The present disclosure pertains to a wear member for earth working equipment. In particular, the present disclosure pertains to wear members suited for attachment to a bucket.
Wear parts are commonly attached along the front edge of earth working equipment, such as buckets, dredge cutterheads, drumrolls, etc. to protect the equipment from wear and to enhance the digging operation. The wear parts may include teeth, shrouds, adapters, wing shrouds, picks, etc. Such wear parts typically include a base, a wear member, and a lock to releasably hold the wear member to the base.
In regard to teeth, the base typically includes a nose which is fixed to the front edge of the equipment (e.g., a lip of a bucket). The nose may be formed as an integral part of the front edge or as part of one or more adapters that are fixed to the front edge by welding or mechanical attachment. A point or adapter is fit over the nose. The point narrows to a front digging edge for penetrating and breaking up the ground. The assembled nose and point cooperatively define an opening into which the lock is received to releasably hold the point to the nose.
These kinds of wear parts are commonly subjected to harsh conditions and heavy loading. Accordingly, the wear members wear out over a period of time and need to be replaced.
The present disclosure pertains to an improved wear assembly for securing wear members to earth working equipment for enhanced wear life, utilization of material, flexibility in design for locking mechanisms, and/or strength.
In one example, a wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearward-opening mounting cavity, and a front bit portion with one or more transverse dimension that is larger than the same transverse dimension(s) of the rear mounting portion.
A wear member for excavating equipment including a rear mounting portion and a front bit portion. The rear mounting portion has an exterior surface, a rearwardly-opening mounting cavity for receiving a base, and an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to a base. The front bit portion is forward of the mounting cavity and includes an exterior surface that is wider and/or deeper than at least portions of the exterior surface of rear mounting portion.
In another example, a wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearward-opening mounting cavity, and a front bit portion which is enlarged along its side regions with respect to the side regions of the mounting portion.
In another example, a wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearward-opening mounting cavity, and one or more large, exterior recess defining a thinner wall structure extends rearward and/or below a side lock-receiving opening while a thicker wall structure extends above and forward of the lock-receiving opening.
In another example, a wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearward-opening mounting cavity, and a front bit portion. The exterior of the mounting portion includes a recess extending from rearward of the lock-receiving opening to the front of the mounting portion below the lock-receiving opening.
In another example, a wear member for earth working equipment includes a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base, and an exterior wearable surface. The exterior wearable surface includes side surfaces, a lock-receiving opening on at least one of the side surfaces for situating a lock therein to secure the wear member to the base, and at least one side recess extending (i) between the at least one lock-receiving opening and the rear end of the wear member and (ii) below and forward of the at least one lock-receiving opening.
In another example, a wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearward-opening mounting cavity, and a front bit portion. The exterior of the mounting portion includes a recess on each side that encompasses most of the lower half of the mounting portion.
In one other example, a wear member includes an exterior wearable surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The exterior surface includes a hole on a side surface for situating a lock therein and a recess located behind the hole and in front of the rear end of the wear member. The recess may optionally continue below and/or forward of the lock hole in some examples.
In another example, a wear member includes an exterior wearable surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The exterior wearable surface includes a hole on a side outer surface, the hole for situating a lock therein, and a recess located below the hole and extending inward from both the side outer surface and a bottom surface.
In another example, a wear member includes an exterior wearable surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The exterior wearable surface includes a hole on a side outer surface, the hole for situating a lock therein, and a recess extending from behind the hole to forward of the hole and inward from both the side outer surface and a bottom surface. A portion of the recess is situated between the rear end of the wear member and the hole, wherein the portion of the recess has a side to side length along a longitudinal axis that is between 10-15% of the overall length of the recess.
In another example, a wear member includes an exterior wearable surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The exterior wearable surface includes a hole on a side outer surface, the hole for situating a lock therein, and a recess extending from behind the hole to forward of the hole and inward from both the side outer surface and a bottom surface.
In a further example, a wear member includes an exterior wearable surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The exterior wearable surface includes a hole on a side outer surface, the hole for situating a lock therein, a recess extending from behind the hole to forward of the hole and inward from both the side outer surface and a bottom surface, and a second recess located on a bottom surface of the exterior wearable surface.
In one example, a wear member includes an exterior wearable surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The exterior wearable surface includes a hole on a side outer surface, the hole for situating a lock therein, a recess extending rearward of the hole to forward of the hole and inward from both the side outer surface and a bottom surface to create a recess surface that outlines the mounting cavity.
In another example, a wear member includes an exterior surface having a bit portion, a medial portion, and a mounting portion rearward of the bit portion and including a cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a supportive base. The medial portion being a portion of the bit portion that extends over the mounting cavity. The bit portion having a wider width than the medial and mounting portions exteriors. This construction reduces and/or maintains an overall weight and increases useful life. The bit portion may also be raised above the mounting portion.
In the example of
For ease of discussion, the mounting of a tooth system 11 to a digging edge 12 of a bucket is disclosed herein but other kinds of wear members and/or other kinds of earth working equipment could be used. Likewise, while the illustrated support structures are lips of a bucket, the support structures could be the front edges of bucket sidewalls, dredge cutter heads, rolling drums, blades, etc. Relative terms such as upper, lower, inner, outer, forward, rearward, vertical, or horizontal are used herein for convenience of explanation with reference to
In one example, the digging edge 12 is defined by the lip of a bucket (e.g., a dipper of a cable shovel) that includes a leading surface 16, an inner face 18 and an outer face 20. Although a Whisler-style lip and adapter are shown, wear members 13, 45 such as disclosed herein can be used on a wide variety of earth working machines, can be secured to other kinds of digging edges (with or without holes), can be secured to other kinds of adapters, noses, etc., and/or secured in a variety of ways to the support structure. The leading surface 16 is shown as a curved surface but other variations are possible. While only a small portion of the digging edge 12 is shown in the drawings, the digging edge 12 may include a series of through-holes for the mounting of other teeth to the bucket. Various constructions and/or other wear parts (not shown) could also be provided on other parts of the digging edge.
In the illustrated example of
Referring to
The wear member 45 is not limited to a point and could include other wear member types, such as an intermediate adapter, a dredge tooth, a shroud, or a wear cap as non-limiting examples. The body 25 extends along a longitudinal axis A, and has a generally tapering configuration toward the front end though there may be variations in the configurations along the point exterior surface. The mounting portion 29 includes mounting cavity 70 opening in a rear face to receive nose 19.
In one example, the bit portion 26 is wider than the mounting portion at the junction of the bit portion and the mounting portion. With this arrangement, the wear member can enjoy a longer life with more wear material in the bit portion without a meaningful increase in weight as compared to similar wear members having a conventional, generally continuous tapering exterior design. A longer useable life can provide less machine downtime, increased productivity, and/or reduced cost per tons of material moved. Alternatively, the wear member may have a reduced weight to a comparable conventional wear member while retaining sufficient material in the bit portion to avoid premature wearing and breakage during use. Reduced weight can provide a reduced need for raw materials in manufacturing, a lower cost, a more sustainable solution for wear parts and/or a greater load capacity for the bucket.
In the illustrated example, the bit portion 26 has a width W that is larger than a width W′ of the mounting portion 28 (
In one example, 10 kg of material is omitted from the mounting portion 29 by reliefs 86, 86′ and a range of material from 60-100% (e.g. 6 kg-10 kg) is included in the bit portion 26 to extend the bit portion 26 outward. In this way, the weight of the point 45 can remain relatively similar to a point without an enlarged bit portion 26 and without reliefs 86, 86′. One benefit of the design of the point 45 can be to increase the life of the wear member 45 without adding significant or meaningful weight that requires more energy to move the wear member (as a unit and as a plurality of wear members) in a digging operation. The weight is preferably limited to maximize an overall efficiency for the earth working equipment the wear members are designed to attach to. Another benefit is cost of materials, as more steel is utilized in the places where wear occurs more frequently. The amount of steel aids in reducing the overall cost of manufacturing the wear part.
The reliefs 86, 86′ positioned in the rear mounting portion of the wear member avoid the more abrasive penetrating actions borne by the bit portion, lie at least partially in the shadow of the thicker wall portions of the wear member, and/or facilitate dead bedding to minimize premature wearing notwithstanding a thinner wall thickness.
In one example, the reliefs 86, 86′ are located rearward and/or below a side lock-receiving opening to be more sheltered from the movement of the wear member into, through and/or out of the ground during a digging operation. The reliefs 86, 86′ may extend from the bit portion 26 to the mounting portion 29. In the illustrated example, the reliefs 86, 86′ do not extend to a rear surface 95, 95′, but stop near the rear surface 95, 95′ (near being between 0.2 mm to 35 mm away from the rear surface). The reliefs 86, 86′ give an adequate protective layer over the nose 19 of the adapter by thinly outlining the nose 19 along the sides and bottom of the wear member 45. This use of a thin wall thickness allows for a maximum amount of material to be omitted from wear member without leading to premature breakthrough and/or breakage. The thin wall thickness may be from 20 mm to 35 mm, and in some examples may not be a uniform thickness. In some examples, the thickness changes to be thicker in the forward direction.
In the illustrated embodiment, each relief 86, 86′ includes an upper portion 93, 93′ that extends upwardly to be directly rearward of the lock-receiving opening in a side of the wear member and a lower portion 87, 87′ that occupies most of the side of the respective mounting portion below the lock-receiving opening. The lower portion extends axially from a location rearward of the lock-receiving opening and forward to the bit portion, and vertically from near the lock-receiving opening to a bottom axial ridge 55. Other variations are possible.
The reduction of material in the reliefs 86, 86′ can allow the bit portion 26 to also be raised outward along the top and bottom surfaces from the mounting portion 28 (e.g. about 3-7 mm though certain portions of the bit portion 26 may have different distances above the mounting portion 28). For example, the top, bottom, and side surfaces of bit portion 26 may have different thicknesses when measured against the respective surfaces of the mounting portion 2. Nevertheless, the bit portion could have a configuration that was not wider and/or outward of the medial portion or any portion of the mounting portion. In one such example, the mounting portion may include reliefs that are rearward of the bit portion such that at least portions of the mounting portion have the same thickness as the proximate bit portion. In the illustrated embodiment, a top and bottom ridge 34 is formed in the mounting portion that has about the same transverse dimension as the adjacent bit portion. The same transverse dimension is a second dimension that has the same orientation as the first dimension but is axially displaced.
The bit portion 26 may be between 40-65% of the total overall length of the body 25, but other configurations are possible. In one example, the bit portion 26 may be longer or shorter on the top surfaces of the body 25 than the bottom surfaces of the body 25. The bit portion 26 represents the leading earth-penetrating end of the point 45. Once the bit portion 25 is worn away, the cavity 70 within the point 45 may become exposed potentially damaging the nose 19 of the adapter 14 (or nose 219 of the cast lip) positioned within the cavity 70.
The front bit portion 26 presents a tapered profile that improves penetration into the ground during a digging operation (
In the illustrated example, the front portion 26 includes side surfaces 30, 30′, 32, 32′, top surfaces 36, 36′, 38, 38′, bottom surfaces 40, 40′, 42, 42′, and front surfaces 44, 44′, though other variations are possible. In the illustrated example, the mounting portion 29 may also include a rearward extending, relatively narrow flange or ridge 34 as an extension of the enlarged bit portion. The flange 34 may have one or more surfaces, though other variations are possible (e.g. without flange 34). The flange 34 extends rearward from top surfaces 36, 36′ into the medial and rear portions 27, 28 of the point 45, though the extension may be longer or shorter. The flange 34 may blend into the reduced areas of the rear portion 28. The flange 34 is centrally illustrated, but other configurations are possible. For example, the flange may be a mesh including a plurality of flanges or angled so as not to be centrally located, the flange may also be located on the sides 53, 53′ of the mounting portion 28 or just located on the sides 53, 53′ instead of the top and bottom as illustrated.
A lifting eye 62 and/or an end of life latching aperture and connector 64, such as the one disclosed in US 2022/0325504, which is incorporated by reference herein, may be formed on the bit portion or the ridge 34.
The front surfaces 44, 44′ may be laterally and vertically inclined to the longitudinal axis and converging to a central intersection 50 in the longitudinal direction A. In the illustrated example, the front surfaces 44, 44′ also incline rearward in the transverse direction from top to bottom, but other configurations are possible. Side surfaces 30, 30′ may forwardly converge in the longitudinal direction A to the respective front surfaces 44, 44′ at the same angle. Side surfaces 32, 32′ are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A, but other angles are possible. The term “substantially parallel” is intended to include parallel surfaces as well as those that diverge from the longitudinal angle at a small angle (e.g., of about 0-7 degrees) for manufacturing purposes. For example, side surfaces 32, 32′ may converge forwardly in the longitudinal direction to respective side surfaces 30, 30′ though other configurations are possible.
The side surfaces 30, 30, 32, 32′ and top surfaces 38, 38′ may optionally include at least one recess 63, but other locations are possible as well. The bit portion recesses 63 could be omitted. The recess 63 may be used as a wear indicator, a weight reducer, and/or an indicia to be used in a visual monitoring system that monitors for a characteristic of a wear member, such as wear or replacement. For example, once the last recess 63 in the rearward direction is no longer visible, then the wear member is meant to be replaced. The recesses may also simply be decorative.
The bottom surfaces 40, 40′ may further include a projection or contact point 51 and a recess 56, that may be used to aid in manufacturability and/or reduce weight of the wear member. The bottom surfaces 40, 40′ may converge in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis A (e.g. vertically downward). The other bottom surfaces 42, 42′ may also converge in an outward direction transverse to the longitudinal axis A (e.g. vertically downward). In the illustrated example top surfaces 38, 38′ and bottom surfaces 42, 42′ converge forwardly respectively in the longitudinal direction. Likewise, the top surfaces 36, 36′ and the bottom surfaces 40, 40′ converge forwardly respectively in the longitudinal direction. The top surfaces 38, 38′ and bottom surfaces 42, 42′ respectively converge outwardly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. The forward convergence of bit portion 26 surfaces aids in penetration and directing material flow.
In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting portion 29 includes top surfaces 43, 43′, 46, 46′, side surfaces 53, 53′, and bottom flange or ridge 55, but other configurations are possible. The bottom flange may meet up with rear portion surfaces 60, 60′ or end before the rear portion surfaces 60, 60′. The bottom flange may be angled instead of longitudinally extending rearward. The bottom flange may be a plurality of flanges or a mesh. The top surfaces 43, 43′,46, 46′ may be parallel with top surfaces 36, 36, 38, 38′ of the bit portion 26. In that, the top surfaces 43, 43′, 46, 46′ converge forwardly in a longitudinal direction. The top surfaces 46, 46′ converge outwardly in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis A. The side surfaces 53, 53′ may converge at a similar rate as side surfaces 32, 32′. In the illustrated example, side surfaces 53, 53′ are substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis A.
The side surfaces 53, 53′ each include reliefs 86, 86′ that extend inwardly into the point 45 from the exterior. The reliefs 86, 86′ are defined by several outlining surfaces and a surface 87, 87′ that surrounds the interior of the cavity 70. The outlining surfaces may come in various different shapes.
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, one such outlining surface that defines the reliefs 86, 86′ is a forward upwardly inclined surface 90, 90′ located below the lock hole 82, 82′ and mounting hole 84, 84′. The reliefs 86, 86′ include a front surface 88, 88′ that is adjacent the respective upwardly inclined surface 90, 90′. The reliefs are further defined by a substantially horizontal or longitudinal surface 91, 91′ that extends from front surface 88, 88′ to a convex surface 92, 92′. The convex surface 92, 92′ surrounds a portion of the lock hole 82 and partially defines a pocket or narrow recess 93, 93′ in the relief 86, 86′ located between the lock hole 82 and the rear portion side surface 54. The narrow recess 93, 93′ having a side to side length L of between 10-15% of the overall length L′ of the relief 86, 86′. A semi-circular surface 94, 94′ is adjacent a rear surface 95, 95′ and the convex surface 92, 92. The rear surface 95, 95′ may run parallel with concave surface 72, 72′. The rear surfaces 95, 95′ are adjacent respective bottom surfaces 97, 97′. The bottom surfaces 97, 97′ of the relief 86, 86′ may align with the bottom outward facing surfaces 58, 58′, in that, the bottom surfaces 97, 97′ converge inwardly in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis A. The bottom surfaces 97, 97′ are adjacent bottom inwardly converging surfaces 99, 99′. The bottom inwardly converging surfaces 99, 99′ are adjacent the rear portion bottom surface 60, 60′. The front surface 88, 88′ is adjacent a inwardly and rearwardly converging bottom surface 101, 101′. The rearwardly converging bottom surface 101, 101′ connects to the bottom forwardly converging surfaces 99, 99′ by connecting surfaces 103, 103′. The connecting surfaces 103, 103′ are adjacent the bottom flange 55 of the medial portion 27. The connecting surfaces 103, 103′ and bottom surface 55 bridge the bottom surface 40, 40′ of the bit portion 26 with the bottom surfaces 60, 60′ of the mounting portion 29. The reliefs 86, 86′ may be proximate the rear end of the point 45 on one end and proximate the bit portion 26 on the other end. The reliefs 86, 86′ extend forward and rearward of the lock hole 82. The reliefs 86, 86′ themselves have a length between 35-55% of the overall length of the point 45. The reliefs 86, 86′ may include a narrow recess 93, 93′ located directly behind the lock hole 82.
The length of the reliefs 86, 86′ do not, in the illustrated embodiment, extend or communicate with the recess 56 on the bottom surface 40, 40′, but other configurations are possible.
The depth of the reliefs 86, 86′ from front to rear and side to bottom creates a thickness T1 surrounding a portion of the cavity 70 (See
The side surfaces 53, 53′ may each include a lock hole 82, 82′ for placement of a lock and an optional mounting hole 84, 84′ that may be used for gripping the point 45 in installation and removal. The mounting hole 84, 84′ generally aligns with the respective lock hole 82, 82′ in the longitudinal direction, but other configurations are possible. The lock hole 82, 82′ and mounting hole 84, 84′ may be generally circular to mate with a lock hole on the base, though other configurations are possible. Single or multiple locks 17 may also be located in other surfaces of the wear member and base. In situations of asymmetric wear (e.g. corner teeth), a single lock may be swapped to the other side. With the two lock holes 82, 82′, the point 45 can alternatively utilize one of the lock holes 82, 82′ for attachments, such as sensors, plugs, and/or end of life attachments, such as in US 2020/0378091 and US 2019/0002248, each of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. The lock holes 82, 82′ are illustrated to be identical, but other configurations are possible.
The mounting portion 29 includes a mounting cavity 70 on the rear face 72, 72′ (
The rear portion 28 includes outward facing surfaces defined as top outward facing surfaces 48, 48′, 52, 52′, side outward facing surfaces 54, 54′, and bottom outward facing surfaces 58, 58′, 60, 60′. The top outward facing surfaces 48, 48′, 52, 52′ may converge inwardly in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis A (e.g. converging to a top point). In the illustrated example, the top outward facing surfaces 48, 48′, 52, 52′ incline forwardly from a rearward top to a forward bottom in the longitudinal direction. Top outward facing surfaces 52, 52′ and bottom outward facing surfaces 58, 58′ may converge outwardly, but other shapes are possible. The bottom outward facing surfaces 60, 60′ converge inwardly in a vertically downward direction. The side outward facing surfaces 54, 54′ are flat in a vertical direction and extend substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis A, but may forwardly converge in the longitudinal direction to aid in penetration.
The rear portion 28 also includes rearward facing surfaces that surround the cavity defined as top rearward facing surfaces 61, 61′, 66, 66′, side rearward facing surfaces 72, 72′, and top and bottom rearward facing surfaces 80, 80′. At least some of these rearward facing surfaces may be similar to those disclosed in US 20220290413 (e.g. pentagonal shape). The side rearward facing surfaces 72, 72′ are concave in a vertical direction (e.g. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A). The top rearward facing surfaces 61, 61′, 66, 66′ are inclined rearwardly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The top rearward facing surfaces 61, 61, 66, 66′ are illustrated as inclining rearwardly to converge inwardly towards a center of the point 45.
The lock 17 is used to releasably secure a wear member to the base 12. In general, the lock 17 includes a body for holding point 45 to the base, and a collar for engaging an interior retaining structure in the cavity of the point 45 for securing the lock 17 in hole 82, 82′, but other configurations, such as fasteners could be used. The lock 17 may be a type of lock including the pin and collar lock of U.S. Pat. No. 9,222,243, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. The lock 17 may include a shipping position within the hole that allows the lock 17 to remain in the lock hole 82, 82′ while the base 12 is installed and a locked position that locks the point 45 to the adapter 14 with the lock 17 engaging a lock hole in the adapter 14. Locks 217 could be used to secure tip (not shown) to an intermediate adapter, and intermediate adapter to nose 219. Many other lock designs could be used to secure the wear member to the nose. For example, lock 17 may be a conventional sandwich pin construction, which is hammered into the assembly. Such a lock could also pass through holes in the centers of the nose and point, either vertically or horizontally, in a well-known manner. Another example, the locks disclosed in US 20220333358, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63388588 | Jul 2022 | US |