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US 4,397,363 AGranted
Rotary drill bits and method of use
AssigneeDrilling & Service U.K. Limited
InventorJohn M. Fuller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary drill bit for use in subsurface formations includes fluid channels for the passage of drilling mud to remove cuttings. According to the invention to clear blockages there are only one or two unbranched channels for the passage of mud past the cutting elements and these are arranged in a spiral.
Claims12
A rotary drill bit having a gauge region and for use in subsurface formations, comprising:
- a bit body;
- means defining a passageway within the body and adapted to carry a mud or like drilling fluid, and having an outlet opening at an external surface of the body;
- a single unbranched, continuous elongate channel extending from the outlet opening of the passageway and around the body in a spiral to adjacent the gauge region thereof;
- cutting or abrading means for cutting or abrading the formation, mounted substantially in the channel so that the fluid is caused to flow in one path past the cutting or abrading means to clear away cuttings and to break down any blockage in the channel caused by cuttings, said cutting or abrading means comprising a plurality of discrete cutting or abrading elements.
1 more element
A rotary drill bit having a gauge region and for use in subsurface formations comprising:
- a bit body;
- means defining a passageway within the body and adapted to carry a mud or like drilling fluid, and having an outlet opening at an external surface of the body;
- two, and only two, unbranched, continuous, generally parallel elongate channels extending from the outlet opening of the passageway and around the body in a spiral to points adjacent the gauge region thereof;
- cutting or abrading means, for cutting or abrading the formation, mounted substantially in the channel, so that the fluid is caused to flow in two paths past the cutting or abrading means to clear away cuttings and to break down any blockage in the channel caused by cuttings, said cutting or abrading means comprising a plurality of discrete cutting or abrading elements.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.