparatus as specified in claim 2 wherein said rigid member comprises a drill saddle adapted to receive a drill motor assembly thereon.