Patents by Inventor Vaughn R. Johnston

Vaughn R. Johnston has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Stripper rubber on a steel core with an integral sealing gasket
    Patent number: 7392860
    Abstract: An elongated stripper rubber having a converging internal passage extending to a neck portion elastically expanded to snugly receive a drill string. The elongated stripper rubber is adhered to a steel core having a truncated conical load bearing surface containing an annular gasket cavity containing a truncated conical gasket. The volume of elastic material protruding from the truncated conical load bearing surface can be compressed into the gasket cavity between the steel core and a truncated conical annulus in an outer housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Vaughn R. Johnston
  • Seal apparatus
    Patent number: 4955436
    Abstract: A stripper rubber or rubber seal apparatus such as used in drilling operations which includes a pair of transversely mating rubber elements which are cooperable to encompass a drill string and are carried by a diametrically split clamp ring that is engageable with a mounting ring carried by the drilling apparatus in a manner that the mating rubber elements may be brought simultaneously into sealing engagement with the mounting ring and into mating sealed engagement with each other about a drill pipe or other ancillary structure such as a rotary drive bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Inventor: Vaughn R. Johnston
  • Diverter apparatus
    Patent number: 4889196
    Abstract: A diverter apparatus for use in conjunction with earth drilling operations to divert cuttings from the area surrounding the bore hole, and including a pneumatically extensible and retractable ground-engaging skirt which surrounds the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Inventor: Vaughn R. Johnston
  • Drilling head method and apparatus
    Patent number: 4531591
    Abstract: A rotary drilling head wherein rotary friction between the rotary spindle assembly and the spindle housing is limited by improvements in bearing and seal lubrication and by seal structure such that the gripping action of a resiliently flexible packer on a drill string provides a rotary drive connection sufficient to impart rotation to the spindle assembly through rotation of the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Assignee: Washington Rotating Control Heads
    Inventor: Vaughn R. Johnston
  • Stripper packer
    Patent number: 4486025
    Abstract: A stripper packer having a mounting collar to which a stripper rubber is releasably secured by compressive clamping means in a manner such that the compressively deformed stripper rubber is maintained in releasable fluid pressure-tight face sealing engagement with the mounting collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Washington Rotating Control Heads, Inc.
    Inventor: Vaughn R. Johnston