Abstract: A well bore cleaning tool adapted for attachment to a casing tubing or drill pipe or the like which is to be run into a well bore for cleaning the well bore during reciprocation and/or rotation of the pipe, which includes a plurality of collars adapted to be attached in axially spaced apart fashion to the pipe and lengths of cable connected to and extending between each of the collars, wherein the cables spiral about the pipe in a helical fashion and form a plurality of outwardly bowed helical portions to contact the well bore.

Abstract: Rotary earth boring bits according to the present invention and method of assembly thereof allow development of a rotary earth boring bit construction of low cost nature and having exceptionally good wear life. The drill construction promotes the use of optimum bearing materials for rotary support of the cutters of the drill thereby promoting exceptionally good service life. Additionally, the bearing of each cutter assembly may be lubricated so as to further enhance the service life of the drill. Assembly may be accomplished at low cost by taking advantage of dimensional changes of the parts responsive to heating or cooling. The drill cutter may be heated to increase the dimension of the bearing cavity formed therein while the bearing and its support spindle may be cooled to reduce the external dimension of the bearing. Following assembly of the bearing and spindle to the cutter a tight retention fit will develop between the bearing and cutter as these parts approach normal temperature.

Abstract: A drilling bit for drilling earthen material such as an oil well rotary cone drilling bit, which includes means for preventing foreign particles such as sand, rock cuttings, etc., from reaching the rotational bearings of the bit cones. This end result is principally achieved by means of a centrifugal slinger disc or wall which is positioned in external concentricity with the drill bit cone bearing, and operates to drive granular particles away from the bearings, thereby preventing such particles from reaching these bearing surfaces. The granular particles are driven by the slinger action through a series of apertures forming a channel running out to a peripheral region of the bit cones. A channel continuation is also provided for lubricating fluid, which many comprise ambient water or oil placed in chambers surrounding the bearings, this channel providing access for such lubricating fluid inwardly to the bit cone bearings.

Abstract: A continuous miner is employed in conjunction with a flume that removes the mined product from the working face. The discharge from mobile continuous miner is deposited in a sloping trough supported by the miner which is in cooperative and relatively movable engagement with the flume and the product is washed down the trough with water which forms a slurry that is transported down the flume.

Abstract: A self-propelled mineral winning/detaching machine incorporating at least one electric motor and provided with electrical pick up means movable, in use, with said machine to pick up electrical energy from a stationary conductor.

Abstract: An improved cable feed-through apparatus and method for wellheads including a unitary shell having a plurality of knock-down components therein. A plurality of parallel spaced conductors are inserted through rigid spacing and compression rings with upper and lower exposed ends for providing coupling to electric feed cables. The conductors are insulated throughout by resilient sleeves which are removably mounted in the shell. When assembled, as the shell is threaded into a hanger of a well casing head, the resilient sleeves are compressed and forced together to form a pressure-tight, insulated cable feed through device.

Abstract: The invention is a better road planing vehicle having an improved suspension system for supporting the rotary cutting unit under the vehicle chassis. The suspension includes a pair of lift and tilt cylinders connected in parallel spaced relation at one end to the vehicle frame and at the other end to the top of the cutter housing. Three parallel and triangularly arranged drawbars are connected at one end to the cutter housing and extend either fore or aft to connect at their other ends with the vehicle frame. A sideshift cylinder is connected between the frame and one of the drawbars. In the preferred embodiment the connections of the lift cylinders and the drawbars are ball joints.

Abstract: A rotary drill for drilling a well in the surface of the earth the drill comprising a drill bit including an upper portion for connection to a drill string, duct means for carrying fluid to extract detritus and clear the bottom of the well and receiving means; a solid cutting head comprising a conical head portion and a stem portion, the conical head portion including holes therein and cutting elements inserted in the holes, the stem portion being received in the receiving means of the drill bit, wherein the stem and the receiving means include holding means for rotatably holding the cutting head in the drill bit; bearing means between the drill bit and the conical head; and a lubrication system interconnected between the drill bit and the cutting head.

Abstract: A mineral mining installation has a conveyor and a plough movable along a guide provided at the face side of the conveyor. An auxiliary winning machine constituted by a cutter drum mounted on a carrier by means of a pivotal jib, is provided for winning material in the "stable-hole" region. The carrier is movable along an auxiliary guide which is an extension of the plough guide. The carrier is provided with a drivable pinion which meshes with a rack on the auxiliary guide for driving the auxiliary winning machine along the auxiliary guide.

Abstract: A hauling system for underground operations for use in an excavation between a longwall having a mining face and a drift comprises a longwall conveyor which is adapted to be positioned along the longwall and a drift conveyor adapted to be positioned along the drift. A cycloid is positioned between the drift and the longwall conveyors and provides a connection transfer therebetween. A plurality of plane guiding profiles are disposed along the long wall and they provide means for the passage of chains of a chain drive which includes a drive motor and transmission and sprocket located on the side of the drift conveyor.

Abstract: An in situ oil shale retort is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The retort contains a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale. An open base of operation is excavated in the formation above the retort site, and an access drift is excavated to the bottom of the retort site. Formation is explosively expanded to form the fragmented mass between the access drift and an elevation spaced below the bottom of the base of operation, leaving a horizontal sill pillar of unfragmented formation between the top of the fragmented mass and the bottom of the base of operation. The sill pillar provides a safe base of operation above the fragmented mass from which to control retorting operations. A plurality of blasting holes used in explosively expanding the formation extend from the base of operation, through the sill pillar, and open into the top of the fragmented mass.

Abstract: A perforator apparatus includes an elongate body having a center of gravity and characterized by a longitudinal axis extending through the center of gravity. The body is supported at a point substantially laterally displaced from the axis having the center of gravity therein, so that the body of the perforator apparatus pivots into a predetermined orientation under the action of gravity when the apparatus is lowered into a nonvertically aligned borehole. The apparatus includes structure for discharging perforating charges in directions having a predetermined orientation relative to a line extending from the point of suspension through the axis having the center of gravity therein. By this means the directions of the perforating charges may be oriented relative to a thin portion of a cement structure extended between the borehole and a casing disposed therein.

Abstract: The invention herein relates to an undercutting device which is provided with a substantially tubular body adapted to be placed within a parallel-sided hole. A rotary percussion head is provided at one end of the body and has one or more cutting tools which extend radially therefrom at an obtuse angle and which cutting tools are adapted to cut outwardly from the radius of the body, means are provided for rotating the head about the axis of the body and for operating the percussion head at one predetermined depth in the hole so that the cutting tools may act on the wall of the parallel-sided hole.

Abstract: A shield type hydraulic tunnel boring machine having means for detecting an occurrence of excess excavation due to accidental collapse in tunnel face ground apt to occur during tunnel boring through soft and unstable ground and for further determining the location, shape, scale and the like of such excess excavation occurred is provided. The means comprises optimumly a plurality of rod-shaped members capable of being extended out of and retracted into the machine. Amounts by which these members are paid out until they reach ground wall of any cavity due to the occurred excess excavation are measured to determine the actual state of such cavity. The means is provided preferably at a plurality of proper positions on a shield body of the machine and respective values of the measured amounts at these positions are recorded and displayed, whereby the location, shape, scale and the like of the occurred excess excavation can be confirmed.

Abstract: A strip mining technique wherein an active mining area is continuously moved across a mining ground. Overburden is removed from a leading end of the active mining area and conveyed by a conveyor system located on a high-wall of the mining area to a following end of that mining area. The conveyed overburden is dumped adjacent the active mining area following end to form a spoil bank which is landscaped and reclaimed.

Abstract: A strip mining technique wherein an active mining area is continuously moved across a mining ground. In one form of the invention, overburden is removed from a leading end of the active mining area and conveyed by a conveyor system located on a highwall of the mining area to a following end of that mining area. The conveyed overburden is dumped adjacent the active mining area following end to form a spoil bank which is landscaped and reclaimed. Another form of the invention includes a conveyor system located on the main bench.

Abstract: This invention is a Well Drilling Apparatus primarily intended for drilling water wells, but also adaptable for other well, or hole drilling activities. The apparatus is particularly characterized by an independent driving arrangement for the drill, accompanied by an independent driving arrangement by which the casing may be turned during the drilling operation for ease of insertion and may accompany the drill into the ground to prevent collapse during drilling operations as well as to enhance the removal of drilled material.

Abstract: The locus of a processing zone advancing through a fragmented permeable mass of particles in an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale and which generates an effluent fluid is determined by placing an indicator source for providing an indicator, and monitoring effluent fluid from the processing zone for presence of indicator. The indicator source provides indicator at a predetermind temperature.

Abstract: Control units at each support have means for receiving function initiating signals from a communication system common to the supports, means responsive to those function initiating signals for issuing corresponding control signals to component elements of the associated support and means for transmitting data to the communication systems. A remote control unit has means for issuing control signals including such function initiating signals over the communication system, means for receiving data from the supports, means for specifying a sequential or automatic mode wherein support advancing means are successively operated sequentially, and means for displaying data from and relating to the supports.

Abstract: A hard compact material, such as rock, is broken by maintaining a column of relatively incompressible fluid, such as water, extending from outside into at least one hole which has been pre-drilled in the material to be broken. A shock wave is generated in the column outside the hole and is transmitted through the column into the hole. Due to the energy of the propagated shock wave, cracks are initiated and driven to a free surface of the material to break same. Breakage by the effect of the shock wave may be facilitated by means of an explosive. The explosive is delivered into the hole prior to the admission of fluid thereinto and is initiated by means of the transmitted shock wave.