Abstract: A drilling mechanism of a coring drilling rig has a central rod, a fluid channel starting module, an outer barrel, an outer barrel unlocking module, a flow diverging module and a drill bit. The central rod penetrates the fluid channel starting module. The outer barrel unlocking module and an inner cavity of the flow diverging module from back to front. The fluid channel starting module is behind the outer barrel and is connected to the outer barrel unlocking module. The flow diverging module is in front of the outer barrel unlocking module, and a hydraulic motor is connected in front of the flow diverging module. The outer barrel has a driving section that is a rotor of the hydraulic motor. The outer wall of the outer barrel is fixedly connected to a centralizer, and the front end of the outer barrel is connected to the drill bit.

Abstract: The inner barrel system includes a coring inner barrel. The system also includes a connector sub coupled to the coring inner barrel. The connector sub includes a tubular wall defining a central axis and a shear zone extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the tubular wall. The shear zone severs with less force than the coring inner barrel.

Abstract: The present document relates to a piston corer for acquiring a soil sample. The piston corer comprises a sample reception cylinder for taking in and retaining the soil sample, and which comprises a piston. The piston is moveable over a piston stroke inside the sample reception cylinder. An intake opening at a first end of the sample reception cylinder allows to receive the soil sample upon penetration of the ground, and the piston is configured to move in a direction away from the intake opening during taking in of the soil sample towards an end position of the piston stroke. The piston corer further comprises an activator cooperating with a valve arranged for closing of the intake opening upon activation. The activator is configured for activating a closing action of the valve in response to the piston reaching the end position of the piston stroke. The document further relates to a method of acquiring a soil sample using such a piston corer.

Abstract: A wellsite connector apparatus and related method. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes connecting a base plate to a first member via a first weld-less connection, the first member defining a first fluid passageway and being adapted to be connected to a first wellsite component; connecting a flange to a second member via a second weld-less connection, the second member defining a second fluid passageway and being adapted to be connected to a second wellsite component; and connecting the flange to the base plate via a third weld-less connection; wherein the first, second, and third weld-less connections are configured so that: the first and second fluid passageways are co-axial; and the first and second wellsite components are in fluid communication with each other, via at least the first and second fluid passageways, when the first and second members are connected to the first and second wellsite components, respectively.

Abstract: A core barrel head assembly positionable within a drill string of a drilling apparatus. The core barrel head assembly includes an upper latch body having a latch assembly for engageably latching the drill string and a reduced diametric portion below the latch assembly for receiving a seal member. The reduced diametric portion has a lower coupling portion on a bottom portion thereof. The head assembly also includes a lower latch body including an upper coupling portion on a top portion thereof, and a coupler for removably coupling the upper latch body to the lower latch body. The seal member is installable on and removable from the reduced diametric portion upon uncoupling the upper latch body from the lower latch body. The head assembly is quickly reconfigurable between surface and pump in/underground configurations. Core barrel outer tube components also do not require reconfiguring between these two configurations.

Abstract: A rock core removal method and apparatus allows efficient, safe, and reliable removal of a rock core sample. An inner collet tube and an outer ground tube, within a drill tube, protect the core sample during drilling. At depth, the collet tube is raised with respect to the ground tube so that the conical wall of the ground tube pushes constricting fingers on the collet tube inward, gripping the core sample within. The collet tube and ground tube are then raised, rotated, or raised and rotated, applying the necessary force to break the core sample off of the substrate. After retracting the tubes, the collet tube is lowered with respect to the ground tube to release the core sample. An ejection rod then pushes the core sample out of the collet tube. The ground tube may also act as the actuating means for a quick-change drill-bit release feature.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for coring a borehole in a hard rock sidewall of a well bore in a subterranean formation for testing purposes. The apparatus includes a drive motor for operation down hole, a flexible drive shaft coupled to the drive motor and a coring bit coupled to the flexible drive shaft, such that the coring bit is directly driven by the drive motor. The apparatus also includes a control circuit for controlling advancement of the coring bit into the subterranean formation. The apparatus also includes a rotating carousel for storing multiple core samples. The method includes the steps of activating the drive motor to rotate the output shaft; coupling the output shaft of the drive motor to the flexible drive shaft and rotating the coring bit with the flexible drive shaft.

Abstract: Inner core barrel head assembly (10) includes an upper latch body (24), a plurality of latching balls (26) which are retained in the latch body (24) and a locking sleeve (28) disposed within the latch body (24). The sleeve (28) has an outer circumferential latching surface (30) of a first outer diameter and an outer circumferential release surface (32) of a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter. The locking sleeve is axially moveable relative to the upper latch body (24) between a latching position and a release position. In the latching position, the latching surface (30) is in radial alignment with the balls (26), forcing the balls (26) radially outwardly into a latch seat (12) provided on a core barrel (20) attached to a lower end of a drill rod (14). This latches the assembly (10) to the core barrel preventing withdrawal.

Abstract: A device for preserving the orientation of a core is described. A core barrel is attached to a rotatable orienting rod. A plurality of projections are located on an inner surface of the core barrel. Three projections are grouped together and opposite from a fourth projection. A ratchet assembly is included at an end of the rotatable orienting rod opposite from the core barrel. The ratchet assembly includes a first body, to which the rotatable orienting rod is attached, a plate, a second body, and a biasing mechanism. A turning rod is mounted on the plate, which is located between the two bodies. The plate and the second body each have teeth which intermesh, but which slip if a clog in the core barrel inhibits rotation of the rotatable orienting rod.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for use in a sampler is disclosed. The cutting apparatus includes an extension tube having a round unit on a bottom side of the extension tube; a cutting ring located in a bottom portion of a protecting tube; a guide tube which is internally equipped within the cutting ring; a plurality of cutters equipped to an outside of the cutting ring for closing a bottom portion of the sampling tube when the cutting ring is pulled by uplifting an up-lifting rod of the sampler, wherein a plurality of the cutters are uplifted followed by the guide tube and bended according the round unit in order to be gathered and closed; and a connection means for fixing a plurality of the cutters on the cutting ring. A sampler having the cutting apparatus can gather a sample of un-cohesive soil such as a sandy soil without spilling.

Abstract: The drilling apparatus includes a wire line core barrel head assembly that has a latch body seatable on a drill string landing shoulder and retained in a latch seated position by a latch assembly spring urged to a latch seated position, fluid seals on the latch body to facilitate fluidly propelling the head assembly in an upward direction, valve mechanism in a latch body bypass channel to restrict fluid flow therethrough to provide a signal of the latch body seating on the landing shoulder and then opening together with being retractable to an open position by a latch retractor prior to the latch body being retracted and second valve mechanism to block axial outward flow in the bypass channel. The fluid seals are mounted to a latch body adaptor that may be removed to convert from an up-hole to a down-hole assembly.

Abstract: A core sampler, particularly for use in oil prospecting, including a flexible movable ring (5), provided in particular at the front end (2) of the core sampler, which end is connected to a coring bit (3), for grasping a core sample (C) to be brought to the surface. The ring has a cylindrical internal surface (6) to be clamped around the core sample (C), and a frustoconical external surface (7) tapering towards the front end (2). In the end or starting position, the ring (5) is exposed to zero or minimal strain from the bearing surface (12) and has an internal diameter no smaller than the outer diameter of the core sample (C) to be grasped. The core sampler (1) comprises control mechanism for longitudinally moving the movable ring (5) from the end starting position to an end clamping position. A flexible sleeve (15) is advantageously substantially coaxial with the movable ring (5) and engages the side thereof opposite the front end (2) of the core sampler (1).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a drill stem having a core bit mounted thereon and an inner tube assembly having an inner tube mounting a corebreaker case that either has or in conjunction with the inner tube provides a corebreaker recess having an upwardly facing planar edge. Advantageously a stop ring and a non-axial split annular corebreaker are mounted in the recess with the stop ring being between the corebreaker and inner tube, even though the corebreaker may be axially slit and/or no stop ring used. The corebreaker has inner and outer peripheral surfaces that are of constant diameters, axial opposite transverse inner and outer planar edges while the recess is in part defined by planar edges. At least one of the parallel edges is inclined to the tube central axis when the core breaker is in its core taking position.

Abstract: A soil sampler assembly for obtaining undistrubed soil samples having an outer corer member for coring the soil during sampling and including first and second ends and also having an inner sampling member having first and second ends with the inner sampling member being removably disposed within the outer corer member for receiving a soil sample and adapted to be removed from the outer corer means without disturbing the soil sample.

Abstract: A coring tool comprises a core cutting section and an actuating section disposed thereabove. The core cutting section includes axially telescoping outer and inner barrels. The inner barrel includes a jaw carrier which carries pivotable core-catching jaws normally covered along their radially inner sides by a driver sleeve. When the driver sleeve is raised by the actuator section the jaws are uncovered. Thereafter, the driver sleeve raises the jaw carrier to bring the jaws into contact with a stationary inclined jaw-deflecting surface to force the jaws laterally inwardly through the core. The actuator section relies upon fluid pressure to release for movement a vertically risible member which is mechanically lifted by a drill string to transmit vertical forces to the driver sleeve from a drill string.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for closing, without a surge, one end of a core barrel installed in a mining or oil drilling rig, optionally equipped with a turbine.This device comprises a tubular element in whose bore there is guided a sliding member which provides a passage for the drilling liquid under pressure, this sliding member being movable in the above-mentioned bore under the influence of a variation in the flow of drilling liquid between a first position in which it keeps a closing member such as a ball remote from a seat provided at the above-mentioned end of the core barrel and, when it has engaged in the second section of the bore allows the closing element to be held in the first section of the bore, and a second position in which it allows the closing element to pass from the first section of the bore into the second section thereof and to place itself on the seat of the core barrel when the sliding member returns to its starting position.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting core samples from the side walls of a subterranean well bore comprises an axial force generating tool insertable into the well with such tool carrying a stationary support rod and the movable element of such tool producing a movement of a housing surrounding the stationary support rod. Annular core forming tools are mounted on plural anvil plates disposed on sides of the stationary support rod and such tools are moved into penetrating relationship with the well bore side wall through association with a linkage between the movable housing, the anvil plates, and the stationary support rod. The movement of the axial force generating element is opposed by a resistance element. A limit to the maximum force applied to the core forming tools is provided by a shearable element series connected in the stationary support rod.

Abstract: A core spring type core catcher and a full closure core catcher are completely concealed from the core within a coring tool. The full closure catcher is reliably actuated to assume a closed configuration without dependence upon gravity or an interference diametrical fit with the core by use of a cam ring which is longitudinally displaced downwardly within the core barrel by a preloaded compression spring. The full closure core catcher is comprised of a plurality of flapper valves circumferentially disposed outside of the inner tube and concealed by the inner tube or a terminal extension of the inner tube. Disposed above the plurality of flapper valves, and also circumferentially disposed outside of and concentric with the inner tube is a cam ring. Similarly circumferentially disposed outside of and concentric with the inner tube is a preloaded coil compression spring bearing against the cam ring. The cam ring in turn is in sliding contact with a rear surface of each one of the plurality of flapper valves.

Abstract: A coring tool, which includes a flexible wire mesh in which the core is disposed, includes a mechanism for maintaining tension on the wire mesh sleeve which then seizes the core disposed within the sleeve, and which serves to retain the core and maintain it under tension. The sleeve is maintained under tension by tensile force transmitted to the sleeve through a stripper tube. The stripper tube is axially disposed through a piston ratchet assembly connected to a piston slidable within the drill string. The piston is resiliently urged upward within the drill string by a return spring but is longitudinally forced downward within the drill string and advanced downwardly with respect to the stripper tube by an increase in pressure within the drill string thereby compressing the return spring.

Abstract: A mechanism for catching and holding a core within an inner tube in a drill string includes a slidable core catcher and a full closure core catcher. The slidable core catcher is disposed within the inner tube and is coupled to an inner tube ring concentrically mounted on the outside of the inner tube. The inner tube ring and the slidable core catcher are connected to each other by means of a shear pin slidable within a slot defined in the inner tube. An outer tube ring is connected to the outer tube concentrically disposed about the inner tube. When the outer tube ring contacts the inner tube ring as the inner tube is lifted, the inner tube ring is moved downwardly with respect to the inner tube, thereby pulling the core catcher with it. As the core catcher moves downwardly it is compressed by an inside conical surface provided near the end of the inner tube. This serves to effectuate operation of the slideable core catcher.

Abstract: The bottom annular flange of a bearing sleeve which is displaceable with respect to a support frame is applied against the ground surface around the zone of a hole to be bored. A cylindrical cutter placed around a boring mandrel attached to the operating rod of a jack is downwardly displaced only at the end of travel of the jack, driven into the ground with the boring mandrel and forms a cylindrical recess around the upper end of the bore-hole. The portion of soil which is trapped between the cylindrical cutter and the boring mandrel is removed automatically after simultaneous withdrawal of mandrel and cutter. A post can be driven into the bore-hole, cement or concrete being then poured into the cylindrical recess.