Slimdril International, Inc.

Fred J Pittard

Jimmy D Fultz

An underreamer tool has a body with upper and lower portions having an upper cutter blade slot extending transversely through the upper portion and a lower cutter blade slot extending transversely through the lower portion at a right angle thereto. The upper and lower portions have central bores separated by a wall and connected by upper and lower fluid flow passageways bypassing the cutter blade slots. An upper pair of cutter blades mounted in the upper cutter blade slot and a lower pair of cutter blades mounted in the lower cutter blade slot move between a retracted position within the slots and an extended position outward therefrom. An upper piston in the central bore above the upper cutter blade slot has its bottom end engaged on the upper cutter blades and a lower piston in the central bore above the lower cutter blade slot has its bottom end engaged on the lower cutter blades. The upper and lower pistons move simultaneously between a first position where the cutter blades are retracted to a second position where the cutter blades are extended, the upper and lower passageways being unobstructed through the entire range of movement. A continuous fluid flow path is maintained from the upper end of the tool to a drill bit at the lower end of the tool at all times.

Underreamer with simultaneously expandable cutter blades and method

An underreamer tool has a generally cylindrical body with a threaded top end for connection to a tubing string, a threaded lower portion to receive a drill bit, and a longitudinal fluid passageway extending centrally through the body. The body has three flat surfaces formed on its exterior in circumferentially spaced relation to define a generally triangular cross section intermediate the top and bottom ends of the body. A cutter blade is pivotally mounted on each of the flat surfaces. A piston is slidably received in a bore in the upper portion of the body and has central fluid passageway therethrough. Push rod members are connected to the piston inside the body and each has an exterior portion slidably mounted in a slot on the exterior of the body engaging the cutter blades for moving them between a retracted position against the body and an extended position outward therefrom. The piston and push rod members are moveable between an upper position allowing the blades to assume the retracted position and a lower position moving the cutter blades to the extended position responsive to a predetermined fluid pressure acting thereon. A continuous fluid flow path is established from the upper end of the tool to the drill bit at the lower end of the tool regardless of the position of the piston.

Three-blade underreamer

An underreamer tool has a body with upper and lower portions having an upper cutter blade slot extending transversely through the upper portion and a lower cutter blade slot extending transversely through the lower portion at a right angle thereto. The upper and lower portions have central bores separated by a wall and connected by upper and lower fluid flow passageways bypassing the cutter blade slots. An upper pair of cutter blades mounted in the upper cutter blade slot and a lower pair of cutter blades mounted in the lower cutter blade slot move between a retracted position within the slots and an extended position outward therefrom. An upper piston in the central bore above the upper cutter blade slot has its bottom end engaged on the upper cutter blades and a lower piston in the central bore above the lower cutter blade slot has its bottom end engaged on the lower cutter blades. The upper piston moves between a first position substantially closing the upper passageway and a second position opening in upper passageway responsive to fluid force acting thereon. The lower piston moves between a first position substantially closing the lower passageway and a second position opening the passageway responsive to the upper passageway being opened by the upper piston whereby the lower cutter blades are extended only after the upper cutter blades have been extended and, after both the upper and lower cutter blades have been extended, a continuous fluid flow path is established from the upper end of the tool to a drill bit at the lower end of the tool.

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Richmond, TX, United States of America

Fred J Pittard