Stump cutter disc with recessed tooth pockets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9894848-B2
Application number	US-201414147277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2014
Priority date	Jan 11, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

One stump cutter cutting wheel disclosed herein includes a wheel structure having left and right sides and being rotatable about a central axis extending between the left and right sides. The left and right sides define receptacles having depths measured in an orientation extending along the axis. Cutter assemblies are mounted to the wheel structure and include cutters mounted to cutter holders. The cutter holders include base portions that fit within the receptacles, and the base portions each define at least one fastener opening. The base portions further define base thicknesses measured in the orientation extending along the axis. The receptacle depths are at least 0.25 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 75 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside the receptacles. Fasteners secure the cutter holders to the wheel structure and extend through the fastener openings defined by the base portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stump cutter cutting wheel comprising:
a wheel structure having a main wheel with a left side and a right side and respective left and right surfaces, the wheel structure being rotatable about a central axis that extends through the wheel structure between the left and right sides, a left guard mounted to the left surface of the left side of the wheel structure and a right guard mounted to the right surface of the right side of the wheel structure, the left and right guards defining openings that at least partially define a plurality of receptacles having receptacle depths measured in an orientation that extends along the central axis;
a plurality of cutter assemblies mounted to the wheel structure, the cutter assemblies including cutters mounted to cutter holders, the cutter holders including base portions that fit within the receptacles, the base portions each defining at least one fastener opening, the base portions defining base thicknesses measured in the orientation that extends along the central axis, the receptacle depths being at least 0.25 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 75 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside of the receptacles; and
fasteners for securing the cutter holders to the wheel structure, the fasteners extending through the fastener openings defined by the base portions of the cutter holders;
wherein the left and right guards each include at least one guard plate, and wherein the guard plates are fastened to the main wheel by fasteners.

2. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle depths are at least 0.30 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 70 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside of the receptacles.

3. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle depths are at least 0.35 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 65 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside of the receptacles.

4. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle depths are at least 0.40 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 60 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside of the receptacles.

5. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle depths are at least 0.45 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 55 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside of the receptacles.

6. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the receptacles define receptacle outlines, wherein the base portions define base portion outlines, and wherein a majority of each receptacle outline has a clearance of at least 0.2 inches with respect to the base portion outline of a corresponding one of the base portions.

7. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the left and right guards each include at least two guard plates.

8. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the openings are notches having open sides that face radially outwardly from the central axis.

9. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the left and right guards cover outer annular regions of the left and right surfaces of the main wheel, and wherein the outer annular regions extend around the central axis.

10. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 9 , wherein the left and right guards do not cover inner annular regions of the left and right surfaces of the main wheel.

11. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the left and right guards cover 20-60 percent of the total areas defined by the left and right surfaces of the main wheel.

12. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 11 , wherein the left and right surfaces of the main wheel are defined between inner and outer diameters of the main wheel.

13. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 9 , wherein the left and right guards each include first and second plates that cooperate to cover the outer annular regions.

14. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 13 , wherein the first and second plates are each generally semi-circular.

15. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 1 , wherein the cutter holders have holder portions that project outwardly from the base portions.

16. The stump cutter cutting wheel of claim 15 , wherein the cutter holders have leading sides and trailing sides, wherein cutter fastener openings extend through the cutter holders from the leading sides to the trailing sides, wherein cutting heads of the cutters are positioned at the leading sides of the cutter holders and fasteners of the cutters extend though the cutter fastener openings.

17. A stump cutter cutting wheel comprising:
a main wheel having a left side and a right side with respective left and right surfaces, the main wheel being rotatable about a central axis that extends through the main wheel between the left and right surfaces;
guard structures mounted to the respective left and right surfaces of the main wheel, the guard structures being formed by plates fastened to the main wheel by fasteners, the plates defining openings that define receptacles, each plate defining at least two given openings for defining receptacles, the receptacles having inner and outer ends, the receptacles having depths that extend from the inner ends to the outer ends of the receptacles, the depths being measured in an orientation that extends along the central axis of the main wheel, the inner ends being closed by the left and right surfaces of the main wheel and outer ends being open;
a plurality of cutter assemblies including cutters mounted to cutter holders, the cutter holders including base portions that fit within the receptacles, the base portions each defining at least one fastener opening; and
fasteners for securing the cutter holders to the main wheel, the fasteners extending through the fastener openings defined by the base portions of the cutter holders and engaging the main wheel.

18. A cutting wheel, comprising:
a main wheel rotatable about a center axis; the main wheel having a generally planar left surface, a generally planar right surface, and an outermost border; the left surface being generally parallel to the right surface;
a plurality of cutter assemblies extending from the main wheel beyond the outermost border, each cutter assembly having a base portion and a cutter configured for reducing a tree stump;
first and second guards comprising respective first and second guard plates, the first and second guard plates each extending a distance D 1 from the respective left and right surface, the distance D 1 being measured in an orientation that extends along the center axis, the first guard plate defining a first receiving area within the distance D 1 , and the second guard plate defining a second receiving area within the distance D 1 ;
wherein one of the cutter assembly base portions is positioned in the first receiving area and extends a distance D 2 from the left surface, the distance D 2 being measured in the orientation that extends along the center axis;
wherein the distance D 1 is at least 25% as large as the distance D 2 ; and
wherein the guard plates are fastened to the wheel by fasteners.

19. The cutting wheel of claim 18 , wherein the first receiving area defines a receptacle outline that follows a shape of at least part of the cutter assembly base portion positioned in the first receiving area.

20. A cutting wheel, comprising:
a main wheel rotatable about a center axis; the main wheel hav

Assignees

• Vermeer Mfg Co

Inventors

• Weinberg Clint
• Hartke Louis C

Classifications

• A01G23/067 Primary

  by comminuting the tree stumps · CPC title