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US 5,868,502 AGranted
Thrust disc bearings for rotary cone air bits
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsPeter T. Cariveau, Robert Wagoner
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsPeter T. Cariveau, Robert Wagoner
Estimating the term…
A first embodiment of a radially disposed thrust bearing assembly for rotary cone rock bits consists of a first non-rotating radially disposed steel thrust bearing disc and an adjacent, carbide thrust bearing disc. One of the thrust bearing discs is pressed into a disc retention socket formed in the end of a spindle bearing extending from the end of a main axially aligned bearing cantilevered from a leg of the bit and the other thrust bearing disc is pressed into a disc retention socket formed in the rotary cone. An edge of the carbide disc is formed with large valleys and peaks, the robust undulations resist cracking when the carbide thrust bearing disc is pressed into its respective socket. Unique air passages and channels are formed in the main and spindle bearings to direct cooling air to the thrust bearing discs. A second embodiment of a radially disposed thrust bearing assembly for rotary cone rock bits consists of a pair of preferably carbide thrust buttons, each of which has a central bore and a plurality of channels on its back face. The channels and central bore communicate with an air passage through the bit so as to provide a flow of cooling fluid such as air to the back of each thrust button. The invention further includes thrust bearing systems in which both of the thrust buttons comprise hard metal or sintered material.
A thrust bearing system for a rotary cone rock bit comprising at least one rotary cone retained on a spindle, said spindle including a fluid duct, comprising:
A thrust bearing system for a rotary cone rock bit comprising at least one rotary cone retained on a spindle, said spindle including a fluid duct, comprising:
A thrust bearing system for a rotary cone rock bit comprising at least one rotary cone retained on a spindle, said spindle including a fluid duct, comprising:
A rotary cone bit, comprising:
A thrust bearing system for transmitting axial loads from the cone to the spindle in a rotary cone rock bit comprising at least one rotary cone retained on a spindle, comprising:
A thrust bearing system for a rotary cone rock bit comprising at least one rotary cone retained on a spindle, said spindle including a fluid duct, comprising:
A thrust bearing system for a rotary cone drill bit comprising at least one rotary cone retained on a spindle, said spindle including a fluid duct, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.