Top pot assembly
An improved top pot assembly utilizes an attachment body for attaching the rubber to a bearing assembly for rotation with the inner barrel. The attachment body simplifies the replacement of the rubber on the drilling assembly. The attachment body provides a guide that slopes downward into the central aperture and the bore to guide the mandrel and drilling string towards the bore. The attachment body also provides a stripper receiver for attachment of the rubber to the attachment body. The attachment body attaches to the housing which attaches to the bearing assembly for rotation of the rubber and the inner barrel.
1 . An apparatus for securing a rubber within a rotating housing of a drilling assembly, the housing configured to accept a drilling string passing through the housing along a vertical axis, the apparatus comprising:
an attachment body configured to attach to the housing to secure the rubber within the housing;
a central aperture of the attachment body configured for passage of the drilling string vertically through the attachment body;
an outer fastener aperture located radially outward from the central aperture a first distance;
the outer fastener aperture configured to accept at least one fastener to attach the attachment body to the housing;
an inner fastener aperture located on a bottom surface of the attachment body, the inner fastener aperture located radially outward from the central aperture a second distance, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance;
wherein the inner fastener aperture is configured to accept a fastener that directly contacts the rubber to limit rotation of the rubber;
wherein the inner fastener aperture extends upward from the bottom surface of the attachment body, wherein the inner fastener aperture terminates within the attachment body.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner fastener aperture is configured to accept the fastener inserted vertically upward, wherein the inner fastener aperture terminates prior to exiting the attachment body;
wherein the outer fastener aperture is configured to accept the fastener inserted vertically downward.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the fastener accepted by the inner fastener aperture is a dowel.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the inner fastener aperture extends vertically upward from the bottom surface, wherein the inner fastener aperture terminates prior to reaching a top surface of the attachment body, wherein the top surface of the attachment body limits vertical movement of the dowel preventing the dowel from passing vertically upward through the inner fastener aperture.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fastener accepted by the inner fastener aperture is a dowel.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer fastener aperture passes vertically through the attachment body.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a sealing lip protruding vertically downward from the bottom surface of the attachment body, wherein the sealing lip is located laterally between the inner fastener aperture and the central aperture, wherein the sealing lip is located at a lowest surface below the bottom surface between the central aperture and the inner fastener aperture, wherein the sealing lip directly engages the rubber.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a guide sloping vertically downward at the central aperture of the attachment body, wherein the guide forms a convex curve extending downward at a radially interior section of the attachment body.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:
a diameter of the central aperture, wherein the diameter of the central aperture decreases as the central aperture extends vertically downwards.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a seal located radially outward from the inner fastener aperture, wherein the seal is located radially inward from the outer fastener aperture, the seal located vertically below the outer fastener aperture.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a housing lip extending laterally inward from the housing, wherein the dowel secures the rubber between the housing lip and the bottom surface of the attachment body, wherein the housing lip extends radially inward past an outer edge of the rubber.
12 . An apparatus for securing a rubber within a rotating housing of a drilling assembly, the housing configured to accept a drilling string passing through the housing along a vertical axis, the apparatus comprising:
an attachment body configured to attach to the housing to secure the rubber within the housing;
a central aperture of the attachment body configured for passage of the drilling string vertically through the attachment body;
an outer fastener aperture located radially outward from the central aperture a first distance;
the outer fastener aperture configured to accept at least one fastener to attach the attachment body to the housing;
an inner fastener aperture located radially outward from the central aperture a second distance, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance, wherein the inner fastener aperture is configured to accept at least one fastener to secure the rubber with the attachment body;
a sealing lip protruding vertically downward from a bottom surface of the attachment body, wherein the sealing lip protrudes downward radially outward from the central aperture to directly contact the rubber, wherein no portion of the sealing lip is located at an interior radial edge of the rubber.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
a seal located radially outward from the inner fastener aperture, wherein the seal is located radially inward from the outer fastener aperture, the seal located vertically below an uppermost portion of the inner fastener aperture.
14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the attachment body covers an uppermost portion of the inner fastener aperture to prevent insertion of the fastener downward into the inner fastener aperture.
15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the sealing lip protrudes downward radially between the inner fastener aperture and the central aperture.
16 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the sealing lip extends downward from the bottom surface, wherein said sealing lip forms a lowest surface below the bottom surface.
17 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein sealing lip directly contacts a top surface of the rubber without entering a central aperture of the rubber.
18 . An apparatus for securing a rubber within a rotating housing of a drilling assembly, the housing configured to accept a drilling string passing through the housing along a vertical axis, the apparatus comprising:
an attachment body configured to attach to the housing to secure the rubber within the housing;
a central aperture of the attachment body allowing passage of the drilling string vertically through the attachment body;
an outer fastener aperture located radially outward from the central aperture a first distance, the outer fastener aperture configured to accept at least one fastener to attach the attachment body to the housing;
an inner fastener aperture located radially outward from the central aperture a second distance, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance, wherein the inner fastener aperture is configured to accept at least one fastener to secure the rubber with the attachment body;
a seal receiver configured to seat a seal radially outward from the inner fastener aperture at a vertical height that overlaps on the vertical axis with the inner fastener aperture, wherein the seal receiver extends vertically downward below the outer fastener aperture.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the seal receiver is configured to seat the seal radially inward from the outer fastener aperture;
wherein the seal receiver is configured to seat the seal vertically between the bottom surface of the attachment body and a lower opening of the outer fastener aperture.
20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:
a sealing lip protruding vertically downward from the bottom surface of the attachment body, wherein the sealing lip extends below the inner fastener aperture, wherein the sealing lip is configured to directly contact a top surface of the rubber;
wherein the seal receiver is located vertically above the sealing lip.