Abstract: A percussive assisted rotary drill includes a top sub for connection with a drill pipe. The drill pipe imparts torque to the drill and also supplies motive fluid to the drill. The drill includes a shank adapter to facilitate affixing a rotary drill bit to the drill. The motive fluid is divided between a bit flow which flows through the bit to clear debris at the bottom of the drill, and an actuator flow. An actuator, which may be in the form of a reciprocating piston, moves within the drill under the influence of the actuator flow to impart cyclical blows to the shank adapter. The blows are transferred to the drill bit through the shank adapter to provide a relatively high frequency low amplitude percussive force on the rotating drill bit to assist in the drilling operation. At least a portion of the actuator flow portion of the motive fluid is exhausted through the top end of the drill.

Abstract: A down-the-hole drill hammer having a housing, a backhead and a tubular sliding check valve assembly that includes a distal end, a threaded male proximal end, a supply inlet and an exhaust port. The exhaust port communicates between an interior of the backhead and an exterior of the backhead. The tubular sliding check valve assembly includes a distributor, a sliding valve, and a biasing member. The distributor has a central opening extending through the distributor, an aperture extending through the distributor, and an exhaust gallery. The sliding valve is slidable along the central opening. The biasing member biases the sliding valve to a closed position.

Abstract: A pressure reversing valve for a down-the-hole percussive drilling (“DHD”) apparatus has a first valve pressure surface, a second valve pressure surface and a third valve pressure surface. The first valve pressure surface engages an internal surface of a housing of the DHD hammer. The second valve pressure surface is in communication with a high pressure port of the DHD hammer. The third valve pressure surface is in communication with a passageway that extends through a distributor within the DHD hammer. The valve also includes a valve passageway that extends through the valve and which is in communication with a first volume of the DHD hammer. The first volume is formed by surfaces of the distributor and the third valve pressure surface.

Abstract: A percussive assisted rotary drill includes a top sub for connection with a drill pipe. The drill pipe imparts torque to the drill and also supplies motive fluid to the drill. The drill includes a shank adapter to facilitate affixing a rotary drill bit to the drill. The motive fluid is divided between a bit flow which flows through the bit to clear debris at the bottom of the drill, and an actuator flow. An actuator, which may be in the form of a reciprocating piston, moves within the drill under the influence of the actuator flow to impart cyclical blows to the shank adapter. The blows are transferred to the drill bit through the shank adapter to provide a relatively high frequency low amplitude percussive force on the rotating drill bit to assist in the drilling operation. At least a portion of the actuator flow portion of the motive fluid is exhausted through the top end of the drill.

Abstract: A down-the-hole drill hammer assembly includes a casing, a drill stem, a drilling lug segment and a pilot drill bit is provided. The drill stem is housed within the casing and includes an abutment surface. The drilling lug segment is slidably engaged with a distal end of the drill stem and movable between an initial configuration and an extended configuration. The drilling lug segment includes a proximal end engageable with the abutment surface of the drilling lug segment. The drill stem is movable between first and second positions within the pilot drill bit. In moving to the second position, the drill stem slidingly engages the drilling lug segment and moves the drilling lug segment to the extended configuration.

Abstract: A percussive assisted rotary drill includes a top sub for connection with a drill pipe. The drill pipe imparts torque to the drill and also supplies motive fluid to the drill. The drill includes a shank adapter to facilitate affixing a rotary drill bit to the drill. The motive fluid is divided between a bit flow which flows through the bit to clear debris at the bottom of the drill, and an actuator flow. An actuator, which may be in the form of a reciprocating piston, moves within the drill under the influence of the actuator flow to impart cyclical blows to the shank adapter. At least a portion of the actuator flow portion of the motive fluid is exhausted through the top end of the drill.

Abstract: A down-the-hole drill hammer is provided that includes a housing, a piston mounted within the housing, a drill bit mounted below the housing, and a drive coupling operatively engaged with the housing and drill bit. The drive coupling can be configured with a plurality of lugs circumferentially disposed about the drill bit and coupled with the casing for providing rotation thereof. Alternatively, the drive coupling can be configured with segmented lugs configured to circumscribe the drill bit, or as a cylindrical chuck formed out of arch-shaped chuck segments which radially assemble onto the shank of the drill bit.

Abstract: A bit assembly is for a percussive drill that includes a casing with an interior chamber and includes a bit connectable with the casing and having a longitudinal bore and an axis through the bore. The bore has a retainer portion with one or more generally conical inner surfaces extending circumferentially about and facing generally toward the axis. A generally cylindrical valve has a longitudinal passage with an inlet fluidly connectable with the casing chamber and an outlet fluidly connectable with the bit central bore and an axis through the passage. An engagement portion with at least one generally conical outer surface extends circumferentially about and faces generally away from the valve axis. The valve engagement portion is disposable within the bit bore retainer portion such that the valve conical outer surface is disposed within and against the bit conical inner surface to retain the valve coupled with the bit.

Abstract: A percussive assisted rotary drill includes a top sub for connection with a drill pipe. The drill pipe imparts torque to the drill and also supplies motive fluid to the drill. The drill includes a shank adapter to facilitate affixing a rotary drill bit to the drill. The motive fluid is divided between a bit flow which flows through the bit to clear debris at the bottom of the drill, and an actuator flow. An actuator, which may be in the form of a reciprocating piston, moves within the drill under the influence of the actuator flow to impart cyclical blows to the shank adapter. The blows are transferred to the drill bit through the shank adapter to provide a relatively high frequency low amplitude percussive force on the rotating drill bit to assist in the drilling operation. At least a portion of the actuator flow portion of the motive fluid is exhausted through the top end of the drill.

Abstract: A DHD hammer that can exhaust working air volumes partially through a proximal end of the DHD hammer's actuator assembly includes a drive chamber, a return chamber, and a backhead that includes exhaust ports. Working air volumes from the drive chamber are exhausted through the backhead while working air volumes from the drive chamber are exhausted primarily through a drill bit.

Abstract: A down-the-hole drill hammer is provided that includes a housing, a solid core piston mounted within the housing, a seal located between the solid core piston and the housing, and a backhead configured to exhaust working fluid volumes about a proximal end of the DHD hammer. The backhead includes a check valve assembly having a plug seal that can be moved to a closed seal position by gravity. A DHD hammer having a segmented chuck assembly is also provided. The segmented chuck assembly includes a plurality of chuck segments forming a cylindrical chuck assembly.

Abstract: A fluid channeling device (10) is for a down-hole drill assembly (1) having a central axis (1c) and advanceable into a hole in a downward direction (D) along the axis (1c). The assembly (1) includes a drill member (2) with an inner surface (2a) bounding a central bore (2b) and an outer surface (2c). The channeling system includes at least one passage (12) provided within the drill member (2) so as to extend generally between the drill member inner (2a) and outer surfaces (2c). A generally annular channeling member (14) is disposeable about a portion of the drill member (2) and has at least one inlet port (20), at least one discharge port (16), and a passage (12) extending between the inlet (20) and discharge ports (16). The inlet port (20) is fluidly connectable with the drill member passage (12) to fluidly couple the central bore (2b) with the discharge port (16).

Abstract: A down-the-hole drill (DHD) hammer having a casing, a drill bit proximate a distal end of the casing, a piston mounted within the casing and a self-indexing drive transmission is provided. The piston includes a plurality of helical and axial splines. The drive transmission includes a driver sleeve, a driven sleeve and a wrap spring clutch assembly. The driver sleeve and driven sleeve are housed within the casing and circumscribes the piston. The driver sleeve includes a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of bearings. The driver sleeve bearings are configured to operatively engage the helical splines on the piston. The wrap spring clutch assembly includes a wrap spring circumscribing the driver sleeve and driven sleeve. The driven sleeve operatively engages the drill bit to rotationally index the drill bit.

Abstract: A bit assembly is for a percussive drill that includes a casing with an interior chamber and includes a bit connectable with the casing and having a longitudinal bore and an axis through the bore. The bore has a retainer portion with one or more generally. conical inner surfaces extending circumferentially about and facing generally toward the axis. A generally cylindrical valve has a longitudinal passage with an inlet fluidly connectable with the casing chamber and an outlet fluidly connectable with the bit central bore and an axis through the passage. An engagement portion with at least one generally conical outer surface extends circumferentially about and faces generally away from the valve axis. The valve engagement portion is disposable within the bit bore retainer portion such that the valve conical outer surface is disposed within and against the bit conical inner surface to retain the valve coupled with the bit.

Abstract: A bit assembly is for a drill having a casing, a central axis and a hammer movably disposed within the casing. The bit assembly includes a chuck with a tubular body having first and second ends, the first end being connected with the casing such that the second end is spaced axially therefrom, and one or more openings extending generally axially from the second end toward the first end. A bit includes a body with a tubular portion having a cavity and one or more axial lugs, the lug(s) being disposable within the chuck opening(s). A retainer is coupled with the chuck, disposable within the bit cavity and engageable with the bit lug(s) so as to releasably couple the bit with the chuck. The retainer is preferably a deflectable ring sized to receive a portion of the hammer, such that the hammer prevents disengagement of the retainer from the bit.

Abstract: A fluid distributor device is for a percussive drill assembly including a generally tubular casing (2) having a longitudinal centerline and a piston (6) disposed within the casing so as to define a reservoir chamber (27) in the casing. The distributor device comprises a generally cylindrical body (12) disposed within the casing and including a central axis, two opposing ends spaced apart along the axis, first and second interior chambers and a port fluidly connecting the two chambers. The body further has a plurality of fluid passages extending between the two ends and fluidly connecting the first chamber with the reservoir chamber and a deflectable retainer portion (16) releasably engaged with the casing so as to retain the body at a desired position with respect to the casing centerline. A valve (7) is disposed within the body and is configured to permit fluid flow through the port and to alternatively prevent fluid flow through the port.

Abstract: A retainer device (10) is provided for retaining a drill bit (12) within a percussive drill assembly casing (2). The retainer device (10) includes a generally annular body (16) having a central axis and an inner circumferential shoulder portion (18) disposable within the casing (2) such that the body axis (17) is substantially collinear with a casing axis (2a). The shoulder (17) is deflectable between a first position (P1), where the shoulder (18) is contactable with the bit head (14) to retain the bit (12) within the retainer body (16), and a second position (P2). The second position (P2) is spaced radially outwardly from the first position such that the bit head (14) is displaceable through the body (16) in a direction along the casing axis (2a). Also, the retainer device (10) includes a spacer (24) that locates the retainer body (16) at a desired axial position within the casing (2) and a centralizer (26) that centers the body (16) about the casing axis (2a).

Abstract: A fluid channeling device is for a percussive drill including a casing having an interior space, drive and valve chambers defined within the interior space, a piston disposed within the casing and having an upper end disposeable within the drive chamber and a longitudinal through-bore, and a valve for controlling flow into the drive chamber. The device includes a first member partially disposed within the drive chamber so as to extend into the piston bore when the piston end is within the drive chamber. The first member has an outer surface, an interior space and one or more ports extending between the outer surface and interior space and fluidly connectable with the drive chamber. A second member is disposed within the first member interior and has a passage fluidly connected with the valve chamber and fluidly connectable with the port(s) to establish fluid communication between the drive and valve chambers.

Abstract: A retainer device (10) is provided for retaining a drill bit (12) within a percussive drill assembly casing (2). The retainer device (10) includes a generally annular body (16) having a central axis and an inner circumferential shoulder portion (18) disposable within the casing (2) such that the body axis (17) is substantially collinear with a casing axis (2a). The shoulder (17) is deflectable between a first position (P1), where the shoulder (18) is contactable with the bit head (14) to retain the bit (12) within the retainer body (16), and a second position (P2). The second Position (P2) is spaced radially outwardly from the first position such that the bit head (14) is displaceable through the body (16) in a direction along the casing axis (2a). Also, the retainer device (10) includes a spacer (24) that locates the retainer body (16) at a desired axial position within the casing (2) and a centralizer (26) that centers the body (16) about the casing axis (2a).