Abstract: A down the hole drilling assembly having a drill tube adapter, an elongate casing, a fluid powered piston, a top working chamber, a bottom working chamber, a top sub and an exhaust system, wherein the exhaust system is moveable with respect to the drill string. The top sub includes an exhaust valve arranged for opening and closing the connection between the at least one exhaust passage and the at least one exhaust port.

Abstract: A down the hole drilling assembly having an elongate casing, a fluid powered piston, top and bottom working chambers, a plurality of fluid passages and an exhaust system, wherein the sum of the top work area and a top intermediate work area of the piston is equal to the cross-sectional area of the casing bore.

Abstract: A down the hole drilling assembly has a top end coupled to a drill string and a bottom cutting end. The drilling assembly includes a piston arranged moveably inside a casing with a piston nose positioned at an axially bottom end and a top working chamber at a top end, a bottom working chamber at the bottom end, a driver sub having axially extending driver sub splines on an internal surface, a drill bit having an axially extending central bore including an elongate shank provided with axially extending shank splines on its outer surface for engagement with the driver sub splines to form a spline area, a guide sleeve forming a seal with the piston nose, the guide sleeve having an inner and outer surface, and at least one air passageway extending through the guide sleeve for fluidly connecting the bottom chamber to the spline area to provide lubrication thereto.

Abstract: A down the hole drilling assembly having an elongate casing, a fluid powered piston, top and bottom working chambers, a plurality of fluid passages and an exhaust system, wherein the sum of the top work area and a top intermediate work area of the piston is equal to the cross-sectional area of the casing bore.

Abstract: A down the hole drilling assembly having a drill tube adapter, an elongate casing, a fluid powered piston, a top working chamber, a bottom working chamber, a top sub and an exhaust system, wherein the exhaust system is moveable with respect to the drill string. The top sub includes an exhaust valve arranged for opening and closing the connection between the at least one exhaust passage and the at least one exhaust port.

Abstract: A down-the-hole drilling assembly activated by fluid under pressure includes a casing having an axially rearward and forward end, a piston arranged movably inside the casing, a plurality of fluid passages for feeding and discharging pressurized fluid into and out of a working chamber for generating reciprocating movement of the piston, a drill bit at the forward end and provided with an anvil facing towards the piston for receiving impacts therefrom and an annular drive sub surrounding at least a portion of a shank and cooperating with the bit to form fluid passages extending length-wise along the shank. The drive sub has a concave arcuate groove extending circumferentially to form a chamber for collecting fluid from the hammer exhaust and redistributing a volume of the collected fluid from channels formed between complimentary splines of the drive sub and splines of the bit to flushing holes arranged in the bit.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a rock drill bit for a percussive drilling hammer positioned at the cutting end of a hammer. The drill bit includes a head, an elongated shank connected to the head at a front end of the bit, a head-shank transition area where the head connects to the shank, an anvil at the rear end of the shank for receiving the impact of the piston, a plurality of buttons provided at the front face of the head configured to engage the material to be crushed in the intended direction of drilling, and a plurality of flushing passages extending through the head and having at least one opening at the front face of the head. An angle formed between the head and the shank at the head-shank transition area is greater than 100 degrees.

Abstract: A down the hole rock drilling machine and a method of drilling rock. The drilling machine comprises a casing (15) inside which is a control sleeve (20). A reciprocating piston (19) is arranged to move inside the control sleeve and control feeding and discharging of working chambers (20, 21). Between the control sleeve and an inner surface of the casing are all the fluid passages (28, 29, 30, 31) needed for fluid routing. The piston opens and closes transverse openings and controls the work cycle.

Abstract: A down the hole rock drilling machine and a method of drilling rock. The drilling machine includes a reciprocating piston, which has a sleeve-like configuration. Inside a central opening of the piston is arranged one or more fluid passages for conveying pressurized fluid during the work cycle of an impact device of the drill machine.

Abstract: A down the hole rock drilling machine and a method of drilling rock. The drilling machine comprises a casing (15) inside which is a control sleeve (20). A reciprocating piston (19) is arranged to move inside the control sleeve and control feeding and discharging of working chambers (20, 21). Between the control sleeve and an inner surface of the casing are all the fluid passages (28, 29, 30, 31) needed for fluid routing. The piston opens and closes transverse openings and controls the work cycle.

Abstract: A down-the-hole hammer drill bit retaining assembly is arranged to releasably retain a drill bit at a hammer arrangement of a percussion drilling apparatus. The retaining assembly includes a drive sub and a retainer ring. The drive sub has at least one indent to provide a fluid communication pathway for a flushing fluid extending over a radially outward facing surface of the retainer ring and into an internal region of the drive sub in contact with inwardly projecting splines.

Abstract: A down the hole rock drilling machine and a method of drilling rock. The drilling machine includes a reciprocating piston, which has a sleeve-like configuration. Inside a central opening of the piston is arranged one or more fluid passages for conveying pressurized fluid during the work cycle of an impact device of the drill machine.

Abstract: A down-the-hole hammer drill bit retaining assembly is arranged to releasably retain a drill bit at a hammer arrangement of a percussion drilling apparatus. The retaining assembly includes a drive sub and a retainer ring. The drive sub has at least one indent to provide a fluid communication pathway for a flushing fluid extending over a radially outward facing surface of the retainer ring and into an internal region of the drive sub in contact with inwardly projecting splines.

Abstract: A quick release down-the-hole (DTH) hammer drill bit assembly includes a drill bit releaseably retained at a drive transmission component (drive sub) via a retaining sleeve and respective retaining formations to axially couple and lock the drill bit at the assembly. In particular, the drill bit is retained exclusively at the assembly via retaining formations at the drive sub, the sleeve and the drill bit, without a requirement for additional retaining rings that would otherwise axially lock the drill bit at the drive sub.

Abstract: A quick release down-the-hole (DTH) hammer drill bit assembly includes a drill bit releaseably retained at a drive transmission component (drive sub) via a retaining sleeve and respective retaining formations to axially couple and lock the drill bit at the assembly. In particular, the drill bit is retained exclusively at the assembly via retaining formations at the drive sub, the sleeve and the drill bit, without a requirement for additional retaining rings that would otherwise axially lock the drill bit at the drive sub.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a first component that is electrically conductive but electrically isolated; a ground point; and an intermediate component positioned adjacent the first component and adjacent the ground point comprising an electrically conductive portion for electrically connecting the first component and the ground point.