METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND REPAIRING FIXED-CUTTER DRAG-TYPE ROTARY TOOLS WITH CUTTING CONTROL STRUCTURES

摘要

A rotary tool for drilling subterranean material is disclosed.The rotary tool includes a tool body having a distal crown endcomprising a circumferential series of raised cutting blades withrecessed junk slots therebetween. Cutting elements are located proximatea leading peripheral edge of the raised cutting blades and cuttingcontrol structures are located interiorly of the cutting elements at aleading surface of an adjacent junk slot. Cutting control structures arereleasably secured to the tool body in the adjacent junk slot whereby aused rotary tool is refurbishable by removing worn cutting controlstructures without degradation to the tool body and replacing the worncutting control structures by installing new cutting control structuresin the worn cutting control structures' locations.