Earth boring apparatus employing high powered laser
OwnerWinfield W. Salisbury, Walter J. Stilesinventors
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Abstract
Earth boring apparatus is mounted above ground and directs an annulus of high powered laser energy downwardly for boring a cylindrical hole by fusing successive annular regions of the stratum to be penetrated at a power level that shatters and self-ejects successive cores from the hole. A first fluid blast above the hole deflects the ejected core as it exits from the hole. A second fluid blast above the hole ejects fluid to provide adequate fluid at the strata to be penetrated prior to actuation of the laser for promoting a thermal shock capable of shattering and ejecting the core. Optical sensing separately detects the core shattering and the core ejection to control timed actuation of the system components.
Claims7
Apparatus for boring a cylindrical hole in the earth and comprising laser means for providing a beam of high powered coherent light, focusing means above the hole for forming the beam into an annular beam traversing a downwardly directed path, fluid blast deflecting means for directing a blast that intercepts the path above the hole, and control means connected to actuate the laser means and deflecting means in sequence to provide annular beam pulses that form the hole by fusing successive annular regions of the stratum to be penetrated at a power level that shatters and self-ejects successive cores from the hole and to provide fluid blasts that deflect ejected cores.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.