IP Library Granted Patent US 11,926,972
Granted Patent B2
US 11,926,972 · App. 17/234,400 · Granted Mar 12, 2024

Shear cutter pick milling system

Inventors: Regan Leland Burton (Saratoga Springs, UT); Andrew E. Dadson (Provo, UT); Mohammad N. Sani (Orem, UT)
Assignee: US Synthetic Corporation
E01C23/088E01C23/127E21C35/183E21C35/1833E21C35/1835E21C35/1837
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,926,972
App. No.
17/234,400
Granted
Mar 12, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system for removing road material. In an embodiment, the system may include a milling drum and at least one pick mounted on the milling drum. Furthermore, the pick may include polycrystalline diamond at least partially forming one or more working surfaces of the pick.

Claims (38)

1. A pick for removing a road material, the pick comprising:

a pick body; and

a plurality of polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) attached to the pick body, at least one of the plurality of PDCs comprising:

a diamond table having a domed working surface; and

a substrate comprising a first cylindrical portion attached to the pick body, the first cylindrical portion exhibiting a cylindrical shape with a distal planar surface, the cylindrical shape having a diameter that is greater than a thickness of the substrate, the diamond table being mounted on and being at least partially laterally encompassed by the distal planar surface of the substrate, the substrate defining a second working surface including the distal planar surface, wherein the domed working surface borders and protrudes from the second working surface of the substrate, wherein the domed working surface is positioned directly adjacent to the distal planar surface of the substrate.

2. The pick of claim 1 , wherein the pick body defines a longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the pick body that defines the longitudinal axis is configured to be mounted in at least one of a holder or a mounting base of a milling drum.

3. The pick of claim 1 , wherein the pick body includes cemented carbide.

4. The pick of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of PDCs exhibits a domed working surface.

5. The pick of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of PDCs exhibits the same shape and size.

6. The pick of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of PDCs exhibit a different shape and size.

7. The pick of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of PDCs exhibit a different size.

8. The pick of claim 1 , wherein a center of each of the plurality of PDCs are aligned along a reference line.

9. The pick of claim 8 , wherein the reference line is parallel to the planar surface of the substrate.

10. The pick of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of PDCs protrude above the planar surface of the substrate.

11. The pick of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of PDCs are spaced from each other.

12. The pick of claim 1 , wherein the pick body includes a conical portion and the first cylindrical portion extending from a minor diameter of the conical portion, at least one of the plurality of PDCs extending from a portion of the pick body that is closer to the minor diameter of the conical portion than a major diameter of the conical portion, and wherein the pick body exhibits an outermost lateral surface having a discontinuous shape at an interface between the conical portion and the first cylindrical portion.

13. The pick of claim 12 , wherein the first cylindrical portion exhibits a right cylinder shape.

14. The pick of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of PDCs is bonded to the first cylindrical portion.

15. The pick of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of PDCs that exhibits the domed working surface and the substrate are rotatably mounted to the pick body.

16. The pick of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of PDCs is brazed to the pick body.

17. The pick of claim 16 , wherein at least a top portion of the substrate on which the at least one of the plurality of PDCs is mounted is exposed outside of the pick body.

18. A method of removing road material, the method comprising:

advancing a plurality of picks toward the road material, at least one of the plurality of picks including:

a pick body; and

a plurality of polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) attached to the pick body, at least one of the plurality of PDCs exhibiting a domed working surface at least partially laterally encompassed by and fixedly coupled to a second working surface; and

advancing the domed working surface of the at least one pick into the road material;

at least partially rotating the domed working surface and the second working surface fixedly coupled thereto together in unison relative to the pick body as the domed working surface contacts the road material; and

failing at least some of the road material with at least one of the domed working surface of the at least one of the plurality of PDCs or the second working surface.

19. A system for removing a road material, the system comprising:

a milling drum rotatable about a rotation axis; and

a plurality of picks mounted on the milling drum, at least one of the plurality of picks including:

a pick body; and

a plurality of polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) attached to the pick body, at least one of the plurality of PDCs comprising:

a diamond table having a domed working surface; and

a substrate comprising a first cylindrical portion attached to the pick body, the first cylindrical portion exhibiting a cylindrical shape with a distal planar surface, the cylindrical shape having a diameter that is greater than a thickness of the substrate, the diamond table being mounted on and being at least partially laterally encompassed by the distal planar surface of the substrate, the substrate defining a second working surface including the distal planar surface, wherein the domed working surface borders and protrudes from the second working surface of the substrate, wherein the domed working surface is positioned directly adjacent to the distal planar surface of the substrate.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the milling drum includes at least one of a holder or a mounting base; and

the pick body defines a longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the pick body that defines the longitudinal axis being mounted in at least one of the holder or the mounting base of the milling drum.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2025
From: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074973/0089 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 17, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: CHAMPIONX LLC; APERGY ESP SYSTEMS, LLC; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS RODS, INC.,; NORRIS RODS, INC.,; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072004/0019 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; APERGY ESP SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPIONX USA INC.; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS-RODS, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; THETA OILFIELD SERVICES, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 060313/0456 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16406673 · May 8, 2019
Continuation 14275574 · May 12, 2014
Provisional Application 61824022 · May 16, 2013
Related Publication 20210262179A1 · Aug 26, 2021