Patent ID: 8561723

Claim:
A drilling apparatus comprising a drillstring, the drilling apparatus operable to rotate the drillstring or at least a drill head or a bit of the drillstring, or both, and operable to provide vibration axially to the drill head or bit; a vibrational apparatus positioned as part of the drillstring or in the drillstring to provide said vibration; said vibrational apparatus having interactive magnetic arrays, there being at least one first assembly with a first array, being a magnetic array or set of magnetic arrays, and there being at least one second assembly with a second array, being a magnetic array or set of magnetic arrays, such that the first array and the second array interact, responsive to relative rotation between said first array and said second array, to cause shuttling of the first array relative to the second array, or vice versa, or both, and thus their respective supporting assemblies; one of the first or second array and its assembly being held relative to or by the drillstring to move synchronously in rotation with the drillstring when the drillstring is rotated; a mechanical input to rotate, independently of said drillstring, said other of said first assembly and said second assembly; relative rotation between the first assembly and the second assembly being caused by the independent mechanical input and rotation of the drillstring or the drill head or the bit of the drillstring, the drill head or bit vibrating as a consequence of direct or indirect hammering of the drill head or bit by the first assembly or the second assembly, or both.