Roller reamer

Roller-reamer bore hole drilling comprising,

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hold therethrough surrounded by imperforate sidewalls and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted pockets about said body, each of said pockets having a reduced contiguous slot in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said pockets and having an end releasably rigidly inwardly secured to said body within said slot by a forced interference fit which elastically deforms the side walls of said slot and said shaft,
• in each separate roller-reamer shaft said shaft end is radially bored;
• said body being radially bored and screw tapped within the confines of said reduced slot aligned with said shaft end radial bore;
• and including cap screw means for securing said shaft end to said body within said reduced slot byway of said radial bore in said shaft end and aligned bore in said reduced slot, the internal opening of said shaft end radial bore is enlarged for accommodating an expandable puller for removing said shaft,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably secured about each of said shafts, the external surface of which radially projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the bore hole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the bore hole to surround said accommodated roller,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers, and
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers whereby said roller and shaft are removable and replaceable externally of said body.

Roller-reamer bore hole drilling apparatus, comprising

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hole therethrough surrounded by imperforate sidewalls and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted pockets about said body, each of said pockets having a reduced contiguous slot in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said pockets and having an end releasably rigidly inwardly secured to said body within said slot by a forced interference fit which elastically deforms the side walls of said slot and said shaft,
• each said accommodated reduced slot for the end of said shaft is slightly enlarged at the tip of said shaft end to permit elastic deformation of said body for more uniform pressure between shaft and body,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably secured about each of said shafts, the external surface of which radially projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the bore hole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the bore hole to surround said accommodated roller,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers, and
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers whereby said roller and shaft are removable and replaceable externally of said body.

Roller-reamer bore hole drilling apparatus, comprising

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hole therethrough surrounded by imperforate sidewalls and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted pockets about said body, each of said pockets having a reduced contiguous slot in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said pockets and having an end releasably rigidly inwardly secured to said body within said slot by a forced interference fit which elastically deforms the side walls of said slot and said shaft,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably secured about each of said shafts, the external surface of which radially projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the bore hole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the bore hole to surround said accommodated roller,
• each separate roller-reamer shaft having lubricating means internal to said shaft for providing lubrication between said shaft and said roller, and
• seals substantially at both ends of said roller for confining said lubrication,
• said shaft including a skirted groove for accommodating said top seal and said roller reamer including an upwardly abutting projection for cooperating with said top seal within said skirted groove,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers, and
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers whereby said roller and shaft are removable and replaceable externally of said body.

Roller-reamer bore hole drilling apparatus, comprising

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hole therethrough surrounded by imperforate sidewalls and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted pockets about said body, each of said pockets having a reduced contiguous slot in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said pockets and having an end releasably rigidly inwardly secured to said body within said slot by a forced interference fit which elastically deforms the sidewalls of said slot and said shaft,
• an enlarged slot in said body contiguous with said reduced slot opposite said pocket for each roller-reamer shaft,
• a safety plug accommodated by said enlarged slot for interacting with the end of said shaft for thrust load safety and bored for the receipt of at least one cap screw, said body being bored and tapped in alignment therewith within said enlarged slot, and
• a cap screw for releasably securing at each cap screw bore said safety plug to said body within said enlarged slot, and the end of said shaft is longitudinally bored and said safety plug includes a longitudinal projection fitting within said longitudinal bore,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably secured about each of said shafts, the external surface of which radially projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the bore hole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the bore hole to surround said accommodated roller,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers, and
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers whereby said roller and shaft are removable and replaceable externally of said body.

Roller-reamer unit subcombination for securing into the body of a roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• a roller-reamer shaft including having end means releasably rigidly inwardly secured to the body,
• a cylindrical roller rotatably securable about a portion of said shaft,
• top means and bottom means for sealing therebetween said portion of said shaft with respect to said roller,
• said top means for sealing including an annular sealing ring captive between an accommodating groove and an upward abutting projection on said shaft and said roller,
• radial bearing means located between said shaft and said roller, and
• thrust bearing means located within said sealed portion of said shaft with respect to said roller.

Roller-reamer unit subcombination for securing into the body of a roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• a roller-reamer shaft including having end means releasably rigidly inwardly secured to the body,
• a cylindrical roller rotatably securable about a portion of said shaft,
• top means and bottom means for sealing therebetween said portion of said shaft with respect to said roller,
• said shaft includes a skirted groove for accommodating said top seal means, and
• said roller includes an upwardly abutting projection for cooperating with said top seal means within said skirted groove,
• radial bearing means located between said shaft and said roller, and
• thrust bearing means located within said sealed portion of said shaft with respect to said roller.

Roller-reamer unit subcombination for securing into the body of a roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• a roller-reamer shaft including means for releasably connecting said shaft to the body,
• a cylindrical roller rotatably securably about a portion of said shaft,
• top means and bottom means for sealing therebetween said portion of said shaft with respect to said roller,
• radial bearing means located between said shaft and said roller,
• thrust bearing means located within said sealed portion of said shaft with respect to said roller, and
• lubricating means, having
• a reservoir internal to said shaft,
• a port therefrom to the surface of said shaft between said top and bottom sealing means, and
• a cooperatively acting pressure volume compensator acting on the lubrication within said reservoir, said compensator including a piston and cooperating compression spring.

Roller-reamer unit subcombination for securing into the body of a roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• a roller-reamer shaft including means for releasably connecting said shaft to the body,
• a cylindrical roller rotatably securably about a portion of said shaft,
• top means and bottom means for sealing therebetween said portion of said shaft with respect to said roller,
• radial bearing means located between said shaft and said roller,
• thrust bearing means located within said sealed portion of said shaft with respect to said roller, and
• lubricating means, having
• a reservoir internal to said shaft,
• a port therefrom to the surface of said shaft between said top and bottom sealing means,
• a cooperatively acting pressure volume compensator acting on the lubrication within said reservoir, said compensator including a piston and cooperating compression spring,
• said shaft includes a skirted groove for accommodating said top seal means, and
• said roller includes an upwardly abutting projection for cooperating with said top seal means within said skirted groove.

Roller-reamer bore hole drilling apparatus, comprising

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hole therethrough and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted reamer pockets about said body, each of said reamer pockets having a contiguous block pocket in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said reamer pockets and having an end for securing within said block pocket,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably securable about each of said shafts, the external surface of which radially projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the borehole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the borehole to surround said roller,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers,
• and respectively for each separate roller-reamer shaft,
• lubricating means for providing lubrication between said shaft and said roller, and top and bottom seals substantially at both ends of said roller for confining said lubrication,
• said shaft includes a skirted groove for accomodating said top seal,
• said roller includes an upwardly abutting projection for cooperating with said top seal within said skirted groove,
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers, and
• a block conforming to the shape of said block pocket secured therein to said body and tightly releasably securing the shaft end.

Roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hole therethrough and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted reamer pockets about said body, each of said reamer pockets having a contiguous block pocket in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said reamer pockets and having an end for securing within said block pocket,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably securable about each of said shafts, the enternal surface of which raidally projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the borehole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the borehold to surround said roller,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers,
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers,
• a block conforming to the shape of said block pocket secured therein to said body and tightly releasably securing the shaft end,
• each reamer pocket therein including a contiguous enlarged opening for receiving a safety plug on the side of said block pocket includes at least one internal longitudinal tang along at least one wall thereof,
• each of said shafts is tapered toward its tip, and
• each of said blocks has a tapered internal opening for wedgedly fitting over a tapered end of a shaft and a mating continuous external slot for engaging said tang, said block securing said shaft tightly when driven onto said shaft end.

Roller-reamer unit subcombination for securing into the body of a roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• a roller-reamer shaft including means for releasably connecting said shaft to the body,
• a cylindrical roller rotatably securably about a portion of said shaft,
• top means and bottom means for sealing therebetween said portion of said shaft with respect to said roller,
• radial bearing means located between said shaft and said roller,
• thrust bearing means located within said sealed portion of said shaft with respect to said roller, and
• lubricating means, having a reservoir internal to said shaft, a port therefrom to the surface of said shaft between said top and bottom sealing means,
• a cooperatively acting pressure volume compensator acting on the lubrication within said reservoir, said compensator including a piston and cooperating compression spring,
• said shaft includes a skirted groove for accommodating said top seal means,
• said roller includes an upwardly abutting projection for cooperating with said top seal means within said skirted groove,
• and respectively for each separate roller-reamer shaft,
• said shaft end is tapered toward its tip,
• said block includes
• a mating tapered hold therethrough for fitting over the end of said shaft and having outwardly turned lips deeply internal within said block pocket, said block pocket having inwardly turned lips near the external surface of said block being matingly tapered with said block pocket, wedge forcing of said block in said block pocket longitudinally toward said reamer pocket over the end by the flexible gripping of said mating hole, and including
• securing means located below said block with said block pocket to ensure against longitudinal displacement of said block.

Roller-reamer borehole drilling apparatus, comprising

• an elongate body having a fluid circulation hole therethrough and threaded at each end for connection within a drill string to adjoining members cooperatively threaded therewith,
• a plurality of outwardly opening elongate slotted reamer pockets about said body, each of said reamer pockets having a contiguous block pocket in at least one end,
• a separate roller-reamer shaft accommodated by each of said reamer pockets and having an end for securing within said block pocket,
• a separate cylindrical roller rotatably securable about each of said shafts, the external surface of which radially projects beyond the limits of said body for contacting the internal wall of the borehole, the respective pockets accommodating each of said rollers being sufficiently large to permit fluid circulating in the borehole to surround said roller,
• radial bearing means located internal to each of said respective rollers,
• thrust bearing means to limit axial movement of each of said rollers,
• a block conforming to the shape of said block pocket secured therein to said body and tightly releasably securing the shaft end,
• and respectively for each separate roller-reamer shaft,
• said shaft end is not tapered,
• said block pocket is expandingly tapered longitudinally away from said reamer pocket,
• said block includes
• a mating hole at least partially therethrough for fitting over the end of said shaft, said mating hole being open slotted to the external surface of said block so that the surface of said mating hole flexibly surrounds said shaft end,
• the external surface of said block being matingly tapered with said block pocket, wedge forcing of said block in said block pocket longitudinally toward said reamer pocket over the end by the flexible gripping of said mating hole, and including
• securing means located below said block with said block pocket to ensure against longitudinal displacement of said block.