Shear claw bit

Abstract

A shear claw drill bit includes a bit body and a plurality of pick receptacles fixedly attached to the bit body. Each pick receptacle has a pick cavity. The shear claw drill bit further includes a plurality of picks. Each pick has a cutter cavity. The shear claw drill bit also includes a plurality of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters. Each PDC cutter is disposed in the cutter cavity of a respective pick of the plurality of picks. A portion of each PDC cutter protrudes out of the cutter cavity of the respective pick.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shear claw drill bit, comprising:
 a bit body;   a plurality of pick receptacles fixedly attached to the bit body, wherein each pick receptacle has a pick cavity;   a plurality of picks, wherein each pick is disposed in the pick cavity of a respective pick receptacle of the plurality of pick receptacles and wherein each pick has a cutter cavity; and   a plurality of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters, each PDC cutter disposed in the cutter cavity of a respective pick of the plurality of picks, wherein a portion of each PDC cutter protrudes out of the cutter cavity of the respective pick.   
     
     
         2 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one pick of the plurality of picks has a second cutter cavity and wherein a second PDC cutter is disposed in the second cutter cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each pick of the plurality of picks is removably secured in the pick cavity of the respective pick receptacle. 
     
     
         4 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 3 , wherein each pick of the plurality of picks is rotationally fixed within the pick cavity of the respective pick receptacle. 
     
     
         5 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each PDC cutter of the plurality of PDC cutters is fixedly attached to the respective pick within the cutter cavity of the respective pick by brazing the PDC cutter with the respective pick. 
     
     
         6 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of PDC cutters range in diameter from 8 millimeters (mm) to 22 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the bit body, the plurality of pick receptacles, and the plurality of picks are made from steel. 
     
     
         8 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pick receptacles are welded to the bit body. 
     
     
         9 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of nozzle opening in a bit face of the bit body. 
     
     
         10 . A method of fabricating a shear claw drill bit, the method comprising:
 attaching pick receptacles to a bit body, the picks having pick cavities;   placing picks in the pick cavities, the picks having cutter cavities, wherein the picks are removably attached to the pick receptacles;   placing PDC cutters in the cutter cavities; and   attaching the PDC cutters to the picks within the cutter cavities.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein attaching the pick receptacle to the bit body includes welding to the pick receptacles to the bit body. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein attaching the PDC cutters to the picks includes brazing the PDC cutters with the picks within the cutter cavities. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein placing the PDC cutters in the cutter cavities includes placing a first PDC cutter in a first cutter cavity of a pick and placing a second PDC cutter in a second cavity of the pick. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the picks are rotationally fixed within the pick cavities. 
     
     
         15 . A shear claw drill bit, comprising:
 a bit body having a bit face;   a plurality of columns extending out from the bit face, the plurality of columns having cutter cavities that are distal from the bit face, wherein the bit body and the plurality of columns are made from a single structure; and   a plurality of cutters disposed in the cutter cavities, wherein a portion of each cutter of the plurality of cutters protrudes out of a cutter cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein at least one column of the plurality of columns has a first cutter cavity and a second cutter cavity, wherein a first cutter of the plurality of cutters is disposed in the first cutter cavity, and wherein a second cutter of the plurality of cutters is disposed in the second cutter cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein the single structure is a steel structure and wherein the columns are carved out from the steel structure. 
     
     
         18 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein the cutter cavities are formed by drilling into an end portion of each column distal from the bit face. 
     
     
         19 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of cutters are polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters. 
     
     
         20 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 19 , wherein one or more cutters of the plurality of cutters has a non-zero degree rake angle. 
     
     
         21 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of cutters are brazed to the columns within the cutter cavities. 
     
     
         22 . The shear claw drill bit of  claim 15 , further comprising nozzle openings in the bit face of the bit body. 
     
     
         23 . A method of fabricating a shear claw drill bit, the method comprising:
 carving out columns from a steel structure such that the columns protrude out from a portion of the steel structure, the portion of the steel structure defining a bit body of the shear claw drill bit;   removing column portions of the columns to form cutter cavities in the columns, the cutter cavities being distal from the bit body;   placing cutters in the cutter cavities; and   attaching the cutters placed in the cutter cavities to the columns.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising drilling nozzle holes into the bit body, wherein openings of the nozzle holes are located in the bit face. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein removing the column portions of the columns to form the cutter cavities in the columns includes forming a first cavity and a second cavity in at least one of the columns, and wherein placing the cutters in the cutter cavities includes placing a first cutter in the first cutter cavity and placing a second cutter in the second cutter cavity. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cutters are polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein attaching the cutters to the columns includes brazing the cutters to the columns. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein carving out the columns from the steel structure includes using a drill to plunge into the steel body.