Ice Drill

Abstract

A tool for drilling holes through ice has a central drill rod ( 2 ) having a spiral ( 5 ) for lifting crushed ice formed by the drilling, a carrier ( 6 ) attached to one end of the drill rod ( 2 ) and being fixed to at least one cutting blade ( 12 ) extending substantially radially with respect the drill rod ( 2 ) and having a cutting edge ( 13 ) for cutting and thereby drilling into the ice upon rotation of the drill rod ( 2 ). A member is fixed with respect to the carrier ( 6 ) for support on the ice through a surface ( 15 ) at a distance in the direction of the axis of the drill rod ( 2 ) in the drilling direction behind the cutting edge of the cutting blade ( 12 ) for defining the cutting depth when drilling by the tool.

1 . A tool for drilling holes through thick outdoor ice on lakes and the like, which comprises 
 a central drill rod ( 2 ) having a spiral ( 5 ) therearound for lifting crushed ice formed by the boring,    a carrier ( 6 ) attached to one end of the drill rod and having fixed thereto at least one cutting blade ( 12 ) extending substantially radially with respect to the drill rod and having a cutting edge ( 13 ) for cutting and thereby drilling into the ice upon rotation of the drill rod, and    in front of each said cutting blade with respect to the rotation direction of the drill rod intended for drilling, a member ( 14 ) fixed with respect to said carrier and having a surface ( 15 ) for supporting upon the ice when drilling at a distance in the direction of the axis of the drill rod in the drilling direction behind the cutting edge of the cutting blade for defining the cutting depth when drilling by the tool.    
   
   
       2 . A tool according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising an arrangement for adjusting said distance between the support surface and the cutting edge defining the cutting depth.  
   
   
       3 . A tool according to  claim 2 , wherein said arrangement comprises means ( 11 ) for exchangeably fixing said carrier ( 6 ) with respect to the drill rod ( 2 ) for alternating between carriers having different said distances between cutting edge ( 13 ) and support surface ( 15 ).  
   
   
       4 . A tool according to  claim 2 , wherein said arrangement comprises means ( 19 ,  20 ) for adjustably fixing the cutting blade ( 12 ) on the carrier in different positions corresponding to different said distances between the cutting edge ( 13 ) and said support surface ( 15 ).  
   
   
       5 . A tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a ring ( 16 ) concentric with respect to the axis of the drill rod and having such a diameter that the cutting blade ( 12 ) extends by the end ( 17 ) thereof remote with respect to the drill rod radially outside the ring.  
   
   
       6 . A tool according to  claim 5 , wherein said support member ( 14 ) is arranged on the ring or is a part thereof.  
   
   
       7 . A tool according to  claim 5 , wherein said support member is formed by a heal-like piece ( 14 ) arranged on the ring ( 16 ) and projecting further in said drilling direction than the rest of the ring.  
   
   
       8 . A tool according to  claim 5 , wherein said member is formed by a substantially circumferential surface ( 21 ) of the ring ( 16 ) directed axially.  
   
   
       9 . A tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said carrier ( 6 ) has the character of a bore crown also comprising said member providing a support surface.  
   
   
       10 . A tool according to  claim 9 , additionally comprising an attachment ( 22 ) fixed to the drill rod ( 2 ) for removably fixing the bore crown ( 6 ) to the drill rod.  
   
   
       11 . A tool according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 said carrier ( 6 ) has the character of a bore crown also comprising said member providing a support surface, and    the bore crown ( 6 ), except for the cutting blades thereof, is made substantially of plastic material.    
   
   
       12 . A tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said spiral ( 5 ) is moulded by a plastic material in one piece with a sleeve ( 7 ) central with respect thereto, and the sleeve receives and is secured to a rigid drill rod extending therethrough, preferably of metal.  
   
   
       13 . A tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said spiral ( 5 ) is moulded of a plastic material in one piece with a tube forming the drill rod.  
   
   
       14 . A tool according to  claim 9 , wherein said spiral ( 5 ) is moulded of a plastic material in one piece with a tube forming the drill rod and the bore crown.  
   
   
       15 . A tool according to  claim 5 , wherein a central tip ( 18 ) extending substantially axially is arranged at one end of the drill rod to project in the axial direction beyond the cutting blade or the cutting edges ( 13 ) of the cutting blade to be pressed down into the ice upon drilling.  
   
   
       16 . A tool according to any  claim 1 , wherein said distance between the support surface ( 15 ,  21 ) and the cutting edge ( 13 ) is 5-40 mm, advantageously ≧10 mm and preferably 10-30 mm.  
   
   
       17 . A tool according to  claim 3 , wherein said arrangement comprises means ( 19 ,  20 ) for adjustably fixing the cutting blade ( 12 ) on the carrier in different positions corresponding to different said distances between the cutting edge ( 13 ) and said support surface ( 15 ).  
   
   
       18 . A tool according to  claim 6 , wherein said support member is formed by a heal-like piece ( 14 ) arranged on the ring ( 16 ) and projecting further in said drilling direction than the rest of the ring.  
   
   
       19 . A tool according to  claim 2 , wherein the carrier comprises a ring ( 16 ) concentric with respect to the axis of the drill rod and having such a diameter that the cutting blade ( 12 ) extends by the end ( 17 ) thereof remote with respect to the drill rod radially outside the ring.  
   
   
       20 . A tool according to  claim 3 , wherein the carrier comprises a ring ( 16 ) concentric with respect to the axis of the drill rod and having such a diameter that the cutting blade ( 12 ) extends by the end ( 17 ) thereof remote with respect to the drill rod radially outside the ring.