SHOCK PLASMA EARTH DRILL

• US 3,679,007 A
• Filed: 05/25/1970
• Issued: 07/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: O'Hare, Louis Richard
• Original Assignee: O'Hare, Louis Richard
• Inventors: O'Hare, Louis Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/040,339
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 175/16,2,11,19 166/299
• US Class Current: 175/16
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/15 of electrically generated heat

Abstract

The repeated discharge of a high voltage large capacitance condenser bank across the gap of a physically strong, specially designed, water immersed electrode produces an explosive shock wave moving downward and outward to produce a hole into which the electrode and connected piping can repeatedly fall producing a deep hole in earth or rock. The conduction of current to the electrode gap is accomplished by a very high voltage - very high amperage switch operated either remotely and manually or automatically.

Claims

1. A device for producing deep holes in the earth by the repeated discharges of a condenser bank of large electric capacity of 400 microfarads or more and high electric voltage of 6,000 volts or more which condenser bank is discharged into water by means of a two element electrode fastened at the end of a pipe which electrode has a center element insulated from the outer cylindrical element which encircles it by means of strong electrically insulating material which same center element is in the form of a steel rod and is electrically connected to a heavy electric cable which cable being highly insulated with a plastic covering is connected to a switch in series with the condenser bank and the electrode, said switch being remotely operated by means of a solenoid completes the circuit between the condenser bank and the electrode the current passing through water in moving from one element of the electrode to the other and returning to the condenser bank thereupon producing a very rapid release of electric energy across the electric resistance of the water which is converted to a plasma liberating a great quantity of heat in a short period of time as to produce an explosive impact breaking the earth or rock, ejecting it downward and outward and away from the electrode in increments as the electrode is lowered into the earth.

2. a device for producing deep holes in the earth by the repeated discharges of a condenser bank of large electric capacity of 400 microfarads or more and high electric voltage of 6,000 volts or more which condenser bank is discharged into water by means of a two element electrode electrically and physically fastened at the end of a pipe which electrode has a center element insulated from the outer cylindrical element which encircles it by means of strong electrically insulating material which same center element is in the form of a steel rod and is electrically connected to a heavy electric cable which cable being highly insulated with a plastic covering extends through the center of the pipe and is connected to a switch in series with the condenser bank and the electrode, said switch being remotely and automatically operated by means of a solenoid in such a manner that when the solenoid is engaged or energized the contact points of the condenser discharge switch are open and the electric circuit which carries the current to energize this solenoid flows in series with other relay points which are in contact when the coil of the relay is not energized but which does become energized when voltage taken from a variable voltage divider connected across the condenser bank causes the voltage at a point on the voltage divider to become high enough to ionize gas in an ionizing tube placed in series with this relay coil whereby depending upon the setting of the voltage divider and the ionizing voltage of the tube as the condenser reaches a predetermined potential it is caused to discharge because the fraction of the voltage from the divider representative of the voltage across the condenser and passing through the ionizing tube energizes the relay whose points then open breaking the circuit of the solenoid which allows the condenser discharge points to contact and discharge the condenser bank through the electrode the current passing through the water in moving from one element of the electrode to the other and returning to the condenser bank thereupon producing a very rapid release of electric energy across the electric resistance of the water which is converted to a plasma liberating a great quantity of heat in a very short period of time so as to produce an explosive effect impacts the earth and moves it away from the electrode in small increments as the electrode is lowered into the earth.