Patents Examined by Nick A. Nichols, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4210215
    Abstract: A rock drill, especially for rotary blow machines and drifters or stoppers with drilling cutting edges and at least one drilling dust conveying groove which in axial direction is confined by a web which extends around the drill axis and one lateral surface of which forms a drilling dust supporting surface which merges with the bottom of the drilling dust conveying groove. The bottom of the drilling dust conveying groove extends from the drilling dust supporting surface at an acute angle with regard to the drill axis rectilinearly up to the back surface of the web. The ratio of the width of the drilling dust conveying groove, measured in axial direction of said drill, to the width of the back of the web is greater than 5:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Hawera Probst GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Peetz, Siefgried Klaissle
  • Patent number: 4209890
    Abstract: A sealing system for a rotary rock bit retains lubricant inside the bit and acts as a barrier to the pulverized cuttings and other materials in the borehole to prevent the materials from entering the bearing area through the cone mouth opening of the rolling cone cutter. A protecting washer is positioned outside of an O-ring seal element in the gap between the base of the rolling cone cutter and the body of the earth boring bit. This protects the O-ring seal element from the hostile drilling environment and increases seal life. During assembly of the bit, a gauging station is established to measure the size of the gap that will exist when the rolling cone cutter is installed on the bit body. Protecting washers are provided in numerous thicknesses. Upon determining the size of the gap, a washer is selected that will allow the gap to be narrowed to a size that will restrict passage of most of the abrasive particles found in the drilling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Earl T. Koskie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4207954
    Abstract: A drilling tool comprising a body having a leading face with a central recess providing the body with an annular leading cutting edge such that during drilling a central core is formed, and a central cone positioned axially in the recess for breaking up the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Compagnie Francaise des Petroles
    Inventor: Robert Jerome
  • Patent number: 4206821
    Abstract: An improved roof drill bit and roof drill driving assembly which is characterized as a "hands off" type in which the drill, driver, and drill extension are designed and assembled to have a stability which enables the operator to avoid guiding the drill with his hands. An improved drill bit prevents plugging of the assembly when used with suction systems and provides a heavier wall construction. Special adaptors are provided for driving drills and drill extensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: Fansteel Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth C. Emmerich
  • Patent number: 4204715
    Abstract: A hard compact material, such as rock, is broken by driving a longish mass body of relatively incompressible fluid, such as water, against the material to be broken. The mass body is caused to impact the material at a momentum required for breaking the material. The required momentum is obtained by adding the momentum of at least two fluid mass bodies. The longish mass body can be aligned with a drill hole by means of the drill bit and rod. The energy generator or fluid gun and the gun barrel can be made in separable units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1980
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Erik V. Lavon
  • Patent number: 4203496
    Abstract: A Zublin type rotary drill bit is disclosed having a main body rotating about a main axis. The bit body includes a journl pin extending downwardly therefrom, with the journal pin forming a second axis disposed at an angle with respect to the main axis. The journal pin has a cutter rotatively mounted thereon, with the cutter having a spherical outer surface which has a plurality of inner rows of tungsten carbide mounted thereon. The gage row of the cutter is also formed on the spherical outer surface and defines a plane intersecting the intersection of the main and second axes. The cutter gage row is formed by a plurality of inserts having synthetic diamond cutting surfaces, which are facing downwardly toward the apex of the cutter, in order to scrape the sides of the bore hole during the downwardly traveling portion of the gage insert travel cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Baker, III, Charles R. Harris
  • Patent number: 4202418
    Abstract: Roller cutters are mounted onto a cutterhead from the rear side of the cutterhead. A load transfer block is insertable between a stator portion of each cutter and a generally forwardly directed load-carrying surface on the cutter-head frame. Loads imposed on the roller cutter during boring are transmitted rearwardly from the stator to the load transfer block, and from the load transfer block to the cutterhead frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: The Robbins Company
    Inventor: Bruce A. Waddell
  • Patent number: 4202417
    Abstract: A raise bit is disclosed for enlarging a pilot hole into a larger diameter hole by disintegrating the earth formations surrounding the pilot hole. The raise bit includes a removable drive stem for enabling the raise bit to be transported through small drifts. The drive stem is attached to a thrust bearing plate which, in turn, is interconnected to a main bit body. The bit body extends around the drive stem and includes a plurality of rolling cutters for contacting and disintegrating the earth formations surrounding the pilot hole. The interconnection between the thrust bearing plate and the bit body is accomplished by means of an annular shock absorbing member made of polyurethane. The elastomeric shock absorbing member has a substantially toroidal configuration and is designed and dimensioned to transfer all of the thrust and torsional loads passing from the drive stem and thrust bearing plate to the bit body, while absorbing a large portion of the impact type loads acting on the drill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Alther
  • Patent number: 4202421
    Abstract: A hammer drill bit has an axis, a shaft and a crown and a plurality of hard metal circumferential studs carried by the crown and distributed along a circumference thereof. Each circumferential stud has an axis inclined at an acute angle with respect to the bit axis and a conical cutting tip oriented obliquely away from the bit axis. The acute angles of the axes of consecutively viewed circumferential studs alternate between a relatively large magnitude and a relatively small magnitude differing by 10.degree. to 25.degree. from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventor: Klaus Pinck
  • Patent number: 4202419
    Abstract: An earth boring system is provided with universal cutter means for boring in all types of formations. The cutter means is mounted on a drill bit body or cutterhead with said bit or cutterhead functioning to form a hole in the earth formations. At least two annular rows of major inserts are mounted in the cutter means. The major inserts project from the surface of the cutter means a substantial distance for forming circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored. An annular row of minor inserts are mounted in the cutter means between the two annular rows of major inserts. The minor inserts project from the surface of the cutter means a distance that is substantially less than the distance the major inserts project from the surface of the cutter means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Youngblood
  • Patent number: 4200160
    Abstract: A sweep pickup for a large diameter drill bit is disclosed. The drill bit includes a main bit body having a plurality of roller cutters rotatively mounted thereon. Drilling fluid is pumped down the annulus of the well bore, across the face of the bit and up a central passage located within the bit. A sweep pickup is connected to the central passage and includes a lower inlet having a semicylindrical chamber mounted adjacent the trailing side thereof. A flexible wiper blade is located on the leading edge of the sweep pickup tube adjacent the inlet and is adapted to contact the base of the well bore in order to agitate and project the drilled cuttings into the flow of the drilling fluid. The wiper blade also functions to block the fluid flow to the inlet of the sweep pickup from the leading side thereof, thereby creating a unidirectional fluid flow to the inlet of the sweep pickup from the trailing side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1980
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan L. Newcomb
  • Patent number: 4197909
    Abstract: A protector for preventing tools from becoming engaged between an internally-mounted deflector guide and the inside of the body of a side-pocket mandrel. The protector includes a protrusion connected to the body adjacent to and above the deflector guide which extends into the interior of the body for blocking the space between the deflector guide and the body thereby preventing well tools from becoming stuck. The protrusion may include one or more arcuate members plug welded into the body. In addition, the protrusion may be made intergal with or connected to the upper end of the deflector guide. Preferably, at least the outer and upper edges of the protrusion are beveled outwardly towards the inside of the mandrel body for eliminating engaging shoulders. In other form, the protrusion may be formed of indentations made in the wall of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1980
    Assignee: Camco, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ben D. Terral
  • Patent number: 4196782
    Abstract: A hydraulic jarring tool includes a temperature compensated hydraulic detent actuation means. The jarring tool includes an outer member and an inner member telescopically arranged. Spline means between said outer member and said inner member transmit torque. A hammer and anvil system provide a jarring effect upon actuation of the tool. An upper seal and lower seal provide a fluid seal between said outer member and said inner member. A working fluid is maintained in a working fluid chamber between the upper and lower seals. The hydraulic detent actuation means provides a tripping action to produce the jarring effect. The hydraulic detent actuation includes a sliding sleeve member with an orifice passage that produces a detent action by the slow metering of the hydraulic working fluid. A valve means is positioned in the orifice passage for providing a consistent flow through the sleeve valve to produce the hydraulic detent irrespective of the temperature of the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Blanton
  • Patent number: 4195700
    Abstract: An improved sweep pickup for large diameter bits is disclosed in which the flow rate of drilling fluid through the pickup tube is constant, thereby enhancing its lifting capacity. The sweep pickup comprises an elongated tube extending radially across the bottom face of the drill bit. The pickup tube is truncated longitudinally on the bottom side thereof by a horizontal plate having the pickup inlet opening formed therein. The plate truncates the tubular portion of the pickup at an angle to provide an increasing vertical cross-section in the direction of the pickup outlet which is toward the center of the drill bit body. In the preferred configuration, the vertical cross-sectional area with the pickup tube at any point is equal to the area of the inlet opening from that point radially outward to the outer extremity thereof. As a result, the flow rate of drilling fluid through the sweep pickup is constant and equal to the flow rate through the interior of the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Euclid P. Worden
  • Patent number: 4195701
    Abstract: A raise bit is disclosed for enlarging a pilot hole into a large diameter hole by disintegrating the earth formations surrounding the pilot hole. The raise bit includes a removable drive stem for enabling the raise bit to be transported through small drifts. The drive stem is attached to a thrust bearing plate which, in turn, is interconnected to a main bit body. The bit body extends around the drive stem and includes a plurality of rolling cutters for contacting and disintegrating the earth formations surrounding the pilot hole. The interconnection between the thrust bearing plate and the bit body is accomplished by means of an annular shock absorbing ring made of polyurethane. Means are also provided to transport fluid from the interior of the drive stem to contact the rolling cutters on the bit body. These means comprise a fluid passage way extending through the interior of the drive stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jackson M. Kellner, George A. Alther
  • Patent number: 4194582
    Abstract: A telescopic shock absorber for incorporation in a drill string connected to a rotary bit for drilling a bore hole in earth formations, the shock absorber including a single spring assembly which is compressed downwardly when sufficient downwardly directed drilling weight is transmitted from the drill string through the shock absorber to the drill bit, and which is compressed upwardly when the internal drilling fluid pressure in the shock absorber fully overcomes the downwardly directed drilling weight, assuring that the spring assembly is in its compressed condition when the shock absorber is telescoped or extended, enabling it to absorb shocks and vibrations incident to the drilling operation and under both conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Christensen, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred Ostertag
  • Patent number: 4194561
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the selective placement of ball sealers for fluid treatment of a well, said ball sealers having a density less than the density of said fluid comprising a tubular member, means on said tubular member for positioning said apparatus in said well casing and means on said tubular member for deploying and blocking said well casing to prevent upward movement of said ball sealers past said apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventors: Charles O. Stokley, Steven R. Erbstoesser
  • Patent number: 4193638
    Abstract: A particularly better rotary cutter for a road planing machine and the like has special holders provided with multi-sided tapered sockets extending generally tangential to the drum surface. A multiple tip cutting bit suitable for use with the aforementioned cutter has two or more tips symmetrically and equidistantly spaced about the projected centerline of an integral tapered shank. The shank has a multi-sided cross-sectional shape corresponding in arrangement to the pattern of the cutting tips, such that the bit can be indexed in its holder to place any selected one of the cutting tips in the operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: William G. Heckenhauer
  • Patent number: 4193460
    Abstract: A perforating gun for perforating earth formations, primarily in oil and gas wells. The gun includes a straight metal tube in which explosive jet charges are carried. A mounting apparatus within the tube holds the charges in pairs, the pairs being spaced vertically from each other. The charges within a pair point in the same general direction. The axis of each charge within a pair lies in a common horizontal plane with the axis of the other charge in the pair. The gun is operable with a decentralizer that places it in contact with the casing wall for firing. An alignment device within the gun assures that the charges are all pointing toward the nearest wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Inventor: Bruce Gilbert
  • Patent number: 4190293
    Abstract: A rock splitting attachment for a breaking hammer comprising a primary shaft and an elongated primary wedge assembly that is telescopically attached to the primary shaft. The primary shaft has a plurality of principal wedge surfaces on its outer surface adjacent its bottom end. The structure for telescopically attaching the primary shaft to the elongated primary wedge assembly comprises a bore in the primary shaft extending axially inwardly from its bottom end and a secondary shaft that forms a part of the elongated primary wedge assembly. The width of the secondary shaft is smaller that the width of the bore so that it may be telescopically received therein. The secondary shaft has an external groove extending axially along a substantial portion of its length. A set screw is threadably seated in the primary shaft so that it extends radially inwardly far enough into the primary shaft that it extends into the external groove of the secondary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1980
    Inventor: Charles E. Nieder