US 2011/0253449 A1 · METHODS OF PRELOADING A SONIC DRILL HEAD AND METHODS OF DRILLING USING THE SAME

Abstract

A drill head assembly includes a shaft having a shaft axis, an oscillator assembly operatively associated with the shaft, the oscillator assembly having at least one eccentrically weighted rotor configured to rotate about a pivot point to generate an oscillating vibratory force, wherein an oscillation centerline is defined transverse to the shaft axis and including the pivot point. The drill head assembly also includes a lower bearing coupled to the shaft on a first side of the oscillation centerline and an upper bearing coupled to the shaft on a second side of the oscillation centerline, the second side being opposite the first side.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of drilling, comprising:

securing an oscillating assembly about a shaft using one or more bearings;
threading a base nut onto a first end of the shaft;
and
advancing one or more preloaders through the base nut to apply a preload force to the one or more bearings.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/172,450Filed 29 Jun 2011

Priority

14 Oct 2008

Published

20 Oct 2011

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

E21B 7/24
Special methods or apparatus for drilling: drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses
Y10T 29/49826
Method of mechanical manufacture: assembling or joining
E21B
Earth or rock drilling
Y10T
Technical subjects covered by former us classification

Methods of preloading a sonic drill head and methods of drilling using the same

Life of this patent

Methods of preloading a sonic drill head and methods of drilling using the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20