Patents Assigned to Longyear TM, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11873714
    Abstract: A drill rig having a longitudinal drilling axis, a front portion, and a rear portion can comprise a feedframe aligned with the longitudinal drilling axis, a first head assembly coupled to the feedframe and configured to rotate a drill string, and a rod holder proximate the front portion of the drill rig. A second head assembly can be movable on the feedframe along the longitudinal axis and can include a powered water swivel assembly comprising a spindle having an interior bore a drill rod connector at a first end of the spindle, a motor that is configured to rotate the spindle, a clutch configured to disengage the motor from the spindle, a gearbox that couples the motor to the spindle, and a water swivel that is configured to provide drilling fluid to the interior bore of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Longyear TM, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Clausen, Shane Fox, Lee Gagne, Steve Corboy, Geoff Moroney, David Barrett
  • Patent number: 11790506
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for improved core sample analysis. At least one image of a core sample may be analyzed to determine structural data associated with the core sample (e.g., attributes of the core sample). A machine learning model may analyze the at least one image and determine one or more attributes associated with the core sample. The machine learning model may generate a segmentation mask. An output image may be generated. A user may interact with the output image and provide one or more user edits. The one or more user edits may be provided to the machine learning model for optimization thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventor: Luke George
  • Patent number: 11746600
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Andrew Robert Corona
  • Patent number: 11713629
    Abstract: A drill rod can include a body having an outer surface, an inner surface, a longitudinal axis aligned with a drilling axis, and at least one longitudinally extending groove extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis relative to the inner surface. The inner surface and the at least one longitudinally extending groove can cooperate to define an interior space through which an inner assembly can be received as the inner assembly is advanced and retracted relative to the drilling axis. The at least one longitudinally extending groove of the body of the drill rod can be configured to permit axial flow of fluid through the drill rod as portions of the inner assembly engage the inner surface of the body of the drill rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventor: Vincent Primevert
  • Patent number: 11578552
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Anthony Lachance
  • Patent number: 11499410
    Abstract: A drilling system can comprise a drill string having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least one drill rod and a wireless sub coupled to the at least one drill rod. The wireless sub can comprise processing circuitry that is configured to detect mechanical impulses of the drill string. The processing circuitry can be configured to wirelessly transmit signals indicative of the mechanical impulses to a remote computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: LONGYEAR TM, INC., GLOBALTECH CORPORATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Gordon Stewart, Brett Wilkinson, Raymond Hill
  • Patent number: 11466529
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: LONGYEAR TM, INC., GLOBALTECH CORPORATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Gordon Stewart, Khaled Hejleh
  • Patent number: 11268340
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Anthony Lachance
  • Patent number: 10919726
    Abstract: A wireline system for use during drilling operations. The wireline system has a wireline assembly and a roller assembly. Both the wireline assembly and the roller assembly are positioned within a front portion of a drill rig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Thorsten Upmeier, Christof Kruse, Stefan Wrede, Rene Maennel
  • Patent number: 10830013
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignees: LONGYEAR TM, INC., GLOBALTECH CORPORATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Gordon Stewart, Khaled Hejleh
  • Patent number: 10702975
    Abstract: Drilling tools, such as drill bits, having a shank, a crown, and a plurality of abrasive cutting elements. In the case of impregnated drilling tools, the abrasive cutting elements are dispersed throughout at least a portion of the crown. In the case of surface-set drilling tools, the abrasive cutting media is secured to and projects from a cutting face of the crown. The matrix of the crown of the drilling tools includes a carbide-forming alloy that forms a direct carbide bond with at least one cutting element of the plurality of abrasive cutting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Pearce, Michael D. Rupp, Christian M. Lambert
  • Patent number: 10633943
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, George Iondov, Martin Romeo Savoie
  • Patent number: 10626684
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Jeff Hogan, Anthony LaChance
  • Patent number: 10465463
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: LONGYEAR TM, INC., GLOBALTECH CORPORATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Gordon Stewart, Khaled Hejleh
  • Patent number: 10384907
    Abstract: A wireline system for use during drilling operations. The wireline system has a wireline assembly and a roller assembly. Both the wireline assembly and the roller assembly are positioned within a front portion of a drill rig. Described herein, in one aspect, is a wireline system for use on a drill rig. The drill rig can comprise a drilling system, and the drilling system can comprise a mast, a drill string, and a drill head configured to impart rotation to the drill string within a drilling formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Thorsten Upmeier, Christof Kruse, Stefan Wrede, Rene Maennel
  • Patent number: 10119344
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Jeff Hogan, Anthony LaChance
  • Patent number: 10087699
    Abstract: Diverter assemblies having a housing, first and second rams, first and second actuators for moving the rams, and first and second sealing members respectively coupled to the first and second rams. The housing defines openings surrounding a drilling axis and configured to receive a pipe in a drilling position, and the rams are moveable relative to a longitudinal axis of the housing that is substantially perpendicular to the drilling axis. The first and second sealing members engage the pipe, and projections within the housing cooperate with the sealing members to form a seal around the pipe and the openings of the housing. Systems and methods of using the diverter assemblies are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventor: Lee Gagne
  • Patent number: 10077609
    Abstract: A drill bit for cutting a hole in a formation. The drill bit has a shank and a crown. The crown has a plurality of crown portions that are spaced about an operative circumference of the drill bit. The shank and crown cooperate to define an interior space that receives water or other drilling fluid. Each crown portion has two longitudinal edges, an outer surface, at least one inner surface and a cutting face. The crown has a base surface that is spaced from the cutting faces of the crown portions and cooperates with the inner surface of each of the two crown portions to define a slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Pearce, Michael D. Rupp, Christian M. Lambert
  • Patent number: 10053973
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: LONGYEAR TM, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, George Iondov, Martin Romeo Savoie
  • Patent number: 10047581
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: LONGYEAR TM, INC., GLOBALTECH CORPORATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Christopher L. Drenth, Gordon Stewart, Khaled Hejleh