Smith International, Inc.

Roger Didericksen

Peter Thomas Cariveau

Robert H Slaughter, Jr

Chris Edward Cawthorne

Gary Ray Portwood

Robert M Denton

William M Conn

Kirk A Norris

Sujian Huang

Zhigang Zak Fang

Vincent Wayne Shotton

Robert Wagoner

Fakhroldin Mohammad Jadbabaei

Robert Slaughter

Brian A James

G Steve Kyker

Robert H Slaughter

Fakhroldin M Jadbabaei

A drill bit for use in a borehole at least partially containing drilling fluid includes a bit body having at least two bit components, including at least one leg, the leg having a journal segment, and a roller cone rotatably mounted upon the journal segment and forming at least one bearing cavity therebetween. Also included is an annular primary seal disposed between the leg and the roller cone, an annular secondary seal disposed between the leg and the roller cone and between the annular primary seal and the borehole and an annular space disposed between the annular primary seal and the annular secondary seal, the annular space at least partially containing fluid and being in substantially absolute fluid isolation from the bearing cavity and a conduit for permitting the flow of fluid from the annular space to the borehole. The annular secondary seal may be primarily elastomeric and the means for permitting the flow of fluid may further permit the flow of fluid from the borehole to the annular space. The annular space may at least partially include a grease possessing a water washout value of under approximately 50% per ASTM D-4049 water spray test for lubrication characteristics and the grease may include a polymer tackifier of between approximately 1% and approximately 5% by weight.

Dual-seal drill bit pressure communication system

A drill bit for use in a borehole at least partially containing drilling fluid includes a bit body having at least two bit components, including at least one leg, the leg having a journal segment, and a roller cone rotatably mounted upon the journal segment and forming at least one bearing cavity therebetween. Also included is an annular primary seal disposed between the leg and the roller cone, an annular secondary seal disposed between the leg and the roller cone and between the annular primary seal and the borehole and an annular space disposed between the annular primary seal and the annular secondary seal, the annular space at least partially containing fluid and being in substantially absolute fluid isolation from the bearing cavity and a conduit for permitting the flow of fluid from the annular space to the borehole. The annular secondary seal may be primarily elastomeric and a passage for permitting the flow of fluid may further permit the flow of fluid from the borehole to the annular space. The annular space may at least partially include a grease possessing a water washout value of under approximately 50% per ASTM D-4049 water spray test for lubrication characteristics and the grease may include a polymer tackifier of between approximately 1% and approximately 5% by weight.

A rotary cone rock bit, comprises a bit body including a plurality of legs extending therefrom, each of the legs having an outer surface that includes a leading surface and a trailing surface, a roller cone rotatably supported on each of the legs, a bearing system between each cone and the leg on which it is supported, and a lubricant reservoir in fluid communication with the bearing system. The reservoir can be provided with a wear resistant plug, if desired. In the present bit, the reservoir has at least one opening positioned in either the leg's leading surface, trailing surface, center surface, shoulder surface or some combination of these. Alternatively, the reservoir can be formed inside the bit body, preferably by a canister or the like, which can be provided with a venting as desired.

Protected lubricant reservoir for sealed earth boring drill bit

A drill bit for use in a borehole at least partially containing drilling fluid includes a bit body having at least two bit components, including at least one leg, the leg having a journal segment, and a roller cone rotatably mounted upon the journal segment and forming at least one bearing cavity therebetween. Also included is an annular primary seal disposed between the leg and the roller cone and an annular secondary seal disposed between the leg and the roller cone and between the annular primary seal and the borehole. An annular space is defined between the annular primary seal and the annular secondary seal, the annular space at least partially containing fluid and being in substantially absolute fluid isolation from the bearing cavity. The seals are configured to allow the passage of a fluid from the annular space to the borehole. The annular secondary seal may be primarily elastomeric and a passage for fluid from the borehole to the annular space can be included. The annular space may at least partially include a grease possessing a water washout value of under approximately 50% per ASTM D-4049 water spray test for lubrication characteristics and the grease may include a polymer tackifier of between approximately 1% and approximately 5% by weight.

A roller cone drill bit is disclosed which includes a bit body having at least one leg depending from the bit body. The leg has a journal formed on it at a lower end. The bit body includes an air channel extending at least from an interior of the bit body to the seal area of the journal. A roller cone is sealingly, rotatably mounted on the journal. The cone has a plurality of cutting elements disposed on it. The bit includes a backflow valve disposed in the bit body, so that an intake end of the air channel is disposed upstream of the backflow valve. In one embodiment, the backflow valve is disposed in a connection end of the bit body, and the air channel includes a flow tube extending from the air passage in the bit body to the backflow valve so that its intake end is upstream of the backflow valve.

Sealed bearing roller cone bit having anti-plugging device

A rotary cone rock bit, comprises a bit body including a plurality of legs extending therefrom, each of the legs having an outer surface that includes a leading surface and a trailing surface, a roller cone rotatably supported on each of the legs, a bearing system between each cone and the leg on which it is supported, and a lubricant reservoir in fluid communication with the bearing system. The reservoir can be provided with a wear resistant plug, if desired. In the present bit, the reservoir has at least one opening positioned in either the leg's leading surface, trailing surface, center surface, shoulder surface or some combination of these. Alternatively, the reservoir can be formed inside the bit body, preferably by means of a canister, which can be provided with venting means as desired.

Protected lubricant reservoir for sealed bearing earth boring drill bit

A drill bit for use in an earthen annulus that contains loose particles is connected to a fluid supply source and includes a bit body having at least one journal segment and at least one fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid supply source. A roller cone is rotatably mounted upon the journal segment and forms at least one bearing cavity therebetween. Annular primary and secondary seals are disposed between the roller cone and the bit body and between the bearing cavity and the earthen annulus. An air groove is provided around at least a portion of the cone or leg between the primary seal and the earthen annulus. The groove circumscribes less than the entire circumference of the groove or leg, and in preferred embodiments includes an exit port and/or a diversion plug. Both the exit port and the diversion plug help prevent the groove from becoming plugged with debris.

Dual-seal drill bit with fluid cleaning capability

A drill bit for use in an earthen annulus that contains loose particles is connected to a fluid supply source and includes a bit body having at least one journal segment and at least one fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid supply source. A roller cone is rotatably mounted upon the journal segment and forms at least one bearing cavity therebetween. An annular primary seal is disposed between the roller cone and the bit body and between the bearing cavity and the earthen annulus, and an annular gap is disposed between the annular primary seal and the earthen annulus. The annular gap is in fluid communication with the fluid conduit and the earthen annulus. An annular secondary seal is disposed between the annular primary seal and the earthen annulus and is capable of substantially preventing the ingress of debris from the earthen annulus to the annular primary seal.

Sealed bearing drill bit with dual-seal configuration and fluid-cleaning capability

A rotary cone rock bit, comprises a bit body including a plurality of legs extending therefrom, each of the legs having an outer surface that includes a leading surface and a trailing surface, a roller cone rotatably supported on each of the legs, a bearing system between each cone and the leg on which it is supported, and a lubricant reservoir in fluid communication with the bearing system. The reservoir can be provided with a wear resistant plug, if desired. In the present bit, the reservoir can be pressured-balanced with fluid in the bit plenum or the borehole annulus, or maintained at some desired differential with respect to either of these. Alternatively, the reservoir can be formed inside the bit body, preferably by means of a canister, which can be provided with venting means as desired.

Protected lubricant reservoir with pressure control for sealed bearing earth boring drill bit

A method of manufacturing a rolling cone with hard-facing coating for use in drilling boreholes is disclosed. The method includes a step of depositing a layer of hardfacing material by an arc process, e.g., a gas-shielding tungsten arc welding process, a plasma-transferred arc welding process, or a metal inert gas arc welding process, over areas susceptible to erosion on the rolling cone surface. A rolling cone rock bit for drilling boreholes with a layer of hardfacing material deposited by an arc process either on the lands or in grooves or both of the cone surface is provided. Furthermore, a cone for attachment to the bit body of a rock bit with a layer of hardfacing material deposited on selected lands or in selected grooves or both of the cone surface also is provided.

Hardfacing rock bit cones for erosion protection

A high performance rock bit journal seal is formed from a composite material comprising an elastomeric material and a nonelastomeric polymeric material. The polymeric material is preferably in the form of fibers compiled or woven into a sheet. The elastomeric material may include one or more lubricant additives. The composite seal material comprises a number of repeating sheets of polymeric fabric that are bonded together with the elastomeric material. The seal can either be formed entirely of the composite seal material or partially of the composite material, in which case it is preferred that the seal wear or dynamic surface be formed from the composite material and the remaining portion of the seal be formed from an elastomeric material. The seal can be used as a primary journal seal, or as a secondary journal seal in a dual seal bit. Seals formed from the composite seal material display enhanced wear resistance, reduced coefficient of friction, and improved high-temperature stability and endurance when compared to noncomposite seal materials, thereby both extending the useful life of seals formed therefrom formed and of rock bits that employ such seals.

Composite earth boring bit seal

A drill bit for boring a bore hole in an earthen formation comprises: a bit body having a pin end, a cutting end and a longitudinal bit axis and including at least two legs extending from the cutting end, each of the legs including a bearing that rotatably supports a cutter cone. The bit body further includes a fluid flow system, including a flowway in said pin end that is in fluid communication with at least one exit port in the cutting end, the exit port being defined by a nozzle boss and disposed adjacent one of the legs. Each of the legs includes a leading side surface, a trailing side surface, and a center panel, and at least one of said legs is asymmetric such that its trailing side surface is larger than its leading side surface. The present bit can also include a lubricant system that has its opening in the trailing side of the leg, and can further include various wear resistant coatings and inserts on its surface.

Rock drill bit with back-reaming protection

A sealed-bearing drill bit for use in an earthen annulus is provided having a dual seal arrangement. The drill bit includes at least one leg having a journal segment, and a roller cone mounted upon the journal segment and forming at least one bearing cavity therebetween. An annular primary seal is disposed between the leg and roller cone and between the bearing cavity and the earthen annulus. An annular secondary seal is disposed between the annular primary seal and the earthen annulus and is capable of substantially preventing the ingress of debris from the earthen annulus to the annular primary seal.

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Ponca City, OK, United States of America

Roger Didericksen