Rotatable blade with replaceable cutting edges
The present disclosure provides rotatable blades with easily replaceable cutting edges, and methods of making and using same.
1. A rotatable blade comprising:
a carrier portion having
a first long edge, and
a first end portion including an angled finger; and
a replaceable cutting edge removably associated with the first long edge and the first end portion, the replaceable cutting edge comprising:
a retaining slot disposed on a first longitudinal edge and configured to removably mate with the first long edge of the carrier portion,
a tapered cutting edge disposed along a second longitudinal edge opposite the first longitudinal edge, and
an angled receiving slot disposed along the first longitudinal edge configured to removably mate with the angled finger.
2. The rotatable blade of claim 1 , wherein the retaining slot is defined by a top shoulder and a bottom shoulder.
3. The rotatable blade of claim 1 , wherein the retaining slot has a height of about 40% to about 65% of a thickness of the replaceable cutting edge.
4. The rotatable blade of claim 1 , wherein the replaceable cutting edge has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the carrier portion.
5. A rotatable carrier comprising:
at least one inwardly-angled receiving slot disposed along a first edge and configured to receive an outwardly-angled finger of a replaceable cutting edge; and
at least one inwardly-angled finger disposed along the first edge and configured to reversibly mate with an outwardly-angled receiving slot of the replaceable cutting edge.
6. The rotatable carrier of claim 5 further comprising an air/debris deflector disposed on a trailing edge of the rotatable carrier.
7. The rotatable carrier of claim 5 further comprising a removal slot disposed adjacent to the first edge and configured to receive a pry tool.
8. The rotatable carrier of claim 5 , wherein the at least one inwardly-angled receiving slot has an angle/ 3 relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable carrier of about 10° to about 80°.
9. The rotatable carrier of claim 5 , wherein the at least one inwardly-angled finger has an angle α relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable carrier of about 10° to about 80°.
10. The rotatable carrier of claim 5 , wherein the at least one inwardly-angled receiving slot has an angle/ 3 relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable carrier of about 10° to about 80°, and wherein the at least one inwardly-angled finger has an angle α relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable carrier of about 10° to about 80°, wherein the angle α and the angle/ 3 are substantially the same.
11. A replaceable cutting edge comprising:
a tapered cutting edge disposed along a first longitudinal edge;
a retaining slot along at least a portion of a second longitudinal edge opposite the first longitudinal edge and configured to reversibly mate with an edge of a rotatable carrier;
a retaining mechanism notch disposed adjacent the second longitudinal edge and configured to reversibly receive a retaining mechanism; and
an angled receiving slot configured to reversibly mate with an angled finger of a rotatable carrier.
12. The replaceable cutting edge of claim 11 further comprising:
an angled finger disposed along the second longitudinal edge; and
an angled receiving slot disposed along the second longitudinal edge, wherein the angled finger and the angled receiving slot are configured to reversibly mate with an angled receiving slot and an angled finger, respectively, of the rotatable carrier.
13. The replaceable cutting edge of claim 12 , wherein the angled receiving slot has an angle β′ relative to a longitudinal axis of the replaceable cutting edge of about 10° to about 80°.
14. The replaceable cutting edge of claim 12 , wherein the angled finger has an angle α′ relative to a longitudinal axis of the replaceable cutting edge of about 10° to about 80°.
15. The replaceable cutting edge of claim 12 , wherein the angled receiving slot has an angle β′ relative to a longitudinal axis of the replaceable cutting edge of about 10° to about 80°, and wherein the angled finger has an angle α′ relative to a longitudinal axis of the replaceable cutting edge of about 10° to about 80°, wherein the angle α′ and the angle β′ are substantially the same.
16. The rotatable blade of claim 1 further comprising a retaining mechanism configured to reversibly secure the replaceable cutting edge to the carrier portion.
17. The rotatable carrier of claim 5 further comprising a retaining mechanism configured to reversibly secure the replaceable cutting edge to the rotatable carrier.