Abstract: A cutting bit has a bit body which has a forward end and a rearward end. The bit body contains a seat at the forward end thereof. The bit body contains a bore intersecting the seat wherein a bore wall defines the bore. A cutting insert is received by the seat wherein the cutting insert presents a side surface facing the bore. A wedge has a generally longitudinal seating surface. The wedge has a support surface opposite to the longitudinal seating surface. The wedge is received within the bore so that the longitudinal seating surface of the wedge contacts the side surface of the cutting insert and for at least a portion of the length of the wedge the entire support surface contacts the bore wall so as to frictionally retain the cutting insert in the seat.

Abstract: A cutting insert which comprises a rake face and a flank face wherein there is a cutting edge at the juncture of the rake face and the flank face. The cutting insert has a coating and a substrate wherein the coating is adherently bonded to the substrate. The substrate is a tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide wherein there is a zone of non-stratified cobalt enrichment beginning near and extending inwardly from a peripheral surface of the substrate. The bulk substrate has a porosity of greater than C00 and less than or equal to C04.

Abstract: A ceramic composition produced by the consolidation of a blend of starting components. The composition comprises a matrix with one or more of the carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides of hafnium, molybdenum, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, vanadium and tungsten, titanium nitride, and titanium carbonitride in an amount that is greater than 50 volume percent of the matrix. The matrix comprises between 60 and 99.8 volume percent of the composition. Ceramic whiskers are uniformly dispersed throughout the matrix wherein the ceramic whiskers comprises between 0.2 and 40 volume percent of the composition.

Abstract: A clamping apparatus for detachably connecting a tool unit to a tool supporter with increased holding force is provided. The clamping apparatus includes a housing, a pair of opposing locking spheres within the housing, a cylindrical canister member mounted within the housing that is matable with an insert-supporting tool unit and which has a pair of opposing apertures in its sidewalls for conducting the locking spheres from a locking to an unlocking position, and a lock rod reciprocally movable within the interior of the canister member along an axis A and having opposing cam portions for radially moving the locking spheres through the canister apertures into wedging engagement with opposing angled walls of sphere receiving openings in the tool unit.

Abstract: A method of heat treating a sintered body having an exposed surface which has the steps of: providing a sintered body comprised of a hard carbide and a binder, the binder being present in the sintered body at a first binder level and the hard carbide in the sintered body being of a first grain size; placing granules of a sacrificial sintered material in contact with at least one portion of the exposed surface of the sintered body, the sacrificial sintered material comprised of the hard carbide and the binder, the binder being present in the sacrificial sintered material at a second binder level and the hard carbide in the sacrificial sintered material being of a second grain size; and heat treating the sintered body and sacrificial sintered material so as to change the binder content in a surface region of the sintered body.

Abstract: A rotatable cutting bit for penetrating an earth formation wherein the rotatable cutting bit includes an elongate bit body having a forward end and a rearward end. The bit body further defines a peripheral surface. The bit body has a first cutting insert affixed thereto at the axially forward end thereof. The first cutting insert has a first leading cutting edge and a first side clearance cutting edge. The first cutting insert is attached to the bit body so that the first side clearance cutting edge radially extends past the peripheral surface of the bit body so as to engage the earth formation.

Abstract: A sleeve for securing a cutting bit within a block used for mining and construction application whereby a flange on the sleeve has an undercut portion to promote removal of the sleeve. Additionally, a block used to secure a cutting bit within a holder used for mining and construction applications as a flange which also has an undercut which may be utilized with an extraction tool to promote removal of the block from the holder.

Abstract: A hard member for use as a wear part or a hard insert for a point attack style of tool or a rotary style of tool. The hard member having a composition of between about 5 volume percent and about 40 volume percent binder alloy, and between about 60 volume percent and about 95 volume percent tungsten carbide. The tungsten carbide has an average grain size between about 1 micrometer and about 30 micrometers. The binder alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and chromium wherein the nickel ranges between about 70 weight percent and less than 93 weight percent and the chromium ranges between greater than 7 weight percent and about 30 weight percent.

Abstract: A cutting insert which includes a holder that contains a pocket and a hard insert that has a rake surface. The hard insert is contained within the pocket so as to present a cutting edge. The cutting insert also includes a chipbreaker which comprises a plate with a bottom surface. The chipbreaker is attached to the cutting insert (or optionally to the holder) so that the plate is spaced above the rake surface of the hard insert a first distance forming a conduit for passage of the chips away from the cutting insert. The conduit is defined at least in part by the rake surface of the cutting insert and the bottom surface of the chipbreaker plate.

Abstract: A pick-style tool that includes an elongate tool body with an axially forward end and an axially rearward end, and a hard insert affixed to the tool body at the axially forward end is disclosed. The hard insert comprises a WC-cermet comprising tungsten carbide and about 5 wt. % to 27 wt. % Co—Ni—Fe-binder. The Co—Ni—Fe-binder is unique in that even when subjected to plastic deformation, the binder substantially maintains its face centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure and avoids stress and/or strain induced transformations.

Abstract: A cutting insert having a rake surface and a flank surface wherein there is a cutting edge at the intersection of the rake surface and the flank surface. The rake surface exhibits a sufficient degree of surface roughness so as to provide for microscopic chip control. The flank surface exhibits a sufficiently smooth (i.e., a mirror finish) so as to provide for a workpiece surface finish that approaches (or possibly reaches) the theoretical value attributable for the given cutting conditions.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for coating at least one substrate with a carbonitride-containing coating by a MT CVD process which includes heating a substrate or substrates to a reaction temperature in a reaction chamber and then introducing into the reaction chamber a deposition process gas comprising from about 1 to about 30% of a hydrogen halide and predetermined amounts of a carbon/nitrogen source, a metal-halogen compound, H.sub.2, and optionally N.sub.2 so that a layer of the carbonitride-containing coating deposits on the surface of the substrates or substrates. The present invention also includes embodiments for coating at least one substrate with a carbonitride-containing coating by a MT CVD process which includes maintaining a temperature gradient in the reaction chamber during the introduction of the deposition process gas into the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A rotatable cutting bit for engaging earth strata wherein the bit comprises an elongate bit body rotatable about a central longitudinal axis. The elongate body has an axially forward end and an axially rearward end. A cutting insert is affixed to the elongate body at the axially forward end thereof. The cutting insert comprises a pair of top surfaces which intersect to form a chisel edge, and a pair of concave surfaces wherein each one of the concave surfaces is adjacent to and intersects its corresponding one of the top surfaces. The cutting insert further includes a pair of end surfaces and a pair of arcuate surfaces. One of the arcuate surfaces intersects the one top surface and further intersects the one end surface whereby the one arcuate surface joins the one top surface and the one end surface. The other of the arcuate surfaces intersects the other top surface and further intersects the other end surface whereby the other arcuate surface joins the other top surface and the other end surface.

Abstract: An excavation cutting tool holder retention system. The cutting tool holder retention system includes a cutting tool holder having a holder side surface, a flange recess at least partially enclosed by the holder side surface, and a holder engagement surface together with a support block having a tool holder bore into which the cutting tool holder is inserted and a block pin bore intersecting the tool holder bore, the block pin bore defining a block engagement surface which is inclined downwardly relative to the tool holder bore. The cutting tool holder retention system further includes a pin having a pin shaft, the pin shaft having a pin flange which engages the flange recess so as to limit translational movement of the pin shaft. The pin engages the block engagement surface and the holder engagement surface such that the pin may be moved to draw the cutting tool holder into the tool holder bore.

Abstract: CLAIM The ornamental design for a cutting tool insert, as shown and described. DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a cutting tool insert in accordance with a first embodiment of the subject invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1, wherein the bottom plan view is identical; FIG. 3 is a side elevation view from any side of the cutting tool insert in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines “4—4” in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a cutting tool insert in accordance with the second embodiment of the subject invention; FIG. 6 is a top plan view of FIG. 5, wherein the bottom plan view is identical; FIG. 7 is a side elevation view from any side of the cutting tool insert in FIG. 5; FIG. 8 is a cross-section view taken along lines “8—8” in FIG. 5; FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a cutting tool insert in accordance with a third embodiment of the subject invention; FIG. 10 is a top plan view of FIG.