Drill drive steel

1. A chuck adapter for releasably connecting a drive steel member with a drilling machine chuck of a rotary drilling system; said chuck adapter comprising a main body section and a chuck seating section, said main body having an internal opening constructed and arranged to slidably receive one end of a drive steel member, first double-fastening means fixedly securing said drive steel member within said main body opening, and other fastening means constructed and arranged in said chuck seating section for axially securing the drive steel member thereto for preventing axial separation in use.

2. The chuck adapter of claim 1 , in which one of said double-fastening means comprises an epoxy-type substance applied to at least one wall of the main body opening or the drive steel member therein.

3. The chuck adapter of claim 1 , in which one of the double-fastening means comprises pinning means connecting the walls of the main body section and the drive steel member therein.

4. The chuck adapter of claim 1 , in which said main body opening extends axially into the chuck seating section whereby to provide an optimum wall surface contact of said one end of the drive steel member with the chuck adapter, and said chuck seating portion being counter-bored to form an end chamber in communication axially with said main body opening.

5. The chuck adapter of claim 4 in which said other fastening means comprises bolting means constructed and arranged for relative axial tightening engagement between said chuck adapter and said drive steel member to rigidly fasten them together.

6. The chuck adapter of claim 5 wherein the interior end of said end chamber forms a radial annular shoulder, and said bolting means extends through the opening formed by said shoulder and is threadedly connected with the drive steel member.

7. The chuck adapter of claim 6 wherein the bolting means has a head portion engagable with said radial annular shoulder, and other sealing means between said head portion and said annular shoulder.

8. The chuck adapter of claim 7 , wherein said bolting means is axially ported to provide direct fluid communication through said chuck adapter to said drill steel member.

9. In combination with a drive steel member for releasable connection with a drilling machine chuck of a rotary drilling system; chuck shank means constructed and arranged for forming a permanent chuck adapter on one end of the drive steel member, said chuck adapter comprising a main body section and a chuck seating section, said main body having an internal opening to axially receive said one end of the drive steel member whereby to provide an optimum wall surface contact therebetween, and first fastening means sealably securing said drive steel member within said main body opening, said chuck seating portion being counter-bored to form an end chamber in communication axially with said main body opening, and other fastening means constructed and arranged in said chuck seating section for securing the drive steel member thereto to prevent axial separation in use.

10. The combination of claim 9 in which said other fastening means comprises bolting means constructed and arranged for relative axial tightening engagement between said chuck adapter and said drive steel member to rigidly fasten them together.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the interior end of said end chamber forms a radial annular shoulder, and said bolting means extends through the opening formed by said shoulder and is threadedly connected with the drive steel member.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the bolting means has a head portion engagable with said radial annular shoulder, and other sealing means between said head portion and said annular shoulder.

13. The combination of claim 12 , wherein said bolting means is axially ported to provide direct fluid communication through said chuck adapter to said drill steel member.

14. A chuck adapter for releasably connecting a drive steel member to a drilling machine chuck in a rotary drilling system; said chuck adapter comprising a chuck seating section and a main body section having an internal opening to slidably receive one end of the drive steel member therein, an annular seal fixedly securing said drive steel member within said main body opening to form a permanent leak-proof assembly, and an axially applied fastener constructed and arranged in said chuck seating section for axially tightening and holding the drive steel member therein whereby to prevent axial separation in use.

15. The chuck adapter of claim 14 , which includes other means for preventing relative rotational movement of the end of the drive steel member in the chuck seating section of the chuck adapter.

16. The chuck adapter of claim 15 , in which said other means for preventing relative rotational movement comprises pinning means extending radially across the walls of the main body section and the drive steel member therein.

17. The chuck adapter of claim 14 , in which said main body opening extends axially into the chuck seating section, and said chuck seating section being bored to form an end chamber in axial communication with said main body opening and the end of the drive steel member therein, and said axially applied fastener comprising bolting means applied through said chuck seating section bore and being constructed and arranged for said axially tightening engagement between said chuck adapter and said drive steel member to rigidly fasten them together.

18. The chuck adapter of claim 17 , wherein the interior end of said end chamber forms a radial annular shoulder, and said bolting means extends through the opening formed by said shoulder and is threadedly connected with the drive steel member.

19. The chuck adapter of claim 18 , wherein the bolting means has a head portion engagable with said radial annular shoulder, and other sealing means between said head portion and said annular shoulder.

20. The chuck adapter of claim 19 , wherein said bolting means is axially ported to provide direct fluid communication through said chuck adapter into said drill steel member.