In downhole drilling applications, a cutting element may be implanted in a pocket on a surface of a degradation assembly. The cutting element may be held in the pocket by means of a press fit, braze, a thermal expansion process, mechanical means, or other means known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,737 to Bovenkerk which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a pin longitudinally tapered at an angle chosen such that when mounted in recesses of a drill crown, a self-holding or self-locking friction fit is formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,035 to Thompson which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a drill bit comprised of composite compact cutters removably secured or attached to a drill crown. The cutter is preferably comprised of a stud or pin with an abrasive composite compact bonded at one end of the stud. The securing means for the cutter is comprised of a sleeve and a bushing fixed in the recess of the bit crown. The sleeve has a threaded outer wall for engagement with a threaded inner wall of the bushing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,849 to Oldham, et al., which is herein incorporated by reference for all it contains, discloses a method of increasing a durability of a drill bit having a bit body with at least one blade disposed thereon, at least one cutter pocket disposed on the blade, and at least one cutter disposed in the cutter pocket. The method includes brazing the at least one cutter to the at least one cutter pocket so that a braze material disposed between the at least one cutter pocket and the at least one cutter comprises an exposed surface, and overlaying at least a portion of the exposed surface with a hardfacing material, wherein the hardfacing material includes a binder having a melting point selected to avoid damaging the cutter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,612 to Adcock which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a replaceable wear-resistant element assembly having a wear-resistant element and a mounting device for releasably securing the element in the recess of a supporting body. The mounting device is constructed of a one-piece goblet shaped unit having a sleeve portion for receiving the element therein and a stem portion for supporting the element. The stem and sleeve portions are interconnected by a shearable web portion which will fracture when an axial force of sufficient magnitude is applied to the sleeve to cause the sleeve to move downward about the stem to release the element.
Regardless of how the cutting element is mounted within the pocket, frequently after use the pocket holding the cutting element may become worn and may need to be restored.
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USPTO Backgrounds