Three-cone rock bit with multi-ported non-plugging center jet nozzle and method
AssigneeWinton B. Dickey
InventorWinton B. Dickey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-cone rock bit employing a non-plugging center jet nozzle with a plurality of staggered inlet orifices leading to side passageways to reduce bit balling. The nozzle defines a tapered cavity through which drilling mud flows and exits in streams. Streams are directed from the nozzle through a main exit aperture of sufficient size to avoid plugging and from side passageways boring through a sidewall of the nozzle. Jetting streams promote washing of voids within the bit and of cutting surfaces. The nozzle uses staggered inlet orifices leading to side passageways, in conjunction with a tapering shape of a central passageway to facilitate maintenance of drilling mud velocity within the central passageway and thus of stream velocity to targeted regions of the drill bit.
Claims24
A three-cone rock bit comprising:
- a drill hit body comprising a first end to connect with a drill string and a second end delimiting a cutting surface formed by a plurality of rotary cutter cones, said plurality of rotary cutter cones having at least one void defined above the cutter cones;
- a nozzle located above said cutter cones along a central vertical axis of said bit body;
- said nozzle further comprising a sidewall and a central passageway, said central passageway defining an inlet aperture at a top of the nozzle, and a main exit aperture at a bottom of the nozzle;
- said central passageway of said nozzle defining a descending tapering shape;
- said bit body further comprising an opening passageway extending through a top portion of said bit body in an axial direction, thereby keeping said drill string in fluid communication with said nozzle;
- means for attaching said nozzle within the opening passageway of said bit body;
- said nozzle further comprising a plurality of side passageways extending through the sidewall intermediate the top and bottom of the nozzle, each of said side passageways comprising an exit orifice at an exterior surface of said nozzle;
- a plurality of inlet orifices;
- each said inlet orifice leading to a corresponding said side passageway;
- said plurality of inlet orifices being individually, vertically staggered along said central passageway;
- each said inlet orifice sized to restrict passage of particles too large to completely pass through said corresponding side passageway;
- and
- said main exit aperture having a greater diameter then each said inlet orifice.
A non-plugging center jet nozzle, comprising:
- a top, a bottom, a sidewall, and a vertical axis, the nozzle further comprising a central passageway extending from the top to the bottom of the nozzle along said vertical axis;
- said central passageway comprising an inlet aperture at the top of said nozzle, a main exit aperture at the bottom of the nozzle, and said central passageway having a descending tapering shape;
- said nozzle further comprising a plurality of side passageways extending through the sidewall intermediate the top and bottom of the nozzle, said side passageways being in fluid communication with and intersecting with the central passageway;
- a plurality of inlet orifices;
- each said inlet orifice leading to a corresponding said side passageway;
- said plurality of inlet orifices being individually, vertically staggered along said central passageway;
- each said inlet orifice sized to restrict passage of particles too large to completely pass through said corresponding side passageway;
- and
- said main exit aperture having a greater diameter then each said inlet orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.