The Charles Machine Works, Inc.

J Scott Martin

Brent G Stephenson

James L Carothers

A drill pipe (10, 100, 220, 200, 210, 250) is disclosed which includes a cylindrical pipe section (12), a box end (14), a pin end (16) and a hydraulic hose assembly (202, 18) or tube (212, 90, 260) inserted between the box and pin ends and extending within the cylindrical pipe section. All, or the majority of drilling fluid passes through the hydraulic hose assembly (202, 18) or tube (212, 90, 260). The interior surface of the cylindrical pipe section (12) may or may not be exposed to the drilling fluid but any corrosion generated by metal-to-fluid contact is generally trapped between the hose or tube and the pipe section. The reduced volume of the hydraulic hose assembly (202, 18) or tube (212, 90, 260) relative to conveying the drilling fluid through the interior of the cylindrical pipe section reduces significantly the waste of drilling fluid, allows the fluid to be pressurized more rapidly to initiate drilling operation, and limits fluid spill damage to the environment.

Drill pipe

A cutting chain is provided which includes facing inner side bars (12) and outside members (14) which have substantially the same height. Further, the leading inner ends of the inner side bars (12) and the trailing inner end of the outside members (14) have a reduced radius to increase wear life while giving the chain a preferred direction of travel.

Digging chain

An L-shaped digging tooth includes a trapezoidally configured shank having inner and outer sides. A toe portion projects laterally from one of its edges. An angle of about 90.degree..+-.30.degree. is defined between the general plane of the toe portion and the plane of the shank. The shank and toe portion terminate in a common, continuous cutting edge of L or V-shaped configuration having a convex outer boundary and a concave inner boundary. This cutting edge intersects at a leading cutter point, a free inner edge of the toe portion which extends along a line convergent with the shank portion plane. The tooth is hard-faced over a zone adjacent the common leading edge. The invention further relates to an endless chain excavating assembly which includes the described L-shaped teeth arrayed in a specific sequence with, and geometric relationship to, cup-shaped teeth of a known type, with both secured at spaced intervals to an endless chain.

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Perry, OK, United States of America

J Scott Martin