Automatic wear compensating seal device

An automatic wear compensating seal device comprising:

• (a) a first member having a first surface and inclined second and third surfaces inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to the plane of said first surface;
• (b) a second member having a fourth surface wherein said first and second members are positioned with respect to one another along an axis perpendicular to the plane of said first surface;
• (c) a first elastic sealing means comprising a first annular elastic means and a first annular sealing member, said first annular elastic means contacting said inclined second surface and said first annular sealing member, and said first annular sealing member contacting said fourth surface for forming a seal therebetween, wherein the reaction force of said inclined second surface on said annular elastic means is applied to said annular sealing member in a direction parallel to said axis and towards said fourth surface;
• and
• (d) a second elastic sealing means contacting said third inclined surface such that the elastic force of said second sealing means has a third component perpendicular to said axis for maintaining said second sealing means in contact with said inclined third surface and a fourth component parallel to said axis for maintaining said second sealing means in contact with said fourth surface.

In a rotary drill for drilling a well in the surface of the earth, said drill comprising:

• (a) a drill bit including an upper portion for connection to a drill string, duct means including a fluid outlet into the well for carrying fluid to extract detritus and clean the bottom of the well and receiving means;
• (b) a solid cutting head comprising a conical head portion and a unitary stem portion with no internal passages therein, said conical head portion including holes therein and cutting elements inserted in said holes, said stem portion being received in said receiving means of said drill bit, wherein said stem and said receiving means include holding means for rotatably holding said cutting head in said drill bit;
• (c) bearing means between said drill bit and said conical head, said bearing means being fixed relative to said drill bit and to said conical head for preventing movement between bearing surfaces of the bearing means which contact the drill bit and conical head on the drill bit and conical head, but allowing said conical head to rotate relative to said drill bit;
• (d) a lubrication system, independent of said duct means, interconnected between said drill bit and said cutting head said lubricating system including a stabilizer means for equalizing the pressure in the lubricating system with the pressure in the bore hole surrounding the bit;
• and
• (e) a seal device between said upper portion and said solid cutting head;
• the improvement wherein said seal device is an automatic wear compensating seal device comprising:
• (1) a first surface and an inclined second surface on said upper portion said inclined second surface being inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to the plane of said first surface;
• (2) a third surface on said cutting head;
• wherein said cutting head is positioned adjacent to said upper portion along an axis perpendicular to said first surface;
• and
• (3) a first elastic sealing means contacting said inclined second surface such that the elastic force of said first sealing means has a first component perpendicular to said axis for maintaining said first sealing means in contact with said inclined second surface and a second component parallel to said axis which causes a reaction force for maintaining said first sealing means in contact with said third surface.