Patent ID: 7234547

Claim:
A near-bit swivel assembly for supporting an inner barrel assembly within an outer barrel assembly of a coring apparatus, said outer barrel assembly having a core bit secured to a lower end thereof, said near-bit swivel assembly comprising: a bearing assembly disposed at a lower end of said inner barrel assembly adjacent said core bit configured to radially position and orient said inner barrel assembly relative to a rotational axis of said outer barrel assembly and further configured to maintain said lower end of said inner barrel assembly at a substantially fixed longitudinal position along said rotational axis of said outer barrel assembly; and a latch mechanism disposed proximate the bearing assembly on one of an interior wall of said core bit and an interior wall of said inner barrel assembly and configured, in cooperation with said bearing assembly, to maintain said lower end of said inner barrel assembly at said substantially fixed longitudinal position; wherein an opposing upper end of said inner barrel assembly is freely longitudinally movable within said outer barrel assembly along said rotational axis thereof.