Roller cutter mounts

Claim 1

In an earth boring cutterhead having rear mounted roller cutters, the mounting improvement comprising: frame means defining a cutter well for receiving a roller cutter of a type comprising at least one rotating cutterwheel and a stator, said cutter well having a rearwardly directed portal and a forwardly directed window, wherein a peripheral portion of the cutterwheel projects through said window and extends forwardly of the cutterhead when the roller cutter is secured within said cutter well; said frame means having integral abutments along the margins of said window for restraining forewardly movement of said roller cutters with respect to said cutter well; said portal being of a size sufficient to permit passage of a corresponding roller cutter for mounting on and for removal from said cutter well; said frame means also defining at least one generally forwardly directed load carrying surface; and means for securing said roller cutter within said cutter well, comprising a load transfer block insertable from the rear of said cutter well into a load transferring position between said stator and said load carrying surface once said roller cutter has been placed within said cutter well, so that thrust loads imposed on said roller cutter during boring are transmitted from the stator to the load transfer block and from the load transfer block directly to said frame means, and means for retaining the load transfer block in place.