Cooling system for rock ripper tip

Abstract

A cooling system for cooling the cutting edge of an impact type ripper tip includes a source of liquid coolant under pressure and conduit means for supplying the coolant to a spray head mounted below and behind the ripper tip in a position to distribute liquid coolant to the lower surface of the tip behind the cutting edge. The spray head is detachably mounted directly behind the ripper tip and projects downward beyond the lower surface of the tip.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In an impact rock ripping machine having an elongated and downwardly extending ripping shank with a forwardly extending .[.rip.]. .Iadd.tip .Iaddend.mounted on said machine for receiving intermittent impact blows for driving the shank and tip in a forward direction at intermittent high speed intervals the improvement comprising: cooling means for distributing a flow of coolant to said tip for controlling the temperature thereof comprising a spray head mounted beneath said shank and disposed intermediate lateral sides thereof and behind said tip and having a plurality of spray openings positioned thereon to direct a spray pattern of coolant to an underside of said tip and fully thereacross;   an adapter having a first socket receiving a forwardly extending projection of said shank in mounting relationship therein and a second socket having said tip detachably mounted therein; and   spray head mounting means on said adapter mounting said spray head thereon, adjacent to said tip.   
     
     
       2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said cooling means further comprises: a pressurized source of fluidized coolant; and   means for communicating coolant from said source to said spray head.   
     
     
       3. The machine of claim 1 wherein said spray head mounting means comprises: a slot having sloping sidewalls formed in the lower forward edge of said adapter receiving said spray head therebetween;   said spray head having sloping side walls engaging corresponding the sloping side walls of said slot for being retained in position thereby.   
     
     
       4. The machine of claim 3 wherein: said spray head projects downward beyond the lower surface of said ripper tip.   
     
     
       5. The machine of claim 3 wherein said slot is semi-frusto conical in shape with an open front opening toward said tip; and, said spray head is semi-frusto conical in configuration with a semi-cylindrical front face.   
     
     
       6. The machine of claim 5 wherein said openings are formed in said semi-cylindrical front face; and said face is exposed at the open front of said slot and extends beyond the surface of said tip.   
     
     
       7. The machine of claim 1 wherein: said machine includes a housing supporting said ripping shank for movement relative thereto.[.; and, said spray head is mounted on said housing.]..   
     
     
       8. The machine of claim 1 wherein said spray head further comprises: a first cylindrial body having an inlet passage communicating with a central chamber; and,   a cap having said plurality of openings formed therein and means communicating said openings with said central chamber.   
     
     
       9. The machine of claim 1 wherein said tip extends laterally entirely across a front side of said adapter. 
     
     
       10. In an impact rock ripping machine, 
     
     
       a ripping shank, an adapter mounted on a forward end of said shank,   A tip detachably mounted on a forward end of said .[.adapted.]. .Iadd.adapter.Iaddend., and   cooling means for distributing a flow of coolant to said tip for controlling the temperature thereof comprising   a pressurized source of coolant,   a spray head mounted beneath said shank and .[.havng.]. .Iadd.having .Iaddend.a plurality of openings positioned thereon for directing .[.coolabt.]. .Iadd.coolant .Iaddend.forwardly and across an underside of said tip,   means for communicating coolant from said source to said openings, and   spray head mounting means comprising a slot having sloping sidewalls formed in said adapter and sloping sidewalls formed on said spray head and engaging the sloping sidewalls formed in said adapter for being retained in position thereby. .Iadd.   
     
     
       11.  In an earth cutting apparatus having a cutting tool, said cutting tool having a cutting edge terminating forwardly at the juncture of a pair of side surfaces lying in a pair of laterally spaced planes, a top surface, and a bottom surface of predetermined width and length, the improvement comprising: means for spraying and directly impinging pressurized coolant across the full width of said bottom surface and the full width of said cutting edge, said bottom surface being defined as that portion of the tool in contact with the unsevered earth during a cutting operation of said apparatus and said means located between the planes having said side surfaces lying therein. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 said means includes a single spray head having a plurality of openings positioned thereon. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said spray head is mounted intermediate the width of said tool. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The apparatus of claim 12 further including a guard member disposed rearwardly of said tool and wherein said spray head is mounted on said guard member. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 15. In an impact rock ripping machine   a support member having a predetermined width and mounted on said machine,   tip means mounted forwardly of said support member for penetrating hard materials and having forwardly converging top and bottom surfaces and a pair of side surfaces lying in a pair of laterally spaced planes terminating at a narrow cutting edge extending across the full width of said tip means, said cutting edge being at least as wide as the width of said support member, and   cooling means mounted directly rearwardly of said cutting edge and fully exposed to said bottom surface for spraying and directly impinging pressurized coolant in a fanlike pattern across the full width of said bottom surface in the plane thereof and directly across the full width of said cutting edge, said cooling means located between the planes having   
     
     
        said side surfaces lying therein. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 16.  The machine of claim 15 wherein said cooling means includes a single spray head having a plurality of openings positioned thereon for directing coolant towards said cutting edge. .Iadd. 17. The machine of claim 16 wherein said spray head is mounted intermediate the width of said tip means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The machine of claim 16 wherein said support member includes an adapter having said tip means detachably mounted thereon and wherein said spray head is mounted on said adapter. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The machine of claim 16 wherein said support member includes a rock guard disposed rearwardly of said tip means and wherein said spray head is mounted on said rock guard. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 20. The apparatus of claim 11 further including means for moving said cutting tool horizontally to engage said cutting edge in cutting contact and said bottom surface in contact with said unsevered earth. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. The machine of claim 15 further including means for moving said shank and said tip means horizontally to engage said cutting edge in cutting contact and said bottom surface in contact with unsevered earth. .Iaddend.