AU2014202538B2 - Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill - Google Patents
Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill Download PDFInfo
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- AU2014202538B2 AU2014202538B2 AU2014202538A AU2014202538A AU2014202538B2 AU 2014202538 B2 AU2014202538 B2 AU 2014202538B2 AU 2014202538 A AU2014202538 A AU 2014202538A AU 2014202538 A AU2014202538 A AU 2014202538A AU 2014202538 B2 AU2014202538 B2 AU 2014202538B2
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- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 27
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 description 29
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 8
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 8
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 6
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000010304 firing Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000001228 spectrum Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000001627 detrimental effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000007717 exclusion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000012634 fragment Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000314 lubricant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005065 mining Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000003116 impacting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009527 percussion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002028 premature Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000036346 tooth eruption Effects 0.000 description 1
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Abstract
Abstract An in-field tuneable percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing 17 containing a hammer 10 for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power. An anvil subassembly 29 is threadably engaged to the bottom of the casing 17, and at least one tuning ring 15 is located circumferentially between the anvil subassembly 29 and the casing 17 to space the anvil subassembly 29 axially from the casing 17 by a predetermined distance set by the tuning ring 15. Adjusting the distance sets the elevation range of the head of the anvil 19 relative to the hammer 10 strike face, to tune the percussive down-the-hole drill for differing rock strata hardness. Instead of providing tuning rings 15, differing heights of the anvil subassembly can be used to the same effect, so multiple anvil subassemblies 29 having differing heights to adjust the hammer anvil-spacing can be provided in-field for operators to swap during use.
Description
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
STANDARD PATENT
| Name of Applicant: | Tricon Drilling Solutions Pty Ltd | |
| Actual Inventor(s): | Brian Sanfead | |
| Address for service is: | Golja Haines & Friend PO Box 1417 West Leederville Western Australia 6901 | Attorney Code: IJ |
Title of Invention: Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill
The invention is described in the following statement:
2014202538 09 May 2014
Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill
Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of drilling, and in particular to a percussive drilling assembly for rock drilling.
Background Art
The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
Percussive down-the-hole drills, also known as down the hole (commonly abbreviated to DTH) hammer drills, adapted to function with rotary cone bits, are used in the mining industry to drill rock. These type of drills are employed in place of standard DTH hammer drills with fixed cutter bit drilling methods or standard rotary cone bit drilling methods to maximise production rates in certain ground types, mainly, but not limited to, in the softer and medium hardness spectrums. These drills use compressed air to drive a hammer contained within a casing. The casing and hammer include ports allowing compressed air to communicate there through to drive the hammer in a reciprocating manner, inside the casing. The hammer impacts against an anvil which carries a rotary cone drilling bit.
The hammer is in a rest position when resting under gravity, but as the drill is lowered to the formation that is to be drilled, the rotary drilling bit/ anvil subassembly moves upward into the casing, contacting and lifting the hammer.
The ports are arranged so that when the hammer is lifted sufficiently, beyond a primed position, compressed air communicates via the ports to fire the hammer first by lifting the hammer to the top of its throw, then switching over to fire the hammer at the anvil on the downstroke. This action repeats for as long as the anvil is lifted above the primed position.
2014202538 09 May 2014
The percussive action fragments the rock into chips, which are carried to the surface, along with spent lubricant, by the exhausted compressed air used to drive the hammer.
The drill bit intended for use with the invention is a rotary cone bit. The entire 5 drill is rotated so that the cutting surfaces of the rotary drill bit contact in different positions, in a rolling crushing action to maximise cutting speed in conjunction with the combined percussive action of the tool and spread the wear over the full amount of cutting teeth and to ensure an even cutting action.
The anvil itself which supports the drill bit, is restrained for sliding movement within a splined annular collar, the anvil having matching splines, the splines preventing rotation of the anvil relative to the annular collar while allowing axial sliding movement of the anvil within the annular collar. Non-metallic drive plates are situated between the mating splines to prevent metal to metal contact which can be detrimental to both mating parts. The annular collar and anvil forms an anvil subassembly which can be attached to the casing by threading engagement therewith.
Percussive down-the-hole drills are normally factory pre set or tuned, for a range of rock hardness's. Such tuning has been achieved by internal adjustment of the hammer mechanism, limiting its stroke range in a pre-set manner, so that the percussive down-the-hole drills are supplied pre-tuned for any particular rock hardness that is expected by the manufacturer/supplier in consultation with geologists and/or drill operators to be encountered at the site during a drilling operation. The problem with this arrangement is that the tool is not necessarily optimised for the wide range of geological formations that are often encountered in the field, and often on the one site or mining area. If the tool is set for hard ground to maximise bit life then it might not be at an optimum performance for the softer formations. Likewise if it is set for the softer spectrum the resulting high frequency and higher impact energy may well be detrimental to bit life if harder than expected formations are encountered.
However, should the pre-tuning prove unsuitable due to conditions being encountered that differ from what is expected, adjustment is required. In-thefield tuning of known percussive down-the-hole drills has been achieved by internal adjustment of the hammer mechanism or throttling back of the compressed air supply, the former requiring disassembly of the percussive down35 the-hole drill, which is something that operators are reluctant or prohibited to do.
2014202538 15 Feb 2018
The latter can impede progress through lack of sufficient air to bail the cuttings. As a consequence, the operators will continue to operate the percussive downthe-hole drill out of specification, without re-tuning of the hammer action, resulting in damage to the drill bit, drill stem, or percussive down-the-hole drill itself, requiring more frequent replacement and causing excessive downtime and loss of productivity.
Throughout the specification unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise or variations such as comprises or comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.
Throughout the specification unless the context requires otherwise, the word include or variations such as includes or including, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.
It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement in a percussive downthe-hole drill that allows for simplified in-the-field re-tuning of the percussive down-the-hole drill, in the event that rock strata outside of the tuning specifications for the percussive down-the-hole drill are encountered.
Summary of Invention
In accordance with the invention there is provided a percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing containing a hammer for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power, to which an anvil subassembly is threadably engaged to a lowermost end of said casing, wherein a plurality of tuning rings is provided with said percussive down-the-hole drill, and wherein at least one of said tuning rings is located circumferentially between said anvil subassembly and said casing to space said anvil subassembly axially from said casing by a predetermined distance, and hence set the elevation range of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face, in order to tune the percussive down-the-hole drill for differing rock strata hardness.
Preferably said percussive down-the-hole drill is provided with a plurality of tuning rings of different lengths, as a kit. The different length tuning rings may be marked with an identifier to correspond with a table of rock types and/or hardness's, so that the operator may readily select the correct tuning ring.
2014202538 09 May 2014
Alternatively said percussive down-the-hole drill is provided with a plurality of tuning rings of the same length or of different lengths, as a kit. The different length tuning rings may be marked with an identifier to correspond with a table of rock types and/or hardness's, so that the operator may readily select the correct tuning ring or combination of tuning rings to provide the required length.
The provision of a plurality of tuning rings of different length allows the operator to easily perform an in-the-field swap out and replacement of the tuning ring or to stack tuning rings to give the required length, to suit conditions encountered during drilling, without requiring disassembly of the hammer from the casing and without requiring adjustment of valves on the pneumatic side of the percussive down-the-hole drill.
Preferably the minimum tuning ring length is 3.0 mm.
Preferably the minimum tuning ring length is about 5.0 mm.
Preferably the minimum tuning ring length is about 6.0 mm.
Preferably the maximum tuning ring length is 30.0 mm.
Preferably the maximum tuning ring length is 22.0 mm.
Preferably the tuning rings are supplied as a set with differing lengths in 0.5mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, or 2.0 mm increments or between 1mm and 4mm increments.
Also in accordance with the invention there is provided a method of tuning a percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing containing a hammer for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power, to which an anvil subassembly is threadably engaged to a lowermost end of said casing, the method comprising providing at least one tuning ring having a predetermined length, said tuning ring or combination of tuning rings being located in use, circumferentially between said anvil subassembly and said casing to space said anvil subassembly axially from said casing by a predetermined distance, wherein one or more of said at least one tuning rings may be exchanged, added or removed to achieve different lengths in said tuning rings, to allow in-field tuning of said percussive down-the-hole drill to suit different rock strata hardness, through setting different elevation ranges of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face.
2014202538 09 May 2014
Preferably said at least one tuning ring comprises a plurality of tuning rings of the same length and/or of different lengths. Where a single tuning ring of predetermined length is used, different length tuning rings can be provided, so that the tuning rings are swapped in order to adjust the elevation range of the anvil. Multiple tuning rings can be stacked in order to achieve the same effect.
Still further, in accordance with the invention there is provided a percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing containing a hammer for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power, to which an anvil subassembly is threadably engaged to a lowermost end of said casing, wherein multiple anvil subassemblies each comprising an anvil restrained for sliding movement within an annular collar and having different elevation ranges of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face are provided, in order to tune the percussive down-the-hole drill for differing rock strata hardness.
Preferably at least one tuning ring is located circumferentially between said anvil subassembly and said casing to space said anvil subassembly axially from said casing by a predetermined distance, and hence set or adjust the elevation range of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face. Tuning rings of different lengths, or tuning rings of the same length or of different lengths, may also be provided as a kit, for use singly or stacked to set or adjust the elevation range of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face.
The provision of multiple anvil subassemblies having different elevation ranges of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face allows the operator to easily perform an in-the-field swap out and replacement, to suit conditions encountered during drilling, without requiring disassembly of the hammer from the casing and without requiring adjustment of valves on the pneumatic side of the percussive down-the-hole drill.
Also in accordance with the invention there is provided a method of tuning a percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing containing a hammer for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power, to which an anvil subassembly is threadably engaged to a lowermost end of said casing, the method comprising providing multiple anvil subassemblies each comprising an anvil restrained for sliding movement within an annular collar and having different elevation ranges of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face, for exchange with the casing in order to tune the percussive down-the-hole drill for differing rock strata hardness.
2014202538 09 May 2014
In all forms of the invention, the invention provides means to adjust the elevation range of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face
Brief Description of Drawings
Two preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to 5 the following drawing figures, in which:
Figure 1 is a part plan view and part cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill and drill bit assembly according to the first embodiment;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the drill bit for use with either of the embodiments;
Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment in a first tuning configuration shown in the firing position;
Figure 4 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment in the first tuning configuration shown in the firing position with the hammer on the up-stroke;
Figure 5 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment in a first tuning configuration shown in the rest position;
Figure 6 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment in a second tuning configuration shown in the firing position;
Figure 7 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second 20 embodiment in a second tuning configuration shown in the rest position;
Figure 8 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment in a third tuning configuration shown in the firing position; and
Figure 9 is a cross-section view of the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment in a third tuning configuration shown in the rest position.
Description of the Embodiment
The embodiment is directed toward an easily tuneable percussive down-the-hole drill, which can be readily re-tuned in the field to adjust for different rock strata that might be encountered in drilling operations.
Referring to figure 1, the following parts are illustrated:
2014202538 09 May 2014
Top sub assembly - this is the upper part of the percussive down-thehole drill which connects to a drill strand (not shown) located above it
Break-out ring/washer
Top sub assembly o-ring
Non-return check valve
Non-return check valve spring
Non-return guide housing
Compression plate
Compression ring
Control tube
Hammer/Piston
Sealed guide bush
Guide bush o-rings (2 of)
Anvil retainer ring (two part collet)
Anvil retainer o-ring
Tuning ring
Annular Collar Driver sub
Hammer cylinder casing
The first embodiment The top sub assembly 1 is connected to a drill string, with 20 the break-out ring/washer 2 acting as a washer between the top sub assembly 1 and the hammer cylinder casing 17. The top sub assembly 1 has a male thread and the hammer cylinder casing 17 has a mating female thread so the two parts can be joined. The top sub assembly o-ring 3 provides a pneumatic seal to prevent loss of air pressure.
The internal parts comprising the valve 4, valve spring 5, seat 6, compression plate 7, compression spring 8, and control tube 9 are common to down-the-hole hammer drills, and their operation and function will not be discussed.
The hammer/piston 10 is encased inside the hammer cylinder casing 17 with a guide bush 11 having two o-ring seals 12 being provided to guide the hammer 10 during its lowermost stroke, and provide a sealing area for the lower hammer seal for compression for the powered upstroke. Compressed air drives the hammer 10 contained within the casing 17 in a reciprocating manner. The hammer 10 impacts against an anvil 19 which carries a rotary drilling bit 21.
The hammer 10 is in a rest position when resting under gravity, but as the drill is lowered to the rock formation to be drilled, the rotary drilling bit and the anvil 19
2014202538 09 May 2014 which form a subassembly move upward into the casing, contacting and lifting the hammer 10. The ports are arranged so that when the hammer 10 is lifted sufficiently, beyond a primed position, compressed air communicates via the ports to fire the hammer 10 upwards, and then down to strike the anvil 19, in a reciprocating manner, resulting in a percussive action which fragments the rock into chips. The rock chips are carried to the surface, along with spent lubricant, by the exhausted compressed air used to drive the hammer 10. In operation the entire down-the-hole hammer drill assembly is rotated via its drill stem so that the cutting surfaces of the drill contact in different positions. As a person skilled in the art of rock drilling will know, the drilling bit 21 is known as a rotary cone drilling bit and includes three rotating conical heads 23 fitted with wear studs 25, which rotating heads are mounted on axes which converge in front of the drilling bit 21, so that as the hammer drill assembly is rotated, the heads 23 also rotate, impacting different wear studs 25 at the bottom of the bore hole.
The anvil 19 which supports the drill bit 21, is restrained for sliding movement within an internally splined annular collar 16, the anvil 19 having matching splines 27, the splines TJ preventing rotation of the anvil 19 relative to the annular collar 16 while allowing axial sliding movement of the anvil 19 within the annular collar
16. The annular collar 16 and anvil 19 form an anvil subassembly 29 which has a male threaded end 31 which screws into a matching female thread inside the lower end of the hammer cylinder casing 17. It will be appreciated that while the anvil subassembly 29 is shown and described as having a male thread 31 and the hammer cylinder casing 17 having a female thread, there is no reason why the hammer cylinder casing 17 could not have a male thread and the anvil subassembly 29 could not have a matching female thread, although such an arrangement may be less convenient due to the extra weight involved.
Located above the splines 27 on the anvil is a region 33 of reduced diameter, the length of which determines the throw of the anvil 19 within the annular collar 16.
A pair of collets form the anvil retainer ring 13, which are held in place by two o30 rings 14. The anvil retainer ring 13 has an internal bore commensurate with the diameter of the region 33 of reduced diameter, and also acts as a guide bearing for the anvil 19. Above the region 33 of reduced diameter is an annular flange 35 leading to a region 37 of greater diameter. The flange 35 acts as a stop against which the anvil retainer ring 13 rests, preventing the anvil 19 from falling out of the anvil subassembly 29.
2014202538 09 May 2014
Located between the hammer cylinder casing 17 and the anvil subassembly 29, mounted over the threaded end 31 of the anvil subassembly 29 is tuning ring 15. The tuning ring 15 is an annular structure that extends around the male threaded portion 31 of the annular collar 16, between the annular collar 16 and the hammer cylinder casing 17. Tuning rings 15 of different lengths (axial thicknesses) are provided in order that the anvil subassembly 29 can be unscrewed from the hammer cylinder casing 17 and a different length tuning ring 15 fitted, in order to adapt the down-the-hole hammer drill to rock strata of different hardness. For the convenience of drillers, the tuning rings 15 can be marked, and a table identifying rock types or more particularly rock hardness's can be provided, in order to assist the driller to select the most appropriate tuning ring 15.
The down-the hole hammer drill of the first embodiment is of the type having an internally ported piston 10 incorporating angled cross drilled holes that form ports in conjunction with ports (via undercuts) in the main cylinder to pressurise the upper and lower chambers.
As can be seen in figure 2 the drill bit 21 has a conical shaped threaded portion 39. A conical shaped threaded recess 41 is located in the bottom of the anvil 19 to receive the drill bit 21.
Referring to figures 3 to 5, the down-the-hole hammer drill of the second embodiment is of the type having an externally ported piston 10 utilising an inner cylinder within the main cylinder and ports (via undercuts) in the main cylinder, to pressurise the upper and lower chambers. The down-the-hole hammer drill is fitted with a 5.3mm long tuning ring 15 located between the hammer cylinder casing 17 and the anvil subassembly 29. In this embodiment, the tuning ring 15 of this length provides the highest frequency of hammer operation and the upper range of impact energy or power output. The higher frequency of operation is intended for soft rock formations.
In figures 6 and 7 the down-the-hole hammer drill is fitted with a 22.93mm long tuning ring 15 located between the hammer cylinder casing 17 and the anvil subassembly 29. The tuning ring 15 of this length provides the lowest frequency of hammer operation and the lowest impact energy or power output, and is intended for hard rock formations, to minimise damage to the rotary bit in high drilling weight applications.
2014202538 09 May 2014
In figures 8 and 9 the down-the-hole hammer drill is fitted with a 18mm long tuning ring 15 located between the hammer cylinder casing 17 and the anvil subassembly 29. The tuning ring of this length provides a lower frequency of hammer operation than the 5.3 mm tuning ring 15 and an impact energy or power output mid way between that of the 5.3 mm long tuning ring 15 and the 22.93mm long tuning ring 15, and is intended for medium hardness formations.
While not illustrated, tuning rings of 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 16mm, 20mm, and 22mm can be provided in a kit with the down-hole hammer drill. Other lengths may be provided as required, and a set of tuning rings may have lengths differing in 1.0mm to 4.0mm increments across the range of lengths provided for the tool.
In operation, the longer tuning rings 15 lower or extends the impact point between hammer/piston 10 and anvil 19, in effect short stroking the percussive down-the-hoie drill which reduces impact energy and frequency by not allowing the hammer/piston 10 to operate in its normal full power stroke range. Changing the switching or timing point in this manner 'locks' the anvil 19 from the full throttle position into an extended exhaust phase resulting in lower operating pressure which also has a negative effect on power.
It would also be possible to use shorter rings or otherwise modify the configuration of spatial arrangement of the hammer cylinder casing 17 and the anvil subassembly 29 to move the impact position between the hammer 10 and anvil 19 further into the hammer cylinder casing 17, past the normal full throttle impact position. This will reduce the hammer stroke length, and produce desirable results by reducing power while maintaining frequency. However care would need to be taken to ensure that the higher resultant compression does not lead to damage and other unwanted side effects.
In use the provision of tuning rings 15 of different lengths allows for simplified infield tuning of a down-the-hole hammer drill, obviating the need for in-field strip down and disassembly of the down-the-hole hammer drill or return-to-base factory adjustment. The retuning of the down-the-hole hammer drill is no more complicated than replacement of a drilling bit 21, and this type of operation is one which is routinely carried out in the field. The only difference being that to replace a bit involves unscrewing the bit from the anvil subassembly and to replace or change the tuning ring requires unscrewing of the anvil/anvil sub subassembly. The same methodology and breakout equipment mounted on the
2014202538 09 May 2014 rig as standard are employed in both instances. The ability to retune by adjustment of tuning ring 15 length is also is expected to result in extended down-the-hole hammer drill life, and rotary cone bit life, since it obviates a default approach to continue using the drill in out-of-specification environments, which operators are tempted to do in order to avoid the downtime associated with in-field strip down and disassembly of the down-the-hole hammer drill or returnto-base factory adjustment.
While the invention can be used with standard fixed cutter down-the-hole hammer drill bits, the invention does allow a down-the-hole hammer drill with a reasonable impact force to be used reliably with rotary cone drilling bits, of the type illustrated in figures 1 and 2. The difference in the hammer mechanism is that the weight of the hammer used with a fixed cutter drill is reduced by about 30% to 60%, for use with a rotary cone bit.
Normally rotary cone drilling bits are used with a rotary cutting action at high speed and without percussion, using downforce weight of between 2,500 and 5,000 lbs per inch of bit diameter to cut efficiently. For a 9 inch diameter rotary cone drilling bit this equates to 22,500 to 45,000 lbs of downforce. When a down-the-hole hammer drill is used with a rotary conical drilling bit, it is expected that the downforce can be reduced significantly from this range. Expected operating air pressure is 100 to 350 PSI, and rotational speed from 70 to 110 rpm.
The ability to perform in-field tuning to suit different rock strata means that rotary conical drilling bits can be more reliably used with a down-the-hole hammer drill, increasing drilling efficiency and lowering operational costs.
The invention allows use of rotary cone drill bits to be more reliably combined with down-the-hole hammer drill mechanisms. The invention allows fine tuning of the drilling mechanism in the field to maximise drilling speeds in softer spectrums. The inability to do this in the prior art causes slower production and higher costs. The ability to fine tune in the field also allows the user to minimise premature bit damage and to maintain efficient drilling speeds in the softer, medium and harder spectrums.
It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described herein.
2014202538 15 Feb 2018
Claims (8)
1/8
2014202538 09 May 2014
FIGURE 1
1. A percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing containing a hammer for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power, to which an anvil subassembly is threadably engaged to a lowermost end of said casing,
2/8
2014202538 09 May 2014
FIGURE 3
2. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in claim 1, provided with a plurality of tuning rings of different lengths, as a kit.
3/8
2014202538 09 May 2014
11 FIGURE 4
3. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in claim 1, provided with a
15 plurality of tuning rings of the same length or of different lengths, as a kit.
4/8
2014202538 09 May 2014
FIGURE 5
4. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the different length tuning rings are marked with an identifier to correspond with a table of rock types and/or hardness, so that an operator may readily select the correct tuning ring or combination of tuning rings to provide the
20 required length.
5/8
2014202538 09 May 2014
FIGURE 6
5 11. A method of tuning a percussive down-the-hole drill having a casing containing a hammer for sliding axial movement under pneumatic power, to which an anvil subassembly is threadably engaged to a lowermost end of said casing, the method comprising providing at least one tuning ring having a predetermined length, said tuning ring or combination of tuning
10 rings being located in use, circumferentially between said anvil subassembly and said casing to space said anvil subassembly axially from said casing by a predetermined distance, wherein one or more of said at least one tuning rings may be exchanged, added or removed to achieve different lengths in said tuning rings, to allow in-field tuning of said
15 percussive down-the-hole drill to suit different rock strata hardness, through setting different elevation ranges of the anvil head relative to the hammer strike face.
12. A method of tuning a percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in claim 11 wherein said at least one tuning ring comprises a plurality of tuning rings
20 of the same length and/or of different lengths.
5. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the minimum tuning ring length is 3.0 mm.
5 wherein a plurality of tuning rings is provided with said percussive downthe-hole drill, and wherein at least one of said tuning rings is located circumferentially between said anvil subassembly and said casing to space said anvil subassembly axially from said casing by a predetermined distance, and hence set the elevation range of the anvil head relative to
10 the hammer strike face, in order to tune the percussive down-the-hole drill for differing rock strata hardness.
6/8
2014202538 09 May 2014
FIGURE?
6. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the minimum tuning ring length is about 5.0 mm.
25 7. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the minimum tuning ring length is about 6.0 mm.
8. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the maximum tuning ring length is 30.0 mm.
9. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7
30 wherein the maximum tuning ring length is 22.0 mm.
2014202538 15 Feb 2018
10. A percussive down-the-hole drill as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tuning rings are supplied as a set with differing lengths in 0.5mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, or 2.0 mm increments or between 1mm and 4mm increments.
7/8
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FIGURE 8
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FIGURE 9
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2014202538A AU2014202538B2 (en) | 2013-05-10 | 2014-05-09 | Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2013901652A AU2013901652A0 (en) | 2013-05-10 | Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill | |
| AU2013901652 | 2013-05-10 | ||
| AU2014202538A AU2014202538B2 (en) | 2013-05-10 | 2014-05-09 | Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU2014202538A1 AU2014202538A1 (en) | 2014-11-27 |
| AU2014202538B2 true AU2014202538B2 (en) | 2018-03-08 |
Family
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2014202538A Active AU2014202538B2 (en) | 2013-05-10 | 2014-05-09 | Percussive Down-The-Hole Drill |
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| Country | Link |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0011219A1 (en) * | 1978-11-10 | 1980-05-28 | Halifax Tool Company Limited | Connection of fluid flow path-defining components in down-the-hole hammer drills |
| US4940097A (en) * | 1988-12-13 | 1990-07-10 | Martini Leo A | Fluid powered rotary percussion drill with formation disintegration inserts |
| AU629250B2 (en) * | 1988-10-21 | 1992-10-01 | Sandvik Rc Tools Australia Pty Limited | Compensating ring for a down hole hammer |
| US8141663B2 (en) * | 2009-02-11 | 2012-03-27 | Atlas Copco Secoroc Llc | Down hole hammer having elevated exhaust |
-
2014
- 2014-05-09 AU AU2014202538A patent/AU2014202538B2/en active Active
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0011219A1 (en) * | 1978-11-10 | 1980-05-28 | Halifax Tool Company Limited | Connection of fluid flow path-defining components in down-the-hole hammer drills |
| AU629250B2 (en) * | 1988-10-21 | 1992-10-01 | Sandvik Rc Tools Australia Pty Limited | Compensating ring for a down hole hammer |
| US4940097A (en) * | 1988-12-13 | 1990-07-10 | Martini Leo A | Fluid powered rotary percussion drill with formation disintegration inserts |
| US8141663B2 (en) * | 2009-02-11 | 2012-03-27 | Atlas Copco Secoroc Llc | Down hole hammer having elevated exhaust |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU2014202538A1 (en) | 2014-11-27 |
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| FGA | Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent) |