Dredger Cuttertooth Manipulator

Abstract

The present invention addresses a dredger cuttertooth manipulator that includes at least one robotic tooth handler that is adapted to remove a worn tooth from a dredger cutterhead and then replace the removed tooth with a new tooth. In a particular embodiment, the manipulator includes two robotic tooth handlers, one that removes the worn tooth, and another that replaces the removed tooth with a new tooth. The robotic tooth handler is made up of an arm and a hand that is adapted to grip the teeth.

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         24 . A dredger cuttertooth manipulator comprising at least one robotic tooth handler, wherein the manipulator is adapted to remove worn teeth from a dredger cutterhead and replace said removed teeth with new teeth. 
     
     
         25 . The manipulator of  claim 24 , further comprising a hand adapted to grip and remove said worn teeth from the cutterhead. 
     
     
         26 . The manipulator of  claim 25  wherein said hand is further adapted to grip and mount said new teeth onto the cutterhead. 
     
     
         27 . The manipulator of  claim 24  wherein said dredger head comprises at least one spigot adapted to accept said new teeth, and whereby said hand is adapted to mount and removably lock said teeth onto said spigot. 
     
     
         28 . The manipulator of  claim 27  wherein said hand further comprises a spigot pin magazine. 
     
     
         29 . The manipulator of  claim 28  wherein the spigot pin magazine is adapted to removably lock said teeth into said spigot by extending a spigot pin through the respective tooth and spigot. 
     
     
         30 . The manipulator of  claim 28  wherein the spigot pin magazine is adapted to removably lock said teeth into said spigot by fitting a spigot pin at a side of the respective spigot and tooth. 
     
     
         31 . The manipulator of  claim 27  wherein the at least one spigot further comprises a quarter-turn spiraled spigot. 
     
     
         32 . The manipulator of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one spigot comprises a quarter-turn thread. 
     
     
         33 . The manipulator of any one of  claim 27  wherein the at least one spigot is disposed on a leading edge of an arm of the cutterhead. 
     
     
         34 . The manipulator of  claim 26  said hand is further adapted to grip a new tooth from a supply of new teeth and secure said new tooth to the cutterhead. 
     
     
         35 . The manipulator of  claim 24  further comprising an optical position control system, said control system adapted to maneuver the manipulator to remove said worn teeth from and fit said new teeth onto said cutterhead. 
     
     
         36 . The manipulator of  claim 24  further comprising a damper. 
     
     
         37 . The manipulator of  claim 36  further comprising a clamp designed to prevent the damper from functioning. 
     
     
         38 . The manipulator of  claim 24  wherein said manipulator is retrofitted for disposition on a cutterplatform of a dredger ship. 
     
     
         39 . A dredger cuttertooth manipulator comprising a first robotic tooth handler and a second robotic tooth handler. 
     
     
         40 . The manipulator of  claim 39 , wherein said first robotic tooth handler is adapted to remove worn teeth from a dredger cutterhead and the second robotic tooth handler is adapted to fit new teeth into said cutterhead. 
     
     
         41 . The manipulator of  claim 40  wherein said second robotic tooth handler is further adapted to grip a new tooth from a supply of new teeth and secure the new tooth to the cutterhead. 
     
     
         42 . The manipulator of  claim 40 , wherein each of the first and second robotic tooth handlers further comprises an arm and a hand adapted to grip said teeth. 
     
     
         43 . The manipulator of  claim 42  wherein each hand is disposed at the end of each arm. 
     
     
         44 . The manipulator of  claim 39  further comprising a damper. 
     
     
         45 . The manipulator of  claim 44  further comprising a clamp designed to prevent the damper from functioning. 
     
     
         46 . The manipulator of  claim 39  wherein said manipulator is retrofitted for disposition on a cutterplatform of a dredger ship. 
     
     
         47 . A dredger ship comprising a dredger cuttertooth manipulator, wherein said cuttertooth manipulator comprises a first robotic tooth handler and a second robotic tooth handler, and wherein the two robotic tooth handlers are mounted on opposed sides of a cutterplatform on the dredger ship.