Earth-boring tools with precise cutter pocket location and orientation and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10005158-B2
Application number	US-201414564415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 9, 2014
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A method of forming an earth-boring tool includes forming a tool body including at least one inverted cutting element pocket, at least a portion of the at least one inverted cutting element pocket having a profile substantially matching a profile of an actual cutting element to be secured within a cutting element pocket to be formed by subsequently machining the at least one inverted cutting element pocket. Hardfacing material may be applied to portions of the tool body. The actual cutting element pocket is formed by removing material of the tool body within the at least one inverted cutting element pocket subsequent to applying the hardfacing material to portions of the tool body. A cutting element is affixed within the actual cutting element pocket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming an earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
forming a tool body including a plurality of inverted cutting element pockets formed within a blade of the tool body, at least a portion of each of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets having a profile substantially matching a profile of a respective actual cutting element to be secured within a cutting element pocket to be formed by subsequently machining the inverted cutting element pocket of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets;
applying a first hardfacing material to portions of the blade of the tool body and at least substantially surrounding an outer peripheral edge of each inverted cutting element pocket of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets with the first hardfacing material;
applying a second different hardfacing material to portions of the blade of the tool body immediately adjacent to the first hardfacing material, the second different hardfacing material extending between adjacent inverted cutting element pockets of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets;
forming a plurality of actual cutting element pockets by removing material of the tool body within each of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets subsequent to applying the hardfacing material to portions of the tool body; and
affixing cutting elements within the plurality of actual cutting element pockets.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets to comprise an integral portion of the tool body.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a tool body including a plurality of inverted cutting element pockets comprises forming a tool body including a plurality of inverted cutting element pockets each comprising a displacement inserted within a recess in the tool body.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the first and second hardfacing materials to portions of the blade of the tool body comprises applying the first hardfacing material, selected to exhibit a specific combination of machineability and wear resistance, to portions of the tool body adjacent at least one inverted cutting element pocket, and applying the second hardfacing material having a different composition than the first hardfacing material to at least a portion of the tool body separated from the at least one inverted cutting element pocket by at least a portion of the first hardfacing material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the first hardfacing material comprises applying first hardfacing material including hard particles dispersed within a matrix metal comprising a nickel-based alloy.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein applying the first hardfacing material including hard particles dispersed within a matrix metal comprising a nickel-based alloy comprises applying the first hardfacing material including a matrix metal comprising at least nickel, boron, and silicon.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the second hardfacing material having a different composition than the first hardfacing material comprises applying the second hardfacing material comprising hard particles dispersed within an iron-based metal alloy matrix.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the second hardfacing material having a different composition than the first hardfacing material further comprises applying the second hardfacing material having a different AISI machinability rating than the first hardfacing composition, and wherein the AISI machinability rating of the first hardfacing composition is at least about 10% greater than the AISI machinability rating of the second hardfacing composition.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a wetting inhibitor to at least a portion of each of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets before applying a the first or second hardfacing materials to portions of the blade of the tool body.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein applying a wetting inhibitor to at least a portion of each of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets comprises applying a wetting inhibitor to a face of each of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the plurality of cutting element pockets by removing material of the tool body within each of the plurality inverted cutting element pockets comprises machining at least a portion of each of the plurality of inverted cutting element pockets from the tool body using a machining tool.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a tool body including at least one protruding structure comprises forming a rotary drag bit body.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein no heat treatment of the tool body occurs subsequent to forming the plurality of actual cutting element pockets by removing material of the tool body.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein no hardfacing is applied to the tool body subsequent to forming the plurality of actual cutting element pockets by removing material of the tool body.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Sullivan Eric C
• Evans Kenneth R
• Gibbs Kenneth A
• Massey Alan J
• Oxford James Andy

Classifications

• E21B10/62

  characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable (E21B10/64 takes precedence; for roller bits E21B10/20; for augers E21B10/44) · CPC title

• E21B10/42

  Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits (characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62) · CPC title

• B23K1/0008 Primary

  specially adapted for particular articles or work · CPC title

• B23K2103/26

  Alloys of Nickel and Cobalt and Chromium · CPC title

• C21D9/22

  for drills; for milling cutters; for machine cutting tools · CPC title