Housing mount assembly for a roller cutter

Abstract

A housing mount assembly for supporting a roller cutter is described. The housing mount assembly comprises a housing mount defining an outer surface for attaching to a housing and a profiled inner surface extending away from the outer surface, the profiled inner surface defining a channel extending in a longitudinal direction, and a seat support block extending away from the outer surface and defining a first seat support surface transverse to the channel, and a second seat support surface transverse to the first seat support surface. The housing mount assembly further comprises a removable seat mounted on the seat support surfaces and defining two transverse roller cutter shaft support surfaces whereby the removable seat and the seat support block together provide support for a roller cutter shaft.

1 . A housing mount assembly for supporting a roller cutter, the housing mount assembly comprising:
 (i) a housing mount defining an outer surface for attaching to a housing and a profiled inner surface extending away from the outer surface, the profiled inner surface defining a channel extending in a longitudinal direction, and a seat support block extending away from the outer surface and defining a first seat support surface transverse to the channel, and a second seat support surface transverse to the first seat support surface;   (ii) a removable seat mounted on the seat support surfaces and defining two transverse roller cutter shaft support surfaces having an internal corner therebetween whereby the removable seat transverse roller cutter shaft support surfaces provide support for a pair of mutually transverse flat surfaces of a roller cutter shaft; and   (iii) an engagement device for releasably holding the removable seat in proximity to the seat support surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the engagement device is located between the removable seat and the outer surface, and the housing mount further defines a recess in which the engagement device is mounted. 
     
     
         3 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the recess is located above the seat support block so that the engagement device is located behind the removable seat when assembled. 
     
     
         4 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the engagement device comprises: a magnet or a magnetised portion of the housing mount or the removable seat, a spring clip coupling, a snap fit coupling, a deformable material mounted in a perimeter of the recess to provide an interference fit for the removable seat when inserted therein, a bolt extending through an aperture defined by the removable seat and engaging with a complementary thread in the profiled inner surface of the housing mount, or an adhesive for coupling the removable seat to the recess or other portion of the housing mount. 
     
     
         5 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the bolt extends through a slot-shaped aperture defined by the removable seat, with the slot extending in the longitudinal direction, and engaging with the complementary thread defined by the profiled inner surface, thereby allowing the bolt to move within the slot-shaped aperture during use of the housing mount assembly. 
     
     
         6 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second seat support surface is obliquely transverse to the first seat support surface, and the second seat support surface and a removable seat sidewall define complementary surfaces to enable the second seat support surface to assist in retaining the removable seat in place. 
     
     
         7 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing mount assembly further comprises a removable insert mounted on an opposite side of the channel to the removable seat. 
     
     
         8 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the removable insert comprises a high hardness metal. 
     
     
         9 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the removable seat comprises a high hardness metal. 
     
     
         10 . A housing mount assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the removable seat comprises less than 50% of the height of the part of the seat support block on which the removable seat is supported. 
     
     
         11 . A roller cutter assembly, the assembly comprising:
 (i) a first housing mount defining an outer surface for attaching to a housing and a profiled inner surface extending away from the outer surface, the profiled inner surface defining a channel extending in a longitudinal direction, and a seat support block extending away from the outer surface and defining a first seat support surface transverse to the channel, and a second seat support surface transverse to the first seat support surface;   (ii) second housing mount comprising a mirror image of the first housing mount;   (iii) a pair of removable seats, each removable seat (a) being mounted on the seat support surfaces of the housing mounts, and (b) defining two transverse roller cutter shaft support surfaces whereby the removable seat and the seat support block together provide support for a roller cutter shaft;   (iv) a pair of engagement devices for releasably holding the removable seat in proximity to the seat support surfaces;   (v) a roller cutter mounted on the pair of removable seats and including a shaft defining a pair of mutually transverse flat surfaces at each end thereof, and an angled surface opposite an area where the flat surfaces are closest; and   (vi) a pair of longitudinal couplings;   wherein each of the pair of removable seats has a first roller cutter shaft support surface transverse to a second roller cutter shaft support surface such that the first and second roller cutter shaft support surfaces provide an internal corner for the pair of mutually transverse flat surfaces of the roller cutter shaft.   
     
     
         12 . A roller cutter assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein each longitudinal coupling comprises: a bolt extending through the longitudinal channel and securing a wedge at one end thereof and a clamp block abutting a clamping surface defined by the housing mount. 
     
     
         13 . A roller cutter assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the wedge abuts an angled face of a roller cutter shaft to maintain the roller cutter shaft in contact with the removable seat. 
     
     
         14 . A roller cutter assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the roller cutter assembly comprises a pair of removable inserts. 
     
     
         15 . A roller cutter assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the wedge abuts the removable insert and an opposite part of the wedge acts against the roller cutter shaft. 
     
     
         16 . A roller cutter assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein each pair of inserts defines an inner support surface mounted opposite the corresponding removable seat. 
     
     
         17 . A tunnel boring machine comprising a plurality of roller cutter assemblies according to  claim 11 .