Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and structures for a rotary cone drill bit having a body and rolling cone cutters, wherein the rolling cone cutters are coupled to the body through a bearing retention interface including ball bearings in a captured channel between the body and the rolling cone cutters. The ball bearings are inserted through an opening that is subsequently filled with a retainer pin having an engagement feature that ensures alignment of the retainer pin with respect to the captured channel and the ball bearings to reduce wear within the rotary cone drill bit.

Abstract: A down-the-hole hammer includes a barrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a middle chamber and a bottom chamber, a piston defining a top chamber and slidable within the barrel between the middle chamber and the bottom chamber, a control tube having a distal port, and an air distributor having a first distal port and a second distal port. The control tube is indexable between a plurality of rotational positions to adjust which of the first distal port and the second distal port of the air distributor is aligned with the distal port of the control tube.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and structures for a rotary cone drill bit having a body and rolling cone cutters, wherein the rolling cone cutters are coupled to the body through a bearing retention interface including ball bearings in a captured channel between the body and the rolling cone cutters. The ball bearings are inserted through an opening that is subsequently filled with a retainer pin having an engagement feature that ensures alignment of the retainer pin with respect to the captured channel and the ball bearings to reduce wear within the rotary cone drill bit.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit includes a plurality of rotating cones each including a plurality of cutting tips, and a plurality of legs on which the plurality of cones are respectively supported. Each leg includes a journal area configured to rotatably support the respective cone, a primary conduit extending internally within the leg and configured to receive air from an air compressor, a first journal conduit downstream from the primary conduit and extending to a first air orifice of the journal area, and at least one second journal conduit downstream from the primary conduit and extending to at least one corresponding second air orifice of the journal area. A ratio of a cross-sectional diameter of the first journal conduit to a cross-sectional diameter of at least one of the second journal conduits is in a range of about 1 to about 1.4.

Abstract: A tricone bit having one or more bearings with deposited lubricant layers is disclosed. The lubricant layers may comprise one or both of a metal-phosphate and/or solid lubricant. The lubricant layers may be disposed on one or more of the bearings, the journal bases, and/or the cones. The lubricant layers can also be used for applications of bearings other than for tricone bits. The deposited lubricant layers may be more persistent lubrication for tricone bits, such as air-cooled tricone bits, compared to conventional lubricants for tricone bits. The metal-phosphate layer may include one or more of zinc phosphate, manganese phosphate, iron phosphate, or the like. The solid lubricant may include one or more inorganic fullerenes, tungsten disulfide, molybdenum disulfide, graphite, graphene, or the like.

Abstract: A bucket for a work machine is disclosed. The bucket has a base plate at a top end of the bucket, a lip plate at a bottom end, and a pair of side plates that extend down from the base plate to the bottom end. A wrapper has a first curved portion, having a first radius of curvature, that extends to a first flat portion. The first flat portion extends to a second curved portion having a second radius of curvature. The first flat portion extends between the first curved portion and the second curved portion.

Abstract: An air-cooled tricone bit having an air conduit corresponding to individual cones of the tricone bit is filled with lubricant or grease with particles therein is disclosed. The grease may include fullerene-like particles, such as tungsten disulfide, molybdenum disulfide, graphene, graphite, or the like. By packing the air conduit of the tricone bit with the grease with particles, the grease with particles may flow during an initial break-in period of the tricone bit to coat the internal components of the tricone bit. This reduces the friction between the internal components of the tricone bit, such as journal bases, cones, and/or bearing elements. The reduced friction between the internal components of the tricone bit result in reduced wear, both during the break-in period and after the break-in period. The reduced wear results in a greater operating lifetime of the tricone bits.

Abstract: A leg assembly of a tricone bit includes a cone and a leg fitting inside the cone. The leg includes an axis defining an axial center of rotation of the cone, a first raceway for a first row of bearings, a second raceway for a second row of bearings, and a third raceway for a third row of bearings disposed between the cone and the leg, at a distal end, at a middle section, and at a proximal end of the leg. A first clearance for the first row of bearings for the first raceway is less than a second clearance for the second row of bearings for the second raceway, which is less than a third clearance for the third row of bearings for the third raceway, such that the first row of bearings initially supports most of the radial load applied to the tricone bit.

Abstract: A down-the-hole hammer includes a barrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a middle chamber and a bottom chamber, a piston defining a top chamber and slidable within the barrel between the middle chamber and the bottom chamber, a control tube having a distal port, and an air distributor having a first distal port and a second distal port. The control tube is indexable between a plurality of rotational positions to adjust which of the first distal port and the second distal port of the air distributor is aligned with the distal port of the control tube.