Down-the-hole hammer with ported piston and flow control valve
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorKoushik Kabiraj
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A down-the-hole hammer includes a barrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a proximal chamber and a distal chamber, a piston slidable within the barrel between the proximal chamber and the distal chamber, and a flow control valve including a valve member slidable within the barrel along the longitudinal axis to control airflow through the piston. In a first position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow from a proximal end of the barrel through the piston and into the distal chamber. In a second position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow around the valve member and into the proximal chamber.
Claims19
A down-the-hole hammer comprising:
- a barrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a proximal chamber and a distal chamber;
- a piston slidable within the barrel between the proximal chamber and the distal chamber;
- and
- a flow control valve comprising a valve member slidable within the barrel along the longitudinal axis to control airflow through the piston,
- wherein, in a first position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow from a proximal end of the barrel through the piston and into the distal chamber, bypassing the proximal chamber, and
- wherein, in a second position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow around the valve member and into the proximal chamber.
A down-the-hole hammer comprising:
- a barrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a proximal chamber and a distal chamber;
- a piston slidable within the barrel between the proximal chamber and the distal chamber, the piston including:
- a distal outer surface,
- an intermediate outer surface,
- a proximal internal cavity,
- a distal internal cavity, and
- one or more passageways extending from a distal end of the distal outer surface towards the intermediate outer surface;
- and
- a flow control valve comprising a valve member slidable within the barrel along the longitudinal axis to control airflow through the piston,
- wherein, in a first position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow from a proximal end of the barrel through the piston and into the distal chamber,
- wherein, in a second position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow around the valve member and into the proximal chamber, and
- wherein in the first position of the valve member, the air flow bypasses the proximal chamber.
A down-the-hole hammer comprising:
- a barrel having a longitudinal axis and defining a proximal chamber and a distal chamber;
- a piston slidable within the barrel between the proximal chamber and the distal chamber, the piston including:
- a proximal internal cavity,
- a distal internal cavity,
- at least one first port extending from the proximal internal cavity to an intermediate outer surface of the piston,
- at least one second port extending from the proximal internal cavity to the distal outer surface of the piston, and
- at least one third port extending from the distal internal cavity to the intermediate outer surface of the piston, and
- one or more passageways extending from a distal end of a distal outer surface toward an intermediate outer surface;
- and
- a flow control valve comprising a valve member slidable within the barrel along the longitudinal axis to control airflow through the piston,
- wherein, in a first position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow from a proximal end of the barrel through the piston and into the distal chamber, and
- wherein, in a second position of the valve member, the valve member allows air flow around the valve member and into the proximal chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.