Patent Application
20170009431
The present disclosure generally relates to a retention system for retention of a wear assembly on a work implement. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to the retention system for retention of a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket of an earth-moving machine.
Earth-moving machines, such as excavators, are commonly known to employ a work implement for performing various operations. For example, an excavator generally employs a bucket to perform excavation. The bucket typically includes two side plates, one on either side of the bucket. The side plates are subject to abrasion and impact, which may cause the side plates to wearout quickly. To prolong a work life of the side plates, a replaceable wing shroud is installed on each side plate of the bucket. The wing shroud comprises of a ‘U’ shaped cross-section. The wing shroud is installed and retained on the side plate, via a retention system.
Conventionally, the retention system includes two snap rings and a central pin. The central pin includes two grooves provided at opposing ends to engage with the snap rings. The snap rings are typically positioned in grooves provided at either ends of a first opening in the side plate. The wing shroud is positioned to overlap the side plate, such that a second opening and a third opening of the wing shroud are axially aligned with the first opening of the side plate. The central pin is passed through the two snap rings. Such installation requires a hammer to push the central pin past the snap rings, and to sequentially pass the central pin through each of the second opening, the first opening, and the third opening. Hammering the central pin into the snap rings may require additional operator effort, which makes it cumbersome for the operator to install the wing shroud on the side plate.
US Patent Publication 20160115674 discloses a retention system for connecting a replaceable tool (wing shroud) to a work implement (bucket). The retention system includes a cylindrical pin, a first fastener, and a second fastener. Although, the retention system avoids hammering of the cylindrical pin, in order to connect the replaceable tool to the work implement, it may require the use of special fasteners to retain the wing shroud on the side plate of the bucket.
Various aspects of the present disclosure describe a retention system for retaining a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket of a machine. The retention system includes a tube member, a number of washers, a nut, a fastener member, and a number of bolt protectors. The tube member is coaxially positioned within a plurality of openings defined in the wing shroud and the side plate, such that the side plate is arranged within a slot provided in the wing shroud. The washers are disposed coaxially at opposing ends of the tube member, such that the washers are in abutment with the wing shroud. An inner diameter of the washers is smaller than an outer diameter of the tube member. An outer diameter of the washers is greater than an inner diameter of the openings in the wing shroud. The fastener member is extended through the washers and the tube member, to engage with a nut. The washers, the nut, and the fastener member restricts a linear motion of the tube member along a longitudinal axis. The bolt protectors are further attached to opposing external surfaces of the wing shroud. The bolt protectors are adapted to house the washers, a portion of the fastener member, the second washer, and the nut.
Referring to
The bucket 10 includes a first side plate 12, a second side plate 14, and a shell plate 16 disposed between the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 14. The first side plate 12 and the second side plate 14 are vertical plates disposed on either sides of the bucket 10. Each of the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 14 defines two first openings 18 (shown in
Referring to
Moreover, the retention systems 32 are provided to retain the first wing shroud 26 to the first side plate 12. More specifically, one retention system 32 generally extends through one of the second openings 42 (shown in
Referring to
The tube member 46 is an elongated member that includes a first end 60 and a second end 62. The tube member 46 is coaxially positioned within each of the third opening 44 of the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26, the first opening 18 of the first side plate 12, and the second opening 42 of the first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26, along a longitudinal axis X-X′. More specifically, the first end 60 of the tube member 46 flushes with a first exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36. The second end 62 of the tube member 46 flushes with a second exterior surface 66 of the second portion 38.
The first washer 48 is disposed in abutment with the first end 60 of the tube member 46. The first washer 48 extends radially to abut with the first exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26. As is shown in
The second washer 50 is disposed in abutment with the second end 62 of the tube member 46. The second washer 50 extends radially to abut with the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26. Structure and arrangement of the second washer 50 is similar to the first washer 48. Therefore, the second washer 50 abuts with the second end 62 of the tube member 46 and the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26.
The nut 52 is disposed in abutment with the second washer 50, proximal to the second end 62 of the tube member 46. The nut 52 is axially aligned with the second washer 50, along the longitudinal axis X-X′.
The fastener member 54 is extended through the first washer 48, the tube member 46, and the second washer 50, to engage with the nut 52. Therefore, the first washer 48, the second washer 50, the nut 52, and the fastener member 54 of the retention system 32 restricts a linear motion of the tube member 46, along the longitudinal axis X-X′.
In an embodiment, the first bolt protector 56 is fixedly attached to the first exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26. The first bolt protector 56 houses the first washer 48 and a portion of the fastener member 54 of the retention system 32.
The second bolt protector 58 is fixedly attached to the second exterior surface 66 of the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26. The second bolt protector 58 houses and protects the second washer 50 and the nut 52 of the retention system 32.
In operation, the first wing shroud 26 and the second wing shroud 28 are required to be installed on the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 14, respectively of the bucket 10. For ease in reference and understanding, installation of the first wing shroud 26 on the first side plate 12 will be described in details hereinafter. However, similar installation of the second wing shroud 28 on the second side plate 14 may also be contemplated. To perform such installation, the first wing shroud 26 is initially positioned on the first side plate 12, such that the first side plate 12 is positioned in the slot 40 of the first wing shroud 26. More specifically, the first wing shroud 26 is positioned on the first side plate 12, such that the second openings 42 and the third openings 44 of the first wing shroud 26 are axially aligned with the first openings 18 of the first side plate 12. Thereafter, two retention systems 32 retains the first wing shroud 26 to the first side plate 12. For ease in reference and understanding, structure and arrangement of a singular retention system 32 will be discussed in details.
In order to retain the first wing shroud 26 to the first side plate 12, the tube member 46 is initially pushed through each of the first opening 18 of the first side plate 12 and the second opening 42 and the third opening 44 of the first wing shroud 26. With such arrangement, the first end 60 of the tube member 46 flushes with the first exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36. Additionally, the second end 62 of the tube member 46 flushes with the second exterior surface 66 of the second portion 38. Thereafter, the first washer 48 is assembled with the fastener member 54. The second washer 50 is then positioned in abutment with the second end 62 of the tube member 46 and the second exterior surface 66 of the second portion 38. The nut 52 is further positioned in abutment with the second washer 50. Thereafter, the assembly of the fastener member 54 and the first washer 48 is extended through the tube member 46 and the second washer 50, to engage with the nut 52. With such arrangement, the first washer 48 is positioned in abutment with the first exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26. Therefore, the first wing shroud 26 is attached to the first side plate 12. The first bolt protector 56 and the second bolt protector 58 are then attached to the first portion 36 and the second portion 38, respectively of the first wing shroud 26. The first bolt protector 56 and the second bolt protector 58, in conjunction, protects the first washer 48, the second washer 50, the nut 52, and a portion of the fastener member 54. Installation with such retention system 32 eliminates hammering of the tube member 46. Therefore, such retention system 32 facilitates relatively easy installation of the first wing shroud 26 on the first side plate 12.
Furthermore, the inner diameter, I of the first washer 48 and the second washer 50 is relatively smaller than the outer diameter, OT of the tube member 46. Additionally, the outer diameter, O of the first washer 48 and the second washer 50 is relatively greater than the inner diameter, IG of the second opening 42 and the third opening 44. Therefore, the first washer 48 and the second washer 50, in conjunction with the nut 52 and the fastener member 54 restricts a linear movement of the tube member 46. This corresponds to efficient installation of the first wing shroud 26 on the first side plate 12 of the bucket 10. Ease in installation of the first wing shroud 26 on the first side plate 12 reduces downtime of the machine (not shown). This further reduces overall machine service cost.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claim(s) and any equivalents thereof.
