| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090044984 | Corrosion Protection for Head Section of Earth Boring Bit - An earth boring bit has a steel body having at least one leg with a depending bearing pin. A cone having cutting elements is rotatably mounted to the bearing pin. A ball plug weld is on the outer surface of the leg. A layer of hardfacing applied to part of the outer surface of the leg, the hardfacing having carbide particles in a matrix. A corrosion resistant coating containing at least 50% nickel is formed on parts of the outer surface of the leg that are free of the layer of hardfacing both above and below the ball plug weld. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20100012384 | Steel Tooth Bit With Scooped Teeth Profile - An earth-boring bit has at least one steel tooth with a scoop-shaped profile. The scoop-shaped profile is formed by milling and hardfacing a tooth to have at least one flank with a concave profile. Additionally, the tooth may contain one flank with a concave profile and another with a convex profile. The centerline axis of the tooth may be moved to alter the angle between the flanks and the centerline to vary the manner in which the tooth engages the formation. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100065337 | Method and Apparatus for the Automated Application of Hardfacing Material to Rolling Cutters of Earth-Boring Drill Bits - The present invention relates to a system and method for automated or “robotic” application of hardfacing to the surface of a steel-toothed cutter of a rock bit. In particular, the system incorporates a grounded adapter plate and chuck mounted to a robotic arm for grasping and manipulating a rock bit cutter beneath an electrical or photonic energy welding source, such as a plasma arc welding torch manipulated by a positioner. In this configuration, the torch is positioned substantially vertically and oscillated along a horizontal axis as the cutter is manipulated relative along a target path for the distribution of hardfacing. Moving the cutter beneath the torch allows more areas of more teeth to be overlayed, and allows superior placement for operational feedback, such as automatic positioning and parameter correction. In the preferred embodiment, sensors provide data to the control system for identification, positioning, welding program selection, and welding program correction. The control system, aided by data from the sensors, manipulates the robotically held cutter while controlling the operation and oscillation of the torch. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100104736 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATED APPLICATION OF HARDFACING MATERIAL TO DRILL BITS - A system and method for the automated or “robotic” application of hardfacing to a surface of a drill bit. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100159157 | ROBOTICALLY APPLIED HARDFACING WITH PRE-HEAT - A system and method for the automated or “robotic” application of hardfacing to a surface of a drill bit. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100282026 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED EARTH BORING DRILL BIT MANUFACTURING - A method and system for manufacturing a earth boring tool, comprising placing a tool in a positioner of an system which then conforms the tool to a model through the performance of a plurality of processing steps thereon. The positioner may move the tool in two axis. The system may include a manipulator which performs each of the processing steps. Alternatively, the system may include a plurality of manipulators, each performing a different one of the processing steps. The processing steps may include various shaping, cleaning, painting, and packaging steps. The processing steps may be performed without removing the tool from the positioner. The tool may be repositioned in the positioner during or between processing steps. For example, performing the processing steps may comprise performing one or more of the process steps, repositioning the tool in the positioner, and re-performing the one or more of the process steps. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110031025 | Drill Bit With An Adjustable Steering Device - A drill bit is provided that in one embodiment may include a force application device on a drill bit body, wherein the force application device includes a force application member pivotally coupled to the drill bit and configured to extend from the drill bit body to apply force on a wellbore wall when the drill bit is used to drill a wellbore, and an actuator configured to actuate the force application member to apply force on a wellbore wall during drilling of the wellbore. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110147089 | DRILL BIT WITH AN ADJUSTABLE STEERING DEVICE - A drill bit is provided that in one embodiment includes a force application device on a body of a drill bit, the force application device including a floating member and a force application member configured to extend from the floating member to apply a force on a wellbore wall when the drill bit is used to drill a wellbore. The drill bit further includes
| 06-23-2011 |
