Rotary Earth Boring Drill Bit With Centrifugal Foreign Particle Barrier Device

This invention relates to rotary drill bits for drilling earthen material, such as in the drilling of oil wells, and more particularly to such a device which employs centrifugal drive means for preventing the passage of granular particles to the bit support shaft bearings.

Conventional roller cone bits which are often utilized for drilling oil wells must operate in an environment which includes a considerable amount of abrasive material such as mud and sand, as well as the cuttings generated by the bit. The bearings of such bits generally do not have a very long life span in view of the fact that these abrasive particles get into the bearings and wear them out rather rapidly. Attempts have been made in the prior art to relieve this problem by employing rotary shaft seals which are used to retain oil around the shaft bearings of the bit. It has been found, however, that mud and other foreign particles become imbedded in the elastomer seal for the bearings, causing it to act as an abrasive lap which cuts away the mating surfaces. Eventually the seal fit becomes so loose that it loses its sealing effect, permitting the abrasive material to get into the bearing. Also, in drilling at greater depths, the temperature of the earth increases. This combined with the heat generated by the drilling operation tends to cause structural failure of the elastomer of the seal.

The present invention obviates the need for a seal, thereby avoiding the aforementioned problems of the prior art. At the same time, highly effective means are employed to prevent abrasive foreign material from reaching the bearings of the roller cone, this end result being achieved by means of a centrifugal slinger device which operates in conjunction with a channel structure to permit lubricant which may be provided from the ambient supply of water or from oil placed in chambers to selectively reach the cone shaft bearings. This device, at the same time, acts as a barrier to prevent particulate material from reaching such bearings. Further, annular or disc-shaped wall means is provided to help prevent oil from escaping from such chambers particularly when the roller cone is stationary.

Briefly described, our invention is as follows:

A slinger disc is mounted on or made a part of the bit cone for rotation therewith in external concentricity with the bearings, which may be sleeve bearings on which the bit cone is rotatably driven about a support shaft. The slinger disc extends radially outwardly from the bearings and has apertures combined therewith to permit fluid to flow therethrough into a series of chambers in said cone which surround at least a portion of the bearings and are in fluid communication therewith. Oil may be placed within the chambers for use in lubricating the bearings, this oil being retained by means of a flap seal during shipping and whenever the bit cone stops rotating, or ambient water may be solely employed for lubrication. In addition to the flap seal, an annular or disc-shaped wall member is provided to help keep oil from escaping when the cone is stationary. A plurality of channels are provided, these channels running from the chambers through apertures in the slinger disc region and thence through the flap valve and the outer wall of the bit cone, while the bit is rotating and the flap valve is driven to an open position by virtue of centrifugal force. A ring may also be provided near the outer entrance (or exit) of the channel, this ring having a plurality of curved vanes thereon which operate to drive out larger particles such as rock cuttings, preventing them from initially entering the channel. In operation, the rotating slinger disc structure drives particulate material outwardly, tending to prevent such material from reaching the bit bearings, some of these particles passing through the open flap valve and out through the channels formed in the bit cone with most of the particulate material being centrifugally "nailed" against the outer walls of the chambers in the cones. The chambers and associated channels and apertures form a U-tube configuration which operates to convey clean lubricant to the bearings and to drive the particulate material away from the bearings.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means for avoiding the damage of drill bit bearings by particulate foreign material.

It is a further object of this invention to obviate the need for sealed bearings in earthen material rotary drill bits.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved oil drill bit which employs centrifugal means for preventing particulate material from entering the bit bearings.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane indicated by 2--2 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the figures, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. Drill bit member 10 in the illustrative embodiment is of the roller cone type which is employed for drilling oil wells, and has a plurality of teeth 18 formed therearound. Such roller cone bits are manufactured by a number of manufacturers including Smith Tool, Irvine, California, and Reed Tool Company, Houston, Texas.

The bit 10 is rotatably mounted on a bearing pin which includes two cylindrical sections, 12a and 12b, the latter of these sections being stepped down in diameter to provide bearing support for the small end of the cone. The bit has a hollowed out central portion 17, which has stepped cylindrical sections to mate with bearing pin sections 12a and 12b. The inner walls of hollowed out portion 17 have sleeve bearings 14a, 14b and 14c fixedly attached thereto or formed thereon. These bearings may be made of a highly durable material such as fabric-phenolic, or of nitralloy, which will work with water as part or all of its lubricant. It is to be noted that the invention can be used to equal effect with bits employing conventional roller and ball bearings. The bearing pin also includes a cap 12c which operates to retain the bit on the pin, this cap abutting against disc-shaped inner wall portion 19 of the bit.

Disc member 20 is fixedly attached to or a part of the bit cone and rotates therewith, this disc member being externally concentric with bearing pin portion 12a. Disc 20, as to be explained further on in the specification, operates as a slinger in the same general fashion as the slingers described in our aforementioned patent application, to drive particulate material centrifugally outwardly, away from the bearings. Disc 20 has a plurality of fluid passages or ports 24 located in the outer portion thereof.

A plurality of chambers 30 are spaced within cone 10 around pin portion 12a, these chambers being in fluid communication with apertures 24 formed in disc 20 and with channels 32 which extend to the surfaces of the pin portion 21a through the bearing material of sleeve bearing 14a. A flap ring seal 26 is supported on an inner wall of the bit cone by means of holder 28, the ends of this seal abutting against sloped shoulder 11. Holder 28 has an annular or disc-shaped wall portion 28a which extends inwardly therefrom. A lubricant such as a suitable lubricating oil may be placed in chambers 30, this oil being retained within these chambers during shipping and when rotation of the bit is stopped during drilling operations by means of seal 26 and the annular wall portion 28a of the holder. This annular wall portion is particularly needed to serve as an oil "trap" in the event that the flap ring seal should wear out. It is to be noted in this regard that in certain instances it is necessary to stop the rotation of the bit quite a number of times during the drilling operation. When the bit stops turning, the roller cones will each have a cavity 30 at a "high" point. With a relatively long pause, there is a possibility of the lighter density oil fraction within the bearing to migrate through channels 32 to the high points of the cavities and if it were not for the "trap" provided, out through apertures 24 and passageways 40. In addition, the wall portion 28a positioned opposite the face of slinger disc 20 provides more effective centrifugal action between these members to condition the fluid separation ahead of ports 24. The face portion 20a of disc 20 is grooved to provide a channel between this face portion and the opposing surface of wall portion 28a.

It is to be noted that during rotation of the drill the ends of flexible seal 26 are driven outwardly away from shoulder 11 by the centrifugal force, thereby providing fluid communications from the outside of the bit to chamber 30 via passageways 40. Ring shaped member 27, which is an optional addition, is press fitted to the bit between seal holder 28 and an inner wall of the bit, this insert member carrying curved blades or vanes 29. These vanes rotate with the bit cone near the periphery thereof and operate to drive larger or heavier particles such as cuttings out through channels 40. An O-ring seal 35 may be provided along the inner edge of disc 20 but sealing at this point is not absolutely necessary in view of the fact that the operation of slinger disc 20 usually prevents particulate material from reaching this point.

The device operates as follows: With the bit rotating, a centrifugal force is generated in the space 34 where particulate material first meets the wall of rotating disc 20. The particulate material migrates radially outwardly to ports 24 and passes through these ports into chambers 30 and is held against the outer wall portions 41 of these chambers by the centrifugal force. The particulate material tends to force the lighter oil or clean water centrifugally separated therefrom through ports 32 to the bearing surfaces. Flap seal 26 also tends to open outwardly during rotation of the bit, such that a certain portion of the particulate material is centrifugally forced outwardly and further driven by vanes 29 out through channel 40.

The lubricating and particle barrier system employed is in the nature of a rotating "U-tube", with passageway 34 forming one leg of the "U", and a portion of chambers 30 and channels 32 forming the other leg, with the two legs being interconnected by ports 24 and the outer portions of chambers 30. Chambers 30 form the central interconnecting portions of the "U-tubes" and function as solids traps at the effective perimeter of the centrifuge formed thereby, while ends 32 of the "U"'s provide outlets to the bearings for clean lubricant, and at the opposite ends, passageways 34 form inlets to chambers 30 for water which initially may be combined with particulate material.

The device of the present invention thus provides a simple yet highly efficient means for avoiding the contamination of drill bit bearings with particulate material.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the following claims.