Precussive down-the-hole rock drilling hammer

Abstract

A down-the-hole percussive drill comprises a casing, a drill bit mounted at a lower end of the casing, a hollow feed tube fixed within the casing and extending along a center axis thereof, and a piston mounted for axial reciprocation within the casing for transmitting impacts to the drill bit. The piston has a stepped configuration in that a lower portion thereof is of smaller outer diameter than an upper portion thereof. The upper portion forms a downwardly facing surface at the junction between the upper and lower portions. Air-conducting passages are formed in the upper portion of the piston and are supplied with pressurized air from the hollow feed tube. One of those passages intersects the downwardly facing surface of the upper portion of the piston. The hollow feed tube is mounted to a top sub of the drill by pins which are mounted in the top sub and extend radially into a sidewall of the feed tube, the pins being situated outside of the central passage. A bushing is mounted on an outer periphery of the feed tube and is pressed radially between the top sub and of the feed tube for stabilizing the feed tube.