Smith International, Inc.

William M Conn

Peter Thomas Cariveau

Roger Didericksen

Robert H Slaughter, Jr

Kirk A Norris

Robert Wagoner

Richard C Lyon

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 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 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 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 method to back ream a borehole drilled with a roller cone drill bit is taught. Protruding hard metal cutting inserts are affixed on the upper outside diameter tapered shoulder of each of the bit legs. If the borehole closes to a smaller diameter than the bit gage diameter or loose rock rubble packs around the upper portion of the bit, the protruding cutting inserts fixed on the upper leg tapered shoulder portion back ream the borehole by lifting and rotating the bit.

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Newton, KS, United States of America

William M Conn