Baker Hughes Corporation

Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Terry J Koltermann

Chih C Lin

Anton F Zahradnik

Don Quy Nguyen

Gregory L Ricks

Eric Charles Sullivan

Aaron J Dick

Mark E Morris

Scott Shiqiang Shu

Chris M McCarty

Danny Eugene Scott

James Leslie Overstreet

Redd H Smith

Christopher C Beuershausen

David Alexander Curry

Scott Ray Schmidt

Ronald L Jones

Rudolf Carl Otto Pessier

Thomas F Willey

Raul E Lema

Ronald Hales

Stuart Hall

Craig Hodges Cooley

Timothy Nathan Sexton

Alejandro Flores

Gregory W Peterson

Ronny D McCormick

Daniel E Scott

Jiri George Drobny

Michael Joseph Veasey

David A Curry

An earth boring bit has a bit body with a depending bearing pin, a cone rotatably mounted on the bearing pin, a seal gland between the cone and the bearing pin, and a seal assembly located in the seal gland. The seal assembly includes an annular metallic spring encircling the bearing pin. The spring has a geometric center line that extends in a circle around the bearing pin. The spring is elastically deformable in radial directions relative to the center line. An elastomeric layer is located on an exterior side of the spring and is biased by the spring against a surface of the seal gland.

Composite metallic elastomeric sealing components for roller cone drill bits

A backup ring for a face seal in a roller cone bit is configured to resist wear from drilling fluids present adjacent exposed faces of the backup ring. Portions are removed from an exposed end face in a variety of shapes while the hardness of the material is increased. The removal of material offsets an increase in force that would be transmitted through the backup ring on face seal assembly due to flexing. A spring can optionally be included in the removed material location. Another way is to increase the edge density of all or part of the exposed edges while leaving the interior portions unaffected by using electron beam radiation to increase the crosslink density or by other techniques that allow a unitary structure with a more durable edge region.

Enhanced backup ring edge features for metal face seal in roller cone drill bits

Enhanced backup ring features for metal face seal in roller cone drill bits

A rock drilling bit having PDC radial bearings has journal and cone bearing surfaces with increased contact area to increase load support. The radius of curvature of the bearing pin journal and cone bearing surfaces are matched or conformed on the bearing pressure side. The conformal journal surfaces may be formed on the main journal bearing, the pilot pin radial bearing, or both surfaces. In addition, diamond inlays may be located on the bearing surfaces of the cone, the bearing pin, or both components.

Conformal bearing for rock drill bit

An apparatus for retaining a roller cone on a bearing pin of a drill bit body that includes a drill bit body; a bearing pin coupled to the drill bit body; a retention member coupled to the bearing pin; a roller cone coupled to the retention member; and a torque transfer member coupled to the retention member and the roller cone adapted to selectively transfer torque between the retention member and the roller cone.

Threaded cone retention system for roller cone bits

A subterranean drill tool has a seal gland formed between a rotating and a static surface. An annular elastomeric seal is located in the gland in engagement with each of the surfaces. A property gradient is formed in at least part of the elastomeric material. The property gradient defines a property that changes from a first level at the surface to a second level in the interior of the seal. The elastomeric material within the property gradient has the same chemical composition as the rest of the seal.

Drilling tool with elastomer seal having graded properties

An elastomeric seal ring is located between each bearing pin and each cone of an earth-boring bit. An excluder ring or band is imbedded within the inner diameter of the seal ring. A portion of the inner diameter of the seal ring as well as the excluder ring are in dynamic sealing contact with the bearing pin. The excluder ring may be harder and more wear resistant than the seal ring. The excluder ring may have lubricating properties. An outer excluder ring may be located on the outer diameter of the seal ring for engaging the cone to resist rotation.

Excluder ring for earth-boring bit

A metal face seal for an earth boring drill bit where the drill bit has a bit body, at least one bit leg, a bearing pin on each bit leg, and a cone rotatably mounted on each bearing pin. The metal face seal is located in the cavity formed between the interior surface of the cone and the bearing pin. The metal face seal consists of a rigid seal ring having a forward surface that engages a rotating seal surface of the cone. An energizer ring biases the rigid seal ring toward the rotating seal surface. A secondary seal engages the bearing pin surface, the energizer ring, and the rigid seal ring. The secondary seal ring has a protuberance on its forward side for filling void spaces between the energizer ring, the rigid seal ring, and the secondary seal ring.

Metal face seal for an earth-boring bit

An earth boring bit has a bit body with a depending bearing pin. An insert ring is mounted on the bearing pin. The insert ring has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the bearing pin, defining a clearance between the insert ring and the bearing pin to allow the insert ring to float relative to an axis of the bearing pin. An inner seal is in sealing engagement with the bearing pin and the inner diameter of the insert ring. A cone is rotatably mounted on the bearing pin, the cone having a cavity containing an outer seal groove. An outer seal located in the outer seal groove is in dynamic sealing engagement with an outer diameter of the insert ring. An anti-rotation member engages a portion of the insert ring to prevent rotation of the insert ring.

Seal insert ring for roller cone bits

An earth boring bit has a bearing pin with a sleeve mounted on it. The sleeve is fixed against rotation but able to float relative to the bearing pin. A cone fits over and forms a bearing surface with the sleeve. The sleeve and bearing pin are configured to have a clearance between them that has a forward portion that progressively decreases in a rearward direction. The clearance progressively decreases in a forward direction from the rearward end of the sleeve. The cone and the sleeve are able to tilt in unison with each other relative to the bearing pin when the bit is loaded.

Bearing insert sleeve for roller cone bit

An earth-boring bit has a bit body that includes head sections, each having depending bit legs with a circumferentially extending outer surface, a leading side, and a trailing side. A bearing shaft depends inwardly from each of the bit legs for mounting a cutter. The bit includes a beveled surface formed at a junction of the leading side and the outer surface of each bit leg. The beveled surface is angled relative to a radial plane emenating from the axis of the bit. The angle of the beveled surface is at least 20 degrees, and extends to an inner surface of the bit leg. The bit can also have a layer of hardfacing on the leading, trailing and shirttail surfaces of the bit leg. A diversion finger of hardfacing extends circumferentially to direct cuttings.

Shirttails for reducing damaging effects of cuttings

An earth-boring bit has a mechanical face seal assembly with PCD faces. The bit has a bearing shaft with a cone rotatably mounted on the bearing shaft. The seal locates between the bearing shaft and the cone for sealing lubricant therein. The seal includes at least one rigid seal ring having a cemented carbide body and an annular PCD face located on it. The mating face may also be of a PCD material. The cemented carbide body contains a binder that migrates into the PCD face while the PCD face is being formed. A binder-free region is leached on the surface of the PCD face.

PCD face seal for earth-boring bit

A method of forming a seal for a subterranean drilling tool employs irradiation. The seal is formed of a single homogeneous elastomeric material. The seal has an exterior surface with at least one portion that is in sliding engagement with part of a seal gland of the drilling tool. A property gradient is formed in the elastomeric material on at least this portion. The property gradient is formed by exposing the seal to an environment to define a property that changes from a first level to a second level without essentially changing the composition of the elastomeric material. The step of exposing is done by irradiating the seal with an electron beam.

Growing community of inventors

The Woodlands, TX, United States of America

Terry J Koltermann