Cutting Unit for a Tunneling Apparatus

• US 20100206637A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Hoelting, Keith Allen, Harrison, Stuart, See, Douglas Eugene JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/704,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20100206637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/76
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/002 by visual inspection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 9/004 using light beams for direction or position control
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 9/093 Control of the driving shield , e.g. of the hydraulic advancing cylinders arrangement of measuring or indicating devices for use during driving of tunnels E21D9/003

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cutting component for a tunneling apparatus. The cutting component includes a cutting unit main body having a front cutting side and a rear side. The cutting unit main body includes a hub portion defining a socket providing a torque transfer interface. The socket extends through the hub portion in a rear-to-front orientation and has an open end at least at the rear side of the cutting unit main body. The cutting unit main body defines an axis about which the cutting unit main body is rotated during cutting. The axis extends through a central region of the socket in the rear-to-front orientation. The cutting unit main body also including a plurality of cutting arms connected to the hub portion. The cutting arms project generally radially outwardly from the axis.

Claims

1. A cutting component for a tunneling apparatus, the cutting component comprising:

a cutting unit main body having a front cutting side and a rear side, the cutting unit main body including a hub portion defining a socket providing a torque transfer interface, the socket extending through the hub portion in a rear-to-front orientation and having an open end at least at the rear side of the cutting unit main body, the cutting unit main body defining an axis about which the cutting unit main body is rotated in a first direction of rotation during cutting, the axis extending through a central region of the socket in the rear-to-front orientation, the cutting unit main body also including a plurality of cutting arms connected to the hub portion, the cutting arms projecting generally radially outwardly from the axis, at least a first cutting arm of the plurality of cutting arms having a slurry flow directing structure positioned at the rear side of the cutting unit main body, the slurry flow directing structure including a first surface angled to face at least partially toward a rearward direction and at least partially toward the first direction of rotation.

2. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the slurry flow directing structure includes a second surface positioned radially inwardly with respect to the first surface, the second surface being angled to face at least partially toward the rearward direction, at least partially toward the first direction of rotation and at least partially radially outwardly from the axis.

3. The cutting component of claim 2, wherein the second surface has a concave curvature.

4. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the first cutting arm defines a rear notch at an outer end of the first cutting arm, and wherein the first surface is positioned directly in front of the notch.

5. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the cutting arms include leading sides that face toward the first direction of rotation and trailing sides that face away from the first direction of rotation, wherein cutter mounts are attached to the trailing sides of the cutting arms, wherein cutting bits are removably mountable in the cutter mounts, wherein the cutter mounts are positioned adjacent to and inwardly radially inset from radial outermost ends of the cutting arms, and wherein when the cutting bits are mounted within the cutter mounts the cutting bits define a cutting diameter located outside the radial outermost ends of the cutting arms.

6. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the first cutting arm includes an outer end surface that is angled to face partially radially outwardly from the axis and partially in the rearward direction.

7. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the cutting arms have front surfaces on which cutting elements are mounted, wherein the front surfaces are aligned along planes that are generally perpendicular to the axis.

8. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the cutting arms have front surfaces on which cutting elements are mounted, wherein the front surfaces angle rearwardly as the front sides extend generally radially outwardly from the axis.

9. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein scraper bars are attached to the rear side of the cutting unit main body.

10. The cutting component of claim 1, wherein the first cutting arm includes second and third surfaces that face in the rearward direction, the second surface being forwardly offset with respect to the third surface, the second surface being outwardly radially offset with respect to the third surface, the cutting arm also including an offset surface that extends between the second and third surfaces and faces generally radially outwardly from the axis, the second surface and the offset surface cooperating to define a notch positioned rearward of the first surface.

11. The cutting component of claim 10, further comprising a scraper bar attached to the third surface.

12. The cutting component of claim 11, wherein the scraper bar has a length that extends generally radially outwardly from the axis.

13. The cutting component of claim 10, wherein the second and third surfaces are generally parallel to one another and are aligned along planes that are generally perpendicular with respect to the axis.

14. A cutting component for a tunneling apparatus, the cutting component comprising:

a cutting unit main body having a front cutting side and a rear side, the cutting unit main body including a hub portion defining a socket providing a torque transfer interface, the socket extending through the hub portion in a rear-to-front orientation and having an open end at least at the rear side of the cutting unit main body, the cutting unit main body defining an axis about which the cutting unit main body is rotated in a first direction of rotation during cutting, the axis extending through a central region of the socket in the rear-to-front orientation, the cutting unit main body also including a plurality of cutting arms connected to the hub portion, the cutting arms projecting generally radially outwardly from the axis, the cutting arms having first and second rear surfaces, the cutting arms also including offset surfaces that extend between the first and second rear surfaces and that face at least partially radially outwardly from the axis, the first surfaces being outwardly radially offset with respect to the second surfaces, the first surfaces being forwardly offset with respect to the second surfaces, and the first surfaces and the offset surfaces cooperating to at least partially define rear notches located adjacent outer ends of the cutting arms.

15. The cutting component of claim 14, further comprising scraper bars attached to the second surfaces.

16. The cutting component of claim 15, wherein the scraper bars have lengths that extend generally radially outwardly from the axis.

17. The cutting component of claim 14, wherein the first and second surfaces are generally parallel to one another and are aligned along planes that are generally perpendicular with respect to the axis.

18. A cutting component for a tunneling apparatus, the cutting component comprising:

a cutting unit main body having a front cutting side and a rear side, the cutting unit main body including a hub portion defining a socket providing a torque transfer interface, the socket extending through the hub portion in a rear-to-front orientation and having an open end at least at the rear side of the cutting unit main body, the cutting unit main body defining an axis about which the cutting unit main body is rotated in a first direction of rotation during cutting, the axis extending through a central region of the socket in the rear-to-front orientation, the cutting unit main body also including a plurality of cutting arms connected to the hub portion, the cutting arms projecting generally radially outwardly from the axis;

a retention structure that mounts at the front cutting side of the cutting unit main body, the retention structure including a retention cap that covers at least a portion of the hub portion, the retention structure also including a first fastener that aligns with the axis and that projects rearwardly from the cap and into the socket, the retention cap including at least one fastener receiver positioned radially outwardly with respect to the first fastener; and

a second fastener that fits within the fastener receiver and attaches to the cutting unit main body to prevent the retention cap from rotating about the axis relative to the cutting unit main body.

19. The cutting component of claim 18, wherein the first fastener is threaded.

20. The cutting component of claim 18, wherein the second fastener is threaded and threads within an internally threaded opening defined through the front cutting side of the cutting unit main body.

21. The cutting component of claim 18, wherein the fastener receiver includes a peripheral notch defined by the retention cap.

22. The cutting component of claim 21, wherein the retention cap defines a plurality of peripheral notches for receiving the second fastener, the plurality of peripheral notches being spaced about a circumference of the retention cap.

23. A tunneling apparatus comprising:

a drill head including a drill head main body and a steering shell positioned around the drill head main body, the drill head also including a drive stem rotatably mounted in the drill head main body;

a shell driver for generating generally radial relative movement between the steering shell and the drill head main body;

the drill head further including a cutting unit having a cutting unit main body including a hub and a plurality of arms that project generally radially outwardly from the hub, the cutting unit main body including a front cutting side that faces away from the drill head main body and a rear side that faces toward the drill head main body, the arms having outer rear notches that allow at least a portion of the cutting unit to be recessed rearwardly within a front end of the steering shell without causing the cutting unit to interfere with the generally radial relative movement between the steering shell and the drill head main body.