US 12,234,706 B2
Down-the-hole hammer with adjustable air consumption
Koushik Kabiraj, Jharkhand (IN); Akshay Deepak Mate, Maharashtra (IN); and Ebi Bernard, Tamil Nadu (IN)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on May 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/318,642.
Prior Publication US 2024/0384599 A1, Nov. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 4/14 (2006.01); E21B 34/10 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 4/14 (2013.01) [E21B 34/10 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
11. A method for adjusting an air consumption of a down-the-hole hammer comprising a control tube and an air distributor, wherein the control tube comprises a distal port, wherein the air distributor comprises a first distal port and a second distal port, wherein the first distal port of the air distributor corresponds to a first target air flow rate and the second distal port of the air distributor corresponds to a second target air flow rate, the method comprising:
rotating the control tube relative to the air distributor so that the distal port of the control tube aligns with one of the first distal port and the second distal port of the air distributor, comprising rotating a check valve plug rotationally locked to the control tube to cause the control tube to rotate.