US3556231A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bit weight maintainer for marine earth boring
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-08-30
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Granted: 1971-01-19
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Expires: 1988-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A device for use in marine earth boring that supports that portion of the drill pipe weight which is not desired on the drilling bit. The device comprises a large drum, closed at the top and open at the bottom, which drum is placed in the sea. The drum has a central pipe through which the drill pipe and bit passes. The drum is made to have the buoyancy desired by introducing a definite volume of air into the drum. The drum is locked to the drill pipe by means of conventional bowl-and-slips. As the borehole deepens the drum descends with the pipe, and means, manual or automatic, are provided to keep the volume of air constant. The drum is reset for each new length of drill pipe. The device is adapted for either turbodrilling or rotary drilling.
Inventors
- 👤 Homer I Henderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:59
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B19/00; E21B19/08; E21B19/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A drill bit weight maintainer for marine earth boring with a marine drilling rig, drill pipe and drill bit comprising: a buoyant drum, sealed at the top and open at the bottom, displaced in the sea''s water; an open vertical tube passing through said buoyant drum and integral therewith, to permit passage therethrough of the drill pipe and the drill bit; means for selectively locking said buoyant drum to the drill pipe, thereby transfering its buoyancy to the drill pipe; a gas exhaust port in said buoyant drum placed at a Predetermined depth below the top of said buoyant drum, at which depth the buoyant drum will have that buoyancy required to support that portion of the drill pipe weight which is not desired on the drill bit, when gas filled above said exhaust port; and a gas-introducing tube extending from the drilling rig to the top of the buoyant drum for introducing compressed gas into said buoyant drum to maintain, as the buoyant drum sinks deeper and deeper, that said predetermined depth of gas, being the depth of said gas exhaust port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A drill bit weight maintainer for marine earth boring with a marine drilling rig, drill pipe and drill bit comprising: a buoyant drum, sealed at the top and open at the bottom, displaced in the sea''s water; an open vertical tube passing through said buoyant drum and integral therewith, to permit passage therethrough of the drill pipe and the drill bit; means for selectively locking said buoyant drum to the drill pipe, thereby transfering its buoyancy to the drill pipe; a gas exhaust port in said buoyant drum placed at a Predetermined depth below the top of said buoyant drum, at which depth the buoyant drum will have that buoyancy required to support that portion of the drill pipe weight which is not desired on the drill bit, when gas filled above said exhaust port; and a gas-introducing tube extending from the drilling rig to the top of the buoyant drum for introducing compressed gas into said buoyant drum to maintain, as the buoyant drum sinks deeper and deeper, that said predetermined depth of gas, being the depth of said gas exhaust port.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
196 words
A drill bit weight maintainer for marine earth boring with a marine drilling rig, drill pipe, and drill bit comprising: a buoyant drum, sealed at the top and open at the bottom, displaced in the sea''s water; an open vertical tube passing through said buoyant drum and integral therewith, to permit passage therethrough of the drill pipe and the drill bit; means for selectively locking said buoyant drum to the drill pipe, thereby transfering its buoyancy to the drill pipe; a gas-depth sensing means within said buoyant drum and responsive to the depth of gas therein; communicating means between the said gas-depth sensing means and the drilling rig to indicate at the drilling rig the gas depth within said buoyant drum; a gas-conducting tube extending from the drilling rig to the top of the buoyant drum; and gas-admitting means responsive to the said gas-depth sensing means to admit compressed gas into said buoyant drum via the gas-conducting tube to maintain that desired depth of gas in the buoyant drum that will provide in the buoyant drum that buoyancy required to support that portion of the drill pipe weight which is not desired on the drill bit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
196 words
A drill bit weight maintainer for marine earth boring with a marine drilling rig, drill pipe, and drill bit comprising: a buoyant drum, sealed at the top and open at the bottom, displaced in the sea''s water; an open vertical tube passing through said buoyant drum and integral therewith, to permit passage therethrough of the drill pipe and the drill bit; means for selectively locking said buoyant drum to the drill pipe, thereby transfering its buoyancy to the drill pipe; a gas-depth sensing means within said buoyant drum and responsive to the depth of gas therein; communicating means between the said gas-depth sensing means and the drilling rig to indicate at the drilling rig the gas depth within said buoyant drum; a gas-conducting tube extending from the drilling rig to the top of the buoyant drum; and gas-admitting means responsive to the said gas-depth sensing means to admit compressed gas into said buoyant drum via the gas-conducting tube to maintain that desired depth of gas in the buoyant drum that will provide in the buoyant drum that buoyancy required to support that portion of the drill pipe weight which is not desired on the drill bit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-18 | 1974-07-20 | 1975-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-18 | 1978-07-20 | 1979-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-18 | 1982-07-20 | 1983-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |