Hollow cutting head

A cutting assembly for a cutting machine comprising:

• a hollow rotatable cutting head having a forward end and a open rear end, said cutting head having nozzles on its periphery for discharging cooling water and having internal cooling water passages connecting with the nozzles;
• a carrier protruding into the open end of said cutting head and forming therewith an oil chamber which is closed at its forward end by a generally transverse wall forming part of said rotatable cutting head, said wall also closing a cavity which is provided in said cutting head, and which is in communication with the atmosphere via a passage;
• bearings in said oil chamber for rotably supporting said cutting head on the carrier;
• drive means supported by the carrier and gear connected to said cutting head at a location in said oil chamber;
• and a cooling water distribution system including a water supply tube carried by the carrier and arranged coaxially therein, said water supply tube passing through said generally transverse wall and through said cavity and opening into a water distributing chamber provided within said cutting head in alignment with said water supply tube, sealing means between said water supply tube and said generally transverse wall and between said water supply tube and said water distributing chamber, and at least one longitudinally extending annual gap provided within said cutting head, said gap being connected to said water distributing chamber by at least one passage and said gap communicating with said internal cooling water passages.