Tool support for cutting heads

A cutting head for hard rock mining applications, comprising:

• a base member having a rotational axis;
• a plurality of replaceable tool supports concentrically disposed about the rotational axis in a releasable manner, each replaceable tool support comprising:
• an annular body having a first end face side;
• a plurality of cutting bit carriers disposed spaced apart from each other on the first end face side;
• and
• a plurality of cutting bits, each of the plurality of cutting bits being rotatably supported by one of the plurality of cutting bit carriers.

A method for non-removably assembling a cutting bit to a cutting bit carrier of a cutting head used in underground mining applications, the cutting bit having a longitudinal axis about which the cutting bit is rotatable and including a bottom portion, the cutting bit carrier including a cutting bit carrier blind hole having an undercut section at a bottom end of the cutting bit carrier blind hole, the method comprising the steps of:

• heating the cutting bit to a predetermined temperature;
• inserting the heated cutting bit into the cutting bit carrier blind hole, such that the bottom portion of the heated cutting bit at least partially protrudes into the undercut section;
• and
• applying a compression force to the cutting bit along the longitudinal axis for deforming the heated cutting bit, such that at least the bottom portion of the cutting bit at least partially adopts a shape of the undercut section, while still being rotatable about the longitudinal axis within the cutting bit carrier blind hole.