Abstract: Superabrasive cutting elements for rolling cutter bits, and mounting techniques for such cutting elements. The insert-type cutting elements employ self-supporting superabrasive masses on the exposed tips thereof, the elements being mounted to the rolling cutters by insertion of supporting stud-like insert bodies into apertures in the cutter shells so that the exposed exterior of the interface between the superabrasive mass and the supporting cemented tungsten carbide stud lies outside of the depth of cut of the cutting element into the formation, and in some instances beneath the surface of the shell.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body. At least one cantilevered bearing shaft depends inwardly and downwardly from the bit body and a cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft. The cutter includes a plurality of cutting elements, at least one of which has a generally cylindrical element body of hard metal. A pair of flanks extend from the body and converge to define a crest. The crest defines at least one sharp cutting edge at its intersection with one of the flanks.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cantilevered bearing shaft depending inwardly and downwardly from the bit body. A cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft and includes a plurality of cutting elements. At least one of the cutting elements has a generally cylindrical body formed of hard metal with a convex cutting end. A plurality of substantially linear, parallel lands are formed on the cutting end of the body. The lands have arcuate top surfaces and define grooves between the land having arcuate bottom surfaces. A layer of super-hard material is formed on the cutting end of the body and engages the lands and grooves formed thereon.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body. At least one cantilevered bearing shaft depends inwardly and downwardly from the bit body and a cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft. The cutter includes a plurality of cutting elements, at least one of which has a generally cylindrical element body of hard metal. A pair of flanks extend from the body and converge to define a crest. The crest defines at least one sharp cutting edge at its intersection with one of the flanks.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cantilevered bearing shaft depending inwardly and downwardly from the bit body. A cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft and includes a plurality of cutting elements arranged in generally circumferential rows, including inner heel rows, of cutting elements. At least one of the cutting elements in one of the inner rows has a crest at least partially formed of super-hard material that defines a cutting edge and cutting surface for shearing engagement with the bottom of the borehole during drilling operations, the remainder of the cutting end of the element is formed of hard, fracture-tough material for crushing engagement with the bottom of the borehole.

Abstract: A hardfacing composition comprises at least 60% by weight of hard metal granules including a quantity of sintered carbide pellets and a quantity of cast carbide pellets. The cast and sintered carbides are selected from the group of carbides consisting of chromium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium carbides and alloys and mixtures thereof. The balance of the hardfacing composition is matrix metal with traces of flux or deoxidizer, and alloying elements. All percentages given are pre-application ratios.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cantilevered bearing shaft depending inwardly and downwardly from the bit body. A cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft and includes a plurality of cutting elements arranged in generally circumferential rows including an outer or heel row of cutting elements. At least one of the cutting elements in the heel row has an outermost surface at least partially formed of super-hard material that defines a cutting edge for shearing engagement with the sidewall of the borehole as the cutters roll and slide over the bottom of the borehole during drilling operations.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cutter rotatably secured to the bit body. The cutter has a cutter shell surface including a gage surface and a heel surface. A plurality of cutting elements inserts are arranged in generally circumferential rows on the cutter. At least one chisel-shaped cutting element is secured to the gage surface. The chisel-shaped cutting element has a pair of surfaces converging to define a circumferential crest and is tilted toward the heel surface such that a line drawn through the center of the cutting element and its crest defines an acute angle of between about 15 and 75 degrees with the gage surface of the cutter.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cutter rotatably secured to the bit body. The cutter has a cutter shell surface including a gage surface intersecting a heel surface. A plurality of hard metal inserts are arranged in generally circumferential rows on the cutter and include a heel row of heel inserts on the heel surface of the cutter and a gage row of gage inserts on the gage surface of the cutter. At least one scraper insert, formed of material more wear-resistant than that of the cutter shell surface, is secured to the cutter shell surface generally at the intersection of the gage and heel surfaces. The scraper insert includes a gage and a heel insert surface. The gage and heel surfaces of the scraper insert converge to define a cutting edge for engagement with the sidewall of the borehole, the heel insert surface defining a positive rake angle with respect to the sidewall of the borehole of between 0 and 15 degrees.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit of the fixed cutter variety is provided with hard gage inserts that protrude from the gage surface of the cutter to engage the side of the borehole for holding gage. The gage insert has a substantially flat, polygonal face defining at least a pair of sharp cutting edges and at least a pair of cutting surfaces that define a negative rake angle with respect to the sidewall of the borehole that is being sheared by the gage insert. The face, cutting edge, and cutting surface of the gage insert are formed of a super-hard and abrasion-resistant material such as polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride. The body of the insert is formed of a hard, fracture-tough material such as cemented tungsten carbide. The improved gage inserts provide an actively cutting gage surface that engages the sidewall of the borehole to promote shearing removal of the sidewall material.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body, at least one cutter rotatably secured to the bit body and including a plurality of teeth formed integrally with the cutter and arranged in circumferential rows thereon. A pair of ribs is formed on at least one of the flanks of at least one of the teeth. The ribs are spaced apart to define a central depression therebetween extending through the crest of the tooth. A thickness of wear-resistant material fills the depression. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wear-resistant material is applied over the ribs, crest, and a portion of the ends and flanks of the tooth, wherein the thickness of the wear-resistant material over the depressions greater, preferably 1/8 inch, than that elsewhere on the tooth.

Abstract: A rolling cone drill bit is disclosed having gage inserts which are installed so as to create a relief angle between the outer surface of each insert and the sidewall of the borehole. Each gage insert only engages the sidewall at a leading edge of the outer surface of the insert.

Abstract: An improved earth-boring bit the rolling cone variety and an insert for use therein is provided. A superabrasive element is coated with at least one layer of metallic material. The superabrasive element then is placed in a receptacle cavity in a pre-formed hard metal jacket. The superabrasive element then is brazed or infiltrated to the hard metal jacket. Metallurgical and mechanical bonds between the superabrasive element, the at least one layer of metallic material on superabrasive element, the braze or infiltrant binder material, and the fracture-tough material of the hard metal jacket retain the superabrasive element in the cavity of the hard metal jacket. Improved earth-boring bits according to this embodiment of the present invention provide abrasion-resistant earth-boring bits of the rolling cutter variety. Such improved bits, and the inserts therefore, are formed without resort to high-temperature, high-pressure processes.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cutter rotatably secured to the bit body. The cutter has a plurality of teeth formed integrally thereon and arranged in circumferential rows. Each of the teeth includes an inner end, an outer end, a pair of flanks and a crest substantially transversely connecting the ends and flanks. The crests of the at least one of the plurality of teeth has a depression formed therein that extends from the outer end of the tooth to an intermediate point along the crest, a remainder of the crest defines a raised crest portion. A wear-resistant material is applied over at least the crest and a portion of at least the ends and flanks of the at least one of the plurality of teeth, wherein the thickness of the wear-resistant material over the depression is substantially greater than elsewhere on the tooth.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cutter rotatably secured to the bit body. The cutter has a cutter shell surface including a gage surface intersecting a heel surface. A plurality of hard metal inserts are arranged in generally circumferential rows on the cutter and include a heel row of heel inserts on the heel surface of the cutter and a gage row of gage inserts on the gage surface of the cutter. At least one scraper insert, formed of material more wear-resistant than that of the cutter shell surface, is secured to the cutter shell surface generally at the intersection of the gage and heel surfaces. The scraper insert includes a gage and a heel insert surface. The gage and heel surfaces of the scraper insert converge to define a cutting edge for engagement with the sidewall of the borehole, the insert surface defining a positive rake angle with respect to the sidewall of the borehole of between 0 and 15 degrees.

Abstract: An improved earth-boring bit the rolling cone variety and an insert for use therein is provided. A superabrasive element is coated with at least one layer of metallic material. The superabrasive element then is placed in a receptacle cavity in a pre-formed hard metal jacket. The superabrasive element then is brazed or infiltrated to the hard metal jacket. Metallurgical and mechanical bonds between the superabrasive element, the at least one layer of metallic material on superabrasive element, the braze or infiltrant binder material, and the fracture-tough material of the hard metal jacket retain the superabrasive element in the cavity of the hard metal jacket. Improved earth-boring bits according to this embodiment of the present invention provide abrasion-resistant earth-boring bits of the rolling cutter variety. Such improved bits, and the inserts therefore, are formed without resort to high-temperature, high-pressure processes.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a cutter provided with hard gage inserts that protrude from the gage surface of the cutter to engage the side of the borehole for holding gage. The gage insert has a substantially flat, polygonal face, the sides of the polygonal face defining at least a pair of sharp cutting edges and at least a pair of cutting surfaces that define a negative rake angle with respect to the sidewall of the borehole that is being sheared by the gage insert. The face, cutting edge, and cutting surface of the gage insert are formed of a super-hard and abrasion-resistant material such as polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride. The body of the insert is formed of a hard, fracture-tough material such as cemented tungsten carbide. The improved gage inserts are secured into sockets in the gage surface of the rolling cone cutter by interference fit.

Abstract: A cutter of an earth-boring bit is provided with hard gage inserts that protrude from the gage surface of the cutter to engage the side of the borehole for holding gage. The gage insert has a substantially flat face with sharp cutting edges formed thereon and has cutting surfaces that define a negative rake angle with respect to the sidewall of the borehole that is being sheared by the gage insert. The face, cutting edge, and cutting surface of the gage insert are formed of a super-hard and abrasion-resistant material such as polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride. The body of the insert is formed of a hard, fracture-tough material such as cemented tungsten carbide. The improved gage inserts are secured into sockets in the gage surface of the rolling cone cutter by interference fit. The improved gage inserts provide an actively cutting gage surface that engages the sidewall of the borehole to promote shearing removal of the sidewall material.

Abstract: A helmet of a rigid construction includes an interior fabric surface removably mounting an inflatable pneumatic liner therewithin. The liner includes an inflation valve and a deflation valve for selective inflation of the liner. A modification of the invention includes the liner formed with a plurality of positioning projections, with each projection in pneumatic communication with a ventilation conduit, whereupon air directed at the liner is projected interiorly of the helmet through the projections.

Abstract: In an improved earth boring bit of the type having one or more rotable cones secured to bearing shafts, an improved cutting structure having diamond filled compacts used as a wear resistant inserts. The improved compacts have hard metal jackets and integrally formed diamond cores. The improved compacts are advantageously used as gage and heel row compacts when inserted in mating recesses provided on the exteriors of the rotatable cones.