Abstract: A drill bit for use in combination with a through-the-steel drill stem, the drill bit including an elongated body portion having a bore through which cuttings may be removed, a web extending transversely across the bore for receiving a drill tip, and drill ports leading from the drill tip to the bore and from the periphery of the body portion to the bore, the drill ports comprising opposed axially extending openings contoured as a hemisphere to define opposed axially extending faces of the web and opening to the bore from the drill tip and extending axially along the body portion and opening from the periphery thereof to the bore below the web. The drill bit may be provided with a sleeve to delimit the drill ports.

Abstract: A braze fixture is described having appendages for holding a first component substantially fixed in a predetermined portion with respect to a second component during a brazing operation in which the first component is brazed to the second component.

Abstract: A drill bit for use in combination with a through-the-steel drill stem, the drill bit including an elongated body portion having a bore through which cuttings may be removed through the drill stem, a web for receiving a drill tip, and a sleeve attached about the body portion thereof, the web thereof having axially extending faces coutoured from the periphery of the body portion toward the axis thereof, and the sleeve extending from the body portion and in spaced apart axial relation to the contoured faces of the web in a manner to define drill cut receiving ports opening upwardly to the drill tip and downwardly to the bore of the body portion. The drill bit may be provided with a male keeper or retainer to mate with a complementary female receptor of the drill stem for interconnection of the drill bit to the drill stem.