Holder Block for Both Radial and Conical Tool Picks

Abstract

A holder block and pick assembly including a pick, a washer, and a block body. The pick includes a shoulder and a shank extending rearwardly from the shoulder and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the shoulder. The washer has a central opening adapted to fit about the shank adjacent to the shoulder and a substantially flat edge disposed substantially perpendicular to a radius of the central opening. The block body includes a bore for receiving the shank, a base surface at a lower end of the body for mounting the body to a rotatable element of a rotary cutting machine, and a stop extending frontwardly from the front face of the body and having a surface located substantially perpendicularly to a radius of the bore such that when the pick shank is inserted into the bore with the washer disposed about the shank adjacent to the shoulder, the flat edge of the washer engages the surface of the stop to substantially prevent the washer from rotating with respect to the block.

1 . A holder block for both radial and conical tool picks, the block comprising:
 a body having a bore for receiving a shank of a pick, the bore extending rearwardly from a front face of the body and having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape;   a base surface at a lower end of the body for mounting the body to a rotatable element of a rotary cutting machine; and   a stop extending frontwardly from the front face of the body, the stop having a surface located substantially perpendicularly to a radius of the bore at a distance from the center of the bore, the stop being adapted to engage a substantially flat edge of a washer included in a pick assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The holder block of  claim 1 , wherein the pick assembly includes a radial pick having a washer integrally formed therewith, the washer having an edge positioned to engage the surface of the stop when the pick shank is installed in the bore such that the radial pick is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block. 
     
     
         3 . The holder block of  claim 2 , wherein the washer is integrally formed with the radial pick by forging. 
     
     
         4 . The holder block of  claim 2  wherein the washer is integrally formed with the radial pick by welding. 
     
     
         5 . The holder block of  claim 1 , wherein the pick assembly includes a conical pick having a washer rotatably disposed about the pick shank between a shoulder of the pick and the front face of the body, the washer having an edge positioned to engage the surf ac of the stop when the pick shank is installed in the bore such that the conical pick can freely rotate with respect to the block while the washer is prevented from rotating with respect to the block. 
     
     
         6 . The holder block of  claim 1 , wherein the stop is orated lower on the body than a junction between the bore and the front face of the body. 
     
     
         7 . A holder block and pick assembly comprising:
 a pick including a shoulder, a shank extending rearwardly from the shoulder and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the shoulder, and a cutting head extending frontwardly from the shoulder;   a washer having a central opening adapted to fit about the shank adjacent to the shoulder, the washer having substantially flat edge disposed substantially perpendicular to a radius of the central opening at a distance from the center of the central opening; and   a block body having:   a bore for receiving the shank of the pick, the bore extending rearwardly from a front face of the body and having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape;   a base surface at a lower end of the body for mounting the body to a rotatable element of a rotary cutting machine; and   a stop extending frontwardly from the front face of the body, the stop having a surface located substantially perpendicularly to a radius of the bore at a distance from the center of the bore such that when the pick shank is inserted into the bore with the washer disposed about the shank adjacent to the shoulder, the flat edge of the washer engages the surface of the stop to substantially prevent the washer from rotating with respect to the block;   wherein when the pick is a radial pick having the washer integrally formed with the shoulder of the radial pick, the radial pick is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block; and   wherein when the pick is a conical pick free to rotate with respect to the washer, the shank of the conical pick is free to rotate is free to rotate with respect to the block while the washer is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , we rein the stop is located lower on the body than a junction between the bore and the front face of the body. 
     
     
         9 . A machine for mining, excavating, tunneling, road planning, and/or construction comprising:
 a rotatable element; and   the assembly as in  claim 7  mounted on the rotatable element.   
     
     
         10 . A method of excavating using a rotary cutting machine, including a rotatable element and a holder block as in  claim 1  mounted to the rotatable element, the method comprising:
 installing a first pick into the holder block by inserting a shank of the first pick into the bore, the first pick being one of a radial pick having a washer integrally formed therewith and a conical pick having a washer positioned to freely rotate with respect to the pick shank, the washer having an edge positioned to engage the surface of the stop such that the washer is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block; 
 causing the rotatable element to rotate to enable the first pick to perform a digging or cutting action; 
 causing the rotatable element to stop rotating; 
 removing the first pick from the bore of the holder block; 
 installing a second pick into the holder block by inserting a shank of the second pick into the bore, the second pick being the other of a radial pick having a washer integrally formed therewith and a conical pick having a washer positioned to freely rotate with respect to the pick shank, the washer having an edge positioned to engage the surface of the stop such that the washer is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block; and 
 causing the rotatable element to rotate to enable the second pick to perform a digging cutting action. 
 
     
     
         11 . A holder block for both radial and conical tool picks, the block comprising:
 a body having a bore for receiving a shank of a pick, the bore extending rearwardly from a front face of the body and having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape;   a base surface at a lower end of the body for mounting the body a rotatable element of a rotary cutting machine; and   a stop extending frontwardly from the front face of the body, the stop having a surface located substantially perpendicularly to a radius of the bore at a distance from the center of the bore;   wherein a radial pick inserted into the bore of the block body is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block by a washer integrally formed with a shoulder of the radial pick, the washer having a flat edge adapted to engage the surface of the stop; and   wherein a conical pick inserted into the bore of the block is free to rotate with respect to the block about an axis of the shank of the conical pick, while a washer disposed about the shank of the conical pick adjacent to a shoulder of the conical pick is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the block, the washer having a flat edge adapted to engage the surface of the stop.