Patent US3650337A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3650337A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cryogenically cooled drill
Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc
•
Filing: 1969-07-31
•
Granted: 1972-03-21
•
Expires: 1989-07-31
Abstract
Abstract This discloses a drilling unit in which the drill bit mechanism is placed at the end of the rotor shaft of a motor either by direct attachment to the shaft or by gear. Cryogenic cooling is provided by sending cryogenic fluid into the rear portion of the motor and causing it to flow toward the front end of the motor for cooling the motor, effluent from the motor being conveyed into and through the drill bit and through bearings and gearing, for cooling and cleansing. The coolant effluent from the drill bit mechanism and motor passes into the bore hole thereby cooling it and carrying cuttings and debris upwardly through the hole.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald W Andrews
- 👤 Eugene L Kessler
- 👤 Roland A Newton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:46
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B36/00; E21B36/001; E21B10/00; E21B10/08; E21B10/22; E21B10/24; E21B21/00; E21B21/16; E21B4/00; E21B4/003; E21B4/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A power-driven, coolable drill unit for boring a hole in earth comprising a cryo-motor having a rotor and a housing which surrounds said rotor, a shaft, said rotor being connected to said shaft, and said drill bit means fastened at the forward end of said shaft, said drill bit means having a drill face, coolant conduit means for the unit comprising a passageway for fluid coolant through said motor within the wall of the housing which exits from the housing at the exit means, said fluid passageway being in the form of a spiral around said rotor, said passageway having coolant fluid inlet means into said motor and exit means at a more forward part of said motor than the inlet means, said passageway means being in communication with said exit means and passing through said drill bit means to its exterior, said coolant fluid in said passageway means being substantially a cryogenic liquid which is flashed to its gaseous state adjacent said drill face whereby coolant fluid introduced at the fluid inlet means passes through said motor and said drill bit means to the bore hole.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
A power-driven, coolable drill unit for boring a hole in earth comprising a cryo-motor having a rotor and a housing which surrounds said rotor, a shaft, said rotor being connected to said shaft, and said drill bit means fastened at the forward end of said shaft, said drill bit means having a drill face, coolant conduit means for the unit comprising a passageway for fluid coolant through said motor within the wall of the housing which exits from the housing at the exit means, said fluid passageway being in the form of a spiral around said rotor, said passageway having coolant fluid inlet means into said motor and exit means at a more forward part of said motor than the inlet means, said passageway means being in communication with said exit means and passing through said drill bit means to its exterior, said coolant fluid in said passageway means being substantially a cryogenic liquid which is flashed to its gaseous state adjacent said drill face whereby coolant fluid introduced at the fluid inlet means passes through said motor and said drill bit means to the bore hole.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cryogenic liquid which is flashed to its gaseous state adjacent said drill face renders various earth formations of different character to be of substantially similar competence, strength, hardness and drillability relative to the drill bit means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including bearing means in which the shaft is mounted for rotation relative to the housing, in which the passageway within the wall of the housing is in communication with the bearing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which gear means is provided for drivably attaching the drill bit means to the rotor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a cage is attached to the forward end of the motor and the drill bit means is rotatably mounted in bearing means within the cage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the coolant conduit means includes a fluid passageway within the cage in communication with the passageway for fluid coolant through the motor and leading to the drill bit means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the drill bit means contains conduit means communicating with the fluid passageway wIthin the cage, and leading to the exterior of the drill bit means to expel coolant fluid into the bore hole.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the bearing means is included in the coolant conduit means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
91 words
The method of earth drilling which comprises powering a drill bit means by a cryo-motor to which the drill bit means having a drill face is drivably attached, introducing cryogenic fluid into the motor in the liquid state below the critical temperature of the fluid to absorb heat rejected from the motor, conveying cryogenic fluid out of the motor and through the drill bit means in substantially a liquid state, and flashing said cryogenic fluid to its gaseous state adjacent said drill face while ejecting it from the drill bit means.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
91 words
The method of earth drilling which comprises powering a drill bit means by a cryo-motor to which the drill bit means having a drill face is drivably attached, introducing cryogenic fluid into the motor in the liquid state below the critical temperature of the fluid to absorb heat rejected from the motor, conveying cryogenic fluid out of the motor and through the drill bit means in substantially a liquid state, and flashing said cryogenic fluid to its gaseous state adjacent said drill face while ejecting it from the drill bit means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein the cryogenic fluid ejected from the drill bit means flashes to a gas adjacent said drill face and across the work surface, which method includes cooling the bit and work surface by vaporization, and the existent low temperature, and carrying the cuttings out of the bore hole with the effluent gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein cryogenic fluid is ejected from the drill bit means and includes freezing the work surface to render various formations of different character to be similar in competence, strength, hardness and drillability relative to the drill bit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein the cryogenic gas is heated by the surrounding earth as the gas rises up the hole, said gas increasing in velocity in its upward movement, facilitating chip removal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein the cryo-motor has a rotor means supported by a bearing means, said method including the step of cooling the bearing means with at least some of the coolant fluid introduced into the motor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein said cryo-motor has a housing surrounding a rotor and said housing has a wall with a passageway therein, said method including the step of absorbing heat rejected from said cryo-motor into cryogenic fluid passing through said passageway, said cryogenic fluid passing through said passageway being at least some of the cryogenic fluid introduced into the motor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 14 wherein the cryogenic fluid passing through the passageway of the motor housing wall is sent in a spiral path around the rotor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 14 wherein at least some of the cryogenic fluid introduced into the motor is conveyed to said drill bit means through said rotor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
144 words
A power-driven coolable drill unit for boring a hole in earth, comprising a cryo-motor having a shaft, a rotor mounted on the shaft and a housing which surrounds the rotor, said housing having a wall, drill bit means drivably attached to the shaft at the forward end of the motor, and coolant conduit means for the unit comprising a passageway for fluid coolant through the motor and including at least a spiral passage within the wall of the housing, said passageway having coolant fluid inlet means into the motor and exit means at a more forward part of the motor than the inlet means, and passageway means in communication with said exit means and passing through the drill bit means to its exterior, whereby coolant fluid introduced at fluid inlet means passes through the motor and the drill bit means to the bore hole.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
144 words
A power-driven coolable drill unit for boring a hole in earth, comprising a cryo-motor having a shaft, a rotor mounted on the shaft and a housing which surrounds the rotor, said housing having a wall, drill bit means drivably attached to the shaft at the forward end of the motor, and coolant conduit means for the unit comprising a passageway for fluid coolant through the motor and including at least a spiral passage within the wall of the housing, said passageway having coolant fluid inlet means into the motor and exit means at a more forward part of the motor than the inlet means, and passageway means in communication with said exit means and passing through the drill bit means to its exterior, whereby coolant fluid introduced at fluid inlet means passes through the motor and the drill bit means to the bore hole.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein a cage is attached to the forward end of the motor and the drill bit means is rotatably mounted in bearing means within the cage, a gear means is mounted on the shaft for driving the drill bit means, and the coolant conduit means includes a fluid passageway within the cage in communication with the passageway for fluid coolant through the motor and leading to the drill bit means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the drill bit means contains conduit means communicating with the fluid passageway within the cage and leading to the exterior of the drill bit means to expel coolant fluid into the bore hole.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the bearing means is included in the coolant conduit means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2105091A
Cited
US2355342A
Cited
US2812160A
Cited
US2905444A
Cited
US3181631A
Cited
US3424254A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-21 | 1975-09-20 | 1976-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-21 | 1979-09-20 | 1980-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-21 | 1983-09-20 | 1984-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |