Abstract: A core barrel head assembly having at least one electronic instrument that is configured to obtain orientation data; a power source; and a communication means to receive and/or transmit orientation data for use in a core sample down hole surveying and sample orientation system that is configured to provide an indication of the orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core has been extracted, and also to a method of core sample orientation identification.

Abstract: A drill string components having a thread extending around a body. The leading end of the thread can have a configuration that resists jamming and cross-threading. In particular, the leading end of the thread can include a planar surface normal to the body. The leading end of the thread can provide an abrupt transition to full thread depth that helps reduce or eliminate cross-threading. The leading end of the thread can be oriented at an angle relative to the axis of the drill string component. When mating male and female threads are similarly structured, the mating threads slide together along an interface at the thread start face and are drawn into a fully thread-coupled condition. The thread starts may have full circumference mating with no jamming positions.

Abstract: A drill bit comprises a first and a second body received within the first body. Each of the first body and second body has a respective crown, each crown having an inner and an outer operative circumference. The outer operative circumference of the second body and the inner operative circumference of the first body can define a first volume that can receive a tubular core sample. The second body can define a break surface that breaks the tubular core sample into core pieces. The drill bit can be employed in a borehole with a reverse circulation system that pumps fluid around an outer surface of the bit, and returning fluid can carry the core pieces out of the borehole.

Abstract: A drill bit comprises a first and a second body received within the first body. Each of the first body and second body has a respective crown, each crown having an inner and an outer operative circumference. The outer operative circumference of the second body and the inner operative circumference of the first body can define a first volume that can receive a tubular core sample. The second body can define a break surface that breaks the tubular core sample into core pieces. The drill bit can be employed in a borehole with a reverse circulation system that pumps fluid around an outer surface of the bit, and returning fluid can carry the core pieces out of the borehole.

Abstract: A core barrel head assembly having at least one electronic instrument that is configured to obtain orientation data; a power source; and a communication means to receive and/or transmit orientation data for use in a core sample down hole surveying and sample orientation system that is configured to provide an indication of the orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core has been extracted, and also to a method of core sample orientation identification.

Abstract: An overshot assembly for operative coupling to a wireline and a head assembly within a drilling system. The overshot assembly has a proximal body portion, a distal body portion, and a spindle received within the distal body portion. The distal body portion is moveable axially relative to the spindle to effect movement of a latching assembly about and between a deployed position in which the latching assembly extends radially outwardly from the distal body portion and a retracted position in which the latching assembly is received within the distal body portion.

Abstract: A cable release system for permitting detachment of a drilling cable from a drill string. The cable release system has a swivel body, a bearing assembly, one or more locking elements, and a release sleeve assembly. The swivel body is coupled to a drilling cable. The bearing assembly has a receptacle body that receives a portion of the swivel body and defines openings that receive a portion of corresponding locking elements. The bearing assembly has an outer sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the receptacle body and has a variable inner diameter such that axial movement of outer sleeve controls the radial position of the locking elements relative to the swivel body. The release sleeve assembly can be moved in a distal direction to engage the outer sleeve of the bearing assembly to move the outer sleeve to an axial position in which the swivel body and drilling cable are detachable from the remainder of the drill string.

Abstract: Drill string components having at least two threads extending around a body. The leading end of each thread can have a configuration having increased strength and resistance to jamming and cross-threading. In particular, the leading end of each thread can comprise a planar surface normal to the body. The leading end of each thread can provide an abrupt transition to full thread depth that helps reduce or eliminate cross-threading and can be oriented at an angle relative to the axis of the drill string component. Each thread can further provide at least one of a variable thread width and a variable thread pitch configured to create an axial progressive fit. Each thread can also provide a cylindrical thread root and a thread crest that circumscribes a frusta-cone over at least a portion of the axial length of the threads configured to create a radial progressive fit.

Abstract: Infiltrated diamond bodies for use in gripping drill rods and other tubulars. One example of such an infiltrated diamond body is a cast diamond roller having a plurality of pads that are separated by channels. Another example of such an infiltrated diamond body is a cast wrench jaw having at least one raised jaw pad.

Abstract: A brake device for engaging an inner surface of a drill string within a borehole. The brake device has a driving member that defines a plurality of wedge surfaces, a brake retainer that receives at least a portion of the driving member, and a plurality of braking elements positioned in contact with at least a portion of the outer surface of the driving member. The brake retainer has a biasing member that is operatively coupled to the driving member. The biasing member of the brake retainer biases the driving member in a proximal direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the drill string to position the wedge surfaces in contact with corresponding braking elements, and the wedge surfaces drive the braking elements radially outwardly to engage the inner surface of the drill string. The brake device is not coupled to an inner tube assembly.

Abstract: Threaded drill string component having a hollow elongate body with a box end portion, an opposing pin end portion and a cylindrical mid-body portion that extends longitudinally between the respective box and pin end portions and has a variable wall diameter. The mid-body inner wall of the mid-body portion has at least one projecting portion or upset that is spaced from both the box and pin end portions and extends inwardly toward a central longitudinal axis of the hollow body and a plurality of troughs defined in the mid-body inner wall of the mid-body portion.

Abstract: A drill bit comprises a first and a second body received within the first body. Each of the first body and second body has a respective crown, each crown having an inner and an outer operative circumference. The outer operative circumference of the second body and the inner operative circumference of the first body can define a first volume that can receive a tubular core sample. The second body can define a break surface that breaks the tubular core sample into core pieces. The drill bit can be employed in a borehole with a reverse circulation system that pumps fluid around an outer surface of the bit, and returning fluid can carry the core pieces out of the borehole.

Abstract: An overshot assembly for operative coupling to a wireline and a head assembly within a drilling system. The overshot assembly has a proximal body portion, a distal body portion, and a spindle received within the distal body portion. The distal body portion is moveable axially relative to the spindle to effect movement of a latching assembly about and between a deployed position in which the latching assembly extends radially outwardly from the distal body portion and a retracted position in which the latching assembly is received within the distal body portion.

Abstract: Implementations described herein include a hoisting device and method for handling, coupling and recovery of tubular members such as drill string components. The hoisting device has a self-energizing gripping means configured to releasably engage a drill string component. In one aspect, the self-energizing gripping means can be operable to increase at least one of a radial biasing force and a contact friction force applied to a drill string component, causing the gripping means to increase the overall gripping force applied to the component with minimal effort exerted by a hoisting device operator.

Abstract: A core lifter and method for making same for use in a drilling system. The core lifter can include a tubular body having an exterior surface and an interior surface and can have a plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses formed in the exterior surface of the tubular body of the core lifter and extending radially inwardly relative to the central axis of the core lifter. The plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses formed in the exterior surface of the tubular body of the core lifter can extend along at least 50 percent of the length of the core lifter.

Abstract: A percussive drill string assembly including a drill bit and a drill rod. The drill bit has a body having: a circumferential wall; a crown extending distally from the circumferential wall; and a threaded portion extending proximally from the circumferential wall. The threaded portion has an outer surface that defines at least one thread having a tapered thread profile. The drill rod has a box end portion having an inner surface that defines: a receptacle configured to receive the threaded portion of the bit; and at least one thread having a tapered profile complementary to the tapered thread profile of the threaded portion of the bit.

Abstract: Drill string components having at least two threads extending around a body. The leading end of each thread can have a configuration having increased strength and resistance to jamming and cross-threading. In particular, the leading end of each thread can comprise a planar surface normal to the body. The leading end of each thread can provide an abrupt transition to full thread depth that helps reduce or eliminate cross-threading and can be oriented at an angle relative to the axis of the drill string component. Each thread can further provide at least one of a variable thread width and a variable thread pitch configured to create an axial progressive fit. Each thread can also provide a cylindrical thread root and a thread crest that circumscribes a frusta-cone over at least a portion of the axial length of the threads configured to create a radial progressive fit.

Abstract: Drill string components having a plurality of threads extending around a body. A first end of body can define first and second cylindrical shoulders that are spaced apart relative to a central axis of the body, and at least two threads can extend between the first and second cylindrical shoulders. The first and second cylindrical shoulders have respective cylindrical inner and outer surfaces. Optionally, each thread can have a thread root, a thread crest, and a pressure flank surface extending radially from the thread root to the thread crest and defining a pressure flank angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the central axis. Optionally, the thread crest of at least one thread can circumscribe a frusta-conical surface extending over at least a portion of the axial length of the plurality of helical turns of the thread.

Abstract: A core barrel head assembly having at least one electronic instrument that is configured to obtain orientation data; a power source; and a communication means to receive and/or transmit orientation data for use in a core sample down hole surveying and sample orientation system that is configured to provide an indication of the orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core has been extracted, and also to a method of core sample orientation identification.

Abstract: A reverse-circulation drilling assembly having an overshot subassembly and a head subassembly. In the event retrieval of the drilling assembly by reverse-circulation fails, the drilling assembly can be retrieved using a secondary overshot.