ANCHORING AND PRESSURING APPARATUS FOR A DRILL

• US 3,827,512 A
• Filed: 01/22/1973
• Issued: 08/06/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tibor O. Edmond
• Original Assignee: Tibor O. Edmond
• Inventors: Edmond, Tibor O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, David H.
• Application Number:
  US05/325,773
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 175/51,62,94,230,97-99,122,53 299/31
• US Class Current: 175/94
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/18 Anchoring or feeding in the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/00 Special methods or apparatus for drilling

Abstract

An apparatus designed to hydraulically force a drill horizontally into a formation thereby drilling a borehole comprising a cylinder having enclosed ends with a pair of pistons axially positioned inside the cylinder. Each piston has a piston rod journaled in the end of the cylinder and projecting from the end. The apparatus for anchoring the cylinder against the borehole comprises a plurality of anchors which are slidably journaled both to the outside of the cylinder and to the piston rod. An anchor engaging and disengaging means is coupled between the anchors and the piston rod so that when the pistons are pushed apart by hydraulic fluid one set of anchors disengages from the wall and the other set of anchors engages the wall. Continued hydraulic pressure will then apply pressure against the drill column forcing the drill into the formation. When the maximum movement of the anchors has been reached, hydraulic fluid is then applied to the opposite sides of both pistons, whereupon one set of anchors which was engaged will become disengaged and retract while the other set of anchors which was disengaged will engage the borehole and apply application of hydraulic pressure against the drill column.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying drilling pressure to a drilling apparatus in a borehole comprising a cylinder means having enclosed ends, piston means axially positioned inside said cylinder means, borehole engaging means slidably journaled to the outside of said cylinder means, hydraulic fluid conduit means coupled through said cylinder means for selectively applying hydraulic fluid to either side of said piston means, and means mechanically coupled to said piston means for actuating said borehole engaging means and applying pressure to said drilling apparatus when hydraulic fluid is applied to one side of said piston means and releasing and restoring said borehole engaging means when said hydraulic pressure is applied to the other side of said piston means.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said piston means comprises first and second pistons each having a piston rod slIdably journaled through opposite ends of said cylinder means and wherein said borehole engaging means comprises first and second anchoring assemblies coupled to said first and second piston rods, respectively, whereby when said hydraulic fluid is applied between said pistons, said pistons will be forced apart anchoring one of said assemblies and releasing the second assembly, and when said hydraulic fluid is pressured on the opposite sides of said pistons, said anchored assembly will release, and said released assembly will become anchored, while pressure is being applied to said drill bit.

3. A device as described in claim 2 including a second cylinder, a third piston, and piston rod mounted in said second cylinder, means for rigidly securing said second cylinder axially to said first cylinder and spaced therefrom, a second anchoring assembly mounted on said second cylinder and actuated by said third piston rod, anchor means attached to said anchoring assembly and facing in the opposite direction from the anchor means mounted on said first-mentioned cylinder, valve means for closing off the flow of hydraulic fluid to said first-mentioned cylinder and directing same to said second cylinder whereby said second cylinder can be operated to remove said first-mentioned cylinder and said drill-out of said borehole.

4. A device as described in claim 2 wherein said anchoring assemblies each contain a first sliding support around said cylinder, a second sliding support around said piston rod, rigid means coupling said first and second supports, an anchor means pivotally attached to said rigid means, and means connecting said anchoring means to said piston rod.

5. A device as described in claim 4 wherein said anchor means comprises a plurality of anchors spaced along said rigid support, each anchor having a serrated wall engaging end, with the remaining end attached to said connecting means.

6. A device as described in claim 4 wherein said anchoring assemblies comprise at least three equally spaced, rigid coupling means each having an anchor means.

7. A device as described in claim 4 wherein said anchor means comprises a single elongated anchor.

8. An apparatus for incrementally forcing a drill bit into the earth comprising a cylinder having first and second ends, first and second pistons in said cylinder with piston rods extending axially from each of said pistons through said first and second ends, respectively, an anchoring assembly for each piston including an anchor means, a sliding mount retaining said anchor means supported between said cylinder and said piston rod and means coupled to said piston rod and to said anchor means, a first hydraulic port mounted between said pistons, and a port mounted at each end of said cylinder.

9. A device as described in claim 8 wherein said anchor means comprises a plurality of anchors spaced along said rigid support, each anchor having a serrated wall engaging end, with the remaining end attached to said connecting means.

10. A device as described in claim 9 wherein said anchor means comprises a single elongated anchor.

11. A device as described in claim 9 wherein said anchor means comprises a plurality of anchors spaced along said rigid support, each anchor having a serrated wall engaging end, with the remaining end attached to said coupling means.

12. A device as described in claim 11 wherein said anchoring assemblies comprise at least three equally spaced, rigid coupling means each having an anchor means.

13. An apparatus for engaging a borehole and applying axial pressure to a drill bit comprising a cylinder having first and second ends, first and second pistons slidably mounted in said cylinder with first and second piston rods attached to said pistons and slidingly journaled in said first and second ends, respectively, hydraulic fluid conduit means coupled through said cylinder for selectively applying hydraulic fluid to either side of said first and second pistons, first and second anchoring assemblies each comprising a first mounting means slidably attached to said piston rod and a second mounting means slidably attached to said cylinder, an anchor means having one end adapted to engage said borehole, means for pivotally attaching said anchor to said first and second mounting means, and means rigidly attached to the end of said piston rod and coupled to said anchor means whereby movement of said piston in the direction of its corresponding cylinder end will cause said anchor means to be urged into engagement with said borehole wall and adding pressure will cause pressure to be applied to said drill bit.