Ergonomic core drilling system shoe interface

Abstract

A shoe assembly of a core drilling system includes a lower tubular body threaded onto an upper shoe component, the shoe assembly in turn removably threaded on to an annular inner pipe integral to the earth core drilling system, the lower shoe having a torque pattern of two or more surface indentations or slots disposed strategically about the outer periphery thereof, the torque pattern matching a pattern of protrusive elements on a friction-breaking socket tool, wherein a worker may place the friction-breaking socket tool on or over the lower tubular body and use that tool to break the threaded interface between the upper shoe component and the inner pipe of the core drilling system and unscrew the shoe assembly from the inner pipe to remove an earth core sample from the inner tube pipe and to screw the shoe assembly back on to the inner tube pipe.

1 . A shoe assembly of an earth core drilling system comprising:
 a lower tubular body having a first threaded connection to an inner tube pipe at one end, the inner tube pipe enabled to limit movement of at least one core retaining mechanism within the inner tube pipe, the inner tube pipe having a second threaded connection to an upper tubular body, the lower tubular body having a torque pattern of two or more surface indentions or slots disposed strategically about an outer periphery, the torque pattern matching a pattern of protrusive elements on a friction-breaking annular tool;   wherein the friction-breaking annular tool is enabled to encompass the lower tubular body to break the second threaded connection and unthread the lower tubular body from the inner tube pipe, thereby removing an earth core sample from the core retaining mechanism, and to thread the lower tubular body back on to the inner tube pipe and the upper tubular body.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein additional tubular bodies may be threaded together to form a shoe assembly which limits the motion of at least one core retaining device. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more surface indentations comprising the torque pattern are elongated slots parallel to one another and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the lower tubular body, and wherein the friction breaking tool is a socket tool with a handle and the matching protrusions are elongated keys that fit into the slots. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the surface indentations are blind seats linear in orientation, the torque pattern disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the tubular assembly body around the periphery thereof, and wherein the friction-breaking tool is a crescent tool having matching protrusions on the inside of a crescent head, the crescent head having a handle. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the torque pattern includes five slots in a star pattern accepting a matching star pattern of five elongated keys arrayed about the inside of the socket tool. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the socket tool handle is a breaker bar handle. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the socket tool handle is a ratchet handle. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the friction breaking tool is a socket tool and the handle is replaced by a pneumatic system, an electric drive system, or a hydraulic drive system. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the slots extend at least partially on to the peripheral surface of additional tubular bodies in the shoe assembly of  claim 2 , the threaded interface designed to align the slot patterns when the components are fully threaded together. 
     
     
         10 . A method of removing a core sample from an inner tube assembly including a lower tubular body having a first connection to an inner tube pipe, the lower tubular body enabled to limit movement of at least one core retaining mechanism within the shoe comprising the steps of:
 securing the inner tube pipe in a vice apparatus on a surface;   placing a friction-breaking annular tool having a pattern of protrusive elements aligned to engage a torque pattern of two or more surface indentations or slots disposed strategically about an outer periphery of the lower tubular body;   applying force to the friction-breaking annular tool to break the second threaded connection and unthread the lower tubular body from the inner tube pipe, thereby allowing for the removal of an earth core sample from the inner tube assembly;   utilizing the friction-breaking annular tool to thread the lower tubular body back on to the inner tube pipe.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein additional tubular bodies are threaded together to form a shoe assembly which limits the motion of at least one core retaining device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the two or more surface indentations comprising the torque pattern are elongated slots parallel to one another and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the lower tubular body, and wherein the friction breaking tool is a socket tool with a handle and the matching protrusions are elongated keys that fit into the slots. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the surface indentations are blind seats linear in orientation, the torque pattern disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the tubular assembly body around the periphery thereof, and wherein the friction-breaking tool is a crescent tool having matching protrusions on the inside of a crescent head, the crescent head having a handle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the torque pattern includes five slots in a star pattern accepting a matching star pattern of five elongated keys arrayed about the inside of the socket tool. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the socket tool handle is a breaker bar handlespec. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the socket tool handle is a ratchet handle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the friction breaking tool is a socket tool and the handle is replaced by a pneumatic system, an electric drive system, or a hydraulic drive system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the slots extend at least partially on to the peripheral surface of additional tubular bodies in the shoe assembly of  claim 2 , the threaded interface designed to align the slot patterns when the components are fully threaded together.