Patent ID: 7296638

Claim:
An orientation device for providing an indication of the orientation of a core sample of material relative to a body of material from which the core is cut, said orientation device comprising: a main body including a latching system to releasably latch the orientation device to a core lifter case assembly coupled to a core tube of a core drill used to cut said core sample; a shroud slidably coupled to the main body; and, a core orientation device slidably coupled to said shroud and said main body; wherein the core orientation device provides one or more orientation references for said core sample by contacting a facing surface of said material to be drilled by said core drill prior to commencement of drilling, and said shroud is operatively associated with said latching system such that, upon sliding of said shroud toward said main body beyond a trigger point facilitated by advancing said core drill onto said facing surface, said latching system disengages from said core lifter case assembly so that said orientation device is retracted into said core tube by an advancing core when said drill is operated to cut said core.