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US 8,302,707 B2Granted
Down-the-hole drill reverse exhaust system
AssigneeCenter Rock Inc.
InventorLeland Lyon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A DHD hammer that can exhaust working air volumes partially through a proximal end of the DHD hammer's actuator assembly includes a drive chamber, a return chamber, and a backhead that includes exhaust ports. Working air volumes from the drive chamber are exhausted through the backhead while working air volumes from the drive chamber are exhausted primarily through a drill bit.
Claims18
A down-the-hole drill actuator assembly comprising:
- a casing;
- a drill bit engaged with the casing;
- a backhead positioned within the casing, the backhead including at least one exhaust port in communication with an exterior of the casing proximate the backhead;
- a drive chamber in communication with the at least one exhaust port;
- and
- a piston between the drive chamber and the return chamber, wherein the working fluid volumes are exhausted from the at least one exhaust port to an exterior through the casing wall and proximate the backhead.
3 more elements
A down-the-hole drill actuator assembly comprising:
- a casing;
- a backhead configured within the casing, the backhead including:
- a cylindrical member,
- a central bore within the cylindrical member,
- a check valve assembly within the central bore,
- a supply inlet in communication with the central bore,
- an exhaust valve stem in communication with the central bore, and
- at least one exhaust port in communication with the exhaust valve stem and an exterior of the actuator assembly;
- and
- a piston housed within the casing and operatively associated with the backhead, the piston comprising a bore partially sized to exhaust a portion of a fluid within the casing there through.
7 more elements
An actuator assembly comprising:
- a casing;
- a piston housed within the casing, the piston comprising a thru-bore sized to allow a fluid within the casing to partially exhaust through;
- a drill bit connected to a distal end of the casing and operatively associated with the piston;
- and
- a backhead connected to a proximal end of the casing and operatively associated with the piston, the backhead comprising:
- an exhaust port in communication with an exterior of the actuator assembly, and
- an exhaust valve stem in communication with the exhaust port, and wherein the fluid within the actuator assembly is exhausted through the exhaust port to the exterior of the actuator assembly,
- a drive chamber formed within the casing and in communication with the exhaust valve stem,
- a return chamber distal to the drive chamber, formed by an inner wall surface of the casing and an outer surface of the piston, and
- wherein the fluid is supplied to the drive chamber through the supply inlet, and wherein the casing, piston, and backhead are configured to exhaust fluid within the drive chamber through the exhaust port, and exhaust fluid within the return chamber through an opening in the drill bit.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.