U.S. patent number 3,887,020 [Application Number 05/323,852] was granted by the patent office on 1975-06-03 for apparatus for geological drilling and coring.
Invention is credited to John D. Chaffin.
United States Patent |
3,887,020 |
Chaffin |
June 3, 1975 |
Apparatus for geological drilling and coring
Abstract
Apparatus and method for complete reverse air vacuum drilling by
entrainment of chips and dust in a high velocity air stream created
by applying a vacuum to the drill stem or the annulus of a drilled
hole, removing the drilled particles by entrainment in the flow of
air created by the vacuum and collection of the drilled particles
for visual or other analysis.
Inventors: |
Chaffin; John D. (Pacific
Palisades, CA) |
Family
ID: |
26829995 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/323,852 |
Filed: |
January 15, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
132001 |
Apr 7, 1971 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
175/206; 175/60;
175/213; 175/212 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
21/00 (20130101); E21B 49/02 (20130101); E21B
21/07 (20130101); E21B 21/16 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
21/00 (20060101); E21B 49/00 (20060101); E21B
21/16 (20060101); E21B 49/02 (20060101); E21B
21/07 (20060101); E21b 021/00 (); E21c
007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;175/60,213,206,207,212,217,218,171 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Brown; David H.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending
application, Serial No. 132,001, filed now abandoned, April 7,
1971.
Claims
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
1. An apparatus for drilling and recovering geological samples
comprising:
A. rotary drilling means having a hollow drill stem and a drill bit
secured to the lower end thereof for forming continuous bore holes
in the earth;
B. means for raising and lowering said drill stem and means for
rotating said drill stem and bit;
C. means for creating a vacuum in said hollow stem whereby a
current of air is sucked down through an annulus formed between the
drill stem and the earth and is drawn up the inside of said drill
stem while entraining the drilled material from the bore hole:
D. separator means for removing the drilled material from the air
stream;
E. means for guiding the air and entrained material from the top of
the drill stem to the separator means; and
F. means selectively positionable for disconnecting the vacuum
means, the separator means and the entrained material guiding means
and for connecting a drilling fluid pump to the drill stem for
pumping drilling fluid down the drill stem.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, including collection means associated
with said separator means for collecting the drilled material.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 including a surge chamber on the drill
stem drive means for reducing the velocity of the air and entrained
material as it leaves the drill stem.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for guiding
the air and entrained material includes a fast-acting valve
assembly for switching from a first collector means to a second
collector means and back again when one of said collector means
becomes full.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drill bit is a roller cone
drill bit.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the center portion of the
roller cone drill bit has the same internal diameter as the drill
stem.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a seal means for
sealing off the annulus and means for pumping air down the annulus
to assist the vacuum in lifting the drilled material up the drill
stem.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 and further including means
for connecting a vacuum means to the seal means to thereby create a
vacuum in the annulus and means for disconnecting the vacuum means
from the drill stem and means for guiding the air and entrained
material from the annulus to the separator means.
9. An apparatus for drilling and recovering geological samples in
wet or dry formation at depths of more than 5,000 feet,
comprising:
A. rotary drilling means having a hollow drill stem;
B. vacuum pump or blower means for creating a vacuum in the drill
stem for sucking the drilled material from the formation;
C. separator and collecting means for separating and collecting the
drilled material from the air being sucked up the drill stem;
D. drilling fluid pump means for forcing drilling fluid down the
drill stem; and
E. valve means for selectively connecting the vacuum pump and
separator and collecting means and the drilling fluid pump means to
the drill stem.
10. Apparatus for drilling in wet, dry or caving formations with
near 100 percent geologic sample recovery in dry formation and for
taking core samples in wet formation, comprising:
A. a hollow stem rotary drill;
B. means for creating a vacuum in the drill stem for creating a
current of air down around the drill stem and up the inside thereof
to entrain the drilled material and raise it to the surface;
C. separator means for separating the drilled material from the
air;
D. collection means for collecting the drilled material;
E. conduit means connecting the drill stem to the separator,
collector and vacuum means;
F. means for switching the hollow stem rotary drill from the vacuum
means when wet formations are encountered, comprising:
a. a valve assembly;
b. drilling fluid pump; and
c. conduit means connecting said drilling pump to the hollow drill
stem.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is the drilling and coring of geological
structures and obtaining continuous and rapid delivery of strata
material as it is being drilled.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Drilling apparatus and methods involving creating an airflow
through the drill stem in a drilled hole for withdrawing the
drilled particles upward from the bottom of the hole are known. For
example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,229, issued Dec. 13, 1966.
However, collection of the sampled material, using the known
systems, has been very costly and time-consuming with a relatively
low degree of accuracy in obtaining a sample which is readily
indicative of the subterranean formations. Furthermore, there is no
known apparatus or method for switching from the dry method to
other methods of drilling in a matter of seconds. Ordinarily, this
operation would require lengthy delays while very complex machinery
transfers could be undertaken.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a new
and novel machine and method for removing strata material from any
geological surface and collecting it in an accurate, fast and easy
manner without interrupting the drilling process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for
drilling geological samples without polluting the atmosphere with
dust particles.
It is another object to obtain 100 percent recovery of the sample
material.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a more rapid
visual correlation between the sample taken and the depth at which
the sample was extracted.
Still another object of this invention is a machine having a
manifold means which allows switching from dry drilling when water
or other unsatisfactory conditions are encountered, and switching
back to dry drilling when the conditions have been overcome.
Another object of this invention is an apparatus and method which
permits continuous drilling even through "thief" formations or old
tunnels.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the
following descriptions and drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a preferred drilling
apparatus according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a functional schematic of the apparatus showing the
relationships of the components;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the final dry
collector unit showing also a portion of the truck bed on which it
is carried;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view, on a reduced scale, of the collector
unit, parts being broken away for purposes of illustration;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an arrangement at the top of the
hole for utilization in applying a reverse vacuum or supplying air
to the annulus;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a stand for and a collector
bag; and
FIG. 7 is a partly sectional view of a preferred drilling bit and
connector assembly.
The method of drilling and recovery of geological material by the
reverse air vacuum system reduces the amount of time and work
required in taking geologic samples because a vacuum system which
results in air velocities upward through the drill stem of 5,000 to
15,000 fpm, is more efficient in lifting the particulate material
to the surface than the old high pressure air or water methods. As
a result, larger particles can be lifted with attendant reduction
in costs associated with drilling to the smaller particle size
required by high pressure systems. Also, high pressure systems are
more dangerous to persons working around them, while the reverse
air vacuum is positively dust free. Lastly, the reverse air vacuum
system will allow exploration of previously unexplorable locations
because as compared to conventional equipment, the apparatus is
smaller, more compact, lighter in weight, and more easily
transported into areas which were previously too costly to
explore.
Drilling with the reverse air vacuum system provides a high
velocity air stream to suck the cuttings off the roller bit or drag
bits from their cutting edge and thereby the hole is kept cleaner
and the drill can be kept on a solid bottom at all times. Also,
when fissures, cracks or tunnels are encountered down the hole, it
is impossible to lose circulation. The drill bit can drop through
tunnels or open space and keep on drilling. When water in excess of
that which can be atomized and drawn out using the vacuum system is
encountered, it is only necessary to pack off above the water or
fissure or crack and force a quick-setting chemical agent into the
formation and then clean out the hole and proceed with vacuum
drilling. If too much water is encountered, the vacuum attachments
are pulled out of the hole, casing is set and a diamond drill bit
with standard wire line coring barrel is used until such
water-bearing formation is passed and then a casing or fast-setting
chemical is placed in the hole to block off the formation that is
causing trouble and the vacuum attachments are lowered down the
hole, all mud and water sucked out of the hole, and drilling on the
reverse air vacuum is resumed.
The apparatus of this invention is a result of 17 years of field
research. I have examined every known core drilling machine, and
have concluded that apparatus made and operated in accordance with
the instant invention is cheaper to operate, per foot of drilled
hole, more efficient, faster, safer, more accurate, and does not
contribute in any way to the pollution of the atmosphere or
contaminate the wall of the hole. Because of the critical shortage
of minerals and oil in the world today, and because of the high
cost of exploration and development of mining areas, the present
invention will be a boon to mankind. Many areas in arid and dry
climates such as Arizona, Nevada, desert and mountainous country,
and most of Australia, require transporting water for hundreds of
miles before conventional hard rock core drilling can be
accomplished. With the reverse air vacuum system, hard rock
drilling can be accomplished with staggering economic savings.
Another adaptation of the present method and apparatus is in
drilling in the permafrost on the north slope of Alaska to provide
holes for the H beams that support the pipe sections. The drilling
of permafrost with any other method requires saline mud, air which
melts the ice, or chemicals that coat the walls of the drill hole,
keeping other material such as melting permafrost or cement from
adhering to the wall of the hole; consequently, high gas pressure
or constant vibration will loosen the H beams or the conductor
pipe. With reverse air vacuum, the walls of the hole are
uncontaminated and, by melting the drilled cuttings to form a
"soup" and pouring them back into the hole around the conductor
pipe or H beams, it will adhere and become solid permafrost.
In high velocity reverse air vacuum drilling according to the
instant invention, there is near 100 percent visual sample recovery
of all drilled ore bodies with the sample being deposited in clear
polyethylene bags or clear plastic tubes, without any loss or
contamination of samples as in other systems. It is more accurate
than convention air, mud or diamond drilling, less expensive, dust
free, faster and much less expensive. The system is so efficient
that it is impossible to lose circulation, under the most adverse
conditions, in dry formations. Approximately one hundred per cent
of the cuttings is recovered, even in broken, open fissure of
cavernous conditions.
Vacuum drilling in the preferred method and apparatus of the
present invention is accomplished by reverse circulation of high
velocity air on the vacuum suction side. Clear, uncontaminated air
is pulled down the annulus between the drill string and the wall of
the hole. The air then travels upward at 10,000 fpm or higher, up
the inside of the flush I.D. drill string, carrying chips, dust,
and all pertinent elements to a separation and collection system
wherein the material is automatically accumulated at the cyclonic
separators in, for example, polyethylene bags, where a replication
of the uncontaminated mineral stratification in granular form can
be examined immediately and accurately.
Trouble encountered with forced air drilling is reduced to a
minimum by reverse air vacuum drilling. The system's dustfree
operation protects drilling personnel and greatly reduces the
possibility of their contracting silicosis, pneumoconiosis,
phthisis, or other diseases common in the drilling field.
Furthermore, it gives equipment longer operational life.
Longer operational life of the bit is accomplished by the reverse
air flow of free uncontaminated, above-the-ground-terperature air
down the annulus. This keeps the bit 50 to 75 percent cooler than
any other method of air drilling.
Geologists are able to record accurately and scientifically, the
stratifications as they are drilled. This is possible because the
geologists can see at once the changes in formation as the sample
comes into the plastic tubes at the cyclonic separators. This
process provides, therefore, a continuous visual log of the drilled
hole, eliminating the necessity to stop drilling operations for
core sampling. If a core sample is desired, in dry formation, a
vacuum wire line core barrel is lowered to take such a core.
The apparatus of this invention, with the combination of wire line
diamond drill attachment with water or vacuum, driven by a top head
drive from 0-1100 rpm, makes it possible to drill to 5,000 feet and
beyond. The apparatus has the capacity of regular standard wire
line diamond core drilling with water or air assist, or vacuum in
dry formations, down-the-hole hammer drilling with exclusive vacuum
recovery, and built-in wire line diamond drill to follow up any
vacuum drill hole, in order to finish the hole when water is
encountered.
Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a
truck 10 carrying at the rear a protable drilling tower 11. The
tower 11 can be of conventional construction; in the embodiment
shown it includes a hydraulic jack 12 which can be operated to fold
the tower on the truck for movement to a new location.
The tower supports a hollow drill stem 13, at the lower end of
which is a drill bit 14. This bit in the preferred embodiment
differs from the conventional tri-cone bit in the provision of an
additional heavy skirting between the rollers as shown at 14a in
FIG. 7 to assist in the production of a high velocity air stream
and the ready pickup of drilled particles adjacent the drill piece
and in the provision of an interior opening of equal crosssectional
area with the interior of the drill pipe. The stem is rotated by an
elevated Kelly-type drive 15 through which the upper end of the
stem extends. The upper end of the stem includes at its upper end a
surge chamber 16 to momentarily remove the air velocity to which is
connected the hose line 17 which is utilized during reverse vacuum
drilling to apply a vacuum to the drill stem.
The source of vacuum for the system is a positive displacement type
suction pump or blower means 18 which is mounted on the bed of the
truck 10 and which discharges through a muffler 18a. The suction
side of the blower is connected with an air cleaning system
including an oil-bath air filter 19, an air washer unit 20, a final
dry collector unit 21 and cyclonic separators 22, 23. The manner in
which these various components are associated with one another will
be subsequently described. All of these units or components are
conveniently mounted on the truck bed; and, as will be seen, they
cooperate with one another to bring about the desired collection of
the drill cuttings and the return to the atmosphere of clean,
uncontaminated air.
In the general operation of the system, with the valves set as in
FIG. 2, and as has earlier been briefly alluded to, the suction
pump or blower means 18 operates to apply a continuous vacuum to
the hose line 17 connected with the top of the drill stem. The
entrained particles leaving the drill stem are carried first
through a valve 24 (See FIG. 2), then to a manifold 25 to one or
the other of the cyclone separator sets. The paths to the cyclone
separators are under the control of the valves 26, 27 which are
linked by links such as 28 to a common control 29, which may be a
bank of hydraulic cylinders or the like. The common control also
serves to operate bleeder valves 30, more of which will be said
later. These valves are of quick snap acting ball type so that they
rapidly and practically instantaneously close and open and provide
a flow path equal in area to the flow area of the pipes or
conduits; such valves as such for other uses are known to thos
skilled in the art, and the details of their construction play no
part in my invention.
As will be subsequently explained in somewhat greater detail, the
cyclonic separators serve as the point of initial collection of
drill cuttings. After leaving the cyclone separator sections, the
air stream (relieved of the major and most fine particles) is
delivered to the final dry collector section 21, where the very
fine particles are captured and can be collected. The stream then
moves on into the air washing and oil-bath air filter sections 20,
19 respectively, and thence to and out the discharge of the
blower.
The air washer comprises a casing 20a having an input conduit 43 at
one end and an exhaust conduit 32 at the opposite end. A water pump
43 is connected with a source of water (not shown) and delivers it
under high pressure to a series of spray atomizing nozzles 33
adjacent the input ends. A series of transverse baffles in the form
of excelsior packs 20b are spaced along the casing. These act to
collect any moistened dust carried on past the final dry collector
section. The casing 20a is provided with a removable cover or wall
so that the packs 20b can be removed and washed, and the residue
collected for analysis.
Collection of particles at the cyclone separators is preferably
done in transparent bags such as polyethylene bags 34, the general
nature of which is illustrated in FIG. 6. The bag is shown in a
metal wire holder or stand 35, the open mouth of the bag being
secured to a ring on the holder by an internal tapered wedge ring
36 with a bottom plate 37 providing a standard. These bags can be
slipped up inside a hollow plastic tube 22a, 23a located at the
lower or discharge end of the cyclone separators, an air tight
sliding bottom support plate or trapdoor being used to hold the
bags in place within the tubes during collection. However, in many
cases collection may be made in the tubes without the use of the
bags.
The structure of the final dry collector 21 is generally shown in
FIG. 3 and 4. Basically it comprises an outer housing 38 which is
sub-divided into an upper bag compartment 39 and a lower hopper
section 40 by a horizontal partition 41. The partition is
substantially air tight except for two rows of openings 42 having
flanges which project upwardly within the bag chamber. Vacuum is
imposed to the bag compartment 39 through the line 43.
Within the bag chamber are mounted two rows of finely woven fabric
bags 44. The closed upper ends of these bags are suspended from a
rod 45, which is mounted for rapid longitudinal oscillation under
the influence of oscillating motor 46, which may be an electric
motor. The lower, open, ends of the bags are sleeved over and
secured to the flanges at the partition openings. As will be
evident, air is drawn through the bags from the chamber below and
any particles carried by the air will be intercepted by and
deposited on the insides of the bags.
The airstream from the cyclone separtors enters the hopper section
40 through the line 47, which comes from the second or smaller of
the cyclone separators. As can be seen particularly from FIG. 4,
the line 47 runs along the side of the collector and venturi
nozzles 47a communicate with openings in the line so that the air,
as it enters the chamber, is given added velocity to distribute it
more uniformly across the chamber.
The hopper has a sloping hopper bottom which preferably is of
highly polished interior construction, or alternatively, coated
with Teflon, stainless steel or similar material. Agitators in the
form of electrically driven vibrators 48 are mounted on the hopper
in order to cause gravity movement of material deposited on the
hopper walls toward the discharge 49 of the hopper. A ball valve 50
controls discharge. In addition, a bleeder valve 51 is located
below valve 50 so that when the latter is closed, the vacuum can be
relieved in the space below the valve. The space below the valve is
occupied by another collector tube 52 which can be fitted in any
desired way to the discharge and can be removed therefrom once the
valve is closed.
The particles cut in the hole and drawn up through the hollow drill
stem 13 range in size from microns to one-half inch and above.
Drilling with 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of pressure on the bit, the
cuttings consist approximately 99 percent above the micron size.
Tests based on flow through transparent tubes show all cuttings,
including fines and the coarse material, traveling in the center of
the plastic tube at such velocities that it is almost impossible to
detect any separation; an ordinary flour sifter can be utilized to
determine the percentages of powder, the size of the cuttings and
the condition of the cutters on the bit by sifting a portion of a
"grab" sample from one of the large cyclones.
The velocity of air passing through the drill stem ranges from
5,000 to 15,000 fpm, and the internal diameter of the drill stem
may be from less than 1 inch to more than 10 inches. Particles
collected at the cyclone separators and dropped into the collector
tubes reflect very closely the actual stratification within the
hole, since the material is delivered within seconds to the tubes
in the same order that it has been cut. We have found that changes
in depth are reflected by the changing color.
In a typical example, a one and one-half inch drill stem was used
with similar diameter hose, and the large cyclones were
approximately six inches in diameter. This provides a sufficient
drop in velocity so that the cuttings will spin out and drop into
the collector tubes.
In vacuum drilling in any kind of rock, the drill bit 14 preferably
is such that the normal openings between the three legs of the
tri-cone are closed up or skirted down as close to the center or
below center in order to build up the velocity of the free air
entering between the teeth and under the skirt. This is in order to
assist in picking up the cuttings as quickly as they are cut and
deliver them through the orifice in the drill bit, which is the
same inside diameter as the drill pipe inside diameter. The drill
bit according to the preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The
body of the bit is the same size as the connector 53, known in the
drilling art as a double female drill sub. The bit has what is
known in the drilling art as a threaded pin 14a, as does the drill
pipe which has a pin at the lower end. This arrangement insures a
high velocity air stream on the vacuum side which moves the
particulate drilled material at over 5,000 fpm. depending on the
inside diameter of the drill stem. This velocity is maintained up
to delivery to the cyclone separators. By utilizing high velocity,
and particularly, increasing the velocity in the vicinity of the
bit, the drill bit is kept cooler than in high pressure forced air
systems or even water. As a result, it is possible to use three
cone vacuum roller drill bits or drag bits at much greater depths
and for longer periods.
Also, it is possible to use a common vacuum type drill bit (not
shown). Inside such a bit there are three air or mud passage holes
going directly to each roller bearing. These are provided so that
in conventional wet drilling, the rollers will be kept clean of
dirt, rock or mud. On the reverse air vacuum, these same passages
are used to keep dust out of the bearings, keeping them free to
roll and not freeze up. This, in combination with washing the oil
out of the bearings before the bit goes into the hole, makes the
vacuum bit re-tippable as high as seven times before the bearings
go out, with a result in economy to the driller and his client.
The jack means 12 of FIG. 1 may be used to position the drill tower
at any conventional angle to drill angled holes. In fact, using
high velocity air on the vacuum side, the problems of angle
drilling are minimized because the particles are moving at such
high relative velocities there is little or no drag or accumulation
on the side of the drill stem. Also, conventional means are
employed to automatically control the weight of the drill bit on
the drilled material to insure optimum cutting. Since the readout
of strata material at the cyclone collector tubes is virtually
instantaneous, the operator can vary the weight of the drill bit
more rapidly to avoid temporary heat buildup.
When drilling through "thief" formations or loose fissure material,
using the high velocity vacuum system, there is no loss of
circulation. In conventional high pressure air drilling, the hugh
volume of air required to pressurize the hole "bleeds" the cuttings
off into the thief formation, the drill chips are not removed from
the drill bit with consequent damage to the drill bit and loss of
hole-making capacity, sometimes resulting in stuck drill stem or
drill pipe. In the reverse air vacuum system as thus far described,
the annulus is not pressurized, and therefore there is no bleed-off
into the fissure.
In operation, the apparatus of the present invention permits
drilling and recovery of sample material using high velocity air on
the vacuum side down to 5,000 feet or beyond. If water is reached
having a flow of less than eight gallons per minute, the high
vacuum system will continue to remove the drilled material and
merely requires the additional step of removing the water from the
drilled material.
If water is encountered while drilling with reverse air vacuum, and
it exceeds the litting capacity of the high velocity air (or from 2
to 8 gallons per minute, depending on the inside diameter of the
drill pipe: 1 inch, 2 gallons per minute; 11/2 inch, 4 gallons per
minute; 2 inch, 51/2 gallons per minute; 21/2 inch, 8 gallons per
minute) the valves 24, 24a, 54 and 54a are operated to disconnect
the vacuum drilling system and switch to other types of drilling
procedures which may utilize drilling fluid supplied through line
55 and pump 56. The vacuum system blower can in fact be kept
running if desired, drawing outside air through the system through
the line 24b at valve 24a, which is just ahead of the blower 18. It
is quite important that valves 24 and 24a be operated
simultaneously, by direct linking, common control, or
otherwise.
A standard wire line coring apparatus (not shown) can be employed
after casing has been set to keep the diamond drill pipe from
flopping around. After passing through the water table, the hole
can be underreamed and casing can be pushed to the bottom of the
hole, or chemical can be grouted into the formation and after
holding pressure for a given period of time, the pressure is
released. If the hole holds pressure, then casing can be removed
after all water and mud has been vacuumed out of the hole and the
diamond drilling apparatus has been removed and the system can be
switched back to the reverse air vacuum system through use of
valves 54, 58 and 24a.
As earlier mentioned, the drill cuttings can be collected in
plastic bags at the cyclone separators 22, 23 and in plastic bags
or tubes at the final dry collector 21. The cuttings are deposited
essentially in stratified form, reflecting the strata which has
been drilled through. The bags, which are removed from the cyclonic
separators which filled, can be laid end-to-end to give an
replication of the geologic strata being bored. Also, it is
possible to correlate the depth from which the sample is taken with
the sampled material.
FIG. 5 shows an arrangement wherein the reverse aid vacuum system
can be employed with a down-the-hole hammer drill bit (not shown).
A drill stem seal 57 seals off the annulus of the drilled hole and
provides an air tight rotary seal with drill stem 13. Using a
down-the-hole hammer, which is well known in the art and forms no
part of the present invention, air is forced down the drill stem to
operate the cylinder of the hammer. This is effected (refer to FIG.
2) by closing valve 24 and opening valves 54 and 58. The cuttings,
chips and particles are removed from the hole by high velocity air
caused by applying the vacuum system of FIG. 2 through opening
valve 60, which provides a path to a line 59, which connects with
the annulus (FIG. 5). When valve 60 is opened, valve 24a should be
shifted to reconnect the suction side of the blower with the
system. As in the previous case, the drilled particles are
deposited in the visual receptacles in the cyclonic separators and
the final dry collector.
It will be apparent that by using the arrangement of FIG. 5, vacuum
drilling fluid or compressed air can selectively be applied to
either the annulus or stem, and by the same token, using either the
FIG. 1 arrangement or FIG. 5 arrangement, drilling mud or
compressed air can be supplied to the drill string with vacuum or
no vacuum on the drill string. Thus drilling fluid can be used in
the conventional manner of drilling, pumping it down through the
stem and up through the annulus by closing valve 24, and opening
valves 54 and 54a. Valve 61 would remain closed, as would valve 60.
A switch can be made from drilling fluid to compressed air by
reclosing valve 54 and opening valve 58. Compressed air can be
supplied to the annulus in the FIG. 5 arrangement while a vacuum is
imposed on the string by opening valves 58 and 61 with valves 60,
54 and 54a remaining closed.
Detecting means may be employed within or in the vicinity of the
collection of the cuttings to detect various changes occurring
within the drilled strata. For instance, galvanometer means may be
positioned such that the particulate matter passing thereover would
indicate the presence of water. This is of distinct advantage
because the high velocity air vacuum drilling could be interrupted
by manipulation of the valves heretofore described, and the diamond
drill attachments brought into drilling position for drilling the
wet strata. Also, from a geochemical standpoint, it is important to
know whether or not the Ph of certain of the strata is basic or
alkaline and ordinary testing methods may be employed on a
continuous basis for this purpose. When drilling for uranium
samples, it is possible when using the present apparatus and
method, and because of the dry condition of the samples, to place a
Geiger counter or other radiation detecting device near the
polyethylene bag or the collection tube and thereby constantly
monitor the drilling for any indications or uranium. When using
conventional diamond drilling for uranium samples, water or
drilling mud is employed to cool the bit and carry the drill
cuttings and chips to the surface. This tends to dilute and
contaminate the sample, and in many cases gives erroneous
indications.
The sealing arrangement of FIG. 5 can also be used, as earlier
noted, in conjunction with the vacuum arrangement wherein the
cuttings are drawn upwardly through the drill stem 13. With the
sealing arrangement, air from blower 18 (or from a separate source)
can be applied to the annulus in order to assist the vacuum in
lifting the material through the drill stem. Also, and as earlier
described, it is possible to pull a vacuum on the annulus and
remove the cuttings from the bore hole by vacuum with air assist
and entrain material up the annulus and out the annulus through the
seal to the separator means. While not shown in the drawings, it is
envisioned that additional pipes or casing may be placed in the
hole to provide for controlled cross sectional area during pulling
of vacuum on the annulus.
The recovered material in the plastic tubes may be split by a
"Jones" splitter to give the geologist smaller samples for
analysis. Also, it is possible to take "grab" samples by quickly
changing back and forth from one set of the cyclonic separators to
the other set. The bleeder valves 30 operate to relieve the vacuum
in the respective cyclonic separators when the valves 26, 27 are
closed, thus permitting access to the collection tubes 22a,
23a.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well
adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth
together with other advantages which are obvious and which are
inherent to the structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are
of utility and may be employed without reference to other features
and subcombinations.
As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without
departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all
matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to
be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *