Patent GB-1035926-A (GB)
Title: Earth drilling machine
IPC: E21B44/00
Filed: 1963-04-29
Abstract: 1,035,926. Boring earth &c. WOLSTAN C. GINIES ENTERPRISES PROPRIETARY Ltd. April 29, 1963 [May 4, 1962], No. 16840/63. Heading E1F Earth boring apparatus comprises a drill drive section 5 connected to a bit assembly 9, and a feed and anchor section 6 including two anchor assemblies sequentially operable to provide continuous engagement of the anchor section with the wall of the hole and means for feeding the drill section through the hole away from the engaged anchor section. A reversible electric motor 7 (Fig. 3, not shown) drives contra-rotating bit parts 12, 13 through reduction gearing 8. Cutter bars 22, 24 (Fig. 5, not shown) are arranged in pairs on the parts, the bars of each pair being inclined outwardly from each other so that during rotation one bar of a pair is sharpened whilst the other bores. The end faces of the parts may be studded with drilling diamonds and the cutter bars dispensed with. Drilling fluid is supplied through a pipe 76 (Fig. 4, not shown) and returned to the surface by a pipe 77, a seal being located around the drilling section or a pump or pumps being suspended on a cable 71 supporting the apparatus if necessary. Alternatively the hole may be flooded with fluid which is removed from the hole by suction. The motor also drives a pump 10 which pumps hydraulic fluid from a tank 47 to a multi-way valve 48 controlled by a trip switch 49, a solenoid device 50 controlling the feed of the pump and the apparatus in accordance with the load on the motor and the hardness or resistance of the earth. The lower anchor assembly comprises a ram 54 (Fig. 10, not shown) carrying a rod 58 on which is slidable a sleeve 61 connected to sleeves 63 slidable on guides 56 by links 62 carrying anchor bars 66. The upper anchor assembly has an operating ram 68 and is similar to and arranged at right angles to the lower assembly. Pressure applied to the ram 54 causes the bars of the lower assembly to engage the wall and then moves the rest of the apparatus downwardly relative to the engaged bars. At the end of the stroke of the ram 54, a rod 83 operates the switch 49 to direct fluid to the ram 68 which has a switch operating rod 84. Cables 78 (Fig. 11, not shown) connect the assemblies to prevent both sets of bars being out of engagement with the wall during operation. When it is desired to remove the apparatus from the hole the attachment of the cable 71 is transferred from a top plate 70 to a plate 74 (Fig. 16, not shown) to tension a cable 89 to render the cables 78 inoperative, to tension cables 85, 86 to operate relief valves to bleed fluid from the rams, and to tension cables 90, 91 to assist the springs 60 retracting the bars from the wall. In a modification the movement of the bars may be controlled by a timing device connected to the switch and valve. The apparatus may have means to deviate the hole, the means comprising solenoids which insert distance pieces between a cross piece 59 joining the guides 56 and the adjacent ends of the sleeves 63. In a modified construction (Fig. 19, not shown) the parts of the bit are driven by separate motors, the cutter bars of the outer part are carried by hinged arms 122, a motor 171 drives the ram actuating pump 172, and the links of the upper anchor assembly are inverted to save space.