Cutting head

Abstract

A cutting head includes a cutting head body with an integrated collet and a shield configured to direct expended abrasive particles away from the cutting head. A wear insert is secured within the cutting head body and configured with a venturi chamber in which a stream of water accelerates a metered stream of abrasive. A focusing tube is secured to the wear insert assembly by the cutting head body with the integrated collet. The integrated collet aligns a focusing orifice of the focusing tube with an orifice through which the stream of water flows. A nut secures the integrated collet to the focusing tube and seals an interior of the cutting head body. The shield is selectively positionable along a length of the focusing tube to optimize shielding.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 . A cutting head comprising:
 a cutting head body with an integrated collet;   a wear insert secured within the cutting head body;   an orifice flow connected to the wear insert;   a feed tube flow connected to the wear insert;   a focusing tube secured to the integrated collet; and   a nut configured for securing the integrated collet to the focusing tube and sealing an interior of the cutting head body.   
     
     
         2 . The cutting head of  claim 1 , wherein at least one sealing ring extends between the nut and the cutting head body with the integrated collet. 
     
     
         3 . The cutting head of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sealing ring extends in a groove of the cutting head body. 
     
     
         4 . The cutting head of  claim 2 , wherein the nut is in covering relationship with the at least one sealing ring. 
     
     
         5 . The cutting head of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated collet is configured to prevent at least lateral movement of the focusing tube secured therein. 
     
     
         6 . The cutting head of  claim 1 , wherein a shield is moveably secured to the focusing tube. 
     
     
         7 . The cutting head of  claim 1 , wherein a cone shaped shield is secured to the focusing tube. 
     
     
         8 . The cutting head of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head body includes a tapered exterior surface that is screwably secured to the nut. 
     
     
         9 . A cutting head that is flow connected to a pressurized supply of water and a metered feed of abrasive particles, the cutting head comprising:
 a cutting head body with an integrated collet;   a wear insert secured within the cutting head body;   an orifice that is flow connected to the wear insert, wherein the orifice is configured such that the pressurized supply of water flows through the orifice to form a focused stream of water;   a feed tube that is flow connected to the wear insert, wherein the feed tube is configured such that the metered feed of abrasive particles is drawn into the wear insert by the focused stream of water, and the focused stream of water and the metered feed of abrasive particles form a cutting stream;   a focusing tube secured to the integrated collet, the focusing tube configured such that the cutting stream flows therethrough; and   a nut configured for securing the cutting head body with the integrated collet to the focusing tube and sealing an interior of the cutting head body, wherein at least one sealing ring extends between the cutting head body and the nut, and the nut is in covering relationship with the at least one sealing ring.   
     
     
         10 . The cutting head of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one sealing ring extends in a groove of the cutting head body. 
     
     
         11 . The cutting head of  claim 9 , wherein the integrated collet is configured to prevent at least lateral movement of the focusing tube secured therein. 
     
     
         12 . The cutting head of  claim 9 , wherein a shield is moveably secured to the focusing tube. 
     
     
         13 . The cutting head of  claim 9 , wherein a cone shaped shield is secured to the focusing tube. 
     
     
         14 . The cutting head of  claim 9 , wherein the cutting head body includes a tapered exterior surface that is screwably secured to the nut. 
     
     
         15 . A cutting head that is flow connected to a pressurized supply of water and a metered feed of abrasive particles, the cutting head comprising:
 a cutting head body with an integrated collet;   a wear insert secured within the cutting head body;   an orifice that is flow connected to the wear insert;   a feed tube flow connected to the wear insert;   a focusing tube secured to the integrated collet;   a nut configured for securing the cutting head body with the integrated collet to the focusing tube and sealing an interior of the cutting head body, wherein   at least one sealing ring extends between the cutting head body and the nut, the at least one sealing ring extends in a groove of the cutting head body, and the nut is in covering relationship with the at least one sealing ring, and   the integrated collet is configured to align a focusing orifice of the focusing tube with the orifice.   
     
     
         16 . The cutting head of  claim 15 , wherein a shield is moveably secured to the focusing tube. 
     
     
         17 . The cutting head of  claim 15 , wherein a cone shaped shield is secured to the focusing tube. 
     
     
         18 . The cutting head of  claim 15 , wherein the cutting head body includes a tapered exterior surface that is screwably secured to the nut.