US2058750A - Drill bit - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1936. c. F. WILLIAMS ET Al. 2,058,750

DRILL BIT Filed July 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jujg. 1.

/ 7 1 3 ATTRNEY C. F. WILLIAMS ET AL.

oct. 27, 1936.

DRILL BIT Filed July 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1936 IPATENT OFFICE DRILL BIT Clinton F. Willia Okla., assigne pany, Tonkawa, homa and ,Hans Gruner, Tonkawa, to Williams Iron Works Com- Okla., a corporation o! Okla- Application July 16, 1934, Serial No. 735,340 6 Claims. (Cl. 255-71i This invention relates to drill/bits. and more particularly to those of rotarytype for use lin drilling earth formations in the making of oil, gas and other wells, and has for its principal objects to provide a bit construction whereby pressure of the drilling fluid is applied directly to the bottom of the well hole, to provide a strong rigid mounting of the cutters, to provide a bit lconstruction which effectively drills through rock formations to produce a straight hole and to provide a bit having extremely long wearing qualities.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention we have provided improved details of structure the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary drill bit embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the bottom of a well hole and drill bit particularly illustrating the construction whereby drilling fluid is delivered directly to the bottom of the well hole.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the bit in three-quarter section as viewed from the side at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the bit particularly illustrating the relation of the water course extension to the bit cutters.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the hanger for mounting the cross cutters and the water course extension.

Fig. 6 is `a detail perspective view of one of the side cutter spindles.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a rotary drill bit including a head 2 carrying sets of side and cross roller cutters 3-4 Aand 5-6 respectively. The head 2 includes a substantially disk-shaped body portion 1 having integral side roller supporting lugs 8 and 9 projecting downwardly from the lower side thereof at opposite diametrical points and terminating ih spindle supporting portions I0 and II.

Extending upwardly from the body portion 1 and located in the axis of the bit is a tapering pin I2 having external threads I3 for engaging the4 internal threads I4 of a box joint I5 carried at the lower end of the drill pipe as in customary practice. The pin I2 is prov-ided with a central recess I6 opening rom the upper end 'thereof in direct alignment with a water course I1 that extends from the drill pipe through the box joint I5 for delivering the drilling uid to the bottom of the well hole.

Extending through the body portion 'l of the drill bit from the bottom of the recess I6 and in a plane passing through the center of the supporting lugs 8 and 9 are outlet ports I8 for directing jets of drilling iluid directly onto the 5 teeth of the side cutters 3-4 now to be described.

The side cutters 3-4 include substantially truncated cone-shaped body portions I9 having peripheral cutting teeth 20 for making a circular 10 cut upon rotation of the bit as later described. The body portion I9 of the cutters have axial openings 2| for mounting sets of roller bearings therein, and which operate on the spindles 23 to provide free rotation of the cutters about l5 the bottom of the Well hole upon rotation of the bit. The spindles 23 include head flanges 24 of larger dlameterthan the axial openings 2| to engage in circular recesses 25 that are formed in the inner face of the cutters as best illus- 20 trated in Fig. 3, and to cooperate with outwardly and downwardly inclined inner faces 26 of the lugs- 8 and 9 to retain the cutters on the spindles. The inner and outer faces of the cutters are preferably provided with anti-friction 25 bearings 2l and 28 adapted to engage against the flanges 24 and against thrust washers' 29 that are seated against the inner face of the lugs 9 and 9. The spindles 23 have reduced shanks 30 to form stop shoulders 3I for engaging 30 against the thrust washers 29 to preventbinding of the cutters between the head flanges 24 and the thrust washers when the shanks 30 are welded into openings 32 that are formed in the lugs 8 and 9. The inclination of the 35 faces 26 on the lugs 8 and 9 and the axes of the openings 32 are arranged relative to the axis of the bit so that the cutting edges of the teeth 2li form a downwardly tapering Acircular cut defining the outer diameter of the hole be- 40 ing drilled, as illustrated at 33, Figs. 2 and 3.

In the illustrated instance, the cross cutters are of cylindrical shape and have teeth 34 extending in angular relation to their axis of rotation, which is arranged in a horizontal plane at right 45 angles to the plane of the axes of the side cutters in such a manner that the cross cutters engage the bottom of the well hole to make a circular cut in the formation overlapping with the cut 33.

In order to apply pressure of the drilling uid 50 directly on the bottom of the well hole, the water course as formed by the recess I6 isextended downwardly by means of an extension pipe 35f. having its upper end welded in an opening 36 offset from the axis of the body substantially 55.

equal to the radius of the pipe. and which communicates with the recess I6. of the pipe terminates short of the bottom of the well hole to provide outlet for the drilling fluid which moves therethrough under pressure against ,the bottom of the well hole and is diverted outwardly toward and between the teeth of the respective cutters from where it circulates upwardly through the well hole for return to the surface.

Extending between the head flanges 24 of the spindles 23 is a hanger member 38 including a substantially rectangular-shaped block 39 having triangular-shaped lugs 40 and 4| extending from the ends thereof, and having inclined faces 42 conforming to the angle of which are welded thereto, as indicated at 43. 'I'he hanger thus forms a brace between the spindles to cooperate with ears 44 and 45 which depend from the body 1 midway between the lugs 8 and 9 in rotatably mounting the side cutters. 'I'he block portion 39 of the hanger has a vertical elongated slot 46 through which the lower end of the water course pipe 35 is extended, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pipe being welded to the inner walls of the slot as indicated at 41.

Extending outwardly from openings 48 and 48" in the side faces 48 of the block portion 39 on its sides opposite to the lugs 40 and 4| are laterally extending pins 49 and 50 for rotatably mounting the cross cutters 5 6 and which have their outer ends mounted in the ears 44 and 45. 'I'he hanger is mounted in offset relation to the axis of the bit, as shown in Fig. 4, to accommodate an intermediate cross cutter 5|, preferably of slightly smaller diameter than the cross cutters 5 6, and which produces an inner circular cut at slightly higher elevation than that made by the cutters 5 6. The pin 59 is therefore longer than the pin 49 to accommodate the intermediate cutter 5|. The intermediate cutter 5| is preferably of sufllcient width to almost complete the space across the diameter of the hole when the bit is rotated. However, the center of the well hole not engaged by the cutters is suillciently small that it is readily chipped off during operation of the blt.

'I'he cross cutter 5, when sleeved on the pin 49 and the intermediate cutter 5| when sleeved on the pin 50, have the inner side faces 52 and 53 thereof bearing against thrust washers 54 and 55 which, in turn, engage against the side faces of the hanger member. The opposite cross cutter 6, which is mounted on the same pin as the intermediate cutter 5|, is spaced from the intermediate cutter by a washer 56, as shown in Fig. 2. 'I'he cross cutters, when mounted on the pins 49 and 50, are retained by the ears 44 and 45 which have openings 51 and 58 to receive the projecting ends of the pins and in which the pins are welded, as shown in Fig. 2. The cross cutters thus described may also carry roller bearing sets 59 similar to the bearing sets for mounting the side cutters previously described.

In assembling the bit constructed as described the side rollers 3 4 are mounted on the bearing portions of the spindles 23 so that the head flanges 24 thereof enter the recesses in the inner faces of the side cutters. The shanks of the spindles are then driven into the openings 32 formed in the lugs 8 and 9, after which the ends of the shanks are welded to the lugs shown at 60, in Fig. 3. One of the pins 49 and 50, for example the pin 49, is then welded in the opening 48 of the block portion 39 of the hanger.

'Ihe lower end 31" ing 51 for'welding to the the spindle heads, and

8 and 9, as`

The cross cutter 5 is sleeved thereon and the outer projecting end of the pin is inserted in the opencross cutter 6 and intermediate cutter 5| are placed in axial alignment with the openings43" in the member 39 and 58.in the ear 45 whereupon the pin 50 is inserted therethrough and welded to the member 39 through the slot 46 and to the ear as at 6|. 'I'he water course extension pipe 35 is then projected through the slotted opening 46 and welded to the inner walls thereof, as shown in Fig. 5 after its upper end has been welded into the opening 36. The hanger including the water course extension pipe has now been applied to the bit and the lugs 40 and 4| of the hanger are bearing against the head flanges of the spindles to be welded thereto as shown at 43.

When the bit is thus assembled and lowered into the well, the drilling fluid delivered through the water course i1 will flow through the extension pipe 35 directly against the formation being drilled to wash the cuttings outwardly from the bottom of the bit for flow upwardly between the wall of the well and the drill pipe.

Upon rotation of the bit the teeth of the cutters roll over the formation on which the bit is supported, and as pressure is applied the teeth are caused to cut into and chip out sections of the formation which are washed away by the drilling fluid flowing between the teeth. During rotation of the bit the jet of drilling fluid discharged through the pipe 35 will gyrate about the axis of the well hole and over a small portion of the formation which is not directly acted upon by the teeth oi the cutters but, as above mentioned, the intermediate cutter is located sufficiently close to the center to cause breaking oil of this part of the formation.

From the foregoing it is apparent that drilling fluid is delivered under pressure directly to the bottom of the well hole to keep the bottom formation entirely free of cuttings and other obstructions that may interfere with the cutting action of the teeth.

It is also apparent that the hanger provides a rigid mounting for the cross cutters, 'and also braces the lugs 9 and 9 carrying the side. cutters, thereby providing stronger bit construction.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drill bit including a bit head having a Water course, spindles mounted on the bit head, side cutters rotatably mounted on the spindles, a hanger member offset from axes of the side cutters and secured to the spindles, stub shafts having ends fixed to opposite sides of the hanger membermeans on the bit head mounting the opposite ends of the stub shafts, cross cutters rotatably mounted on the `ub shafts, and means extending from said water course through said hanger member and having an unobstructed inner bore for delivering well fluid in jet formation against the bottom of a well hole drilled by the '2. A drill bit, including a bit head having a Water course, spindles mounted on the bit head, side cutters on the spindles, a hanger member offset from axes of the side cutters and secured to the spindles, stub shafts having spaced ends fixed to the hanger member, means on the bit head mounting opposite ends of the stub shafts, cross cutters rotatably mounted on the stub shafts, a pipe having one end connected with the water course and its opposite end extending through the ear u as at en'. The

hanger member between said spaced ends of the stub shafts for discharging a jet of drilling uid from said water course directly against the bottom of a well hole drilled by the bit.

3. A drill bit including a bit head, having a water course, spindles mounted on the bit head, side cutters on the spindles, a hanger member having lugs connected with the spindles and having a vertical opening oiset from axes of the side cutters, stub shafts having spaced ends xed to said hanger member at opposite sides of said opening, cross cutters rotatably mounted on the stub shafts, and a pipe connected with the water course and extending through said opening between the spaced ends of said stub shafts and having an unobstructed bore terminating in close proximity to the bottom of the well hole drilled by the bit for delivering drilling luid from said water course in jet formation directly against the bottom of the well hole.

4. A drill bit including a bit head, having a. water course, a hanger member on the bit head having a vertical opening therethorugh, stub shafts having spaced ends fixed to said hanger member at opposite sides of the opening, cross cutters rotatably mounted on the stub shafts, and a pipe connected with the water course and cxtending through said opening between the spaced ends of said stub shafts and having an unobstructed bore terminating in close proximity to the bottom of the well hole drilled by the bit for delivering drilling fluid from said water course in jet formation directly against the bottom of the well hole.

5. A drill bit including a bit head having a wa.- ter course, a hanger member having an opening oiset from the axis of rotation of the bit, stub shafts having spaced aligning ends fixed to the hanger member at opposite sides of said opening, means on the bit head mounting the opposite ends of the stub shafts, cross cutters rotatably mounted on the stub shafts, and a pipe extending from said Water course through the opening between said spaced ends of the stub shafts and having an unobstructed inner bore for delivering well fluid in jet formation against the bottom of a well hole drilled by the bit.

6. A drill bit including a bit head having a water course, spindles mounted on the bit head, toothed side cutters on the spindles, a hanger member oiset from axes of the side cutters and secured to the spindles, stub shafts having spaced 20

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