Patent US3692122A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3692122A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High frequency pneumatically actuated drilling hammer
Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
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Filing: 1970-12-23
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Granted: 1972-09-19
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Expires: 1990-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A drilling hammer in which a hammer piston in a cylinder is propelled in opposite directions by compressed air to impact repeatedly upon an anvil connected to a drill bit. On its return stroke, the hammer piston impacts against a spring device, storing energy therein which is returned by the spring device to the piston on its downstroke, the spring device causing the frequency of reciprocation of the hammer piston to increase considerably, correspondingly increasing the power output of the drilling hammer. Preferably, the spring device comprises a stack of Belleville springs or spring discs, which are more efficient in operation and which result in a more compact drilling hammer.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred R Curington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:24
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B4/00; E21B4/06; E21B4/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
In percusSion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means including a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a fluid medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; and arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil, said arresting means providing a chamber containing the fluid medium and in which the fluid medium is compressible by said piston upon its upstroke.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
In percusSion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means including a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a fluid medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; and arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil, said arresting means providing a chamber containing the fluid medium and in which the fluid medium is compressible by said piston upon its upstroke.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including yieldable means bearing at its upper end against said housing means and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including spring means bearing at its upper end against said housing means and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, yieldable means bearing at its upper end against said seat and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, spring means bearing at its upper end against said seat and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, a spring device bearing at its upper end against said upper seat, a shiftable lower seat contacting the lower end of said spring device and engaged by said hammer piston to store energy in said spring device on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder, and stop means in said housing means engaged by said lower seat to limit its downward movement in said housing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including spring means bearing at its upper end against said housing means and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder, said spring means comprising a stack of tapered spring discs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, spring means bearing at its upper end against said seat and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder, said spring means comprising a stack of tapered spring discs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
109 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, a spring device bearing at its upper end against said upper seat, a shiftable lower seat contacting the lower end of said spring device and engaged by said hammer piston to store energy in said spring devicE on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder, and stop means in said housing means engaged by said lower seat to limit its downward movement in said housing means, said spring device comprising a stack of tapered spring discs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
158 words
In percussion drilling apparatus; housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means including a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber provided at least partly within said arresting means and containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
In percussion drilling apparatus; housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means including a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber provided at least partly within said arresting means and containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
207 words
In percussion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means comprising a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder; said arresting means including spring means bearing at its upper end against said housing means and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder; said chamber being above said arresting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
207 words
In percussion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means comprising a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder; said arresting means including spring means bearing at its upper end against said housing means and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder; said chamber being above said arresting means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
214 words
In percussion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means comprising a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, spring means bearing at its upper end against said seat and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder; said chamber being above said arresting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
214 words
In percussion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means comprising a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, spring means bearing at its upper end against said seat and engaged at its lower end by said hammer piston to receive energy therefrom on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder; said chamber being above said arresting means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
247 words
In percussion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means comprising a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, a spring device bearing at its upper end against said upper seat, a shiftable lower seat contacting the lower end of said spring device and engaged by said hammer piston to store energy in said spring device on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder, stop means in said housing means engaged by said lower seat to limit its downward movement in said housing means; said chamber being above said arresting means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
247 words
In percussion drilling apparatus: housing means operatively connectible to a drill string, said housing means comprising a cylinder; an anvil relatively reciprocable in said housing means and connectible to a drill bit; a hammer piston reciprocable in said cylinder for intermittently impacting against said anvil; means for directing a gaseous medium under pressure into said cylinder alternately at upper and lower portions thereof for action upon said piston to reciprocate said piston in said cylinder; arresting means in said housing means at the upper portion of said cylinder engaged by said piston at the upper end of its stroke to arrest and stop upward travel of said piston and force said piston downwardly in said cylinder toward the anvil; said housing means having a chamber containing the gaseous medium and in which the gaseous medium is compressed by said piston upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder; said arresting means including an upper seat secured to said housing means, a spring device bearing at its upper end against said upper seat, a shiftable lower seat contacting the lower end of said spring device and engaged by said hammer piston to store energy in said spring device on the upstroke of said piston and to return such energy to said piston to force said piston downwardly in said cylinder, stop means in said housing means engaged by said lower seat to limit its downward movement in said housing means; said chamber being above said arresting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 11, said spring means comprising a stack of tapered spring discs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
In apparatus as defined in claim 13, said spring device comprising a stack of tapered spring discs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1975-09-19 | 1976-03-20 | 1976-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-19 | 1980-03-20 | 1980-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-19 | 1984-03-20 | 1984-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |