Abstract: A milling cutter comprises a cutter body having at least one insert blade station. At least one insert blade is operably connected with the cutter body at the insert blade station. The insert blade has opposite side faces, and a plurality of peripheral edge faces, with at least one cutting edge formed at the intersection of one side face and one edge face. The insert blade is oriented in the cutter body such that the one edge face defines a tooth face against which a workpiece impinges during cutting, and the one side face defines a clearance space between the insert blade and the workpiece. The one side face is convex in shape to reduce the clearance space for improved cutting efficiency and blade longevity, without causing undesirable contact between the other portions of the insert blade and the workpiece.

Abstract: A milling cutter blade with a notched cutting edge capable of being mounted at a desired negative or positive rake in a cutter body, the notches having side walls which, at the side face, diverge away from the cutting edge. The blade edge surfaces adjacent the cutting edges are of concave, generally V-shaped configuration with the junctures of these edge surfaces with the side faces being at an acute angle. A plurality of the blades are mounted in a cutter body to form a milling cutter assembly such that one portion of the configurated concavity V on the blade back edge surface is in reference engagement with a like oriented cutter body reference surface on a convex generally V-shaped back surface of a cutter body blade slot. The V-shaped concavity on the front edge surface of the blade cooperates with the adjacent chip pocket of the cutter body to discharge chips.

Abstract: A milling cutter having blades retained against seating surfaces in cutter body slots by resilient leaf springs engaging the blade edge surface that is opposite the seating surface for the blade. The seating surfaces are each part of a tapered wedge element and a threaded adjuster extending through the wedge element into the cutter body, parallel to the wedge seating surface.