Abstract: An underreamer for forming a cavity from within a well bore includes a housing adapted to be disposed within the well bore. The underreamer includes at least one cutter, wherein each cutter has a first end and a second end. The first end of each cutter is pivotally coupled to the housing. The underreamer also includes an actuator slidably positioned in the housing, wherein the actuator has a first end and a second end. The underreamer includes an enlarged portion of the actuator proximate the second end of the actuator. A first axial force applied to the actuator is operable to slide the actuator relative to the housing causing the enlarged portion to contact each cutter and extend the second end of each cutter radially outward relative to the housing from a retracted position to a first position. A second axial force applied to the underreamer may be operable to further extend the second end of each cutter radially outward relative to the housing from the first position to a second position.

Abstract: An apparatus for bursting pipe is preferably adapted to receive rotational energy from the inner member of a dual-member drill string. In a preferred embodiment, an oscillating pipe-bursting member, driven by the interconnected inner members, cuts or bursts a subterranean pipe. In another preferred embodiment, a screw drive moves a pipe-bursting member between an expanded position and a retracted position. In another preferred embodiment, the pipe-bursting member is an arm moveable in response to operation of a screw drive. In yet another preferred embodiment, the pipe-bursting member is hydraulically actuated. This invention increases the efficiency of pipe-bursting operations by utilizing rotation energy generated by a horizontal directional boring system.

Abstract: An expandable reaming tool including at least two reamer pads connected to a tool body. The reamer pads are adapted to be displaced between a retracted position and an expanded position. At least one spiral blade is formed on at least one reamer pad. A plurality of cutting elements are disposed on the at least one spiral blade. An expandable reaming tool including at least two reamer pads connected to a tool body. The reamer pads are adapted to be displaced between a retracted position and an expanded position. At least one blade is formed on the at least two reamer pads. A plurality of cutting elements are disposed on the at least one blade and at least one gage protection element is disposed on a gage surface of the at least one blade. The plurality of cutting elements are arranged so as to enable the expandable reaming tool to backream a formation in a wellbore.

Abstract: An expandable drill bit for use with earth drilling equipment. The bit includes arms held in a closed position, so that the bit may be inserted through casing or a small bore hole. The arms are expandable to create an expanded drill bit having a crown profile common to a solid crown bit. The arrangement of the arms provides a short gauge length so that the expanded bit is steerable downhole. Embodiments of the expandable drill bit are detailed to show mechanisms for actuating the arms between the open and closed positions.

Abstract: An expandable reaming tool including at least two reamer pads connected to a tool body. The reamer pads are adapted to be displaced between a retracted position and an expanded position. At least one spiral blade is formed on at least one reamer pad. A plurality of cutting elements are disposed on the at least one spiral blade.

Abstract: A reaming tool for enlarging an earth bore in a subsurface formation in which a sub is connected to a lower end of a drill string and elongated cutter blades are pivotally secured to a lower end of the body which have cutter elements preferably in the form of rotatable cutter disks along their leading edges and a fluid delivery hose leads into fluid passages in each of the cutter blades to supply fluid under pressure to a series of fluid discharge nozzles associated with the cutter elements.

Abstract: A drill bit assembly for earth boring operations in which a sub is connected to a lower end of a drill string and elongated cutter blades are pivotally secured to a lower end of the body which have cutter elements preferably in the form of rotatable cutter disks along their leading edges and a fluid delivery hose leads into fluid passages in each of the cutter blades to supply fluid under pressure to a series of fluid discharge nozzles associated with the cutter disks.

Abstract: An erectable arm assembly for use in a borehole, the erectable arm assembly comprising a main body and an arm member, the arm member being able to move between a collapsed position in which the assembly can be removed from the borehole and an erected position, the erectable arm assembly being adapted to house a fluid drilling assembly comprising a fluid cutting device and a flexible hose drill string such that the arm member during erection can contain at least part of the fluid drilling assembly, and when in the erected position the arm member is able to guide the fluid cutting device towards the borehole wall, the assembly further including at least one sensor for monitoring the arm member or the fluid drilling assembly.

Abstract: The steering assembly includes upper and lower tubular housings connected by a universal joint. An angle cam is disposed on the end of the lower housing and projects into the upper housing. A plurality of wedge members extend axially from the upper housing and into engagement with the angle cam. Drive trains are connected to the wedge members to move the wedge members toward and away from the angle cam so as to pivot the lower housing at the universal joint and change the angle and azimuth of the lower housing with respect to the upper housing. The lower housing is connected to a bearing pack supporting a drill bit such that upon changing the angle and azimuth of the lower housing, the direction of the drilling of the drill bit is also changed. The steering assembly being connected to composite tubing having conductors in the wall thereof for conducting data and commands between the steering assembly and a processor at the surface and for providing power to the steering assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhancing production from a wellbore hole may include a body member having at least one cutting assembly. Each cutting assembly may have an upper, middle, and lower cutting arm. The cutting arms are hingedly connected to one another. An upper end of each upper cutting arm is hingedly connected to the body member. A lower end of each lower cutting arm is hingedly connected to a corresponding beveled attachment that is slidably received within a corresponding beveled groove in the body member. The body member includes an interior longitudinal bore in fluid communication with a jet nozzle that is located beneath each cutting assembly. The apparatus is connected to a drill string. As the drill string is rotated, each cutting assembly is moved to a fully-deployed position under centrifugal force, thereby enlarging the wellbore hole. Drilling fluid may be pumped into the apparatus to generate hydraulic power to carry loose cuttings to the surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the diameter of a well bore in a cavern well completion after a drill pipe has been removed from the well bore and a drill bit has been removed from the drill pipe in which a reaming tool is formed with one or more cutters of a length in excess of the radius of the previous well bore, the cutters being attached by a pin to a coupling at the lower end of the drill pipe, the cutters being in the form of flat cutter blades which are capable of moving from overlapping relation to one another into diametrically opposed perpendicular relation to the rotational axis of the drill pipe and coupling when the drill pipe is rotated. The rotating drill pipe can be raised or lowered to lengthen the enlarged well bore to form an increased surface area of pressurized formation which is open to communicate with the less pressurized interior of the well bore and thereby substantially increase production flow rates.

Abstract: A method and system for securing an anchor in a hard substance or rigid material include a cutter bit for drilling a hole in the hard substance, an anchor for fitting within the drilled hole, the process of drilling the hole using the cutter bit, the drilling machine for using the cutter bit, and the resulting improved hard substance or rigid material that may be used as a curtain wall for fastening to a building or similar structure. The hard substance may be a sheet of granite, marble, glass, limestone, or other similar material. The invention includes an anchor that has a cylindrical shaft, a bevelled head portion, and an expanding collar for fitting within and securing the anchor in a drilled hole of the hard substance. The drilled hole includes a bevelled bottom portion that receives the bevelled head portion of the anchor and the expanding collar. A placement device transmits an impacting force to place the expanding collar around the bevelled head portion of the anchor.

Abstract: An anti-whirl underreamer comprising a body configured for connection to a drillstring, at least two arms carried by the body which are extendable between a retracted position and a projected position, a movable piston and biased spring assembly for moving the arms, a plurality of cutting elements carried by one of the arms for cutting an axially extending cylindrical sidewall of the borehole within a subterranean formation and for applying a resultant radial force to the body as it rotates, and a low friction bearing region carried by another arm for transmitting the resultant radial force from the body to the sidewall of the borehole during rotation of the underreamer within the borehole. The cutting elements are positioned so that the resultant radial force developed is of sufficient magnitude and direction to substantially maintain the low friction bearing region in contact with the sidewall of the borehole as the underreamer is rotated within the borehole.

Abstract: The invention consists of the shape and design of plural pairs of cutter blades for use in rotary tubing tools which cutter blades have specialized shapes and cutting surfaces for performing certain specific downhole cutting operations adjacent a tubing string.

Abstract: A device for fixing a disk cutter to the cutter head of a shield excavator, wherein a plurality of cylindrical cases (2) are provided on the face plate (1a) of the cutter head (1) rotatably disposed on the front part of the shield proper, bosses (3) are disposed to project face-to-face in each of said cases (2), U-shaped grooves (4a) of retainers (4) provided on both ends of a shaft (7) rotatably supporting the cutter proper (5) are fitted on the bosses (3) so that the cutter proper (5) is turned around the shaft (7) together with the retainer (4); a key block (10) is fixed to the open side of the U-shaped groove (4a) formed on said retainer (4); and the proper (5) is fixed to the case (2) with the boss (3) clamped by the key block (10) and the retainer (4). In this way, the cutter proper can be fixed to the case without forming insertion grooves therein.

Abstract: A dual blade cutter head for a rotary cutting tool which consists of two identical blades disposed in opposed position, each blade having an outer arcuate edge movable into cutting contact and having suitable hard facing affixed to the arcuate edge oriented for right-turn cutting rotation. In one form the hardface is an arcuate inlay block faced with thermally stable polycrystalline diamond.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for simultaneously drilling and casing a wellbore. More specifically, the apparatus comprises an outer conduit string containing an inner drill string carrying a bit capable of drilling a wellbore of greater diameter than the outer string. The drill string may be adapted to drill a nonlinear wellbore by offsetting the drill bit from the longitudinal axis of the outer string, and the drill bit is preferably retractable to permit withdrawal of the drill string after the wellbore is completed, leaving the outer string of casing or liner in place. The wellbore is drilled by rotating the drill bit and advancing the drill string by pushing from the surface, and the outer string is advanced by being pulled along by the drill string.

Abstract: A device for drilling an undercut in a borehole in a receiving material comprises an axially extending guide sleeve with an eccentric bore and an eccentric bushing located in the eccentric bore and being rotatable therein relative to the sleeve. A tension spring is located between the sleeve and the bushing. During rotation of the bushing, relative to the sleeve, the torsion spring is stressed. A drive shaft with a cutter head at one end extends through the bushing and is brought into an eccentric position relative to the sleeve and at the same time commences an undercut in the borehole. A lock is provided with a set of teeth on the sleeve preventing rotation of the sleeve with the bushing. When the maximum eccentricity of the drive shaft is established, the lock can be released and the sleeve rotated along with the bushing by an eccentric transmission. During such rotation, a complete circumferentially extending undercut can be formed in the borehole.

Abstract: A tubing bit opener is disclosed having upper and lower cutters with the lower cutters being carried by mounting blocks having bevelled edges which are received in matching undercut grooves in the tubing bit opener. The upper cutters are attached to arms which are slidable within inclined pockets of the tubing bit opener for inward and outward movement relative to the tubing bit opener. Both the mounting blocks carrying the lower cutters and the arms carrying the upper cutters are easily removable for maintenance and repair. The lower mounting blocks are held securely in place by the drill body. Because the surfaces of the lower mounting blocks extend laterally along a considerable extent of the adjacent lowr cutters, the cutters are supported for stable rotation without vibration. The tubing bit opener is typically used to sink six inch diameter or larger caissons in any rock formation on land or under water.

Abstract: A bit assembly for undercutting a blind bore extending along a bore axis between an open outer end and a closed inner end and having a substantially cylindrical wall of a predetermned diameter centered on the bore axis and extending between the ends comprises a pusher body normally seated in the closed inner end of the bore and having an outwardly turned camming surface inclined to the bore axis, and a bit having a shaft extending along a longitudinal bit axis and having an inner end, an outer end, and a pair of longitudinally extending sides terminating at the inner end. One of the sides is at least partially cylindrical and centered on the bit axis and the inner end is formed with a camming surface engageable with the camming surface of the body and inclined to the bit axis. A blade fixed permanently and stationarily on the inner end projects radially from the one side of the shaft, the other side being cut back toward the bit axis.

Abstract: A divided bucket type rotary excavator comprises cutter units constructed by dividing a bottomed cylindrical bucket into plural portions, whose curved sidewalls and bottom plates are provided with bits on their leading edges. The cutter units are arranged about a center shaft radially movably toward and away from the center shaft.The center shaft consists of an outer hollow cylinder having a polygonal cross-section and an inner hollow cylinder slidably fitted in the outer hollow cylinder.

Abstract: The present invention consists of an under reamer tool for enlarging, scraping or smoothing a well bore. The tool is attached to a conventional drill string above a conventional bit and involves cutting elements that have retractable cutters arranged for extension from the tool to engage the well bore wall, each cutter, when the drill string is turned, being urged outwardly by centrifugal force until it engages the well bore wall, continued turning thereafter, pulling that cutter into its extended cutting attitude, reaming the wall to the desired diameter, cutter retraction involving ceasing turning the drill string and the pulling of the drill string and connected tool from the well bore.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of setting a concrete pile without noise or vibration which is thereby effective to decrease city noises. A concrete pile is sunk into a leading hole substantially concurrently with the progress of the excavation thereof. After the pile has been sunk through a desired distance, another supporting hole is excavated below the pile. A solidifying material, such as cement milk, mortar, or cement concrete including a cement expansion agent of calcium sulfoaluminate system or lime system, is poured into the supporting hole. The solidifying material is expanded within the supporting hole and permeates into the circumferential wall thereof, which is loosened by the excavation, so as to retighten the wall. Therefore, sufficient supporting force can be obtained.

Abstract: A cutterhead adapted for drilling a hole upwardly in the earth, and to then be withdrawn downwardly through a casing which is inserted underneath the cutterhead, characterized by gauge cutters which are pivotally mounted on the cutterhead so that they will pivot upward and radially inward when the cutterhead is drawn into the casing, and also characterized by stabilizer rollers mounted on removable frames that can be detached.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises means for replaceable coupling thereof to a standard raise boring head for extending the effective cutting radius of the head. The apparatus comprises a raise boring head radius extension element which is pinned to struts extending from a circular hub; the hub, in turn, envelops a terminal end of the stem of the raise boring head. Additionally, pin-holed clevises borne by the extension elements mate with like pin-holed lugs which extend, radially, from the principal cutter bracket mounting platform of the standard raise boring head. Expansion pins are engaged with the lugs and clevises, and also secure the struts both to the hub and to the extension element, to simplify assembly and disassembly. In typical use, a plurality of radius extension elements are coupled to the standard raise boring head, the elements being arrayed circumferentially thereabout.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit which is contractible to fit within a casing to permit withdrawal through the casing, and which is expandable below the casing to drill a well bore of a diameter larger than the outside diameter of the casing so as to permit the casing to follow the bit as drilling progresses to prevent the collapse of the well bore thereabove. The drill bit includes a base having pivotally mounted thereon a plurality, e.g., three, circumferentially spaced cutter arms, the cutter arms being pivotable inwardly and outwardly between retracted positions corresponding to the contracted condition of the bit and extended positions corresponding to the expanded condition of the bit. Stops are provided for preventing outward pivotal movement of the cutter arms beyond their extended positions and inward pivotal movement beyond their retracted positions, certain of these stops carrying the drilling load so that no substantial loads are applied to the pivot pin.

Abstract: A sectional scraper device which is foldable in zig-zag position by remote pulling means and which can be let down through a clad bore hole and can be deviated to follow layers of mineral to be mined by a to and fro movement of the scraper device combined with transport of loosened minerals by liquid circulation through the bore hole. The scraping action may be strengthened by the action of liquid jets emanating from the scraper device.

Abstract: A tool for being inserted in a hole, especially a hole in an earth formation, and adapted for being rotated in the hole. A cutting element moveably mounted on the tool is provided for cutting a groove in the hole and, if the tool is moved axially in the hole while rotating, a helical groove will result. The cutting element is retractable to permit removal of the tool from the hole. The hole with the groove formed therein is adapted for receiving a roof bolt or the like which is cemented in place and the aforementioned groove improves the strength with which the bolt is held in the hole.