Smith International, Inc.

Alysia C White

Anthony Griffo

Zhigang Zak Fang

Dah-Ben Liang

Madapusi K Keshavan

Michael Allen Siracki

Alan W Lockstedt

J Albert Sue

Peter Thomas Cariveau

James Layne Larsen

Jiinjen Albert Sue

Steven W Peterson

Manikiran Bandi

James L Neville

Robert M Denton

Kumar T Kembaiyan

Brian A White

Chris Edward Cawthorne

Gregory Thomas Lockwood

Nephi M Mourik

Greg Lockwood

Patricia Heel

Leroy N Tinkham

Zhlgang Fang

A drill bit having a bit body having at least one blade thereon, at least one cutter pocket disposed on the at least one blade, at least one cutter disposed in the at least one cutter pocket, hardfacing applied to at least a selected portion of the drill bit is shown and described. The hardfacing includes a first hardfacing layer disposed on the selected portion of the drill bit, a second hardfacing layer disposed on the first hardfacing layer, wherein the first hardfacing layer has a hardness different than a hardness of the second hardfacing layer.

Layered hardfacing, durable hardfacing for drill bits

A hardfacing composition for a drill bit, including a carbide phase comprising from about 50% to about 75% by weight of the hardfacing composition of a combination of 16 to 40 mesh cemented tungsten carbide and 80 to 200 mesh super dense tungsten carbide cobalt particles, wherein about 5% to about 50% by weight of the carbide phase comprises the super dense tungsten carbide cobalt particles, and a binder alloy including about 25% to about 50% by weight of the hardfacing composition.

Hardfacing milled-tooth drill bits using super dense carbide pellets

Self relieving seals of this invention comprise an elastomeric seal body having a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface for contact with respective drill bit sealing surfaces. The seal includes a pair of external surfaces that each extend along the seal body between the first and second sealing surfaces. The seal includes one or more relief ports that are disposed through the seal body and that have openings through each of the seal body external surfaces. The relief port can be specially configured, e.g., have different diameter sections of constant or variable dimensions, to provide a degree of control over pressure equalization through the seal body when the seal is loaded within the drill bit. The seal may include an element, e.g., solid, tubular, or porous, disposed within the relief port to provide a further desired degree of control over pressure equalization through the seal when the seal is loaded within the drill bit. Surface features, on the seal or the drill bit, can be provided to offset the relief port opening from the rock bit so that it is not blocked off. The seal can include a valve mechanism to provide a further degree of control over fluid passage through the relief port.

Self relieving seal

A high-temperature lubricant is shown and described. The lubricant includes a base stock and about 1 to about 20 weight percent zirconium 2-ethylhexanoate. The lubricant may also include about 1 to about 9 weight percent bismuth 2-ethylhexanoate.

Drill bit lubricant with enhanced load carrying/anti wear properties

Ordered elastomeric composites comprise an ordered arrangement of a number of first elastomeric phases distributed uniformly within a continuous matrix second elastomeric phase. The second phase can be formed from an elastomeric material that is relatively harder than an elastomeric material that is used to form the first phases. Each first phase can be in the form of a core having a defined length and diameter, and the second phase can be formed from a number of shells that each surround a respective core. In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement of cores and shells are aligned coaxially with one another to provide a cellular structure. Ordered elastomeric composites of this invention can be used to form part of or an entire elastomeric seal, e.g., in the form of an annular ring adapted for use in a rotary cone drill bit.

Ordered elastomeric composite material

In one embodiment, a hardfacing composition for a drill bit, including a carbide phase including from about 50% to about 80% by weight of the hardfacing composition of a combination of 80 to 200 mesh macro-crystalline tungsten carbide and 80 to 200 mesh crushed cast carbide, the crushed cast carbide being about 5% to 50% of the total weight of the carbide phase, and a binder alloy comprising about 20% to about 50% by weight of the hardfacing composition is disclosed. A hardfacing composition for a drill bit, including a carbide phase composed of sintered tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 80 to 200 mesh that is about 50% to about 80% by weight of the hardfacing composition, and a binder alloy forming about 20% to about 50% by weight of the hardfacing composition.

Hardfacing for milled tooth drill bits

A hardfacing composition for a drill bit is disclosed which includes a carbide phase made from about 80% to less than 100% by weight of a combination of sintered carbide pellets and crushed cast carbide and from more than 0% to about 20% by weight of carburized tungsten carbide. The composition includes a binder alloy. A roller cone drill bit includes a bit body and at least one roller cone rotatably mounted to the bit body. The at least one roller cone includes at least one cutting element. The cutting element has on its exterior surface a hardfacing. The hardfacing on the cutting element was formed with a hardfacing composition that includes a binder alloy and a carbide phase, which includes from about 80% to less than 100% by weight of a combination of sintered carbide pellets and crushed cast carbide, and from more than 0% to about 20% by weight of carburized tungsten carbide.

Hardfacing composition for rock bits

A method for applying hardfacing to teeth on a drill bit is disclosed. The method includes applying the hardfacing to at least one of the teeth so as to have a thickness selected to correspond to a position about exterior surface of the tooth. In one embodiment, the hardfacing thickness is increased near the crest of the tooth, and is decreased near the root of the tooth on at least one flank of the tooth. In one embodiment, the thickness is selected by controlling the powder flow rate in a plasma transferred arc welding system. In another embodiment an angle subtended by flanks of the tooth is selected to provide increased strength to the tooth, and the hardfacing is applied to the tooth to cause exterior surfaces of the hardfacing corresponding to the flanks to subtend an angle selected to provide increased penetration of the tooth through earth formations while drilling.

Method for applying hardfacing to a substrate and its application to construction of milled tooth drill bits

Rock bits comprising wear and fracture resistant surface of this invention include a steel bit body having at least one leg extending therefrom. A steel cone is rotatably disposed on the leg. The steel cone includes a plurality of steel cutting elements that each projecting outwardly a distance therefrom. At least a portion of the cone comprises a wear resistant surface formed from a wear resistant composite material. The wear resistant composite material is made by the process of combining powders selected from the group consisting of carbides, borides, nitrides, carbonitrides, refractory metals, cermets, Co, Fe, Ni, steel, and combinations thereof, to form a material mixture. The material mixture is applied onto a designated surface of the cone, in one form or another, when the cone is in a pre-existing rigid state. Depending on the particular application, the material mixture can be applied in as a slurry to the designated surface of the cone to form a coating thereon. Alternatively, the material mixture can be preformed into a green part that is configured to be placed over the designated surface prior to being disposed thereon. The material mixture is then pressurized under conditions of elevated temperature to form the wear resistant surface. In the event that the material mixture is preformed into a green part, the preformed green part can be sintered prior to its placement on the designated cone surface. The sintered part can then be attached to the cone surface by brazing process.

Roller cone bits with wear and fracture resistant surface

Composite constructions of this invention comprise a first structural phase formed from a hard material selected from the group consisting of cermet materials, polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, and mixtures thereof, and a second structural phase formed from a material that is relatively softer than that used to form the first structural phase. The material selected to form the second structural phase can be the same or different from that used to form the first structural phase. The second structural phase is positioned into contact with at least a portion of the first structural phase. The composite construction includes repeated structural units that each comprise an ordered microstructure of first and second structural phases. Composite constructions of this invention are prepared by first forming a green-state part into a desired shape having the structural material phases arranged to provide the desired ordered material microstructure, and then consolidating/sintering the part using by using consolidation techniques that are capable of retaining the desired oriented or order material microstructure.

Composite constructions with ordered microstructure

A boronized wear-resistant material that includes a boron-containing composition is disclosed. The boron-containing composition includes tungsten carbide and a compound represented by the formula W MB , where M is selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt and alloys thereof. Particularly, a boride layer containing WC and W CoB may be formed over a cemented tungsten carbide substrate by a suitable boronizing process. Additional compounds present in the boride layer include CoB, W CoB , and WB. A relatively thick and uniform boride layer may be obtained over a carbide substrate to form a wear-resistant body. Such a wear-resistant body may be used to manufacture cutting tools, drawing dies, inserts for an earth-boring bit, face seals, bearing surfaces, nozzles, and so on.

Boronized wear-resistant materials and methods thereof

An automated hardfacing system useful for hardfacing roller cones is disclosed. The automated system includes a robot with an arm, a positioner, and a controller which co-ordinates the alignment of the robot and the positioner. The robot holds a hardfacing torch and is capable of movement in three axes of movement. These axes are the x, y, and z axes of the Cartesian co-ordinate system. The positioner holds a roller cone and is capable of movement in at least two axes of movement. The movement includes tilting and rotation about a Cartesian axis. The hardfacing coating produced by the automated system has improved quality and consistency as compared to the one obtained by a manual process.

Growing community of inventors

Fulshear, TX, United States of America

Alysia C White