Apparatus for drilling and sampling rock formations

Claim 2

A drilling assembly Including outer and inner concentrically spaced drill stem sections and a source of fluid under pressure supply to said drill stem section between the outer and inner walls thereof; comprising in combination an outer casing, means of securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section, a piston and cylinder assembly mounted within said casing, an anvil reciprocal within said casing, the piston of said piston and cylinder assembly adapted to strike one end of said anvil, and a drill bit assembly operatively secured to the other end of said anvil beyond the other end of said casing, means cooperating between said casing and said piston and cylinder assembly to route fluid under pressure to each side of said piston alternately to reciprocate same whereby said piston strikes said anvil successively, and means mounting said anvil within said casing for percussive reciprocation therein, said means mounting said anvil for percussive reciprocation within said casing including a plurality of balls engaging between said anvil and said casing, longitudinal channels formed in the wall of said anvil and in said casing, said balls being mounted in said channels, and fluid passageway means between said anvil and said casing communicating between each side of said anvil.

Claim 3

The assembly according to claim 1 which includes an anvil sleeve screw threadably engageable with the lower end of said casing and forming part thereof, said anvil reciprocating within said sleeve.

Claim 4

The assembly according to claim 1 in which said means securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section including an adaptor sleeve screw threadably engaging said outer section and screw threadably engaging said casing, a ported compression head forming part of said adaptor sleeve and being secured by one end thereof to one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly being secured by one end thereof to the other end of said compression head, and by other end thereof internally to said casing, ports formed between the inner wall of said casing and said cylinder communicating with said ported compression head.

Claim 5

The assembly according to claim 3 which includes an inner cylindrical casing secured within said compression head and to said one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, said piston being cylindrical and reciprocating upon said inner casing and within said cylinder, said cylinder and said compression head defining an annular compression chamber.

Claim 6

The assembly according to claim 4 in which said piston includes fluid connecting means extending from the head thereof along the length thereof to exterior ports in the wall of said piston, further ports formed in the wall of said cylinder adjacent one end thereof, said ports in said cylinder and in said piston aligning when said piston is at one end of the stroke thereof.

Claim 7

The assembly according to claim 1 which includes means routing internally the exhausted fluid from said piston and cylinder assembly to said bit assembly, and means communicating between said bit assembly and the inner section of said drill stem section whereby said exhausted fluid picks up chips and the like formed by said bit assembly and exhausts same through said inner drill stem section.

Claim 8

The assembly according to claim 6 in which said means securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section includes an adaptor sleeve screw threadably engaging said outer section and screw threadably engaging said casing, a ported compression head forming part of said adaptor sleeve and being secured by one end thereof to one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly being secured by one end thereof to the other end of said compression head, said cylinder being secured by the other end thereof internally to said casing, poRts formed between the inner wall of said casing and said cylinder communicating with said ported compression head.

Claim 9

The assembly according to claim 1 which includes an inner cylindrical casing secured within said compression head and to said one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, said piston being cylindrical and reciprocating upon said inner casing and within said cylinder, said cylinder and said compression head defining an annular compression chamber.

Claim 10

The assembly according to claim 8 in which said piston includes fluid connecting means extending from the head thereof along the length thereof to exterior ports in the wall of said piston, further ports formed in the wall of said cylinder adjacent one end thereof, said ports in said cylinder and in said piston aligning when said piston is at one end of the stroke thereof.

Claim 11

A drilling assembly including outer and inner concentrically spaced drill stem sections and a source of fluid under pressure supply to said drill stem section between the outer and inner walls thereof; comprising in combination an outer casing, means securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section, a piston and cylinder assembly mounted within said casing, an anvil reciprocal within said casing, the piston of said piston and cylinder assembly adapted to strike one end of said anvil, and a drill bit assembly operatively secured to the other end of said anvil beyond the other end of said casing, means cooperating between said casing and said piston and cylinder assembly to route fluid under pressure to each side of said piston alternately to reciprocate same whereby said piston strikes said anvil successively, and means mounting said anvil within said casing for percussive reciprocation therein, said means securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section including an adaptor sleeve screw threadably engaging said outer section and screw threadably engaging said casing, a ported compression head forming part of said adaptor sleeve and being secured by one end thereof to one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly being secured by one end thereof to the other end of said compression head, and by the other end thereof internally to said casing, ports formed between the inner wall of said casing and said cylinder communicating with said ported compression head, an inner cylindrical casing secured within said compression head and to said one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, said piston being cylindrical and reciprocating upon said inner casing and within said cylinder, said cylinder and said compression head defining an annular compression chamber, said means mounting said anvil for percussive reciprocation within said casing including an anvil sleeve secured to said casing at one end thereof and forming part thereof, said anvil being of cylindrical configuration and reciprocating upon said inner casing and within said sleeve, at least one closed ended longitudinally extending channel formed in the inner wall of said sleeve, corresponding channels formed in the outer wall of said anvil and ball bearings mounted in said channels for journalling said anvil within said sleeve as aforesaid, and fluid passage means between said anvil and said sleeve communicating upon each side of said anvil.

Claim 12

A drilling assembly including outer and inner concentrically spaced drill stem sections and a source of fluid under pressure supply to said drill stem section between the outer and inner walls thereof; comprising in combination an outer casing, means securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section, a piston and cylinder assembly mounted within said casing, an anvil reciprocal within said casing, the piston of said piston and cylinder assembly adapted to strike one end of said anvil, and a drill bit assembly operatively secured to the other end of said anvil beyond the other end of said casing, means cooperating between said casing and said piston and cylinder assembly to route fluid under pressure to each side of said piston alternately to reciprocate same whereby said piston strikes said anvil successively, and means mounting said anvil within said casing for percussive reciprocation therein, said means securing said casing by one end thereof to one end of the outer section of said drill stem section including an adaptor sleeve screw threadably engaging said outer section and screw threadably engaging said casing, a ported compression head forming part of said adaptor sleeve and being secured by one end thereof to one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly being secured by one end thereof to the other end of said compression head, and by the other end thereof internally to said casing, ports formed between the inner wall of said casing and said cylinder communicating with said ported compression head, an inner cylindrical casing secured within said compression head and to said one end of the inner section of said drill stem section, said piston being cylindrical and reciprocating upon said inner casing and within said cylinder, said cylinder and said compression head defining an annular compression chamber, said means mounting said anvil for percussive reciprocation within said casing including an anvil sleeve secured to said casing at one end thereof and forming part thereof, said anvil being of cylindrical configuration and reciprocating upon said inner casing and within said sleeve, at least one closed ended longitudinally extending channel formed in the inner wall of said sleeve, corresponding channels formed in the outer wall of said anvil and ball bearings mounted in said channels for journalling said anvil within said sleeve as aforesaid, and fluid passage means between said anvil and said sleeve communicating upon each side of said anvil.

Claim 13

The assembly according to claim 10 which includes means routing internally the exhausted fluid from said piston and cylinder assembly to said bit assembly, and means communicating between said bit assembly and the inner section of said drill stem section whereby said exhausted fluid picks up chips and the like formed by said bit assembly and exhausts same through said inner drill stem section.

Claim 14

The assembly according to claim 10 in which said piston includes fluid connecting means extending from the head thereof along the length thereof to exterior ports in The wall of said piston, further ports formed in the wall of said cylinder adjacent one end thereof, said ports in said cylinder and in said piston aligning when said piston is at one end of the stroke thereof.

Claim 15

The assembly according to claim 10 in which said means mounting said anvil for percussive reciprocation within said casing including a plurality of balls engaging between said anvil and said casing, longitudinal channels formed in the wall of said anvil and in said casing, said balls being mounted in said said channels, and fluid passageway means between said anvil and said casing communicating between each side of said anvil.