Hollow auger head assembly
AssigneeGood Earth Tools, Inc.
InventorsRaymond W. Burns, Anthony James Regna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hollow auger head assembly for penetrating geological formations that utilizes drill bit assemblies to which both blades and finger bits are attached. The method of securing the individual drill bit assemblies to the auger head reduces incidents of the drill bit assembly becoming detached from the auger head during drilling operations. Additionally, a rust-resistant attachment mechanism is used attach the drill bit assemblies to the auger head, which makes the drill bit assemblies easier to remove and replace. The configuration and arrangement of the bits improves cutting efficiency, increases wear life and reduces the likelihood of the bits breaking during operation.
Claims28
A hollow auger head assembly for penetrating geological formations, the hollow auger head assembly comprising:
- a) a hollow auger head configured such that it can be secured to a conventional auger used for drilling;
- and
- b) at least two drill bit assemblies secured to the hollow auger head, each drill bit assembly comprising:
- a drill bit body having a means of attachment, at least one finger bit secured to the underside of the drill bit body, and at least one blade secured to the front edge of the drill bit body.
A hollow auger head assembly for penetrating geological formations, the hollow auger head assembly comprising:
- a) a hollow auger head configured such that it can be secured to a conventional auger used for drilling;
- b) at least two drill bit assemblies comprising:
- a drill bit body having at least one through-material hole, at least one finger bit secured to the underside of the drill bit body, each finger bit being positioned on the drill bit body such that the cutting edge is at a negative angle to the front edge of the drill bit body, and at least one blade made of hardened material secured to the front edge of the drill bit body;
- c) at least two bracket sets secured to the outside of the hollow auger head equidistant from each other around the circumference of the hollow auger head;
- and
- d) means for securing the drill bit assembly to the bracket set.
A method of penetrating geological materials using a hollow auger head assembly comprising the steps of
- a) attaching the hollow auger head assembly to an auger of a drilling rig, the hollow auger head assembly comprising a standard-size hollow auger head to which at least two bracket sets have been secured and a drill bit assembly attached to each bracket set, the drill bit assembly comprising a drill bit body to the underside of which at least one finger bit has been attached and to the front of which a blade of hardened material has been attached;
- b) inserting the drilling rig and attached hollow auger head assembly into the geological formation;
- c) rotating the drilling rig and attached hollow auger head assembly in the geological formation;
- d) breaking up the geological formation with the hollow auger head assembly;
- e) feeding the broken up geological formation from the finger bit on the first drill bit assembly to the blade of the second drill bit assembly on the on the hollow auger head;
- f) further breaking up the geological formation with the blade of the second drill bit assembly;
- and
- g) moving the broken-up geological formation up over the top of the second drill bit assembly on the hollow auger head assembly, up the auger and away from the drilling area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.