Solid material comminution or disintegration – Apparatus – Comminuting elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2001-01-23
Rosenbaum, Mark (Department: 3725)
Solid material comminution or disintegration
Apparatus
Comminuting elements
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176445
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a replaceable cutter tooth having three outwardly diverging cutting tips. The invention is particularly adapted use in combination with a tooth holder assembly mounted to the outer peripheral surface of a rotatable cutter drum used for clearing, mulching, and grinding trees. The cutter drum is movably mounted on the boom of a backhoe. During operation of the cutter drum, the teeth become worn or damaged and must be periodically replaced. A complete description of Applicant's cutter drum is provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,692,689 and 5,794,866. This description is incorporated herein by reference.
One problem in the art which is addressed by a third patent issued to the present applicant, U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,534, relates to damage and wear of cutter teeth over a relatively short period of use, and the overall performance of the cutter teeth in terms of cutting and mulching trees. This patent describes a four-tipped cutter tooth which mounts to the outer surface of the cutter drum such that three of the four tips reside in a cutting or mulching position spaced apart from the drum surface, while one of the cutting tips fits within a groove formed in a tooth holder assembly used to secure to the tooth to the drum. When the cutting tip in the outermost cutting position becomes worm, the cutter tooth is rotated 180 degrees so that the fresh tip once positioned in the groove is now located in the cutting position. This combination cutter tooth and tooth holder assembly overcame many drawbacks and limitations in the prior art relating to the replacement, useful life, and performance of cutter teeth.
The present invention further improves this combination by providing a three-tipped cutter tooth and tooth holder assembly which mounts to the outer surface of the cutter drum. During operation of the cutter drum, two of the three cutting tips reside in a reduced wear position adjacent the tooth holder assembly, while only a single tooth resides in an increased wear position for cutting and mulching. When the cutting tip in the cutting position becomes worn, the cutter tooth is rotated so that one of the two fresh tips takes its place. According to this design, less energy is required to operate the drum, since less surface area of the tooth actually engages and penetrates the tree during cutting. Moreover, the reduced surface area of the tooth in the cutting position results in less drag force acting against rotation of the drum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a cutter tooth which includes only three equally-spaced cutter tips.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cutter tooth which is readily removed and replaced when worn.
It is another object of the invention to provide a three-tipped cutter tooth which mounts to the outer surface of a cutter drum such that one of the cutting tips resides in a cutting position, while the remaining two cutting tips reside in a reduced wear position.
It is another object of the invention to provide a three-tipped cutter tooth which results in less drag force acting against rotation of the cutter drum during tree cutting and mulching.
It is another object of the invention to provide a three-tipped cutter tooth which is oriented relative to the outer surface of the cutter drum to expose only a relatively small surface area of the tooth for engaging and penetrating trees during operation of the cutter drum.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tooth holder assembly which securely holds and supports the cutter tooth in position during operation of the cutter drum.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cutter tooth holder assembly which allows indexing of the cutter tooth to locate a fresh cutting tip in the cutting position when the old tip becomes worn.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tooth holder assembly which helps reduce the occurrence of tooth breakage during operation of the cutter drum.
It is another object of the invention to provide a combination tooth holder assembly and cutter tooth adapted for attachment to a cutter drum for producing a fine-cut mulch.
It is another object of the invention to provide a combination tooth holder assembly, cutter tooth, and cutter drum which effectively clears and mulches trees.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a cutter tooth for being carried on an outer peripheral surface of a rotatable cutter adapted for mulching and grinding trees. The cutter tooth includes a tooth body with a front face, sides, and a rear. The face is recessed inwardly and defines three equally spaced-apart and outwardly diverging cutting tips.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the cutting tips has a generally triangular cutting surface defined by intersecting side edges.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the side edges defining each of the cutting surfaces diverge from each other at an angle of approximately 60 degrees.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tooth body further includes a cylindrical connector portion extending outwardly from its rear, and adapted for being received in a complementary-shaped annular cavity formed in a tooth holder mounted to the outer peripheral surface of the cutter.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, an internally-threaded opening is formed centrally through the tooth body, and is adapted for receiving a complementary-threaded fastener for attaching the cutter tooth to the cutter.
In another embodiment, the invention includes a cutter tooth holder assembly adapted for being mounted to an outer peripheral surface of a rotatable cutter. A cutter tooth is attached to the tooth holder assembly. The cutter tooth includes a tooth body having a front face, sides, and a rear. The face is recessed inwardly and defines three equally spaced-apart and outwardly diverging cutting tips.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the tooth holder assembly includes a base having a circumferentially-extending bottom surface for engaging the outer peripheral surface of the cutter and a tooth-protecting groove formed in its top surface. The cutter tooth is arranged such that two of the cutting tips reside within the tooth-protecting groove in a reduced-wear position, while the third one of the cutting tips resides in an outward-extending cutting position relative to the outer surface of the cutter.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cutter tooth holder assembly further includes an elongate tooth holder formed adjacent the tooth-protecting and having a generally triangular front bearing surface engaging the rear of the cutter tooth.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tooth holder has a length greater than two times the length of the cutter tooth.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tooth holder and base are integrally formed together.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tooth body further includes a cylindrical connector portion extending outwardly from its rear. The tooth holder assembly includes an elongate tooth holder having a complementary-shaped annular cavity receiving the connector portion of the tooth.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tooth holder includes a longitudinal opening formed therethrough and extending from one end of the tooth holder to the other.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector portion of the cutter tooth includes an internally-threaded opening formed in axial alignment with the longitudinal opening through the tooth holder. An elongate bolt extends through the opening in the tooth holder and has an external screw thread adapted for mating with the internal screw thread of the cutter tooth to removably attach th
Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
Rosenbaum Mark
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