Reamer Wear Protection Assembly and Method

Abstract

Embodiments of a reamer of the present invention generally include a front end containing components, such as pie wedge-shaped corebuster components, that are substantially axially disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of the reamer, wherein the pie wedges include abrasion-resistant inserts, which may be cylindrical in shape, oriented substantially longitudinally with respect to the axis of rotation of the reamer. Embodiments of a method of using an apparatus of the present invention are also provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A reamer for horizontal directional drilling comprising:
 a front end comprising one or more components oriented substantially axially to an axis of rotation of said reamer;   wherein:   at least one said axially oriented component is equipped with one or more abrasion-resistant members that is at least partially embedded in an outer exterior surface thereof, and that is oriented substantially longitudinally with respect to said axis of rotation of said reamer.   
     
     
         2 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more front end components comprises a pie wedge. 
     
     
         3 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 2 , wherein an abrasion-resistant member at least partially protrudes through an exterior surface of a pie wedge in which it is at least partially embedded. 
     
     
         4 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more abrasion-resistant members comprises a substantially cylindrical component. 
     
     
         5 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 4 , wherein said cylindrical component comprises a plurality of components cooperatively arranged. 
     
     
         6 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of at least one said one or more front end components is beveled. 
     
     
         7 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said one or more abrasion-resistant members at least partially protrudes through said beveled exterior surface. 
     
     
         8 . A reamer for horizontal directional drilling comprising:
 a front end comprising one or more components oriented substantially longitudinally to an axis of rotation of said reamer;   wherein:   at least one said axially oriented component is equipped with one or more abrasion-resistant members that is at least partially embedded in an outer exterior surface thereof, and that is oriented substantially longitudinally with respect to said axis of rotation of said reamer.   
     
     
         9 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said one or more front end components comprises a longitudinal corebuster component. 
     
     
         10 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 8 , wherein an abrasion-resistant member at least partially protrudes through an exterior surface of a longitudinal corebuster component in which it is at least partially embedded. 
     
     
         11 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said one or more abrasion-resistant members comprises a substantially cylindrical component. 
     
     
         12 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 11 , wherein said cylindrical component comprises a plurality of components cooperatively arranged. 
     
     
         13 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of at least one said one or more front end components is beveled. 
     
     
         14 . The reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said one or more abrasion-resistant members at least partially protrudes through said beveled exterior surface. 
     
     
         15 . A method of using a reamer for horizontal directional drilling comprising:
 providing a reamer for horizontal directional drilling, wherein said reamer comprises:
 a front end comprising one or more components oriented substantially axially to an axis of rotation of said reamer;
 wherein: 
 at least one said axially oriented component is equipped with one or more abrasion-resistant members that is at least partially embedded in an outer exterior surface thereof, and that is oriented substantially longitudinally with respect to said axis of rotation of said reamer; and. 
 
   operating said reamer to enlarge the diameter of a subsurface hole.   
     
     
         16 . The method of using a reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of said one or more front end components comprises a pie wedge. 
     
     
         17 . The method of using a reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 15 , wherein an abrasion-resistant member at least partially protrudes through an exterior surface of a pie wedge in which it is at least partially embedded. 
     
     
         18 . The method of using a reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of said one or more abrasion-resistant members comprises a substantially cylindrical component. 
     
     
         19 . The method of using a reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 18 , wherein said cylindrical component comprises a plurality of components cooperatively arranged. 
     
     
         20 . The method of using a reamer for horizontal directional drilling of  claim 15 , wherein:
 at least a portion of an exterior surface of at least one said one or more front end components is beveled; and   at least one of said one or more abrasion-resistant members at least partially protrudes through said beveled exterior surface.