US 12,378,824 B2
HDD reamer having removable cutting teeth
Jacob Richard Smith, Altoona, IA (US)
Assigned to Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Pella, IA (US)
Filed by Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Pella, IA (US)
Filed on Feb. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/432,854.
Application 18/432,854 is a continuation of application No. 18/153,436, filed on Jan. 12, 2023, granted, now 11,891,859.
Application 18/153,436 is a continuation of application No. 17/533,763, filed on Nov. 23, 2021, granted, now 11,578,537, issued on Feb. 14, 2023.
Application 17/533,763 is a continuation of application No. 17/287,752, granted, now 11,180,960, issued on Nov. 23, 2021, previously published as PCT/US2020/040453, filed on Jul. 1, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/870,373, filed on Jul. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0175325 A1, May 30, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 10/26 (2006.01); E21B 7/04 (2006.01); E21B 10/567 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 10/26 (2013.01) [E21B 7/046 (2013.01); E21B 10/567 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cutter for a directional drilling reamer, the cutter defining a mounting interface for attachment with one of a plurality of support vanes of the reamer, the cutter comprising:
a body formed of a first material and having front, rear, top, bottom, left, and right sides;
one or more cutting inserts including a cutting material dissimilar from the first material of the body and secured to the front side of the body, the one or more cutting inserts defining a forward-facing normal surface vector;
a first mounting surface extending along a bottom of the body and configured to mate with a generally circumferential support surface on one of the plurality of support vanes;
a second mounting surface of the body provided at a forward end of the first mounting surface and extending away from the first mounting surface in a direction away from the top side of the body, perpendicular to the first mounting surface; and
a mounting aperture extending through one of the first and second mounting surfaces; and
wherein the normal surface vector of the one or more cutting inserts is offset from a reference line perpendicular to the second mounting surface as viewed from the bottom to define a non-zero side rake angle,
wherein the normal surface vector of the one or more cutting inserts is offset from the first mounting surface as viewed from the side to define a non-zero back rake angle, and
wherein the body includes a countersunk aperture extending from the top side through the first mounting surface on the bottom side.