Abstract: A tool for removing material includes a body, an ultrahard insert, and a matrix. The body has a forward portion, an opposing rear portion, and a longitudinal axis therebetween. The ultrahard insert includes an ultrahard material, and the ultrahard insert is mounted to and contacts the body proximate the forward portion. The matrix contacts the body and the ultrahard insert. The matrix is mechanically interlocked with the body and at least a portion of the matrix is positioned circumferentially around at least a portion of the forward portion of the body.

Abstract: A cutting element includes a substrate that is axially symmetric about a central axis. The substrate has a radius perpendicular to the central axis and that extends from the central axis to an outer surface of the substrate. A super-hard material is coupled to the substrate, and the central axis passes through the super-hard material. The super-hard material has an external surface defining at least one ridge protruding from a remainder of the external surface. A central point on the central axis is offset from the external surface of the super-hard material by a distance equal to the radius of the substrate. A distance measured from the external surface of the super-hard material to the central point is greatest at a position between 25° and 45° from the central axis of the substrate.

Abstract: A cutting element may include a body, a concave cutting face formed at a first end of the body, the cutting face including one or more cutting ridges adjacent a cutting tip that are raised above the concavity of the cutting face and having a length that is at least about 10% of a diameter of the cutting face. An edge is formed around a perimeter of the cutting face, and the edge has an edge angle defined between a tangent of the cutting face and a cylindrical side surface of the body, the edge angle being acute at the cutting tip and varying around the perimeter of the cutting face.

Abstract: A tool for removing material includes a body, an ultrahard insert, and a matrix. The body has a forward portion, an opposing rear portion, and a longitudinal axis therebetween. The ultrahard insert includes an ultrahard material, and the ultrahard insert is mounted to and contacts the body proximate the forward portion. The matrix contacts the body and the ultrahard insert. The matrix is mechanically interlocked with the body and at least a portion of the matrix is positioned circumferentially around at least a portion of the forward portion of the body.

Abstract: A cutting element may include a substrate including a plurality of metal carbide particles and a first metal binder having a first metal binder content; an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material at an end of the cutting element, the polycrystalline diamond material including a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the interconnected diamond particles, the plurality of interstitial regions containing a second metal binder having a second metal binder content. The cutting element also includes at least one transition zone between the substrate and the outer layer, the at least one transition zone including a plurality of refractory metal carbide particles and a third metal binder having a third metal binder content, the third metal binder content being less than the first metal binder content and the second metal binder content.

Abstract: A downhole cutting tool may include a tool body, a plurality of blades extending from the tool body, and a plurality of cutting elements coupled to the blades. The plurality of cutting elements may include one or more cutting elements having a working end of a first geometry (e.g., a pointed geometry) and one or more cutting elements having a working end of a second geometry (e.g., a planar geometry).

Abstract: A cutting element may include a substrate including a plurality of metal carbide particles and a first metal binder having a first metal binder content; an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material at an end of the cutting element, the polycrystalline diamond material including a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the interconnected diamond particles, the plurality of interstitial regions containing a second metal binder having a second metal binder content. The cutting element also includes at least one transition zone between the substrate and the outer layer, the at least one transition zone including a plurality of refractory metal carbide particles and a third metal binder having a third metal binder content, the third metal binder content being less than the first metal binder content and the second metal binder content.

Abstract: A cutting element includes a substrate that is axially symmetric about a central axis. The substrate has a radius perpendicular to the central axis and that extends from the central axis to an outer surface of the substrate. A super-hard material is coupled to the substrate, and the central axis passes through the super-hard material. The super-hard material has an external surface defining at least one ridge protruding from a remainder of the external surface. A central point on the central axis is offset from the external surface of the super-hard material by a distance equal to the radius of the substrate. A distance measured from the external surface of the super-hard material to the central point is greatest at a position between 25° and 45° from the central axis of the substrate.

Abstract: A cutting element may include a substrate including a plurality of metal carbide particles and a first metal binder having a first metal binder content; an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material at an end of the cutting element, the polycrystalline diamond material including a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the interconnected diamond particles, the plurality of interstitial regions containing a second metal binder having a second metal binder content. The cutting element also includes at least one transition zone between the substrate and the outer layer, the at least one transition zone including a plurality of refractory metal carbide particles and a third metal binder having a third metal binder content, the third metal binder content being less than the first metal binder content and the second metal binder content.

Abstract: A downhole cutting tool may include a tool body, a plurality of blades extending from the tool body, and a plurality of cutting elements coupled to the blades. The plurality of cutting elements may include one or more cutting elements having a working end of a first geometry (e.g., a pointed geometry) and one or more cutting elements having a working end of a second geometry (e.g., a planar geometry).

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a high impact resistant tool comprises a sintered polycrystalline diamond body bonded to a cemented metal carbide substrate at an interface, the body comprising a substantially pointed geometry with an apex, the apex comprising a curved surface that joins a leading side and a trailing side of the body at a first and second transitions respectively, an apex width between the first and second transitions is less than a third of a width of the substrate, and the body also comprises a body thickness from the apex to the interface greater than a third of the width of the substrate.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a drill string has a drill bit with a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working face has a plurality of blades converging at a center of the working surface and diverging towards a gauge of the working face. At least one blade has a cutting element with a carbide substrate bonded to a diamond working end with a pointed geometry. The diamond working end also has a central axis which intersects an apex of the pointed geometry. The axis is oriented between a 25 and 85 degree positive rake angle.

Abstract: A degradation pick of the type used in such fields as road milling, mining, and trenching to engage and degrade tough materials such as asphalt, concrete, and rock may comprise a body attached at one end to a substantially cylindrical shaft. A hardened tip may also be attached to the body opposite the shaft. The hardened tip may comprise an axis offset from a central axis of the shaft. Such a degradation pick may be secured to an exterior of a rotatable drum or continuous chain so as to be repeatedly brought into contact with a surface of a material to be degraded. The body may comprise a protruding spine adjacent the hardened tip and opposite a direction of travel of the hardened tip when transported by a rotating drum or continuous chain.

Abstract: A downhole cutting tool may include a tool body, a plurality of blades extending from the tool body, and a plurality of cutting elements coupled to the blades. The plurality of cutting elements may include one or more cutting elements having a working end of a first geometry (e.g., a pointed geometry) and one or more cutting elements having a working end of a second geometry (e.g., a planar geometry).

Abstract: In such fields as road milling, mining and trenching it is often desirable to engage and degrade tough materials such as asphalt, concrete and rock. To do so, degradation picks comprising hardened tips may be secured to an exterior of a rotatable drum so as to be repeatedly brought into contact with a surface of a material to be degraded. To secure such degradation picks to the rotatable drum, a toroidal body comprising an interior surface rigidly attachable to the rotatable body and an exterior surface comprising a plurality of bore holes disposed there around may receive a plurality of degradation picks secured within the bore holes.

Abstract: In such fields as road milling, mining and trenching it is often desirable to engage and degrade tough materials such as asphalt, concrete and rock. To do so, degradation picks comprising hardened distal tips may be secured to an exterior of a movable support such as a rotatable drum or continuous chain so as to be repeatedly brought into contact with a material to be degraded. To secure such degradation picks to the movable support, a block comprising a body with a base surface rigidly attachable to a movable support is disclosed. A first receptacle with a first central axis may be disposed on an external surface of the body and formed to receive a first removable degradation pick. A second receptacle with a second central axis may also be disposed on the external surface and formed to receive a second removable degradation pick where the first and second central axes are nonparallel.

Abstract: A downhole cutting tool may include a tool body; a plurality of blades extending from the tool body; a first blade comprising at least one pointed cutting element thereon, the at least one pointed cutting element comprising a first polycrystalline diamond material on a first carbide substrate, the first polycrystalline diamond material extending away from the first carbide substrate to terminate in a substantially pointed geometry opposite the first carbide substrate; a second blade comprising at least one shear cutting element, the at least one shear cutting element comprising a second polycrystalline diamond material on a second carbide substrate, the second polycrystalline diamond material forming a planar cutting surface opposite the substrate; wherein, when the first blade and the second blade are superimposed on each other, a central axis of the at least one pointed cutting element is offset from a central axis of the at least one shear cutting element.

Abstract: A fixed bladed drill bit has a working face that includes a plurality of blades converging at a center of the working face and diverging towards a gauge of the bit, each blade having a leading face and a trailing face, and at least one row of cutting elements disposed on at least one of the plurality of blades proximate to the leading face of the blade, where the row of cutting elements includes at least one pointed cutting element having a cutting end with a rounded apex and at least one shearing cutter. The at least one shearing cutter includes a first shearing cutter positioned proximate to a periphery of the working face.

Abstract: High-pressure high-temperature presses are commonly employed to create superhard materials used in such fields as road milling, mining and trenching, to breakup tough materials such as asphalt, concrete and rock. Many such presses comprise a plurality of piston assemblies that may act in concert to pressurize a cell. Such a cell may comprise a body with a plurality of canisters disposed therein and at least one unique heater element adjacent each of the canisters. Heat may be generated within such a press by forming an electrical circuit with the unique heater element and anvils surrounding the cell.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a high impact resistant tool includes a superhard material bonded to a cemented metal carbide substrate at a non-planar interface. The superhard material has a substantially pointed geometry with a sharp apex having a radius of curvature of 0.050 to 0.125 inches. The superhard material also has a thickness of 0.100 to 0.500 inches thickness from the apex to a central region of the cemented metal carbide substrate.