Core sample orientation

Abstract

A core orientation device for a core drill. The device includes an arrangement for providing signals associated with a physical orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core sample is extracted. Signals are processed so as to provide processed data from which a measure of the physical orientation of the core sample can be established. The measure is associated with the physical orientation of an inner tube of the device at a particular moment in time when the core sample was separated from the body of material. To this end there is provided an interface permitting storage of the processed data in the memory and accessing the memory to provide the measure of the physical orientation of core sample when required.

1 . A method of obtaining an indication of the orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core sample has been extracted, the method comprising:
 drilling a core sample from a body of material with a core drill having an inner tube;   recording the orientation of the inner tube at predetermined time intervals, the time intervals being referable to an initial reference time;   inputting the specific time beyond the reference time representative of when the core sample was separated from the body of material;   removing the inner tube, with the core sample held therein in fixed relation to it, from the body of material; and   relating the inputted specific time to the recorded time intervals to obtain an indication of the orientation of the inner tube and consequently the core contained therein at the specific time.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 producing signals to indicate the orientation of the inner tube at any instant in time;   processing the signals to determine data indicative of the orientation of the inner tube at various instants in time;   inputting a time measurement representative of the instant in time when the core sample is separated from the body of material and first held in fixed relation thereto; and   comparing the inputted time measurement to the instants in time and identifying the data indicative of the orientation of the inner tube and consequently the core sample at the instant in time.   
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising generating data representative of the orientation of the core sample at a subsequent time and providing a visual indication of the orientation of the core sample at a time at which the drilling was terminated and/or a direction in which the core sample should be rotated at said subsequent time in order to bring the core sample into an orientation corresponding to its orientation in the identified data. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the instant in time is representative of a duration of time relative to the initial reference time. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising storing the data indicative of the orientation of the inner tube at various instants in time at predetermined time intervals. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the time measurement comprises a time interval, and the comparison comprises relating the time interval to one of the predetermined time intervals to identify data indicative of the orientation of the inner tube at the time interval. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising associating means for producing the signals with the inner tube of the core drill and fixing against rotation relative thereto. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , and further of obtaining a core sample, comprising:
 moving the core drill from a first location to a drilling location and thereafter operating the core drill to drill a core sample which is received in the inner tube;   providing signals associated with a physical orientation of the inner tube between the first location and the drilling location;   providing signals associated with a physical orientation of the inner tube at the drilling location; and   processing the signals to provide processed data from which a measure of the orientation of the inner tube at different time instants at the drilling location can be obtained.   
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing signals associated with a physical orientation of the core sample;   processing the signals to provide processed data from which a measure associated with the orientation of the core sample at a particular moment in time can be obtained;   inputting a time measurement indicative of a particular moment in time; and   providing the measure associated with the orientation of the core sample, the measure being associated with the inputted time measurement.   
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining and storing orientation of the core sample at predetermined time intervals relative to the initial reference time;   inputting a selected time interval; and   relating the selected time interval to one of the predetermined time intervals.   
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 generating signals responsive to the orientation of the core sample;   receiving the generated signals;   processing the signals to generate orientation data representative of the orientation of the core sample;   storing the orientation data at predetermined time intervals;   inputting a signal representative of a selected time interval;   relating the selected time interval to the predetermined time intervals; and   outputting a signal indicative of the orientation of the core sample at the selected time interval.   
     
     
         12 . A core orientation system for providing an indication of the orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core sample has been extracted using a core drill, the core drill having an inner tube, the system comprising:
 means for recording the orientation of the inner tube at predetermined time intervals, the time intervals being referable to an initial reference time, and for inputting the specific time beyond the reference time representative of when the core sample was separated from the body of material; and   means for relating the inputted specific time to the recorded time intervals to obtain an indication of the orientation of the inner tube and consequently the core contained therein at the specific time.   
     
     
         13 . A system as claimed in  claim 12 , comprising:
 means for providing signals associated with the physical orientation of the inner tube of the core drill;   input means for inputting into the system a time measurement indicative of the time when the core sample is detached from the body of material from which it is taken and held in fixed relation to the inner tube;   one or more processing means for processing the signals to produce data indicative of the orientation of the inner tube;   one or more processing means for processing the data produced and the inputted time measurement to produce an indication of the orientation of the core sample relative to the material from which it is detached; and   display means for the indication of the orientation of the core sample relative to the material from which it is detached.   
     
     
         14 . A system as claimed in  claim 13 , comprising one or more means for storing the data produced and/or the indication of the orientation of the core sample. 
     
     
         15 . A system as claimed in any one of  claims 13 , wherein the physical orientation of the core sample comprises: a rotational orientation about a longitudinal axis of the core sample; and/or an angular orientation of a longitudinal axis of the core sample above or below a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         16 . A system as claimed in  claim 12 , comprising:
 an arrangement for providing signals associated with a physical orientation of the core sample;   one or more processing means for processing the signals to provide processed data from which a measure associated with the orientation of the core sample at a particular moment in time can be obtained;   input means for inputting a time measurement indicative of a particular moment in time into the one or more processing means; and   means for providing the measure associated with the orientation of the core sample, the measure being associated with the inputted time measurement.   
     
     
         17 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , comprising means for storing the processed data. 
     
     
         18 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the physical orientation of the core sample comprises: a rotational orientation about a longitudinal axis of the core sample;
 and/or an angular orientation of a longitudinal axis of the core sample above or below a horizontal plane.   
     
     
         19 . A system as claimed  claim 16 , comprising means for relating the measure associated with the orientation of the core sample with a present orientation thereof such that the core sample can be rotated to reflect the measure associated with the orientation of the core sample. 
     
     
         20 . A system as claimed in  claims 16 , wherein the means for providing the measure associated with the orientation of the core sample comprises a display means for displaying the measure associated with the orientation of the core sample. 
     
     
         21 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , comprising a body in the form of a housing having at least one threaded end for being engaged by the inner tube of the core drill. 
     
     
         22 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the signals are transmitted to the one or more processing means and, prior to being transmitted to the one or more processing means, the signals are transmitted to an analogue-to-digital converter. 
     
     
         23 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the one or more processing means comprises a timer configured for ensuring that the one or more processing means processes signals from the arrangement over predetermined time intervals. 
     
     
         24 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the one or more processing means is operable to integrate signals from the arrangement over a predetermined time interval. 
     
     
         25 . A core drill having a core orientation system for providing an indication of the orientation of a core sample relative to a body of material from which the core sample has been extracted using a core drill, the core drill having an inner tube, the system comprising:
 means for recording the orientation of the inner tube at predetermined time intervals, the time intervals being referable to an initial reference time, and for inputting the specific time beyond the reference time representative of when the core sample was separated from the body of material; and   means for relating the inputted specific time to the recorded time intervals to obtain an indication of the orientation of the inner tube and consequently the core contained therein at the specific time.   
     
     
         26 . A core drill as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the core drill comprises core drill recording means for recording a relative rotational orientation of a core sample drilled by the core drill and the inner tube such that a measure of the rotational orientation of the core sample can be established using the indication of the orientation of the inner tube. 
     
     
         27 . A core drill as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the core drill recording means comprises a mechanism for preventing rotational movement about the length of the core sample, relative to the inner tube. 
     
     
         28 . A core drill as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising means for relating the indication of the orientation of the inner tube with a present orientation thereof such that the inner tube can be rotated to reflect the indication of the orientation of the inner tube. 
     
     
         29 . A core drill as claimed in  claim 25 , comprising an outer tube and the inner tube, with the inner tube having means for accommodating the system or components of the system along the length of the inner tube. 
     
     
         30 . A core drill as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the inner tube includes a bearing allowing the means for accommodating the system or components of the system to rotate relative to the outer tube but not relative to the core sample when the core sample is received by the inner tube. 
     
     
         31 . A core drill as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the system has input means comprising a keypad and display means comprising a Liquid Crystal Display, both being protected by the inner tube. 
     
     
         32 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the specific time is the time at which the core sample was separated from the body of material. 
     
     
         33 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising providing a visual indication of the orientation of the tube at the time instant when the core sample is detached from the body of material at the drilling location. 
     
     
         34 . A method as claimed in  claim 29 , comprising providing a visual indication of the orientation of the core sample at the selected time interval.