Down-the-hole drill reverse exhaust system

1. A down-the-hole drill actuator assembly comprising:

a casing;

a drill bit engaged with the casing;

a backhead positioned within the casing, the backhead including at least one exhaust port in communication with an exterior of the casing proximate the backhead;

a drive chamber in communication with the at least one exhaust port; and

a piston between the drive chamber and the return chamber, wherein the working fluid volumes are exhausted from the at least one exhaust port to an exterior through the casing wall and proximate the backhead.

2. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a return exhaust port in communication with the return chamber; and

wherein the piston is housed within the casing between the at least one exhaust port and the return exhaust port.

3. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the piston is a solid core piston and wherein the at least one exhaust port is sealed from the return exhaust port by the solid core piston.

4. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a seal to sealingly engage an interface between the piston and casing.

5. A down-the-hole drill actuator assembly comprising:

a casing;

a backhead configured within the casing, the backhead including:

a cylindrical member,

a central bore within the cylindrical member,

a check valve assembly within the central bore,

a supply inlet in communication with the central bore,

an exhaust valve stem in communication with the central bore, and

at least one exhaust port in communication with the exhaust valve stem and an exterior of the actuator assembly; and

a piston housed within the casing and operatively associated with the backhead, the piston comprising a bore partially sized to exhaust a portion of a fluid within the casing there through.

6. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 5 , further comprising:

at least one flapper check valve configured about an outside surface of the cylindrical member and connected to a discharge end of the at least one exhaust port; and

wherein the check valve assembly comprises:

a supply check valve;

a guide cage that includes at least one opening in communication with the at least one exhaust port; and

a biasing member between the supply check valve and guide cage.

7. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly claim 5 , wherein the exhaust valve stem extends proud of a distal surface of the cylindrical member.

8. An actuator assembly comprising:

a casing;

a piston housed within the casing, the piston comprising a thru-bore sized to allow a fluid within the casing to partially exhaust through;

a drill bit connected to a distal end of the casing and operatively associated with the piston; and

a backhead connected to a proximal end of the casing and operatively associated with the piston, the backhead comprising:

an exhaust port in communication with an exterior of the actuator assembly, and

an exhaust valve stem in communication with the exhaust port, and wherein the fluid within the actuator assembly is exhausted through the exhaust port to the exterior of the actuator assembly,

a drive chamber formed within the casing and in communication with the exhaust valve stem,

a return chamber distal to the drive chamber, formed by an inner wall surface of the casing and an outer surface of the piston, and

wherein the fluid is supplied to the drive chamber through the supply inlet, and wherein the casing, piston, and backhead are configured to exhaust fluid within the drive chamber through the exhaust port, and exhaust fluid within the return chamber through an opening in the drill bit.

9. The actuator assembly of claim 8 , wherein about 30% of the fluid in the casing is exhausted through the drill bit and about 70% of the fluid is exhausted through the exhaust port.

10. The actuator assembly of claim 8 , wherein substantially all of the fluid within the drive chamber exhausts through the exhaust port and substantially all of the fluid within the return chamber exhausts through the drill bit.

11. The actuator assembly of claim 8 , wherein the piston has a thru-bore in which a portion of the thru-bore has a cross-sectional area of about 0.001% to about 4.0% of an overall cross-sectional area of the piston.

12. The actuator assembly of claim 8 , wherein the exhaust valve stem has a hollow cylindrical body configured for sliding engagement with a central bore of the piston.

13. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a seal located between the solid core piston and the casing; and

wherein the backhead further includes a valve configured to seal the exhaust port.

14. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a bearing operatively connected to the casing and configured to receive a portion of the solid core piston, wherein the solid core piston, the bearing, the seal, and the casing form a seal to prevent fluid communication to the drive chamber from a distal end of the down-the-hole drill actuator when the solid core piston is in a drop down position.

15. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the seal directly contacts the bearing and the solid core piston.

16. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the seal is located about a superior surface of the bearing.

17. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the casing includes a groove for receiving the seal.

18. The down-the-hole drill actuator assembly of claim 13 , wherein the valve is a flapper check valve.