Cutter tooth holder assembly

In combination with a cutter tooth having a plurality of spaced cutting tips and a connector portion opposite the cutting tips, the improvement comprising a cutter tooth holder assembly adapted for attaching the cutter tooth to a rotatable cutter drum, said tooth holder assembly comprising:

• (a) a base for being mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the cutter drum and having a tooth-locking, circumferentially-extending groove formed in a top surface thereof;
• (b) a tooth holder mounted on said base and having a generally square cross-section defining respective corners arranged in substantial alignment with the tips of said cutter tooth, and one of said corners being positioned in the tooth-locking groove, said tooth holder having a front bearing surface with a recess therein for receiving the connector portion of said cutter tooth;
• (c) said cutter tooth being arranged such that one of said cutting tips resides in said tooth-locking groove to protect said cutting tip and to prevent rotational movement of the cutter tooth during operation of the cutter drum, while an opposed second one of said cutting tips resides in a cutting position relative to the outer surface of the drum;
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• (d) attaching means cooperating with said tooth holder for attaching the cutter tooth to the tooth holder assembly.

In combination with a rotatable cutter drum comprising a plurality of circumferentially-spaced cutter teeth each having a plurality of spaced cutting tips, the improvement comprising a cutter tooth holder assembly for attaching respective cutter teeth to the cutter drum, said tooth holder assembly comprising:

• (a) a base mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the cutter drum and having a tooth-locking groove formed in a top surface thereof;
• (b) a tooth holder attached to said base and positioned in the tooth-locking groove, said tooth holder having a front bearing surface residing adjacent a back end of said cutter tooth;
• (c) said cutter tooth being arranged such that one of said cutting tips resides in said tooth-locking groove to protect said cutting tip and to prevent rotational movement of the cutter tooth during operation of the cutter drum, while an opposed second one of said cutting tips resides in a cutting position relative to the outer surface of the drum;
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• (d) attaching means cooperating with said tooth holder for attaching the cutter tooth to the tooth holder assembly.