AUTOMATED DECK BUSHING SYSTEM

1 . A drilling system, comprising:

a drill bit;

a deck bushing comprising an outer housing and an inner sleeve rotatably arranged in the outer housing, the inner sleeve having an inner diameter wider than a width of the drill bit;

a drop-in sleeve configured to be inserted into the inner sleeve of the deck bushing, wherein at least a portion of the drop-in sleeve engages the inner sleeve of the deck bushing such that a friction between the drop-in sleeve and inner sleeve of the deck bushing causes the drop-in sleeve and inner sleeve of the deck bushing to rotate together; and

a lifting sub configured to be inserted into the drop-in sleeve.

2 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

bearing races on an outer surface of the inner sleeve of the deck bushing and an inner surface of the outer housing of the deck bushing; and

ball bearings arranged in the bearing races.

3 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein an upper end of an inner surface of the inner sleeve of the deck bushing has an outwardly angled tapered edge, wherein the drop-in sleeve comprises an upper flange having an edge including a complementarily angled tapered edge engaging the tapered edge of the inner sleeve of the deck bushing.

4 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the drop-in sleeve is flush with a top surface of the deck bushing.

5 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the drop-in sleeve translates rotation of a drill string to the outer housing of the deck bushing.

6 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting sub joins a lead pipe in a drill string to the drill bit.

7 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting sub comprises an oversize portion having an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the drop-in sleeve, such that raising the lift sub will raise the drop-in sleeve.

8 . The drilling system according to claim 7 , wherein the oversize portion comprises wrenching and breakout areas.

9 . The drilling system according to claim 7 , wherein the oversize portion comprises a hard facing region.

10 . The drilling system according to claim 7 , wherein the oversize portion comprises a plurality of ribs configured to permit cuttings to pass up past the lifting sub.

11 . The drilling system according to claim 10 , wherein the oversize portion comprises wrenching flats.

12 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting sub comprises at least one hard facing region

13 . The drilling system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one hard facing region comprises wrenching and breakout areas.

14 . The drilling system according to claim 12 , wherein a majority of the lifting sub comprises hard facing.

15 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting sub comprises a plurality of ribbed sections and a plurality of non-ribbed sections.

16 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting sub comprises roller stabilizers comprising rollers and blocks.

17 . The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the drill bit is a tricone bit or down the hole bit.

18 . A method for changing a bit in a drilling apparatus, the method comprising:

raising a drilling assembly comprising a drill string, a drop-in sleeve, a lifting sub and a drill bit through a deck bushing;

removing the drill bit from the lifting sub;

attaching a new drill bit to the lifting sub; and

lowering the drill string until the drop-in sleeve is seated in the deck bushing.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

arranging a bit breakout basket in the deck bushing, wherein the drilling assembly is raised to a level such that the drill bit has clearance with respect to the breakout basket;

lowering the drill string until the drill bit is positioned in the bit breakout basket;

breaking out the drill bit utilizing a breakout wrench;

raising the drill string;

replacing the drill bit in the breakout basket with a new drill bit;

lowering the drill string;

attaching the new drill bit to the lifting sub;

raising the drill string; and

remove the bit breakout basket from the deck bushing.

20 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

extending a deck fork over a lip of the deck bushing prior to raising the drill string, the drop-in sleeve, the lifting sub and the drill bit through the deck bushing.

21 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

positioning an hydraulic bit breakout basket into a breakout location;

lowering the drill string until the drill bit is positioned in the hydraulic bit breakout basket;

breaking out the drill bit;

raising the drill string;

replacing the drill bit in the hydraulic bit breakout basket with a new drill bit;

lowering the drill string;

attaching the new drill bit to the lifting sub;

raising the drill string; and

removing the hydraulic bit breakout basket from the breakout location.