Sept. 19, 1950 R. A.

MITCHELL 2,522,795
RAT HOLE DIGGER
Filed May 14, 1946 2. Sheets-Sheet l

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Sept. 19, 1950 R. A. MITCHEL. 2,522,795
RAT HOLE DIGGER
Filed May 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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 Patented Sept. 19, 1950
2,522,795

UNITED STATES PATENT office 2,522,795.

RATHOLE DIGGER
Roscoe A. Mitchell, Corpus Christi,Tex.
Application May 14, 1946, serial No. 669,674
1. Claim.(CI. 255-23)
My present invention relates...to an improved
2.
having a diagonal face 34 and a spaced depend
rathole digger and more particularly to the ing flange 36. - - - --
unitary Self-powered type of digger as illustrated A base ring 38 having one side thereof dis
and described herein. posed angularly to the main portion as at 40
The structurer of my invention is especially s
has an open center 42 aligned with the open
adapted for use in digging the auxiliary or rat center of the cylinder, and, about this open cent
holes commonly provided in conjunction with ter I utilize the spaced annular collars 44 and
oil well drillings in order that the well equip 46, the outer face of the outer collar 46 being ta
ment may be inserted in the rathole during in pered aS, at 48 and lying in the same plane as
Stallation or while the equipment is undergoing 0. the diagonal face 34 of the cylinder shoulder.
repairs. Ball bearings 50 are positioned between the
The digger of my invention is self-contained lower edge of the flange 36 and the base ring 38,
and does not require connection with the oil well and these bearings are confined laterally by the
equipment although it will be understood that Spaced collars 44 and 46.
the Well equipment will be lowered and raised 5 A retaining ring 52 is formed with a lower
from the rat hole by the conventional well flange 54 secured by bolts 56 to the base ring 38
derrick. and 40 and the upper portion of the retaining
In the accompanying drawings I have illus ring is formed into a circular rim 58 and a spaced
trated one complete example of the physical em depending flange 60, the rim and the flange
bodiment of my invention according to the best 20 forming a ball race for the ball bearings 62.
mode I have thus far devised but it will be un The outer housing 64 is shown as concave from
derstood that various changes and alterations top to bottom, and the upper inturned flange 66
may be made in the exemplified structure with fits into the groove 30 of the gear ring, while the
in the Scope of the appended claim. lower ring 68 is secured to the base ring and the
In the drawings: 25 base section through the portion 40 by means of
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the rat hole bolts 70.
digger of my invention. The cylinder and base ring, together with the
Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof. retaining ring and the outer housing, are se
Figure 3 is a transverse Sectional view at line cured in angular relation to the base section and
3-3 of Figure 2; and 30 the derrick floor by the angular support T2 hav
Figure 4 is a Sectional view at line 4-4 of Fig ing an inclined face 74 and a central opening 76.
lure 3. The elevated portion of the base ring 38 is se
Referring now to the drawings wherein like cured to the upper and Outer edge of the in
characters indicate like parts I have illustrated clined face as by bolts 78.
the rathole digger of my invention comprising 35 In Order to Support and engage a conventional
the base Section 2 and the base section 4 Secured drill rod such as the Kelly, bar, I provide the
to the skids 6 as by bolts 8. The pivotally semi-circular inserts 80 and 82 for the cylinder
mounted bails 7 permit the ready placement and and formed with vertical grooves 84 for co-a,c-
removal of the digger by the attachment of a tion. With the ribs 27. When inserted into the
hoisting hook. 40 cylinder these sections present a rectangular
A housing 0 secured by bolts to the base opening as 86 for the Kelly bar, and the Sec
Section 2 encloses a prime mover here illustrated tions are prevented from falling through the
as an internal combustion engine 2 having a cylinder by means of the annular shoulder 88
pOWer shaft 4 and gear 6 thereon. The gear engaging the annular groove 28 of the cylinder.
8 meshes with the gear 6 and the shaft 20 for 45 To lugs 90 on the sections 80 and 82 are Secured
the gear f8 is provided with journal supports 22 handles 92 to facilitate removal and insertion
and 24, and the pinion gear 25. of the Sections.
Upon the base Section 4 I have provided the When during the course of a Well drilling Op
drill rig which consists in the cylinder 26 having eration or when it becomes necessary to repair
its central opening formed with vertical ribs 27 50 the well equipment, the rat hole digger of my
and a peripheral groove 28. A gear ring 29 on invention is brought into play and the digger is
the cylinder engages with the pinion 25 to pro lifted into position on the derrick floor as de
vide rotary movement to the cylinder. scribed. The drill rod or tube is passed through
At the lower portion of the cylinder and ex the cylinder, being hoisted by the conventional
terior thereof I have fashioned the shoulder 32 55 derrick, and the sections 80 and 82 are inserted
 2,522,795
3.
in the cylinder to support and provide power
transmission means therefore.
The engine is started and power applied
through the gearing whereupon the cylinder is
rotated through its ring gear and the rat hole
is provided without disturbing the Well digging
equipment, building angular braces and SupportS,
or otherwise wasting time and labor.
The Self-contained unit of my invention Will
be ready for instant use whenever desired and
will avoid costly delays and be a great saving in
the time of operations.
Being unitary in construction, the digger may
be hoisted into place and removed therefrom in
a minimum of time, and the Self-powering Con
struction will avoid the undesirable necessity of
disconnecting the well drilling table and the use
of additional sprockets and chains or gearing to
provide motive power.
Having thus fully described my invention, What
I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patentis:
A portable rat hole digger, comprising sup
porting skids, a support mounted on the skids,
the upper surface of the Support being inclined,
spaced annular collars rising from the upper sur
face of the support, an outer housing mounted
on the support and being disposed at an oblique
angle with respect to the Support, a cylinder
mounted on the support, a depending flange on
4.
the lower end of the cylinder disposed between
the spaced annular collars of the Support, Said
cylinder having an annular shoulder disposed in
termediate its ends, a retaining ring Secured to
the inclined upper surface of the Support, ball
bearings mounted on the annular shoulder of
the cylinder and engageable by said retaining
ring, holding the ring in position. On the Sup
port, a ring gear formed on said cylinder, a power
O shaft and pinion, the pinion engaging the ring
gear rotating the cylinder, semi-circular inserts
mounted within the cylinder and having an
opening in which a Kelly bar is held for rota
tion, and an inturned flange on the housing
5 fitted in a groove of the cylinder closing the top
of the housing.
ROSCOE A. MITCHELL,
REFERENCES CITED
20 The following references are of record in the
file of this patent: . .. .
UNITED STATES PATENT
Number Nane Date
25 1518,325 Hild ---------------- Dec. 9, 1924
1,612,974 : Greve -------------- Jan. 4, 1927
2,131,830 Ackerman ---------- Oct. 4, 1938
2,259,460 Dexter ------------ Oct. 21, 1941
2,321,245 Reed --------------- June 8, 1943
30