Rotary steering tool system for directional drilling

A method of steering a drill bit in a well bore through the use of a drill string, the method comprising:

• forming a main body rotatable within a sleeve, said sleeve having at least one protruding pad formed on an exterior surface thereof, said main body having an interior passageway with a flipper pivotally mounted and extending thereinto;
• attaching said main body to the drill bit and to the drill string;
• pumping a fluid through said interior passageway so as to depress said flipper to fix said sleeve relative to said main body;
• rotating said main body and said sleeve so that said protruding pad moves to a desired position within the well bore;
• reducing fluid flow through said interior passageway such that said flipper releases said main body from said sleeve;
• and
• rotating the drill string and the main body and the drill bit independently of said sleeve.

A rotary steering apparatus comprising:

• a drill string;
• a drill bit;
• a main body connected at one end to said drill string and at another end to said drill bit, said main body having an interior passageway extending longitudinally therethrough;
• a sleeve extending around said main body such that said main body is rotatable within said sleeve, said sleeve having at least one protruding pad extending outwardly therefrom;
• and
• a locking means affixed to said main body and interactive with said sleeve, said locking means for locking said sleeve relative to said main body such that said sleeve rotates correspondingly with a rotation of said main body, said locking means locking said sleeve to said main body relative to an increased flow rate of fluid through said interior passageway.