Cutting Elements Disposed On A Drum

Abstract

A cutter is disclosed which has geometry which enables it to be fixedly mounted to the end of a cutter drum 1 of the type used in surface excavation. The cutter is comprised of a gusset plate having dual permanent pockets in which replaceable cutter teeth can be mounted. The cutters are intended only to be mounted as the extreme edge cutter on a drum. The gusset plate has geometry such that upon fixing it to the drum skin, the entire gusset, in a preferred embodiment, sits angled toward the outer edge of the drum such that the leading cutter tooth extends beyond the edge of the drum.

1 . Apparatus comprising:
 an excavator including a drum, disposed for rotation in a first direction about a rotational axis, the drum having an outer surface for supporting primary excavation implements positioned at a radial distance from the outer surface of the drum for cutting away material on a first mostly horizontal surface of the earth to form a second mostly horizontal surface that is lower than the first mostly horizontal surface, the drum being substantially cylindrical and having a first and a second end;   an additional excavation implement operatively attached to the drum, said additional excavation implement having a longitudinal axis and a radially outermost portion thereon said additional excavation implement extending beyond the first end of the drum in a direction away from the second end whereby the additional excavation implement cuts material and forms a mostly vertical wall of the material being cut, which mostly vertical wall is spaced from the first end of the drum to prevent the first end from contacting the mostly vertical wall while the drum is rotating; and   wherein a following excavation implement is operatively attached to the drum for following behind the additional excavation implement, the following excavation implement being substantially closer to the additional excavation implement than to any one of the primary excavation implements whereby a mostly chamfered surface is formed at the intersection of the mostly vertical wall and the second mostly horizontal surface, said following excavation implement having a longitudinal axis and a radially outermost portion thereon.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a gusset is rigidly attached at the bottom thereof to the drum and is operatively attached to the additional excavation implement and to the following excavation implement for holding the additional excavation implement and the following excavation implement in an operational position. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein a top portion of the gusset is closer to the first end of the wall than is the bottom of the gusset. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the following excavating implement extends radially outwardly farther than the additional excavating implement. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (a) of the additional excavation implement is within a range of twenty nine to forty nine degrees (29°-49°) from a tangent taken along the outer surface of the circular shape of the drum at a place on the outer surface of the drum approximately directly radially inward from the radially outermost portion of the additional excavation implement. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (a) of the additional excavation implement is approximately thirty nine degrees (39°) from a tangent taken along the outer surface of the circular shape of the drum at a place on the outer surface of the drum approximately directly radially inward from the radially outermost portion of the additional excavation implement. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (b) of the following excavation implement is approximately forty nine degrees (49°) from a tangent taken along the outer surface of the circular shape of the drum at a place on the outer surface of the drum approximately directly radially inwardly from the radially outermost portion of the following excavation implement. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (b) of the following excavation implement is forty nine degrees (49°) plus or minus ten degrees (±10°) from a tangent taken along the outer surface of the circular shape of the drum at a place on the outer surface of the drum approximately directly radially inwardly from the radially outermost portion of the following excavation implement. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (c) of the additional excavation implement is ten to thirty five degrees (10°-35°) from the rotational axis of the drum. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (c) of the additional excavation implement is approximately thirty three (33°) from the rotational axis of the drum. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (d) of the following excavation implement is eighty to one hundred ten degrees (80°-110°) from the rotational axis of the drum. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (d) of the following excavation implement is approximately eighty seven (87°) from the rotational axis of the drum. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein, the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and said one end of the drum is disposed generally in a vertical plane, and wherein the gusset is tilted to one side along a tilted line which is not parallel to said vertical plane and wherein the angle (e) between the vertical plane and said tilted line of the gusset is approximately seventy six degrees (76°). 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein, the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and said one end of the drum is disposed generally in a vertical plane, and wherein the gusset is tilted to one side along a tilted line which is not parallel to said vertical plane and wherein the angle (e) between the vertical plane and said tilted line of the gusset between sixty five and eighty five degrees (65°-85°). 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a longitudinal axis (f) is disposed at an angle of thirty to sixty degrees (30°-60°) with respect to a vertical plane disposed along the first end of the drum. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a longitudinal axis (f) is disposed at an angle of thirty four degrees (34°) with respect to a vertical plane disposed along the first end of the drum. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the angle of the longitudinal axis (g) of the following implement is three degrees (3°) from a substantially vertical plan disposed along the first end of the drum. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the angle of the longitudinal axis (g) of the following implement is three degrees (3°) plus or minus fifteen degrees (±15°) from a substantially vertical plan disposed along the first end of the drum. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the gusset is approximately parallel to a vertical plane disposed along the first end of the drum. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the gusset is disposed at an approximate angle (h) of zero degrees (0°) with respect to a vertical plane disposed along the first end of the drum. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a radially outermost portion of the additional excavation implement is spaced more than one and one fourth inches (1¼″) from said first end of the drum. 
   
   
       22 . Apparatus comprising:
 an excavator including a drum, disposed for rotation in a first direction about a rotational axis, the drum having an outer surface for supporting primary excavation implements positioned at a radial distance from the outer surface of the drum for cutting away material on a first mostly horizontal surface of the earth to form a second mostly horizontal surface that is lower than the first mostly horizontal surface, the drum being substantially cylindrical and having a first and a second end; and   an additional excavation implement operatively attached to the drum, said additional excavation implement having a longitudinal axis and a radially outermost portion thereon said additional excavation implement extending beyond the first end of the drum in a direction away from the second end whereby the additional excavation implement cuts material and forms a mostly vertical wall of the material being cut, which mostly vertical wall is spaced from the first end of the drum to prevent the first end from contacting the mostly vertical wall while the drum is rotating wherein radially outermost portion of the additional excavation implement is spaced more than one and one quarter inches (1¼″) to two inches (2″) from said first end of the drum.   
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a following excavation implement operatively attached to the drum for following behind the additional excavation implement, the following excavation implement being substantially closer to the additional excavation implement than to any one of the primary excavation implements whereby a mostly chamfered surface is formed at the intersection of the mostly vertical wall and the second mostly horizontal surface, said following excavation implement having a longitudinal axis and a radially outermost portion thereon.   
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the distance of the radially outermost portion of the following excavation implement from the radially outermost portion of the following excavation implement is eight and three tens inches (8.3 inches). 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the distance of the radially outermost portion of the following excavation implement from the radially outermost portion of the following excavation implement is eight and three tens inches (8.3 inches) plus two inches (2″) or minus one inch (1″) 
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the drum has a circular shape about an exterior periphery thereof and the angle of the longitudinal axis (c) of the additional excavation implement is ten to thirty five degrees (10°-35°) from the rotational axis of the drum.