Fasteners and Fastener Systems

Abstract

The present fastener assembly securely couples a first body to a second body, where the fastener assembly includes a fastener and a retainer. The fastener has an arcuate seat engagement surface and a retaining portion. The retainer has an elastomeric spacer separating and spanning between a first retainer part from a second retainer part, with the first retainer part including a latch engagement portion and the second retainer part including a fastener engagement portion. The elastomeric spacer is configured to elastically deform under compression of the first retainer part and the second retainer part. In use, the present fastener assembly is configured to be inserted into a passage delineated between a first body and a second body which are overlapping at least in part, to selectively lock the first body and the second body in the coupled configuration, with the retainer securing the fastener in an inserted configuration.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention described herein generally relates to fasteners for connecting overlapping portions of two objects and selectively removable when separation of the two objects is desired.

BACKGROUND

Fasteners used to temporarily connect objects often have issues with retraction of the fastener for separating the objects, due to rust, debris, wear, and the like. For example, replaceable wear components are used in mining and construction machinery (such as shrouds, teeth, guards, adapters, lip assemblies, and so on) protect the leading edges, corners, and various surfaces from undue abrasion due to excavation. The wear components may attach to and protect portions of buckets, blades, rippers, etc. which would wear prematurely without the wear components. The wear components are bolted, pinned, etc. to machinery attachments and implements. Due to the extreme usage conditions and excessive wear and tear, it is often difficult to remove the fasteners, wasting time and resources. A more reliable fastener system is needed for quickly and easily changing wear components.

SUMMARY

The present specification discloses a fastener assembly that securely couples a first body to a second body, where the fastener assembly includes a fastener and a retainer. The fastener has an arcuate seat engagement surface and a retaining portion. The retainer has an elastomeric spacer separating and spanning between a first retainer part from a second retainer part, with the first retainer part including a latch engagement portion and the second retainer part including a fastener engagement portion. The elastomeric spacer is configured to elastically deform under compression of the first retainer part and the second retainer part. In use, the present fastener assembly is configured to be inserted into a passage delineated between a first body and a second body which are overlapping at least in part, to selectively lock the first body and the second body in the coupled configuration, with the retainer securing the fastener in an inserted configuration.

Other features and advantages of aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of aspects of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate aspects of the disclosed subject matter in at least one of its exemplary embodiments, which are further defined in detail in the following description. Features, elements, and aspects of the disclosure are referenced by numerals with like numerals in different drawings representing the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects, in accordance with one or more embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles herein described and provided by exemplary embodiments of the invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings are schematic in nature and are not to be taken literally or to scale in terms of material configurations, sizes, thicknesses, and other attributes of an apparatus according to aspects of the present invention and its components or features unless specifically set forth herein. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fastener;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is exploded perspective view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is exploded perspective view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 1, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 6 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 6 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an another embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an top view of the fastener of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 9, shown aligned and ready to be seated within the seat insert;

FIG. 13 is exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 9, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 13 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 13 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a yet another embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an end view of the fastener of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 16, shown aligned and ready to be inserted through a tensioner and seated within the seat insert;

FIG. 20 is exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 16, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 20 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 20 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 24 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a top view of the fastener of FIG. 23;

FIG. 26 is exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 23, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 26 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 26 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of yet a further embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 30 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a top view of the fastener of FIG. 29;

FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 29, shown aligned and ready to be seated within the seat insert;

FIG. 33 is exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 29, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 34 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 33 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 35 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 33 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 37 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 36;

FIG. 38 is a top view of the fastener of FIG. 36;

FIG. 39 is an exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 36, shown aligned and ready to be seated within the seat insert;

FIG. 40 is exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 36, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 41 is a sectional view of the lip assembled assembly of FIG. 40 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 42 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 40 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 44 is a top view of the fastener of FIG. 43;

FIG. 45 is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 43;

FIG. 46 is exploded perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 43, aligned and ready to connect a tooth to the lip of an implement to create a lip assembly;

FIG. 47 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 46 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 48 is a sectional view of the assembled lip assembly of FIG. 46 taken on-center and along the longitudinal axis of the fastener, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 49 is a top front exploded perspective view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46;

FIG. 50 is a top back exploded perspective view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46;

FIG. 51 is a bottom front exploded perspective view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46;

FIG. 52 is a side exploded view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46;

FIG. 53 is a top exploded view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46;

FIG. 54 is a top cross-sectional exploded view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46, taken along section 54-54 in FIG. 52;

FIG. 55 is a side cross-sectional exploded view of the lip adapter and the tooth of the lip assembly of FIG. 46, taken along section 55-55 in FIG. 53;

FIG. 56 is a side view of a modified embodiment of the fastener of FIG. 43, showing the fastener rotating into the inserted configuration;

FIG. 57 is a back perspective image of a loading rack compatible with the one or more embodiments of the present lip assemblies;

FIG. 58 is a front perspective image of the loading rack of FIG. 57;

FIG. 59 is a back perspective image of teeth being loaded onto the loading rack;

FIG. 60 is a back perspective image of a lip of a bucket aligned and ready to receive the teeth in locking engagement supported by the loading rack;

FIG. 61 is a back perspective image of the lip of the bucket compressing the upper rack down to lock the teeth into place on the lip assembly;

FIG. 62 is a exploded perspective image of an exemplary bucket, illustrating the shrouds and teeth ready for assembly to the bucket lip assembly;

FIG. 63 is a perspective image of another exemplary bucket, illustrating the shrouds and teeth attached to the bucket lip assembly;

FIG. 64 is a exploded perspective image of bucket of FIG. 63, illustrating the shrouds and teeth ready for assembly to the bucket lip assembly;

FIG. 65 is a photographic image of another embodiment of the present fastener, with one half of the body removed to view the mechanism within;

FIG. 66 is a perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 65, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration holding teeth onto a lip assembly of a bucket;

FIG. 67 is a perspective view of the fastener installed in the lip assembly of FIG. 66 illustrating a step of the extraction process;

FIG. 68 is a perspective view of the fastener installed in the lip assembly of FIG. 66 illustrating another step of the extraction process;

FIG. 69 is a perspective view of the fastener installed in the lip assembly of FIG. 66 illustrating yet another step of the extraction process;

FIG. 70 is a perspective view of the fastener installed in the lip assembly of FIG. 66 illustrating a further step of the extraction process;

FIG. 71 is a perspective view of the fastener installed in the lip assembly of FIG. 66 illustrating yet a further step of the extraction process;

FIG. 72 is a perspective view of the fastener installed in the lip assembly of FIG. 66 illustrating nearing the final step of the extraction process;

FIG. 73 is a perspective view of the fastener withdrawn the lip assembly of FIG. 66;

FIG. 74 is a perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 65, showing the fastener in the inserted configuration holding teeth onto a lip assembly of another exemplary bucket;

FIG. 75 is a perspective view of the lip of FIG. 66 illustrating a tooth aligned a ready for connection to the lip using the fastener of FIG. 65;

FIG. 76 is a perspective view of the lip of FIG. 66 illustrating the tooth in place on the lip and ready for insertion of the fastener to connect the tooth to the lip and the lip to the bucket;

FIG. 77 is a perspective view of the of the lip of FIG. 66 illustrating the tooth in locked in place by the fastener;

FIG. 78 is a perspective view of the of the lip of FIG. 66 illustrating the tooth and a shroud locked in place by respective fasteners;

FIG. 79 is a perspective view of a crane grapple with a tooth attached to the tip of a tine using the yet another exemplary embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 80 is an exploded perspective view of the crane grapple of FIG. 79, with the tooth and fastener detached;

FIG. 81 is a magnified front view of the crane grapple of FIG. 79, with the fastener connecting the tooth to the grapple tine;

FIG. 82 is a perspective view of an excavator ripper implement with a ripper tooth attached to the tip, using another exemplary embodiment of the present fastener;

FIG. 83 is a perspective view of the ripper implement of FIG. 82, illustrating the fastener in the inserted configuration, with the nut removed to enable withdrawing;

FIG. 84 is a perspective view of the ripper implement of FIG. 82, illustrating the fastener and ripper tooth partially removed from the implement;

FIG. 85 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fastener;

FIG. 86 is exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a tooth aligned and ready to connect to the lip adapter of an implement;

FIG. 87 is exploded perspective view of the lip assembly of FIG. 87, with the fastener of FIG. 85 aligned with the assembled tooth and lip adapter to assemble a lip assembly;

FIG. 88 is a cross-sectional exploded view of the assembly of FIG. 87, aligned to assemble the lip assembly;

FIG. 89 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 88;

FIG. 90 is exploded perspective view of an example lip assembly, with a fastener aligned with the assembled tooth and lip adapter to assemble a lip assembly;

FIG. 91 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the lip assembly of FIG. 90;

FIG. 92 is a partially exploded perspective view of an example lip assembly of a bucket loader with a lip shroud assembly, a tooth assembly, and wing shroud assembly exploded from the lip assembly;

FIG. 93 is a perspective view of a fastener assembly;

FIG. 94 is an exploded perspective view of the shroud assembly, with the fastener assembly aligned for insertion;

FIG. 95 is a cross-sectional view of the shroud assembly being connected to the lip, with the fastener assembly aligned for insertion;

FIG. 96 is a cross-sectional view of the shroud assembly connected to the lip, with the fastener assembly in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 97 is an exploded perspective view of the tooth assembly, with the fastener assembly and another fastener assembly aligned for insertion;

FIG. 98 is a cross-sectional view of the tooth assembly being connected to the lip, with the fastener assemblies aligned for insertion;

FIG. 99 is a cross-sectional view of the tooth assembly connected to the lip, with the fastener assemblies in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 100 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the tooth assembly of FIG. 98;

FIG. 101 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the tooth assembly of FIG. 99;

FIG. 102 is a perspective view of an example grapple arm assembly with a grapple tooth assembly attached;

FIG. 103 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the grapple tooth assembly of FIG. 102 being connected to the grapple arm, with the fastener assemblies aligned for insertion;

FIG. 104 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the grapple tooth assembly of FIG. 102 connected to the grapple arm, with the fastener assembly in the inserted configuration;

FIG. 105 is a perspective view of an example ripper assembly with a ripper tip assembly attached;

FIG. 106 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the ripper tip assembly of FIG. 105 being connected to the ripper arm, with the fastener assemblies aligned for insertion; and

FIG. 107 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the ripper tooth assembly of FIG. 102 connected to the ripper arm, with the fastener assembly in the inserted configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Looking first at the example embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, a fastener 20 is shown In FIGS. 1-4, the elongate arcuate body 22 is shown isolated from the remaining components of the fastener 20. The elongate arcuate body 22 generally includes a first end 36 opposite a second end 38. A first portion 24 is a part of the elongate arcuate body 22 that is closer in proximity to the first end 36 than the second end 38, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude the first end 36. A second portion 26 is a part of the elongate arcuate body 22 that is closer in proximity to the second end 38 than the first end 36, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude the second end 38. Although the first end 36 is shown as a planar face in this embodiment, the first end 36 can be of any geometry, as the application or aesthetics dictate.

Looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 22, there is an inner surface 46 opposite to and generally having a smaller radius than the outer surface 48. Although the curvature of the inner surface 46 and the outer surface 48 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse, a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 46 and the outer surface 48 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Thus, the radius or curvature of the elongate arcuate body 22 in general, the inner surface 46, and the outer surface 48, can mean, in one or more embodiments, that the general curvature is considered while ignoring relatively small discontinuities between the first portion 24 and the second portion 26 (e.g., sufficiently small as to not interfere with insertion or retraction, as will be discussed further below). A first side surface 50 is opposite a second side surface 52, and each are adjacent to the inner surface 46 and the outer surface 48. The inner surface 46, the outer surface 48, the first side surface 50, and the second side surface 52 are illustrated in the example embodiments herein with a particular shape. However, the shape of each surface can vary, and can be rounded, planar, lofted surface, or a combination of varying surfaces.

Looking at the second end 38 of the elongate arcuate body 22, a blind bore creates an extraction bore 40, into which the working portion of an extraction tool can be inserted (not shown, but can be a rod, screw driver, or similar tool which provides purchase and mechanical advantage to pry and loosen the fastener 20). The second end 38, in this example embodiment, includes opening forming a jaw 56 with a through hole 54 for rotatably capturing a pin, much like a clevis. The jaw 56 can be formed by the mating of notched ends of the first half 32 and the second half 34 (each machined or cast separately in this example). The hole 54 of for the pin (such as the head of a T-bolt) can be formed as blind holes on the inner opposing sides of each side of the jaw 56 or as a through hole formed normal to the mesial plane 30 (e.g., the plane through the middle of the elongate arcuate body 22, symmetric or not, and, in this example, the physical division of the of the first half 32 and the second half 34).

A recess 44 is formed in the second end 38 and extending onto the outer surface 48 at the region adjacent to the first end 38, for receiving therein a protective cover 58 (see FIG. 5) in a recessed or flush configuration with the surrounding surfaces. The protective cover 58 is held in place on the elongate arcuate body 22 by engaging the extraction hole 40 and the undercut hole that forms a locking slot 42 (a blind slot with an undercut in this example embodiment) formed within the recess 44 on the outer surface 48. A radiused or chamfered rim formed on the locking slot 42 provides a lead-in to case the insertion of the bulbous boss 62 of the protective cover 58.

Turning now to FIG. 5, a complete exploded assembly of at least one embodiment of the present fastener 20 is shown with optional protective covers 58, 60. The elongate arcuate body 22 is made fastening the first half 32 to the second half 34, using screws 84. However, the elongate arcuate body 22 can be of a unitary or welded design, made from a cast metal alloy or other material appropriate for a given application. As the first half 32 and the second half 34 are fastened, the pin 72 of the T-bolt 68 is captured within the jaw 56 halves within the holes 54, such that the threads 70 on the shaft (or rod member) of the T-bolt extend from the first end 36 when assembled and rotates about the pivot created by the pin 72 captured within the holes 54. The washer 74 and threaded nut 76 engage the threads 70 of the T-bolt 68, to mechanically block retraction of the elongate arcuate body 22 from the inserted configuration. The protective cover 60 is placed over the nut 76, with the nut 76 inserted into the hexagonal hole 80. Annular ribs 82 extend from the outer diameter of the protective cover 60, which engage the walls of a recess to protect the retaining portion beneath, including the nut 76, the optional washer 74, and the T-bolt hinged or otherwise pivoted on the first end 36. A handle 78 is provided on the protective cover 60 to provide purchase and permit removal or other manipulation.

Protective cover 58 is configured to engage the extraction bore 40 by insertion of the ribbed boss 61 extending from the cap portion 64 into the extraction bore 40. A second boss 62 extends from the side portion 66 of the protective cover. The second boss 62 has a bulbous cross-sectional shape (e.g., a necked base with an enlarged tip), that is configured to snap into the undercut hole (or receiver) and lock in place due to the enlarged tip being removably trapped beneath the undercut opening. A living hinge 65 permits the cap portion 64 to rotate about the side portion 66.

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate a lip assembly 86 (e.g., attachable to or integrated with the edge of an implement, such as an excavator bucket, loader bucket, or the like), with a shroud 92 aligned with and ready to be mounted to a lip 90 (which is attachable to or integrated with the edge of an implement). Just a section of the lip 90 is shown, where the lip 90 can be a number of feet long. The structure of the lip 90 is generally repeating for at least a distance along the edge 122. In this case, a wedge-shaped notch 96 is formed on the edge 122, with a radiused root 97 to reduce stress. The top surface 118 (or the bottom surface 120 in one or more embodiments) includes an entry hole 106, for receiving the fastener 20 by the first end 36, aligned with a counterbore hole 88. The fastener 20 is inserted through the entry hole 106 and threaded through a converging arcuate passage 124 (shown in FIGS. 7 and 8), with the T-bolt 68 freely hinging on the first end 36 to aid in navigation of the converging arcuate passage 124 to exit through the counterbore hole 88.

The shroud 92 (or other similar attachable wear part or protective part) includes a top leg 100 spaced apart from a bottom leg 102 and connected at the tip 93, creating a U-shaped opening for receiving the edge 122 of the lip 90 inserted between the top leg 100 and the bottom leg 102. A web 104 extends between the top leg 100 and the bottom leg 102 and spans the U-shaped opening to divide the opening into two substantially symmetric openings, into which the edges 122 on each side of the wedge-shaped notch 96 are received, while the web 104 is received by the wedge-shaped notch 96 (e.g., the notch 96 is formed through the edge 122 of the lip 90 during casting forming a V-like converging shape for guiding in and firmly seating web 104 of the shroud 92). The top leg 100 and the bottom leg 102 prevent shifting of the shroud 92 relative to the lip 90 in the vertical direction (i.e., in this example, the vertical axis is planar normal to the top surface 118 of the lip 90). The joint created by the web 104 inserted within the wedge-shaped notch 96 prevents shifting of the shroud 92 relative to the lip 90 in the lateral direction along the edge 122 (i.e., in this example, the lateral direction is parallel to the plane of the top surface 118 of the lip 90 and restricted approximately to travel along the edge 122). As will be discussed further below, the fastener 20, when in the inserted configuration, prevents the web 104 from being withdrawn from the notch 96. The shroud 92 further includes a seat 94 for receiving a portion of the elongate arcuate body 22 of the fastener 20. In this example, the seat 94 is shaped complementarily to the elongate arcuate body 22 and forms part of the converging arcuate passage 124. The shape of the seat 94, in this example, is a depression formed on a tongue portion of the bottom leg 102. The depression is shown as a slot with a generally rectangular opening and an arcuate bottom (much like that created by a circular saw plunge cut). Although, the seat 94 is shown as having an arcuate bottom floor, a flat-bottomed slot or other shaped slots can work to prevent the shroud 92 from sliding past the fastener 20, as will be described in further detail below.

Looking at FIGS. 6-8, a tail plate 98 is fastened (or integrally formed) within an upper step 126 of a stepped recess formed into the bottom surface 120 of the lip 90 beneath or nearby the entry hole 106 using screws 112. An inclined portion 110 (e.g., a ramp) on the tail plate 98, starting at the front edge 109 forms a step 111, where both the inclined portion 110 and the step 111 protrude into the lower step 127 (e.g., the stepped recess forms a cavity with a shallow step and a deeper portion, with parts of the recess extending through the thickness of the lip 90 to form the entry hole 106 and counterbore hole 88). The tongue 116 of the shroud 92 is inserted within the lower step 127, where the tongue 116 limited in its insertion by contacting the back wall 132 of the lower recess 128. The tongue 116 is formed with an inclined portion 114 that closely matches the inclined portion 110 of the tail plate 98, so that once the tail plate 98 is fastened in place, the tongue 116 is closely fitted within the pocket defined between the lower step 127 and the inclined portion 110 of the tail plate 98.

FIG. 8 illustrates the tongue 116 of the shroud 92 within the lower step 127 and inserted within the pocket defined by the inclined portion 110 of the tail plate 98. The entry hole 106 and counterbore hole 88 open into the lower step 127, with the entry hole 106 and counterbore hole 88 separated (at least in part and at least at or near the top surface 118) by the cross member 108. The cross member 108 has a curved profile 107 which forms a portion of the passage 124, with the seat 94 forming yet another portion of the passage 124. In at least one embodiment, passage 124 is converging (or otherwise reducing in cross-section area or size) at least in part so that the elongate arcuate body 22 of the fastener 20 can be inserted therein, yet not fully pulled through the counterbore hole 88 (or, in differing or similar embodiments, other holes through which the retaining portion of the fastener may be accessed besides the entry hole 106). FIG. 8 further shows the fastener 20 partially inserted with the T-bolt 68 being pushed through the passage 124, pivoting to move through the curve of the passage 124.

FIG. 7 illustrates the fastener 20 in the inserted configuration, with the elongate arcuate body 22 fully seated within the passage 12. Although it is not required for the operation of all embodiments, the washer 74 is within the counterbore 88, with the nut 76 threaded to the threads of the T-bolt 68 and the protective cover 60 attached within the counterbore 88. The nut 76 may be tightened down so that the washer 74 bears down on the bottom of the counterbore 88 shoulder or left loosely, yet securely connected to the T-bolt 68, so that the washer 74 and nut 76 prevent the fastener 20 from retracting. When the nut 76 is tightly threaded to the T-bolt 68, the elongate arcuate body 22 is pulled completely into the passage 124, and wedged into place, due to the relatively larger second portion 26 of the elongate arcuate body 22 preventing further insertion into the converging passage 124 (e.g., in at least one embodiment, the elongate arcuate body 22 is formed like a wedge that has been bent to from an arcuate shape, where the wedge is formed by sloping at least one surface to converge toward its opposing surface).

Still looking at FIG. 7, with the fastener 20 in the inserted configuration, the inner surface 46 of the elongate arcuate body 22 contacts the cross member 108 on the curved profile 107; while, simultaneously, the outer surface 48 (and surrounding portions of the elongate arcuate body 22 are seated within the seat 94 formed as a depression on the tongue 116 of the shroud 92, thus, trapping the tongue 116 between the inclined portion 110 of the tail plate 98 and the fastener 20. If a force were to be applied to the shroud 92 in an attempt to withdraw the tongue 116, inner surface 46 the elongate arcuate body 22 would firmly contact the curved profile 107 (or any surface created by a similar member); and the outer surface 48 would be firmly contacted by the seat 94, pinching and wedging the elongate arcuate body 22 of the fastener 20 between the seat 94 and the curved profile 107 of the cross member 108. The tail plate 98 prevents the tongue 116 from separating from the fastener 20. Because the fastener 20 is prevented from further insertion due to being wedged, in this example, between the seat 124 and the cross member 108 within the passage 124 defined between the two, and because the seat 124 is not permitted to substantially separate (e.g., increase the gap between) from the cross member 108, the tongue 116 cannot be pulled out of the pocket 128, unless the fastener 20 is sufficiently retracted from the passage 124. Even with the nut 76 and washer 74 removed, this wedging action would still persist and prevent withdrawal. Although, some sort of retainer (e.g., a nut, a retaining ring, a pin, a collar, or other retainer or fastener) is desirable so that the fastener 20 is prevented from back out of the passage 124 due to vibration, etc. and to prevent a loose fit between parts (e.g., to prevent the shroud 92 from substantially moving relative to the lip 90). A through slot 130 can be provided for alignment purposes or insertion of tools.

Looking now at FIGS. 9-15, another embodiment of the fastener 134 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 136 of the fastener 134 generally includes a first end 144 opposite a second end 146. A first portion 138 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 136 that is closer in proximity to the first end 144 than the second end 146, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 144. A second portion 140 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 136 that is closer in proximity to the second end 146 than the first end 144, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 146. Although the first end 144 is shown as a planar face 156 in this embodiment, the first end 144 can be of any geometry, as the application or aesthetics dictate.

Looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 136, there is an inner surface 164 opposing and generally having a smaller radius than the outer surface 166 (e.g., the radius measured from a center of that radius at a particular point on the inner surface 164 is smaller than the radius from that same center point to the outer surface 166, comparable to measuring the bend radius of a pipe). Although the curvature of the inner surface 164 and the outer surface 166 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse, a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 164 and the outer surface 166 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Thus, the radius or curvature of the elongate arcuate body 136 in general, the inner surface 164, and the outer surface 166, can mean, in one or more embodiments, that the general curvature is considered while ignoring relatively small discontinuities between the first portion 138 and the second portion 140 (e.g., sufficiently small as to not interfere with insertion or retraction, as will be discussed further below). The cross-sectional shape of the elongate arcuate body 136 is elliptical, and more particularly, almost circular in this embodiment (e.g., there is a slight flat region on each side to make a slightly oblong circle), where the area of the circle decreases as measured from the first portion 138 to the second portion 140. This is somewhat comparable, in one or more embodiments, to an elongate conical frustum that is bent about a center point, much like pipe bending.

Looking at the second end 146 of the elongate arcuate body 136, a blind bore creates an extraction bore 142, into which the working portion of an extraction tool can be inserted (not shown, but can be a rod, screw driver, or similar tool which provides purchase and mechanical advantage to pry and loosen the fastener 134). The retaining portion 148, in this example, is a threaded hole for threadably receiving therein a screw 160, removably locked in place by the lock washer 162. In use, a portion of the elongate arcuate body 136 of the fastener 134 is received within the concavity of the seat 152 formed in an insert 150, where the seat 152 is shaped to closely match the negative shape of the elongate arcuate body 136. Although the insert 150 is illustrated as a separate part from the lip 166 and insertable into the mortise 168 formed into the lip 166, the seat 152 can be formed directly into the top surface 170 of the lip 166. The seat 152 terminates at a wall with a through hole 155 that forms a shoulder 154, where the screw 160 inserts into the through hole 155 of the shoulder 154 and threads into the retaining portion 148 (i.e., the threaded hole in this example) of the fastener 134. Tightening of the screw 160 draws the face 156 against the shoulder 154 sandwiching the wall of the shoulder tightly between the screw 160 (and optional lock washer 162) and the face 156 of the elongate arcuate body 136, thus joining the fastener 134 to the insert 150.

The shroud 172 (or other attachment, such as a wear part or adapter) includes a cavity for receiving the nose 174 of the lip 166, and an entry hole 180 formed through a first leg 182 of the shroud 172 which defines a cross member 178. The insert 150 is placed in the mortise 168 of the lip 166, and the shroud 172 placed over the nose 174. The entry hole 180 aligns with part of the seat 152. The clearance between the shroud 172 and the top surface 170 of the lip 166 and provides access to insert the screw 160 into the through hole 155 of the shoulder 154. An access hole 186 through the lip 166 permits the insertion of a tool to dislodge the insert 150 from the mortise 168. FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate the insertion of the fastener 134 into the converging passage 184 at least in part defined between the cross member 178 and the seat 152. In a similar manner to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, the fastener 134 is wedged or closely fitted within the passage 184, such that a force acting to pull the shroud 172 off the nose 174 would cause the cross member 178 to contact the second portion 140 of the elongate arcuate body 136 of the fastener 134, thus blocking substantial movement (e.g., beyond the slop normally permitted within tolerance) of the shroud 172 and preventing it from separating from the lip 166. Each of the shroud 172 and the lip 166 (where the lip 166 assembly includes the insert 150, which can be attachable to the lip 166 or integrally formed on the lip 166) form part of the passage 184; and a force applied in a direction to pull the shroud 172 off the nose 174 would apply at least a shear force (and a bending moment) on the fastener 134, which prevents movement of the shroud 172 relative to the lip 166.

Looking now at FIGS. 16-22, yet another embodiment of the fastener 188 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 190 of the fastener 188 generally includes a first end 196 opposite a second end 198. A first portion 192 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 190 that is closer in proximity to the first end 196 than the second end 198, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 196. A second portion 198 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 190 that is closer in proximity to the second end 198 than the first end 1196, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 198. Although the first end 196 and 198 are shown as a planar faces 156 in this embodiment, the first end 196 and second end 198 can be of any geometry, as the application or aesthetics dictate.

Looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 190, there is an inner surface 212 opposing and generally having a smaller radius than the outer surface 214. Although the curvature of the inner surface 212 and the outer surface 214 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse, a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 212 and the outer surface 214 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Further, the increasing cross-sectional area of the elongate arcuate body 190 from the first end 196 to the second end 198 can be achieved by offsetting the centers or the radii, where the smaller radius is of the inner surface 212 is centered about center 216 and the larger radius of the outer surface is centered about center 218, offset by a distance d. In this example embodiment, the retaining portion 200 is a series of teeth which form steps or grooves into which detents (or other engaging tip) engage for holding the position of the fastener 188.

In use, the fastener 188 is inserted into an engagement clamp, having a seat 220, a tension spring 224, a clamp 230, and a retaining head 226. The tension spring 224 is connected between the clamp 230 and the retaining head 226 to resist separation of the two under spring bias. The insert 220 includes a seat 202 configured to cradle the elongate arcuate body 190 of the fastener 188, and a spring clamp bore 228 intersecting the seat 202. Detents 222 protrude into the seat 202 for engaging the ridges of the retaining portion 200. The detents 222 can alternatively be screws with tips to engage the ridges, with no detent spring element.

When used to fasten a shroud 240 to the nose 242 of a lip 234, the insert 220 is set within the mortise 238, the cavity 244 of the shroud 240 placed onto the nose 242 aligning the seat 202 with the fastener access hole 246 formed through the first leg 248 of the shroud 240. The assembly of the tension spring 224 connecting the clamp 230 to the retaining head 226 is inserted into the through hole 252 formed through the second leg 250, through the hole 256 formed through the lip 234, where the clamp 230 is positioned in the faster hole 246 (which can be shaped in part to conform to the shape of the fastener 188). The countersunk hole 252 prevents pull-through of the retaining head 226, such that pulling on the clamp 230 expands the spring 224. The first end 196 of the fastener 188 is inserted through the eye 232 formed through the clamp 230, where continued insertion tensions the spring 224 due to the increasing thickness of the elongate arcuate body 190. As the ridges of the retaining portion 200 push in the detents 222, a ratchet or clicking sound will be audible to alert the user of positive engagement. The fastener 188 is inserted until the desired tension is obtained, such that the fastener 188 will not withdraw under normal usage. In this embodiment a passage is defined in part by both the walls of the fastener access hole 246 and the eye 232 of the clamp 230, with the end portion 254 of the clamp 230 acting as a cross member. Application of a force acting to pull the shroud 240 off the nose 242 would cause the wall of the fastener access hole 246 to contact the cross member 254 to further engage the second portion 194 of the elongate arcuate body 190 of the fastener 188, thus blocking substantial movement of the shroud 240 and preventing it from separating from the lip 234.

Turning now at FIGS. 23-28, another embodiment of the fastener 258 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 260 of the fastener 258 generally includes a first end 266 with a chamfer 267 (or other feature to ease the first end 266 to aid in insertion) opposite a flange 270 with a through hole 272 for receiving a screw 294 (a countersunk hole in this example for receiving a flat head screw). A first portion 262 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 260 that is closer in proximity to the first end 266 than the flange 270 (which can act as a second end equivalent), and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 266. A second portion 264 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 260 that is closer in proximity to the flange 270 than the first end 266.

The structure of the lip 288 and edge attachment 277 assembly is structurally and functionally similar to the assembly described in relation to FIGS. 6-8. Thus, equivalent structures will only be briefly discussed for the present embodiment. The edge attachment 277 includes a first leg 284 separated by a gap from a second leg 286, with two webs 282 spanning between the legs. A tongue 280 protrudes from the second leg 286, with a seat 278 formed on the top of the tongue 280 and an inclined surface 301 formed on the opposite side of the tongue 280. A tail plate 300 bolts to the underside of the lip 288, with the inclined or ramped surface 302 configured to receive the tip of the tongue 280. The webs 282 each insert into their respective notches 290, with the seat 278 positioned beneath the cross member 304 to define the passage 306 therebetween.

During assembly, the first end 266 of the fastener 258 is inserted into the entry hole 296 and rotated into position, such that the elongate arcuate body 260 is positioned within the passage 306 and the flange 270 is positioned within the flange recess 308, where the screw 294 is inserted into the through hole 272 on the flange 270, inserted through the lip 288 and threaded into the tail plate 300, sandwiching the tongue 280 between the ramped surface 302 and the fastener 258. In this way, similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 6-8 the edge attachment 277 is prevented from withdrawing.

Looking now at FIGS. 29-35, yet another embodiment of the fastener 310 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 312 of the fastener 310 generally includes a first end 318 opposite a second end 320. A first portion 314 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 312 that is closer in proximity to the first end 318 than the second end 320, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 318. A second portion 316 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 312 that is closer in proximity to the second end 320 than the first end 318, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 320.

Very similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 9-15 (with the differences explained), looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 312, there is an inner surface 340 opposing and generally having a smaller radius than the outer surface 342. Although the curvature of the inner surface 340 and the outer surface 342 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse, a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 340 and the outer surface 342 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Thus, the radius or curvature of the elongate arcuate body 312 in general, the inner surface 340, and the outer surface 342, can mean, in one or more embodiments, that the general curvature is considered while ignoring relatively small discontinuities between the first portion 314 and the second portion 316. The cross-sectional shape of the elongate arcuate body 312 is somewhat elliptical, and more particularly, almost circular in this embodiment (e.g., there is a slight flat region on each of four sides to make a circle/square-like shape with large corner radii, as seen in FIG. 31), where the area of the cross section decreases as measured from the first portion 314 to the second portion 316.

The retaining portion 322, in this example, is a threaded through hole for threadably receiving therein a set screw 338 being threaded within the hole 322. In use, a portion of the elongate arcuate body 312 of the fastener 310 is received within the concavity of the seat 326 formed in an insert 324, where the seat 326 is shaped to closely match the negative shape of the elongate arcuate body 312. The seat 326 terminates at a wall 328 with a notch 330, with the notch 330 providing access for a tool (e.g., a hex wrench or similar) to act on the screw 338. A protective cover 344 presses into the notch 330. A series of parallel steps 346 are formed in the seat 326 for receiving the tip of the set screw 338, where tightening the set screw pushes against one of the steps 346 which forces the first face 332 of the fastener 310 upwards and toward the wall 328 (but not necessarily touching the wall 328).

The shroud 354 (or other attachment, such as a wear part or adapter) includes a cavity 358 for receiving the nose 356 of the lip 348, and an entry hole 368 formed through a first leg 364 of the shroud 354 which defines a cross member 360 which comprises an arced hump. The insert 324 is placed in the mortise 350 of the lip 348, and the shroud 354 placed over the nose 356. The entry hole 362 aligns with part of the seat 326. In a similar manner to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, the fastener 310 is wedged or closely fitted within the passage 366 by tightening the set screw 338 against a step 346, such that a force acting to pull the shroud 354 off the nose 356 would cause the cross member 360 to contact the second portion 316 of the elongate arcuate body 312 of the fastener 310, thus blocking substantial movement (e.g., beyond the slop normally permitted within tolerance) of the shroud 354 and preventing it from separating from the lip 348.

FIGS. 36-42 illustrate an additional embodiment of the fastener 310 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 312 of the fastener 310 generally includes a first end 318 opposite a second end 320. A first portion 314 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 312 that is closer in proximity to the first end 318 than the second end 320, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 318. A second portion 316 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 312 that is closer in proximity to the second end 320 than the first end 318, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 320.

Very similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIG. 29-35 (with the differences explained), looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 370, there is an inner surface 392 opposing and generally having a smaller radius than the outer surface 394. Although the curvature of the inner surface 392 and the outer surface 394 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse, a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 392 and the outer surface 394 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Thus, the radius or curvature of the elongate arcuate body 370 in general, the inner surface 392, and the outer surface 394, can mean, in one or more embodiments, that the general curvature is considered while ignoring relatively small discontinuities between the first portion 372 and the second portion 374. The cross-sectional shape of the elongate arcuate body 370 is somewhat rectangular, and more particularly, a square-like shape with large corner radii, as seen in FIG. 38), where the area of the cross section decreases as measured from the first portion 372 to the second portion 374.

The retaining portion 380, in this example, is a threaded through hole for threadably receiving therein a first set screw 396 being threaded within the hole 380. On the second end 378, a extraction bore 386 is formed, as well as a flange 382 with a threaded hole 384 for receiving a second set screw 398. In use, a portion of the elongate arcuate body 370 of the fastener 368 is received within the concavity of the seat 402 formed in an insert 400, where the seat 402 is shaped to closely match the negative shape of the elongate arcuate body 370. The seat 402 includes a step 404 formed therein, and ledge 406 formed adjacently.

The shroud 414 (or other attachment, such as a wear part or adapter) includes a cavity 418 for receiving the nose 416 of the lip 408, and an entry hole 422 formed through a first leg 424 of the shroud 414 which defines a cross member 420 which comprises an arced hump. The insert 40 is placed in the mortise 410 formed on the top surface 412 of the lip 408, and the shroud 414 is placed over the nose 416. The entry hole 422 aligns with part of the seat 402. In a similar manner to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, the first set screw 396 is threaded into hole 380 and until touching the step 404, where the user can further tighten the first set screw 396 pull the fastener 368 further into the passage 428. The second set screw 396 is optionally threaded into hole 384 to reduce play or slop in the assembly for a tight fit without relying solely on the wedge-like fit of the fastener 368 within the passage 428.

Turning to FIGS. 43-55, an additional embodiment of the fastener 430 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 432 of the fastener 430 generally includes a first end 438 opposite a second end 440. A first portion 434 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 432 that is closer in proximity to the first end 438 than the second end 440, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 438. A second portion 436 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 432 that is closer in proximity to the second end 440 than the first end 438, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 440.

Looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 432, there is an inner surface 448 opposing and generally having a smaller radius than the outer surface 450 (although, in this example embodiment, the inner surface 448 and the outer surface 450 are planes curved or curled about their respective center axes, where the curved planes are curled about axes perpendicular and offset to the longitudinal axis). Although the curvature of the inner surface 448 and the outer surface 450 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse, a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 448 and the outer surface 450 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Thus, the radius or curvature of the elongate arcuate body 432 in general, the inner surface 448, and the outer surface 450, can mean, in one or more embodiments, that the general curvature is considered while ignoring relatively small discontinuities between the first portion 434 and the second portion 436. The cross-sectional shape of the elongate arcuate body 432 is somewhat trapezoidal (an isosceles trapezoid in this example), where the area of the cross section decreases as measured from the first portion 434 to the second portion 436. The second face 446 at the second end 440 illustrates the trapezoidal shape. The retaining portion 442, in this example, is a slot or other hole formed through the elongate arcuate body 432 at the first portion 434, with the portion of the hole closest to the first end 438 radiused to permit engagement and disengagement with the protrusion 458 of the catch 452.

The tooth 476 includes a cutting portion 477 opposite a nose portion 478, each protruding from the tooth body 475 is opposite directions. The nose portion 478 protrudes rearwardly from the tooth body 475 and is configured to fit within a cavity 480 within an adapter 470 which connects to the lip 471 (e.g., by welding or using one or more of the present fasteners. The design of the tooth 476 is unique and provides a long-lasting cutting tool that is stronger than tooth designs with a cavity formed into the tooth, basically providing a solid metal cross-section. The nose portion 478 includes a seat 484 with integrally formed within the nose 478, where the concavity of the seat 326 is shaped to closely match the negative shape of the elongate arcuate body 432, matching the shape of the outer surface, the first side surface 449, and the second side surface (out of view in the figures). The tooth 476 further includes an installation indent 488 on each side of the tooth body 475 shaped to receive a vertical pole on a rack which hold a plurality of tooth assemblies (as shown in later figures). Further, a locator boss 490 protrudes from the tooth body 475 on each side of the nose 478, and each engage within a locator pocket 492 formed in the adapter 470 to help in locating the tooth 476 on the adapter 470 and to limit shifting and twisting of the tooth 476 within the pocket 480.

The adapter 470 (or lip assembly in one or more embodiments) includes a pocket within which the nose 478 is inserted. A notch 494 on the front edge of the pocket 480 partially defines the entry hole 482. An access hole 466 is formed through the top surface 468 of the adapter 470 and is shaped internally to include a catch seat 486 within which a catch 452 is captured and selectively permitted to rotate over a limited angle. The access hole 466 communicates with both the catch seat 486 and the cavity 480. A cross member 496 is defined between the notch 494 and the access hole 466.

The catch 452 is made of a front plate 454 with a catch protrusion 458 extending therefrom, a back plate 456, with two elastomeric spacers 460 sandwiched therebetween. A gap between the elastomeric spacers 460 provides access for insertion of the head of a screwdriver for tilting the catch 452 to permit the extraction of the fastener 430. When inserting the fastener 430 into the passage 498 through the entry hole 482, the first end 438 of the fastener contacts the protrusion 458 of the catch 452, and forces the catch 452 to rotate about its heel 459 within the catch seat 486 (a clockwise rotation in the view of FIGS. 47 and 48). The user continues to push the fastener 430 past the protrusion 458, thereby compressing the elastomeric spacers 460 (made of rubber bonded between the first plate 454 and the second plate 456 through a vulcanization process) and permitting the first end 438 to pass the protrusion 458, such that the protrusion 458 is inserted through the hole 442 near the first end 438 of the fastener 430. Inserting a screwdriver or other pry tool within the slot 462 and rotating counterclockwise forces the protrusion 458 to push the fastener 430 partially out of the passage 498, disengaging the protrusion from the catch hole 442 (e.g., the fastener 430 acts much like a moving strike plate when engaging and disengaging the catch protrusion 458). In this way, the user can grasp the second end 440 of the fastener 430 and withdraw it from the passage 498.

A variation of the above embodiment of the fastener 430 is illustrated in FIG. 56, where catch 452 is modified to include a second protrusion 500 to define a pocket 502 between the protrusion 458 and the second protrusion 500, for capturing the end 438 within the pocket 502.

FIGS. 57-61 illustrate a tooth loading rack 504, designed to quickly and automatically load a plurality of teeth 522 (or other wear parts or attachments) by lowering the lip 470 of the implement over the row of teeth 544 aligned on the rack 504 and pressing down to lock the teeth 522 in place on the lip 470 with the fastener 430. The loading rack 504 includes a base 506 with two vertical tubes 508 extending upwards at each end of the base 506 and each receiving a spring-loaded telescoping tube 510 biased out of the vertical tubes 508. A cross beam 512 spans between and connects the top ends of the two telescoping tubes 510. The cross beam 512 includes a plurality of support bars arranged in pairs 514, 516 and extending horizontally at a right angle from the cross beam 512, and configured to hold a tooth 522 (or other attachment) by engaging the installation indents 488 formed on each side of the tooth 522. In this example, seven teeth 522 can be loaded on the rack 504, although more or less is possible. In each seat 484 of each tooth 476 a fastener 430 is placed, such that the second end 440 rests against the adjacent ramp 520 of the fastener insertion structure 518 extending upwards from the base 506. Within each access hole 466 of the lip 470, a catch 452 is inserted and placed within the seat 486. As shown in FIG. 61, the user lowers the machine implement, so that the cross beam 515 is lowered (by pushing in, against spring force, the telescoping tubes 510) relative to the ramps 520. Since the fastener 430 second end 440 rides on the ramp 520 surface, as the cross beam 515 lowers and the teeth 476 are lowered with the cross beam 515, the distance between the ramps 520 and their respective teeth 476 reduces, thereby pushing the fastener 430 further into the passage 498 until the catch hole 442 engages with and locks within the protrusion 458 of the catch 452. Thereafter, as the implement is lifted slightly and reversed, the teeth 476 (now locked to the lip 470) slide off their respective pair of support bars 514, 516. FIG. 62 illustrates an exploded view of the bucket assembly assembled in FIGS. 60-61. FIGS. 63-64 show yet more bucket assemblies possible using the present fastener 430.

FIGS. 65-78 show an embodiment of the fastener 522 (similar to the fastener described in reference to FIGS. 1-8, except different in how they lock in place), shown in isolation and in various applications to fasten wear parts to buckets and other implements. A locking handle 524 is positioned at the first end of the elongate arcuate body, and is connected by a cable 528 (through a cable passage 534 and about a bearing 532) to a compression spring 526 held within a spring cavity 536. The cable 528 travels through the coils of the spring 526 and connects to a cap 530 which compresses the spring 526 upon tensioning the cable 528. In use, the locking handle 524 is permitted to rotate and twist relative to the elongate arcuate body. FIG. 67 shows the handle 524 rotated across the access hole and laid down to prevent the fastener 522 from withdrawing from the passage. The handle 524 can be lifted up and rotated to align with the elongated access hole, so that the handle fits through the access hole, to permit the fastener 522 to withdraw from the passage, as shown in FIG. 70.

The fastener usage example of FIGS. 79-81 illustrates the fastener 20 of FIGS. 1-8 locking a tooth attached to the tip of a crane grapple.

The fastener usage example of FIGS. 82-84 illustrates that the T-bolt (as described in reference to FIGS. 1-8) can be pivoted within the tooth rather than within the elongate arcuate body (as shown in FIG. 6). A flange on the fastener engages the threaded rod of the T-bolt to secure the fastener within the passage.

Looking now at FIGS. 85-89, yet another embodiment of the fastener 540 is disclosed. The elongate arcuate body 542 of the fastener 540 generally includes a first end 544 opposite a second end 546. A first portion 548 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 542 that is closer in proximity to the first end 544 than the second end 546, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 544. A second portion 550 is a region of the elongate arcuate body 542 that is closer in proximity to the second end 546 than the first end 544, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 546.

Looking at the outer surface of the elongate arcuate body 542, there is an inner surface 552 opposing and generally having a smaller radius (or an offset center of the radius) than the outer surface 554. Although the curvature of the inner surface 552 and the outer surface 554 are described as having a radius, the curvature of each of the surfaces can have a constant radius (e.g., an arc of a circle) or a radius that is variable or not constant (e.g., an arc of an ellipse or a curvilinear shape). Furthermore, portions of the inner surface 552 and the outer surface 554 may include non-curved surfaces (e.g., depressions, protrusions, planar portions, and so on). Thus, the radius or curvature of the elongate arcuate body 542 in general, the inner surface 552, and the outer surface 554, can mean, in one or more embodiments, that the general curvature is considered while ignoring relatively small discontinuities between the first portion 548 and the second portion 550. The cross-sectional shape of the elongate arcuate body 542, in this example, changes along its length or arc, starting as a five-sided polygon (e.g., a pentagon or pentagon-like shape) at the second end 546, and tapering or thinning to a three- to five-sided polygon (a three-sided polygon in this example) at the first end 544 and having a smaller cross-sectional area than the second end 546. The cross-sectional shapes delineate a ridge 564 that runs at least some or all the length of the elongate arcuate body 542 on the outer surface 554. The outer surface 554 is generally gabled with a radiused peak to form the ridge 564; although, other shapes can form the ridge 564 with similar function.

The retaining portion 556, in this example, comprises one or more notches 558, 560, 562 or steps that are cut into the ridge 564 of the outer surface 554. In this example, three notches 558, 560, 562 are formed, spaced apart, in series on the second portion 550. The walls of the notches 558, 560, 562 converge towards an annular bottom portion 566, that provides a space between the two walls, with the ridge 564 intersecting through the approximate middle of each of the notches 558, 560, 562.

The present embodiment is constructed and operates somewhat similarly to the embodiments of FIGS. 43-55; and similar aspects will not be explained at length. The tooth 570 (or other attachment, such as a wear part or adapter) includes a nose 590 for insertion into the cavity 592 of the base portion 568 (e.g., a lip adapter or the like). The nose 590 includes a seat 571 that, when inserted into the cavity 592, defines a passage 598 between the seat 571 and the cross member; and further defines an access hole 594 at the terminus of the passage 598. The fastener 540 is inserted by the first end 544 into the entry hole 572 formed within the recess 573 of the base portion 568. Then, optional spacers 586, 588 are positioned within the recess 573, resting on the spacer seat 574, followed by a washer 584 and retainer 580, all stacked with through holes aligned for insertion of a threaded bolt 578 therethrough. The retainer 580, in this example, is circular with a notch or clearance 582 cut into the perimeter edge 583. The perimeter edge 583 is beveled both top and bottom, rounded, or otherwise converging so that it easily registers into the notches 558, 560, 562, where the beveled edge will be guided by the converging walls of one of the notches 558, 560, 562 to center the beveled edge within the corresponding notch. Optionally, when the retainer 580 is placed within the recess 573, the notch 582 is aligned with the ridge 564 of the fastener 540, such that the notch 582 provides clearance between the retainer 580 and the ridge 564 to permit easy retainer 580 insertion into the recess 573 and insertion of the threaded bolt 578. Once the threaded bolt 578 is hand threaded into the threaded hole 600, the retainer 580 can be located into one of the notches 558, 560, 562 (whichever notch is best for securing the fastener 540 given the specific arrangement of parts) and rotated so that the notch 582 is misaligned with the ridge 564 and the beveled edge 583 is registered within one of the notches 558, 560, 562. As the bolt 578 is threaded into the threaded hole 600, the retainer 580 bears upon the notch and further pushes the fastener 540 within the passage 598. Then, the threaded bolt 578 can be fully tightened to the recommended torque to secure the fastener 540 within the passage 598, effectively fastening the base portion 568 to the tooth 570. The retainer 580 is mechanically and frictionally engaged within one of the notches 558, 560, 562, such that the fastener 540 cannot be retracted and the retainer 580 cannot be rotated, unless the threaded bolt 578 is loosened.

Referring now to FIGS. 90 and 91, a modified version of the embodiment of FIGS. 85-89 is illustrated. As there are many similarities, only the differences will be explained. The fastener 618 is substantially the same as fastener 540, except the notches 620, 622, 624 include through holes or slots 626, 628, 630 located at the bottom of each notch 620, 622, 624 and formed through the elongate arcuate body 604. Alternatively, instead of through holes, blind holes can be formed at the bottoms of the notches 620, 622, 624. The fastener 618 includes an elongate arcuate body 604 with a first end 606 opposite a second end 608, with a first portion 610 nearest the first end 606 and a second portion 612 nearest the second end 608. A retaining portion 618 is located on the second portion 612. The retainer 636 includes a female threaded nut 638 with a tab 640 protruding laterally from nut 638. During installation, the tooth 634 and the base portion 632 are brought into engagement; and the fastener 602 is inserted within the passage 646 to prevent disengagement of the tooth 634 and base portion 632. A threaded bolt 642 is inserted through the base portion 632 and loosely threaded into the nut 638 of the retainer 636. The tab 640 is inserted into one of the slots 626, 628, 630. Because the retainer 636 includes a disc portion 639 with the tab 640 extending radially from the disc portion 638, when the tab 640 is inserted into one of the slots 626, 628, 630, the edge of the disc portion 638 is also engaged within the corresponding notch 620, 622, 624. Once the selected notch and corresponding slot is chosen by the installer, the threaded bolt 642 can be tightened to the recommended torque to draw the retainer 636 toward the bottom 648 of the recess 646. In this example, spacers are optional. A protective cover 644 is installed over the head of the bolt 642.

The two example embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 85-91 share the same broad concept of a retainer engaging a notch or a notch with a through hole or keyhole cut into the fastener. This enables the user to loosen the bolt (or other standard fastener) partially. Because the retainer remains engaged with the fastener as the bolt is loosened, loosening the bolt will withdraw the fastener from the passage at least partially without disengaging the retainer from the notch and/or through hole. Thus, the elongate arcuate body of the fastener is withdrawn from the passage sufficiently to permit the tooth to be separated from the adapter (or base, lip, etc.) and replaced with a tooth or other wear component. In this way, the bolt, retainer, fastener, etc. need not be completely removed in order to replace the wear component.

FIGS. 92-101 illustrate a lip assembly 650 for a bucket of a bucket loader and the various wear parts and the variations of the present fastener holding the wear parts to the lip assembly 650. As described above, the lip 652 can be welded or otherwise attached to a bucket or other earth moving machines, excavating machines, and the like. Looking specifically at FIG. 92, the exemplary lip assembly includes a lip 652 configured to receive the wear components and their associated fastening assemblies. The example wear components illustrated here include a tooth assembly 662, a shroud assembly 655, and a wing shroud assembly 654. The lip 652 includes features to permit latching thereto the wear components, such as the plurality of notches 658, 659 having roots 660, 661, respectively. Locking block sockets 674 are formed through the thickness of the lip 652 and are each aligned directly behind their respective notches 658. The shroud assembly 655, in part, includes a shroud 656 for protecting the front edge of the lip 652, with the shroud 656 having an insert 692 sized to fit within notch 659 and enlarged root 661, where a fastener assembly 678 prevents detachment of the lip shroud assembly 655 from the lip 652 (as explained in greater detail below). The tooth assembly 662, in part, includes a tooth 664 attached to an adapter 668 and held thereto by fastener assembly 678, with a web 748 of the adapter 668 received within notch 658. The adapter 668 is fastened to the lip through fastener assembly 762, which is positioned within locking block 672. Locking block 672 is shaped to fit within locking block socket 674 (both being rectangular in this example embodiment), where the locking block 672 is inserted into the locking block socket 674 from the underside of the lip 652, with wings 672 preventing pulling through of the locking block 674 (as explained in greater detail below). The wing shrouds 654 directly attach to the vertical sides of the lip 652 using fastener assemblies 678 in this example.

Looking now at FIGS. 93-96, the lip shroud assembly 655 and the fastener assembly 702 with another embodiment of the present fastener 700 and retainer 702 are more clearly illustrated. In FIG. 93, the elongate arcuate body of the fastener 700 generally includes a first end 726 opposite a second end 728. A first portion is a region of the elongate arcuate body 720 that is closer in proximity to the first end 726 than the second end 728, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the first end 726. A second portion is a region of the elongate arcuate body 720 that is closer in proximity to the second end 728 than the first end 726, and can, in one or more embodiments, include or exclude within that region the second end 728. In one or more example embodiments, the second end 728 comprises a tip 729 or other protrusion or extension at least partially delineated by a step 727 formed near the second end 728. A retaining portion 719 comprises retainer engagement surface 718 positioned at the top side (as viewed in FIG. 93) of the fastener 700, and is generally a curved plane, but may be flat or any other shape. A seat engagement surface or portion 721 is on the underside of the fastener 700, generally on an opposing or adjacent side to the retainer engagement surface 718, and is generally a curved plane, but may be flat or any other shape.

The retainer 702 is configured to bear against the fastener 700 with its engagement portion 704 at the retainer engagement surface 718 to hold the fastener within the passage in an inserted configuration. The retainer 702 comprises an elastomeric spacer or layer 706 separating and sandwiched between a latching portion or first retainer part 708 and an engagement portion or second retainer part 704, where the elastomeric spacer 706 is configured to elastically deform like a spring under compression of the first retainer part 708 and the second retainer part 704. Alternatively, the elastomeric spacer 706 can be substituted with a permanently deformable spacer. The front portion or tip 714 of the retainer 702 in this example embodiment is relatively thin compared to the rear portion 716 to permit insertion into the passage 693, and includes a top surface 709 curving upward into a step surface 707. Behind the step surface 707 is the latching portion 708 which includes features that permit the retainer 702 to engage in a latching or otherwise locking arrangement with a portion of the passage 693 or nearby the passage 693. Here, the latching portion 708 includes a ridge, tongue, or other protrusion 712 that engages within the groove 695, where the ledge of the groove 695 (or other depression or hole) acts to trap the protrusion 712 there beneath. The latching portion 708 further comprises a prying purchase 713 directly beneath a prying notch 710 defined between two prongs 711 extending rearwardly. The prying purchase 713 is a groove cut just above protrusion 712, where the notch 710 permits access by a pry tool (such as a pry bar, screw driver, or the like) to the prying purchase 713. The engagement portion 704 comprises a fastener engagement surface 705 that is shaped complementary to the retainer engagement surface 718, that is the shapes can be similar, (i.e., slightly offset to permit nesting of the retainer 702 and the fastener 700), the same (also permitting nesting), or shaped surfaces which engage with one another but are not the same. Here, both the retainer engagement surface 718 and the fastener engagement surface 705 are substantially similar.

FIG. 94 illustrates an example embodiment of the lip shroud assembly 655, with the fastener assembly 678 and insert 692 exploded from the lip shroud 656. Although a lip shroud 656 is illustrated, any number of wear components, accessories, adapters, etc. can include similar fastener features as illustrated. The example shroud 656 includes a shroud tip 684 extending forward from the main body, a top leg or plate 680 spaced apart from a bottom leg or plate 682 each extending rearward from the main body and defining a space therebetween with a web 686 extending vertically across the space. The web 686 includes an insert surface 687 configured to locate and receive a web surface 696 of the insert 692. The top leg 680 further includes an entry hole 688 (which also serves as an access opening) and an access hole 690 each formed through the top leg 680, with the entry hole 688 and access hole 690 spaced apart and aligned on the central axis of the shroud 656.

The insert 692 enables attachment of the lip shroud 656 to the front edge of the lip 652. The root portion 698 of the insert 692 is enlarged (or bulbous), such that the insert in dropped into position within the root 661 of the receiving notch 659, where the root 661 is enlarged compared to the notch 659 so that the root portion 698 of the insert 692 is trapped within the enlarged root 661 (with the remainder or a portion of the insert 692 held within the notch 659) and can only be inserted or removed by moving the insert 692 straight upwards relative to the lip 652. The insert 692 includes a recess or cavity defining the arcuate seat 694 and a groove 695 (or other structure that provides a ledge under which the protrusion 712 can be selectively trapped. The protrusion 712 of the retainer 702 and the groove 695 of the insert 692 form a tongue and groove like latch mechanism. The insert 692 is configured to be inserted within the notch 659 of the lip 652 and be positioned between the top leg 680 and bottom leg 682 of the shroud 656, with the web facing surface 696 abutting and located on the insert facing surface 687. With the shroud 656 positioned on the lip 652, the web 686 is positioned within the notch 659 just behind the insert 692.

FIGS. 95 and 96 illustrate in cross-section the installation procedure for inserting the fastener 700 and retainer 702. It can be seen that the shroud 656 and insert 692 are inserted within and over the notch 659, as described above, with the shroud 656 and insert 692 defining a passage 693 therebetween. The passage 693 can include the entry hole 688 and one end of the passage 693 and the access hole at the opposite end of the passage 693. The material of the top leg 680 between the entry hole 688 and the access hole 690 (formed through the top leg 690) defines a top portion of the passage 693, with the bottom of the passage 693 defined by the seat 694. Closer to the entry hole 688 of the passage 693 is the groove 695 for receiving tongue or protrusion 712 of the retainer 702.

During an insertion procedure, shown in FIG. 95, the second end 728 of the fastener 700 is inserted into the entry hole 688 of the passage 693, and rotated into the position shown in FIG. 96, with the seat engagement surface 721 contacting and seated on the seat 694 of the passage and the tip 729 protruding into the access hole 690 of the shroud 656 top leg 680 such that the tip 729 of the fastener 700 blocks the shroud 656 from being detached from the insert 692 by mechanical interference. Similarly, after the fastener 700 is inserted within the passage 693, the retainer 702 is positioned within the passage 693 by inserting the front portion 714 into entry hole 688 and into the passage 693 space above the fastener 700. As described above, the material of the top leg 680 forms a bridge-like structure laterally across the top of the passage 693; and the front portion 714 of the retainer 702 is pushed into the space beneath structure and above the retainer engagement surface 718 of the fastener 700. As the retainer 702 is forced into the passage 693, the fastener engagement surface 705 and/or the front portion 714 of the engagement portion 704 contacts the retainer engagement surface 718 of the fastener 700. At the same time, the top surface 709 of the latching portion 708 contacts the bridge structure between the entry hole 688 and the access hole 690. Upon application of manual force, the elastomeric spacer or layer 706 in compressed to permit the retainer 702 to reduce in size or thickness sufficiently to enter the passage so that the fastener engagement surface 705 seats on the retainer engagement surface 718 when both are fully inserted. The elastomeric layer 706 may remain partially compressed or may expand to the original thickness. In this way, the retainer is trapped within the passage 693 between the fastener 700 and the bridge structure between the entry hole 688 and the access hole 690, with the step surface 707 providing clearance so that part of the latching portion 708 is accessible within the entry hole 688.

To fully latch or otherwise lock the retainer 702 within the passage 693, a user applies a manual force upon the latching portion 708. Specifically, the user can use a pry bar or similar mechanical advantage tool to push the latching portion 708 down and simultaneously forward (i.e., toward the tip 684 of the shroud 656) which can provide one or both a compression force and a shear force on the elastomeric layer to permit sufficient deflection to permit the ridge 712 to fit within the groove 695. The prying tool or other tools can apply a force on the prongs 711 or to the depression of the prying purchase 713, with the tool positioned between the prongs 711. Removal of the retainer 702 would involve a similar manual manipulation as above to remove the ridge 712 from the groove 695. The user can also insert the tip of a tool (such as a screw driver) into the access hole to hammer the fastener 700 loose, in case extraction is difficult.

Looking now at FIGS. 97-101, two embodiments of the present fastener 700, 762 are used to fasten a tooth 664 to an adapter 668, and the adapter 668 to the lip 652 through the locking block 670. The fastener 700 and retainer 702 used to secure the tooth 664 to the adapter 668 is the same or substantially similar to the fastener 700 and retainer 702 of the immediately prior shroud example, and will be only briefly described in reference to the present embodiment. The tooth 664 includes an access hole 744 opening into a cavity (not shown) formed within the tooth 664. A pair of bosses 736 extend from the tooth 664 rearwardly, and are configured to fit within respective pockets or recesses 738 on either side. The adapter 668 includes a nose 734 configured to be inserted into the cavity of the tooth 664, such that the seat 740 formed on the top side of the nose 734 is positioned beneath the access hole 744. A wear plate 730 includes a entry hole 746 (a notch in this example) and is fastened atop the adapter 668 such that the entry hole 746 is aligned with the seat 740, with the grove 742 positioned there beneath. The wear plate 730 includes locator pins 733 that insert within locator holes 732 on the adapter 668, to correctly position the wear plate 730 on the adapter 668, with the acute angles of the pins 733 and holes 732 resisting breakage due to the large lateral forces present under normal loader usage conditions during earth moving operations.

Extending rearward from the adapter 668 are a top leg or plate 750 spaced apart from a bottom leg 754, with a web 748 extending vertically between the top leg 750 and the bottom leg 754. An arcuate seat 752 is formed as a depression on the top surface of the bottom leg 754. In this example embodiment, the bottom leg 754 is substantially longer than the top leg 750, which permits the adapter 668 (affixed to the front edge of the lip 652 during use) to resist the large torque moments created when digging and/or lifting earthen material by creating of a long moment arm that distributes the resulting force to the bottom side of the lip 652. As described above, the locking block 670 is inserted within the locking block socket 674 of the lip 652, with the tip 754 chamfered at each side for easy insertion into and centering within the socket 674 of the locking block 670 beneath the lip 652. Once the fastener 762 is in the inserted configuration, the tip 754 is prevented from with withdrawing from the socket 674 and the locking block 670 is prevented from downward movement or extraction out of the locking block socket 674 (being held by the tip 754) and prevented from upward extraction by wings 672.

Additionally looking at FIGS. 100 and 101, another embodiment of the present fastener 762, shown in cross-section, is latching the tip 754 of the adapter 668 to the locking block 670. The fastener 762 includes an elongate arcuate body 763 with a seat engagement surface 764 and a retaining portion comprising two rearwardly extending prongs 778 defining a notch 780 there between. The retainer 768 includes a nut portion 776 and a threaded axial hole for receiving a bolt 760 (a plow bolt in this example) therethrough. The retainer 768 further includes a upper flange 770 separated from a lower flange 772 arranged down shaft with a necked portion 774 defined between the upper flange 770 and the lower flange 772. The necked portion 774 is sized to fit between the two prongs 778 positioned within notch 780. However, the upper flange 770 and the lower flange 772 are enlarged compared to the necked portion 774, such that the upper flange 770 and the lower flange 772 are positioned above the prongs 778 and below the prongs 778, respectively, and are sized larger than the notch width. In this way, the retainer 768 can be engaged with the fastener 762 by inserting the necked portion 774 within the notch 780 so that, when the bolt 760 is threaded within the retainer, the prongs 778 are pushed up and down with movement of the retainer 768 up and down the threaded shaft of the bolt 760, with the upper flange 770 pushing down and the lower flange 772 pushing up. This action can be more clearly seen in FIG. 101, where the plow bolt 760 is inserted through the plow bolt hole 784 (where the hole includes a square portion for engaging the plow bolt head to prevent rotation of the plow bolt) through the bottom of the locking block 670. The retainer 768 is inserted within notch 780 and is threaded onto the plow bolt 760, with the fastener 762 at least partially inserted within passage 788. Tightening of the nut portion 776 of the retainer 768 (by impact wrench or the like) pushes the prongs 778 downward and rotates the elongate arcuate body 763 into the passage 788 and forces the seat engagement surface 764 into engagement with arcuate seat 752. In the fully inserted configuration, front portion 714 of the fastener 762 is positioned within access hole 756, with the fastener 762 unable to move. In a loosening procedure, nut 776 is accessed through access hole 758 and loosened to pull the prongs 778 upward and the elongate arcuate body 763 out of the passage 788. In this way, the entire tooth assembly 662 can be firmly locked to the lip 652 and easily loosened for replacement and repair.

FIGS. 102-104 illustrate the embodiment of fastener 762 and retainer 768 being used to hold the tooth 804 to the adapter 806 of a grapple arm 802 of a grapple arm assembly 800, and, as such, will be explained briefly. The tooth 804 includes seat 818 and nose 816 configured to be received within adapter 806 to define passage 819. The retainer 768 comprises a nut portion 830 with a threaded hole 838 for receiving the threaded shaft of bolt 808. The retainer 768 further comprises an upper flange 836 separated down shaft from a lower flange 834 by a necked portion 836. The fastener 822 includes prongs 824 with notch 826 defined therebetween. A dust cap 820 protects the retainer 768 and fastener 822 assembly. When fully inserted into passage 819, front portion 823 of the fastener 822 is positioned within access hole 812 and is engaged with seat 818. Access for tightening and loosening is provided by access hole 814.

A variation of the above retainer 768 is illustrated in FIGS. 105-107. The retainer 858 includes a nut portion, a threaded hole 862, and a single flange 860 instead of two flanges. Thus, this example embodiment of the retainer 858 can only push down on the prongs 852 of the retaining portion 850 of the fastener 846. Here, the fastener 846 holds a ripper tooth 842 to the ripper base 844 (which can be attached to an excavator or the like for breaking/ripping rocks and earth). The arcuate seat 869 is formed on the tooth 842 and is received within base 844 to define passage 868. Access opening 866 permits insertion and withdrawal of the retainer 858 and fastener 846. Plow bolt 874 is inserted through hole 876 and through the bolt hole 870 in lateral pin 872, with the threaded shaft extending upwards to fit within notch 854. Tightening of the retainer 858 moves the elongate arcuate body 848 and the front portion 856 sufficient within the passage 868, such that the fastener 846 blocks removal of the tooth 842 from the base 844. In a loosening procedure, the retainer 858 is loosened from the bolt 874, after which the fastener 846 can be pried out with a tool or forced out by pushing or hammering a tool through access hole 864.

Aspects of the present specification can also be described by the following embodiments:

• • 1. A fastening system for securely coupling a first body to a second body, the fastening system comprising: a fastener having an arcuate seat engagement surface and a retaining portion; a retainer having an elastomeric spacer separating and spanning between a first retainer part from a second retainer part, the second retainer part having a fastener engagement portion, the elastomeric spacer is configured to elastically deform under compression of the first retainer part and the second retainer part; and a passage delineated by the first body and the second body when coupled, the passage having an arcuate seat and is configured to receive therewithin the fastener in an inserted configuration with the arcuate seat engagement surface of the fastener in contact with the arcuate seat, the passage configured to further receive therewithin the retainer with the fastener engagement portion of the retainer in engagement with the retaining portion of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration, in the inserted configuration the first body and the second body are prevented from decoupling.
  • 2. The fastening system of embodiment 1 where the retainer further comprises a latching portion configured to engage with the first body to selectively hold the retainer within the passage.
  • 3. The fastening system of embodiment 1 where a latch mechanism is provided between the retainer and the first body to selectively hold the retainer within the passage.
  • 4. The fastening system of embodiment 1 where a detent latch mechanism is provided between the retainer and the first body, the detent latch mechanism comprising a protrusion configured to be selectively positioned beneath a ledge to hold the retainer within the passage, the elastomeric spacer configured to compress to selectively engage and disengage the protrusion from beneath the ledge.
  • 5. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 1-4 where the first body comprises a connecting insert, the connecting insert including the arcuate seat, wherein the insert connects the first body to a third body with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.
  • 6. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 1-5 where the first body comprises a connector, the second body comprises a wear part, a third body includes an edge have a connecting notch formed thereinto, the connecting notch configured to receive therewithin the connector, the connector including the arcuate seat, wherein the first body is fastened to the third body through the connector, with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.
  • 7. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 1-6 where the connecting notch formed on the edge of the third body terminates with an enlarged root configured to receive therewithin and prevent retraction therefrom the connector.
  • 8. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 1-7 where the retainer further comprises a latching portion configured to engage with the passage to selectively hold the retainer within the passage with the elastomeric spacer at least partially compressed.
  • 9. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 1-8 where the retaining portion of the fastener is a retainer engagement surface and the fastener engagement portion of the retainer is a fastener engagement surface, when the retainer is within the passage fastener engagement surface of the retainer is engaged with the retainer engagement surface of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration.
  • 10. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 1-8 where the retaining portion of the fastener is a retainer engagement opening and the fastener engagement portion of the retainer is a fastener engagement protrusion, when the retainer is within the passage fastener engagement protrusion of the retainer is engaged within the retainer engagement opening of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration.
  • 11. A fastener assembly for positioning within a passage and securely coupling a first body to a second body comprising: a fastener having an arcuate seat engagement surface and a retaining portion; and a retainer having an elastomeric spacer separating and spanning between a first retainer part from a second retainer part, the first retainer part having a latch engagement portion, the second retainer part having a fastener engagement portion, the elastomeric spacer is configured to elastically deform under compression of the first retainer part and the second retainer part, the retainer is configured to selectively secure the fastener in an inserted configuration; where, in the inserted configuration, the fastener engagement portion of the second retainer part is configured to engage the retaining portion of the fastener; and where, the retainer forms part of a latch mechanism with the elastomeric spacer configured to be selectively compressed to selectively engage and disengage the latch engagement portion from the latch mechanism.
  • 12. The fastening system of embodiment 1 where the first retainer part includes a protrusion configured to engage with the latch mechanism to prevent unintentional disengagement.
  • 13. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-12 where the fastener and the retainer are configured to be inserted within a passage delineated by the first body and the second body when coupled, the passage having an arcuate seat and is configured to receive therewithin the fastener in the inserted configuration with the arcuate seat engagement surface of the fastener in contact with the arcuate seat, the passage configured to further receive therewithin the retainer with the fastener engagement portion of the retainer in engagement with the retaining portion of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration, in the inserted configuration the first body and the second body are prevented from decoupling.
  • 14. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-13 where a latch mechanism is provided between the retainer and the first body, the latch mechanism comprising a protrusion configured to be selectively positioned beneath a ledge to hold the retainer within the passage, the elastomeric spacer configured to compress to selectively engage and disengage the protrusion from beneath the ledge.
  • 15. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-14 where the first body comprises a connecting insert, the connecting insert including the arcuate seat, wherein the insert connects the first body to a third body with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.
  • 16. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-15 where the first body comprises a connector, the second body comprises a wear part, a third body includes an edge have a connecting notch formed thereinto, the connecting notch configured to receive therewithin the connector, the connector including the arcuate seat, wherein the first body is fastened to the third body through the connector, with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.
  • 17. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-16 where the connecting notch formed on the edge of the third body terminates with an enlarged root configured to receive therewithin and prevent retraction therefrom the connector.
  • 18. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-17 where the retaining portion of the fastener is a retainer engagement opening and the fastener engagement portion of the retainer is a fastener engagement protrusion, when the retainer is within the passage fastener engagement protrusion of the retainer is engaged within the retainer engagement opening of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration.
  • 19. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-18 where the first retainer part includes a prying tool engagement portion that is configured to permit purchase to the retainer during an insertion procedure and an extraction procedure.
  • 20. The fastener of embodiments all or some of embodiments 11-17 where the prying tool engagement portion of the first retainer part comprises an opening.

The foregoing description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form(s) disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings while remaining consistent with the spirit of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description.

In closing, foregoing descriptions of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is to be understood that, although aspects of the present invention are highlighted by referring to specific embodiments, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that these described embodiments are only illustrative of the principles comprising the present invention and such examples are not limiting thereto. As such, the specific embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein is intended merely to better illuminate the present invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the present specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.

In addition, groupings of alternative embodiments, elements, steps and/or limitations of the present invention are not to be construed as limitations. Each such grouping may be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other groupings disclosed herein. It is anticipated that one or more alternative embodiments, elements, steps and/or limitations of a grouping may be included in, or deleted from, the grouping for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is deemed to contain the grouping as modified, thus fulfilling the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended claims. In addition, all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. Therefore, it should be understood that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are in no way limited to a particular element, compound, composition, component, article, apparatus, methodology, use, protocol, step, and/or limitation described herein, unless expressly stated as such.

While aspects of the invention have been described with reference to at least one exemplary embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain changes, modifications, permutations, alterations, additions, subtractions, and sub-combinations thereof can be made in accordance with the teachings herein without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such changes, modifications, permutations, alterations, additions, subtractions, and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to that precisely as shown and described by this specification. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the inventor(s) believe that the claimed subject matter is the invention.

Certain embodiments of the present invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for conducting the invention. Of course, variations on these described embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the present invention to be practiced otherwise than specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described embodiments in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

The words, language, and terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, elements, steps and/or limitations only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined solely by the claims. In addition, such words, language, and terminology are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus, if an element, step or limitation can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.

The definitions and meanings of the elements, steps or limitations recited in a claim set forth below are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements, steps or limitations which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements, steps and/or limitations may be made for any one of the elements, steps or limitations in a claim set forth below or that a single element, step, or limitation may be substituted for two or more elements, steps and/or limitations in such a claim. Although elements, steps or limitations may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements, steps and/or limitations from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination. As such, notwithstanding the fact that the elements, steps and/or limitations of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more, or different elements, steps and/or limitations, which are disclosed in above combination even when not initially claimed in such combinations. Furthermore, insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. Accordingly, the claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing a characteristic, item, quantity, parameter, property, term, and so forth used in the present specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” As used herein, the term “about” means that the characteristic, item, quantity, parameter, property, or term so qualified encompasses a range of plus or minus ten percent above and below the value of the stated characteristic, item, quantity, parameter, property, or term. Similarly, as used herein, unless indicated to the contrary, the term “substantially” is a term of degree intended to indicate an approximation of the characteristic, item, quantity, parameter, property, or term so qualified, encompassing a range that can be understood and construed by those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical indication should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and values setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical ranges and values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical range or value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein should be interpreted as being inclusive of their endpoints and open-ended ranges should be interpreted to include only commercially practical values. Recitation of numerical ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate numerical value falling within the range. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each individual value of a numerical range is incorporated into the present specification as if it were individually recited herein. Similarly, all lists of values should be considered as inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary.

Use of the terms “may” or “can” in reference to an embodiment or aspect of an embodiment also carries with it the alternative meaning of “may not” or “cannot.” As such, if the present specification discloses that an embodiment or an aspect of an embodiment may be or can be included as part of the inventive subject matter, then the negative limitation or exclusionary proviso is also explicitly meant, meaning that an embodiment or an aspect of an embodiment may not be or cannot be included as part of the inventive subject matter. In a comparable manner, use of the term “optionally” in reference to an embodiment or aspect of an embodiment means that such embodiment or aspect of the embodiment may be included as part of the inventive subject matter or may not be included as part of the inventive subject matter. Whether such a negative limitation or exclusionary proviso applies will be based on whether the negative limitation or exclusionary proviso is recited in the claimed subject matter.

The terms “a,” “an,” “the” and similar references used in the context of describing the present invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, ordinal indicators—such as, e.g., “first,” “second,” “third,” etc.—for identified elements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not indicate or imply a required or limited number of such elements, and do not indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless otherwise specifically stated.

When used in the claims, whether as filed or added per amendment, the open-ended transitional term “comprising”, variations thereof such as, e.g., “comprise” and “comprises”, and equivalent open-ended transitional phrases thereof like “including”, “containing” and “having”, encompass all the expressly recited elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features alone or in combination with unrecited subject matter; the named elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features are essential, but other unnamed elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features may be added and still form a construct within the scope of the claim. Specific embodiments disclosed herein may be further limited in the claims using the closed-ended transitional phrases “consisting of” or “consisting essentially of” (or variations thereof such as, e.g., “consist of”, “consists of”, “consist essentially of”, and “consists essentially of”) in lieu of or as an amendment for “comprising.” When used in the claims, whether as filed or added per amendment, the closed-ended transitional phrase “consisting of” excludes any element, limitation, step, integer, or feature not expressly recited in the claims. The closed-ended transitional phrase “consisting essentially of” limits the scope of a claim to the expressly recited elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features and any other elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter. Thus, the meaning of the open-ended transitional phrase “comprising” is being defined as encompassing all the specifically recited elements, limitations, steps and/or features as well as any optional, additional unspecified ones. The meaning of the closed-ended transitional phrase “consisting of” is being defined as only including those elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features specifically recited in the claim, whereas the meaning of the closed-ended transitional phrase “consisting essentially of” is being defined as only including those elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features specifically recited in the claim and those elements, limitations, steps, integers, and/or features that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter. Therefore, the open-ended transitional phrase “comprising” (and equivalent open-ended transitional phrases thereof) includes within its meaning, as a limiting case, claimed subject matter specified by the closed-ended transitional phrases “consisting of” or “consisting essentially of.” As such, the embodiments described herein or so claimed with the phrase “comprising” expressly and unambiguously provide description, enablement, and support for the phrases “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of.”

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refers to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc.

Any claims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) will begin with the words “means for,” but use of the term “for” in any other context is not intended to invoke treatment under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Accordingly, Applicant reserves the right to pursue additional claims after filing this application, in either this application or in a continuing application.

It should be understood that the methods and the order in which the respective elements of each method are performed are purely exemplary. Depending on the implementation, they may be performed in any order or in parallel, unless indicated otherwise in the present disclosure.

Finally, all patents, patent publications, and other references cited and identified in the present specification are individually and expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. These publications are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge from any country. In addition, where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. Lastly, nothing in this regard is or should be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention or for any other reason. All statements as to the date or representation as to the contents of these documents are based on the information available to the applicant and do not constitute any admission as to the correctness of the dates or contents of these documents.

Claims

1. A fastening system for securely coupling a first body to a second body, the fastening system comprising: a fastener having an arcuate seat engagement surface and a retaining portion;a retainer having an elastomeric spacer separating and spanning between a first retainer part from a second retainer part, the second retainer part having a fastener engagement portion, the elastomeric spacer is configured to elastically deform under compression of the first retainer part and the second retainer part; anda passage delineated by the first body and the second body when coupled, the passage having an arcuate seat and is configured to receive therewithin the fastener in an inserted configuration with the arcuate seat engagement surface of the fastener in contact with the arcuate seat, the passage configured to further receive therewithin the retainer with the fastener engagement portion of the retainer in engagement with the retaining portion of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration, in the inserted configuration the first body and the second body are prevented from decoupling.

2. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the retainer further comprises a latching portion configured to engage with the first body to selectively hold the retainer within the passage.

3. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein a latch mechanism is provided between the retainer and the first body to selectively hold the retainer within the passage.

4. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein a detent latch mechanism is provided between the retainer and the first body, the detent latch mechanism comprising a protrusion configured to be selectively positioned beneath a ledge to hold the retainer within the passage, the elastomeric spacer configured to compress to selectively engage and disengage the protrusion from beneath the ledge.

5. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the first body comprises a connecting insert, the connecting insert including the arcuate seat, wherein the insert connects the first body to a third body with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.

6. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the first body comprises a connector, the second body comprises a wear part, a third body includes an edge have a connecting notch formed thereinto, the connecting notch configured to receive therewithin the connector, the connector including the arcuate seat, wherein the first body is fastened to the third body through the connector, with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.

7. The fastening system of claim 6 wherein the connecting notch formed on the edge of the third body terminates with an enlarged root configured to receive therewithin and prevent retraction therefrom the connector.

8. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the retainer further comprises a latching portion configured to engage with the passage to selectively hold the retainer within the passage with the elastomeric spacer at least partially compressed.

9. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the retaining portion of the fastener is a retainer engagement surface and the fastener engagement portion of the retainer is a fastener engagement surface, when the retainer is within the passage fastener engagement surface of the retainer is engaged with the retainer engagement surface of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration.

10. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the retaining portion of the fastener is a retainer engagement opening and the fastener engagement portion of the retainer is a fastener engagement protrusion, when the retainer is within the passage fastener engagement protrusion of the retainer is engaged within the retainer engagement opening of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration.

11. A fastener assembly for positioning within a passage and securely coupling a first body to a second body comprising: a fastener having an arcuate seat engagement surface and a retaining portion; anda retainer having an elastomeric spacer separating and spanning between a first retainer part from a second retainer part, the first retainer part having a latch engagement portion, the second retainer part having a fastener engagement portion, the elastomeric spacer is configured to elastically deform under compression of the first retainer part and the second retainer part, the retainer is configured to selectively secure the fastener in an inserted configuration;wherein, in the inserted configuration, the fastener engagement portion of the second retainer part is configured to engage the retaining portion of the fastener;and wherein, the retainer forms part of a latch mechanism with the elastomeric spacer configured to be selectively compressed to selectively engage and disengage the latch engagement portion from the latch mechanism.

12. The fastener assembly of claim 11 wherein the first retainer part includes a protrusion configured to engage with the latch mechanism to prevent unintentional disengagement.

13. The fastener assembly of claim 11 wherein the fastener and the retainer are configured to be inserted within a passage delineated by the first body and the second body when coupled, the passage having an arcuate seat and is configured to receive therewithin the fastener in the inserted configuration with the arcuate seat engagement surface of the fastener in contact with the arcuate seat, the passage configured to further receive therewithin the retainer with the fastener engagement portion of the retainer in engagement with the retaining portion of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration, in the inserted configuration the first body and the second body are prevented from decoupling.

14. The fastening system of claim 13 wherein a latch mechanism is provided between the retainer and the first body, the latch mechanism comprising a protrusion configured to be selectively positioned beneath a ledge to hold the retainer within the passage, the elastomeric spacer configured to compress to selectively engage and disengage the protrusion from beneath the ledge.

15. The fastening system of claim 13 wherein the first body comprises a connecting insert, the connecting insert including the arcuate seat, wherein the insert connects the first body to a third body with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.

16. The fastening system of claim 13 wherein the first body comprises a connector, the second body comprises a wear part, a third body includes an edge have a connecting notch formed thereinto, the connecting notch configured to receive therewithin the connector, the connector including the arcuate seat, wherein the first body is fastened to the third body through the connector, with the fastener preventing separation of the first body and the second body.

17. The fastening system of claim 16 wherein the connecting notch formed on the edge of the third body terminates with an enlarged root configured to receive therewithin and prevent retraction therefrom the connector.

18. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein the retaining portion of the fastener is a retainer engagement opening and the fastener engagement portion of the retainer is a fastener engagement protrusion, when the retainer is within the passage fastener engagement protrusion of the retainer is engaged within the retainer engagement opening of the fastener to prevent retraction of the fastener from the inserted configuration.

19. The fastener assembly of claim 11 wherein the first retainer part includes a prying tool engagement portion that is configured to permit purchase to the retainer during an insertion procedure and an extraction procedure.

20. The fastener assembly of claim 19 wherein the prying tool engagement portion of the first retainer part comprises an opening.