Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body removably attached to a lower end of the shank and having a blade receptacle formed therethrough; a blade fixed to the body; a plurality of superhard cutters mounted along a leading edge of the fixed blade; a blade disposed in the blade receptacle and longitudinally movable relative to the body between an extended position and a retracted position; a plurality of superhard cutters mounted along a leading edge of the movable blade; and a spring disposed between the shank and the movable blade and biasing the movable blade toward the extended position.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body removably attached to a lower end of the shank and having a blade receptacle formed therethrough; a blade fixed to the body; a plurality of superhard cutters mounted along a leading edge of the fixed blade; a blade disposed in the blade receptacle and longitudinally movable relative to the body between an extended position and a retracted position; a plurality of superhard cutters mounted along a leading edge of the movable blade; and a spring disposed between the shank and the movable blade and biasing the movable blade toward the extended position.

Abstract: A cutter for a drill bit includes: a substrate for mounting the cutter to the drill bit; and a cutting table. The cutting table: is made from a superhard material, is mounted to the substrate, has an interface with the substrate at a lower end thereof, and has a working face at an upper end thereof. The working face has a protruding center section and a plurality of protruding ribs. Each rib extends radially outward from the center section to a side of the cutting table. Each rib has a triangular profile formed by a pair of inclined side surfaces and a ridge connecting opposing ends of the side surfaces. The working face further has a plurality of recessed bases located between adjacent ribs and each extending inward from the side.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a body; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body and having a plurality of stud pockets formed in a bottom of the blade adjacent to a leading edge of the blade; a plurality of studs, each stud disposed in the respective pocket, mounted to the blade by a first braze material, and having a cutter pocket formed therein; a plurality of cutters, each cutter having a superhard cutting table attached to a cermet substrate, disposed in the respective cutter pocket, and mounted to the respective stud by a second braze material. An exposure of each cutter is greater than or equal to a diameter of the respective cutter.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body mounted to a lower end of the shank; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body; a leading cutter including: a substrate mounted in a pocket formed in a leading edge of the blade; and a cutting table made from a superhard material and mounted to the substrate; and a shock stud having a nonplanar working portion made from a composite material and mounted in a lower face of the blade at a position trailing the leading cutter. The composite material comprises a ceramic or cermet matrix impregnated with a superhard material.

Abstract: A cutter for a drill bit includes: a substrate for mounting the cutter to the drill bit; and a cutting table. The cutting table: is made from a superhard material, is mounted to the substrate, has an interface with the substrate at a lower end thereof, and has a working face at an upper end thereof. The working face has a protruding center section and a plurality of protruding ribs. Each rib extends radially outward from the center section to a side of the cutting table. Each rib has a triangular profile formed by a pair of inclined side surfaces and a ridge connecting opposing ends of the side surfaces. The working face further has a plurality of recessed bases located between adjacent ribs and each extending inward from the side.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body mounted to a lower end of the shank; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body; a cutter including: a substrate mounted in a pocket formed in the blade; and a cutting table made from a superhard material, mounted to the substrate, and having a non-planar working face with a cutting feature; and a cutter orienting system including: a keyway formed in the substrate and angularly located opposite from the cutting feature; and a key formed in or mounted to the pocket and engaged with the keyway.

Abstract: A bit for drilling with a casing or liner string includes: a tubular stem made from a high strength metal or alloy; a head: having a cutting face with an inner cone, an outer shoulder, and an intermediate nose between the cone and the shoulder; attached to an end of the stem; and made from a nonferrous metal or alloy; a plurality of blades formed integrally with the head, made from the nonferrous metal or alloy, and each extending from a center of the cutting face to the shoulder; a plurality of superhard cutters mounted along each blade; a plurality of gauge pads formed integrally with the stem; and a flush joint formed between each blade and a respective gauge pad. A yield strength of the high strength metal or alloy is at least twice a yield strength of the nonferrous metal or alloy.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a body; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body and having a plurality of stud pockets formed in a bottom of the blade adjacent to a leading edge of the blade; a plurality of studs, each stud disposed in the respective pocket, mounted to the blade by a first braze material, and having a cutter pocket formed therein; a plurality of cutters, each cutter having a superhard cutting table attached to a cermet substrate, disposed in the respective cutter pocket, and mounted to the respective stud by a second braze material. An exposure of each cutter is greater than or equal to a diameter of the respective cutter.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a shank having a threaded coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a bit body mounted to a lower end of the shank and having a plenum; a gage section forming an outer portion of the drill bit; a cutting face forming a lower end of the drill bit and including: a core receptacle formed at a center of the cutting face, operable to receive a core of earth, and including: a concave core cutter mounted to a bottom of the bit body; and a core port extending from the plenum through the bottom of the bit body and operable to discharge drilling fluid onto the core and core cutter; a plurality of blades protruding from a bottom of the bit body and extending from a periphery of the core receptacle to the gage section; and a plurality of leading cutters mounted along each blade.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body mounted to a lower end of the shank; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body; a leading cutter including: a substrate mounted in a pocket formed in a leading edge of the blade; and a cutting table made from a superhard material and mounted to the substrate; and a shock stud having a nonplanar working portion made from a composite material and mounted in a lower face of the blade at a position trailing the leading cutter. The composite material comprises a ceramic or cermet matrix impregnated with a superhard material.

Abstract: A bit for drilling a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body mounted to a lower end of the shank; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body; a cutter including: a substrate mounted in a pocket formed in the blade; and a cutting table made from a superhard material, mounted to the substrate, and having a non-planar working face with a cutting feature; and a cutter orienting system including: a keyway formed in the substrate and angularly located opposite from the cutting feature; and a key formed in or mounted to the pocket and engaged with the keyway.

Abstract: A curved nozzle for use in a drill bit is disclosed. The curved nozzle includes a flow path that directs drilling fluid towards the face of cutters. The curved nozzle may include a base, neck, and a tip. Flow entering the nozzle, travels along a flow path through the nozzle and out the tip. The flow path may be reduced as it passes through the nozzle. The flow is curved as it flows through the neck and out the tip. The nozzle includes cooperating interior surfaces that guide the flow. The upper interior surface may include two curved zones. The first zone will be a substantially constant radius of curvature. The second zone, extending from the first zone, may be straight.

Abstract: A bit for drilling with a casing or liner string includes: a tubular stem made from a high strength metal or alloy; a head: having a cutting face with an inner cone, an outer shoulder, and an intermediate nose between the cone and the shoulder; attached to an end of the stem; and made from a nonferrous metal or alloy; a plurality of blades formed integrally with the head, made from the nonferrous metal or alloy, and each extending from a center of the cutting face to the shoulder; a plurality of superhard cutters mounted along each blade; a plurality of gauge pads formed integrally with the stem; and a flush joint formed between each blade and a respective gauge pad. A yield strength of the high strength metal or alloy is at least twice a yield strength of the nonferrous metal or alloy.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a shank having a threaded coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a bit body mounted to a lower end of the shank and having a plenum; a gage section forming an outer portion of the drill bit; a cutting face forming a lower end of the drill bit and including: a core receptacle formed at a center of the cutting face, operable to receive a core of earth, and including: a concave core cutter mounted to a bottom of the bit body; and a core port extending from the plenum through the bottom of the bit body and operable to discharge drilling fluid onto the core and core cutter; a plurality of blades protruding from a bottom of the bit body and extending from a periphery of the core receptacle to the gage section; and a plurality of leading cutters mounted along each blade.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a bit body having an end face for engaging a rock formation. The end face is defined by a HIP pressed center structure formed of a metal matrix impregnated with super abrasive particles. The HIP pressed center structure includes a central region located at a center axis of said drill bit and finger regions extending radially from the central region. The end face is further defined by infiltrated ribs formed of a metal matrix impregnated with super abrasive particles. Certain ones of the infiltrated ribs are configured to form radial extensions from the finger regions of the HIP pressed center structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a downhole tool that reduces failures occurring along a bondline between a cemented matrix coupled around a blank. The cemented matrix material is formed from a tungsten carbide powder, a shoulder powder, and a binder material, wherein at least one of the tungsten carbide powder or the shoulder powder is absent of any free tungsten. The blank, which optionally may be coated, is substantially cylindrically shaped and defines a channel extending from a top portion and through a bottom portion of the blank. The absence of free tungsten from at least one of the tungsten carbide powder or the shoulder powder reduces the reaction with iron from the blank, thereby allowing the control and reduction of intermetallic compounds thickness within the bondline.

Abstract: A curved nozzle for use in a drill bit is disclosed. The curved nozzle includes a flow path that directs drilling fluid towards the face of cutters. The curved nozzle may include a base, neck, and a tip. Flow entering the nozzle, travels along a flow path through the nozzle and out the tip. The flow path may be reduced as it passes through the nozzle. The flow is curved as it flows through the neck and out the tip. The nozzle includes cooperating interior surfaces that guide the flow. The upper interior surface may include two curved zones. The first zone will be a substantially constant radius of curvature. The second zone, extending from the first zone, may be straight.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a downhole tool that reduces failures occurring along a bondline between a cemented matrix coupled around a blank. The cemented matrix material is formed from a powder and a binder material. The blank includes an internal blank component and a coating coupled around at least a portion of the surface of the internal blank component. The internal blank component includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The internal blank component is substantially cylindrically shaped and defines a channel extending through the top portion and the bottom portion. The coating is a metal in some exemplary embodiments. The coating reduces the migration of the binder material into the blank thereby allowing the control of intermetallic compounds thickness within the bondline.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a bit body having an end face for engaging a rock formation. The end face is defined by a HIP pressed center structure formed of a metal matrix impregnated with super abrasive particles. The HIP pressed center structure includes a central region located at a center axis of said drill bit and finger regions extending radially from the central region. The end face is further defined by infiltrated ribs formed of a metal matrix impregnated with super abrasive particles. Certain ones of the infiltrated ribs are configured to form radial extensions from the finger regions of the HIP pressed center structure.