Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure relates to an adapter for use with a wear tool. In particular, the disclosure relates to an adapter comprising a diamond composite material bonded therein and the adapter being configured to be received in a complimentary mount of a wear tool and a wear tool so formed.

Background

[0002] Mining and excavating require the breaking, diminution and removal of large amounts of rock which is commonly achieved using specially designed wear tools, such as picks, drill bits, buckets and the like. A pick, for example, may have a steel body with a tungsten carbide tip which is effective for breaking soft to moderately hard rock. However, when the breaking of hard rock is required, as is increasingly the case commercially, tungsten carbide is unsuitable due to the high temperatures generated at the interface between the tip and the rock. This results in a softening of the tungsten carbide and so rapid wearing of the tip.

[0003] To address this problem, advanced diamond composite (ADC) materials were developed along with techniques to bond them into the wear tool body. WO 2001/88322, in the name of the present applicant and which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, described the use of a metal matrix composite (MMC) to effectively bond an ADC to a tungsten carbide or steel wear tool substrate. Such ADCs include thermally stable diamond composites (TSDCs) which have diamond grains bound within silicon carbide and which have been found to demonstrate wear resistance orders of magnitude greater than tungsten carbide. The silicon carbide allows for the TSDC to maintain its properties at up to around 1200 °C and the excellent thermal conductivity of the TSDC allow for better dissipation of the generated heat. [0004] While such ADC materials provide significant advantages in use, particularly when breaking harder rock types, their widespread commercial uptake has been hampered due to the challenge and cost in bonding multiple TSDC cutting tips into wear tools. This is particularly challenging when preparing a wear tool having many individual wear tips or surfaces presented across its wear surface. While it is lower cost to press fit the tips into the wear tool body, the fit must be very precise and so exact dimensions of the region of the TSDC which will be received into the wear tool mount are required. Diamond composites, such as TSDC, are extremely difficult to machine due to their inherent hardness which greatly adds to the cost of production. This has resulted in the inferior tungsten carbide, or similar materials, being employed in rock breaking situations for which they are less than optimal or significant additional expense being incurred in suitably preparing TSDC tipped wear tools.

[0005] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each of the appended claims.

[0006] Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Summary

[0007] The disclosure provides an adapter for receiving a diamond composite material bonded therein; wear tools comprising such an adapter; methods of forming such wear tools and methods of using such wear tools.

[0008] A significant challenge is including multiple diamond composite wear tips within a single wear tool while ensuring a strong bond is formed between each diamond composite and the substrate. Diamond composites, such as TSDC, are extremely difficult to machine due to their inherent hardness meaning that diamond composite wear tips will be unlikely to have uniform size. A significant challenge of bonding multiple diamond composite wear tips to recesses within a wear tool is accounting for the change in volume of numerous MMC regions during manufacture.

[0009] It has been realised that the challenges of precisely dimensioning or sizing irregularly shaped diamond composite materials and accounting for the change in volume of multiple MMC regions can be circumvented by the use of an appropriate adapter. The diamond composite can be synthesised to the approximate dimensions required and then bonded within an adapter using an MMC as described in WO 2001/88322. The use of the MMC allows for a certain amount of tolerance in terms of the fit of the diamond composite material into the adapter and so no precise machining of the diamond composite is necessary and the irregular surface presented by the diamond composite will typically be acceptable. The MMC bonds the diamond composite into the adapter and at the same time fills any gaps or unnecessary clearance between the two thereby effectively providing a modified wear element ready to be fitted within a mount of a wear tool. Each adapter is manufactured separately and this solves the otherwise significant problem of accounting for volume fluctuations in numerous regions of MMC within a single wear tool, at the same time, during manufacture. Advantageously this allows greater control of volume fluctuations due to temperature changes during manufacture and increases the likelihood of a necessarily strong bond between wear tip and the recess of the adapter.

[0010] Since the adapter can be made from common substrate materials, such as steel, it can be very easily precisely machined to create an optimal interference fit when it is subsequently press fitted into the mount. The use of the adapter therefore allows for a common press fit approach to mounting of the diamond composite within the wear tool. This allows for the quick and relatively low cost attachment and formation of strong interference fits of multiple diamond composite wear tips within the wear tool. The use of the MMC ensures that the diamond composite is securely bonded to the adapter. Conveniently, the approach of the present disclosure means that a wear tool, appropriately presenting the TSDCs, can be prepared with the use of only general engineering workshop equipment without the need for any further HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) apparatus. Suitable tools may include a lathe, press, measuring equipment, and heating device (induction heater or other). The approach outlined therefore allows for the process of fitting multiple TSDC into a single wear tool to be completed by general engineering workshops or field workshops making it commercially accessible.

[0011] One aspect of the disclosure provides an adapter for presenting a diamond composite, the adapter comprising:

(a) a body defining a recess; and

(b) a diamond composite bonded within the recess by a metal matrix composite material, wherein the adapter body is configured to be directly received within a complimentary mount formed on a wear face of a wear tool.

[0012] In embodiments, the diamond composite is bonded to a surface of the recess via the metal matrix composite material.

[0013] In some embodiments, the metal matrix composite material forms a layer between the diamond composite and the surface of the recess.

[0014] In some embodiments, the adapter is configured to be releasably received in the complimentary mount of the wear tool.

[0015] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be at least partially received within the complimentary mount.

[0016] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be substantially received within the complimentary mount. [0017] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be in direct contact with a wall of the complimentary mount once it is received within the complimentary mount.

[0018] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to abut against a wall of the complimentary mount once it is received within the complimentary mount.

[0019] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be frictionally engaged with a wall of the complimentary mount once it is received within the complimentary mount.

[0020] In embodiments, the adapter is configured to be received in the complimentary mount of the wear tool by machining an outer surface of the body.

[0021] In embodiments, the metal matrix composite material forms a bonding layer between the diamond composite and the recess.

[0022] In embodiments, the adapter body is formed from steel.

[0023] In embodiments, the diamond composite extends beyond an upper extent of the adapter body.

[0024] In embodiments, the diamond composite presents an outward facing region having at least one angular face.

[0025] Another aspect of the disclosure provides for a wear tool comprising:

(a) a tool body comprising at least one mount disposed on the tool body; and

(b) an adapter comprising a body defining a recess and a diamond composite bonded within the recess by a metal matrix composite material, wherein the adapter is received within the at least one mount. [0026] In embodiments, the at least one mount of the tool body is complimentary to the adapter body.

[0027] In embodiments, the adapter body is directly received within the at least one mount.

[0028] In embodiments, the at least one mount is formed on a wear face of the wear tool.

[0029] In some embodiments, the tool body comprises a plurality of mounts each of which has received an adapter.

[0030] In embodiments, the adapter is fittingly engaged with the mount in which it is received.

[0031] In embodiments, the fitting engagement is an interference fit.

[0032] In embodiments, the adapter is received within the mount such that the diamond composite extends beyond a wear face of the wear tool in which the mount is disposed.

[0033] A further aspect of the disclosure provides a method of preparing a wear tool including the steps of:

(a) providing an adapter comprising a body defining a recess, and a diamond composite bonded within the recess by a metal matrix composite material;

(b) providing a tool including a tool body comprising at least one mount, which is complimentary to the adapter, disposed on the tool body; and

(c) locating the adapter within the at least one mount of the tool body, to thereby prepare the wear tool. [0034] In embodiments, the adapter is located within the at least one mount of the tool body in an interference fit.

[0035] In embodiments, the locating is a press fit step to achieve an interference fit.

[0036] In embodiments, the adapter body is directly received within the at least one mount.

[0037] In embodiments, the at least one mount is formed on a wear face of the tool.

[0038] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step (bi) of modifying the adapter body to be received in the tool body at least one mount, prior to step (c).

[0039] In certain embodiments, the modifying is a machining of the adapter body.

[0040] In embodiments, the tool body comprises a plurality of mounts.

[0041] In embodiments, a separate adapter is located within each of a plurality of the mounts of the tool body.

[0042] A still further aspect of the disclosure provides a method of breaking rock including the steps of:

(a) providing a wear tool including a tool body comprising at least one mount disposed within the tool body and an adapter received within the at least one mount, the adapter comprising a body defining a recess and a diamond composite bonded within the recess with a matrix metal composite material; and

(b) contacting the rock with the wear tool, to thereby break the rock. Brief Description of Drawings

[0043] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the process as set forth in the Summary, specific embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures below:

[0044] Figure l is a series of images of a thermally stable diamond composite (TSDC) both before (uppermost two images) and after (lower two images) exposure to a grinding wheel under simulated test conditions.

[0045] Figures 2 (a) and (b) show a photograph (a) and a corresponding representation (b) of an embodiment of an adapter for presenting a diamond composite.

[0046] Figure 3 is a photograph of a press fitting arrangement for locating an adapter with bonded diamond composite into a complimentary mount of a tool body.

[0047] Figures 4 (a) to (c) are photographs, (a) and (b), of a mining drill bit as one embodiment of a wear tool presenting a plurality of diamond composite cutting elements and a representation (c) of a cross section of a component of the wear tool showing how an adapter, with a diamond composite cutting element located therein, sits with a complimentary mount of the wear tool.

Description of Embodiments

General Definitions

[0048] Throughout this specification, unless specifically stated otherwise or the context requires otherwise, reference to a single step, composition of matter, group of steps or group of compositions of matter shall be taken to encompass one and a plurality (i.e. one or more) of those steps, compositions of matter, groups of steps or groups of compositions of matter. Thus, as used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural aspects unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to "a" includes a single as well as two or more; reference to "an" includes a single as well as two or more; reference to "the" includes a single as well as two or more and so forth.

[0049] The term "and/or", e.g., "X and/or Y" shall be understood to mean either "X and Y" or "X or Y" and shall be taken to provide explicit support for both meanings or for either meaning.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Adapter

[0051] One aspect of the disclosure provides an adapter for presenting a diamond composite, the adapter comprising:

(a) a body defining a recess; and

(b) a diamond composite bonded within the recess by a metal matrix composite material, wherein the adapter body is configured to be directly received within a complimentary mount formed on a wear face of a wear tool.

[0052] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a diamond composite 100 being a thermally stable diamond composite (TSDC) comprising diamond grains within ceramic-based silicon carbide. It will be appreciated that the shape of the diamond composite and the exact nature of the materials or the composition may be varied to any of those already known in the art of rock excavating and mining. The diamond composite 100 may also be referred to as a diamond composite wear or cutting element 100 and is provided with a wear tip 110 and a wear body 120. Figure 1 shows, merely for exemplification, an unused TSDC diamond composite 100 in the top two images while the bottom two images show the same TSDC diamond composite 100 after exposure to a grinding wheel under simulated test conditions. It can be seen that the damage to the wear tip 110 is relatively minimal and can be understood as being much less than that which would be observed with a similarly shaped tungsten carbide wear tip (not shown). Such TSDCs are known in the field but are considered of benefit as a component of the adapter of the present disclosure due to their beneficial wear properties.

[0053] In embodiments, the diamond composite is a diamond metal and/or metalloid composite. For example, composites of diamond within a variety of metals or metalloids, including cobalt and/or tungsten and/or silicon are known in the art. Preferably, the diamond composite is a diamond and silicon-containing composite.

[0054] In embodiments, the diamond composite is a diamond metal or metalloid carbide material. The diamond composite may be selected from diamond in a carbide composite with one or more of silicon, tungsten and cobalt. Preferably, the diamond composite is a composite comprising diamond and silicon carbide.

[0055] In certain embodiments, the diamond composite may be one consisting or consisting essentially of diamond and silicon carbide.

[0056] In embodiments, the diamond composite is diamond within a ceramic-based silicon carbide binder material. Preferably, the diamond composite is a TSDC.

[0057] In embodiments, the diamond composite is not a polycrystalline diamond compact or composite, referred to in the art as a PDC.

[0058] Figure 2 (a) and 2 (b) show an embodiment of an adapter 200 of the disclosure presenting a diamond composite 100 bonded to a recess therein. The adapter 200 has a body 210 having an outer wall 220, a base 230 (as seen in 2 (b)) and an upper extent or surface 240, being the upper surface of the outer wall 220. It will be appreciated that the adapter body 210 can take any desired shape and it will be designed so as to be complimentary to a mount of the wear tool into which it is to be located. The body 210 defines a recess which may be continuous with the upper extent or surface 240, the recess having a bonding surface to which the diamond composite 100 in Figure 2 is bonded. Again, the recess defined by the body 210 can be shaped appropriately to receive the diamond composite 100 but may, in an embodiment, be shaped to receive a TSDC such as that shown in Figure 1.

[0059] The body 210 may be formed from a range of materials suitable to be formed into an interference fit with a wear tool body and so a variety of metals and metal composites known in the art for such purposes may be suitable. In embodiments, the adapter body 210 may be formed from steel.

[0060] It will be appreciated that the adapter body 210 may be of any suitable dimensions. Typically, the diamond composite 100 will be between 10-26 mm in diameter, or between 14-24 mm in diameter or between 18-22 mm in diameter including 18 mm, 19 mm, and 20 mm.

[0061] In embodiments, the diamond composite 100 is bonded to a surface of the recess via the metal matrix composite material. In Figure 2 (a) and (b) an MMC (metal matrix composite) layer 250 can be seen between an inner or recess surface (not shown) of the body 210 and the diamond composite 100. The approach to the use of an MMC to bond the diamond composite 100 to the inner surface of the steel recess may be as described in WO 2001/88322. The MMC may form the bonding layer by partial diffusion into the diamond composite material 100 and the steel of the adapter body 210.

[0062] In embodiments, the MMC layer 250 is a partial layer or a complete layer. Preferably, the MMC layer 250 is a complete bonding layer extending between the diamond composite 100 and recess 260 of the adapter body 210. The bonding layer may include contact with a lower surface of the recess 260. The MMC may be selected from those described in WO 2001/88322 and those which are known in the art as metal matrix composite powders for bonding. A wide selection of such materials are commercially available.

[0063] In one embodiment, the MMC may be purchased from Kennametal and selected from those available on their website at https://www.kennametal.com/us/en/products/Met.al-Powders-Mat eriais- Consumables/readv -to-press-powders.html.

[0064] In some embodiments, the adapter is configured to be releasably received in the complimentary mount of the wear tool, as can be inferred from Figure 4 (c). The releasable nature of the fit will clearly depend upon the nature of the interference fit and the ability to reverse the locating of the adapter 200 within the mount but, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to have the ability to extract the adapter 200 and replace it with a new adapter 200, and so a fresh diamond composite 100 wear tip 110. The adapter 200 will be normally located within the complimentary mount in a strong interference fit and will not be removed following excessive wear but, rather, the entire drill bit or other component of the wear tool will be replaced with fresh adapters 200 located therein.

[0065] It is an advantage that the adapter 200 is configured to be directly received in the complimentary mount of a wear tool by machining an outer surface of the body 210. That is, the adapter body is not received via an intermediary structure such as a shaft or other connecting element but rather the adapter body 210 itself sits directly within, and is substantially received or encompassed by, the complimentary mount. As discussed, machining of diamond composite materials can be extremely challenging, time-consuming and expensive. The use of an adapter 200, as described herein, effectively creates a modified diamond composite insert with an exterior which is much more amenable to having its dimensions modified by machining or other standard sizing techniques. The steel body 210 of the adapter 200 allows standard machining techniques to be used which can produce a very precise match between the dimensions of the adapter body 210 and its complimentary mount. This allows for an optimised interference fit once the adapter 200 has been press fitted into the mount. [0066] In embodiments, the diamond composite 100 extends beyond an upper extent of the adapter body 210. Particularly, the tip 110 extends beyond the upper extent or surface 240 of the outer wall 220 so that upon location of the adapter 200 within the mount of a wear tool the diamond composite tip 110 will present outwardly away from the wear tool to be optimally located for breaking rock during use.

[0067] It will therefore be appreciated that embodiments of the description provide for an adapter body (210 in Figure 2) which is directly received within a complimentary mount which is itself formed within a wear face of a wear tool. This results in a body of the wear face of the wear tool at least partially surrounding, encompassing and/or being in direct contact with the adapter body 210. It further results in the adapter base 230, in embodiments, sitting directly within the complimentary mount and located substantially adjacent a complimentary floor of the mount void.

Wear Tool and Preparation Thereof

[0068] Another aspect of the disclosure provides for a wear tool comprising:

(a) a tool body comprising at least one mount disposed on the tool body; and

(b) an adapter comprising a body defining a recess and a diamond composite bonded within the recess by a metal matrix composite material, wherein the adapter body is received within the at least one mount.

[0069] A further aspect of the disclosure provides a method of preparing a wear tool including the steps of:

(a) providing an adapter comprising a body defining a recess, and a diamond composite bonded within the recess by a metal matrix composite material;

(b) providing a tool including a tool body comprising at least one mount, which is complimentary to the adapter, disposed on the tool body; and (c) locating the adapter body within the at least one mount of the tool body, to thereby prepare the wear tool.

[0070] The term “wear tool” is used herein in a broad sense in that it includes within its scope all forms of tool which may be used to break, cut, excavate or otherwise degrade or diminish rock and like materials, or, which may simply be exposed to such rock and like materials during use and so need to be resistant to the wear these materials can cause. For example, the wear tool described herein may be a mining drill bit, rock saw, disc cutter or the like and so have a wear face or surface presenting diamond composite 100 cutting or wear elements. Alternatively, the wear tool described herein may be a replaceable component on the teeth of dragline buckets, excavator adapters, chisel teeth and the like which may have some component of ground breaking in operation but also a role in simply capturing and removing rock and rubble which can result in excessive wear to their exposed surfaces. Essentially, the wear tools described herein may be any to which a diamond composite can be attached and to which said diamond composite would provide an improved wear surface.

[0071] In one embodiment, the wear tool is a tool for breaking or cutting rock.

[0072] In preferred embodiments, the wear tool is a wear tool which presents, or is adapted to present, a plurality of mounts for receiving the adapters and bonded diamond composites. The plurality of mounts may be at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, or at least 7 mounts suitable to receive an adapter as described herein.

[0073] In embodiments, the at least one mount of the tool body is complimentary to the adapter body 210. Figures 3 and 4 (a) to (c) show an embodiment of a wear tool 300, tool 310, and tool body 320. Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a tool 310 which, for example may take the form of a mining drill bit requiring diamond composite wear or cutting elements to be attached. The tool 310 has a tool body 320 within which, at an upper extent thereof, are disposed a plurality of mounts 330 which are complimentary to the adapter 200 discussed above. Specifically, in this embodiment, the mounts 330 are formed within a wear face 340 on a head 350 of the tool body 320. [0074] In embodiments, the mounts are recesses formed within the tool body (which may be referred to as the wear face body) which are suitable to receive a wear element in an interference fit.

[0075] Figure 3 also shows a fit assembly 400 having a driving tool adapted to receive an adapter 200 with bonded diamond composite 100 (marked on Figure 3 as a ‘TSDC assembly’ although the TSDC is not visible). The fit assembly 400 may be any such available assembly as is known in the art for creating interference fits between components for creating wear tools. Such assemblies are frequently used for the press fitting of tungsten carbide cutting tips into complimentary mounts of tools. The fit assembly 400 may be selected from a manual, pneumatic, hydropneumatic or electro servo press fit, as are known in the field. For example, suitable assemblies for generating and testing of such press fits may be available from Instron at https://www.instron.us/en-us/products/testing-systems/dynami c-and-fatigue-systems.

[0076] It is therefore desirable to provide an approach, such as the present, which allows for standard technologies having an established commercial uptake to be used to locate diamond composites, such as TSDCs, within such mounts 330 without the need for additional machining of the TSDC. The fit assembly 400 will drive the adapter 200 into its complimentary mount 330 under pressure which, due to the precise sizing of the adapter body 210 created by the machining or like resizing, results in a strong interference fit.

[0077] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be at least partially received within the complimentary mount. This is apparent from the figures in that an intermediary or connecting element is not required and, instead, the body (and base) of the adapter directly sits within the complimentary mount to be located directly in contact with a wall of the mount.

[0078] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be substantially received within the complimentary mount. While not essential, for the purposes of an appropriately strong interference fit, it may be that a significant proportion, or substantially all, of the adapter body is directly surrounded by the wall or bounds of the mount.

[0079] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be in direct contact with a wall of the complimentary mount once it is received within the complimentary mount. It will be appreciated that the outer wall 220, and base 230 would therefore be immediately adjacent or abutting the complimentary wall and floor of the complimentary mount.

[0080] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to abut against a wall of the complimentary mount once it is received within the complimentary mount.

[0081] In embodiments, the adapter body is configured to be frictionally engaged with a wall of the complimentary mount once it is received within the complimentary mount.

[0082] This being the case, it will be understood that, in embodiments, the metal matrix composite material forms a layer between the diamond composite (TSDC) and the surface of the recess of the adapter and then the outer wall 220 is located immediately adjacent the wall of the complimentary mount. That is, there is no intermediary carrier or receptacle between the outer wall of the adapter body, inside which the TSDC is bonded by the MMC, and a wall of the mount which is formed directly with the wear face of the wear tool. Put another way, it is the adapter into which the TSDC is chemically bonded which is itself directly located within the complimentary mount. At that point the wear tool is not required to be exposed to any further chemical or heat treatment as the simple chemical placement of the adapter provides the desired end result.

[0083] It will be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure is not particularly limited to any one technique for the location of the adapter within the complimentary mount and any approach known in the art may be used including those currently employed for the placement of tungsten carbide cutting elements within complimentary mounts.

[0084] When each mount 330 of the wear face 340 has received an adapter 200 then the final wear tool 300 is formed, as indicated in Figures 4(a) and (b). The term “tool” is therefore used herein in relation to the method of preparing a wear tool to describe the tool with available mounts 330 prior to the adapters 200 being located therein. Once the adapters 200 are so located then the tool is referred to as a wear tool.

[0085] While the adapters 200 themselves cannot be seen, Figures 4(a) and (b) clearly show how the diamond composite 100, being bonded within the recess of the adapter body 210, extends away from the wear face 340 to thereby create a wear tool 300 suitable for breaking rock. Figure 4 (c) is a representation of a cross section of one region of the wear tool showing how one adapter 200, with a diamond composite 100 cutting element located therein, sits with a complimentary mount 330 of the wear tool. Each adapter 200 advantageously provides for a suitably precise interference fit when located within its complimentary mount 330 in a straightforward manner by the fit assembly 400 due to the ability to machine the external surface of the adapter body 210. If the wear tool 300 was to be formed without using the adapter 200 described herein then all of the diamond composites 100 would have to be individually machined at great expense and difficulty and so the present approach provides for a greatly improved process which should improve uptake and use of the diamond composite technology in wear applications.

[0086] Therefore, in some embodiments, the method further comprises the step (bi) of modifying the adapter body 210 to create an optimal fit with the at least one mount of the tool body 310 prior to the locating of step (c).

[0087] The modifying is typically a reduction in one or more dimensions of the adapter body 210. As described herein, the direct machining of a diamond composite insert is extremely challenging and so it is difficult to modify the naturally irregular shaped diamond composite base. The bonding within an adapter 200 creates a more regular shape, being the external shape of the adapter 200, which can then easily be modified further, as required, to be optimally complimentary to the mount 330.

[0088] In certain embodiments, the modifying is a machining of the adapter body.

[0089] In some embodiments, the tool body 310 comprises a plurality of mounts 330 each of which has received an adapter 200. While it will be appreciated that the present approach can be applied to the location of a single adapter 200 within a mount 330 to form a wear tool 300 the advantages accrue significantly when multiple adapters 200 have to be located within the one tool body 310 due to the difficulties which would otherwise be faced in locating multiple diamond composite 100 components directly within all of the available mounts 330.

[0090] Therefore, in embodiments, the tool body comprises a plurality of mounts into which adapters can be located. The design and/or dimensions of each mount may be the same or different although, typically, each mount would be of a similar design and/or dimension to the others.

Use of the Wear Tool

[0091] A still further aspect of the disclosure provides a method of breaking rock including the steps of:

(a) providing a wear tool including a tool body comprising at least one mount disposed within the tool body and an adapter received within the at least one mount, the adapter comprising a body defining a recess and a diamond composite bonded within the recess with a matrix metal composite material; and

(b) contacting the rock with the wear tool, to thereby break the rock. [0092] The breaking of the rock is considered broadly herein in that it encompasses the moving and/or collection of broken rock and rubble, such as would be achieved by bucket and other excavator adapters and wear teeth, as well as the actual fracturing, cutting or diminution of rock.

[0093] The wear tool being provided may be a wear tool 300 as described above in relation to any aspect. The wear tool 300 will have an adapter 200, as defined herein, located within at least one mount 330 thereof and the adapter body 210 having a recess within which a diamond composite 100 cutting or wear element is bonded via an MMC.

[0094] It will be appreciated that the contacting of the rock with the wear tool 300 will vary depending on the nature of the wear tool 300 and the task to which it is being applied. If a mining drill bit, such as is shown in Figures 3 and 4, is used as the wear tool 300 then the drill bit will be powered and engaged with the rock face in the usual manner with the benefits of the presently disclosed approach being seen in the preparation of the wear tool 300 and, in some embodiments, in the use of such an approach to replace any excessively worn diamond composite 100 wear or cutting elements.

[0095] The disclosure will now be described by way of a non-limiting example but it will be appreciated that, in light of the present disclosure, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of said disclosure.

Example

[0096] The following working steps provide one approach to forming of the adapters of the present disclosure and fitting them within a wear tool. The steps can be viewed in light of the disclosure of the relevant components in the accompanying Figures and present disclosure. It will be appreciated, however, that variations of these steps are possible based on particular choices of materials, such as MMCs, and fit assemblies and the like. Such modifications to the steps below could be made by a person of skill in the art in the light of the present disclosure.

[0097] Forming the adapter:

• The adapter body may be formed or machined from AISI 4340 steel to the desired shape and leaving sufficient internal spacing to both accommodate the TSDC and allow for the MMC.

• The MMC may be selected from those available at https://www.kennametal.com/us/en/products/Metal-Powders-Mate rials- Consumables/readv-to-press-powders.html with DMHPM 0079 or P75SB being suitable.

• The selected MMC is then inserted beneath and around the TSDC blank. Apply heat to the adapter/TSDC blank via a controlled heating cycle which may be achieved via an induction coil.

• During heating, provide a reducing atmosphere in order to reduce the occurrence of oxidation of the MMC components. Heating can be to a maximum temperature of 980°C and apply the die to assist with consolidation of the MMC whilst at the maximum temperature. Subsequently allow to air cool without active quenching to provide the adapter with TSDC located therein via an MMC layer.

[0098] Locating the adapter within a wear tool :

• Machine the exterior of the adapter to the required diameter and length in order to satisfy the dimension requirement of the complimentary mount within the wear tool being manufactured. The precise finished diameter and shape of the adapter base and external wall(s) will be dependent on the recess/mount provided in the tool body but is designed so as to generate a suitable interference fit of the adapter which is not so great as to induce cracking of the body. The approach is in line with that currently used for tungsten carbide cutting elements when they are being fitted into a wear tool mount. • The press fit assembly, such as a pneumatic or servo press fit, is set up and prepared as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. The adapter is loaded into the press fit assembly and the wear tool located appropriately so as to receive the adapter into the complimentary mount.

• The adapter is then pressed into a mount of the wear tool body using the press fit assembly.

• If the wear tool cutting face has multiple mounts, which is generally the case and is the situation in which the greatest benefits of the approach of the present disclosure are observed, then the process is repeated for each individual mount until all desired adapters presenting TSDC cutting elements are located within mounts on the wear or cutting face in an interference fit at which point the wear tool is ready for use.

Summary

[0099] The present disclosure provides for an approach to allow for the very precise fitting of diamond composite wear or cutting elements into a tool body, having complimentary mounts, without the need to either chemically bond multiple diamond composites into the mounts of a single tool body or to machine each individual diamond composite. The machining of such diamond composite materials has not proven to be financially feasible on such a scale and so has limited the uptake of this superior wear material. The use of an adapter to which each individual diamond composite can be separately bonded provides for a more precisely sized component to be located within the mounts. To form an optimal interference fit the body of the adapter can be easily modified by machining or the like to the exact dimensions dictated by the standard mounts already formed within the tool body.

[0100] The approach outlined further allows the adapter to be located within the mounts using technology already widely in use for the location of commonly used cutting elements, such as tungsten carbide cutting tips, within wear tools. The process described therefore does not require tool manufacturers to significantly change their approach to wear tool preparation. In essence, they simply have to acquire or provide the adapter with the MMC bonded diamond composite material of choice therein and then this is located into the tool in the standard manner. This simple switch, however, results in significant advantages attained via the ability to easily form wear tools employing superior wear materials, such as TSDC, which provide the benefits of greatly improved rock breaking, reduced heat damage and sparking and extended operational lifetime.