Cutting head tool for tunnel boring machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsRobert Meyer, Gregory Tomlins, Glenn Mongillo, Baldev Patel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ripper tool for a tunnel boring machine includes a tool body and a plurality of cutting element inserts. The tool body has a plurality of socket cavities. A tool body blank can be heat treated to increase the hardness of the tool body blank. The socket cavities can be machined in the tool body blank after the tool body blank is heat treated. The cutting element inserts are mounted to the tool body. The cutting element inserts are respectively press fit in the socket cavities. The ripper tool can be pivotably mounted to a cutter head of the TBM.
Claims20
A ripper tool comprising:
- a tool body and a pivot boss, the tool body having a plurality of socket cavities defined therein, and the pivot boss projecting from and being integral with the tool body;
- a plurality of cutting element inserts mounted to the tool body, the plurality of cutting element inserts being respectively press fit in the plurality of socket cavities.
A machine comprising:
- a cylindrical shell;
- a cutter head rotatably mounted at a distal end of the cylindrical shell, the cutter head including a ripper tool rotatably mounted thereto, the ripper tool including:
- a tool body and a pivot boss, the tool body having a plurality of socket cavities defined therein, and the pivot boss projecting from and being integral with the tool body, the ripper tool being rotatably movable about the integral pivot boss over a predetermined range of travel with respect to the cutter head, and
- a plurality of cutting element inserts mounted to the tool body, the plurality of cutting element inserts being respectively press fit in the plurality of socket cavities.
A method for making a cutting head tool, the method comprising:
- heat treating a tool body blank to increase a hardness of the tool body blank, the tool body blank including an integral pivot boss;
- machining, after the tool body blank is heat treated, a plurality of socket cavities in the heat treated tool body blank in a predetermined hole pattern to form a tool body;
- press fitting a plurality of cutting element inserts, respectively, into the plurality of socket cavities in the tool body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.