Drilling apparatus
AssigneeJfk Equipment Limited
InventorJohn Kosovich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drilling apparatus including a hydraulically powered hammer having a piston to impact a drill bit; a shuttle valve to control reciprocation of the piston; and an accumulator for hydraulic fluid; at least one drill rod having a first connection valve for connection of the drill rod to the connection valve of the hammer; and a second connection valve for connection of the drill rod to the first connection valve of a like drill rod or to a rotation device. The piston and shuttle valve are positioned substantially in-line to the axis of movement of the hammer. The accumulator is positioned proximate to the shuttle valve; and the first connection valve, and second connection valve having at least one poppet valve positioned proximate to a corresponding valve seat.
Claims16
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a hydraulically powered hammer comprising:
- a piston to impact a drill bit;
- a shuttle valve to control reciprocation of the piston;
- an accumulator for hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a hammer connection valve
- at least one drill rod comprising:
- a first connection valve for connection of the drill rod to the hammer;
- and
- a second connection valve for connection of the drill rod to the first connection valve of a like drill rod or to a rotation device
- wherein
- the piston and shuttle valve are positioned substantially in-line to the axis of movement of the hammer;
- the accumulator is positioned proximate to the shuttle valve;
- and
- the hammer connection valve, first connection valve and second connection valve comprise at least one poppet valve positioned proximate to a corresponding valve seat;
- wherein the drill rod also comprises a pressure line for supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from an external reservoir to the shuttle valve and a return line to supply return hydraulic fluid from the shuttle valve back to the external reservoir and wherein the pressure line and return line form a sealed float n connection with at least one connection valve, allowin relative movement between each of the lines and the valve to allow expansion without fluid loss.
A method of assembling a drilling apparatus, said method comprising the steps:
- a. assembling a hydraulically powered hammer from modular units, the modular units comprising:
- a drill bit;
- a piston;
- a shuttle valve to control reciprocation of the piston;
- and
- an accumulator;
- a hammer connection valve comprising at least one poppet positioned proximate to a corresponding valve seat, for connection of the hammer to the first connection valve of a drill rod
- b. connecting one or more drill rod(s) to the hammer, each drill rod comprising:
- a first connection valve comprising at least one poppet positioned proximate to a corresponding valve seat;
- a second connection valve comprising at least one poppet positioned proximate to a corresponding valve seat, for connection of the drill rod to the first connection valve of a like drill rod or to a rotation device;
- and
- a pressure line for supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from an external reservoir to the shuttle valve and a return line to supply return hydraulic fluid from the shuttle valve back to the external reservoir, wherein the pressure line and return line form a sealed floating connection with at least one connection valve, allowing relative movement between each of the lines and the valve to allow expansion without fluid loss;
- and
- c. connecting a rotation device to the second connection valve of the last connected drill rod, said rotation device imparting rotational movement to the at least one drill rod and hammer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.