Claims
- 1. A base adapted to be fixed to an excavator for mounting a wear member, the excavator having a digging edge, the base comprising a leg extending rearward away from the digging edge and including a coupling configuration for receiving and supporting a wear member, and a body having a forward facing convex bearing surface curved across substantially the entire front bearing surface in two perpendicular directions for abutting a complementary surface of the wear member.
- 2. A base in accordance with claim 1 wherein the bearing surfaces each defines a spherical segment.
- 3. A base in accordance with claim 1 in which the coupling configuration is a generally T-shaped tongue.
- 4. A base in accordance with claim 1 wherein the front bearing surface defines a convex spherical segment.
- 5. A base in accordance with claim 1 further including a rearward facing bearing surface for abutting a lock to hold the wear member to the excavator.
- 6. A base in accordance with claim 5 in which a first radius of curvature at least partially defines the front bearing surface and a second radius of curvature at least partially defines the rear bearing surface, wherein the first and second radii of curvature originate from the substantially same point.
- 7. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein the rear bearing surface is curved.
- 8. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein the front and rear bearings surfaces each have a convex curvature.
- 9. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein the front and rear bearing surfaces each defines a spherical segment wherein the radius of curvature defining each of the bearing surfaces has the substantially same origination point.
- 10. A base in accordance with claim 1 having a generally U-shaped configuration for wrapping around the front edge of the front bearing surface.
- 11. A base in accordance with claim 1 wherein the coupling configuration includes at least one lateral shoulder for holding the wear member to the excavator.
- 12. A base in accordance with claim 1 which further includes an inner surface adapted to face against a support surface of the excavator, the inner surface having a peripheral edge and a groove extending generally parallel to at least part of said peripheral edge.
- 13. A base in accordance with claim 12 wherein the groove extends substantially around the entire periphery.
- 14. A base in accordance with claim 12 wherein the groove sets adjacent a heat affected zone caused by welding of the base to the excavator along the periphery.
- 15. A base in accordance with claim 12 wherein the groove includes a rounded bottom surface remote from the inner surface.
- 16. A base adapted to be fixed to an excavator for mounting a wear member, the excavator having a digging edge, the base including a coupling configuration for receiving and supporting a wear member, a body having a first convex bearing surface that faces forward for abutting a complementary surface of the wear member, and a second convex, bearing surface that faces rearward for abutting a lock.
- 17. A base in accordance with claim 16 in which a first radius of curvature at least partially defines the first bearing surface and a second radius of curvature at least partially defines the second bearing surface, wherein the first and second radii of curvature originate from the substantially same point.
- 18. A base in accordance with claim 16 which further includes an inner surface adapted to face against a support surface of the excavator, the inner surface having a peripheral edge and a groove extending generally parallel to at least part of said peripheral edge.
- 19. A base in accordance with claim 18 wherein the groove extends substantially around the entire periphery.
- 20. A base in accordance with claim 18 wherein the groove sets adjacent a heat affected zone caused by welding the base to the arm along the periphery.
- 21. A base in accordance with claim 18 wherein the groove includes a rounded bottom surface remote from the inner surface.
- 22. A base for attachment in a series of identical bases along a front edge of an arm of a dredge cutterhead, the arm having a plurality of locator formations each having an identical shape that defines a first longitudinal axis extending outward of the arm, each locator formation further having a unique orientation relative to the front edge of the arm such that the first longitudinal axis of each said locator formation intersects the front edge of the arm at an angle that is different from the first longitudinal axis of at least one other locator formation on said arm, each said base comprising a front portion projecting forward of the front edge of the arm and having a second longitudinal axis, a leg extending over a surface of the arm rearward of the front edge, a rearward facing mounting structure that matingly engages the locator formation, the mounting structure including positioning surfaces that contact the locator formation along the arm, the positioning surfaces positioning the second longitudinal axis at a particular orientation to the first longitudinal axis such that the particular orientation is the same for each said base along the front edge of the arm, and means for securing the base to the arm in the particular orientation determined by contact of the positioning surfaces and the locator formations.
- 23. A base in accordance with claim 22 wherein the locator formation includes a nose that is fixed to the front edge of the arm in a unique orientation such that the longitudinal axis of the nose defines the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the mounting structure includes a recess to matingly receive the nose, the recess including the positioning surfaces to contact the nose.
- 24. A base in accordance with claim 23 wherein the nose includes a top flat, a bottom flat and two side flats, and wherein the recess 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.
- 25. A base in accordance with claim 24 wherein the nose further includes a front surface and the recess further includes an abutting surface that contacts the front surface to axially position the wear member on the nose.
- 26. A base in accordance with claim 25 which further includes sidewalls that partially define the recess, 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 butting surface with the nose define the sole means by which the base is oriented on the arm.
- 27. A base in accordance with claim 26 wherein the means for securing the base comprises a weld fixing the base to the arm.
- 28. A base in accordance with claim 22 wherein the locator formation includes spaced apart, generally forward facing locating surfaces on the front edge of the arm, and wherein the positioning surfaces of the mounting structure are spaced apart and shaped to matingly contact the locator surfaces.
- 29. A base in accordance with claim 28 which further includes sidewalls, each having rearward facing concave edges that generally wrap at least partially around the front edge of the arm, the concave edges including the positioning surfaces.
- 30. A base in accordance with claim 29 wherein the means for securing the wear member comprises a weld fixing the wear member to the arm.
- 31. A base in accordance with claim 22 wherein the means for securing the base comprises a weld fixing the base to the arm.
- 32. A base in accordance with claim 22 which further includes an inner surface adapted to face against the arm, the inner surface having a peripheral edge and a groove extending generally parallel to at least part of said peripheral edge.
- 33. A base in accordance with claim 32 wherein the groove extends substantially around the entire periphery.
- 34. A base in accordance with claim 32 wherein the groove sets adjacent a heat affected zone caused by welding the base to the arm along the periphery.
- 35. A base in accordance with claim 32 wherein the groove includes a rounded bottom surface remote from the inner surface.
- 36. A base to be welded to a support surface of an excavator, the base comprising an inner surface adapted to face against the support surface, a peripheral sidewall extending generally upright from the inner surface to define a surface whereby the base can be welded to the arm, and a groove in the inner surface extending generally parallel to at least part of said peripheral edge.
- 37. A base in accordance with claim 36 wherein the groove extends substantially around the entire periphery.
- 38. A base in accordance with claim 36 wherein the groove sets adjacent the heat affected zone caused by welding the base to the arm along the periphery.
- 39. A base in accordance with claim 36 wherein the groove includes a rounded bottom surface remote from the inner surface.
- 40. A base in accordance with claim 39 wherein the groove has an outer wall that is generally parallel to the peripheral sidewall of the base, and an inner surface that is inclined outward and away from the peripheral sidewall.
- 41. A base in accordance with claim 36 wherein the groove has an outer wall that is generally parallel to the peripheral sidewall of the base, and an inner surface that is inclined outward and away from the peripheral sidewall.
- 42. A base in accordance with claim 36 wherein the groove has a height and a width, and the width is about 1½ times the height.
- 43. A base to be welded to a support surface of an excavator, the base comprising an inner surface adapted to face the support surface and having a periphery, and a lip being spaced from the inner surface and extending generally transverse to the inner surface along at least part of the periphery thereof, the lip being configured and having an outer surface to be welded to the support surface so that the lip flexes outward as weld cools to lessen stress concentrations in the weld.
- 44. A base in accordance with claim 43 wherein the groove separates the lip from the inner surface.
- 45. A part to be welded to a base surface, the part comprising an undersurface adapted to face the base surface, a sidewall extending generally transverse to the undersurface to define a surface to be welded to the base surface, and a groove in close proximity to at least part of said peripheral edge to relieve stress in a weld formed along the sidewall.
- 46. A part in accordance with claim 45 wherein the groove extends substantially around the entire periphery.
- 47. A part in accordance with claim 45 wherein the groove sets adjacent a heat affected zone caused by welding the base to the arm along the periphery.
- 48. A part in accordance with claim 45 wherein the groove includes a rounded bottom surface remote from the inner surface.
- 49. A part in accordance with claim 45 wherein the undersurface has one of a ridge or groove to receive the other one of the ridge or groove in the base surface.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/290,472 filed Nov. 8, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 09/986,705, filed Nov. 9, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,052.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10290472 |
Nov 2002 |
US |
Child |
10889094 |
Jul 2004 |
US |
Parent |
09986705 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10290472 |
Nov 2002 |
US |