Back to results
US 9,751,089 B2Granted
Wear-resistant cutting teeth, cutting heads and related apparatus
AssigneeVermeer Manufacuturing Company
InventorsChris Pfoltner, Clint Weinberg, John Maher, Steve Van Zee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for mulching organic matter such as brush and trees are disclosed. The apparatus have cutting teeth that include cladding for increasing the wear-resistance of the teeth. Cutting heads and vehicles that incorporate such teeth are also disclosed.
Claims20
A cutting tooth for a mulching tool for mulching or cutting organic matter, the cutting tooth comprising:
- a substrate having a cutting edge formed on the substrate;
- and
- a wear-resistant bead fused to the substrate, the wear-resistant bead extending parallel along the cutting edge and having a width and a thickness, the ratio of bead width to thickness being at least about 5 to 1, the substrate and wear-resistant bead having different compositions, the wear-resistant bead being fused to the substrate by:
- activating a laser diode to generate heat and melt a wear-resistant material;
- moving at least one of the laser diode or substrate such that molten wear-resistant material is deposited parallel along the cutting edge;
- and
- solidifying the molten material to form a wear-resistant bead fused to the substrate parallel along the cutting edge.
4 more elements
A cutting head for mulching or cutting organic matter, the cutting head comprising:
- a cylindrical drum adapted for rotation about an axis;
- and
- one or more cutting teeth attached to the drum for shredding organic matter upon rotation of the drum, the teeth comprising:
- a substrate having a cutting edge formed on the substrate;
- and
- a wear-resistant bead fused to the substrate, the wear-resistant bead extending parallel along the cutting edge and having a width and a thickness, the ratio of bead width to thickness being at least about 5 to 1, the substrate and wear-resistant bead having different compositions, the wear-resistant bead being fused to the substrate by:
- activating a laser diode to generate heat and melt a wear-resistant material;
- moving at least one of the laser diode or substrate such that molten wear-resistant material is deposited parallel along the cutting edge;
- and
- solidifying the molten material to form a wear-resistant bead fused to the substrate parallel along the cutting edge.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.