Abstract: Tool for drilling bore holes and earth formations in which a bit body matrix, including tungsten carbide, has a plurality of carriers secured thereto, to each of which a cutting element is secured by soldering, after the body matrix has been produced, to avoid subjecting the diamond material embodied in the cutting element to the high temperatures required to produce the matrix body, which would have deleterious effects on the diamond. Each carrier has great rigidity and is provided with a plane surface confronted by the plane back surface of the cutting element to provide a desired narrow solder gap between the cutting element and carrier of uniform width, into which the solder is deposited to adhere the cutting element and carrier together, with the load being transmitted directly from the cutter element to the rigid carrier.

Abstract: A hard compact material, such as rock, is broken by forcing an elongated mass body of relatively incompressible fluid, such as water, against the material to be broken. The mass body is caused to impact the material at a momentum necessary for breaking the material. The momentum is generated by supplying the fluid to a storage chamber against the effect of a thrust load acting upon the fluid in the storage chamber. When a sufficient amount of fluid has been supplied the fluid in the storage chamber is forced toward the material to be broken by the effect of the thrust load.

Abstract: In a drilling bit, a cone shaped cutter is rotatably mounted on a spindle on anti-friction bearings and on a friction bearing in the nose of the spindle. A passage is formed in the exterior cylindrical surface of the spindle nose in the load bearing zone. This passage is connected to a radial passage on the end or thrust bearing surface of the spindle, and the center of the thrust bearing surface communicates with a weep hole in the nose of the cutter. Cooling fluid is ducted through the spindle and through these passages to provide cooling directly in the area where the generated heat is the greatest and fluid flow a minimum in previous constructions.

Abstract: An in situ oil shale retort having a top boundary of unfragmented formation and containing a fragmented permeable mass has a pocket at the top, that is, an open space between a portion of the top of the fragmented mass and the top boundary of unfragmented formation. To establish a combustion zone across the fragmented mass, a combustion zone is established in a portion of the fragmented mass which is proximate to the top boundary. A retort inlet mixture comprising oxygen is introduced to the fragmented mass to propagate the combustion zone across an upper portion of the fragmented mass. Simultaneously, cool fluid is introduced to the pocket to prevent overheating and thermal sloughing of formation from the top boundary into the pocket.

Abstract: An impact wrench having an adaptive control system for determining the yield point or some similarly significant point of a fastener assembly by detecting a signal representative of the peak deceleration of the hammer, one embodiment of which is the peak recoil value of the hammer after impacting with the anvil of the wrench, and a signal representative of the angular displacement of the output shaft of the wrench. Yield of the fastener is determined when the respective magnitudes of successive deceleration signals do not exceed the magnitude of a previously stored maximum deceleration signal by a predetermined fixed amount. Upon attaining the yield point or other similarly significant point, the wrench may be allowed to rotate the fastener an additional preselected number of degrees before shutting off.

Abstract: An auger is disclosed having flighting outer edges protected by overlying, wear resistant bits applied in a continuous manner. The leading edge of the flighting is protected by wear resistant bits applied along the edge. A point carries ribs of hard material such as carbide, the edge of which constitutes a cutting edge. The bits are applied with solder.

Abstract: A rack device including a plurality of rack segments arranged end-to-end for extending along the side wall of a face conveyor while carrying a mining machine having a gear drive engageable with the rack device to propel the machine along the conveyor at the working face of a mine. The rack segments are joined at their abutting ends by pivot shafts to holders slideable along a rail that is supported by conveyor pan sections or side bracket portions of the face conveyor. The space between drive pins at the ends of the consecutively arranged rack segments is greater than the drive pin pitch by an amount corresponding to the distance of travel by these drive pins from an aligned relation of the rack segments into a maximum angular relation between the rack segments. Sliding movement by the holders on the rail is limited by one or more stop abutment members for each holder. A connecting link extends between two stop abutment members when employed at opposite sides of an individual holder.

Abstract: A longwall mining system having a longwall mining machine and a conveyor operatively associated therewith. Haulage being effected through rack and pinion means. The pinion has roller means rotatably mounted on the pinion teeth. The conveyor rack has root sections sloping toward the conveyor path.

Abstract: A rock drill in which there is provided an impact unit, a front head with a tool holder and rotary drive means defined by a conventional pneumatic motor having a stator in the form of a cylindrical body, a rotor accommodated in said stator and having a symmetrical cam having a uniform convexo-concavo shape with lobes of said rotor cams being engaged with the inner cylindrical surface of the stator thereby forming chambers; spring-loaded vanes are accommodated in slots provided in the stator, with said vanes being engaged with the cam surface of the rotor and dividing the chambers into work chambers and idle chambers, the number of pairs of said vanes being one less than that of the chambers; each of the work chambers is in communication with channels supplying compressed air, while each of the idle chambers is in communication with channels leading to the atmosphere. Under the action of compressed air admitted into the work chambers, the rotor is rotated along with a drill bit attached thereto.

Abstract: A rotary cutter head of a mineral mining machine has a sensor to detect the cutting horizon of the cutter head relative to a boundary of a mineral seam and to derive a signal indicative of changes in the cutting horizon. The derived signal is fed to a radio transmitter on the cutter head which transmits a representative signal.

Abstract: A resilient conductor having an outer flexible insulating coating and an inner flexible conducting core is employed in a drill string to maintain an electric circuit between a subsurface and surface location. The conductor is inserted in the drill string in a generally free-hanging, random fashion to store excess length of conductor which is utilized as the drill string is lengthened. The stored conductor can be maintained in the drill string in a generally untangled state due to its kink-resistant mechanical and physical properties. Moreover, the frictional drag of the flowing drilling fluid tends to straighten and disentangle the conductor.

Abstract: In an underground mine, a machine for drilling upwardly is placed in one tunnel of the mine and is used to drill a vertical shaft communicating with another tunnel at a higher elevation. The machine is operated so as to install a liner or casing in the shaft in a step-by-step fashion, substantially concurrently with the corresponding steps of the drilling operation.

Abstract: A diamond drill bit construction for drilling bores in earth formations and the like, according to the present invention, comprises a drill body that is adapted for connection thereof with a drill stem and defines internal fluid passage means through which drilling fluid flows during drilling operations. A plurality of spaced stabilizer pads are formed on the drill body defining a portion of the external surface area thereof and defining a plurality of fluid courses between adjacent stabilizer pads with the fluid courses being in communication with the fluid passage means of the drill body. A plurality of diamonds are supported by the drill body and are arranged on each of the bearing pads such that a portion of each of the diamonds is positioned at the trailing edge of a respective one of the fluid courses and such that the cutting depth of each of the diamonds is controlled by the bearing pads.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting rock materials has been devised in which a series of jets are produced by a nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly being constructed and arranged to advance along the surface of the rock material and to form a channel or line of cut of predetermined width and depth therein. As the nozzle assembly makes each pass along the intended line of cut, the assembly is oscillated in a direction transversely of its path of travel along the intended line of cut in order to better erode the material, form a clearly defined channel with a minimum of interference which may otherwise result from spalling or collection of liquid in the channel.

Abstract: A percussive rock drill and more particularly a percussive rock drill having improved means for passing a flow of flushing fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A mine roof-bolter machine having an extensible conveyor running therethrough operates behind a continuous miner machine. As the continuous miner advances, the roof-bolter advances from position-to-position while installing roof bolts and plates, and the extensible conveyor gives and takes the slack between the continuous miner and the roof bolter and feeds mined material to a surge car behind the roof bolter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a surface controlled subsurface safety valve for deep well service. Communication of control fluid to the subsurface safety valve is controlled at a subsurface location in close proximity to the valve. Responsiveness of the subsurface safety valve to decreases in control pressure is thereby increased and the valve's closure speed is also increased. This abstract of the disclosure is neither intended to define the scope of the invention, which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to limit the invention in any way.

Abstract: The novel apparatus comprises a first, power unit module of limited mobility and a second, bolter unit which is flexibly and disengageably coupled to the first unit by means of an umbilical line. In one embodiment of the invention, the power module comprises the controls whereat and from when the satellite bolter is (remotely) operated, and in an alternate embodiment, the satellite bolter itself includes controls and a control station for an operator to be accommodated thereat, to control the bolter directly.

Abstract: In a tunnel boring or shield machine including a chamber defined between a working face and a bulkhead mounted in a machine frame of a shield machine body, means for controlling the amount of earth or muck conveyed to the exterior of the shield machine from the chamber in which earth is accumulated, and drive means for propelling the shield machine body toward and into the working face, a control method and system for ensuring stable boring operation at the working face by detecting the amount of earth or muck excavated or removed from the working face per unit time and the amount of earth or muck conveyed from the chamber per unit time, comparing these two detected values to generate an earth amount deviation signal representing the difference therebetween, controlling the amount of conveyed earth or muck and/or the amount of removed earth or muck in response to the earth amount deviation signal to maintain the earth pressure in the chamber within a predetermined range thereby ensuring stable tunnel boring o

Abstract: Water, with gas entrained therein, collecting in the bottom of the casing of a gas producing well is continuously removed using an ejector in the inner of a pair of coaxial tubes mounted in the casing by continuously pumping drive water downwardly between the two tubes, radially inwardly through apertures in a nozzle body and upwardly through a nozzle at the top of the nozzle body into a suction chamber to draw water from an inlet duct at the bottom end of the inner tube through longitudinally extending passages in the nozzle body; the resulting mixture of drive water, well water and gas being discharged through a multi-stage diffuser and the inner tube to a separator, where the gas and water are separated. The separated gas can be used to operate a gas engine for driving the pump, which feeds drive water to the ejector, and the well water can be re-used as drive water.