US-12624604-B2 - Drilling head assembly with latching system and fluid retention mechanism

US12624604B2US 12624604 B2US12624604 B2US 12624604B2US-12624604-B2

Abstract

A head assembly for a drilling operation. The assembly includes a retractor case comprising a retractor pin slot. The assembly includes a body that comprises a body pin slot, wherein an interior space of the body is configured to receive the retractor case. The assembly includes a latch ear coupled to the body, wherein at least a portion of the latch ear extends outward relative to the body. The assembly includes an expansion block at least partially disposed within an interior space defined by the retractor case. The assembly is such that a position of the expansion block along a longitudinal axis of the assembly determines whether the latch ear is in an extended position or a retracted position relative to the body sidewall.

Inventors

Joshua Grant Turner

Assignees

Joshua Grant Turner

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240315

Claims (17)

1 . An assembly for performing a drilling operation in a substrate, the assembly comprising: a tube cap piston comprising a threaded recess; a viscosity adjustment screw coupled to the tube cap piston, wherein a threaded portion of the viscosity adjustment screw is screwed into the threaded recess of the tube cap piston; and a tube cap comprising a tube cap sidewall, wherein the tube cap further comprises a tube cap port disposed within the tube cap sidewall; wherein the tube cap piston and the viscosity adjustment screw are disposed within a hollow interior space defined by the tube cap sidewall; wherein a fluid passageway is formed in between the tube cap port and an exterior surface of the tube cap piston; and wherein the threaded portion of the viscosity adjustment screw is threaded into or out of the threaded recess of the tube cap piston to adjust a size of the fluid passageway; wherein the assembly comprises an uphole end and a downhole end; and wherein the viscosity adjustment screw is located uphole relative to the tube cap piston.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a terminating tube cap located at the downhole end of the assembly wherein the terminating tube cap is attached to an open end of the tube cap to close off a head of the assembly.
3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tube cap further comprises a viscosity adjustment wall disposed within the hollow interior space defined by the tube cap sidewall; wherein the viscosity adjustment screw comprises the threaded portion and further comprises a head portion; and wherein the head portion interfaces with the viscosity adjustment wall.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tube cap piston comprises a larger diameter body located nearer the uphole end of the assembly; and wherein the tube cap piston comprises a smaller diameter body located neared the downhole end of the assembly.
5 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the tube cap piston further comprises: a larger diameter face located at the uphole end of the tube cap piston; and a smaller diameter face located at the downhole end of the tube cap piston.
6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the larger diameter body is greater than a diameter of the larger diameter face; and wherein the tube cap piston comprises a chamfered edge extending from an edge of the larger diameter body to an edge of the larger diameter face.
7 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the smaller diameter body is greater than a diameter of the smaller diameter face; and wherein the tube cap piston comprises a chamfered edge extending from an edge of the smaller diameter body to an edge of the smaller diameter face.
8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tube cap piston comprises a piston chamfered edge configured to form an interference fit with a corresponding chamfered edge of the tube cap.
9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein screwing the threaded portion into the threaded recess of the tube cap piston increases the size of the fluid passageway; and wherein increasing the size of the fluid passageway enables higher viscosity fluids to flow through the fluid passageway.
10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein unscrewing the threaded portion from the threaded recess of the tube cap piston decreases the size of the fluid passageway; and wherein decreasing the size of the fluid passageway prevents higher viscosity fluids from flowing through the fluid passageway.
11 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway permits fluids comprising a viscosity having a fluid flow rate from about one quart per 28 seconds, to about one quart per 100 seconds, to pass through the fluid passageway when the threaded portion of the viscosity adjustment screw is fully threaded into the threaded recess of the tube cap piston.
12 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a maximum fluid viscosity permitted to pass through the fluid passageway comprises a fluid flow rate of up to about one quart per 65 seconds.
13 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spindle; wherein the spindle comprises a shock absorption spring; and wherein the shock absorption spring is disposed within the hollow interior space defined by the tube cap sidewall.
14 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the shock absorption spring prevents or mitigates damage to the assembly when one or more of: the assembly is lowered into the substrate and contacts a core barrel; or an overshot is lowered into the substrate and contacts a retractor case of the assembly.
15 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tube cap piston is exchangeable, and wherein the size of the fluid passageway is further adjustable based on a size of the tube cap piston.
16 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the downhole end of the assembly is located deeper in the substrate when at least a portion of the assembly is disposed within the substrate to perform the drilling operation; and wherein the uphole end of the assembly is located opposite to the downhole end of the assembly.
17 . An assembly for performing a drilling operation in a substrate, the assembly comprising: a tube cap piston comprising a threaded recess; a viscosity adjustment screw coupled to the tube cap piston, wherein a threaded portion of the viscosity adjustment screw is screwed into the threaded recess of the tube cap piston; and a tube cap comprising a tube cap sidewall, wherein the tube cap further comprises a tube cap port disposed within the tube cap sidewall; wherein the tube cap piston and the viscosity adjustment screw are disposed within a hollow interior space defined by the tube cap sidewall; wherein a fluid passageway is formed in between the tube cap port and an exterior surface of the tube cap piston; and wherein the threaded portion of the viscosity adjustment screw is threaded into or out of the threaded recess of the tube cap piston to adjust a size of the fluid passageway; wherein the assembly comprises an uphole end and a downhole end; and a terminating tube cap located at the downhole end of the assembly wherein the terminating tube cap is attached to an open end of the tube cap to close off a head of the assembly.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to assemblies for use in a drilling operation. BACKGROUND The disclosure relates generally to a head assembly for a drilling operation. The head assembly is a portion of the equipment needed to execute a drilling operation, and works in concert with a drill bit below, a core barrel above the drill bit, a head assembly above the core barrel, and an overshot that is introduced into the hole created by the drill bit. The overshot latches onto the head assembly, which in turn couples with the core barrel to lift the drilled earth from the formation out of the hole. Conventional, known wireline drilling operations include head assemblies that can perform their intended tasks, albeit with some inefficiencies and losses that have been considered unavoidable and accepted. The head assembly and some of its subcomponents experience a harsh environment in the newly drilled hole and are subject to wear due to friction, fracture, and deformation due to stress. Drilling operations with the conventional head assemblies also consume fluid, including water and/or drilling mud. Consuming less of these fluids translates directly to a more efficient drill, and therefore a more profitable endeavor. Thus, there are problems with conventional head assemblies that remain in need of a solution. The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description, which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like, which has been included in the specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Non-limiting and non-exhaustive implementations of the disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where: FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of a system for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 2A is a straight-on side view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 2B is a straight-on side view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation, wherein the assembly is rotated ninety degrees relative to the view illustrated in FIG. 2A; FIG. 3A is a wireframe straight-on side view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 3B is a wireframe straight-on side view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation, wherein the assembly is rotated ninety degrees relative to the view illustrated in FIG. 3A; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating components of a latch assembly and check valve assembly for an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 6A is a straight-on exploded view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 6B is a straight-on exploded view of an assembly for performing a drilling operation, wherein the assembly is rotated ninety degrees relative to the view illustrated in FIG. 6A; FIG. 7 is a wireframe straight-on side view of components of a latch assembly and check valve assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 8 is a straight-on side view of components of a latch assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional side view of components of a latch assembly and check valve assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation, wherein the latch assembly is in the unlatched configuration; FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional side view of components of a latch assembly and check valve assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation, wherein the latch assembly is in the latched configuration; FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a latch ear to be utilized as a component of a latch assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of an expansion block to be utilized as a component of a latch assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation; FIG. 12A is a schematic illustration depicting interactions between a latch ear and an expansion block of a latch assembly of an assembly for performing a drilling operation, wherein the latch ear is in an unlatched configuration; FIG. 12B is a schematic illustration depicting interactions between a latch