# US 9,751,089 B2 · Wear-resistant cutting teeth, cutting heads and related apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,089 B2 - Document ID: US9751089B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/369,508 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2015-01-15 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-11 - Assignees: Vermeer Manufacuturing Company - Applicants: Vermeer Manufacturing Company - Inventors: Chris Pfoltner; Clint Weinberg; John Maher; Steve Van Zee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751089B2 ## CPC - B02C 18/18: Knives; Mountings thereof - A01B 33/103: {the rotating shaft being oriented horizontally} - A01G 23/00: Forestry - B02C 18/06: with rotating knives - B23K 26/342: Build-up welding - B02C: CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN ({household tools and machines for pulverising foodstuffs, e.g. coffee and spice mills A47J42/00; pharmaceutical mortars A61J3/02; mechanical processing of refuse and garbage B03B9/06; dressing mould materials by grinding B22C5/04}; obtaining metallic powder by crushing, grinding or milling B22F9/04; {recovery of plastics by disintegrating B29B17/00; crushing raw materials in starch making C08B30/02; beaters for papermaking D21D1/02; crushing devices specially for transport in mines E21F13/002; slag crushing devices F23J1/00; fuel milling devices in combustion apparatus F23K1/00; household devices for crushing coal F24B15/02; ice disintegrating devices F25C5/02}) - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant bead is fused to the substrate at the cutting edge to cover at least a portion of the cutting edge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cutting edge has a length and the wear-resistant bead extends the entire length of the cutting edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant bead has an average thickness of less than about 3 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bead includes tungsten carbide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the substrate includes steel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant bead has a width, the width being at least about 2.5 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant bead has a width and a thickness, the ratio of the width to thickness being at least about 10:1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a mounting opening for mounting the tooth on a cutting head of the mulching tool. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cutting tooth has an arm portion and a body portion, the cutting edge being formed on the arm portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cutting tooth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tooth is sized and shaped for mounting on the cutting head of a propelled mulching apparatus. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cutting head as set forth in claim 12 wherein the wear-resistant bead has an average thickness of less than about 3 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The cutting head as set forth in claim 12 wherein the wear-resistant bead is fused at the cutting edge to cover at least a portion of the cutting edge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The cutting head as set forth in claim 12 wherein the cutting edge has a length and the wear-resistant bead extends the entire length of the cutting edge. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The cutting head as set forth in claim 12 comprising a shear bar, the shear bar and cutting edge of the teeth being aligned and adjacent one another during rotation of the drum to cause organic matter to be shredded as the teeth rotate past the shear bar. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The cutting head as set forth in claim 12 comprising at least about 5 teeth and wherein the teeth are releasably attached to the drum. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A propelled apparatus for mulching or cutting organic matter, the propelled apparatus comprising: a propulsion mechanism; and the cutting head set forth in claim 12 attached to the propulsion mechanism. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The propelled apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein the propulsion mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a skid steer, excavator, backhoe, grader and dedicated prime mover. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The propelled apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein the cutting head is releasably attached to the propulsion mechanism.