Insert cutter for cutting kerfs

Claim 2

An earth boring cutter that functions to form at least one kerf in the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular cutter body surface; and at least one annular row of insert means projecting from said cutter body for forming a kerf in the formation being bored, said at least one annular row of insert means including a multiplicity of individual non-hollow inserts which said inserts having cylindrical body portions extending into said cutter body below said annular cutter body surface and head portions extending substantially above said annular cutter body surface with said head portions having elongated formation contacting surfaces with said elongated formation contacting surfaces being aligned to form a kerf in the formations being bored.

Claim 3

The earth boring cutter of claim 1 where said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than five-eights inch.

Claim 4

The earth boring cutter of claim 2 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than 75% of the pitch cord.

Claim 5

The earth boring cutter of claim 3 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than 70% of the pitch cord.

Claim 6

The earth boring cutter of claim 4 where said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is approximately 62.5% of the pitch cord.

Claim 7

An earth boring cutter that functions to form at least one kerf in the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular cutter body surface; and at least one annular row of solid inserts projecting from said cutter body for forming a kerf in the formation being bored, said inserts having a cylindrical body portion extending into said cutter body below said annular cutter body surface, a head portion extending substantially above said annular cutter body surface, a leading flank, a trailing flank, an inner flank and an outer flank, with said leading flank and trailing flank being substantially parallel and said inner and outer flanks susbstantially meeting to form a formation contacting surface with said formation contacting surfaces being in a common plane.

Claim 8

An earth boring cutter that functions to form at least one kerf in the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular cutter body surface; and at least one annular row of solid inserts projecting from said cutter body for forming a kerf in the formation being bored, said inserts having a cylindrical body portion extending into said cutter body below said annular cutter body surface, a head portion extending substantially above said annular cutter body surface, a leading flank, a trailing flank, an inner flank and an outer flank, with said leading flank and trailing flank being substantially parallel and said inner and outer flanks susbstantially meeting to form a formation contacting surface with said formation contacting surfaces being in a common plane.

Claim 9

The earth boring cutter of claim 6 where said inserts have a cutting structure interruption of less than one-half inch.

Claim 10

The earth boring cutter of claim 7 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption of less than three-eights inch.

Claim 11

A cutter for an earth boring machine wherein said cutter is adapted to be mounted upon a rotary unit of the earth boring machine with said rotary unit functioning to form a multiplicity of circular kerfs in the earth formation being bored to fracture the portion of the formations between a proximate pair of said kerfs in a manner to cause fragments of the formations to be separated from the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular surface; and at least two annular rows of insert means connected to said cutter body and projecting from said annular surface for forming at least two circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored, said at least two annular rows of insert means including a multiplicity of individual solid inserts with said inserts having a cylindrical body portion embedded in said cutter body below said annular surface, a head portion projecting outward substantially above said annular surface, and an elongated formation contacting surface with the elongated fOrmation contacting surfaces of all the inserts in annular row being aligned to form a circular kerf in the earth formations being bored.

Claim 12

A cutter for an earth boring machine wherein said cutter is adapted to be mounted upon a rotary unit of the earth boring machine with said rotary unit functioning to form a multiplicity of circular kerfs in the earth formation being bored to fracture the portion of the formations between a proximate pair of said kerfs in a manner to cause fragments of the formations to be separated from the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular surface; and at least two annular rows of insert means connected to said cutter body and projecting from said annular surface for forming at least two circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored, said at least two annular rows of insert means including a multiplicity of individual solid inserts with said inserts having a cylindrical body portion embedded in said cutter body below said annular surface, a head portion projecting outward substantially above said annular surface, and an elongated formation contacting surface with the elongated fOrmation contacting surfaces of all the inserts in annular row being aligned to form a circular kerf in the earth formations being bored.

Claim 13

The cutter of claim 9 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than 75% of the pitch cord.

Claim 14

The cutter of claim 10 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than 70% of the pitch cord.

Claim 15

The cutter of claim 11 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is approximately 62.5% of the pitch cord.

Claim 16

A cutter for an earth boring machine wherein said cutter is adapted to be mounted upon a rotary unit of the earth boring machine with said rotary unit functioning to form a multiplicity of circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored to fracture the portion of the formations between a proximate pair of said kerfs in a manner to cause fragments of the formations to be separated from the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular plane surface; and at least two annular rows of solid inserts connected to said cutter body and projecting from said annular plane surface for forming at least two circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored, said inserts having cylindrical body portions extending into said cutter body below said annular plane surface and head portions extending substantially above said annular plane surface with said head portions having elongated contacting surfaces with said elongated formations contacting surfaces in an annular row being aligned to form circular kerfs in the formations being bored to fracture the portion of the formations between proximate kerfs, said inserts having a cutting structure interruption that is less than five-eighths inch.

Claim 17

A cutter for an earth boring machine wherein said cutter is adapted to be mounted upon a rotary unit of the earth boring machine with said rotary unit functioning to form a multiplicity of circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored to fracture the portion of the formations between a proximate pair of said kerfs in a manner to cause fragments of the formations to be separated from the formations being bored, comprising: a cutter body, said cutter body having an annular plane surface; and at least two annular rows of solid inserts connected to said cutter body and projecting from said annular plane surface for forming at least two circular kerfs in the earth formations being bored, said inserts having cylindrical body portions extending into said cutter body below said annular plane surface and head portions extending substantially above said annular plane surface with said head portions having elongated contacting surfaces with said elongated formations contacting surfaces in an annular row being aligned to form circular kerfs in the formations being bored to fracture the portion of the formations between proximate kerfs, said inserts having a cutting structure interruption that is less than five-eighths inch.

Claim 18

The cutter of claim 13 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than one-half inch.

Claim 19

The cutter of claim 14 wherein said inserts have a cutting structure interruption that is less than three-eights inch.