US1256968A - Expansive drilling-bit. - Google Patents

Description

Patented. 161119.19111.

Fig j' W. L. YOUNG..

ExPANslvE DRILLING BIT.

In denier Wulf@ L. Yb un@ APPLICATION FILED APR.9. 19H.

WALTER L. YOUNG, 0F HARPER, CALIFORNIA.

EXPANSIVE DRILLINGr-BIT.

Application filed April 9, 1917.

T 0 all 'wlw/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that l, lVALrnn L. YOUNG, a citizen of the United `States, residing at Harper, in the county of @range and State of California, have invented a new and useful lxpansive Drilling-Bit, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a drilling bit adapted for drilling a hole of greater diameter than the well casing through which the drilling bits are lowered into the hole, and is an improvement of a certain bit set forth in application Serial No. 2756, led J une 16,

1915; patented Dec. 1916, No. 1207119.

in object of the invention is to produce a slsperior practical tool of this character to serve as a. combined under-reamer and drilling bit.

As in my patented application the tool comprises a non-resil' shifter in the form of a wedge lying within the body of the tool during the movement through the casing, said shifter being forced upwardly aslant to project beyond the outer periphery of the body after said tool has passed below the casing, to thus crowd the cutting edge beyond the produced circular plane of the casing.

Ai particular object of the linvention is to provide means, in combination with a noniesilient shifter, to adjustably support the shifter in operative position and thereby regulate the size of the well hole to be bored, said means being automatically operated to release the shifter and allow it to be retracted into the bore of the tool as said tool is drawn up into the casing upon wit idrawal from the well.

Another object is to provide positive means to move the shifter into operative extended position after the tool has passed below the casing.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragment-al elevation partly in section on line m1, Figs. Q', 4t and 8, illustrating a drilling bit embodying this invention and in position below the casing at the bottom of a hole with the shifter wedge latched in shifting position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevation of the tool from the right of Fig. 1 with parts in a corresponding position.

Fig. 3 is an elevation illustrating the tool as it is being withdrawn from Vthe hole. lt'zlolid lines show parts in position with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

seran no. 160,860.

shifter wedge just released and dot and dash lines indicate the fully retracted position.

Fig. 4f is a cross section of the tool looking up from line x4., Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with the shifter wedge in extended position.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the tool looking up from line 005-008, Figs. 1, 2 and, with the shifter wedge in retracted position.`

Fig. 6 is a. top view ofthe shifter wedge detached.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the shifter wedge detached.

Fig. 8 is a plan section on line t5-m8, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, looking down1 Fig. 9 is a view showing two of the variable length operating legs that serve as positive means to move the shifter wedge into operative position.

The tool body 1 may-be of any preferred style having at its lower end a suitable cutting edge 2 and at its upper end the usual neck 3 and coupling pin 4 for connection to the auger stem 5. A longitudinally slanting chamber 6 is formed in the body `l intermediate the cutting edge 2 and neck 3, said chamber opening out upon the periphery of the body upon the side opposite the cutting edge 2 and serving to slidably mount a shifter wedge member 7 which is guided aslant relative to the axis of the tool by suitu able guiding means as the aslant slide face 8.l

Said open chamber 6 is bounded by the slanting slide wall or tace 8 and side walls 9, which latter walls are upwardly tapering, due to the oblique arrangement of the slide :face 8, and terminate at the top in shoulders 10 that serve as an upper stop for the shifter wedge. In each of the side walls is provided a groove or recess 11, said recesses being arranged adjacent to and parallel with the slide-face 8, and forming ways in which tongues 12 of the shifter wedge seat to retain said wedge in position in the chamber. The shifter wedge is thus slidably mounted in the chamber, projecting beyond the outer periphery of the body 1 when positioned at the top of said chamber and lying entirely within the outside traces of the body when positioned at the bottom of said chamber.

The shifter wedge when in extended position at the top of the chamber is adapted to contact with the wall of the well-hole for the purpose of holding the tool away from said wall at that side thereof and substantially in central alinement with the hole-v,v thus to maintain theopposite cutting edget outside l ofthe produced plane'of the shoe of the casing and inoperative positionjduringre- 'ciprocation of tlie tool.'V vTo afford the requisite l .portion 13 having sideanges ltthat serve v to form an extensional outer face a which is .upwardly tapering I 'elativer to 'the retaining tongues 12, so that when the wedgeis in' position iii the chamberV with the *tonguesv in Y Y vregister with the grooves 11 the face a will lie parallel with the axis of the tool. 'i Said outer facee'is of lateral. convexY conformation, the curvature of `which substantially Ycorresponds to the wall of the well which this tool is adapted to drilh brought within the outside traces of the body 1 ywhen the wedge is positioned atrthe i bottom of the chamber, V,thev longitudinal Y peripheral edges of theV side walls 9 are cuty away to form` inclined .faces `15, that eX- tend'aslant'in the same direction as the face 8jfrom the bottom toward the top of the chamberv 6, the depth of said cut-away poritions aty the botto-m corresponding tothe Y Y l `thickness'of the flanges 14. 'j

vThe shifter wedge serves as means to operate against '.the wall lof the hole and force the toolbody laterally to Vhold thel cutting edge 2 in position to drill a hole of larger diameter justably 'supported in extended position at vthe Ytop of the chamber inorder that the distance which the shifter projects beyond the. periphery of the body may be varied,

thus to regulate thev lateral throw of the cutting edge 2 and consequently theV size of the hole being drilled by the tool. n Y

'lothis end the` wedge is" made selfclutfchingthroughout a determined part of Yits movement in the top of the chamber, so

that asI said wedge ymoves upward7 it cannot be moved vback until released. r This self'clutcliing feature alsoserves to atl'ord a lstep by. step movement for the shifter wedge in case itvisdesiredto move the same into `commission at-thetop of the chamber` -bydirect encountering withl the plastic material at thefbottom of tlie'holeformed of i the loosenedborings and water-(notshownl as thel iirst few strokes of the -tool occur upon the beginning of the drilling` oper-v ation.l Said self-clutching means iin the instance shown comprises'an axially position'ed'latch-barfl pivotally mounted at 17 in the Vchamber Gnear the bottom thereof,

with which latch bar'the wedge isadapted t0 engage at various positions along the slantingslide face The back' "of the .wedge opposite the er,- Y'

bearing surfacek Yfor contact with the wall of the well-holef 'said shifter'wedge is provided with a` slioe- .v In order that the sideiflanges 14 and eX-f' Y tensional facegarofthe shoe l'may beY than Athe well YcasingY .V-threugh which theftool is lowered and vit is desirable that-said shifter l wedge*V be adtensional vshoe face a presents teeth 18 of 'a Y toothed face that lies intermediate side,` slide faces or runners 19,'sa1d toothed face slide faces 19 of the wedge. lntherpresent extending Vsub stantially Yparallel with theYV ,Y

constructionV the shifter we'dgeeis provided Y' Ywith a mid-longitudinal'gap( 20 opening bef Y tween' the slide faces 19,Y in which gap isv mounted a hardened steel "block 21 which carries the teeth 18, said block being secured in place by pins 22. f f

i The latch bar is provided along its outer edgethroughout a definite part of the upperv Y kportion. thereof with teetli'23 that are inv alinement with the teeth`18rof the shifter` position within the chamber V6. 'lntheslidev Y wall 8 ofthe chamber is' formed amideV longitudinal groove v241V which is positioned i opposite the gap 20 of the shifter wedge when said wedgeis in'po'sition inthe chamber. \This groove serves to housev the latch bar 16 VLand extends upwardlyV aslant from V a compression spring'26 that is interposed between the upper end of the latch bari and a retaining plug 27 that forms the black of 'against the teeth of theshifter wedge by x a chamber 28 forrthe spring, the 'arrangei ment of the teeth 18 and23 being such that Y teeth of the latch bar whenmoved in an upwarddirection but ischecked frornmovbar teeth are Vmoved out of a-linernentwithV Ythe teeth 18.

ythe shifter wedge is free to lslide by thev lt is desirable that automatic means-Kben provided'to release the shifter 'wedge` and allow it to be retracted within the tool body vupon withdrawalfi'om the well Yand for'tliis iio purposethe upper end Yof said .latch bar is provided with an outwardly Abowed portionVV Y or finger-291that isl positionedwithin. the

upper portion of the groove`21L when ,thel

latch bar is retractedV with the wedge at the bottom of the chamber (see dot-and-dash position, Fig. l) Vbut which eXtends'beyond the periphery of the'bodyrand intofthe produced plane of the casing whenthe bar is in position with its teeth23 in.' engagement-v with the teeth 18 vwhen the/wedgelis at' the top of the chamber. Y Y

As the tool is raised vinto the casingitheV bowed'finger 29'Contacts with: the bottoni ofV the well casing b to depress the latch bar'in .i Y i opposition to the spring l26 and releaseithe shifter wedgewliereupon said wedge'drops inwardly of the tooltovthe Vbottor'nrof rthe so wedge when said latch bar is mounted inVVV Y Y ing in a downward'directionnntil the latch chamber, in which position it bears against the latch bar and holds the saine, together with the finger 29, in fully retracted position in the groove 2li. With the wedge and finger in this fully retracted position and entirely within the body of the tool, said tool may pass freely up through the casing b.

A lug 30 at the top of the body l and upon the opposite side thereof from the chamber 6 is provided to hold the tool over in position so that the linger 29 will project suiiiciently into the path of the casing Z) to afford requisite releasing movementas the tool ascends intor the casing upon withdrawal from the well. The'top slanting face 31 will ride over the end of the casing in case the lug strikes said end upon passing into the casing.

When the tool is lowered into the well the shifter wedge will be positioned at the bottoni the oh amber and lying entirely within the body l, as shown in the dot-a-nd-dash position of Figs. 1 and 3, in which position the shifter wedge is out of commission in its retracted position so that the cutting edge 2 may lie within the circular plane of the casing as-the tool passes down through said casing.

A special feature of this invention is the provision of positive means to force the shifter wedge into operative position at the top of the body after the tool has thus been lowered into operating position below the casing o and for this purpose a depending operating leg 32 is suitably attached to the wedge as by pivot 22, and extends down through the lower axial bore 33 that establishes communication from the chamber 6 through the tool body to the bottom thereof. Said leg 32 is adapted to contact with the bottom of the well hole just ahead of the tool body and holds the wedge stationary, thus allowing relative movement between said wedge and tool body as the body continues its descent to the bottom of the well hole. l/Vhen the body reaches the bottom the wedge will be latched by teeth 18 and 23, in the upper position to which it has been moved by the operating leg 32, in which position the convex shoe face a will bear against the wall of the hole to force the tool body laterally and maintain the cutting edge 2 in operative position to drill.

ln the present instance the adjustable operating position in which the shifter wedge .is supported to thus determine the size of hole to be bored is dependent upon the length of the operating leg 32 and in accordance therewith of various lengths may be provided t see Fig. 9) to be readily attached as suits the operating conditions. F or this purpose andA also for purposes of ready assembling. the wedge isrconstructed of two` complementary piecesbet-ween which is positic-ned the toothed blocl 2l. Said wedge pieces fit together with he inner longitudinal shoe faces C abutting one another and the bloot and pieces are held in place by tie pins 22, 22. The block 2l. terminates sufliciently above the bottom of the wedge to afford space in which to mount the eye` of one of the operating legs, the lowerniost pin Q2 serving to pivot said eye as well as position the pieces together.

From. the foregoing itis thus seen that l have produced a simple and eii'ective drilling bit of this character which is positively thrown into commission below the well casing to drill a hole of larger diameter than said casing, and is automatically thrown out of commission upon ascent into the casing as the bit is withdrawn from the well, as well as being self-adjusting to drill well holes of various diameters.

l claim:

l. A drilling bit comprising abody having a longitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof, a cutting edge upon said body at the lower end thereof, a non-resilient shifter wedge mounted in said chamber and arranged to move in an aslant direction relative to the axis of said body so that said shifter wedge projects beyond the outer periphery of the body when positioned at the top of said chamber and lies within said body when positioned at the bottom of said chamber, and means to adjustably support said shifter wedge at various heights relative to the cutting edge of` the tool to maintain said cutting edge in operative position.

2. ln a well casing, a vertically rotating tool body having a longitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof, a cutting edge upon said body at the lower end thereof, a non-resilient shifter wedge mounted in said chamberl and arranged to move in an aslant direction. relative to the axis of said body so that said shifter wedge projects beyond the outer periphery of the body when positioned at the top of said chamber and lies within said body when positioned at the bottoni of said chainber, and retractable means to support said shifter wedge at the top of aid chamber to maintain said cutting edge in operatire position, said means being provided with au outwardhT bowed portion. to contact with the casing to thereby be automatically retracted to release the shifter wedge and allow the saine to move within the tool body as said body is drawn into the casing,

ln a. well casing, a vertically rotating tool body having a longitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof, a cutting edge upon said body at the lower end thereof and opposite said chamber` a non-resilient shifter wedge mounted in said chamber and arranged to inove in an chamber, an axially positioned latch bar pivaslant direction relative to the axis of said body vso that said shifter wedgeY projectsl beyond the outer periphery of the body when positioned at the top of said chamber and lies within said body when Vpositioned at the rbottom of said chamber, alatch to support said shifter wedge in operative position at v the top of said chamber, said latch being actuated by contact with the casing to re-Y lease the shifter wedge and allow the same r to move within the tool body as said body Y is withdrawn from the well.

, that said shifter wedge projects beyond the outer periphery of thebo'dy when positioned 4f. Ina well casing, a vertically rotating tool body havingia longitudinally slant-ing chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof, a cutting edge upon said body at the lower end thereof and opposite said chamber, a shifter .wedge-mounted in said chamber and arranged to move in an aslant direction relativeto the axis of said body so at the top'of said chamber and lies within said body when positionedat the bottom of said chamber, an axially positioned latch bar pivotally mounted in the chamber at the bottom thereof, spring means to normally holdV the latch bar in engagement with the shifter i wedge andthus support said wedge in oper- V30 ative position 'at the top of said chamber, va bowed finger formed at the upper end of the latch bar and extending into the pro- Y duced plane of the casing lwhen said latch bar is in engagement with the shifter wedge, the latch bar being adapted to release the shifter wedge upon contact of said vfinger with the lower edge of the casing, when the tool body is withdrawn through said casing.

5. In awell casing, a vertically rotating tool body having alongitudinally slanting chamber lo enin'V out u aon the eri her thereof, a cutting edge upon said bodyat the Ylower end thereof and opposite said chamber,

a shifter wedge mounted fin said chamber an darranged to move in an aslant direction relative .toV the aXis of said body so that said shifter wedgevprojects beyond the outer` periphery of the body Vwhen positioned at the top of said chamber and lios within said body. when positioned at the bottom of said otally mounted in the chamber at the Ybottom thereof, spring means to normally hold the latch bar in engagement with the shifter .wedge and thus support said wedge in oper'- ative position at the top of said chamber, the vupper portion of said latch bar extending Vinto thel produced'plane of the casing when ysaid'latch bar is in engagement with the shifter wedge, al lug at the top of said vbody f and upon the same side as said Vcutting edge,

said lug being effectiveto hold the body over in Vposition so that said upper latch bar portion will Contact with the lower end of the` casingasthe body ascends into said' casing to thereby move the latch to release the i shifter wedge and allow theY same to drop within the body. Y -Y f Y 6. In a casing,a` vertically rotating tool Vbody'. having a cutting edge for drilling a hole,- av non-resilient shifter wedge adapted to operate against tbe wall of the hole to Yforce the tool body laterally to Vdrill a h ole of larger diameter than said casing, and posi- Y tive means to move the shifter'wedge into against the bottom of the hole.

8. In a casing, a vertically' rotating tooll body having a cutting edgel for vdrilling a i hole, a non-'resilient shifter wedge adapted yto operate against the wall fof the hole to force theV tool body laterally to drill a hole of larger diameter than said casing, and an operating leg adapted to contact with the bottom of the hole to hold the wedge station-V ary as the bodyis lowered, Ythus to cause relative movement between said wedge and body and force the wedge into operative po- Y sitiOn.

- 9. In a wellcasing, a vertically rotatingY i tool body having arlongitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof, a cutting edge uponsaidV body at the lower endA thereof andV opposite' saidV `chamber, a'shifter wedge mounted in said chamber and arranged to move inan aslant direction'relativeto the axis'of said body so that said shifter wedge 'projectsfbeyo'nd theY Y periphery of the body when positionedat the top of said chamber and lies within said body when'positioned at the bottom 'of'Y said Y Y chamber, an axially positioned latch barpivotally mounted in the'chambei" atthe bottom thereof and provided with teeth alongits i.

upper portion, spring meansV to normally' hold the latch bar pressed against the shifter wedge, and a toothedface on said wedge adapted to engage with said Ylatch bar teeth Y to 'adjustably positionfthe wedge and maintain said cutting edge in operative position. l0. In a well casing,` a vertically rotating Y tool body -liaviiig a cutting edge for drillingY Va hole beneath said casing of larger diameter than said body, a 'chamber inV said` body having a longitudinalY slide-face extending' aslant outward and upward to the axis of said body, a shifter `Wedge yin said chamber andhaving a yslide-face adaptedto slide along said longitudinal.slide-face to project 'V said wedge beyond the periphery of thebodyY *at thetop vof the chamber and -to withdraw said wedge within the body at the bottom of the chamber, said shifter wedge being provided with a mid-longitudinal gap opening out upon its slide-face, an axially-positioned latch bar pivoted in thc chamber at the bottom thereof and extending up through said gap, said latch bar being adapted te engage with the wedge to support the same in operative position at the top of the chamber.

11. A drilling tool adapted to be operated through a casing to drill a hole of larger diameter thanl the casing, comprising a body having a chamber opening at one side of the body, a runner in the chamber, a guide-way extending aslant upward and outward in the chamber to shift the runner outward when the ruimer is moved upward in the chamber, said runner being adapted to extend beyond the surface of the body when at the upper end of the chamber and to be retracted by the guide-way whenthe runner is moved down in the chamber; a latch adapted to latch the runner in its extended position, and means adapted to inipinge upon the casing to retract the latch when the tool is withdrawn through the casing.

12. A drilling tool adapted to be operated through a casing to drill a hole of larger diameter than the casing, comprising a body having a chamber opening at one side of the body, a runner in the chamber, a guide-way extending aslant upward and outward in the chamber, said runner being adapted to extend beyond the surface of the body when at the upper end of the chamber and to be retracted by the guide-way as it descendsl into the chamber; a latch adapted to latch the runner in its extended position, said latch pivoted to the body at the lower end of the guideway and having smooth faces at its lower portion along which the runner may slide to hold the latch retracted when the runner is down; and means adapted to impinge upon the easing to retract the latch when the tool is withdrawn through the casing.

13. A drilling tool adapted to be operated through a casing to drill a hole of larger diameter than the casing, comprising a body having a chamber opening at one side of the body, a runner in the chamber, a guide-way extending aslant upward and outward in the chamber to shift the runner outward as it moves upward in the chamber, said runner being adapted to extend beyond the surface of the body when at the upper end of the chamber and to be retracted by the guideway it descends into 'he chamber, a latch adapted to latch the runner in its extended position, and means adapted to impinge upon the casing te retract the latch when the tool is withdrawn through the ca sing, and a leg piifoted to the runner and adapted to Vimpinge upon Athe bottom of the hole to hold the runner stationary at the latter descent of the tool in order to impinge upon the wall of the-hole and to act upon the slideway to shift the bottom of the tool laterally.

1A. rlhe combination with a drilling tool body and a wedge member having a serrated face and adapted to cooperate therewith, of a latch piyeted in the tool body, and having a serrated face adapted to engage the serrated face of the wedge member and havn ing a portion projecting from the tool body above the wedge member for retracting the serrated face ef the latch from the wedge member to release the same, and means pivoted to the wedge member and adapted to contact with the bottom of the hole being' drilled, to adjust the wedge member.

15. The combination with a drilling tool body and a wedge member having a serrated face and adapted to cooperate therewith, of a latch pivoted in the tool body and having a serrated face adapted to engage the serrated fac-e of the wedge member and having a portion projecting from the tool body above the wedge member for retracting the serrated face of the latch from the wedge member to release the same.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 2d day of April, 1917.

WALTER L. YOUNG.

Witness:

Jarras R. TowNsnND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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