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: Abrading and cutting devices such as saws include waste containment systems and methods to improve removal of slurry or other contaminants from a work area during operations, and separation of slurry from a carrying medium such as air. A vacuum bar includes high and low vacuum openings to help focus flow and to conserve vacuum pressure. One opening faces the saw blade. A slurry containment and separation container includes walls and configurations for the inlets and outlets that enhance cleaner separation of the air and the slurry. Coolant is applied to the saw blade to make operation and cleanup more efficient. The vacuum generator can operate off of the power generated by the machine.

Abstract: A closed loop control system for a core drilling mechanism automatically controls the penetration rate, the weight on the drill bit, and the torque load applied to the drill string, and maintains all three at or below preselected maximum values. The closed loop control system incorporates a controller that receives sensed information and generates corresponding control signals to control the penetration rate and thus the weight on the drill bit and the torque load through a servo valve in a hydraulic drive circuit. One or more sensors are provided to sense the penetration rate of the drill bit, and are coupled with the controller. Similarly, sensors are provided to determine the weight on the drill bit and the torque load applied to the drill string.

Abstract: An improved drilling rig having a drillhead assembly positioned onto a mast for vertical movement therewith. The drillhead assembly is hung by cables threaded from a hoist assembly positioned at the top end of the mast. One or more cable return assemblies are positioned at the bottom end of the mast. The cables are counter-wound on the hoist assembly such that the cables roll off of the hoist assembly in the direction towards the drillhead assembly at the same rate the cables are pulled onto the hoist assembly from the direction towards the cable return assemblies. The drillhead assembly has a drive motor assembly rotatably mounted within a frame. A break-out tool assembly is mounted at the lower end of the mast. The break-out tool assembly has means for grasping rotating a length of string so as to separate the lengths of string.

Abstract: A moisture testing device having various applications including the testing of moisture in the thermal insulation of insulated pipe, the device having a readout and related components connected to a detector assembly which is pivotally mounted at the end of an adjustable pole. The detector assembly utilizes the principle of neutron back scatter or neutron moderation which is known for measuring water and hydrogen, but it is designed as a highly efficient screening device which can for example test thousands of feet of pipe in a day.

Abstract: A wall saw for cutting concrete or similar materials includes a track, mounting brackets to affix the track to a wall, and a movable saw carriage. The saw carriage is mounted to the track by a guide mechanism, which may include a plurality of rollers, mounted to the carriage for pivotal movement between an engaged position, in guiding contact with the track, and a retracted position, out of contact with the track, by movement of a carrying handle of the carriage. In one embodiment, the rollers are mounted for pivotal camming motion and are retracted sufficiently in their retracted positions to permit mounting and dismounting of the carriage relative to the track by movement of the carriage perpendicular to the wall.

Abstract: A safety shutdown system for a rotary drill rig with a power supply, a support frame and a rotary drill spindle and drill tool connected to the support frame. The drill spindle and tool are driven by a drive train that is connected by a clutch with a declutch mechanism to an internal combustion engine and an engine solenoid with a shut-off switch. A brake with a brake solenoid is also provided on the drive train. An infrared beam transmitter is positioned adjacent to the drill tool and an infrared beam receiver is positioned adjacent to the drill tool and on the opposite side of the drill from the transmitter so that the receiver can receive infrared beams emitted from the transmitter. A controller is connected between the clutch solenoid and the engine solenoid. The controller is activated when the infrared beam between the transmitter and the receiver is interrupted. The controller activates at least one of the clutch engaging solenoid and the engine solenoid to stop the drill spindle and drill tool.

Abstract: A drilling tool, for example a core barrel inner tube assembly or a drilling bit, is attached to the inner end of a latch body which is removably seatable on a landing shoulder of a drill string. The inner end of the latch body mounts a drilling tool such as a core receiving tool or a drag bit. An overcenter toggle latch assembly is mounted to the latch body, the latch assembly including a pair of latches having inner ends pivotally mounted to the latch body, toggle links that at their one ends are pivotally connected to the outer ends of the latches and at their opposite ends have a retractor link extended through elongated slots. The retractor pin is extended through an axially elongated slot in the latch body to limit the axial movement of the pin between a position that the latches are locked in a latch seated position and a position retracting the latch body and the drilling tool attached thereto.

Abstract: A drilling tool, for example a core barrel inner tube assembly or a drilling bit, is attached to the inner end of a latch body which is removably seatable on a landing shoulder of a drill string. A latch retractor is mounted to the latch body for limited axial movement and has a latch assembly chamber opening inwardly to the closed end of the tubular portion of the latch body. The latch assembly includes a rigid transverse link that at opposite ends dependingly pivotally mount a pair of latches, there being no mechanical attachment of the assembly to the retractor or latch body. A transverse stop member limits the latch lateral sections movement inwardly toward the other from a latch seated position to a latch retracted position. At the inner end of the retractor, there are angularly spaced flanges extending radially toward the other in the chamber for retracting the latches as the retractor is withdrawn. The flanges are spaced to permit the assembly being extended therebetween and into the chamber.

Abstract: An extendable boom assembly is mounted on a platform or a base for longitudinally pivotally moving a drill rod between a rod rack and a drill rig in a position in alignment with the drill string axis regardless of whether the drilling direction is vertical or is angularly positioned relative to the vertical direction. The boom assembly is mounted for pivotal movement with the track assembly and transverse movement relative thereto, the track assembly being mounted on a drill rig platform. The upper end of the boom assembly mounts a jaw assembly for releaseably gripping a drill rod, the jaw assembly being mounted for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and is of a design not requiring the rods being in a particular spaced relationship relative to one another. The gripping assembly jaws and the limited pivotal movement results in the rod to be transferred being pivoted to a position parallel to the main boom arm central axis as the rod is being clampingly engaged and moved away from the rod stack.

Abstract: For breaking out a drill rod joint, a hydraulic chuck is mounted by a housing for clampingly engaging a drill rod and for rotation to break a rod joint, the chuck being rotated by a first gear that is bolted to a drive tube which mounts the chuck. A hydraulic motor drives a second gear within the housing for rotating the first gear. A rack is mounted for tangential movement by a rack mount which is movable radially inwardly to move the rack teeth for engaging the first gear teeth while a first spring mechanism constantly resiliently urges the rack mount to a retracted position so that the rack teeth are not engagable with the gear teeth even though the rack is tangentially moved by a first hydraulic ram that is operable for moving the rack to a tangential advance position. A second spring mechanism urges the rack radially outwardly, a second ram being operated to radially move the rack mount and thereby the rack to have the rack teeth engagable with the gear teeth.

Abstract: Power wrench apparatus for holding a drill rod stationary as a rod joint is being broken that includes a first piston cylinder combination for pivotally moving a mounting bracket relative to a frame between wrench rod clamping and releasing positions, a second piston cylinder and an arm member pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket, and a slide handle and a jaw actuator pivoted to the slide member and second piston cylinder respectively to act through a jaw bracket and the slide member to relatively move the wrench first and second jaws from their rod release to their rod clamping position when the mounting bracket is in its wrench clamping position when the piston rod of the second piston cylinder is extended.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a drill stem having a core bit mounted thereon and an inner tube assembly having an inner tube mounting a corebreaker case that either has or in conjunction with the inner tube provides a corebreaker recess having an upwardly facing planar edge. Advantageously a stop ring and a non-axial split annular corebreaker are mounted in the recess with the stop ring being between the corebreaker and inner tube, even though the corebreaker may be axially slit and/or no stop ring used. The corebreaker has inner and outer peripheral surfaces that are of constant diameters, axial opposite transverse inner and outer planar edges while the recess is in part defined by planar edges. At least one of the parallel edges is inclined to the tube central axis when the core breaker is in its core taking position.

Abstract: Core barrel apparatus that includes an inner tube assembly that may fall under gravity or be fluidly propelled through a drill string to the bit end thereof for being retained at the bit end by latches and being retractable by an overshot assembly. The inner tube assembly includes an annular seal portion for forming a fluid seal with the drill string and a fluid by-pass channel with valving mechanism extending therein to permit outward flow but block inward flow while the inner tube assembly is being fluidly propelled inwardly. The inner tube assembly also includes control mechanism to prevent the valving mechanism being moved to permit significant inward flow through the channel only after fluid pressure has been applied to the inner tube assembly at the bit end of the drill string, the latches have moved to their latch seat engaging position and then inward fluid pressure has been significantly decreased.

Abstract: A reverse circulation deep hole rock bit that includes a drill bit connector tube telescopically extended into a drill bit housing to cooperatively form a part of a radial inner fluid channel for cuttings to flow axially outwardly and a radial outer annular clearnace space, a plurality of angularly spaced pressurized fluid passage that open to the annular space and a check valve in each fluid fluid passage to permit inward flow of fluid, but to block fluid flow in the opposite direction. A plurality of angularly spaced cutter arms have arcuate tubular segments secured to axial and radial outer portions of the arms while a radially inner tubular skirt is secured to or abuts against the axial outer portions of the arms.

Abstract: A wire line core barrel inner tube assembly having a latch body that has a maximum diameter, axial intermediate portion providing a downwardly facing annular shoulder seatable on a drill stem landing ring and a fluid bypass channel extending through the maximum diameter portion and a valving assembly mounted by and cooperating with the latch body for controlling fluid flow through said channel. The valving assembly is operable to a position blocking the bypass channel but permits the inner tube assembly to move down faster than the fluid flow in the drill stem during the time the inner tube assembly moves downwardly in the drill stem.

Abstract: A self propelled sawing machine that includes a frame having ground engaging front and rear wheels, an engine driven infinitely variable hydrostatic or mechanical transmission on the frame that is drivingly connected to the rear wheels, a circular saw blade mounted on the frame and drivenly connected to the engine for making cuts in paving or floor materials such as concrete, masonry, etc., a main housing on the frame, a handle connected to one of the main housing and the frame for controlling the direction of movement of the machine, and control mechanism connected to the transmission for controlling the speed and direction of propulsion of the machine.

Abstract: A rod break-out and make-up tool for screwing and unscrewing drill rods that includes a lower clamp assembly having a jaw holder that has trunnions pivotally mounted on a mounting frame, and piston cylinder combinations pivotally mounted by the jaw holder for moving jaws divergingly upwardly to a rod release position and convergingly downwardly to a rod clamping position, a high-low drive assembly having a housing that rotatably mounts a spindle that has drive lugs, a lower ring gear fixed to the spindle and driven at a high speed, low torque by a reversible hydraulic motor, an upper ring gear rotatable on the spindle and driven by a piston cylinder combination operated rack, a ratchet assembly for transmitting a driving force from the upper gear to the lower gear in one angular direction and permitting the lower gear rotating relative thereto in said one direction, legs pivotally mounted on the trunnions for supporting the drive assembly, and adjustment mechanism connected between the frame and the housing f

Abstract: For clampingly holding a drill rod or the like, clamp apparatus that includes a mounting frame having spaced side members, a jaws holder having upwardly diverging end walls and bounding an opening for clamp jaws, longitudinally spaced jaw actuators that include piston cylinder combination having cylinders pivotally mounted on the jaw holder, and piston rods for moving jaw brackets upwardly and outwardly of one another, each bracket having an inclined leg extending into the jaw opening in slidable relationship with the adjacent end wall and into slots in the holder side walls, and side walls that have interleaving portions that maintain the brackets at substantially the same elevation relative one another while permitting the brackets moving longitudinally toward and away from one another, and a pin for releasably mounting each jaw to the respective bracket in abutting relationship to the adjacent bracket leg to move therewith, the jaws having semi-circular rod receiving recesses, the holder having oppositely

Abstract: Core drilling apparatus that includes a wire line core barrel inner tube assembly movable through a drill stem to be seated in a latched core taking position adjacent the drill stem core bit and an overshot assembly coupled to the inner tube assembly for lowering and/or withdrawing the inner tube assembly in the drill stem. The inner tube assembly includes an overshot coupling assembly having a base member extended into the latch release tube for limited movement relative thereto, a spearpoint assembly connected to the base member for pivotal movement through an angle of about 180.degree. about a transverse pivot axis, and a detent plunger resiliently mounted by the subassembly to extend into a base recess when the central axes of the base and coupling members are nearly aligned to releasably retain said members in relative positions that their axes are aligned, and to abut against a base tapered surface when the subassembly central axis is at a substantial angle relative the base central axis.