Cutter insert gum modification method and apparatus
OwnerDavid Krauterinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for treating a cutter ring adapted to be used in tunnel boring operations; forming an initial cutter ring and heat treating the cutter ring prior to a laser client process; applying an alloy to the surface of the cutter ring adjacent to cutting elements by a laser cladding process whereby the cutting elements have insufficient heat transfer from the laser cutting process to reduce their hardness properties.
Claims24
A method of treating a cutter ring, the method comprising:
- a) preheating the ring to at least 350° F.
- b) identifying a gum region positioned in the outer perimeter portion of the cutter ring,
- c) employing laser cladding to the gum region adjacent to cutting elements,
- d) whereas the cutting elements have a hardness higher than that of the surrounding gum region adjacent thereto and the heat transfer to the cutting elements from the laser cladding process is insufficient to materially alter the hardness of said cutting elements and the gum region is more resistant to erosive wear.
A method of treating a cutter ring, the method comprising:
- a) providing a cutter ring that is heat treated with a circumferential region defining a plurality of cavities adapted to receive cutting elements,
- b) inserting cutting elements into the cavity regions,
- c) pre heating the cutter ring by heating the cutter ring to approximately 350° F.-650° F.,
- d) engaging a laser cladding process whereby an alloy powder is applied to a cutter ring outer perimeter surface adjacent to the cutting elements.
A cutter ring having a perimeter region with a plurality of radially extending cavities with cutting elements fixedly positioned in said cavities, the ring having a gum region engaging said cutting elements, the gum region having a surface region, a hardened layer cladded to the surface region where the hardened layer is cladded to the surface region when the cutter ring is preheated above 350° F. and heat is applied to an alloy powder to form the hardened layer whereby the cutting elements are not effected by the heat is applied to an alloy powder and the metallurgical hardness properties of the cutting elements is preserved whereby hardened elements of the hardened layer and the cutting elements have a Rockwell hardness at least 20 units greater than the gum region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.