Trent Neil Butcher
Engineers in Sandy, UT

6521174, Feb 18, 2003

Nov 21, 2000

09/717595

Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT
Ralph M. Horton - Murray UT
Stephen R. Jurewicz - Northridge CA
Danny E. Scott - Montgomery TX
Redd H. Smith - Salt Lake City UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

B22F 704

419 26, 419 17, 419 18

The residual stresses that are experienced in polycrystalline diamond cutters, which lead to cutter failure, can be effectively modified by selectively thinning the carbid substrate subsequent to a high-temperature, high-pressure (sinter) processing, by selectively varying the material constituents of the carbide substrate, by subjecting the PDC cutter to an annealing process during sintering, by subjecting the formed PDC cutter to a post-process stress relief anneal, or by a combination of those means.

6454030, Sep 24, 2002

Jan 25, 1999

09/236971

Sidney L. Findley - West Valley City UT
Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT
Gordon A. Tibbits - Salt Lake City UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

E21B 1002

175425, 761082

A rotary-type earth-boring drill bit including a layer-manufactured, substantially hollow bit crown and an integral bit interior and bit gage. The bit interior and bit gage may be formed of a particulate material infiltrated with an infiltrant material. A particulate material of the bit crown may be integrally infiltrated with the particulate material of the bit interior and bit gage. Alternatively, the bit interior and bit gage may comprise a single cast material. The particulate material of the bit crown may be infiltrated with the cast material of the bit interior and bit gage. A method of fabricating the drill bit includes employing known layered-manufacturing techniques to fabricate the bit crown, positioning a bit gage mold adjacent the bit crown, and disposing a core material within an interior of the bit crown and a cavity of the bit gage mold. A mold that may be employed to fabricate the drill bit includes an initially conforming mold region, in which the pre-fabricated bit crown may be disposed, and a second, substantially rigid mold region including a cavity to define the gage of the drill bit. Preferably, the conforming mold region is formed of a non-wettable, granular material.

6655481, Dec 2, 2003

Jun 25, 2002

10/179683

Sidney L. Findley - West Valley City UT
Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT
Gordon A. Tibbits - Salt Lake City UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

E21B 1002

175425, 761082

A method of fabricating the drill bit includes employing known layered-manufacturing techniques to fabricate the bit crown, positioning a bit gage mold adjacent the bit crown, and disposing a core material within an interior of the bit crown and a cavity of the bit gage mold. A mold that may be employed to fabricate the drill bit includes an initially conforming mold region, in which the prefabricated bit crown may be disposed, and a second, substantially rigid mold region including a cavity to define the gage of the drill bit. Preferably, the conforming mold region is formed of a nonwettable, granular material.

6209420, Apr 3, 2001

Aug 17, 1998

9/135522

Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT
Sidney L. Findley - West Valley City UT
Redd H. Smith - Salt Lake City UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

B21K 504

761082

A method of fabricating rotary-type drill bits, drilling-related structures, and other articles of manufacture. The method includes fabricating a machinable matrix, machining the matrix, and dispersing a binder material throughout the matrix. The matrix of the rotary-type drill bit may be fabricated by layered-manufacturing techniques or by disposing a particulate or powdered material into a mold and binding the particles together with a resin or by sintering. The matrix may have the desired dimensions and features, the approximate dimensions and features, or lack desired dimensions or features of a drilling-related structure or other article of manufacture. The matrix is machined to correct any anisotropies or imperfections of the matrix, to refine features of the matrix, or to define the features in the matrix. The machined matrix may be infiltrated with a binder material to define a drill bit body.

6220117, Apr 24, 2001

Aug 18, 1998

9/135977

Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

B21K 504

761082

A method of manufacturing a bit body, other drilling-related component, or other article of manufacture, including fabricating a particulate-based matrix and infiltrating the particulate-based matrix with a binder that includes cobalt or iron. The binder may be a cobalt alloy or an iron alloy. The particulate-based matrix may be disposed within a non-graphite mold. The particulate-based matrix and binder are placed within an induction coil and an alternating current is applied to the induction coil in order to directly heat the binder, permitting the binder to infiltrate or otherwise bind the particles of the matrix together. The molten binder may then be directionally cooled by forming a cooling zone around an end portion of the bit body and increasing the size of the cooling zone relative to the bit body. The invention also includes a bit body, other drilling-related component, or other article of manufacture which includes a particulate-based matrix that is bound together with a binder that includes iron or cobalt.

6186251, Feb 13, 2001

Jul 27, 1998

9/123167

Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

E21B 1060

175393

A method of altering the force balance characteristic or moment configuration of an earth-boring rotary-type drill bit by altering the net hydraulic direction vector of drilling fluid exiting from the drill bit and, therefore, the accompanying net hydraulic force exerted on the drill bit. The method includes replacing at least one nozzle of the drill bit with a differently sized nozzle to alter the amount of hydraulic force that is exerted on a particular portion of the drill bit. Alternatively, the orientation of at least one nozzle of the drill bit may be changed to alter the direction in which drilling fluid flows from a particular portion of the drill bit and, thus, alter the direction of the hydraulic force on the drill bit. The method may be employed to counteract a net force imbalance of a drill bit, to alter a direction of net force imbalance, or to vary the magnitude of net force imbalance.

6872356, Mar 29, 2005

Nov 15, 2002

10/295641

Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT, US
Ralph M. Horton - Murray UT, US
Stephen R. Jurewicz - Northridge CA, US
Danny E. Scott - Montgomery TX, US
Redd H. Smith - Salt Lake City UT, US

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

B22F007/02, B22F007/06

419 5, 419 6, 419 11, 419 14

The residual stresses that are experienced in polycrystalline diamond cutters, which lead to cutter failure, can be effectively modified by selectively thinning the carbide substrate subsequent to high temperature, high pressure (sinter) processing, by selectively varying the material constituents of the carbide substrate, by subjecting the PDC cutter to an annealing process during sintering, by subjecting the formed PDC cutter to a post-process stress relief anneal, or a combination of those means.

6220375, Apr 24, 2001

Jan 13, 1999

9/231350

Trent N. Butcher - Sandy UT
Ralph M. Horton - Murray UT
Stephen R. Jurewicz - Northridge CA
Danny E. Scott - Montgomery TX
Redd H. Smith - Salt Lake City UT

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

E21B 1036

175428

The residual stresses that are experienced in polycrystalline diamond cutters, which lead to cutter failure, can be effectively modified by selectively thinning the carbide substrate subsequent to high temperature, high pressure (sinter) processing, by selectively varying the material constituents of the cutter substrate, by subjecting the PDC cutter to an annealing process during sintering, by subjecting the formed PDC cutter to a post-process stress relief anneal, or a combination of those means.