Grinding Wheel Assembly For Grinding Grooves Into Road Pavement

Abstract

A grinding wheel assembly for grinding grooves into road pavement has a rotating wheel with a plurality of parallel tracks spaced around the periphery of the wheel. A number of blocks are removably secured to the tracks of the wheel. Bits are removably secured to the blocks in a predetermined pattern to grind parallel grooves in the road pavement as the wheel rotates and the assembly moves along the road pavement. The bits on each block are arranged in a predetermined pattern so that bits on adjacent blocks are not aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement, but bits on selected non-adjacent blocks are aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement during rotation of the wheel. Preferably, the bits have a conical, polycrystalline diamond tip and a cylindrical base.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A grinding wheel assembly for grinding grooves into road pavement comprising:
 a rotating wheel having a generally cylindrical shape extending about a central horizontal axis with opposing lateral sides, said wheel having a plurality of parallel tracks spaced around the periphery of the wheel;   a plurality of blocks removably secured to the tracks of the wheel and having a predetermined pattern of holes; and   a plurality of bits, each bit having a base removably secured in a hole of a block and a tip extending from the hole, said tips of said bits grinding parallel grooves in the road pavement as the wheel rotates and the assembly moves along the road pavement, said bits being capable of being removed, rotated and reseated in said holes to expose different aspects of the tips of the bits to be used in grinding.   
     
     
         2 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bits on each block are arranged in a predetermined pattern so that bits on adjacent blocks are not aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement, but bits on selected non-adjacent blocks are aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement during rotation of the wheel. 
     
     
         3 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of bits for each block is laterally offset with respect to the pattern of bits for adjacent blocks so that bits on adjacent blocks are not aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement. 
     
     
         4 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the tracks run parallel to the central axis of the wheel. 
     
     
         5 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bits comprise a polycrystalline diamond tip. 
     
     
         6 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bits comprise a conical tip. 
     
     
         7 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bits comprise a flat tip. 
     
     
         8 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the holes extends through the blocks, and wherein the bits can be removed from the holes by exerting a force against the base of the bit through the hole. 
     
     
         9 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base of the bit comprises tungsten carbide 
     
     
         10 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the blocks are secured in the tracks with staggered offsets from the lateral sides of the wheel. 
     
     
         11 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bits seat in a pattern of holes in the blocks having staggered offsets between adjacent blocks. 
     
     
         12 . A grinding wheel assembly for grinding grooves into road pavement comprising:
 a rotating wheel having a generally cylindrical shape extending about a central horizontal axis with opposing lateral sides, said wheel having a plurality of parallel tracks spaced around the periphery of the wheel;   a plurality of bits, each bit having a substantially conical tip and a base; and   a plurality of blocks removably secured to the tracks of the wheel, each block having a predetermined pattern of holes in the block removably engaging the bases of bits with an aspect of the conical tips positioned to grind parallel grooves in the road pavement as the wheel rotates and the assembly moves along the road pavement; wherein the bits on each block are arranged in a predetermined pattern so that bits on adjacent blocks are not aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement, but bits on selected non-adjacent blocks are aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement during rotation of the wheel.   
     
     
         13 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 12  wherein the bits comprise a polycrystalline diamond tip. 
     
     
         14 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 12  wherein bits can be removed from the holes and reinserted into the holes in a different rotational orientation to allow different aspects of the conical tips to be used in grinding. 
     
     
         15 . A grinding wheel assembly for grinding grooves into road pavement comprising:
 a rotating wheel having a generally cylindrical shape extending about a central horizontal axis with opposing lateral sides, said wheel having a plurality of parallel tracks spaced around the periphery of the wheel;   a plurality of blocks removably secured to the tracks of the wheel with staggered offsets from the lateral sides of the wheel, and having a predetermined pattern of holes; and   a plurality of bits, each bit having a base removably secured in a hole of a block and a tip extending from the hole, said tips of said bits grinding parallel grooves in the road pavement as the wheel rotates and the assembly moves along the road pavement; wherein the bits in each block are arranged so that bits on adjacent blocks are not aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement, but bits on selected non-adjacent blocks are aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement during rotation of the wheel.   
     
     
         16 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 15  wherein the bits comprise a polycrystalline diamond tip. 
     
     
         17 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 15  wherein bits can be removed from the holes and reinserted into the holes in a different rotational orientation to allow different aspects of the tips of the bits to be used in grinding. 
     
     
         18 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 15  wherein each block is laterally offset with respect to adjacent blocks so that bits on adjacent blocks are not aligned to hit the same groove in the road pavement. 
     
     
         19 . The grinding wheel assembly of  claim 15  wherein the bits comprise a conical tip.