Method and apparatus for boring through a solid material

Abstract

A drill bit shaft member for tapping a hole in a blast furnace is disclosed. The drill bit shaft member comprises an elongate rod, a first fluid pressure inlet, a second fluid pressure inlet, a chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid pressure inlet and the second fluid pressure inlet, and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. A liquid and a gas are combined in the drill bit shaft member to form a mist to provide cooling for the drill bit shaft member. By cooling the drill bit shaft member, certain components that would normally be destroyed may be re-used.

1 . A drill bit shaft member for interconnection to a drilling apparatus, the drill bit shaft member comprising: 
 a first shaft member comprising a first elongate rod having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end having a first fluid pressure inlet, a second fluid pressure inlet, a chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid pressure inlet and the second fluid pressure inlet, and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second shaft member joined to the distal end of the first shaft member, the second shaft member comprising a second elongate rod having a fluid entrance and a fluid exit, the fluid entrance in fluid communication with the outlet of the first shaft member and the fluid exit.    
   
   
       3 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a tubular sleeve axially disposed around the second elongate rod to form an open volume between the second elongate rod and the tubular sleeve, a first end of the tubular sleeve adjacent to a first end of the second elongate rod and joined to the second elongate rod to form a seal with the second elongate rod.    
   
   
       4 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 3  wherein the second elongate rod has a first port in fluid communication with the fluid entrance of the second elongate rod and the open volume.  
   
   
       5 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 4  wherein the second elongate rod has a second port in fluid communication with the open volume and the fluid exit of the second elongate rod.  
   
   
       6 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a drill bit joined to a second end of the second elongate rod, the drill bit adapted for receiving a fluid pressure from the second shaft member and delivering the fluid pressure to a drill site.    
   
   
       7 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 6 , wherein a second end of the tubular sleeve opposite the first end of the tubular sleeve is adjacent to the drill bit.  
   
   
       8 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 7  wherein the second end of the tubular sleeve abuts the drill bit.  
   
   
       9 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 an exit port in the tubular sleeve in fluid communication with the open volume.    
   
   
       10 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 1  wherein the first fluid pressure inlet is axially disposed within the second fluid pressure inlet.  
   
   
       11 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 1  wherein the first fluid pressure inlet delivers a liquid and the second fluid pressure inlet delivers a gas.  
   
   
       12 . A drill bit shaft member for interconnection to a drilling apparatus, the drill bit shaft member comprising: 
 an elongate rod comprising a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet, a chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid inlet and the second fluid inlet, a tubular sleeve axially disposed around the elongate rod to form an open volume between the elongate rod and the tubular sleeve, a first end of the tubular sleeve adjacent to a first end of the elongate rod and joined to the elongate rod to form a seal, and a fluid exit in fluid communication with the chamber.    
   
   
       13 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 12  wherein the elongate rod has a first port in fluid communication with the chamber and the open volume.  
   
   
       14 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 13  wherein the elongate rod has a second port in fluid communication with the open volume and the fluid exit.  
   
   
       15 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 an exit port in the tubular sleeve in fluid communication with the open volume.    
   
   
       16 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 12  wherein the first fluid pressure inlet is axially disposed within the second fluid pressure inlet.  
   
   
       17 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 12  wherein the first fluid pressure inlet delivers a liquid and the second fluid pressure inlet delivers a gas.  
   
   
       18 . A low-cost method for drilling a tap hole in a blast furnace, the low-cost method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first fluid pressure source;    providing a second fluid pressure source;    providing a drill shaft member comprising a first fluid pressure inlet, a second fluid pressure inlet, a chamber, and a fluid exit;    providing a drill bit interconnected to the drill shaft member;    introducing a first fluid pressure from the first fluid pressure source through the first fluid pressure inlet to the chamber;    introducing a second fluid pressure from the second fluid pressure source through the second fluid pressure inlet to the chamber;    mixing the first fluid pressure and the second fluid pressure within the chamber to form a mixture of the first fluid pressure and the second fluid pressure;    expelling the mixture of the first fluid pressure and the second fluid pressure through the fluid exit; and,    providing a drilling force to the drill bit.    
   
   
       19 . The low-cost method of  claim 18  wherein the first fluid pressure inlet is axially disposed within the second fluid pressure inlet.  
   
   
       20 . The low-cost method of  claim 18  wherein the first fluid pressure is a liquid and the second fluid pressure is a gas.  
   
   
       21 . A drill bit shaft member for interconnection to a drilling apparatus, the drill bit shaft member comprising: 
 a first shaft member comprising an elongate rod having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end having a first fluid pressure inlet, a second fluid pressure inlet, a chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid pressure inlet and the second fluid pressure inlet, and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber; and    a second shaft member joined to the distal end of the first shaft member, the second shaft member comprising a hollow, thin-walled tube having a fluid entrance and a fluid exit, the fluid entrance in fluid communication with the outlet of the first shaft member and the fluid exit, and the fluid exit in fluid communication with a drill bit.    
   
   
       22 . The drill bit shaft member of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 a drill bit joined to the second shaft member, the drill bit adapted for receiving a fluid pressure from the second shaft member and delivering the fluid pressure to a drill site.    
   
   
       23 . A drill bit for use with a drill bit shaft rotating about a drilling axis, the drill bit comprising: 
 a first drilling piece configured for attachment to the drill bit shaft to create fluid communication between the first drilling piece and the drill bit shaft, the first drilling piece adapted to rotate about the drilling axis to define a first drilling radius; and    a second drilling piece joined to the first drilling piece and adapted to rotate about the drilling axis to define a second drilling radius that is smaller than the first drilling radius, the second drilling piece in fluid communication with the first drilling piece.    
   
   
       24 . The drill bit of  claim 23 , further comprising a third drilling piece joined to the second drilling piece and adapted to rotate about the drilling axis to define a third drilling radius that is smaller than the second drilling radius, the third drilling piece in fluid communication with the second drilling piece.  
   
   
       25 . The drill bit of  claim 23 , wherein the second drilling piece is geometrically similar to the first drilling piece.  
   
   
       26 . The drill bit of  claim 23 , wherein the drill bit is adapted for receiving a fluid pressure from the drill bit shaft and delivering the fluid pressure to a drill site.  
   
   
       27 . The drill bit of  claim 26 , wherein the fluid pressure is delivered to the drill site through an opening located at the periphery of the second drilling piece.  
   
   
       28 . The drill bit of  claim 26 , wherein the fluid pressure is delivered to the drill site through an opening located between the first drilling piece and the second drilling piece.  
   
   
       29 . The drill bit of  claim 28 , wherein the first drilling piece is configured to create a space between the opening and the drill bit shaft.  
   
   
       30 . The drill bit of  claim 26 , wherein the fluid pressure is delivered to the drill site through an opening at the end of the drill bit opposite the drill bit shaft.  
   
   
       31 . A drill bit for use with a drill bit shaft rotating about a drilling axis, the drill bit comprising: 
 a first drilling piece configured for attachment to the drill bit shaft and adapted to rotate about the drilling axis to define a first drilling radius; and    a second drilling piece joined to the first drilling piece and adapted to rotate about the drilling axis to define a second drilling radius that is smaller than the first drilling radius,    wherein the drill bit is adapted for receiving a fluid pressure from the drill bit shaft and delivering the fluid pressure to a drill site.    
   
   
       32 . The drill bit of  claim 31 , further comprising a third drilling piece joined to the second drilling piece and adapted to rotate about the drilling axis to define a third drilling radius that is smaller than the second drilling radius.  
   
   
       33 . A low-cost, recoverable drill rod system for use in tapping a metallurgical blast furnace, the low-cost, recoverable drill rod system comprising: 
 a first thin-walled tubular drill rod having a sidewall defining a first interior chamber, the sidewall having a thickness between 0.05 and 1.0 inches;    a fluid pressure delivery tube disposed within chamber, the chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than the fluid pressure delivery tube; and    a second thin-walled tubular drill rod joined to the an end of the first tubular drill rod, the second thin-walled tubular drill rod having a sidewall defining a second interior chamber in fluid communication with the first interior chamber, the sidewall of the second thin-walled tubular drill rod having a thickness between 0.05 and 1.0 inches.    
   
   
       34 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 33  wherein the sidewall of the first thin-walled tubular drill rod is thicker than the sidewall of the second thin-walled tubular drill rod.  
   
   
       35 . A low-cost, recoverable drill rod system for use in tapping a metallurgical blast furnace to remove molten iron from the blast furnace wherein at least a portion of the low-cost, recoverable drill rod system must withstand an elevated temperature caused by the molten iron, the low-cost recoverable drill rod system comprising: 
 a first thin-walled tubular drill rod having opposing proximal and distal ends joined by a sidewall defining a first interior chamber, the proximal end adapted for attachment to a drilling apparatus and having a fluid pressure inlet system for separately introducing a first fluid pressure and a second fluid pressure into the first interior chamber, the first interior chamber adapted for mixing the first fluid pressure and the second fluid pressure, the distal end of the first thin-walled tubular drill rod having an outlet for transferring a mixture of the first fluid pressure and the second fluid pressure from the first thin-walled tubular drill rod; and    a second thin-walled tubular drill rod having opposing first and second ends joined by a sidewall, the first end adapted for attachment to the distal end of the first thin-walled tubular drill rod and having an entrance port in fluid communication with the outlet of the first thin-walled tubular drill rod, the sidewall defining a second interior chamber for receiving the mixture of the first and second fluid pressures from the entrance port, and the second end having an exit port for expelling the mixture of the first and second fluid pressures from the second thin-walled tubular drill rod.    
   
   
       36 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 35  wherein the sidewall of the first thin-walled tubular drill rod has a thickness between 0.05 and 1.0 inches.  
   
   
       37 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 35  wherein the sidewall of the second thin-walled tubular drill rod has a thickness between 0.05 and 1.0 inches.  
   
   
       38 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 35  wherein the sidewall of the first thin-walled tubular drill rod is thicker than the sidewall of the second thin-walled tubular drill rod.  
   
   
       39 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 35  wherein the fluid pressure inlet system comprises a first inlet for transferring a liquid fluid pressure and a second inlet for transporting a gas fluid pressure.  
   
   
       40 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 35  wherein the fluid pressure inlet system comprises a passage and a tube, for transferring the first fluid pressure, extending through the passage, the passage having a larger cross-sectional area than the tube to allow the second fluid pressure to enter the chamber.  
   
   
       41 . The low-cost, recoverable drill rod system of  claim 35  wherein the fluid pressure inlet system comprises a passage having a cross-sectional area large enough for receiving a water emitting tube while allowing a scavenger air pressure provided by a drilling apparatus to pass therethrough.