US 7,350,600 B2
Shirttails for reducing damaging effects of cuttings
Christopher C. Beuershausen, Spring, Tex. (US); Raul E. Lema, The Woodlands, Tex. (US); Ronald Hales, Cleveland, Tex. (US); Don Q. Nguyen, Houston, Tex. (US); Gregory L. Ricks, Spring, Tex. (US); Chih C. Lin, Spring, Tex. (US); Terry J. Koltermann, The Woodlands, Tex. (US); Mark E. Morris, Conroe, Tex. (US); Chris M. McCarty, Houston, Tex. (US); Ronald L. Jones, New Waverly, Tex. (US); James L. Overstreet, Tomball, Tex. (US); and Rudolf Carl Otto Pessier, The Woodlands, Tex. (US)
Assigned to Baker Hughes Incorporated, Houston, Tex. (US)
Filed on Aug. 28, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/511,119.
Application 11/511119 is a continuation of application No. 10/902222, filed on Jul. 29, 2004, granted, now 7,182,162.
Prior Publication US 2006/0283638 A1, Dec. 21, 2006
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 10/50 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 175—374  [175/425] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An earth-boring bit comprising:
a bit body comprising a plurality of head sections, each of the head sections having a curved lower end defining a shirttail and an outer surface, the outer surface having a ball plug spaced above the shirttail;
a cutter rotatably mounted to a cantilevered bearing shaft depending inwardly from each of the head sections;
a layer of hardfacing on each of the head sections, the layer of hardfacing including a leading edge portion formed on a leading side of each of the head sections and a shirttail portion formed on the shirttail of each of the head sections below the ball plug; and
the layer of hardfacing including an outer surface portion of hardfacing joining the leading edge and the shirttail portions of hardfacing and formed on the outer surface of each head section above the ball plug, the outer surface portion of hardfacing having an upper edge and a lower edge below the upper edge, defining between the edges a gap wherein the outer surface of each head section is free of hardfacing.