Earth drilling apparatus

Abstract

An earth drilling apparatus is disclosed herein. The earth drilling apparatus includes an exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes an inner barrel positionable within the exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a drill bit releasibly engaged with the exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a liner for retaining samples of earth and positionable within the inner barrel. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a shoe releasibly engaged with the inner barrel at a mounting location to selectively retain the liner in place. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a wiper mountable on the inner barrel at the mounting location when the shoe is removed. The wiper is operable to wipe the liner as the liner is removed from the inner barrel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An earth drilling apparatus comprising:
 an exterior conduit;   an inner barrel positionable within said exterior conduit;   a drill bit releasibly engaged with said exterior conduit;   a liner for retaining samples of earth and positionable within said inner barrel;   a shoe releasibly engaged with said inner barrel at a mounting location to selectively retain said liner in place; and   a wiper mountable on said inner barrel at said mounting location when said shoe is removed, said wiper operable to wipe said liner as said liner is removed from said inner barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said wiper is further defined as being discontinuous about a perimeter of said liner. 
     
     
         3 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said wiper further comprises:
 a circular sealing member defining a sealing periphery and at least one notch interrupting said sealing periphery. 
 
     
     
         4 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said wiper further comprises:
 a circular sealing member defining a sealing periphery and a plurality of notches interrupting said sealing periphery. 
 
     
     
         5 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said wiper further comprises:
 a sealing member; 
 a housing engaged with said sealing member and defining threads. 
 
     
     
         6 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the sealing member is further defined as at least one o-ring. 
     
     
         7 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the sealing member is further defined as a plurality of o-rings. 
     
     
         8 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the housing further comprises:
 at least one aperture positioned between said sealing member and said threads along a central axis of said housing. 
 
     
     
         9 . The earth drilling apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said at least one aperture further comprises:
 a plurality of apertures angularly spaced from one another about said central axis. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method for obtaining samples of earth comprising the steps of:
 disposing an exterior conduit in soil;   positioning an inner barrel within the exterior conduit;   releasibly engaging a drill bit with the exterior conduit;   retaining samples of earth in a liner disposed within the inner barrel;   retaining the liner in place within the inner barrel with a shoe releasibly engageable with the inner barrel at a mounting location;   withdrawing the inner barrel from the exterior conduit after said retaining step;   removing the shoe from the inner barrel after said withdrawing step;   mounting a wiper on the inner barrel at the mounting location; and   drawing the liner from the inner barrel through the wiper.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of:
 contacting less than a full circumference of the liner with the wiper.