Abstract: A core orientation device for determining the in situ orientation of core samples taken during a drilling process. A sampling tube having a plurality of equispaced slots formed longitudinally on its sidewall permits the scribing of a longitudinal line on a core sample within the sampling tube. The slots for indicating the position of the core within the sampling tube, a test tube with etch mark to indicate the top point or position of the etch mark within the test tube and a connector for relating the said top point on the test tube to the longitudinal slots on the sampling tube sidewall permit determination of the in situ position of the core sample.

Abstract: A system for eliminating the need for one or more mud loggers on a drilling rig keeps track of the travel of drilling mud injected into the bottom of the well as it moves to the surface of the well with entrapped drill cuttings and gas so that for mud reaching the surface of the well, the system knows at what depth in the well the mud was injected. The system indicates to drill rig personnel when mud from preselected well depths reach the surface of the well and when to collect samples of drill cuttings strained from the mud in order to have the required samples representative of the preselected well depths. The system monitors the performance of well personnel in collecting samples by monitoring the time it takes to collect a sample after the indication that the sample should be collected.

Abstract: A corebarrel for use downhole and having an outer tube and an inner tube which are relatively rotatable and interconnected through a bearing assembly, and a solid state survey device for use in oriented coring and disposed within the inner tube below the bearing assembly.

Abstract: Sampling bullets of the type which are fired into rock formation surrounding a wellbore. The core sampling bullet includes an internal core barrel which is defined in part by a core receiving sleeve releasably secured within the bullet structure. Following bullet retrieval, the bullet is disassembled thereby permitting rearward removal of the core sleeve with core entrapped therein. Following extraction from the bullet, the core sleeve protects the core during handling and testing. The removed core sleeve is further closed by end cap members to further secure the core against contamination and against further loss of gas in core sample prior to testing. The bullet construction also provides for efficiency of hydraulic venting during firing and provides efficiently for bullet with core removal by means of one or more cables. Core orientation is also achieved.

Abstract: Wireline core barrel fixing mechanism incorporating a fixer which prevents any wireline core barrel deformations, fixes the wireline core barrel to the hollow drill bit, and signals any drilling process interruptions. The wireline core barrel fixer comprises a cylindrical hollow body adapted to be mounted within the drill bit and incorporating selectively operated rollers for locking the hollow body to the drill, the rollers being mounted in planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the geometrical axis of the cylindrical hollow body. The upper end of the fixer is connected to a cap, in the lower part of which opposite longitudinal slots are cut. The fixer is mounted inside a cylindrical hollow body, the upper end of which is connected to the stopper bar and in its lower part a locking bar and a set nut are mounted, connected to the fixer.

Abstract: A core sample orientation tool for coupling to push rods or wire lines for use in obtaining core impressions in bore holes. The tool includes a putty cup and mark receiving surface which are removably attached to a sleeve housing a pendulum-oriented marker which marks the mark receiving surface when a core impression is taken to indicate a chosen directional reference. The removed putty cup and mark receiving surface can be used to orient a previously drilled core or the core to be drilled next, and when the core is laid out on a table in the proper up-down relationship, and considered in conjunction with bore hole logging techniques, the strike and dip of planar core features can be translated into actual attitudes in space.

Abstract: A reversible baffle plate for receiving and supporting a bottom hole survey apparatus on the interior of a directional drilling string is characterized by concentrically disposed inner and outer members supported one from the other by a plurality of webs. The webs cooperate with the inner and outer members to define a plurality of flow passages through the baffle plate. The first and second axial ends of the inner tubular member are each adapted to receive and support the lowermost axial end of a bottom hole survey apparatus.

Abstract: A bottom hole survey apparatus is characterized by a survey instrument having a reference line therein, the instrument being receivable by the engagement of flanges provided along the instrument into keyways provided on the interior of a non-magnetic instrument barrel. When engaged, the reference line of the survey instrument is disposed in a predetermined angular relation with respect to the barrel. The barrel has means provided on the exterior thereof for receiving a visual sighting element thereon, the sighting element being in a predetermined angular relationship with respect to the reference line. At least one non-magnetic spacer element is connectable to the barrel, the spacer element being provided with an adapter having a T-shaped head thereon which is received within a corresponding T-shaped groove provided at the lower end of the instrument.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cutting a core in a bore hole and means of marking the core in which a groove is cut into the core along its length and providing an external arm in a definite angular relation to the core marking means and which may be aimed at some particular point so that when the core is removed, the marking on the core will be known to have the orientation with respect to the position that the arm is aimed such, for instance, as possibly a magnetic bearing or any other known reference mark on the surface to which the core may be related.

Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining earth samples of soil or rock from the bottom of holes previously drilled in the earth, the apparatus having an outer and inner non-rotatable casing and a rotatable intermediate casing wherein the intermediate casing is provided with a cutter head fixed to the outer end thereof, including a rotatable hollow shaft adapted to rotate the intermediate casing through a reduction gear train and to supply water or other drill fluid under predetermined pressures to the apparatus, the outer casing having expandable earth engaging arms operatable by the water or fluid pressure received from the hollow shaft for engaging the side wall of the previously bored hole formed in the earth wherein the earth engaging arms will prevent rotation of the outer and inner casing while the hollow shaft is rotating the intermediate casing, and means carried within the outer casing for supporting the gear train, including means incorporated within the apparatus for marking the azimuth of the core, and means fo