Patent ID: 7607498

Claim:
A sonic drilling apparatus comprising: a drill head comprising a drill head housing, a top having an inlet conduit constructed and arranged to permit communication with a fluid reservoir, and a bottom; a drill string extending from the bottom of the drill head; a vibratory apparatus disposed in the drill head housing and operatively connected to the drill string, the vibratory apparatus comprising a vibratory apparatus housing and first and second counter-rotating rollers rotatable in respective cavities of the vibratory apparatus housing to generate sonic range vibrations which are imparted to the drill string; a first conduit extending into the top of the drill head housing and communicating with the inlet conduit for receiving fluid from the fluid reservoir and transmitting the fluid to a second conduit, the first conduit being in direct fluid communication with the fluid as the fluid passes therethrough; the second conduit extending between the first conduit and the drill string, the second conduit being substantially disposed in the drill head housing and in communication with both the first conduit and the drill string for receiving fluid from the first conduit and transmitting the fluid to the drill string; a rotary drive apparatus disposed in the drill head and operatively connected to the drill string for rotating the drill string, the first conduit, and the second conduit; and a seal assembly sealing the first conduit with respect to the drill head.