Rotary cone drill bit with improved bearing system

A rotary cone drill bit having a bit body with an upper portion adapted for connection to a drill string for rotation of the drill bit to form a borehole, comprising:

• a number of support arms attached to and extending from the bit body opposite the upper portion, each of the support arms having an inside surface with a respective spindle connected thereto;
• each spindle projecting generally downwardly and inwardly with respect to its associated support arm;
• a number of cutter cone assemblies equal to the number of support arms, with each cutter cone assembly having a cavity therein which allows said cutter cone assembly to be rotatably mounted on a respective spindle;
• a first outside diameter portion and a second outside diameter portion formed on the exterior of each spindle with the first outside diameter portion and the second outside diameter portion formed generally concentric with the axis of the respective spindle;
• an opening formed in an exterior surface of each support arm with a ball retaining passageway extending from the opening in the exterior of the support arm to a location between the first outside diameter portion and the second outside diameter portions of the associated spindle whereby ball bearings may be inserted through the opening and the ball retaining passageway to rotatably secure each cutter cone assembly on its respective spindle;
• the first outside diameter portion of each spindle providing at least one component of a radial bearing disposed between the spindle and the cavity;
• the second outside diameter portion of the spindle providing at least one component of a second radial bearing disposed between the exterior of the spindle and adjacent portions of the cavity;
• the first outside diameter portion having approximately the same diameter as the second outside diameter portion;
• and
• an opening from the ball retaining passageway disposed between the first outside diameter portion of the spindle and the second outside diameter portion of the spindle.