Sealed and lubricated rock bit with air protected seal ring

Claim 1

In an earth boring drill bit having a body with a hollow interior and a nozzle passage to direct air or gas against the bottom of the borehole, at least one leg with a depending shaft to support a bearing means, a rotatable cutter on the bearing means, and an annular seal between the cutter and shaft, the improvement which comprises: lubrication means including a lubricant passage in the shaft to provide liquid lubricant to the bearing means interior of the annular seal; a pressure system including a movable element in a chamber to urge liquid lubricant to the bearing means on the interior of the annular seal during drilling; a pressurized passage extending between the chamber and the gas passage to bias the movable element to provide positive lubricant pressure in the bearing means; an annular groove formed in a radial surface at the end of the shaft adjacent to and exterior of the annular seal with at least one exit port; an air or gas passage extending from the annular groove to the interior of the bit to provide the flow of cooling gas to cool the region around the seal and to protect the seal from abrasive materials to lengthen its life and maintain lubrication of the bearing means; said exit port and said air or gas passage intersecting the annular groove to create substantially even flow across the length of the groove to evenly cool the adjacent annular seal.