Method of thermal assembly of leg-cone assemblies into a rotating cone drill bit body

Abstract

A method of thermal assembly of multiple leg-cone assemblies within multiple respective distally-opening leg bores of a drill bit body of a rotating cone drill bit, each leg-cone assembly having a leg body with a proximal leg shank for selective receipt within the respective leg bore, the method including the steps of (a) forming a pocket in the drill bit body symmetrically about the leg bores, (b) heating a single leg bore, (c) inserting the leg shank of the leg-cone assembly into the heated leg bore, (d) cooling the drill bit, and (e) repeating steps (b)-(d) in separately assembling each leg-cone assembly within the respective leg bore, thereby mitigating against adverse thermal effects on seals or grease within the leg-cone assemblies.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.