Method and apparatus for jet cutting

Apparatus for eroding a solid surface with a swirling liquid jet comprising:

• a housing adapted for movement relative to said surface;
• means associated with said housing for forming a swirling liquid jet discharging a vortex jet stream;
• at least one liquid jet nozzle secured to said housing and positioned in flow communication with said jet means for the discharge of said swirling liquid jet therefrom;
• and
• means for moving said housing relative to said surface.

A method of cutting a surface comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing adapted to move against said surface;
• providing fluid flow means into said housing;
• providing at least one cylindrical chamber in said housing in flow communication with said fluid flow means;
• centrally disposing a discharge tube in flow communication with said chamber;
• injecting liquid into said chamber to generate a swirling flow therein;
• disposing said discharge tube against the surface to be cut;
• and
• discharging said swirling flow from said chamber through said tube as a vortex jet stream while moving said housing thereagainst.

An improved drill bit for the drilling of a bore hole from a well head, said drill bit being of the type wherein a liquid jet is discharged from said bit to create an eroded region in a formation within the bore hole, said improvement comprising:

• a drill bit having a plurality of discharge nozzles disposed thereabout;
• said discharge nozzles extending outwardly from said drill bit for engagement with said formation;
• a generally cylindrical chamber disposed in flow communication within said nozzles;
• means for creating a liquid swirl within said chamber;
• and
• means for discharging said liquid swirl from said chamber and through said nozzles against said bore hole for the erosion thereof.

A method of generating data from a bore hole comprising steps of:

• providing a jet bit adapted for the discharge of fluid therefrom during its positioning within a bore hole;
• disposing said jet bit within said bore hole and discharging fluid therefrom for the generation of noise therein;
• detecting said noise from said jet bit;
• and
• converting said noise into data.

A method of cutting a surface with a continuous high velocity liquid jet comprising the steps of:

• providing means for generating a continuous, high velocity liquid jet;
• providing a wear button adapted for engaging said surface for the erosion thereof;
• forming an aperture through said wear button adapted for the discharge of said continuous, high velocity liquid jet therefrom;
• discharging said continuous, high velocity liquid jet from said wear button aperture;
• and
• disposing said surface adjacent said wear button for engagement therewith and the erosion thereof by both contact of the wear button with the surface and contact of the high velocity liquid jet with the surface.