Device for drilling a hole in the side wall of a bore hole

Claim 1

A device for drilling a hole in the side wall of an existing bore hole having an axis extending in a generally lateral direction from the longitudinal axis of the existing bore hole comprising; a housing for moving through the bore hole to the desired location for the lateral hole, said housing having a longitudinal bore and an opening, an inherently curved, resilient lateral drill string conductor located in the housing with a hollow drill bit rotatably attached to one end thereof, means for moving the conductor between a first position inside the longitudinal bore of the housing for movement with the housing through the bore hole to the desired location of the hole in the side wall, and a second position with a portion of the conductor bent so that it curves out of the opening in the housing to guide a drill string moving through the conductor and hollow bit to and into the side wall of the bore hole to drill a hole therein, a lateral drill string, a portion of its length being resilient, located in the housing, means to rotationally drive said hollow bit to drill an access hole for said conductor as said conductor extends from the first position to the second position, and means for moving the drill string through the conductor and hollow bit, from the housing to and into the earth when the conductor is in the second position to drill a lateral hole in the earth.

Claim 2

A device for drilling a hole in the side wall of an existing bore hole having an axis extending in a generally lateral direction from the longitudinal axis of the existing bore hole comprising; a housing for moving through the bore hole to the desired location for the lateral hole, said housing having a longitudinal bore and an opening, an inherently curved, resilient lateral drill string conductor located in the housing with a hollow drill bit rotatably attached to one end thereof, means for moving the conductor between a first position inside the longitudinal bore of the housing for movement with the housing through the bore hole to the desired location of the hole in the side wall, and a second position with a portion of the conductor bent so that it curves out of the opening in the housing to guide a drill string moving through the conductor and hollow bit to and into the side wall of the bore hole to drill a hole therein, a lateral drill string, a portion of its length being resilient, located in the housing, means to rotationally drive said hollow bit to drill an access hole for said conductor as said conductor extends from the first position to the second position, and means for moving the drill string through the conductor and hollow bit, from the housing to and into the earth when the conductor is in the second position to drill a lateral hole in the earth.

Claim 11

A device for drilling a hole in the side wall of an existing bore hole having an axis extending in a generally lateral direction from the longitudinal axis of the existing bore hole comprising; a housing for moving through the bore hole to the desired location for the lateral hole, said housing having a longitudinal bore and an exit opening through which an inherently bent resilient tubular lateral drill string conductor can move, an inherently bent resilient lateral drill string conductor located in the housing, means for attaching a first end of the conductor to a control means reaching to the earth surface independently of any drill string which may be used, for moving the conductor from a first position inside the longitudinal bore of the housing to a second position in which the second end of the conductor extends from the housing to guide any appropriate drill string as it drills a hole in the side wall of the bore hole, whereby the conductor in the vicinity of the second end curves, in a preselected arc due to its inherently bent shape as it moves from the first position to the second position, the total angle traversed by said arc being proportional to the distance moved by said conductor in moving from said first position to said second position, said conductor having means to prevent rotation between the conductor and the housing, a generally central longitudinal bore extending through the conductor and housing through which an appropriate lateral drill string may move axially to drill a lateral hole.

Claim 12

A device for drilling a hole in the side wall of an existing bore hole having an axis extending in a generally lateral direction from the longitudinal axis of the existing bore hole comprising; a housing for moving through the bore hole to the desired location for the lateral hole, said housing having a longitudinal bore and an exit opening through which an inherently bent resilient tubular lateral drill string conductor can move, an inherently bent resilient lateral drill string conductor located in the housing, means for attaching a first end of the conductor to a control means reaching to the earth surface independently of any drill string which may be used, for moving the conductor from a first position inside the longitudinal bore of the housing to a second position in which the second end of the conductor extends from the housing to guide any appropriate drill string as it drills a hole in the side wall of the bore hole, whereby the conductor in the vicinity of the second end curves, in a preselected arc due to its inherently bent shape as it moves from the first position to the second position, the total angle traversed by said arc being proportional to the distance moved by said conductor in moving from said first position to said second position, said conductor having means to prevent rotation between the conductor and the housing, a generally central longitudinal bore extending through the conductor and housing through which an appropriate lateral drill string may move axially to drill a lateral hole.

Claim 18

A device for inserting rigid tubes into the earth in a generally lateral direction from an existing bore hole comprising a housing for moving through the bore hole to the desired location for the insertion of tubes into the side wall of the bore hole, said housing having a transverse opening and a longitudinal opening in which is situated a bendable conductor comprising a plurality of articulated conductor links in side by side arrangement with each link pivotally attached to the links adjacent thereto for relative movement of the links between a first position in axial alignment in the housing and a second position with a portion thereof curving out of the transverse opening of the housing, means for moving the conductor between said first and second position comprising means for pivotally attaching the end of the conductor to be bent to said housing for pivotal movement around axes transverse to the plane in which the conductor is bent, means for limiting the amount of pivot of the links so that the conductor will bend into the desired curve when moved to said second position, a rigid tube movable through said conductor, means to move a tube through the conductor when in said second position and means to straighten said tube as it emerges from said conductor to insert the straightened tube into the side wall of the bore hole.

Claim 19

A device for inserting rigid tubes into the earth in a generally lateral direction from an existing bore hole comprising a housing for moving through the bore hole to the desired location for the insertion of tubes into the side wall of the bore hole, said housing having a transverse opening and a longitudinal opening in which is situated a bendable conductor comprising a plurality of articulated conductor links in side by side arrangement with each link pivotally attached to the links adjacent thereto for relative movement of the links between a first position in axial alignment in the housing and a second position with a portion thereof curving out of the transverse opening of the housing, means for moving the conductor between said first and second position comprising means for pivotally attaching the end of the conductor to be bent to said housing for pivotal movement around axes transverse to the plane in which the conductor is bent, means for limiting the amount of pivot of the links so that the conductor will bend into the desired curve when moved to said second position, a rigid tube movable through said conductor, means to move a tube through the conductor when in said second position and means to straighten said tube as it emerges from said conductor to insert the straightened tube into the side wall of the bore hole.

Claim 22

A device for drilling holes, extending in a generally lateral direction from an existing borehole, into the side wall of the existing borehole comprising; a housing, a guide with an axial channel for a lateral drill string one end of which is curved so that the end has a channel axis directed to approach the side wall generally lateral to the bore hole axis, a lateral drill string at least part of its length being flexible, capable of passing axially along said drill guide channel said flexible length being comprised of a helical coil and a filament reinforced resilient hose, said coil being formed of wire of such contour that the loop adjacent surfaces nest in the adjacent loop surface when the coil is axially compressed solid, said filament being held in tension, said tension being transmitted to said coil to compress said coil by end fittings transmitting axial forces to both filament and coil so that said coil will sustain an axial load without column buckling yet bend around said guide to extend into the side wall to drill a lateral hole.

Claim 23

A device for drilling holes, extending in a generally lateral direction from an existing borehole, into the side wall of the existing borehole comprising; a housing, a guide with an axial channel for a lateral drill string one end of which is curved so that the end has a channel axis directed to approach the side wall generally lateral to the bore hole axis, a lateral drill string at least part of its length being flexible, capable of passing axially along said drill guide channel said flexible length being comprised of a helical coil and a filament reinforced resilient hose, said coil being formed of wire of such contour that the loop adjacent surfaces nest in the adjacent loop surface when the coil is axially compressed solid, said filament being held in tension, said tension being transmitted to said coil to compress said coil by end fittings transmitting axial forces to both filament and coil so that said coil will sustain an axial load without column buckling yet bend around said guide to extend into the side wall to drill a lateral hole.