Patent ID: 7730645

Claim:
A dredge cutterhead comprising: an arm having a front edge and a plurality of locator formations along the front edge, each said locator formation including a nose fixed to the front edge, and said noses each having an identical shape and a first longitudinal axis; an attachment secured to the arm at each said locator formation, each said attachment including a front portion projecting forward of the front edge of the arm and having a second longitudinal axis, a leg extending over the arm rearward of the front edge, and a rearward facing coupling formation that matingly engages one said locator formation, the coupling formation of each said attachment including a pocket to matingly receive the nose, the pocket including positioning surfaces that contact the one said nose received into the pocket to form a mounted assembly, the positioning surfaces contact the nose to position the second longitudinal axis at a particular orientation relative to the first longitudinal axis of the nose received into the pocket, wherein the particular orientation of the first longitudinal axis relative to the second longitudinal axis is the same for each said mounted assembly along the front edge of the arm; a point with a digging edge supported by each said attachment; wherein each said nose includes a top flat, a bottom flat and two side flats, and wherein each said pocket includes an upper positioning surface in mating contact with the top flat, a bottom positioning surface in mating contact with the bottom flat and two side positioning surfaces in mating contact with the side flats; wherein each said attachment includes sidewalls that partially define the pocket, the sidewalls having concave edges that generally wrap at least partially around the front edge of the arm in spaced relation to the arm such that the contact of the positioning surfaces and the abutting surface with the nose define the sole means by which the base is oriented on the arm; wherein each said nose has a unique positioning relative to the front edge of the arm such that the second longitudinal axis of each said mounted assembly has an orientation relative to the extension of the front edge of the arm which is defined as a digging orientation relative to the front edge of the arm that is suited for the point supported by the attachment, and wherein the digging orientation relative to the front edge of the arm for each said mounted assembly is different than the digging orientation relative to the front edge of the arm for at least one other of said mounted assemblies on said arm; and means for securing each said attachment to the arm, wherein the means for securing each said attachment comprises a weld fixing the attachment to the arm.