Patent US3610347A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3610347A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vibratory drill apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-06-02
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Granted: 1971-10-05
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Expires: 1989-06-02
Abstract
Abstract The subject matter of this invention is a rock drill apparatus whose kinematics is based on the resonance of two massive members connected through a member possessing the characteristics of a stiff spring. This resonant system is driven to a high rate of vibratory motion through an hydromechanical actuator, because of which the attached bit strikes repeated blows on the rock formation and thus effects drilling.
Inventors
- 👤 Nick D Diamantides
- 👤 William L Hinks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:31
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B7/00; E21B7/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said two massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement of the one massive member with respect to the other results upon the application of axial force between said massive members, said connecting means having a cross section transverse to said axis that is different from the cross sections of either of said two massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, a fluid operated actuator producing oscillating force between said two massive members, including at least one effective piston chamber to accept pressurized flow cyclically through porting means from oscillatory converting means acting upon an inlet flow of pressurized fluid and converting said inlet flow to said cyclic flow, whereby fluid energy may be converted to vibratory energy having about the frequency of the resonant oscillatory system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, wherein said stiff springlike connecting means is an elongate metal member arranged along said longitudinal axis and having a cross-sectional area transverse to said longitudinal axis that is substantially constant and substantially minimal over a large portion of the length of said metal member to define an active length, said elongate metal member being affixed at one end of said active length to one of said massive members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said two massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement of the one massive member with respect to the other results upon the application of axial force between said massive members, said connecting means having a cross section transverse to said axis that is different from the cross sections of either of said two massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, a fluid operated actuator producing oscillating force between said two massive members, including at least one effective piston chamber to accept pressurized flow cyclically through porting means from oscillatory converting means acting upon an inlet flow of pressurized fluid and converting said inlet flow to said cyclic flow, whereby fluid energy may be converted to vibratory energy having about the frequency of the resonant oscillatory system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, wherein said stiff springlike connecting means is an elongate metal member arranged along said longitudinal axis and having a cross-sectional area transverse to said longitudinal axis that is substantially constant and substantially minimal over a large portion of the length of said metal member to define an active length, said elongate metal member being affixed at one end of said active length to one of said massive members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
236 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said two massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement of the one massive member with respect to the other results upon the application of axial force between said massive members, said connecting means having a cross section transverse to said axis that is different from the cross sections of either of said two massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, a fluid operated actuator producing oscillating forece between said two massive members, including at least one effective piston chamber to accept pressurized flow cyclically through porting means from oscillatory converting means acting upon an inlet flow of pressurized fluid and converting said inlet flow to said cyclic flow, whereby fluid energy may be converted to vibratory energy having about the frequency of the resonant oscillatory system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, wherein said stiff springlike connecting means includes at least one elongate metal member that carries force between said two massive members and is affixed to each of the same at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said connecting elongate metal member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
236 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said two massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement of the one massive member with respect to the other results upon the application of axial force between said massive members, said connecting means having a cross section transverse to said axis that is different from the cross sections of either of said two massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, a fluid operated actuator producing oscillating forece between said two massive members, including at least one effective piston chamber to accept pressurized flow cyclically through porting means from oscillatory converting means acting upon an inlet flow of pressurized fluid and converting said inlet flow to said cyclic flow, whereby fluid energy may be converted to vibratory energy having about the frequency of the resonant oscillatory system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, wherein said stiff springlike connecting means includes at least one elongate metal member that carries force between said two massive members and is affixed to each of the same at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said connecting elongate metal member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
205 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members being arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement occurs between said two massive members upon the application of axial force between said massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, an actuator producing and applying an axial oscillatory force upon said two massive members at about the natural frequency of the resonant system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, whereby oscillatory energy is imparted to said resonant system, and wherein said stiff springlike connecting means includes at least one elongate member that is affixed to each of said two massive members at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said connecting elongate metal member, and the total cross-sectional area of said connecting means transverse to said longitudinal axis is substantially less than the likewise transverse cross-sectional area of said massive members over a large portion of the distance between said spaced affixation locations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
205 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members being arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement occurs between said two massive members upon the application of axial force between said massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, an actuator producing and applying an axial oscillatory force upon said two massive members at about the natural frequency of the resonant system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, whereby oscillatory energy is imparted to said resonant system, and wherein said stiff springlike connecting means includes at least one elongate member that is affixed to each of said two massive members at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said connecting elongate metal member, and the total cross-sectional area of said connecting means transverse to said longitudinal axis is substantially less than the likewise transverse cross-sectional area of said massive members over a large portion of the distance between said spaced affixation locations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
172 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members being arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement occurs between said two massive members upon the application of axial force between said massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, an actuator producing and applying an axial oscillatory force upon at least one of said two massive members at about the natural frequency of the resonant system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, whereby oscillatory energy is imparted to said resonant system, and wherein said stiff springlike connecting means includes a plurality of elongate helical metal members that carry force between said two massive members and are affixed at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said helicAl metal members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members being arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement occurs between said two massive members upon the application of axial force between said massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, an actuator producing and applying an axial oscillatory force upon at least one of said two massive members at about the natural frequency of the resonant system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, whereby oscillatory energy is imparted to said resonant system, and wherein said stiff springlike connecting means includes a plurality of elongate helical metal members that carry force between said two massive members and are affixed at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said helicAl metal members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members being arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement occurs between said two massive members upon the application of axial force between said massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, an actuator producing and applying an axial oscillatory force upon at least one of said two massive members at about the natural frequency of the resonant system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, whereby oscillatory energy is imparted to said resonant system, and wherein said springlike connecting means includes at least one elongate metal member that is affixed to each of said two massive members at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said connecting metal member, and said elongate metal member is made of a material having a lower modulus of elasticity than said massive members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vibratory drill assembly as described including two massive members being arranged in opposing oscillatory relation to one another along a common longitudinal axis, connecting means engaged with each of said massive members and attaching them together, said connective means having the properties of a stiff spring in the direction of said common axis, whereby limited axial displacement occurs between said two massive members upon the application of axial force between said massive members, a bit drivingly attached to one of said massive members, an actuator producing and applying an axial oscillatory force upon at least one of said two massive members at about the natural frequency of the resonant system formed by said massive members and said springlike behaving connecting means, whereby oscillatory energy is imparted to said resonant system, and wherein said springlike connecting means includes at least one elongate metal member that is affixed to each of said two massive members at locations that are respectively spaced along the elongate dimension of said connecting metal member, and said elongate metal member is made of a material having a lower modulus of elasticity than said massive members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said elongate metal member has a tubular cross section and surrounds said massive members over at least part of their lengths.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said elongate metal member is within and laterally supported by said massive members.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said elongate metal member has a tubular cross section and surrounds said massive members over at least part of their length and, in addition, provides lateral support to said massive members at a location spaced between the affixation locations at the ends of said active length.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said lateral support means is provided by laminated rubber-metal bearings as described.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 8 wherein each massive member is laterally supported by a laminated rubber-metal bearing that fills the annulus between said massive member and the inside surface of said tubular member, and provides a seal against fluid passage between them.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said elongate metal members are helical and are plural in number arranged in at least one side-by-side array about said longitudinal axis, as could be defined by cutting spaced helical slots through the wall of a tubular member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 11 wherein a plurality of said side-by-side arrays are provided spaced along said longitudinal axis, and the handedness of said helical elongate metal members are such that a substantial torsional component of motion about said longitudinal axis accompanies said limited axial displacement upon the application of axial force.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said elongate metal member has a tubular cross section and surrounds said massive members over at least part of their lengths.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said elongate metal members are a plurality of rods within and laterally supported by said massive members.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
108 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said oscillatory converting means includes at least one fluidic oscillator contained within one of said massive members and ducted to said piston chamber, said fluidic oscillator having a source chamber fed by said inlet flow, and interaction chamber communicating with said source chamber, a pair of output ducts connected to said interaction chamber, the downstream end of one of said output ducts connected to said piston chamber and the downstream end of the second of said output ducts connected to a conduit traversing the second said massive member, and feedback paths connecting said interaction chamber to points downstream of said output ducts.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device of claim 15 wherein said second output duct is connected to said conduit traversing said second massive member by means of a duct segment, said duct segmEnt forming a gap between itself and said conduit, said gap having the shape of a cone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
115 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said oscillatory converting means includes a mechanical oscillator having at least one nozzle that forms a fluid jet from said inlet flow of pressurized fluid, said mechanical oscillator on the one hand being supported relatively to one of said massive members by axial spring-behaving support means allowing reciprocating movement and on the other hand being affected by the movement of the second massive member through a damper provided between said second massive member and said mechanical oscillator, said mechanical oscillator reciprocating through a distance whereby said jets are caused to impinge cyclically upon passage pairs communicating with said piston chamber and with a conduit traversing one said massive member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said elongate metal member has a tubular cross section and surrounds said massive members over at least part of their length and in addition provides lateral support to said massive members at a location spaced between the affixation locations at the ends of the active length of said elongate metal member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 18 wherein each massive member is laterally supported by a laminated rubber-metal bearing that fills the annulus between said massive member and the inside surface of said tubular member and provides a seal against fluid passage between them.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 4 wherein the handedness of said plurality of elongate helical metal members is such that a substantial torsional component of motion about said longitudinal axis accompanies said limited axial displacement upon the application of axial force.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said elongate metal member is a sleeve that carries a pattern of apertures through its walls.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said elongate metal member is within and is laterally supported by said massive members, and one said massive member telescopes within the other and is aligned and attached thereto by bearing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 22 wherein the means of said lateral support and said bearing means include at least one laminated rubber-metal bearing.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 22 wherein said bearing means includes complementally contoured helical tracks in said two massive members whereby a torsional component of motion accompanies said axial oscillatory motion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-04 | 1975-04-05 | 1975-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-04 | 1979-04-05 | 1979-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-04 | 1983-04-05 | 1983-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |