Drilling system drive steel

• US 6,161,635 A
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dover BMCS Acquisition Corp.
• Original Assignee: William Brady
• Inventors: Brady, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHOEPPEL, ROGER J
• Application Number:
  US09/260,159
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 175/324, 175/325.1, 175/325.2, 175/320, 175/327, 175/393, 299/39.9, 299/41.1, 299/55, 299/81.1, 299/81.3, 299/100
• US Class Current: 175/393
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/60 characterised by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluids for roller bits E21B10/18; for percussion drill bits E21B10/38
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/03 between drilling rod or pipe and drill motor or surface drive, e.g. between drilling rod and hammer
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/10 Wear protectors; Centralising devices , e.g. stabilisers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1092 Gauge section of drill bits
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/14 using liquids and gases, e.g. foams

Abstract

A drive steel member for driving engagement with a rotary drilling machine, including a chuck adapter having main body and chuck seating elements and being constructed and arranged in fixed, sealing relation on on one end of the drive steel member.

Claims

1. In combination with a drive steel member adapted for releasable connection with a drilling machine chuck of a rotary drilling system, and which drive steel member is internally ported for the passage of drilling fluids;

the improvement of chuck shank means constructed and arranged to form a permanent chuck adapter on one end of the drive steel member, said chuck adapter comprising a main body section and an internally ported chuck seating section, internal means in said main body section sealably receiving said one drive steel member end, and fastening means for rigidly securing said drive steel member within said main body section.

2. The combination of claim 1, in which said main body opening extends axially into the chuck seating section whereby to provide an optimum wall surface contact of said one end of the drive steel member with the chuck adapter.

3. The combination of claim 1, in which said fastening means comprises an epoxy-type substance.

4. The combination of claim 3, in which said epoxy-type substance is applied to at least one wall of the main body opening or the drive steel member.

5. The combination of claim 1, in which the fastening means comprises pinning means connecting the walls of the main body section and the drive steel member.

6. The combination of claim 1, in which the internal porting of said drive steel member comprises an axial through-bore in fixed communication with the internal porting of said chuck seating section to accommodate drilling fluid flow therein.

7. The combination of claim 6, in which said walls of the main body section and drive steel member have cross bore means extending transversely of the axial through-bore, and said fastening means comprise pinning means in said cross bore.

8. The combination of claim 7, in which said pinning means extends diametrally of said main body section and drive steel member and is sealably secured in place.

9. The combination of claim 8, in which the drill steel member is prepared for use with a wet drilling fluid, and the pinning means comprises a long pin member extending through the main body section and drive steel member.

10. The combination of claim 8, in which the drill steel member is prepared for use with a dry drilling fluid, and the pinning means comprises a pair of short pin members arranged in aligned cross bore openings in the walls on opposite sides of the axial through-bore.

11. The combination of claim 6, including double sealing means constructed and arranged for sealing the through-bore against drilling fluid leakage from the chuck shank means.

12. The combination of claim 11, in which one of said sealing means comprises an annular seal arranged between the mating wall surfaces of the chuck adapter main body section and drive steel member.

13. The combination of claim 11, in which one of said sealing means comprises an epoxy-type substance applied to at least one of the mating wall surfaces of the chuck adapter main body section and drive steel member.

14. The combination of claim 3, in which said epoxy-type means also acts as fluid sealing means between said main body section and said drive steel member.

15. A rotary drilling system comprising a sectional drive steel column for connecting a drilling machine and a rotary drill bit for cutting bores, comprising a drive steel member with a multi-faced outer wall surface and an internal fluid passageway, a chuck adapter member having a multi-faced female socket complementary to the outer wall surface of said drive steel member, said chuck adapter member having an internal fluid passageway, said drive steel and chuck adapter members having multiple fastening and sealing means constructed and arranged to accommodate, in use, the internal flow of drilling fluid into and through said internal passageways without substantial pressure loss.

16. The drilling system of claim 15, in which said multi-faced outer wall surface of said drive steel member is hexagonal.

17. The drilling system of claim 15, in which said chuck adapter member includes a main body section and a chuck shank section having a multi-faced outer wall adapted for seating engagement in the drilling machine chuck.

18. The drilling system of claim 17 in which the multi-faced wall of said chuck shank section is hexagonal or square.