Abstract: This cutting assembly provides a radially grooved body insert upon which cutter arms with complementary radial grooves may translate to extend the cutter arms in a radial fashion from a body of a downhole drilling assembly. This improved cutting assembly design can be incorporated into an underreamer, hole opener, drill bit, or section mill.

Abstract: An underreamer for connection with a rotary pipe string includes inner and outer body sections which form a body structure to provide a fluid flow path therethrough for communicating with piston and cylinder means formed between the body sections for receiving drilling fluid to effect telescopic movement between the body sections permitting engagement of cutter arms and support of said cutter arms on the outer body of the underreamer utilizing a slideable, non-pivoting stop block. Cutter arms are pivotally mounted on the inner body section and, upon engagement of the cutter arms to effect underreaming are fully supported on the outer body section thereby minimizing damage from vibration and repeated use on the threaded inner body sections.

Abstract: An underreamer for connection with a rotary pipe string includes inner and outer body sections which form a body structure to provide a fluid flow path therethrough for communicating with piston and cylinder means formed between the body sections for receiving drilling fluid to effect telescopic movement between the body sections permitting engagement of cutter arms and support of said cutter arms on the outer body of the underreamer. Cutter arms are pivotally mounted on the inner body section and, upon engagement of the cutter arms to effect underreaming are fully supported on the outer body section thereby minimizing damage from vibration and repeated use on the threaded inner body sections.

Abstract: An underreamer that can be assembled easily is formed from a tubular body having a flow tube running to a distal end delivering fluid which moves an actuator against the underreamer arms which are hinged to a moveable stop block and stopped to positively seat the arm at the end of a key slot to rigidly hold the underreamer arm in full extension during operations. Once hydraulic pressure is released, a spring moves the arm down the slot to a position where the arm can be removed from the slot in the underreamer body. A lower sub assembly is affixed to the underreamer body to prevent premature back off of the lower sub. Jets are disposed on either side of the underreamer to remove cuttings from the well bore. The tool is adaptable in the field for several hole sizes by adjustment in the length of the stop block and the angle of the flat on the top side of the key.

Abstract: This rotary drill bit provides a plurality of spaced polycrystalline diamond compact cutter elements arranged at spaced 120° concentric rings around the face of the drill bit and a secondary, redundant deeper set polycrystalline diamond compact cutter elements placed to commence scuffing the face of a bore upon wear of the primary cutter element, thereby providing extended continuous service in hard rock drill applications previously unattainable with conventional PDC bits.

Abstract: This apparatus provides an underreamer and a reamer or hole opener to enlarge an existing pilot hole thereby permitting further operation to be carried out in a well bore. The underreamer can be inserted down a well bore in the unexpanded condition and, since the radius of the eccentrically mounted cutters of the reamer or hole opener added to the radius of the unexpanded underreamer equals the pass through diameter (the inner diameter of the restriction), the entire assembly or apparatus can be inserted to the position requiring enlarging. The underreamer is expanded to engage the adjacent wall of the well bore and stabilize the reamer as it enlarges the hole. Since movement resulting from the lateral forces are restrained by the centralizer/underreamer as well as the bullnose or smaller pilot hole drill bit, the bi-center reamer can readily open the well bore to the desired diameter without lateral deviation.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a collapsible drilling assembly having field-replaceable cutter or stabilizer blades (214) and method of using and installing new stabilizer blades while at a job location. The drilling assembly is deployed upon a distal end of a drillstring, expanded to a gauge size, and used as an underreamer or alternatively a stabilizer. The drilling assembly operates between retracted and extended positions through the increase in pressure of drilling fluid flowing therethrough.

Abstract: A lubricating nutating single cone drill bit 10 includes bit shank 12 with an axially skewed journal 18 rotatably retaining cutter body 22. Bearings (26, 28, 30, 32) enable rotation of the cutter body 22. Lubrication flows to a gap between the axially skewed journal 18 and cutter body 22 from lubricant chamber 76 having plunger 80 acted on by an annulus fluid, the gap bounded by first 66 and second 68 radial dynamic seals. A fluid passage 90 extending through the bit 10 communicates with fluid inlet port 88 on the proximal end 16 of the bit shank 12. Fluid passage 90 also communicates with a first fluid outlet port 98 on the distal end 36 of the axially skewed journal 18 and with a second fluid outlet port 94 formed on a lateral portion of bit shank 12.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a collapsible drilling assembly having field-replaceable cutter or stabilizer blades (214) and method of using and installing new stabilizer blades while at a job location. The drilling assembly is deployed upon a distal end of a drillstring, expanded to a gauge size, and used as an underreamer or alternatively a stabilizer. The drilling assembly operates between retracted and extended positions through the increase in pressure of drilling fluid flowing therethrough.

Abstract: Lubricating nutating single cone drill bit (10, 100) includes bit shank (12, 112) with axially skewed journal (18, 118) rotatably retaining cutter body (22, 122). Bearings (26, 28, 30, 32; 126, 128, 130, 132) can enable rotation of cutter body (22, 122). Lubricant can be dispensed to a gap between journal (18, 118) and cutter body (22, 122) from lubricant chamber (76; 176, 179) having plunger (80; 180, 183), the gap bounded by first (66, 166) and second (68, 168) radial dynamic seals. Fluid passage (90, 190) extending through bit (10, 100) can communicate with fluid inlet port (88, 188) on proximal end (16, 116) of bit shank (12, 122). Fluid passage (90, 190) can further communicate with first fluid outlet port (98, 198) on distal end (36, 136) of journal (18, 118) and with second fluid outlet port (94, 194) formed on lateral portion of bit shank (12, 112).

Abstract: A lubricating nutating single cone drill bit 10 is disclosed. Bit 10 includes bit shank 12 with an axially skewed journal 18 rotatably retaining cutter body 22. Bearings (26, 28, 30, 32) can enable rotation of the cutter body 22. Lubricant is dispensed to a gap between the axially skewed journal 18 and cutter body 22 from lubricant chamber 76 having plunger 80 acted on by an annulus fluid, the gap bounded by first 66 and second 68 radial dynamic seals. A fluid passage 90 extending through the bit 10 is in communication with fluid inlet port 88 on the proximal end 16 of the bit shank 12. Fluid passage 90 is in further communication with a first fluid outlet port 98 on the distal end 36 of the axially skewed journal 18 and with a second fluid outlet port 94 formed on a lateral portion of bit shank 12.

Abstract: A lubricating nutating single cone drill bit 10 is disclosed. Bit 10 includes a bit shank 12 with an axially skewed bore 18 rotatably retaining a cutter body 22. A plurality of cutter elements (46, 48) are affixed to the cutter body 22. Bearings (26, 28, 30, 32) enable rotation of the cutter body 22 and lubricant is dispensed to the bearings from a lubricant chamber (76, 76?) by a plunger 80 driven by drilling fluid. A method to drill includes attaching the bit 10 to a drill string, engaging the bit 10 into a formation (WB), pumping a drilling fluid into a plunger 80 in the lubricant chamber 76 to dispense lubricant to the bearings (26, 28, 30, 32). The method can include pumping the drilling fluid through a fluid passage 90 in the bit 10 and out of a low pressure orifice 94 on the cutter body 22.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reamer (100) having at least one journal body (110) and at least one toroidal cutter body (116). The toroidal cutter body (116) has a maximum diameter (MD), an outer perimeter (OP) and a plurality of cutting elements (112, 145, 149) on the cutting surface (118). The toroidal cutter body is rotatably attached to the journal (110). When in the installed position, the axis of rotation (RA) of the at least one toroidal cutter body (116) intersects the longitudinal axis of the drill string at an acute angle.

Abstract: A nutating single cone drill bit includes a bit shank defining a bit axis, a journal defining a rotation axis skewed from the bit axis, and a cutter elements mounted upon a cutter body wherein the tip of each cutter elements is forward a plane defined normal to the cutter axis at an intersection of the cutter axis with the bit axis.

Abstract: The present invention includes a nutating single cone drill bit which rolls and crushes the bore face without dragging cutters which are not directly engaging the borehole thereby reducing wear and torque on the drill string, and which because of the large thrust bearings can withstand large compressive loading of the drill string assembly on the bit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reamer (100) having at least one journal body (110) and at least one toroidal cutter body (116). The toroidal cutter body (116) has a maximum diameter (MD), an outer perimeter (OP) and a plurality of cutting elements (112, 145, 149) on the cutting surface (118). The toroidal cutter body is rotatably attached to the journal (110). When in the installed position, the axis of rotation (RA) of the at least one toroidal cutter body (116) intersects the longitudinal axis of the drill string at an acute angle.

Abstract: An underreamer (5) is formed from a tubular body (10) having a longitudinal bore therethrough, and providing an integral piston actuator (20) responsive to hydraulic pressure to move cutters (40) into engagement with the well bore and springs (60) to resist premature engagement of the cutter arms (40) and to return the cutters (40) to the body upon conclusion of the underreaming job. Skewed longitudinal grooves (45) are formed in the tubular body thereby permitting the flowpath through the underreamer to provide substantially the same inner diameter throughout the tool (5).

Abstract: A hole opener (10) having a tubular body (11) with threaded ends (12, 14) for connection in a drill string. The hole opener provides slots or grooves (21, 21′) along its longitudinal axis (16) into which are inserted cutter arm support members (30, 30′, 60, 60′) which may be screwed, (43) pinned (68) or bolted (168) to the body (11) to permit easy replacement of the support arms (30). The grooves (21, 21′) in the body (11) of the hole opener (10) also provide a spindle (20) spatially aligned with the groove (21, 21′) to support the proximal end of a rotatable journal body (28) supporting the cutter body (25) providing hard facing for grinding of the bore hole to be enlarged. The support arms (30) at their distal end provide further support for the cutter journals (70). The hole opener (10) also may provide pressure compensated lubrication mechanism (71) to provide grease to the bearing surfaces to increase their service life and thereby extend the useful life of the tool.

Abstract: A hole opener for enlarging the diameter of bore holes, having a plurality of cantilevered spindles (6) for supporting rotatably attached cutter shells (9) having hardened surfaces for cutting and crushing to widen the bore hole. The cutter shells are supported on an inner threaded journal (13) which permits a plurality of load bearing rollers or bearings (26) to facilitate rotational movement of the cutter. The hole opener is provided on a tubular body which is connected in a drill string and which provides jetting nozzles (4) to remove the cutting debris and return it to the earth's surface. The cantilevered support spindle (6), journal (13) and cutter shell (9) assembly permit flexible interchange of cutter faces and sizes to be available for use with the same hole opener body and different directions of travel of the body.

Abstract: This arrangement and method enables a window to be milled in casing (C) without first removing smaller diameter tubing (T) from the casing (C). An expandable anchor (A) has movable members (14), (19) on top expander (8) and bottom expander (12) which support slip means (21) in retracted position to enable passage through smaller diameter tubing (T) extending into larger diameter casing (C). Actuation of a work string (HSS or WSS) in a manner well known to those skilled in the art expands, or moves the members to secure the slip means and anchor (A) in larger diameter casing C. A whipstock tool including a whipstock W, a hinge assembly H, a centering device, and an orienting sub (OS). A latch assembly (LA) is then run on a workstring (WS) through the smaller diameter tubing (T) and engaged in orienting slot (7) in the riser 2 of Anchor A and a mill (57) on the workstring mills a window in the casing when the workstring is moved along the whipstock.