초록

Curved bore drilling apparatus and methods having a remotely actuated, pivotal rocker arm and cantilevered, curved guide means which guide and advance a cutting means through a predetermined curved path to drill one or more curved bores within a solid material.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for drilling a curved bore within a material comprising: (a) a support structure having a fixed orientation with respect to said material; (b) a rocker arm pivotally secured to said support structure at a fixed pivot point, said fixed pivot point defining an axis of rotation, said rocke

An apparatus for drilling a curved bore within a material comprising: (a) a support structure having a fixed orientation with respect to said material; (b) a rocker arm pivotally secured to said support structure at a fixed pivot point, said fixed pivot point defining an axis of rotation, said rocker arm defining a rotating link or crank which rotates or oscillates about said fixed pivot point, said rocker arm having a first end located near said fixed pivot point and having a second end extending radially outward from said fixed pivot point; (c) curved guide means defining an arcuate tube or channel having a first end rigidly attached to or integral with said second end of said rocker arm, said curved guide means having an extended second end which cantilevers outwardly from said rocker arm, said curved guide means generally laying within an arc defined by a rotational path of said second end of said rocker arm as said rocker arm is rotated about said fixed pivot point, said pivot point being located near a protrusion or edge of said support structure in such a manner that when said rocker arm is pivoted or rotated, said second end of said curved guide means extends away from said support structure passing through a predetermined curved path; (d) means for cutting said material within confines of said curved bore; (e) means for securing said cutting means to said second end of said curved guide means, said securing means comprising a bearing, a bushing, or other structure to hold and retain said cutting means in place, said curved guide means having an arcuate tube or channel incorporated therein; and (f) means for remotely actuating rotation of said rocker arm, said actuation means selectively urging said rocker arm to pivot or rotate thereby urging said curved guide means and said cutting means to advance toward said material to bore a hole along said predetermined curved path within said material or to retract said rocker arm to an initial position thereby withdrawing said guiding means and said cutting means from within said material, insertion and retraction of said curved guide means and said cutting means into and from said material being defined by an oscillation of said rocker arm.