Fluid-actuated impact apparatus

Claim 2

Impacting apparatus comprising a passageway including a shock passage through which fluid pumped through the passageway can flow, said shock passage having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, impacting means communicating with said shock passage and having a surface responsive to fluid pressure in said passage, and a shuttle valve device downstream of said surface and in the path of fluid flow through said shock passage and shiftable by the fluid flowing in said shock passage to a position closing said outlet to generate a positive fluid pressure pulse wave in said shock passage acting on said surface of said impacting means to force the same against a companion member.

Claim 3

Impacting apparatus as defined in claim 1; said positive pressure pulse wave travelling through said shock passage from said outlet to said inlet and then returning to said outlet as a negative pressure pulse wave enabling said shuttle valve device to shift to outlet opening position.

Claim 4

Impacting apparatus as defined in claim 1; said impacting means being spaced from the companion member before said outlet is closed and propelled toward and against the companion member upon closing of said outlet.

Claim 5

Impacting apparatus as defined in claim 1; said positive pressure pulse wave traveling through said shock passage from said outlet to said inlet and then returning to said outlet as a negative pressure pulse wave enabling said shuttle valve device to shift to outlet opening position, and means for shifting said shuttle valve to outlet opening position.

Claim 6

Impacting apparatus as defined in claim 1; said impacting means being spaced from the companion member before said outlet is closed and propelled toward and against the companion member upon closing of said outlet, and means returning said impacting means to its position spaced from the companion member.

Claim 7

Impacting apparatus as defined in claim 1; said positive pressure pulse wave travelling through said shock passage from said outlet to said inlet and then returning to said outlet as a negative pressure pulse wave enabling said shuttle valve device to shift to outlet opening position, said impacting means being spaced from the companion member before said outlet is closed and propelled toward and against the companion member upon closing said outlet, and means for returning said impacting means to its position spaced from the companion member.

Claim 8

Impacting apparatus comprising first and second shock passageways intercommunicating at one end and adapted to receive fluid from a source, said passageways having outlets at their opposite ends, impacting means communicating with said first passageway to be moved by fluid pressure therein in one direction and communicating with said second passageway to be moved by fluid pressure therein in the opposite direction, and a shuttle valve device at said outlets in the path of fluid flow through said passageways and outlets shiftable alternately across said openings to alternately close the same to alternately generate positive fluid pressure pulse waves in said shock passageways which act upon and move said impacting means in opposite directions to alternately force the same against and from a companion member.

Claim 9

Impacting apparatus comprising first and second shock passageways intercommunicating at one end and adapted to receive fluid from a source, said passageways having outlets at their opposite ends, impacting means communicating with said first passageway to be moved by fluid pressure therein in one direction and communicating with said second passageway to be moved by fluid pressure therein in the opposite direction, and a shuttle valve device at said outlets in the path of fluid flow through said passageways and outlets shiftable alternately across said openings to alternately close the same to alternately generate positive fluid pressure pulse waves in said shock passageways which act upon and move said impacting means in opposite directions to alternately force the same against and from a companion member.

Claim 10

In impacting apparatus as defined in claim 7; said impacting means being propelled between a position spaced from the companion member to a position striking against the companion member.

Claim 11

In impacting apparatus as defined in claim 7; and means providing a discharge passage into which fluid from said outlets can flow.

Claim 12

In impacting apparatus as defined in claim 7; wherein one of said passageways includes a shock tube surrounded by said other passageway.

Claim 13

Well bore drilling apparatus comprising a body adapted to be secured to a drill pipe string extending to the top of a well bore, an anvil operatively connected to said body and adapted to be secured to a drill bit, a hammer reciprocable along said body into and from impacting contact with said anvil, said body having a shock passageway open at its upper end to the entry of fluid pumped down the drill pipe string, said passageway having a lower outlet, said hammer being subject to fluid pressure in said passageway, and a shuttle valve device in the path of fluid flow through said passageway and shiftable by the fluid flowing in said passageway to a position closing said outlet to generate a positive fluid pressure pulse in said passageway acting on said hammer to propel said hammer in one direction relative to said anvil, and means for shifting said hammer in the opposite direction relative to said anvil.

Claim 14

Well bore drilling apparatus comprising a body adapted to be secured to a drill pipe string extending to the top of a well bore, an anvil operatively connected to said body and adapted to be secured to a drill bit, a hammer reciprocable along said body into and from impacting contact with said anvil, said body having a shock passageway open at its upper end to the entry of fluid pumped down the drill pipe string, said passageway having a lower outlet, said hammer being subject to fluid pressure in said passageway, and a shuttle valve device in the path of fluid flow through said passageway and shiftable by the fluid flowing in said passageway to a position closing said outlet to generate a positive fluid pressure pulse in said passageway acting on said hammer to propel said hammer in one direction relative to said anvil, and means for shifting said hammer in the opposite direction relative to said anvil.

Claim 15

Well drilling apparatus as defined in claim 11; wherein said positive pressure pulse propels said hammer toward said anvil.

Claim 16

Well drilling apparatus as defined in claim 11; wherein said positive pressure pulse propels said hammer away from said anvil.

Claim 17

Well drilling apparatus as defined in claim 11; said positive pressure pulse travelling through said shock passageway from said lower outlet to said upper end and then returning to said outlet as a negative pressure pulse enabling said shuttle valve device to shift to outlet opening position.

Claim 18

Well drilling apparatus as defined in claim 11; said anvil having a passage communicating with said outlet through which fluid can flow to the drill bit.

Claim 19

Well drilling apparatus as defined in claim 11; said hammer being reciprocable along the exterior of said body.

Claim 20

Well drilling apparatus comprising a body adapted to be secured to a drill pipe string extending to the top of a well bore, an anvil operatively connected to said body and adapted to be secured to a drill bit, a hammer reciprocable along said body into and from impacting contact with said anvil, said body having first anD second shock passageways intercommunicating at their upper ends and open to the entry of fluid pumped down the drill pipe string, said passageways having outlets at their lower ends, said hammer having a first pressure-actuatable surface subject to the pressure of fluid in said first passageway and movable thereby toward said anvil, said hammer having a second pressure-actuatable surface subject to the pressure of fluid in said second passageway and movable thereby away from said anvil, and a shuttle valve device at said outlets in the paths of fluid flow through said passageways and shiftable alternately across said outlets to alternately close the same to alternately generate positive fluid pressure pulses in said shock passageways to reciprocate said hammer along said body into and from impacting contact with said anvil.

Claim 21

Well drilling apparatus comprising a body adapted to be secured to a drill pipe string extending to the top of a well bore, an anvil operatively connected to said body and adapted to be secured to a drill bit, a hammer reciprocable along said body into and from impacting contact with said anvil, said body having first anD second shock passageways intercommunicating at their upper ends and open to the entry of fluid pumped down the drill pipe string, said passageways having outlets at their lower ends, said hammer having a first pressure-actuatable surface subject to the pressure of fluid in said first passageway and movable thereby toward said anvil, said hammer having a second pressure-actuatable surface subject to the pressure of fluid in said second passageway and movable thereby away from said anvil, and a shuttle valve device at said outlets in the paths of fluid flow through said passageways and shiftable alternately across said outlets to alternately close the same to alternately generate positive fluid pressure pulses in said shock passageways to reciprocate said hammer along said body into and from impacting contact with said anvil.

Claim 22

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said anvil having a passage communicating with said outlets and through which fluid from said passageways can flow to the drill bit.

Claim 23

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said body being telescoped in said anvil, and means for transmitting rotary motion from said body to said anvil.

Claim 24

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said body being telescoped in said anvil, said body having a passage communicating with said outlets and through which fluid from said passageways can flow toward the drill bit.

Claim 25

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said body being telescoped in said anvil, said body having a passage communicating with said outlets and through which fluid from said passageways can flow toward the drill bit, said anvil having a passage for conducting fluid from said body passage to the drill bit.

Claim 26

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; one of said passageways including a shock tube surrounded by said other passageway.

Claim 27

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; bypass means for bypassing fluid from one of said passageways around said shuttle valve device, and valve means for opening and closing said bypass means.

Claim 28

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said body being telescoped in said anvil, said body having a passage communicating with said outlets and through which fluid from said passageways can flow toward the drill bit, bypass means for bypassing fluid from one of said passageways around said shuttle valve device, and valve means for opening and closing said bypass means.

Claim 29

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said body being telescoped in said anvil, said body having a passage communicating with said outlets and through which fluid from said passageways can flow toward the drill bit, bypass means for bypassing fluid from one of said passageways around said shuttle valve device to said body passage, and valve means secured to said anvil and closing said bypass means when said anvil is in an upper position on said body and opening said bypass means when said anvil is in a lower position on said body.

Claim 30

Well bore drilling apparatus as defined in claim 17; said body being telescoped in said anvil, said body having a passage communicating with said outlets and through which fluid from said passageways can flow toward the drill bit, bypass means for bypassing fluid from one of said passageways around said shuttle valve device to said body passage, and valve means secured to said anvil and closing said bypass means when said anvil is in an upper position on said body and opening said bypass means when said anvil is in a lower position on said body, said hammer being reciprocable along the exterior of said body.

Claim 31

Impacting apparatus comprising a passageway including a shock passage through which fluid pumped through the passageway can flow, said shock passage having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, impacting means communicating with said shock passage and responsive to fluid pressure in said passage, and a shuttle valve device in the path of flUid flow through said shock passage and shiftable by the fluid flowing in said shock passage to a position closing said outlet to generate a positive fluid pressure pulse wave in said shock passage acting one said impacting means to force the same against a companion member, said shuttle valve device and said impacting means being free from contact with each other at all times.

Claim 32

Impacting apparatus comprising a passageway including a shock passage through which fluid pumped through the passageway can flow, said shock passage having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, impacting means communicating with said shock passage and responsive to fluid pressure in said passage, and a shuttle valve device in the path of flUid flow through said shock passage and shiftable by the fluid flowing in said shock passage to a position closing said outlet to generate a positive fluid pressure pulse wave in said shock passage acting one said impacting means to force the same against a companion member, said shuttle valve device and said impacting means being free from contact with each other at all times.