Patent ID: 7740414

Claim:
An apparatus for directional degradation of a surface, comprising: an attachment assembly connected to a motorized vehicle comprising at least one degradation tool; the at least one degradation tool comprising a substantially cylindrical rotary degradation element having a substantially cylindrical working surface formed about a rotational axis; a plurality of cutting inserts embedded within the substantially cylindrical working surface and adapted to degrade a surface in a direction substantially normal to the rotational axis; at least one of the plurality of cutting inserts comprising a superhard material bonded to a cemented metal carbide substrate at a non-planar interface; the superhard material comprising a substantially pointed geometry with an apex comprising a 0.050 to 0.160 inch radius and a 0.100 to 0.500 inch thickness from the apex to the non-planar interface; and at least two degradation tools being adapted for independent movement relative to the attachment assembly.