The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
May. 07, 2002
Peter T. Cariveau, Houston, TX (US);
Vincent W. Shotton, Ponca City, OK (US);
Smith International, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A rotary cutter mount for an earth-boring cutter includes a bearing journal adapted to be coupled to a cutter body. A first mounting end of the bearing journal is shaped to enable rotationally fixed positioning in a corresponding yoke. The yoke is operatively coupled to the body of the cutter. A ball race is formed in an exterior surface of the journal. A ball loading passage is formed in the journal. The ball loading passage has an exit hole on the race. The hole is positioned so that it is disposed in a rotary orientation which is at a selected angular displacement from the maximum radial loading on the journal. The first mounting end and the corresponding yoke are adapted to enable a plurality of rotary orientations. Each of the rotary orientations is such that the hole is oriented other than in the direction of maximum radial loading.