Rotary drilling head assembly

Claim 2

A rotary drilling head assembly for well bore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve member so that a chamber is provided between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member, bearing means interposed between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member and disposed within the chamber; sealing means engaged with said rotatable sleeve member and said stationary sleeve member for precluding leakage of fluid through said chamber; a stripper mount means, a first stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said first stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve; a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; said first stripper means has a larger inside diameter relative to said second stripper means; and means removable mounting saiD second stripper means to said stripper mount means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seal means includes a chamber formed by spaced wall surfaces of said rotating sleeve member and said stationary housing, spaced seal members in said chamber, each sealingly engaging each of said spaced wall surfaces and isolating a portion of said chamber which lies therebetween; an inlet passageway connected to the isolated portion of said chamber; and, means by which a supply of lubrication is flow connected to said chamber.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 2 wherein said spaced wall surfaces include a lower marginal interial inside peripheral wall surface of said rotating sleeves and an upper marginal outer peripheral wall surface of said stationary housing; a shoulder spaced from the terminal end of said rotating sleeve member, a shoulder at the terminal end of said stationary housing, the last two recited shoulders being spaced from one another; one said spaced seal member engaging each of the last two recited shoulders with the shoulders being disposed in opposed relationship.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve includes a clamp; a bowl clamp adapter ring affixed to an upper end portion of said rotatable sleeve member, a split rubber hold down plate overlying said stripper, a wedge formed on the outer marginal edge portion of said plate; an annular groove formed within said clamp, said groove having a complimentary wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the plate;

Claim 6

A rotary drilling head assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said first stripper means comprises a ring member and a stripper rubber, said ring member being secured to the rotatable sleeve member, with said stripper rubber being carried by the said ring member; a hold down plate overlying said first stripper means; and a clamp means having a wedge surface thereon which bears against said hold down plate, and further including a shoulder formed on said clamp means which engages said ring member to compress and seal the first stripper means to the rotatable sleeve member.

Claim 7

A rotary drilling head assembly for well bore forming operations, said head assembly having an axial chamber formed therethrough for the reception of a rotating driving member used in the drilling of wells, comprising: a sleeve; a first housing adapted to concentrically receive said sleeve, thereby forming an annular chamber between said sleeve and said first housing; bearing means disposed within said annular chamber such that said sleeve is rotatable; a second housing, an outlet passageway for conducting fluid flow away from said second housing; said first housing and said sleeve being received by said second housing in a manner such that an annulus is formed between said sleeve and said second housing; seal means positioned in said annulus; means for applying pressure on said seal means in a first direction thereby forming a rotating hydraulic seal between said sleeve and said second housing; stripper means, clamp means by which said stripper means is removably affixed to the upper extremity of said drilling head, said stripper means being positioned to axially receive the driving member therethrough, and further providing a seal preventing the egress of any well fluids from within said second housing through the recited upper extremity; said clamp means by which said stripper means is removably affixed to the upper extremity of said drilling head further includes means by which a second relatively smaller stripper means may be affixed in overlying relationship to said first stripper means so that a drill string of different effective outside diameter can be sealingly removed from the borehole.

Claim 8

A rotary drilling head assembly for well bore forming operations, said head assembly having an axial chamber formed therethrough for the reception of a rotating driving member used in the drilling of wells, comprising: a sleeve; a first housing adapted to concentrically receive said sleeve, thereby forming an annular chamber between said sleeve and said first housing; bearing means disposed within said annular chamber such that said sleeve is rotatable; a second housing, an outlet passageway for conducting fluid flow away from said second housing; said first housing and said sleeve being received by said second housing in a manner such that an annulus is formed between said sleeve and said second housing; seal means positioned in said annulus; means for applying pressure on said seal means in a first direction thereby forming a rotating hydraulic seal between said sleeve and said second housing; stripper means, clamp means by which said stripper means is removably affixed to the upper extremity of said drilling head, said stripper means being positioned to axially receive the driving member therethrough, and further providing a seal preventing the egress of any well fluids from within said second housing through the recited upper extremity; said clamp means by which said stripper means is removably affixed to the upper extremity of said drilling head further includes means by which a second relatively smaller stripper means may be affixed in overlying relationship to said first stripper means so that a drill string of different effective outside diameter can be sealingly removed from the borehole.

Claim 9

A drilling head according to claim 6 wherein said sleeve and said second housing are spaced from one another to form a clearance therebetween Such that said sleeve is rotatable independently of said second housing, so that leakage from said seal means positioned in said annulus will be vented away from the bearing means.

Claim 10

A rotary drilling head assembly for wellbore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve so that a chamber is provided between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member, bearing means interposed between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member and disposed within the chamber; sealing means located between said rotatable sleeve member and said housing for precluding leakage of fluid therethrough; said sealing means includes a chamber formed by spaced wall surfaces of said rotating sleeve member and said stationary housing, spaced seal members in the last said chamber, each sealingly engaging each of said spaced wall surfaces and isolating a portion of the last said chamber which lies therebetween; an inlet passageway connected to the isolated portion of said chamber; and, means by which a supply of lubrication is flow connected to the last said chamber; a stripper mount means, a stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; said rotatable sleeve member having means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member; and, a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; said first stripper means has a larger inside diameter relative to said second stripper means means removably mounting said second stripper means to said stripper mount means.

Claim 11

A rotary drilling head assembly for wellbore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve so that a chamber is provided between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member, bearing means interposed between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member and disposed within the chamber; sealing means located between said rotatable sleeve member and said housing for precluding leakage of fluid therethrough; said sealing means includes a chamber formed by spaced wall surfaces of said rotating sleeve member and said stationary housing, spaced seal members in the last said chamber, each sealingly engaging each of said spaced wall surfaces and isolating a portion of the last said chamber which lies therebetween; an inlet passageway connected to the isolated portion of said chamber; and, means by which a supply of lubrication is flow connected to the last said chamber; a stripper mount means, a stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; said rotatable sleeve member having means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member; and, a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; said first stripper means has a larger inside diameter relative to said second stripper means means removably mounting said second stripper means to said stripper mount means.

Claim 12

A rotary drilling head assembly for wellbore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve so that a chamber is provided between said stationary and rotatable sleeve members, bearing means interposed between said stationary and rotatable sleeve members and disposed within the chamber; sealing means located between said rotatable sleeve member and said stationary housing for precluding leakage of fluid therefrom; a stripper mount means, a first stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said first stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member comprising a ring member secured to the rotatable sleeve member, with said first stripper means being carried by said ring member; a hold down plate overlying said first stripper means; a clamp means having a wedge surface which bears against said hold down plate, and a shoulder which engages said ring member to compress and seal the first stripper means to the rotating sleeve member; and, a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; means removably mounting said second stripper means to said stripper mount means.

Claim 13

A rotary drilling head assembly for wellbore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve so that a chamber is provided between said stationary and rotatable sleeve members, bearing means interposed between said stationary and rotatable sleeve members and disposed within the chamber; sealing means located between said rotatable sleeve member and said stationary housing for precluding leakage of fluid therefrom; a stripper mount means, a first stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said first stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member comprising a ring member secured to the rotatable sleeve member, with said first stripper means being carried by said ring member; a hold down plate overlying said first stripper means; a clamp means having a wedge surface which bears against said hold down plate, and a shoulder which engages said ring member to compress and seal the first stripper means to the rotating sleeve member; and, a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; means removably mounting said second stripper means to said stripper mount means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first stripper means has a larger inside diameter relative to said second stripper means.

Claim 15

A rotary drilling head assembly for wellbore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve member so that a chamber is formed between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member, bearing means interposed between said stationary sleeve member and sAid rotatable sleeve member and disposed within the chamber; sealing means located between said rotatable sleeve member and said stationary housing for precluding leakage of fluid through said chamber; a stripper mount means, a stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; said rotatable sleeve member having means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member; a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; means removably mounting said second stripper means to said stripper mount means; said means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member includes a clamp; a bowl clamp adapter ring affixed to an upper end portion of said rotatable sleeve member, a hold down plate overlying said stripper, a wedge formed on the outer marginal edge portion of said plate; an annular groove formed within said clamp, said groove having a complimentary wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the plate; said clamp being made into two hinged together members which can be pivoted together to wedgedly engage said plate and which can be pivoted apart to release said plate.

Claim 16

A rotary drilling head assembly for wellbore forming operations comprising a stationary housing, a seal assembly supported by the stationary housing; said seal assembly comprising a rotatable sleeve member, a stationary sleeve member at least partially surrounding the rotatable sleeve member so that a chamber is formed between said stationary sleeve member and said rotatable sleeve member, bearing means interposed between said stationary sleeve member and sAid rotatable sleeve member and disposed within the chamber; sealing means located between said rotatable sleeve member and said stationary housing for precluding leakage of fluid through said chamber; a stripper mount means, a stripper means for receiving a marginal length of a drillstring therethrough; said stripper means being affixed to said stripper mount means; said rotatable sleeve member having means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member; a second stripper means superimposed above and in axial alignment with the first recited stripper means; means removably mounting said second stripper means to said stripper mount means; said means by which said stripper mount means is removably affixed to the uppermost end portion of said rotatable sleeve member includes a clamp; a bowl clamp adapter ring affixed to an upper end portion of said rotatable sleeve member, a hold down plate overlying said stripper, a wedge formed on the outer marginal edge portion of said plate; an annular groove formed within said clamp, said groove having a complimentary wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the plate; said clamp being made into two hinged together members which can be pivoted together to wedgedly engage said plate and which can be pivoted apart to release said plate.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first stripper means has a larger inside diameter relative to said second stripper means.