Abstract: A raise head having a multiplicity of cutters for enlarging a pilot hole into a larger diameter hole by disintegrating the earth formations that surround the pilot hole is provided that will require lower cutter loads to penetrate the formations being bored by directing the rock fracture planes toward the pilot hole forcing the rock to yield with less input energy. The cutters are positioned on the raise head to provide an earth formation contact profile with a major portion of said earth formation contact profile extending outward and upward from said pilot hole. The included angle between the major portion of the earth formation contact profile and the axis of the pilot hole is less than 90.degree..

Abstract: A rotary drill bit having a drill bit body and at least one trunnion projecting from the drill bit body and a rotary cutter supported on at least one pair of radial rolling bearings on the trunnion. The rolling elements of at least one bearing are guided on at last one axial end facing the drill bit body in an outer bearing race groove incorporated in the bore of the rotary cutter. The inner bearing groove is formed on the trunnion for the rolling elements of the radial roller bearing. A filling opening is provided for assembly of the rolling elements comprising a channel which extends through the drill bit body and trunnion and is essentially axially oriented having one terminal end adjacent the inner bearing race groove and at least one filler piece for sealing the opening. The filling opening is arranged to provide a common filling means for each radial bearing.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit for use on a rotating drill string includes a solid forged unitary main body having a plurality of downwardly facing hemi-cylindrical body surfaces. A plurality of cutter bases are provided, each cutter base including an upwardly facing hemi-cylindrical base surface that is fused to one of the body surfaces by electron beam welding. Each cutter base includes a bearing pin extending inwardly with respect to the bit. A cone shaped cutter is rotatably mounted on the bearing pin for rotating about the bearing pin during drilling operations to bore through earth formations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drilling a hole in a body of ice and for destroying a body of ice. The method comprises the steps of providing a source of reactant gas of a type which will react chemically with ice to form solid compounds which are unstable and which break down rapidly to water and a dissolved gas. The reaction product which is formed is removed quickly in order to avoid a secondary and initially undesirable exothermic reaction of gas dissolution into the water so formed. The reactant gas is directed through a nozzle to generate a stream of reactant gas. The nozzle is located in close proximity to a body of ice, and the stream of reactant gas is directed against a localized area of the surface of said body of ice at a velocity and flow rate to obtain an optimum phase change reaction with the ice and to quickly remove water formed from the ice in the localized area.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit having a drill bit body and at least one trunnion projecting from the drill bit body and a rotary cutter supported on at least one radial roller bearing on the trunnion. The rolling elements of the bearing are guided on at least one axial end facing the drill bit body in an outer bearing race groove incorporated in the bore of the rotary cutter. The inner bearing race groove is formed on the trunnion for the rolling elements of the radial roller bearing. At least one filling opening is provided which extends through the drill bit body and trunnion and is essentially axially oriented having one terminal end adjacent the inner bearing race groove and at least one filler piece for sealing the opening.

Abstract: A drill string reamer-stabilizer includes a main body adapted to be connected as an element of a rotary drill string. Individual bearing shafts are mounted axially along the exterior of the main body to support roller cutters that engage the wall of the borehole. Seal units are positioned around each bearing shaft between each roller cutter and bearing shaft to define a lubricant space. The seal units retain lubricant in the lubricant space and prevent contaminating fluid and materials in the borehole from entering the lubricant space. At least one seal unit comprises an annular cup-shaped elastomer seal member mounted in an annular seal gland in the roller cutter. The seal gland has an inner side adjacent the lubricant space and an outer side exposed to the fluid and materials in the borehole.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for obtaining a plurality of samples from mineral deposits such as placer deposits to determine the presence of valuable metals. The device comprises a tubular member having a plurality of windows extending along its longitudinal axis and having a tapered point at one end, and a rotatable shaft within the tubular member having a plurality of compartments capable of aligning with the windows of the tubular members upon appropriate rotation of the shaft relative to the tubular member, each compartment having at least one spring-like tooth capable of extending from the compartment and through a window when the compartments and windows are aligned. The device may further include a pounder for driving the tubular member into a deposit.

Abstract: A drill bit consisting of a tubular, main body member having a set of threads at one end thereof connectable to a drill stem and an annular mounting edge on an opposite end thereof, the mounting edge having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally disposed recesses, the main body member having an enlarged annular portion adjacent the annular mounting edge, the enlarged portion of the main body member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses disposed at an angle relative to the axis of the main body member, each of the recesses in the enlarged portion of the main body member being disposed between a set of recesses in the annular mounting edge and providing a pair of converging surfaces, a plurality of blades, each of the blades being disposed in a recess in the mounting edge, substantially radially relative to the axis of the main body member, having a recess receiving a wall portion of the main body member and a surface aligned with a surface of an adjacent set of the sets of co

Abstract: A self-propelled pneumatic ram boring device for boring holes in the ground comprises a percussion piston which is reciprocable in a housing, and a control sleeve which controls the forward and rearward movement of the piston by passing over radial control ports in the piston. In order to control the device to move either forwards or rearwards, without having to twist a hose which supplies air to the device as is usual, the control sleeve is rigidly fixed in position in the housing and has control ports to which air is supplied or not under the control of valve members and which are themselves remotely controlled by a second compressed air supply to the device, or electrically.

Abstract: Abnormal drilling conditions are detected by monitoring mud volume of the mud system or rate of change of the mud volume. In one embodiment, makeup mud is automatically added to the system as solids are removed from the mud. Abnormal conditions are indicated by when the rate of makeup mud addition differs from the rate of solids removal. The mud system is maintained at a substantially constant volume by means of tanks specially constructed to provide a small mud/air interface.

Abstract: A rock bit segment has a cutter rotatably mounted on a journal. Loads radially of the axis of the journal are largely taken by a friction bearing pad of hard material. Ball bearings track in circular races on the journal and cutter and retain the cutter on the journal. A seal at the junction of the journal and the balance of the segment keep lubricant from escaping from the interface between the cutter and the journal and formation material from entering this interface. To provide hardened wear surfaces for the seal on the journal and segment in the ball race on the journal, on radial surfaces of the journal adjacent the pad, and at the nose of the journal, the entire rock bit segment is subjected to a carbon enrichment of the surface after the segment has been machined. Thereafter, the segment is quenched to effect a hardened case, and then the segment is tempered. Carbon in the case varies from 0.5% to 0.9% at the surface-to-base metal concentrations at depth, and the case is 0.010 to 0.015 inches thick.

Abstract: A method of working an underwater deposit comprises the following stages:(a) constructing and positioning a platform structure, equipped before or after positioning with drilling devices and installations,(b) executing drilling using these devices and installations,(c) constructing and equipping, during stages (a) and (b), a production bridge fitted with devices and installations required for production,(d) transporting the production bridge to, and positioning it on, said platform structure, and(e) commencing production from deposit.The drilling bridge may remain in position on the platform structure during stages (d) and (e), or it may be removed to make way for the production bridge.

Abstract: Marine structure adapted to be fixed to the ocean floor for drilling wellbores into the latter. A drill conductor cage is removably positioned within the marine structure at a submerged position. The cage holds one or more drill string or conductor guides in a manner that a number of directionally oriented wells can be drilled without movement of the structure. The cage is readily disengaged from its underwater working position to permit it to be raised to the water's surface and is then swung outboard of the platform's working deck. In such a position the addition and removal of drilling cnductors is facilitated without undue use of limited deck space on the platform.

Abstract: A cable clamp for securing a control cable to a kill or choke line in a mud riser used in offshore drilling of oil and gas wells is described. The cable clamp is comprised of two portions, a fixed portion which remains secured to the kill or choke line and a removable portion which can be engaged to or quickly released from the fixed portion to secure or disengage the control cable. The fixed portion includes a U-clamp, and the removable portion includes cooperating hinged members, each member mounting resilient pad and both members for securing said hinged members together to clamp said cable.

Abstract: In a hollow stem auger for earth boring of the kind having spring loaded valve members at the bottom of the stem to permit the passage of test implements such as corers and vane test implements, the auger bit is constructed with a cage formation enclosing the valve member and supporting a bottom ring carrying cutting teeth. Interference of the valve members with a test implement is prevented by using an uncoupleable cylindrical sleeve surrounding the implement which sleeve can be lodged between the valve members to hold them open during use of the implement.

Abstract: Apparatus for drilling a pier hole under the ledge of a building foundation to permit lifting the foundation for relevelling of the building, the apparatus having an adjustable drill support frame to drill downwardly. A transmission and drill bit depending from said drill support frame and a crowd bar adapted to move the drill bit under the foundation once the top of the drill bit is has passed the bottom of the foundation. By moving the drill bit under the foundation this permits a more vertical shaft providing better support for the foundation.

Abstract: A stabilizer sleeve, or other sleeve, to be releasably mounted on a drill collar for centering a drill string in a well bore, includes an outer stabilizer sleeve to be mounted on the cylindrical periphery of the drill collar and having an internally threaded bore, the threads of which have conical roots, receiving an externally threaded yieldable sleeve member placed over the drill collar, the crests of the external threads also being conical, rotation of the yieldable member threading it into the stabilizer sleeve and effecting its contraction until its internal surface contacts the periphery of the drill collar, further rotation and tightening of the sleeve member in the stabilizer sleeve compressing the sleeve member against the drill collar periphery, with the crests bearing against the root portions of the internal sleeve threads to secure the sleeve frictionally in position on the drill collar.

Abstract: A stabilizer for a tool, such as a rotary drill bit, comprises at least two blades spaced radially about the axis of the tool. Two adjacent blades define a venturi-shaped free angular space for a flow of drilling fluid. The width of each of the blades increases over at least a first portion, measured from the lower end of the blade, of the height of each blade. The height of the first portion is at least equal to one half of the width of the lower end of the free angular space.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for drilling a pilot hole and subsequently enlarging the pilot hole in earth formation. A dual concentric pipe string is used for circulating air downwardly through the outer pipe via a cross-over sub, through a pilot bit and upwardly through the bore hole outside the pipe string to bail cuttings, during drilling of the pilot hole. The air pressure expands the cutters of an expansible bit while a limited portion of the air supplied cools the cutters. After the cutters are fully expanded, additional air is utilized to clean and cool the cutters. Air is returned through the inner pipe of the dual concentric pipe string. A venturi device is utilized to induce return flow through the inner pipe during enlargement of the hole and to vacuum residue when enlargement is completed. The dual concentric pipe string is made up of lengths of pipe providing threaded, sealed joint.

Abstract: Drilling bits are disclosed which are particularly efficient drilling devices when used in soft plastic underground formations which normally are difficult or impossible to drill with conventional drilling bits. The bits of this invention are characterized by having relief openings formed in the individual cutting elements to provide extrusion of the soft formation face into removable chips.