Abstract: An auger cutter head includes a rotatable body that is mountable on an auger and a plurality of cutting assemblies spaced about the outer wall of the rotatable body to drill a hole in the ground as the auger cutter head is rotated and advanced into the ground. Two of the cutting assemblies include outside chisel bits positioned to ream or gauge the hole as the cutter head is rotated and advanced. All of the flighting sections, bit, blocks, and blade assemblies provided in the cutting assemblies are offset in a radially inward direction relative to the two outside chisel bits to reduce the wear and tear on those components. Each of the chisel bits is oriented to rotate relative to its bit block about a predetermined axis of rotation to reduce wear caused by uneven loading on the rotatable chisel bits during drilling of the hole.

Abstract: An automatic drive hammer system includes an automatic drive hammer apparatus which is carried by a bucket pivotally mounted to a drill rig. The drive hammer apparatus may be pivoted in the bucket from an off-hole storage position to an on-hole loading/unloading position whereby the drive hammer apparatus is lifted out of the bucket by a winch assembly and the bucket is pivoted to the off-hole storage position. An anvil and connector connects to a drill string and sampler which extend upwardly from a hole in the ground. The drive hammer apparatus has a housing which contains a hammer adapted for reciprocal sliding movement therewithin to cyclically strike the anvil to drive the anvil, drill string and sampler combination into the ground. A trip rail is rigidly attached to the anvil and extends within the housing. A follower assembly is pivotally mounted to the hammer.

Abstract: An open-spindle earth sampling apparatus for taking and retrieving core samples of coil comprising a drilling apparatus having rotary power means, a hollow auger section, a hollow-centered drive shaft connected to the drilling apparatus, a gimbal ring auger coupling and a sampling device suspended into the hollow auger section by means of a reelable hoist cable. The hoist cable is attached between the drilling apparatus and the sampling device and the gimbal ring auger coupling bearingly connects the hollow auger section to the drive shaft. The sampling device includes a rotatable locking portion and a pivotally-stationary, thin-walled sampling tube which is bearingly connected to the rotatable locking portion. The rotatable locking portion is rigidly secured to the hollow auger by a pair of expandable latches such that the thin-walled sampling tube projects from the end of the hollow auger.