Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for effecting the setting of a whipstock in a desired angularly oriented position in a well conduit solely by the use of a wire line but can be set on tubing or drill pipe, if desired. A packer is provided which can be expanded into sealed engagement with the casing at a desired location. The packer is provided with a key element, either a key or a key slot, and orienting elements by which a conventional well bore survey can provide an accurate indication of the angular alignment of the anchor key element. A whipstock anchor is provided incorporating a socket portion in which the whipstock may be rigidly secured and a shaft portion which is insertable within the bore of the packer and has a key element cooperating with the keyway, or key, provided in the packer. After setting of the packer in the well conduit, a survey is made to provide an accurate indication of the angular position of the packer keyway or key.

Abstract: A Pneumatic impact drilling tool, particularly useful as a downhole pneumatic drill, includes a housing structure adapted to be connected to a string of drill pipe and supplied with compressed air therethrough. A hammer piston reciprocates in the housing structure along flexible feed and exhaust tubes. Compressed air is directed alternately to the upper and lower ends of the hammer to effect its reciprocation in the housing. The hammer is operable to strike an anvil bit member repeatedly to effect a drilling motion. At the upper end of the housing there is provided a removable annular plug member surrounding the tubular support in which the feeder tube is positioned. The annular plug member defines the volume of the space above the hammer piston and is related to the size of the feeder tube so that the feeder tube and plug member together determine the volume of air utilized at any selected air pressure and the timing of operation of the hammer position.

Abstract: An air hammer embodying an outer housing structure connectable to a rotatable drill pipe string through which compressed air is conducted. A hammer piston reciprocates in the housng structure, compressed air being directed alternately to the upper and lower ends of the piston to effect its reciprocation in the structure, each downward stroke inflicting an impact blow upon the anvil portion of an anvil bit extending upwardly within the lower portion of the housing structure. The compressed air exhausts through a non-metallic elastic synthetic resin sleeve or tube fixed to the anvil and extending slidably into the lower portion of the hammer piston, the sleeve being deflectable laterally in the event of misalignment between the hammer piston and the anvil to prevent fatigue failure of the sleeve.

Abstract: An airhammer embodies an outer housing structure connectible to a rotatable drill pipe string through which compressed air is conducted. A hammer piston reciprocates in the housing structure, compressed air being directed alternately to the upper and lower ends of the piston to effect its reciprocation in the structure, each downward stroke inflicting an impact blow upon the anvil portion of an anvil bit extending upwardly within the lower portion of the housing structure. Upon elevating the airhammer off the bottom of the bore hole being drilled, the anvil bit drops downwardly of the housing structure to open one or more air bleeding grooves in the anvil bit, compressed air in the housing structure bleeding quickly through such grooves and preventing or stopping the hammer piston from reciprocating and impacting against the anvil bit.

Abstract: A rotatable airhammer including an outer housing structure in which a hollow hammer piston is reciprocable to impact against an anvil bit used in drilling a bore hole. The anvil bit has a central passage communicating with inner core sample tubing extending through the piston to the upper end of the housing structure, such tubing housing structure being connectible to a string of concentric dual drill pipe extending to the top of the bore hole. Compressed air is directed alternately to the annular space between the tubing and housing structure above and below the piston to reciprocate the latter for repeated impact action against the anvil bit, air being discharged from the lower portion of the housing structure to clear the bottom of the bore hole of cuttings and direct them into the central passage through the bit, the inner tubing and inner drill pipe portion to the top of the hole.

Abstract: A dual concentric pipe string for bore hole coring having inner and outer concentric pipe sections, the outer pipe sections being secured together by the usual threaded connection, the inner pipe sections being connected through coupling devices containing elastomeric bodies that make a friction fit with the end portions of adjacent inner pipe sections, the inner pipe sections being frictionally secured to longitudinally spaced elastomeric centralizers having circumferentially spaced longitudinal ribs engaging the inner wall of the outer pipe sections to maintain the inner sections coaxial of the outer sections, with some of the centralizers engaging transverse shoulders in the outer sections to secure the inner sections in the outer sections against substantial longitudinal movement with respect thereto.

Abstract: An air hammer embodying an outer housing structure connectible to a rotatable drill pipe string through which compressed air is conducted. A hammer piston reciprocates in the housing structure along flexible inlet and outlet tubes, compressed air being directed alternately to the upper and lower ends of the piston to effect its reciprocation in the structure, each downward stroke inflicting an impact blow upon the anvil portion of an anvil bit extending upwardly within the lower portion of the housing structure. The piston contacts the housing structure at the upper and lower portions of the piston only, so that the piston can deviate upon flexing of the housing structure under load, and not bind in the housing structure, as permitted by the flexible inlet and outlet tubes.

Abstract: A swivel, particularly useful in core drilling a bore hole, including a rotor rotatable in a stator, the rotor having a passage through which compressed air is forced to an air operated device for producing cores in the bore hole, and also having a return passage through which the cores conveyed by a portion of the compressed air flow into a core receiving chamber in the stator, a pusher or wiper in the chamber being secured to the rotor to rotate therewith and move around the chamber to shift the cores and core particles toward and into a stator outlet.

Abstract: An air hammer embodying an outer housing structure connectable to a rotatable drill pipe string through which compressed air is conducted. A hammer piston reciprocates in the housing structure, compressed air being directed alternately to the upper and lower ends of the piston to effect its reciprocation in the structure, each downward stroke inflicting an impact blow upon the anvil portion of an anvil bit extending upwardly within the lower portion of the housing structure. The compressed air acts against the piston over the full internal cross-sectional area of the housing structure in delivering its impact blow, such compressed air acting downwardly over at least a portion of the piston area during its entire downward stroke, including its latter portion, during which the power or impacting air is being exhausted from the housing structure.

Abstract: An airhammer and core bit apparatus including a housing and a hammer piston reciprocable in the housing for delivering repeated impact blows to an anvil secured to or forming part of a core bit which produces a core in a bore hole being drilled. A central core receiving tube extends through the housing and hammer piston, through which the core formed by the bit is conducted upwardly and through the hammer piston to the top of the bore hole, part of the compressed air supplied to the airhammer being diverted to the central tube for elevating the core therewithin toward the top of the bore hole.

Abstract: An impact type of anvil core bit includes a body having a central opening through its bottom drilling face, a plurality of spaced cutters, such as sintered tungsten carbide buttons, being secured to the body and extending downwardly from the face to drill against the bottom of the bore hole outwardly of the central opening, the cutters including inner cutters for forming the core in the bottom of the hole, a cutter ring being secured to the body and circumscribing the opening above the bottom of the hole to shape the core for movement into the central opening.