Patents Assigned to Rock Bit International
  • Patent number: 7025155
    Abstract: A roller cone body defines a circumferential channel or race into which a plurality of cutter or wear segments are mounted. The wear segments may be of any appropriate contour or shape, such as for example chisel, spherical, or even flat face and are preferably made or carbide. The wear elements may be all the same within a channel or race, or they may be varied within a race as needed for a particular application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, L.P.
    Inventor: Roy D. Estes
  • Patent number: 6745858
    Abstract: An adjustable earth boring device for provides a strong, easy to use, adjustable mount for cutters on earth boring devices. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes a grooved, wedge-shaped pocket and matching cutter segment with means to secure the cutter segment in the pocket. The wedge shaped pocket in the boring head is axially aligned with the boring device. Each side of the pocket has deep grooves somewhat resembling bolt threads. A slot in the rear of the pocket receives a bolt to secure the segment tightly in place. Threaded holes in the bottom of the pocket receive bolts through the cutter segment for a back up securing means. The cutter segment has a rolling cone cutter or series of blades or picks for cutting earth formations on the head end and a wedge shaped mounting body supporting it. The grooves are constructed such that the segments can be mounted at differing heights from the centerline of the boring head, thus determining the diameter which the boring device will cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Rock Bit International
    Inventor: Roy D. Estes
  • Patent number: 6435287
    Abstract: A design for a gage tooth of the milled tooth variety is provided. The gage facing surface of each tooth is shaped so that only a narrow surface of each tooth contacts the borehole wall. Adjacent areas on each tooth slope away from the wall. The narrow gage facing surfaces, the sloping areas, and other areas are all covered with a suitable hard metal facing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Dee Estes
  • Patent number: 6186250
    Abstract: A design for a gage tooth of the milled tooth variety is provided. The gage facing surface of each tooth is shaped so that only a narrow surface of each tooth contacts the borehole wall. Adjacent areas on each tooth slope away from the wall. The narrow gage facing surfaces, the sloping areas, and other areas are all covered with a suitable hard metal facing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Estes
  • Patent number: 6167975
    Abstract: A one cone drill bit is equipped with multiple jet flow guiding grooves along the cone. The multiple grooves connects to a circular groove axially centered on the nose end portion of the cone. The circular groove sweep the cuttings and mud flow across the drilled face and up the well borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Dee Estes
  • Patent number: 5808779
    Abstract: This invention is directed toward a fiber optic modulation and demodulation system, and more particularly directed toward a telemetry system for relaying signals from sensors in remote, harsh environments. Light is modulated using one or more optical reflective grating and piezoelectric crystal combinations, and demodulated using an interferometer system. The one or more modulators are driven by the responses of one or more sensors thereby modulating one or more carrier wavelengths of a carrier light source. The modulated light signal is transmitted from the sensor or sensors, over an optical fiber, to an interferometer which is used to demodulate the reflected signals and thereby determine the responses of one or more sensors. One embodiment of the invention set forth is that of a telemetry system linking sensors within a borehole to detection and processing equipment at the surface of the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Rock Bit International
    Inventor: R. Stephen Weis
  • Patent number: 5454437
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved roller cone core bit comprising a plurality of cone cutters facing inboard and a single cone cutter facing outboard. The single outboard facing cone cutter provides additional cutting elements for cutting a core. The single outboard facing cone cutter also creates an unbalanced loading condition on the core bit causing the bit to drill smoother than conventional reversed cone core bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy D. Estes
  • Patent number: 5244050
    Abstract: An earth boring drill bit having a relatively large tool passage port offset to one side of the bit centerline. The port is offset to permit substantially full bottom hole coverage of the cutting structure. The port permits various logging and sampling tools to pass through the bit to allow sampling and testing to be performed without tripping out the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy D. Estes
  • Patent number: 5197555
    Abstract: An improved rotary cone cutter for rock drill bits having circumferential rows of wear resistant inserts. Inserts on the two outermost rows are oriented at an angle in relationship to the axis of the cone to either the leading side or trailing side of the cone. Such orientation will achieve either increased resistance to insert breakage and/or increased rate of penetration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy D. Estes
  • Patent number: 5145016
    Abstract: An improved rotary rock bit having a circumferential row of wear resistant inserts protruding from the gage surface of each rolling cone cutter. The inserts are designed to efficiently break and remove earth formations. Adequate clearance is provided around the gage inserts for chip formation, chip removal, and insert cooling. These rows of inserts provide reaming action to maintain borehole gage diameter after the primary gage cutting structure has worn or failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Rock Bit International, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy D. Estes