Raise drill bit inboard cutter assembly

Claim 2

In a raise bit for enlarging a pilot hole into a larger diameter hole by fracturing the earth formation surrounding the pilot hole, the bit having a drive stem projecting upwardly through the pilot hole and a bit body attached to the lower end portion of the stem, the improvement comprising: a plurality of cutter mounting housings disposed about the bit body at locations spaced radially outwardly from the drive stem, at least one of said housings having portions defining an upwardly projecting lug; a center roller cutter assembly mounted in cantilever fashion on a corresponding mounting housing to extend generally radially toward the longitudinal center of the stem, each of said roller cutter assemblies including a hanger bracket having an upright section including a thrust face abuttable against said housing, a shoulder section extending transversely outwardly from said upright section and defining a downwardly open groove for receiving a corresponding housing lug and a spindle cantilevered outwardly from said bracket upright section to extend in a direction toward the stem for supporting a roller cutter closely adjacent but spaced from the stem; and securing means for detachably securing said center roller cutter assembly to a corresponding mounting housing.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said securing means forces said hanger bracket groove against a corresponding housing lug.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said securing means includes a tension member having an enlarged first end portion bearing downwardly on said bracket upright section, an intermediate portion extending through said bracket upright section and a second end portion anchored within said cutter mounting housing.

Claim 5

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said hanger bracket thrust face is spaced below said groove and is disposed in a plane parallel to the height of said bracket upright section.

Claim 6

The improvement according to claim 4, wherein: said hanger bracket upright section is generally planar and includes at least one clearance passageway extending downwardly there through; said hanger bracket groove is spaced transversely from and extends generally parallel to the plane of said upright section; and said securing means extends downwardly through said mounting bracket clearance passageway to engage with portions of said mounting housing to thereby simultaneously load said groove downwardly against said lug and load said thrust face transversely against said housing.

Claim 7

The improvement according to claim 5, wherein: in cross-sectional profile said lug is tapered in the upward direction; and the cross-sectional profile of said hanger bracket groove matches the profile of said lug to thereby cause said hanger bracket to rock about said lug to automatically press said hanger bracket thrust face against said housing upon securing engagement of said securing means with said mounting housing.

Claim 8

A roller cutter comprising: a hanger bracket including a major section having first and second end portions, and a shoulder section extending transversely from said first end portion of said major section, said shoulder section having portions defining a groove open in the direction toward said second end portion of said bracket major section, said major section having a thrust surface located adjacent said second end portion; a spindle extending transversely outwardly from said bracket major section in a direction opposite to said shoulder section; and roller means antifrictionally mounted on said spindle to rotate about said spindle.

Claim 9

A roller cutter comprising: a hanger bracket including a major section having first and second end portions, and a shoulder section extending transversely from said first end portion of said major section, said shoulder section having portions defining a groove open in the direction toward said second end portion of said bracket major section, said major section having a thrust surface located adjacent said second end portion; a spindle extending transversely outwardly from said bracket major section in a direction opposite to said shoulder section; and roller means antifrictionally mounted on said spindle to rotate about said spindle.

Claim 10

A roller cutter according to claim 7, wherein said groove is disposed laterally offset from said bracket major section.

Claim 11

A roller cutter according to claim 7 or 8 wherein said groove is generally V-shaped in cross section.

Claim 12

A roller cutter according to claim 9, wherein said thrust face lies in a plane disposed generally parallel to the length of said groove.

Claim 13

A roller cutter according to claim 7, wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one clearance passageway extending through said major section from said first to said second end portion of said major section.

Claim 14

A roller cutter according to claim 7, wherein said roller means if fomred generally in the shape of a truncated cone with a major diameter end portion disposed adjacent said hanger bracket major section and a minor diameter end portion disposed adjacent the free end portion of said spindle.

Claim 15

A cutter housing comprising an upright wall having an elongate upper edge portion and a pocket formed along one side of said upright wall to extend downwardly from said upper edge portion; and a pair of parallel, spaced apart retaining walls projecting outwardly from the side of said upright wall opposite said pocket, said retaining walls disposed obliquely to the plane of said upright wall and having aligned arcuate recesses formed therein.

Claim 16

A cutter housing comprising an upright wall having an elongate upper edge portion and a pocket formed along one side of said upright wall to extend downwardly from said upper edge portion; and a pair of parallel, spaced apart retaining walls projecting outwardly from the side of said upright wall opposite said pocket, said retaining walls disposed obliquely to the plane of said upright wall and having aligned arcuate recesses formed therein.

Claim 17

A cutter housing according to claim 13, further comprising side walls extending laterally outwardly from the side of said upright wall opposite said pocket to transversely interconnect the end portions of said retaining walls to form a generally rectangularly-shaped roller mounting box disposed obliquely to the plane of said upright wall.

Claim 18

A cutter housing according to claim 13, wherein said upright wall upper edge portion is tapered in the upwardly direction.

Claim 19

A raise bit for enlarging a preformed pilot hole into a larger diameter by disintegrating the earth formations surrounding the pilot hole, the bit having a cutter carrier frame and a drive stem extending upwardly from the cutter carrier frame and into the pilot hole, the improvement comprising: a plurality of cutter housings disposed about the cutter carrier frame at locations spaced radially outwardly from the drive stem, at least some of said housings including an upright wall extending generally upwardly from the cutter carrier frame, said upright wall having an elongate upper edge portion, a first roller cutter retaining wall extending transversely outwardly from an upper portion of said upright wall at an orientation obliquely to the plane of said upright wall, and a second roller cutter retaining wall spaced below and parallel to said first roller cutter retaining wall, said two roller cutter retaining walls having aligned arcuate recesses formed therein; a central roller cutter assembly mounted on a corresponding cutter housing to extend in a direction generally toward the stem, each of said central roller cutter assemblies including; a hanger bracket having an upright section including upper and lower end portions, a shoulder section extending transversely outwardly from the upper end portion of said upright section, said shoulder section having portions defining an elongate, downwardly open groove extending parallel to the plane of said upright section for receiving the upper edge portion of said cutter housing upright wall; a spindle cantilevered outwardly from said hanger bracket upright section in a direction opposite to said shoulder section; and roller means antifrictionally mounted on said spindle to rotate about said spindle; and securing means for detachably securing each of said central roller cutter assemblies to a corresponding cutter housing by simultaneously forcing said hanger bracket groove downwardly against the upper edge portion of a corresponding housing upright wall and loading the lower end portion of said hanger bracket upright section against said housing upright wall.

Claim 20

A raise bit for enlarging a preformed pilot hole into a larger diameter by disintegrating the earth formations surrounding the pilot hole, the bit having a cutter carrier frame and a drive stem extending upwardly from the cutter carrier frame and into the pilot hole, the improvement comprising: a plurality of cutter housings disposed about the cutter carrier frame at locations spaced radially outwardly from the drive stem, at least some of said housings including an upright wall extending generally upwardly from the cutter carrier frame, said upright wall having an elongate upper edge portion, a first roller cutter retaining wall extending transversely outwardly from an upper portion of said upright wall at an orientation obliquely to the plane of said upright wall, and a second roller cutter retaining wall spaced below and parallel to said first roller cutter retaining wall, said two roller cutter retaining walls having aligned arcuate recesses formed therein; a central roller cutter assembly mounted on a corresponding cutter housing to extend in a direction generally toward the stem, each of said central roller cutter assemblies including; a hanger bracket having an upright section including upper and lower end portions, a shoulder section extending transversely outwardly from the upper end portion of said upright section, said shoulder section having portions defining an elongate, downwardly open groove extending parallel to the plane of said upright section for receiving the upper edge portion of said cutter housing upright wall; a spindle cantilevered outwardly from said hanger bracket upright section in a direction opposite to said shoulder section; and roller means antifrictionally mounted on said spindle to rotate about said spindle; and securing means for detachably securing each of said central roller cutter assemblies to a corresponding cutter housing by simultaneously forcing said hanger bracket groove downwardly against the upper edge portion of a corresponding housing upright wall and loading the lower end portion of said hanger bracket upright section against said housing upright wall.

Claim 21

The improvement according to claim 16, wherein: said hanger bracket upright section includes at least one clearance passageway extending downwardly there through; and said securing means includes a tension member extending downwardly through said bracket clearance passageway to engage with portions of said cutter housing upright wall disposed below said bracket upright section.

Claim 22

The improvement according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: in cross-sectional profile the upper edge portion of said cutter housing upright wall is tapered in the upwardly direction; and the cross-sectional profile of said hanger bracket groove corresponds to the profile of the tapered upper edge portion of said cutter housing upright wall to permit said bracket to swing about said upright wall upper edge portion and simultaneously press the lower end portion of said bracket upright section against said housing upright wall upon securing action by said securing means.