Combined directional and impact drilling motor

Abstract

A directional drilling mechanism is disclosed. The mechanism is also an impact drill.

1 . A directional and rotating drill mechanism, comprising: 
 an air compressor, for providing pneumatic energy to said mechanism;    a motor assembly, for rotatably driving a hammer which in turn rotatably contacts a wellbore area to be drilled, wherein said motor assembly uses pneumatic energy provided by said air compressor;    a bent sub assembly, connected to motor assembly; for controllably providing change in direction of said drill; and    a bottom assembly, connected to said bent sub assembly, for linearly driving and controlling said hammer, wherein said bottom assembly uses pneumatic energy provided by said air compressor;    wherein said motor, bent sub, and bottom assemblies are connected together in a drill string.    
   
   
       2 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said hammer having buttons positioned on its surface;    said hammer reciprocates within a portion of said bottom assembly so as to contact said area with repeated linear blows, wherein said mechanism simultaneously imparts rotation to said hammer so that said buttons on the hammer do not repeatedly strike the same area of said wellbore.    
   
   
       3 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said drill string is controlled from above ground using a drill pipe.    
   
   
       4 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said drill string rotates the entire hammer drill in rotations per minute similar to rotations supplied by the drilling rig and drill pipe, the buttons to rotate across the entire face of said borehole.    
   
   
       5 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said drill string is supplied sufficient torque energy by said air compressor to overcome the drag on the hammer from the sides of the borehole that hamper rotation.    
   
   
       6 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a motor inside said motor assembly is sufficiently small to fit inside the tube of the drill string.    
   
   
       7 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said motor, bent sub, and bottom assemblies are joined using threaded connectors.    
   
   
       8 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said joining occurs using sufficient torque so as to keep the drill string from disassembling during use.    
   
   
       9 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said drill string can withstand tensional forces encountered during the drilling process.    
   
   
       10 . The mechanism of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 said connectors provide a tight seal for routing the air necessary to drive the hammer.    
   
   
       11 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an auxiliary compressor to assists said air compressor.    
   
   
       12 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom assembly further comprises: 
 a regulator to limit the air pressure of the compressed air before it gets to the vane motor.    
   
   
       13 . The mechanism of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 an air regulator, connected between said air compressor and said motor, so that the air pressure from said compressor is regulated so as to not overdrive said motor, yet still provides optimum pressure for said motor to function.    
   
   
       14 . The mechanism of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 said motor has fins that turn like the blades of a fan or turbine.    
   
   
       15 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 motor assembly has check valves which are the ports where the air is exhausted out from said vane motor to the well bore.    
   
   
       16 . The mechanism of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 said check valves keep fluids and cuttings from entering the interior of said drill string when air is not being exhausted.    
   
   
       17 . The mechanism of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 said check valves are one-way so as to prevent drilled materials from flowing back into said drill string.    
   
   
       18 . The mechanism of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 said regulator ensures that a specific, fixed amount of pressure arrives at the motor.    
   
   
       19 . The mechanism of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 an air filter, connected between said compressor and said regulator, for preserving said motor.    
   
   
       20 . The mechanism of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 said filter removes all coarse material typically found in compressed air streams found on drilling rigs.    
   
   
       21 . The mechanism of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 motor must be small enough to fit inside the tube of the motor assembly, and also allow space for air tubing to be placed alongside the motor.    
   
   
       22 . The mechanism of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 said tubing allows a supply of air from said air compressor to be not directed at the motor and instead be supplied to said hammer.    
   
   
       23 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said motor assembly contains threaded plugs for lubrication.    
   
   
       24 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a gear system for transforming pneumatic energy into rotational; located within said motor assembly.    
   
   
       25 . The mechanism of  claim 24 , wherein said gear system further comprises: 
 a planetary gear system having a sun pinion gear at its center, surrounded by planet gears; and    a top gear hub and a gear hub base hold the planet gears in place with the proper alignment, so that they have optimum contact with the sun pinion gear.    
   
   
       26 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein said bent sub assembly further comprises: 
 two universal joints which act as two different independent links with another shaft in between the two so that they turn smoothly.    
   
   
       27 . The mechanism of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 said bent sub assembly can be built with a specific angle bend, measured in degrees.    
   
   
       28 . The mechanism of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 said bent or sloped area can be built with a variety of slopes or bends.    
   
   
       29 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a bearing supported drive shaft to a box coupling for which said hammer can be attached;    wherein said drive shaft is attached to said threaded housing using shaft pins.    
   
   
       30 . The mechanism of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of pins secure the box to bearing supported drive shaft under normal and occasionally high tension loads.    
   
   
       31 . The mechanism of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of keyways and keys are placed perpendicular to said pins to impart torque from the drive shaft to the box.    
   
   
       32 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an optional stabilizer, located within said bottom assembly, which keeps said drill string centered in the wellbore and keeps side load off said hammer.    
   
   
       33 . The mechanism of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 said drive shaft is centered within the bearing housing by means of tapered roller bearings.    
   
   
       34 . The mechanism of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 said box coupling transfers thrust loads from the hammer to a plurality of tapered roller bearings, which can withstand take both axial and radial loads.    
   
   
       35 . The mechanism of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 said drive shaft and box coupling is secured within the bottom assembly by means of retaining rings.    
   
   
       36 . The mechanism of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 motor assembly has flutes cut laterally along its length to allow for said tubing containing bypass air to reach the bent sub assembly.    
   
   
       37 . A method of performing directional drilling, comprising: 
 providing pneumatic power to a drill string using a single power source;    applying a hammer attached to said drill string within a well shaft in a linear path using said pneumatic power; and    simultaneously rotating said hammer using said pneumatic power.