Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Flow Industries Ltd.

Flowdril Corporation

Inco Limited

Noranda Inc.

Falconbridge Limited

Kidd Creek Mines Limited

Thomas A O'Hanlon

James M Reichman

Thomas J Kendrew

Douglas Patrick Kelley

Scott D Veenhuizen

A jet assisted drill system which uses a high pressure intensifier, positioned in a down hole drill assembly. Drill fluid from a drill stem is directed into the drill assembly, and in one mode this drill fluid is passed through the pressure intensifier to cause a piston assembly of the intensifier to reciprocate, with high pressure pistons of the piston assembly delivering high pressure drill fluid to a discharge jet in the drill bit assembly. The lower pressure fluid which drives the low pressure pistons is discharged into a downstream annular passageway and to the drill bit assembly. In a by-pass mode, a selector valve directs drill fluid from an upstream main passageway portion directly to a downstream main passageway portion to pass out the drill bit assembly. This flushes out debris which is carried upwardly out of the drill hole. There is a control valve to operate the piston assembly and a trigger valve operated by the piston assembly to direct fluids selectively to the control valve.

Down hole pressure intensifier and drilling assembly and method

A drill bit assembly comprising a plurality of cutter units, with each cutter unit comprising a circumferentially forward, relatively blunt positioning cutter, followed by a fixed cutter having a relatively sharp cutting edge, with the cutting edge of the following cutter being positioned a predetermined distance below an operating position of the positioning cutter. Thus, the cutting depth of the following cutter is controlled by the positioning cutter locating the drill bit assembly against the hole end wall from which material is being cut. Also, additional fixed cutters can be provided in circumferential alignment in said cutting units, and liquid jet cutters can be used in combination with said cutting units.

Fixed-cutter drill bit assembly and method

A nozzle assembly comprising a tubular sleeve, a nozzle and a nozzle body. The nozzle and nozzle body are held in an assembled relation with their bores aligned by the tubular sleeve which encircles them. The sleeve provides a seal between the nozzle assembly and the body into which the nozzzle assembly is mounted, and also provides a seal between the nozzle and nozzle body. During use, when under working pressure, the tubular sleeve tends to flow and move both downstream and radially, forming seals between the nozzle assembly and the body into which it is mounted; and between the nozzle and nozzle body, which seals tend to increase in effectiveness as the working pressure increases. In another form, the set screw has a chamfer which engages a corresponding circular corner of said body, preventing downstream flow of the sleeve therebetween.

Leakproof high pressure nozzle assembly

A drill bit with multiple fluid jet cutting nozzles designed so that the drill bit workface including the cutters is a separate piece from the drill bit body that houses the fluid jet nozzle orifice mounts. The cutter assembly protects the nozzle housing from rapid wear and it can be easily removed from the nozzle housing without disturbing or removing any of the nozzle orifice mounts.

Cutter assembly

The technique for replacing an existing underground cable and a specific apparatus for doing so are disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a main body or cable follower which is interconnected with the cable to be replaced for slidable movement along the latter. At the same time, the apparatus provides means for reaming around the cable, preferrably by means of one or more fluid jets. Once the soil surrounding the cable has been loosened using this apparatus, the cable can be easily pulled out of the ground. At the same time, the replacement cable can be attached to the existing cable and pulled into its place.

Growing community of inventors

Tacoma, WA, United States of America

Thomas A O'Hanlon