Wear assembly

Abstract

In a wear assembly for securing wear members to excavating equipment, a spool is used with a wedge to hold the wear member in place. The spool is formed with at least one laterally extending arm at its upper end in lieu of an axial arm such as used in a conventional C-shaped spool. In this way, the spool can be easily supported in the assembly as the wedge is installed. The spool does not fall through the opening and no special care is needed to prevent it from falling. The spool also holds itself in place when the wedge is driven into the passage. As a result, installation of the wear assembly is easier and less hazardous. In addition, the lateral support reduces the risk that the spool will suffer spreading.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a wear assembly in accordance with the present invention secured to a lip of a bucket.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the wear assembly.

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the wear assembly.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wear assembly with an axial cross-section.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a spool in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the spool.

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the spool.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wedge in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a lock assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a wear member in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of the through-hole in the wear member.

FIG. 12 is an upper perspective view of an alternative wear assembly of the present invention without the wedge.

FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of the alternative wear assembly without the wedge.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the alternative wear assembly without the wedge.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the alternative wear assembly with the spool partially installed into the wear assembly.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the alternative wear member.

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of a lip adapted to be used with the alternative wear assembly.

FIG. 18 is an axial cross-sectional view of a second alternative wear assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 19 is an axial cross-sectional view of a wear assembly of the prior art.

Claims

1. A wear member for attachment to a wearable surface of excavating equipment wherein the wearable surface has a digging edge, the wear member comprising a front portion and a pair of axial legs extending rearward from the front portion to straddle the digging edge and overlie the wearable surface, at least one of the legs including a through-hole for receiving a wedge and spool lock assembly to secure the wear member to the wearable surface, and a spool support laterally adjacent the through-hole for contacting a lateral arm of the spool.

2. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the spool support includes a recess positioned laterally of the through-hole to support an upper lateral arm of the spool.

3. A wear member in accordance with claim 2 wherein the recess includes a bearing surface inclined rearwardly away from the wearable surface to engage the lateral portion of the lock.

4. A wear member in accordance with claim 3 wherein the recess includes a stop forward of the bearing surface.

5. A wear member in accordance with claim 2 wherein the through-hole includes a front wall, a rear wall, and sidewalls extending through said one leg, and wherein the recess is formed in one of the sidewalls between said front and rear walls.

6. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein said one leg includes one said spool support to each side of the through-hole to receive opposite upper lateral arms of the spool.

7. A wear member in accordance with claim 6 wherein each said spool support includes a bearing face inclined to extend rearwardly away from the wearable surface to engage the lateral arms of the spool.

8. A wear member in accordance with claim 7 wherein each said spool support includes a stop to prevent forward sliding of the spool.

9. A wear assembly for attachment to a wearable surface of excavating equipment wherein the wearable surface has a digging edge, the wear assembly comprising: a wear member including a front portion and a pair of axial legs extending rearward from the front portion to straddle the digging edge and overlie the wearable surface, at least one of the legs including a through-hole, and a spool support laterally adjacent each side of the through-hole; anda lock including a wedge and spool received in the through-hole to secure the wear member to the wearable surface, the spool having a pair of upper lateral arms and at least one lower arm, each said upper arm contacting one of the spool supports.

10. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the spool supports each includes a recess having a bearing surface and a stop to engage one of the upper lateral arms of the spool.

11. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein each said bearing surface is inclined rearwardly away from the wearable surface to engage the lateral portion of the lock.

12. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein each said stop prevents forward sliding of the spool.

13. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the wedge and the spool include complementary thread formations so that the wedge is rotated to move into and out of the through-hole.

14. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the wedge is hammered into and out of the through-hole.

15. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the lower arm of the spool extends rearward in axial alignment with the through-hole.

16. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the spool includes a pair of the lower arms that extends in the same directions as the upper arms.

17. A spool for a lock that secures a wear member to excavating equipment, the spool comprising a body for receipt through a leg of the wear member and a wall of the excavating equipment, the body having a front wall for abutting a wedge, an opposite rear wall, and a pair of sidewalls, a pair of upper arms extending laterally from the sidewalls of the body, and at least one lower arm.

18. A spool in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of the upper arms includes a bearing surface and a stop arranged in a generally V-shaped configuration.

19. A spool in accordance with claim 17 wherein the lower arm extends rearwardly in axial alignment with the body.

20. A spool in accordance with claim 17 including two of said lower arms, each extending from one of the sidewalls in the same direction as the two upper arms.