US3799277A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Force applicator
Assignee: Smith International Inc
•
Filing: 1973-04-16
•
Granted: 1974-03-26
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Expires: 1993-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A force applicator comprises a mandrel to be connected to a rotary drilling machine, a piston on the mandrel, a cylinder around the piston, a spline connecting the mandrel and cylinder, and two earth bore engageable releasable anchor means, one of the anchor means being connected to the mandrel and the other to the cylinder. The mandrel is tubular to supply pressure fluid to the drilling machine and to the piston and cylinder for applying axial force to the mandrel. Suitable control means enables the operator to release the mandrel anchor means and set the cyliner anchor means and apply pressure fluid to the outer face of the piston to press the mandrel in toward the end of the hole being drilled or apply pressure fluid to the inner face of the piston to withdraw the mandrel from the hole; or to release the cylinder anchor means and set the mandrel anchor means and apply pressure fluid to the inner head of the cylinder to move the cylinder towards the end of the hole or apply pressure fluid to the outer head of the cylinder to move the cylinder out of the hole. By this method the drill is progressively advanced in the hole under force or withdrawn therefrom. Guide means is provided at the inner end of the mandrel to point the mandrel and drilling machine in the desired direction. In one embodiment the control means is part of the same in-hole unit as the rest of the force applicator and includes an automatic valve that automatically shifts the pressure fluid from one anchor means to the other and one side of the piston to the other to apply inward pressure to the mandrel to the stroke limit of the cylinder and then apply inward pressure to the cylinder to reset it and then repeat the cycle, but no control means is available to actuate the anchor means and piston and cylinder means to withdraw the mandrel and cylinder. In another embodiment the control means is a separate unit outside the hole and five flexible conduits connect the inhole force applicator unit to the control means to supply pressure fluid to the drilling machine, to the two opposite sides of the piston, and to the two anchor means. Special winch means are provided for the parallel conduits.
Inventors
- 👤 J Kellner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:32
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B17/00; E21B17/10; E21B17/1078; E21B19/00; E21B19/22; E21B4/00; E21B4/02; E21B4/18; E21B7/00; E21B7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
Apparatus useful in earth boring comprising a force applicator including linear means adapted for connection to a drilling machine to load the latter linearly, force means for applying linear force to said linear means including a cylinder around the outside of the linear means and a piston connected to said linear means and slidable within the cylinder, cylinder anchor means connected to the cylinder for releasably engaging a bore wall, and auxiliary anchor means connected to said linear means for releasably engaging a bore wall, said auxiliary anchor means as well as said cylinder anchor means each including means for exerting force components against the bore wall in a plurality of opposing directions and each comprising expansible means expansible between the bore wall and the respective one of said cylinder and said linear means at a plurality of angular positions about the axis of the respective cylinder and linear means effective to exert said opposing force components, said linear means being rigid and of fixed length between the piston connected therto and the auxiliary anchor means connected thereto, said linear means, piston, and cylinder being coaxial with their axis disposed to be coaxial with the axis of such bore wall engaging means, said linear means being tubular and providing conduit means for supplying fluid to actuate said drilling machine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
Apparatus useful in earth boring comprising a force applicator including linear means adapted for connection to a drilling machine to load the latter linearly, force means for applying linear force to said linear means including a cylinder around the outside of the linear means and a piston connected to said linear means and slidable within the cylinder, cylinder anchor means connected to the cylinder for releasably engaging a bore wall, and auxiliary anchor means connected to said linear means for releasably engaging a bore wall, said auxiliary anchor means as well as said cylinder anchor means each including means for exerting force components against the bore wall in a plurality of opposing directions and each comprising expansible means expansible between the bore wall and the respective one of said cylinder and said linear means at a plurality of angular positions about the axis of the respective cylinder and linear means effective to exert said opposing force components, said linear means being rigid and of fixed length between the piston connected therto and the auxiliary anchor means connected thereto, said linear means, piston, and cylinder being coaxial with their axis disposed to be coaxial with the axis of such bore wall engaging means, said linear means being tubular and providing conduit means for supplying fluid to actuate said drilling machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including anti-rotation means connecting the cylinder to said linear means to prevent relative rotation thereof while providing for relative axial motion thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, said auxiliary anchor means including a barrel around said lineal means and affixed to said lineal means adjacent one end of the barrel, seal means sealing between said barrel and lineal means adjacent the other end of said barrel, the space between said barrel and mandrel in between said seal means and the place of affixation of said barrel to said lineal means defining a compartment, and port means for admitting fluid to said compartment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, said auxiliary anchor means including a barrel forming part of said lineal means and a sleeve inside said barrel sealed at each end thereof to said barrel, and port means to admit fluid to the compartment formed between said mandrel and barrel in between the positions where they are sealed together.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 including a rotary drilling machine connected to said linear means at one end thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said lineal means is tubular providing means to supply fluid to a drilling machine connected thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including valve means in said lineal means for supplying fluid from said lineal means to said cylinder anchor means, to said auxiliary anchor means, to said force means at the outer side of said piston, and to said force means at the inner side of said piston.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 including stop means to limit relative axial travel of said cylinder and said lineal means, and control means responsive to said cylinder and lineal means reaching the limits of their relative travel for controlling said valve means to supply fluid to said cylinder anchor means and the outer side of said force means in one position of said valve means and to supply fluid to said auxiliary anchor means and to the inner side of said force means in another position of said valve means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 including means at one end, sometimes hereinafter called the inner end, of the linear means for making connection to a drilling machine, and means at the other end, sometimes hereinafter called the outer end, of the linear means for making connection to power supply means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 including guide means connected to said linear means on the side of said piston nearest said outer end of the linear means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said auxiliary anchor means is connected to said linear means on the opposite side of said piston from said guide means, said auxiliary anchor means functioning as an auxiliary guide means when in the released condition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said antirotation means is connected to said linear means at the side of said piston nearest said inner end of said linear means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said cylinder anchor means is connected to said cylinder at the side thereof nearest the inner end of the linear means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 including guide means connected to said linear means at the side of said piston nearest the outer end of said linear means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said cylinder anchor means is connected to said cylinder at the side thereof nearest the inner end of the linear means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said cylinder anchor means includes a barrel around said linear means, said barrel being connected to said cylinder at the side of the cylinder nearest the inner end of the linear means, and said antirotation means includes said barrel and barrel cooperating means carried by said linear means, the outer periphery of said barrel cooperating means and the inner periphery of said barrel including cooperating means preventing relative rotation thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said cylinder anchor means includes means to seal between said barrel and said linear means on opposite sides of said barrel cooperating means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said auxiliary anchor means is connected to said linear means at the side of said piston nearer the inner end of said linear means, said auxiliary anchor means functioning as a guide means when in the relaxed condition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said cylinder anchor means is connected to said cylinder at the side thereof nearest the inner end of the linear means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 19 including a primary guide means separate from said auxiliary anchor means, said primary guide means being connected to said linear means on the side of said piston nearest said outer end of the linear means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said antirotation means is connected to said linear means at the side of said piston nearest said inner end of said linear means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 including first and second fluid passage means for conducting fluid to said force means at the outer and inner sides of said piston respectively and third and fourth fluid passage means for conducting fluid to said cylinder and auxiliary anchor means respectively.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus according to claim 22 including guide means connected to said lineal means at the outer end thereof, said guide means including a barrel shaped body having bore wall engaging means spaced apart circumferentially around the outer periphery thereof, hose connection means extending outwardly from said body and having five fluid paths therethrough, and communication means communicating said first, second, third and fourth fluid passage means with four of said five paths, said fifth path communicating with said lineal means, said lineal means being tubular providing means to supply fluid to a drilling machine connected to the inner end of said lineal means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus according to claim 23, said communication means comprising pipe means having fluid passages therein, four of said fluid passages each extending from the inner end of said pipe means to a separate port in the outer periphery of the pipe means and the fifth of said fluid passages extending from the inner to the outer end of said pipe means, said body of said guide means having a socket adapted to receive the outer end of said pipe means and having four annular grooves at the inner periphery of said socket communicating with four ports in said pipe means and with said four paths, said fifth path communicating with said fifth passage at the bottom of said socket.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 22 including valve means effective while in a first condition to block said second and fourth fluid passage means while said first and third fluid passage means are open and while in a second condition to block said first and third fluid passage means while said second and fourth fluid passage means are open.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 25 including control means automatically to shift said valve means between said first and second conditions.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 26 including stop means to limit relative axial travel of said cylinder and said lineal means, said control means operating upon said cylinder and lineal means reaching the limits of their relative axial travel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus according to claim 25 said valve means including reversing means to modify said valve means to provide that in a third condition thereof the first and fourth fluid passage means are blocked while leaving the second and third fluid passage means open and that in a fourth condition thereof the first and fourth fluid passage means are open while the second and third fluid passages are blocked.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 28 including control means automatically to shift said valve means between said first and second conditions when said reversing means is inoperative and to shift said valve means between said third and fourth conditions when said reversing means is operative.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 29 including stop means to limit relative axial travel of said cylinder and lineal means, said control means operating when said cylindeR and lineal means reach the limits of their relative axial travel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said control means includes a pilot piston and cylinder means in one of said first and second fluid passage means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said lineal means is tubular providing means to supply fluid to a drilling machine connected thereto.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said means at the outer end of the lineal means for making connection to a source of power comprises connections for five fluid path means communicating with said first, second, third and fourth fluid passage means and said said means to supply fluid to a drilling machine.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 33 including three conduit means in said lineal means providing said first, second and third fluid passage means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 34 including a fourth conduit means in said lineal means providing said fourth fluid passage means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 35 wherein said auxiliary anchor means is nearer said inner end of said lineal means than said antirotation means, said fourth conduit means extending through said antirotation means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 32 including conduit means having five fluid channels connected to said means at the outer end of the linear means for making connection to power supply means, said five fluid channels communicating respectively with said first, second, third and fourth fluid passage means and with said means to supply fluid to a drilling machine.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 37 including a cart, and a reel means on said cart for winding up thereon said hose means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 38 including a first source of fluid connected to the one of said fluid channels that communicates with said means to supply fluid to a drilling machine and a second source of fluid connected to the other four fluid channels.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 39 including control means carried by said cart for controlling fluid flow to said other four fluid channels from said second source of fluid.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said control means includes valve means in one condition to connect said second source of fluid to those two of said four fluid channels leading to said cylinder anchor means and the other side of said force means and in an other condition to connect said second source of fluid to the other two of said four fluid channels, and actuator means to shift said valve means from said one condition to said other condition and vice versa.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 41 including means actuated when said mandrel and linear means are in different relative positions for moving said actuator means to shift from one condition to the other and vice versa.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 41 wherein said control means includes reversing means to interchange the communication between said second source of fluid leading to two of said four channels both of which two are connected to one of the two groups of channels, i.e. the group connected to the two anchor means and the group connecting to the force means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus according to claim 41 wherein said control means includes time delay means to delay disconnect of communication from the one of said four channels that leads to an anchor means until a preset time after opening of communication to the other of said four channels that lead to an anchor means and to delay effecting communication to one of said channels that leads to the force means until said preset time for disconnecting communication to the other one of said channels that leads to the force means.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 44 wherein said control means includes pressure responsive means to insure that fluid is supplied to said force means only above a preset pressure after functioning of said time delay means.
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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) | 1977-03-25 | 1977-09-24 | 1978-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-25 | 1981-09-24 | 1982-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-25 | 1985-09-24 | 1986-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |