Method in putting together of a down-the-hole drilling apparatus and a down-the-hole drilling apparatus

Abstract

A method for assembling a down-the-hole drilling apparatus including a drilling device including a casing and a drilling unit arranged during drilling in connection with the casing. The drilling unit includes a drilling head including a drilling arrangement including a first drilling member for drilling a center hole and a second drilling member for reaming the center hole. The drilling members are mutually power transmittingly coupled during drilling to cooperate for rotational, feeding and/or hammering, and removably coupled to enable removal of the first drilling member from a hole. The casing is arranged to be pulled into the hole through a shoulder arranged at an end of the casing. At an opposite end of the drilling arrangement with respect to a drilling surface, is arranged a skirt including a radial internal shoulder for pulling the casing into the hole by cooperation of the internal shoulder and an external shoulder at the end of the casing.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a down-the-hole drilling apparatus, the apparatus comprising a drilling device comprising a casing and a drilling unit the drilling unit comprising a drilling head comprising a drilling arrangement, the drilling arrangement comprising a first drilling member configured to drill a center hole and a second drilling member configured to ream the center hole for the casing, the first drilling member and the second drilling member being coupled at least during drilling mutually in a power transmitting manner in order to cooperate for at least one of a rotational motion, a feeding motion or a hammering motion, and removably coupled in connection with the casing to enable at least removal of the first drilling member from a drilled hole, whereby the casing is arranged to be pulled into the hole to be drilled by the drilling unit through a shoulder arrangement arranged at an end of the casing, and, whereby at an opposite end of the drilling arrangement with respect to a drilling surface of the drilling unit is arranged a built-in skirt, the skirt comprising in a radial direction an internal shoulder arrangement for pulling the casing into the hole to be drilled by co-operation of the internal shoulder arrangement and the external shoulder arrangement being arranged at the end of the casing, the method comprising: manufacturing the internal shoulder arrangement in connection with the second drilling member to have an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the corresponding external shoulder arrangement of the casing; forming a mutual joint between the second drill member and the casing that transmits a pulling force in a longitudinal direction by placing the shoulder arrangements on top of each other, to overlap one another, the internal shoulder arrangement in the longitudinal direction behind the external shoulder arrangement, and by shrinking the internal shoulder arrangement in a shrinkable skirt part of the second drill member in order to diminish its inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the external shoulder arrangement.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when using an apparatus, in which the drilling head of the drilling unit is formed of a first frame part and a second frame part, wherein drilling surfaces formed of end surfaces of the above frame parts are provided with drilling organs of the first drilling member and the second drilling member, whereby at the end of the casing is being arranged an extension part to be fastened thereto separately and that is equipped with a shoulder arrangement, the method further comprising: coupling the extension part comprising an external shoulder arrangement with the end of the casing with at least one of a mechanical joint arrangement, a chemical joint arrangement or a joint arrangement based on melting.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: using in plastic pipe drilling, as the casing an unpreworked raw pipe preform, which is manufactured particularly for food stuff utilization.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: placing in the longitudinal direction between the shoulder arrangements at least one wear/slide ring to minimize thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: placing in the longitudinal direction between the shoulder arrangements at least one elastic/friction ring to minimize impact and thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement.

6. A down-the-hole drilling apparatus comprising: a drilling device comprising a casing and a drilling unit arranged at least during drilling in connection with the casing, the drilling unit comprising a drilling head comprising a drilling arrangement, the drilling arrangement comprising a first drilling member configured to drill a center hole and a second drilling member configured to ream the center hole for the casing, the first drilling member and the second drilling member being coupled at least during drilling mutually in a power transmitting manner to cooperate for at least one of a rotational motion, a feeding motion or a hammering motion, and removably coupled in connection with the casing to enable at least removal of the first drilling member from a drilled hole, whereby the casing is arranged to be pulled into the hole to be drilled by the drilling unit through a shoulder arrangement arranged at an end of the casing, and, whereby at an opposite end of the drilling arrangement with respect to a drilling surface of the drilling unit is arranged a built-in skirt part comprising in a radial direction an internal shoulder arrangement for pulling the casing part into the hole to be drilled by co-operation of the internal shoulder arrangement and the external shoulder arrangement arranged at the end of the casing, wherein the second drilling member and the casing are coupled with a shrink joint, in which the internal shoulder arrangement is placed in the longitudinal direction behind the external shoulder arrangement that exists in a shrinkable skirt part of the second drill member.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drilling head of the drilling unit comprises a first frame part and a second frame part, wherein drilling surfaces formed of end surfaces of the above frame parts comprise drilling organs of the first drilling member and the second drilling member, and whereby at the end of the casing is arranged an extension part to be separately fastened to the casing and that comprises a shoulder arrangement, wherein the extension part comprising the external shoulder arrangement is coupled with the end of the casing by at least one of a mechanical joint arrangement, chemical joint arrangement or a joint arrangement based on melting.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in plastic pipe drilling the casing comprises an unpreworked raw pipe preform, which is manufactured particularly for food stuff utilization.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the longitudinal direction between the shoulder arrangements is arranged at least one wear/slide ring to minimize thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the longitudinal direction between the shoulder arrangements is arranged at least one elastic/friction ring to minimize impact and thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the unpreworked raw pipe preform is manufactured from at least one of PEH, PVC or reinforced plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following description the invention is being illustrated in detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

(2) in FIG. 1 is shown as a longitudinal cross-sectional view an implication according to prior art related to metal pipe drilling, in which the mutual jointing means of the casing shoe and the reamer are arranged by two successive pulling shoulders in the longitudinal direction in the parts in question,

(3) in FIG. 2 is shown as a longitudinal cross-sectional view an implication according to prior art related to metal pipe drilling, in which the jointing means between the casing shoe and the reamer are carried out by one pulling shoulder in each,

(4) in FIG. 3 is shown as a longitudinal cross-sectional view an implication according to prior art related to metal pipe drilling, in which the jointing means between the casing shoe and the reamer are carried out by a screw joint and, in which pulling of the casing part into the hole takes place by shoulders between the pilot and the casing shoe,

(5) in FIG. 4 is shown as a longitudinal cross-sectional view an advantageous reamer manufactured according to the invention after manufacturing thereof prior to pressing thereof and mounting of the pilot in its place,

(6) in FIG. 5 is shown as a longitudinal cross-sectional view the coupling of the reamer according to FIG. 4 as a further advantageous embodiment with an extension part to be coupled with the end of the casing part,

(7) in FIG. 6 is shown as a longitudinal cross-sectional view a composition according to FIG. 4, being pressed together, in which the pilot has been placed in its place,

(8) in FIG. 7 is shown a longitudinal cross-sectional view a further advantageous composition, being carried out according to the invention, of an external shoulder arrangement in connection with the reamer and the end of the casing part, and

(9) in FIG. 8 is shown furthermore as a longitudinal cross-sectional view an advantageous composition according to the invention of the reamer and the end of the casing part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(10) The invention relates first of all to a method in putting together of a down-the-hole drilling apparatus, which apparatus has a drilling device 1 that consists of a casing part 2 and a drilling unit 3 existing at least during a drilling situation in connection with the above, which drilling unit includes in its drilling head a drilling arrangement, such as first drilling means 4 for drilling a center hole and second drilling means 5 for reaming the center hole for the casing part 2, the drilling means 4, 5 being coupled on the first hand at least during a drilling situation mutually in a power transmitting manner in order to carry out co-operation thereof for a rotational motion, a feeding motion and/or a hammering motion, and on the other hand removably in connection with the casing part 2 in order to enable at least removal of the first drilling means 4 from a drilled hole. The casing part 2 is arranged to be pulled into the hole to be drilled by a power influence directed thereto from the drilling unit 3 through a shoulder arrangement being arranged at an end of the casing part. At an opposite end II of the drilling arrangement, such as the second drilling means 5, with respect to a drilling surface P of the drilling unit 3, there has been arranged e.g. as shown in FIG. 4 a built-in skirt part z, which has in radial direction r an internal shoulder arrangement x for pulling the casing part 2 into the hole to be drilled by co-operation of the said internal shoulder arrangement x and the external shoulder arrangement y being arranged at the end I of the casing part.

(11) In the method according to the invention the internal shoulder arrangement x in connection with the second drilling means 5, such as an internal flange at an end of the skirt part z, is being manufactured e.g. on the principle that manifests itself in FIG. 4 by its inner diameter D essentially larger than the outer diameter d of the corresponding external shoulder arrangement y of the casing part 2, such as a cantilever flange at an end thereof, whereby a mutual joint L2 between the parts in question that transmits pulling in longitudinal direction s is being formed on the principle that manifests itself in FIG. 5 by placing the shoulder arrangements x, y, being put on top of each other, to overlap one another and by shrinking F1 the internal shoulder arrangement x in the longitudinal direction s behind the external shoulder arrangement y.

(12) As an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention particularly with reference to FIG. 6 the drilling head of the drilling unit 3 is formed of a first frame part 4a and a second frame part 5a, wherein drilling surfaces P; P1, P2 formed of end surfaces of the above frame parts are provided with drilling organs of the first and the second drilling means 4, 5, such as an integrated drilling part, separate drilling pieces, bits or like. Furthermore particularly with reference to FIG. 4 at the end of the casing part 2 is being arranged an extension part to be fastened thereto separately and that is equipped with a shoulder arrangement. The extension part 2a is being coupled with the end of the casing part 2 by what ever suitable e.g. mechanical joint arrangement L1, chemical joint arrangement L1 and/or joint arrangement L1 based on melting.

(13) As a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, in plastic pipe drilling, as the casing part 2 an essentially unpreworked raw pipe preform is being used, which is manufactured particularly for food stuff utilization preferably from PEH-, PVC-plastic or the like and/or from reinforced plastic, such as fibre-reinforced plastic or the like.

(14) Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention particularly with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6 in the longitudinal direction s between the shoulder arrangements x, y is being placed (e.g. by pushing in its place from behind prior to radial pressing together of the skirt part z) at least one wear/slide ring a particularly in order to minimize thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement y. What is meant by the above in practise is that e.g. a wear/slide ring a made of e.g. plastic, metal, composite and/or ceramic material acts as a slide surface for the internal shoulder arrangement x, in which case heat or wear is not directed to the external shoulder arrangement y.

(15) Depending on e.g. drilling circumstances at any given time, with reference particularly to FIG. 7 as a further advantageous embodiment as an alternative to the above mentioned or as an advantageous complementary embodiment, in the longitudinal direction s between the shoulder arrangements x, y is being placed at least one elastic/friction ring b particularly in order to minimize impact and thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement y. What is meant by the above in practise is that the elastic/friction ring above e.g. made of elastic plastic, rubber, silicon and/or the like material and that is placed advantageously directly against the external shoulder arrangement y absorbs e.g. vibration directed to the external shoulder arrangement from a hammering motion and eliminates rotative motion taking place against it, in which case excessive heating thereof can be avoided.

(16) The invention relates on the other hand to a down-the-hole drilling apparatus, which has a drilling device 1 that consists of a casing part 2 and a drilling unit 3 existing at least during a drilling situation in connection with the above, which drilling unit includes in its drilling head a drilling arrangement, such as first drilling means 4 for drilling a center hole and second drilling means 5 for reaming the center hole for the casing part 2, the drilling means 4, 5 being coupled on the first hand at least during a drilling situation mutually in a power transmitting manner in order to carry out co-operation thereof for a rotational motion, a feeding motion and/or a hammering motion, and on the other hand removably in connection with the casing part in order to enable at least removal of the first drilling means 4 from a drilled hole. The casing part 2 is arranged to be pulled into the hole to be drilled by a power influence directed thereto from the drilling unit 3 through a shoulder arrangement being arranged at an end of the casing part. At an opposite end II of the drilling arrangement, such as the second drilling means 5, with respect to a drilling surface P of the drilling unit 3, there has been arranged e.g. on the principle shown in FIG. 4 a built-in skirt part z, which has in radial direction r an internal shoulder arrangement x for pulling the casing part 2 into the hole to be drilled by co-operation of the said internal shoulder arrangement x and the external shoulder arrangement y being arranged at the end I of the casing part.

(17) In the down-the-hole drilling apparatus according to the invention, an inner diameter D of the internal shoulder arrangement x in connection with the second drilling means 5, such as an internal flange at an end of the skirt part z, is essentially larger than the outer diameter d of the corresponding external shoulder arrangement y of the casing part 2, such as a cantilever flange at an end thereof, in order to form a mutual joint L2 between the parts in question that transmits pulling in longitudinal direction s on the principle shown in FIG. 5 by placing the shoulder arrangements x, y, being put on top of each other, to overlap one another and by shrinking F1 the internal shoulder arrangement x in the longitudinal direction s behind the external shoulder arrangement y.

(18) As an advantageous embodiment of the down-the-hole drilling apparatus according to the invention, the drilling head of the drilling unit 3 is formed of a first frame part 4a and a second frame part 5a, wherein drilling surfaces P; P1, P2 formed of end surfaces of the above frame parts are provided with drilling organs of the first and the second drilling means 4, 5, such as an integrated drilling part, separate drilling pieces, bits or like, and, whereby at the end of the casing part 2 is arranged an extension part to be fastened thereto separately and that is equipped with a shoulder arrangement. The extension part 2a provided with an external shoulder arrangement y is coupled with the end of the casing part 2 e.g. by a mechanical joint arrangement L1, chemical joint arrangement L1 and/or a joint arrangement L1 based on melting.

(19) As a further advantageous embodiment of the down-the-hole drilling apparatus according to the invention, in plastic pipe drilling the casing part 2 is an essentially unpreworked raw pipe preform, which is manufactured particularly for food stuff utilization preferably from PEH-, PVC-plastic or the like and/or from reinforced plastic, such as fibre-reinforced plastic or the like. Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction s between the shoulder arrangements x, y, is arranged with reference to the advantageous embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7 at least one: wear/slide ring a particularly in order to minimize thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement y, and/or elastic/friction ring b particularly in order to minimize impact and thermal influence directed to the external shoulder arrangement y.

(20) It is clear that the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown or described above, but instead it can be modified within limits of the basic idea of the invention according to the needs and circumstances, such as the drilling site, at any given time. It is thus clear, that the constructions of the drilling devices being illustrated in the appended drawings may vary in practice very much merely when being carried out with differing diameters. Instead of the type of embodiments shown e.g. in the appended drawings, it is naturally possible to use as the drilling device also other drilling devices that are applicable for the same purpose, in which a casing part is being exploited in connection with the drilling that is being drawn into the ground most profitably unrotatively. It is not that significant for the method and the apparatus according to the invention, either, how the first and second drilling means are coupled to work, so that most heterogeneous solutions can be exploited as the power transmission assemblies between the same particularly thanks to the external functioning of the flushing flow with respect to the fastening arrangement starting from a screw joint locking. The invention is naturally applicable for use of a single part drilling device, which in that case does not have a separate reamer and pilot.