Patent ID: 6705415
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A drilling apparatus comprising a series of elongate sections releasably interconnected end to end by interengaging screw threads, orienting means for ensuring that a first component carried by a first of said sections adopts a predetermined orientation with respect to a second component carried by, or forming part of, an adjoining section said section when the first and second of said sections are screwed together, wherein said first component is rotatable with respect to said first section and wherein the first section carries an azimuth member, which is rotatable with respect to said first section but is non-rotatable with respect to said first component, and wherein the second section carries a reference member which is fixed against rotation relative to said second component and is engageable with said azimuth member in a predetermined angular orientation relative to the azimuth member as said first and second sections are screwed together end to end, and wherein, when so engaged relative rotation about the axis of said sections, between said azimuth member and said reference member is precluded by such engagement, and wherein one of said azimuth member and said reference member is resiliently displaceable away from the other as said first and second sections are screwed together, whereby during an initial phase of screwing said first and second sections together the resiliently displaced member can be displaced axially, to counteract the progressive approach of said first and second sections, as the latter are screwed together, whilst rotating relative to the other said member, until said predetermined angular orientation of the reference member with respect to the azimuth member is reached, allowing the azimuth member and reference member to engage and thereby prevent further relative rotation between the two, whereby the azimuth member, and said reference member coupled thereto, will maintain said predetermined orientation relative to said second component despite further rotational movement between said first and second sections during completion of the screwing together of said first and second sections.