Abstract: A device used to break rock from within a predrilled borehole through the use of impact pins which strike against the interior sides of a drilled hole. The device is loaded into a drilled hole and then activated by a percussive hammer located above the hole, providing percussive energy to the device which is then transferred to the sidewall of the drilled hole. The device includes an inner piston assembly which includes a driving surface for causing impact pins to strike the interior sidewall of the drilled hole in a rapid percussive manner so as to greatly improve the ability to break and shatter surrounding rock or concrete.

Abstract: A rock drilling machine and an axial bearing module. The rock drilling machine is equipped with an axial bearing having at least one axial piston for axially positioning a drill shank and for damping stress pulses returning from the rock. The axial bearing includes a module that is detachable in one piece from one installation direction. The axial bearing module includes the required pressure medium channels, seals, bearing surfaces, and a module frame having at least bearing housing in connection therewith.

Abstract: A drill bit for core sampling includes a body having a central axis and first end having a tapered outer surface and a radius transverse to the central axis, and an insert having a cutting surface on the first end oriented at an axial angle relative to the radius to move material displaced during drilling away from the first end.

Abstract: A down-the-hole assembly includes a housing assembly having a head end and a bit end. The housing assembly further includes an inlet joint having an inlet channel defined therein, a sealing portion positioned toward the bit end relative to the inlet joint, and an outlet portion positioned toward the bit end relative to the sealing portion. A hammer assembly including a piston has a piston channel defined therein that includes an inlet in fluid communication with the inlet channel and an outlet in fluid communication with the housing assembly.

Abstract: A percussion drill, and methods of using the same, including a shank in mechanical alignment with a piston-hammer and a valve in fluid communication with the piston-hammer. The percussion drill further includes an internal hydraulic dampening system for reducing the velocity of the piston-hammer when the shank is forward of a power position relative to the velocity of the piston-hammer when the shank is in a power position. Preferably, the internal hydraulic dampening system includes mechanical alignment of a portion of the piston-hammer with a port in fluid communication with the valve, operable to reduce fluid flow into an area surrounding the valve when the piston-hammer is forward of its position relative to its normal operation.

Abstract: A drill bit for core sampling includes a body having a central axis and first end having a tapered outer surface and a radius transverse to the central axis, and an insert having a cutting surface on the first end oriented at an axial angle relative to the radius to move material displaced during drilling away from the first end.

Abstract: Apparatus for driving an open-ended conductor pipe into the ground. The apparatus includes, in combination, an open-ended conductor pipe capable of being driven into the ground, a drill string, a device for pumping fluid through the drill string, an arrangement for supporting the conductor pipe on the drill string, and a reciprocable impact driver supportable by the drill string within the conductor pipe. The apparatus further includes a device for reciprocating the reciprocable impact driver using fluid pumped through the drill string, an anvil capable of transferring the percussive force of the reciprocable impact driver to the conductor pipe, and jets for jetting fluid into the lower portion of the conductor pipe.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a downhole drill string component has a shaft being axially fixed at a first location to an inner surface of an opening in a tubular body. A mechanism is axially fixed to the inner surface of the opening at a second location and is in mechanical communication with the shaft. The mechanism is adapted to elastically change a length of the shaft and is in communication with a power source. When the mechanism is energized, the length is elastically changed.

Abstract: The side tracking system includes a window mill having a full diameter cutting surface and a reduced diameter tapered cutting surface and a whipstock having a ramp engaging the reduced diameter cutting surface. The materials of the whipstock have a first cutablity and the materials of the casing have a second cutability. The reduced diameter cutting surface contacts the whipstock ramp at a first contact area and the full diameter cutting surface contacts the wall of the casing at a second contact area. As weight is applied to the mill, there is a first contact stress at the first contact area and a second contact stress at the second contact area. A cutability ratio is the first cutability divided by the second cutability and a contact stress ratio is the first contact stress divided by the second contact stress. The mill cuts the casing rather than the whipstock by maintaining the product of the cutability ratio and the contact stress ratio less than one.

Abstract: A guide tube for use in a rock drill string includes a main portion, a sleeve disposed at a first end of the main portion, and a male thread portion disposed at a second end of the main portion. The sleeve forms a recess having a female thread. A flush channel extends through the guide tube. The main portion includes a section of reduced cross-section disposed adjacent the sleeve for defining a generally radially extending shoulder between the waist and the sleeve. The shoulder serves to support the guide tube on a rig as percussion is applied to the guide tube for loosening a threaded joint between the guide tube and another member.

Abstract: A tubular piling apparatus and method for penetrating the soil comprises, in a preferred embodiment, elements such as a drive shoe and/or other earth displacing structures which may be, in one presently preferred embodiment, of larger outer diameter than the surface conductor pipe. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes a collar mountable to the pilings having an earth displacing structure formed thereon. In another aspect, a drive shoe, being of a larger size than the conductor pipe and connected to the bottom section of the conductor pipe is provided with an exterior band mounted on the outer diameter of the drive shoe. The exterior band may be located proximate the lower end of the drive shoe. The drive shoe may include teeth formed such that causes compression of earthen formation away from the inner surface of the drive shoe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for core drilling of concrete by resiliently mounting a hammer drill to a drill press or similar support frame using a recoil spring to maintain a driving force on the hammer drill. An air blower is positioned adjacent the core drilling bit to provide cooling of the bit and material removal from the core such that the bit no longer needs to be periodically withdrawn from the core for material removal. In a preferred embodiment, the support frame uses a screw jack to periodically move the resiliently mounted hammer drill. Use of an inexpensive electric blower and electric hammer drill allow semi-automatic remote operation, wherein the screw jack is turned to compress the recoil spring and then the blower and hammer drill are turned on from a remote distance by switching the electricity on. In this manner, the operator can operate the core drilling system without being subjected to the concrete dust and debris being blown from the core by the blower.

Abstract: A reamer with a planetary gear train for use in horizontal directional drilling allows a reaming surface of the reamer to rotate at slower speeds while simultaneously conveying more power to the reamer via fast drill string rotational speeds. The reamer may also include mixing elements that may rotate at the same speed as the drill string. The reamer may further be steerable and include an offset mount that is rotatably coupled to the reamer. The offset mount being configured to couple a ream string to the reamer in such a manner that a longitudinal axis of the ream string is not collinear with the axis of rotation of the reamer. The reamer may also include u-joints which couple the reamer to a drill string and ream string, the u-joints allowing for a greater range of angles to be achieved when tilting the reamer by means of rotating and positioning the ream line.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a core drill wherein initial drilling workability is improved through reduced frictional resistance on the segment tips, when they are seated on the surface of an article to start cutting operation, and wherein cutting scraps or sludge produced by the segment tips are smoothly discharged through the helical grooves formed on the core body so as to reduce the friction between the core body and the cutting scraps or sludge, whereby both the cooling and cutting performance of the core drill are improved. The invention proposes a core drill with a cylindrical core body with a predetermined diameter and length and with plural cutting segments provided on the lower part of a core body at a finite interval, wherein the cutting thickness surface of the cutting segment consists of inclined sharp thickness portion for decreased frictional resistance with an article to be processed.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: The invention concerns a reverse circulation rock drill having a backhead attached to a piston and cylinder assembly between the backhead and a drill bit assembly and around a sample tube with the outer walls of the sample tube and piston profiled to provide air paths for power and exhaust strokes of the piston, a O-ring seal being provided in the backhead as a check valve.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: A drilling tool, especially for the rotary percussion drilling of preferably rock, has a drilling body equipped toward the drilling side preferably with cutting bits, and with an axially arranged bore for receiving an exchangeable centering drill. In order to achieve axial movability and a reliable rotational takeup of the centering drill in the drilling tool, the drilling tool has a transverse bore which is arranged centrally relative to its drill longitudinal axis and into which can be inserted a bar-shaped or tubular holding means which centrally penetrates a corresponding recess on the shank of the centering drill so that the centering drill can be moved in the axial direction.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: A drilling tool, in particular for rotary percussion drilling preferably of rock, is proposed, with a drill body preferably equipped with cutting tips toward the drilling side and with an axially arranged bore for receiving an exchangeable center drill. In order to carry out easy mounting and demounting of the center drill, the drilling tool is designed in two parts, the center drill being capable of being introduced into the drilling tool on the clamping side.

Abstract: A sampling device includes a barrel having a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior. A fluid entrance penetrates the exterior surface. A fluid path having an outlet port is fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance. The device is driven into a subsurface so that a soil sample is forced into the hollow interior. While the device is still in the subsurface a fluid sample is collected through the least one fluid entrance and fluid path.

Abstract: A sampling device capable of collecting fluid and soil samples includes a sensor for measuring a fluid parameter. The sensor is coupled to a monitor which records the fluid parameter measurements. A regenerative gas is passed through the sensor to regenerate the sensor so that a number of measurements may be taken. A movable drive tip covers an opening through which the fluid sample is collected.

Abstract: A drill bit is proposed, in particular for the rotary-percussive drilling of preferably rock, concrete or the like, which includes a thin-walled cylindrical drilling body (106) open to the drilling side and a drill-bit base (20) extending essentially radially and having an axially arranged drill-bit shank (101) for fastening the drill bit. The drill-bit base (20) has an outer contour in the radial direction, which outer contour follows a curve shape which has at least one inflection point. Furthermore, a drill bit is proposed whose drill-bit base (20) has an outer contour which passes through a minimum in the radial direction, the drill-bit base being connected in the rising radially outer curve section of its outer contour to the cylindrical drilling body.

Abstract: A sampling device includes a barrel having a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior. A fluid entrance penetrates the exterior surface. A fluid path having an outlet port is fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance. The device is driven into a subsurface so that a soil sample is forced into the hollow interior. While the device is still in the subsurface a fluid sample is collected through the least one fluid entrance and fluid path.

Abstract: A sampling device includes a barrel having a downhole end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a hollow interior, and an open end at the downhole end of the hollow interior. A fluid entrance penetrates the exterior surface. A fluid path having an outlet port is fluidly coupled to the fluid entrance. The device is driven into a subsurface so that a soil sample is forced into the hollow interior. While the device is still in the subsurface a fluid sample is collected through the least one fluid entrance and fluid path.

Abstract: The drilling system of this invention is specifically adapted to reverse-circulation sample drilling employing a downhole hammer drill. The drilling head configuration provides for simultaneous feeding into a multi-walled drill string with drilling mud, compressed air to operate the hammer drill, to feed the hammer drill head and withdrawing of the return air. The system includes a triple-walled drill rod especially adapted for downhole hammer drilling that eliminates the need for a separate drive casing string.

Abstract: A percussive tool, and a tool bit for the percussive tool for cutting the face of a deposit to be extracted. The tool bit is a circularly cylindrical columnar structure driven axially by the percussive tool. It is laterally unsupported and unobstructed for a substantial reference length. It has a circular cutting edge whose outer diameter increases as it extends axially away from its cutting end. Its ratio of wall thickness to outer diameter, and reference length to wall diameter, are such as to resist permanent lateral deformation and euler-type columnar collapse. When mounted, the bit is rotatable around its own central axis.

Abstract: In the preferred and illustrated embodiment of the core sample bullet construction, a multi-piece construction is set forth. There is a forward, or removable, nose portion. It nests with and connects to a carrier portion. The two portions together define an elongate central bore formed in multiple portions, and the bore is open through the rear of the carrier. At the rear, a separate and removable bottom cap is plugged into the carrier portion and the two are joined together at the time of assembly, before firing. A release ring is included on the outer face of the nose portion and protects the shoulder of the carrier portion, engaging the formation upon entry, and is sacrifically abandoned; the ring is a mechanism for releasing the nose portion whereby retraction is easily obtained; the release ring includes drilling mud and debris relieving notches formed in the inside diameter.

Abstract: Sampling bullets of the type which are fired into rock formations adjacent a well bore. Surprising and unexpected increases in the service life of the bullet and reliability in obtaining and retrieving core samples have been achieved.

Abstract: A drilling device which can be lowered in a drill hole consists of a drive device, a drill which is rotated by this drive device and a clamping device formed as a unit which can be engaged with the inside wall of the drill hole and serves to transfer the torque of the drive to the drill. The drill consists of a ring-shaped housing, the outside diameter of which corresponds with the diameter of the drill hole and the upper part of is closed off by a plate. The housing contains several cutting tools which are equipped with bore crowns which serve to cut out a drill core and which are arranged at uniform distances and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the drilling device. Using additional drive devices, the cutting tools are designed to impart impact impulses and/or additional rotational movements in an axial direction. All drive devices are fluid actuated in such a manner that the clamping device is actuated initially and the drill is subsequently activated by the increasing pressure of the fluid medium.

Abstract: A method of emptying pipes driven into earth in nontrench laying is disclosed, wherein spoil is dug and picked up in the process of movement of a working element by vibratory shock loads, a spoil cushion is simultaneously formed in the pipe for the purpose of taking up reaction loads set up by the movement of the working element, the direction of the vibratory shock loads is reversed after a spoil load is picked up, and the spoil cushion is removed upon completion of the pipe emptying cycles. A device for carrying this method into effect comprises a working element which has a means for retaining the spoil load during withdrawal thereof and is constructed as a barrel, the blind end of which is rigidly connected with a reversible pneumatic hammer, and a chamfer being provided on the open end of the barrel, on the outer surface thereof nearest to the pipe bottom.

Abstract: An annular drilling hammer having an annular bore crown guided between an outer tube and an inner tube. An annular hammer piston periodically strikes the bore crown and has a piston member that is guided in a cylindrical chamber having control apertures which are connected fluidically to a reversing valve. The working medium is delivered to the reversing valve between an inner tube system and an outer tube system. After driving the hammer piston the medium is discharged from the drill between the outer tube and the bore crown. The bore crown is provided with flow channels leading from the rear shoulder through and to the front and/or central aperture of the bore crown. The flow of driving medium through these channels aids the entrainment of bored material, which then is carried out through the inner tube with the aid of a Venturi opening.

Abstract: A rock-breaking tool for preferable use in self-propelled percussive machines for boring wells, comprising a casing with a pointed portion and an end face. The casing has an annular cutting edge formed by the pointed portion and inner tapered surface thereof. The casing is formed with a cone-shaped chamber open at the end face thereof, oriented toward the bottom of a well being drilled, the internal surface of the chamber intersecting with the conical surface of the annular cutting edge. The casing is also provided with ducts communicating the chamber with the surrounding space.

Abstract: A rock drill for rotary blow drilling with a drilling head arranged at the free end of the drill shaft, which at least partially consists of hard metal. The drilling head the end face of which is circular disc shaped or circular ring shaped includes a formed piece of solid hard metal. Cutting bodies are machined out of the end of this piece of hard metal which cutting bodies have the shape of pyramids or truncated pyramids and taper with increasing distance from the drill shank.

Abstract: A boring tool, especially for drill hammers with a hollow drill core bit, which the inner thread of the hollow drill core bit connected directly to the borer shank and in which a corresponding outer thread provided on a holding mandrel form a part of the borer shank have a wire coil-thread insert inserted therebetween. The hollow drill core bit and the borer shank are provided with centering surfaces located between the windings of the wire coil thread insert and arranged in centering engagement with each other.

Abstract: Large-diameter, undisturbed soil core samples were obtained from a variety of soils. Handling and fracturing of the undisturbed soil cores were minimized by encasing the cores in heat-shrinkable plastic tubes during sampling operations.

Abstract: A method of obtaining geological specimens is disclosed along with methods of producing a geological or geochemical map and apparatus for accomplishing the method. A fixed wing or other airborne vehicle, such as a light plane or a helicopter, is operated at relatively low absolute altitude over a region of the surface of the earth from which specimens are to be obtained. A sampling device is extended from the vehicle and caused to contact the surface of the earth while the vehicle is maintained airborne. The sampling device is then returned to the vehicle and the sample thus obtained is removed therefrom and the operation is repeated at various selected points in the region. The apparatus includes various sampling devices including tubular bodies having stabilizing fins or the like to direct the bodies at the surface of the earth in a desired manner.

Abstract: The present sampler is adapted to take soil samples from the ground surface, from a borehole sunk by other tools, as well as for drilling shallow boreholes. The sampler is provided with an air-operated percussion mechanism and a soil sample receiving sleeve arranged coaxially thereto. The side surface of the sleeve is provided with an annular ridge having a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the percussion mechanism housing. This feature enables a reduction of the forces applied to the sampler to sink it into or withdraw it from the soil.

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.