Actuating mechanism
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Accused Products
Abstract
An actuating mechanism (111) comprising an inner member (113) and an outer member (115) axially slidable relative to each other, the inner and outer members (113, 115) cooperating to define an internal passage (117) for the flow of a fluid therethrough. The inner member (113) being configured such that upon a predetermined change in pressure between a first region (119) and a second region (120) the actuating mechanism (111) is caused to move between a first condition and a second condition.
46 Citations
141 Claims
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1-84. -84. (canceled)
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85. An actuating mechanism comprising:
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an inner member and an outer member axially slidable relative to each other, the inner and outer members cooperating to define an internal passage for the flow of a fluid therethrough; the inner member being configured such that upon a predetermined change in pressure between a first region and a second region the actuating mechanism is caused to move between a first condition and a second condition. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138)
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139. A flushing device comprising
an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, moveable relative to each other between an open operable condition, wherein a percentage of the fluid passing through a central passage of the flushing device can be diverted through a plurality of flushing outlets, and a closed operable condition, wherein the fluid outlets are blocked from the passage, an actuating mechanism operable between the inner and outer sleeves, and having first and second conditions which correspond to the open and closed operable conditions, the actuating mechanism being responsive to a fluid pressure differential between a cavity defined between the inner and outer sleeves, and the pressure in the internal passage, for movement between its first and second conditions, whereby the actuating mechanism, when in the first or second condition couples the inner sleeve to the outer sleeve to prevent movement of the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve until predetermined value of pressure differential is reached.
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140. A flushing device for flushing diverted fluid upwards into an annular space between a drill stem and a hole, where a slurry passes through a central passage of the flushing device to a drill head, whereupon it reverses direction, passing through the annular space before returning to the surface with cuttings from the drilling process suspended in the return slurry, the flushing device is adapted to change between an open operable condition, whereby a predetermined percentage of fluid is diverted from the passage to the annular space to assist in maintaining a clean bore, and a closed operable condition, whereby the full flow of the slurry is delivered to the drill head, and is configured such that the increase or reduction of pressure in the internal passage relative to the pressure external the flushing device causes an actuating mechanism located in the device to cycle between a first and second condition whereby the flushing device correspondingly cycles through open and closed operable conditions.
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141. A flushing device comprising:
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an inner sleeve, slidingly received in an outer sleeve, the inner and outer sleeves cooperating to define an internal passage for the flow of a fluid, and are permanently coupled such that there is no rotational movement between the two sleeves; the outer sleeve having a plurality of flushing outlets an actuating mechanism comprising an inner and outer member, incorporated within the inner and outer sleeves, an internal passage which is common with the internal passage of the flushing device, the actuating mechanism being caused to cycle between open and closed conditions with change in the pressure differential acting upon the inner member; an indexing mechanism which indexes as a result of the operation of the actuating mechanism, the indexing mechanism indexes between first and second positions such that the flushing device moves between an open operable condition, whereby the plurality of flushing outlets are open for discharging a quantity of the fluid from the internal passage, and a closed operable condition, whereby the plurality of flushing outlets are closed, the operable condition depending on the position of the indexing mechanism.
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Specification