Abstract: An improved cutter head for a floating dredge of the type having a lowerable boom with cutter head on the lowerable end thereof. The cutter head includes a rotatable open axis cage of cutter bars mounted adjacent to and along a rectangular suction inlet so that material to be shredded and sludge material are drawn into and through the rotating cage for shredding. Teeth are mounted on the cage bars for digging and breaking dredge material encountered by the teeth. The cage is connected to a drive plate having shock absorbing grommets which absorb axial, tangential and radial shocks received by the rotating cage.

Abstract: An improved self-propelled floating dredging apparatus including a buoyant hull structure carrying a pilot house and engine compartment. The buoyant hull comprises a pair of longitudinally aligned parallel pontoons to provide flotation. A rigid boom structure extends forwardly from the medial portion of the hull structure and is adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis, from a horizontal position to a submerged position, in response to the action of a pair of power cylinders and an interconnecting linkage. A diesel engine in the engine compartment drives a centrifugal dredging pump and a hydraulic fluid pump. A hydraulically driven, steerable water jet propulsion assembly is mounted on a transom at the aft end portion of the hull structure. A hydraulically driven cable winch mechanism is also mounted on the hull structure.