Multi-piece rotary cone drill bit seal

A rotary cone drill bit for drilling subterranean formations comprising;

• a bit body including at least one leg and having a bearing surface disposed thereon;
• a cutter cone rotatably mounted on the leg and including a bearing surface that is lubricated with grease;
• a multi-piece ring seal interposed between the leg and cone for retaining the grease along the bearing surfaces, the ring seal comprising:
• an energizing seal body formed from an elastomeric material;
• and
• a flexible sealing member in contact with and not chemically cross-linked bonded to the energizing body to form a seal dynamic sealing surface;
• wherein the energizing body further comprises first and second non-energizing opposite sides, and wherein the flexible sealing member extends around at least a portion of at least one of the first and second opposite sides.

A rotary cone rock bit for drilling subterranean formations comprising;

• a bit body including at least one leg projecting therefrom that has a bearing surface disposed thereon;
• a cutter cone rotatably mounted on the leg and including bearing surface that is lubricated with grease;
• and
• a multi-piece ring seal interposed between the leg and cone for retaining the grease along the bearing surfaces, the ring seal comprising:
• an energizing seal body formed from an elastomeric material and including two opposed energizing surfaces and two opposed nonenergizing surfaces;
• and
• a flexible sealing member connected but not bonded to one of the energizing seal body energizing surfaces and at least one of the energizing seal body nonenergizing surfaces, the flexible sealing member including a seal dynamic sealing surface placed into rotary contact against an adjacent drill bit surface.

A rotary cone rock bit for drilling subterranean formations comprising;

• a bit body including at least one leg projecting therefrom and having a bearing surface disposed thereon;
• a cutter cone rotatably mounted on the leg and including a bearing surface lubricated with a grease;
• and
• a multi-piece ring seal interposed between the leg and cone for retaining the grease along the bearing surfaces, the ring seal comprising:
• a first seal portion that defines a seal body and that provides an energizing function, the first seal portion including opposed energizing surfaces and opposed nonenergizing surfaces;
• and
• a second seal portion that is flexible and that is mechanically attached with the first seal portion along one energizing surface and at least one nonenergizing surface, the second seal portion comprising a seal dynamic sealing surface that is placed into rotary contact against a rock bit surface, the first and second seal portions being formed from different materials.

A rotary cone rock bit for drilling subterranean formations comprising;

• a bit body including at least one leg extending therefrom and having a bearing surface disposed thereon;
• a cutter cone rotatably mounted on the leg and including a bearing surface lubricated with a grease;
• a multi-piece ring seal interposed between the leg and cone for retaining the grease along the bearing surfaces, the ring seal comprising:
• an elastomeric seal body that comprises opposed energizing surfaces and opposed nonenergizing surfaces;
• and
• a flexible seal member engaged to the elastomeric seal body about at least one energizing surface and at least one nonenergizing surface, one of the seal body and the seal member forming a substantially static seal with one of the rock bit leg and cone surfaces, the seal member forming a rotary dynamic seal with the other of the rock bit leg and cone surfaces, wherein the seal body and seal member are not bonded together.

A rotary cone rock bit for drilling subterranean formations comprising;

• a bit body including at least one leg extending therefrom and having a bearing surface disposed thereon;
• a cutter cone rotatably mounted on the leg and including a bearing surface that is lubricated with a grease;
• and
• a multi-piece ring seal interposed between the leg and cone for retaining the grease along the bearing surfaces, the ring seal comprising:
• a first elastomeric seal portion the defines a seal body and that provides an energizing function, the seal body comprising opposed energizing and nonenergizing surfaces;
• and
• a second flexible seal portion disposed along at least one energizing surface and one nonenergizing surface of the seal body, the second seal portion having a seal dynamic sealing surface for rotatably contacting a rock bit surface, and an opposed static surface for contacting the first seal portion, wherein the dynamic seal surface and the static surface have different surface geometries.