U.S. patent number 3,599,730 [Application Number 05/001,207] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-17 for pressure fluid operated percussion tool.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Atlas Copco Aktienbolag. Invention is credited to Matti Juhani Koskimaki, Per Janne Olov Luthman, Karl August Valdemar Magnusson, Robert Mauritz Sandblom, Birger Zettergren.
United States Patent |
3,599,730 |
Luthman , et al. |
August 17, 1971 |
PRESSURE FLUID OPERATED PERCUSSION TOOL
Abstract
In a down-the-hole percussion drill, the exhaust power fluid is
used as a flushing fluid during drilling. When the drill is
suspended off bottom, the drill bit and with it the hammer piston
drops into an exceptional forward position so that drilling ceases
automatically and an uninterrupted blowing with fluid starts under
full line pressure. The passages for supplying fluid for providing
the power strokes of the hammer piston during drilling are used for
conveying air for this blowing.
Inventors: |
Luthman; Per Janne Olov
(Tyreso, SW), Koskimaki; Matti Juhani (Nacka,
SW), Magnusson; Karl August Valdemar (Klinten,
SW), Sandblom; Robert Mauritz (Alvsjo, SW),
Zettergren; Birger (Nacka, SW) |
Assignee: |
Atlas Copco Aktienbolag (Nacka,
SW)
|
Family
ID: |
21694901 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/001,207 |
Filed: |
January 7, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
173/17; 173/137;
173/78 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
4/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
4/14 (20060101); E21B 4/00 (20060101); E21b
001/00 (); E21b 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;173/73,78,135,137
;175/92 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Leppink; James A.
Claims
WE CLAIM:
1. In a pressure fluid operated percussion tool, an elongated
hollow housing, means for connecting said housing at its rear end
to a source of pressure fluid, a fluid-distributing valve assembly
at said rear end of the housing, a hollow member of the housing
forming a working cylinder for the pressure fluid, a hammer piston
reciprocable in said working cylinder under the influence of said
pressure fluid, a rear working chamber in the working cylinder at
the back of said hammer piston, a forward working chamber in the
working cylinder in front of the hammer piston, means in the
forward end of said housing for receiving and retaining an anvil
and bit means but permitting the anvil and bit means to move
axially between a forward and a retracted position, said hammer
piston being arranged to strike the rear end of the anvil and bit
means when the anvil and bit means is in the retracted position, a
first exhaust passage means from the forward working chamber
connected with passage means for conveying fluid to the forward end
of the anvil and bit means, said first exhaust passage means being
open when the hammer piston is in rear positions but closed when
the hammer piston is in forward positions, second exhaust passage
means from the rear working chamber connected with said passage
means for conveying fluid to the forward end of the anvil and bit
means, said second exhaust passage means being open when the hammer
piston is in forward positions but closed when the hammer piston is
in rear positions, first distributing passage means leading from
the valve assembly to the rear working chamber, second distributing
passage means leading from said valve assembly to said forward
working chamber, a valving element of said valve assembly having a
first position in which it supplies pressure fluid to said first
distributing passage means and a second position in which it
supplies pressure fluid to said second distributing passage means,
a piston surface element disposed in a control chamber and adapted
to urge the valving element into said first position when said
control chamber is pressurized, and means adapted to connect the
control chamber with the second distributing passage means when the
hammer piston overtravels its normal forward stroke limiting
position when the anvil and bit means is in its forward position so
that said control chamber is pressurized by fluid from said second
distributing passage means when said overtravel has taken place and
the valve member supplies a flow of fluid directly into said second
exhaust passage means through said first distributing passage means
and said rear working chamber
2. A tool as claimed in claim 1 in which said means adapted to
connect said control chamber with said second distributing passage
means comprises a control passage having an orifice into the
working cylinder, an orifice of said second distributing passage
means into the working cylinder, and a recess in said hammer piston
adapted to provide a passage between said two orifices when the
hammer piston is in said position forwardly of its normal forward
stroke limiting position.
3. A tool as claimed in claim 2 in which said recess in the hammer
piston comprises two annular grooves connected by means of an
annular clearance gap between the jammer piston and said hollow
member.
4. A tool as claimed in claim 1 in which said control chamber is
continuously vented through a venting passage which is restricted
compared with said means adapted to connect the control chamber
with said second distributing passage means.
5. A drill as claimed in claim 1 in which a one-way valve is
arranged in said inlet passage which is supplied with pressure
fluid from the drill pipe at the rear end of the housing.
6. A pressure fluid operated percussion tool comprising an
elongated hollow housing, means for connecting said housing at its
rear end to a source of pressure fluid, a pressure fluid
distributing valve assembly at the rear end of the housing, a
hollow member in the housing forming a working cylinder for the
pressure fluid, a hammer piston with a longitudinal channel
reciprocable in the working cylinder under the influence of the
pressure fluid, a rear working chamber in the working cylinder at
the back of the hammer piston, a forward working chamber in the
working cylinder in front of the hammer piston, means in the
forward end of said housing for receiving and retaining a shank
means of a drill bit but permitting said shank means to move
axially between a forward and a retracted position, said hammer
piston being arranged to strike the shank means when the shank is
in the retracted position but overtravel to a forward flushing
position when the shank is in the forward position, an exhaust tube
closed at its rear end portion extending through the hammer piston
with a sliding fit to the channel in the piston and into a channel
in said shank means so as to provide a fluid passage for conveying
flushing fluid to the forward end of the bit, hammer
piston-controlled exhaust ports in said tube leading from the rear
working chamber into the tube and from the forward working chamber
into the tube, first passage means from the valve assembly to said
rear working chamber, second passage means assembly positioned
externally of the working cylinder and leading from said valve to
said forward working chamber, said exhaust ports from the rear
working chamber being open when the piston is in a forward position
but closed when the piston is in rear positions and said exhaust
ports from the working chamber being open when the piston is in a
rear position but closed when the piston is in forward positions,
and a valving element of the valve assembly having a first position
in which it supplies pressure fluid to said first passage means and
a second position in which it supplies pressure fluid to said
second passage means, said tool being characterized by the
combination that a control part in the hollow member opening into
the working cylinder is connected with a piston surface of the
valving element through a control passage means, said piston
surface being adapted to urge the valving element into said first
position when influenced by pressure fluid from the control port,
said control port being disposed so as to be closed by the piston
at the forward portion of the forward strokes during drilling but
open to a recess in the piston when the piston is in its forward
flushing position, and a port in the hollow member connecting said
second passage means and the working cylinder being disposed so as
to be open to said recess when the piston is in its flushing
position.
7. A tool as claimed in claim 6 in which said control passage means
is continuously vented through a venting passage which is
restricted compared with the control passage means.
8. A tool as claimed in claim 7 in which said venting passage ends
in the exhaust tube.
9. A pressure fluid operated down-the-hole percussion drill
including an elongated hollow housing adapted for removable
attachment to the forward end of a drill pipe, an inlet passage at
the rear end of the housing supplied with pressure fluid from the
drill pipe, a liner in the housing forming a working cylinder for
the pressure fluid, a hammer piston having a central longitudinal
channel reciprocable in said working cylinder under the influence
of said pressure fluid, a rear working chamber in the working
cylinder at the back of the hammer piston, a forward working
chamber in the working cylinder in front of the hammer piston,
means in the forward end of said housing for receiving and
retaining the shank means of a drill bit but permitting said shank
means to move axially between a forward and a retracted position,
said hammer piston being arranged to strike the shank means when
the shank is in a retracted position but overtravel to a forward
flushing position when the shank is in the forward position, an
exhaust tube extending through the hammer piston with a sliding fit
to said channel in the hammer piston and into a channel in said
shank means so as to provide a fluid passage for conveying flushing
fluid to the forward end of the bit, first exhaust port means in
said exhaust tube leading from the rear working chamber into the
tube and positioned to be uncovered by the piston when the piston
is in forward positions but covered when the piston is in rear
positions, second exhaust port means in the exhaust tube leading
from the forward working chamber into the tube and positioned to be
uncovered by the piston when the piston is in rear positions but
covered when the piston is in forward positions, inlet port means
in the exhaust tube at the back of said first exhaust ports leading
from the interior of the tube into the rear working chamber, said
exhaust tube being closed by a closing member at a location between
the first exhaust ports and said inlet ports, means forming a
cylindrical valve chamber and including two opposed valve seats, an
annular distributing valve reciprocable in said valve chamber
between a first position against one of the seats in which it opens
the first distributing passage means from the interior of the valve
to the interior of the exhaust tube at the rear of said closing
member and a second position against the other of the seats in
which it opens a second distributing passage means from the
interior of the valve to the forward working chamber, the interior
of said valve being continuously supplied with pressure fluid from
said inlet passage, a first valve throwing surface on the
distributing valve disposed in a first control chamber and
activated by pressure fluid in the first control chamber for moving
the valve to the first position, a second valve throwing surface on
the distributing valve disposed in a second control chamber and
activated by pressure fluid in said second control chamber for
moving the valve to its second position, a first control passage
between said first control chamber, and a first hammer
piston-controlled control port in the liner opening into the
forward working chamber, a second control passage between said
second control chamber and a second hammer piston-controlled
central port in the liner opening into the rear working chamber,
said tool being characterized by the combination that said first
hammer piston-controlled control port is disposed so as to be
closed by the hammer piston at the forward portion of the forward
strokes thereof during drilling but open to a recess in the hammer
piston when said hammer piston is in its forward flushing position
and a port in the liner connecting said second passage means, the
working cylinder being disposed so as to be open to said recess in
the hammer piston when the piston is in its forward flushing
position.
10. A drill as claimed in claim 9 in which said control chambers
are vented through venting passages which are restricted compared
with said control passages and said control ports.
11. A drill as claimed in claim 9 in which said control chambers
are vented to the exhaust tube by means of venting passages.
12. A drill as claimed in claim 11 in which said venting passages
are connected to a passage through said closing member, which
passage extends as a pipelike element to end forwardly of said rear
exhaust ports.
13. A drill as claimed in claim 9 in which said valve throwing
surfaces are the opposed piston surfaces of an annular flange of
the valve.
14. In a pressure fluid operated down-the-hole percussion drill, an
elongated housing adapted to be removably attached to the forward
end of a drill pipe, an inlet passage at the rear end of the
housing supplied with pressure fluid from the drill pipe, a one-way
valve in said inlet passage, a hollow member in the housing forming
a working cylinder for the pressure fluid, means in the forward end
of the housing for receiving and retaining an anvil and drill bit
means, a hammer piston reciprocable in said working cylinder under
the influence of the pressure fluid, a rear working chamber in the
working cylinder at the back of the hammer piston, a forward
working chamber in the working cylinder in front of the hammer
piston, an exhaust passage adapted to be in communication with said
rear working chamber when the piston is in forward positions and in
communication with the forward working chamber when the piston is
in rear positions, means forming a cylindrical valve chamber and
including two opposed valve seats, an annular distributing valve
reciprocable in said valve chamber between a first position against
one of the seats in which it opens the first distributing passage
means from the interior of the valve to the rear working chamber
and a second position against the other of the seats in which it
opens the second distributing passage means from the interior of
the valve to the forward working chamber, the interior of said
valve being continuously supplied with pressure fluid from said
inlet passage, a first valve throwing surface on the distributing
valve disposed in a first control chamber and activated by pressure
fluid in said first control chamber to move the valve to its first
position, a second valve throwing surface on the distributing valve
disposed in a second control chamber and activated by pressure
fluid in said second control chamber to move the valve to its
second position, a first control passage between said first control
chamber and a first hammer piston-controlled control port in the
hollow member open into the forward working chamber, a second
control passage between said second control chamber and a second
hammer piston-controlled control port in the hollow member open
into the rear working cylinder, a venting passage from said first
control chamber venting to said exhaust passage, and a venting
passage from said second control chamber communicating with the
exhaust passage.
15. A drill as claimed in claim 14 in which said venting passages
are restricted compared with the control passages and control
ports.
16. In a pressure fluid operated down-the-hole percussion drill, an
elongated hollow housing adapted for removable attachment to the
forward end of a drill pipe, an inlet passage at the rear end of
the housing supplied with pressure fluid from the drill pipe, a
liner in the housing forming a working cylinder for the pressure
fluid, a hammer piston with a central longitudinal channel
reciprocable in said working cylinder under the influence of said
pressure fluid, a rear working chamber in the working cylinder at
the back of said hammer piston, a forward working chamber in the
working cylinder in front of the hammer piston, means in the
forward end of said housing for receiving and retaining a shank
means of a drill bit, said hammer piston being arranged to strike
said shank means, an exhaust tube extending through said hammer
piston with a sliding fit to said channel in the hammer piston and
into a channel in said shank means so as to provide a fluid passage
for conveying flushing fluid to the forward end of the bit, first
exhaust port means in said exhaust tube leading from the rear
working chamber into the tube and positioned to be uncovered by the
piston when the piston is in its forward positions but covered when
the piston is in its rear positions, second exhaust port means in
the exhaust tube leading from the forward working chamber into the
tube and positioned to be uncovered by the piston when the piston
is in rear positions but covered when the piston is in forward
positions, inlet port means in the exhaust tube at the back of said
first exhaust ports leading from the interior of the tube into the
rear working chamber, an element extending into the exhaust tube
from the rear end thereof and ending forwardly of said rear exhaust
ports, a closing element on said element blocking the exhaust tube
at a location between the first exhaust ports and said inlet ports,
a longitudinal passage through said element, means forming a
cylindrical valve chamber and including two opposed valve seats, an
annular distributing valve reciprocable in said valve chamber
between a first position against one of the seats in which it opens
first distributing passage means from the interior of the valve to
the interior of the exhaust tube at the rear of said closing member
and a second position against the other of the seats in which it
opens second distributing passage means from the interior of the
valve to the forward working chamber, the interior of said valve
being continuously supplied with pressure fluid from said inlet
passage, a first valve throwing surface on the distributing valve
disposed in a first control chamber and activated by pressure fluid
in said first control chamber for moving the valve to its first
position, a second valve throwing surface on the distributing valve
disposed in a second control chamber and activated by pressure
fluid in said second control chamber for moving the valve to its
second position, a first control passage between said first control
chamber and a first hammer piston-controlled control port in the
liner opening into the forward working chamber, a second control
passage between the second control chamber and a second hammer
piston-controlled port in the liner opening into the rear working
chamber, a venting passage from said first control chamber, and a
venting passage from said second control chamber, said venting
passages being connected to said longitudinal passages in the
element which extends into the exhaust tube.
17. A drill according to claim 16 wherein said venting passages are
restricted in comparison with the control passages and the control
ports.
Description
This invention relates to pressure fluid operated percussion tools
and more particularly to pneumatically operated percussive
down-the-hole rock drills, so-called because the are adapted to be
inserted into the hole being drilled. Usually, the exhaust fluid is
used as a flushing fluid during drilling. It is, however, sometimes
desirable that drilling be interrupted and a continuous increased
flow of flushing fluid under full line pressure be provided to
cleanse the bore hole from earth cutting. In a prior form of a
down-the-hole drill, passages are used which are utilized
exclusively for this uninterrupted flow. Since the major diameter
of a down-the-hole drill is limited, these passages will reduce the
area available for the hammer piston of the drill, and the
percussion effect of the drill will be reduced. In another prior
form, the passages for supplying fluid to provide the return
strokes of the hammer piston are used also for such a continuous
flow. Usually, these passages are long and have sharp knees and do
not permit such a large flow as do the passages for providing the
power strokes of the hammer piston. If the passages for providing
the return strokes are widened, the area available for the hammer
piston will be reduced.
It is an object of the invention to provide a percussion tool which
will permit the introduction of a continuous and large flow of air
under full line pressure into the bore hole for removing cuttings.
Another object is to provide a pressure fluid operated
down-the-hole percussion drill which has an improved pressure fluid
distributing valve assembly.
Other objects will be obvious from the following description and
claims in which a percussion tool according to the invention is
described with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of
example.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1a, 1b and 1c are to be seen together as longitudinal section
on the lines 1-1 in the FIGS. 2 and 3 of a down-the-hole drill,
FIG. 1a being the upper (rear) portion of the drill, FIG. 1b being
the middle portion, and FIG. 1c being the lower (forward)
portion.
FIG. 2 is a cross section on the lines 2-2 in the FIGS. 1b and
4.
FIG. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 in FIGS. 1b and 4.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the medium portion taken partly
on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3 and partly on the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.
The down-the-hole drill illustrated in the figures has a housing
generally indicated with 10. A backhead 11 of the housing is
adapted to be screwed onto the lower end of a nonillustrated drill
pipe. During drilling, the drill pipe transmits rotation and axial
pressure to the drill and also supplies the drill with compressed
air. The interior of the backhead 11 forms a portion of an air
inlet passage 12 in which a spring biased one-way valve 13 is
disposed. Downstream of the valve 13, there is an annular strainer
14 and a valve assembly 15 with an annular valving element or valve
16. This valve 16 has two annular end surfaces 17 and 18. The
interior of the valve 16 is supplied with compressed air through a
portion of the air inlet passage 12 in an upper seat member 19
which has an annular seat 20. When the valve 16 is in its lower
position (FIG. 1b ) with its end surface 18 against an annular seat
21 on a lower seat member 22, compressed air is supplied to an
annular air-distributing chamber 23 and from there to a number of
passages 24, 25. When the valve 16 is in its upper position with
the end surface 17 against the seat 20 as illustrated in FIG. 4,
compressed air is supplied to an annular air distributing chamber
26 and from there to a number of passages 27. A tubular liner 28
forms part of the housing 10 and seals against a tubular outer
housing member or casing 29 so that longitudinal grooves in the
liner 28 form a number of passages among which are the passages 24,
25.
At the forward downwardly end of the drill there is a drill bit 30
(FIG. 1c1. The drill bit 30 has a splined portion 31 on its shank
32 cooperating with a splined portion of a bit holding sleeve 33 so
that rotation between the bit 30 and the housing 10 is prevented,
but axial movement, permitted. The drill bit 30 is slidable between
a retracted drilling position in which an annular shoulder of the
drill bit abuts the forward end surface of the sleeve 33 and a
forward position in which a flange 35 on the shank 32 abuts a split
retainer ring 36. The bit 30 has a central longitudinal bore 37
into which an exhaust tube 38 extends with its forward end with a
sliding fit to provide a passage from the exhaust tube to the bore
in the bit. Flushing passages 39 lead from the bore 37 to the
forward end of the bit 30. The exhaust tube 38 has a flanged member
40 at its upper end and is fastened by means of this flange member
which is clamped between two elastic rings 41.
A hammer piston 42 with an axial bore 43 is reciprocable in the
liner 28 and divides the working cylinder 44, 45--formed by the
liner-- into a forward working chamber 44 in front of the hammer
piston 42 and a rear working chamber 45 has the back of the hammer
piston 42. The hammer piston 42 has a forward striking surface 46
with which it strikes the end surface 47--the anvil surface --of
the shank 32. AT each end, the hammer piston 42 has a cylindrical
surface 48, 49 in a sliding fit with the liner 28. Between these
two sliding surfaces 48, 49, the external diameter of the hammer
piston 42 is preferably about 0.2 mm less than the diameter at the
sliding surfaces 48, 49. There are also two deeper annular grooves
50, 51 in the piston. Although, in the figures, the entire bore 43
in the piston is shown in a sliding fit with the exhaust tube 38,
the middle portion of the hammer piston may have an internal
diameter slightly larger than the internal diameter of the end
portions.
There are forward 52 and rear 53 exhaust ports in the exhaust tube
38 so disposed that the hammer piston 42 opens the rear ports 53 to
exhaust air from the rear working chamber 45 when in forward
positions but shuts these ports off in other positions, and opens
the forward ports 52 to exhaust air from the forward working
chamber 44 when in rear positions but shuts these ports off when in
other positions.
The passages 27 lead into the rear (upper) end of the exhaust tube
38, and supply ports 54 connect the interior of the exhaust tube 38
with the rear working chamber 45. The valve 16 and the supply ports
54 are bypassed by narrow passages 72, 73 which ensures starting in
case the hammer piston 42 covers the supply ports 54 before
starting as may be the case when drilling upward directed holes.
The lower seat member 22 extends into the exhaust tube 38 and has a
portion 55 which shuts off the tube 38 between the supply ports 54
and the rear exhaust ports 53. The passages 24, 25 lead to ports
56, 57, 58 in the forward portion of the linear 28. The two
passages 24 lead to start ports 56 and to connection ports 57 and
the passages 25 lead to main ports 58.
The valve 16 has a flange with two piston surfaces 59, 60. The
flange 59, 60 divides a chamber 63, 64, in which it slides with a
sliding fit, into a first control chamber 63 and a second control
chamber 64. A control port 65 and a control passage 66 (illustrated
in a section in FIG. 1b and schematically by dotted lines in FIG.
4) connect the upper control chamber 64 with the rear working
chamber 45 when the hammer piston 42 holds this control port 65
open. Another control port 67 and another control passage 68
(illustrated in a section in FIG. 4 and schematically by dotted
lines in FIG. 1b) connect the lower control chamber 63 with a
forward working chamber 44 when the hammer piston 42 holds this
control port 67 open.
The control chamber 63 is vented to the exhaust tube 38 by means of
a venting passage 69 (illustrated in a section in FIG. 4 and
schematically by dotted lines in FIG. 1b) and a central passage 70
in the extended portion of the lower seat member 22. The control
chamber 64 is vented by means of a similar venting passage 71
(illustrated in a cross section in FIG. 3 and schematically by
dotted lines in FIGS. 1b, , 4) and the passage 70. The venting
passages 69, 71 are narrower than the control ports and passages
65--68. The lower seat member 22 is extended below the exhaust
ports 53, and some suction in the passage 70 will result from the
air exhausted through these ports 53. If this extension of the seat
member 22 is omitted, this exhaust air may have a detrimental
effect on the venting of the control chambers 63, 64. Direct
venting of the control chambers 63, 64 to the outside of the casing
29 is avoided because mud and dirt would easily clog in the venting
passage and because, when the drive air is off and the drill is in
a water filled hole, water and mud would completely fill the drill
notwithstanding the one-way valve 13 is closed. The venting passage
69 is used also for venting the space between the liner 28 and the
smaller diametered middle portion of the hammer piston 42 by means
of a port 74. This venting is essential for the operation when
there are increased clearance gaps between the sliding surfaces 48,
49 and the liner 28 because of wear.
In operation, the drill is suspended at the end of the
nonillustrated drill pipe and air is supplied to the backhead 11 of
the drill through the drill pipe. During drilling, the drill is
rotated by means of external rotation means rotating the drill
pipe, and axial pressure is supplied to the drill so that the drill
bit is pressed against the bottom of the hole. The drill bit is,
therefore, in its retracted position --the drilling position --as
illustrated in the figures 1b , 1c .
In FIG. 1b, the hammer piston is illustrated at the moment of a
power stroke (forward stroke) when it strikes the anvil surface 47
of the bit 30. The hammer piston 42 rebounds and, thus, the bit 30
limits the power stroke of the hammer piston. The valve 16 has the
position illustrated in FIG. 1b and compressed air is supplied
through the passages 24, 25 and the ports 56, 57, 58 into the
forward working chamber 44 so as to return hammer piston 42.
As will be described, the valve 16 remains in its position until
the hammer piston 42 uncovers the control port 67 during its return
stroke and compressed air is supplied from the forward working
chamber 44 to the control chamber 63 so that the air pressure upon
the piston surface 59 moves the valve into the position illustrated
in FIG. 4.
The high pressure in the control passage 68 is of short duration
because just after the control port 67 has been uncovered, the
exhaust ports 52 are also uncovered by the hammer piston. Because
of the air pressure upon the end surface 18, however, the valve 16
remains in its position of FIG. 4 until the control port 65 is
uncovered during the following power stroke. Compressed air is now,
at this stage of the return stroke, supplied to the rear working
chamber 45 through the passages 27 and the inlet ports 54. However,
the hammer piston 42 proceeds in its return movement because of its
momentum until it covers the inlet ports 54 and the air in the
closed cushion chamber, now formed at the rear of the hammer piston
42, stops the hammer piston and urges it forwards because of the
stored energy. The port 54 is again uncovered, and the compressed
air supplied to the rear working chamber 45 accelerates the hammer
piston.
Before the hammer piston 42 strucks the bit, it uncovers the
control port 65, and the high pressure from the rear working
chamber 45, transmitted through the control passage 66 to the
control chamber 64, influences the piston surface 60 to shift the
valve 16 into the position illustrated in FIG. 1.
The pressure rise in the control chamber 64 is very short lasting
because the hammer piston also uncovers the exhaust ports 53, but,
when the valve 16 once has shifted into this position, it remains
there because of the air pressure upon the end surface 17 until
there is another pressure pulse through the control passage 68.
Whenever during drilling, the drill is raised off the bottom of the
borehole or the bit advances much faster than the drill pipe, the
bit 30 drops until the retainer ring 36 prevents additional
downward movement. When the bit 30 drops, the hammer piston 42
tends to overtravel its normal forward stroke limit which is
defined by the anvil surface 47 of the bit 30 in the retracted
position. When the hammer overtravels, the groove 51 will be in
communication with the control port 67 at the same time as the
groove 50 is in communication with the connection ports 57 (FIG. 4)
. Since the valve 16 shortly before has taken up its position of
FIG. 1 when the port 65 was uncovered, there is compressed air in
the passages 24, and the two grooves 50, 51 and the clearance space
in between the grooves transmit compressed air from the passages 24
to the control passage 68, and so the valve 16 shifts back to the
position of FIG. 4. Now, compressed air blows through the passages
27, the ports 54, the rear working chamber 45, the ports 53, the
exhaust tube 38, the passage 37 in the bit, and the flushing
passages 39. Since the control port 65 is uncovered, the air
pressure in the rear working chamber now tends to shift the valve
16. However, as soon as the valve 16 moves only a little from its
seat 20, compressed air is supplied to the passages 24 and from
there via the grooves 50, 51 in the hammer piston to the control
passage 68, and the valve 16 returns to its seat 20. This movement
of the valve 11 will take place for instance once every second.
Thus, there is an uninterrupted hard air blow which cleanses the
bore hole from cuttings and mud.
When the bit 30 is again pressed towards its retracted position,
the connection ports 57 are closed off by the forward sliding
surface 49 of the hammer piston. Thus, the air pressure in the
passage 66 from the rear working chamber 45 shifts the valve into
the position of FIG. 1b . Then, when the start ports 56 into the
forward working chamber 44 are uncovered, air is supplied to this
chamber 44 and the hammer piston returns; that is to say, drilling
restarts automatically.
The connection ports 57 may be disposed at the same height as the
control port 67. In this case the sliding surface 49 extends to the
groove 51, and the groove 50 is omitted.
An increased flushing may be desirable for drilling in soft rocks.
For this purpose, a bypass passage 75 may be provided in the lower
seat member 22 as illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 4.
It is to be understood that the invention may be varied in many
other ways within the scope of the claims.
* * * * *