Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVEMENTS IN BLADES FOR EARTH MOVING M~CHINES
B.AC~GROU~D OF TKE INVE~TION
l. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in blades
for earth moving machines such as scrapers, graders, bull-
dozers and so on (hereinafter referred to as "scrapers")
and it refers particularl~ to the cutting edges - the
operative cutting edge portions of the blades.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ground-enOaging tools of bulldozers, scrapers~
graders and other earth moving machines are made in a wide
variety of types, according to the purposes for which the
tools are to be used. In general, there are replaceable
edge members capable of being bolted in position on a
support asseubly, such as a scraper blade, and those edge
members may be made to suit a level cut arrangement (with
the front edges of the several members all in line), in a
drop centre or stinger arrange~ent (when the mlddle part
projects forwardly of the two side par-ts), with integral
forwardly-projecting teeth, with replaceable forwardly
projecting teeth, substantially planar in shape to suit
scrapers, curved to suit graders, with front and rear
edges so that they may be reversed, and so on. The edge
members for a machine ma~ be made in one piece to extend
the full ~idth of the tools to which they are to be attached
or they may be made in shorter sections so that three, ~our
or more members are bolted iu positioQ on a support member
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to maXe up tne full width of the earth-engaging tool.
OBJECT~ OF ~E~E INVE~ION
__ __
This invention is applicable to all such ed~e membe s
but for simplicity of description they will be re.erred to as
cutting edges or edge members for scraper blades without
limiting the invent~on to the blades of such machines.
This invention nas been devised particularl~ with ~he
object of providing a construction o~ cutting ~dge for a
scraper blade such that the range of use of the cutting
edge will be greatly increased. Another object is to provide
cutting edges so constructed that the~ may be rever~ed in
position, interchanged, and/or used in the straight or level-
cut operational position or in the so-called "drop" or
"stinger" position, as required. A further object is to
provide cutting edges which will be easy to replace and/or
adjust in position.
Yet another object is to provide a cutting edge of
such construction that a broken or worn part of ths clltting
edge ma~ be replaced withou-t the necessity of replacing the
whole cut~ing edge.
BRIEF SUM~RY OF T~E I~VENTION
~he invention devised with these and o-ther objects in
view ~rovides cutting edge me~bers for scraper blades havi~g
means for interlocking with adjacent cutting edges whereby
each cutting edge~ when securely mounted in position on a
scraper blade~ will be engaged with the adjacent cutting
edge o~ edges, the cutting edge members being adjustable and
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reversible in position one relative to the other.
The invention in one broad aspect comprehends a pair of
cutting eage members adapted to be fastened to a blade-like
support member oE an earth moving machine. The pair comprises a
female cutting edge member and a male cuttiny edge member, each
member having ground-engaging edges at its opposite ends. The
female cutting edge member has on at least one of its opposite
side edges female interlocking means for engagement by
complemen-tary means on the male eutting edge member and the male
cutting edge member has on at least one of its opposite side
edges male interlocking means for interlockiny engagement with
the female interlocking means of the female cutting edge member.
The female and male interlocking means are so arranged that one
cutting edge member may be adjusted linearly in position on the
support member of the earth moving machine relatlve to the
adjacent at least one cutting edge member and may also be
reversed in position end-for-end and interlocked again wi-th that
adjacent cuttinc~ edge member so as to be adap-ted ~o be fastened
again to the suppor-t member of the earth moving machine.
Another aspect of the inven-tion comprehends a pair of
cutting edye members adapted to be ~astened -to a blade~like
support member of an earth moving machine, the pair including a
female cutting edge member and a male cutting edge member. Each
member has ground-engaging edges at its opposite ends, the
female cutting edge member having along its opposing side edges
female interlocking means with complementary male interlocking
means belng along opposing side edges of the male cutting edge
member. The female and male interlocking means are so arranged
that each of the cutting edge members may be adjusted linearly
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in position on the support memher of the earth moving machine
relative to the other cutting edge member and may also be
reversed in position end-for-end and interlocked again with that
other cuttiny edge member so as to be adapted to be fastened
again to the support member of the earth moving machine.
It is preferred that the means for lnterlocking be
dovetailed parts, preferably tapered, on the opposite side edges
of the cutting edge members so arranged that when two such
cutting edge rnembers are mounted on a scraper blade in side-by-
side relationship the dovetailed parts on one side of one such
cutting edge member will interengage with those on the adjacent
side of the next cutting edge member. It is also preferred that
each of the cutting edge members be provided with two fastening
holes by which it may be fastened to the scraper blade, and -that
the dovetailed parts have the same linear spacing as said holes
so that if a cutting edge member be moved, relative to an
adjacent cu-tting edge member, the dovetailed parts will still
interengage so as to lock toyether the two said cutting edge
members.
Preferably, the dovetailed parts on one cutti.ng edge
member are tapered downwardly and inwardly, so that they are
wider at the top than at the bottom, thus providing a male
cuttiny edge member, and the dovetalled parts of the next
adjacen-t cutting edge members are tapered in the opposite
direction, so that they are wider at the bottom than a-t -the
top, the recesses between said dovetail parts being the same
shape as the dovetail parts of the first-mentioned cutting
edge member, the second said cutting edge member being the
female member. Thus, the cutting edge members will be
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adapted to interlock in the longitudinal direction and
transverse directions, and in the vertical direction as
well - considering the cutting edge members as being
horizontal.
Thus, there will be two different cutting edge members9
o~e having the dovetailed members tapered in one direction
and the other having the dovetailed members tapered in the
opposite direction.
In order to provide for a reversal of each cutting edge
member so that, when one end is worn, it may be tur~ed end-
for-end and an unworn edge put into operational position,
each end is shaped to provide a desired "edge" and the dove-
tailed parts of the two different cutting edge members will
be arranged so that they will interengage even when one of
them is reversed in position relative to the other without
any change in related position of the fastening holes~
Also, the spacing of the do~etailed par~s in relation
to the spacing of the faste~ing holes is such that one
cutting edge member may be moved longitudi~ally relative
to the adjacent members into a drop centre or stinger
position, and be bolted in that position.
In order that the inve~tio~ may be readily understood
and conveniently put into practical ~orm we shall ~ow describe
with reference to the accompany-ng illustrative dra~ings on~
exe~plary co~struction of cutting edges for earth moving
machines~ and a modification thereof.
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~ig. l is a plan view o~ a pair o~ male and fe~ale
members in intere~gaged relationship;
~ig. 2 shows a transverse cross-sectio~ o~ the line
and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 and ~ig. 4 are side elevations of the male and
female members, respectively, in the direotions of the arro~s
3 and 4 adjacent Fig. l;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the female member;
Fig. 6 shows a plan view of the male and female members
in adjusted relative positions; and
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified co~struction.
DE~AI~ED DESCRIP~IO~ OF ~EE DRAWINGS
.
According to this inven~ion the cutting edge of a
scraper (or other earth moving machine as defined above)
is made up of a number of female members A and male members
B which are arranged in side-by-side interengaging relatio~-
ship. In these drawings onl~ one of each ~ember is
illustrated but it will be appreciated that there are
provided as ~any as may be re~uired to extend the full width
of the scraper blade.
Each of the members A and B has a body portio~ 11 with
a flat under~ide 12~ a dished uppe side 13, front and rear
ends 14 and 15 respectively, and opposite side walls made for
interlocki~g engagement with the side walls of adaacent
members. In each body portion ll are two longitudinally
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spaced fastening holes 16 made ta receive the fastening
bolts by which the cutting edge members are fastened to
the scraper blade. ~he effective width of each of the
cutting edge ~embers is such that when the~ are fastsned
together the fastening hole~ 16 will be spaced laterally a
distance to suit the spacing of the fastening holes in the
scraper blade.
~he two side walls 17, 18 of each fe~ale member A are
provided with a series of do~etail recesses 19 which are
wider at the top than at t~e bottom, with end pieces 20 at
the opposite ends, and the side walls 21, 22 of each ~ale
member B have a serie~ of male dovetail parts 23 of a shape9
size and longitudinal spacing corresponding to the dimensions
o~ the dovetail recesses l9 so as to be capable o~ being
interfitted therewith.
The spacing of the dovetail recesses 19 is the same
on the two sides of each female member A and, slmilarly, the
- spacin~ of the male dovetail parts 23 is the same on each
~ide of each male member B. The dovetail recesses l9 ~nd
la~ds 24 between them are so arranged that on each side of
eacb female member a la~d 24 i~ in transverse alignment with
a fastening hole 16, tha pitch of the dovetail recesses 19
and of the dovetail part~ 23 being the same as the longitud-
inal spacing of the fastening holes 16.
It is clear that with that arrangeme~t and spacing of
the dovetail recesses 19 and do~etail parts 23, whe~ a number
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of male and female members are connected together in inter-
locking arrangement to a male ~ember B may be remo~ed ~rom
the scraper blade to which it is fastened, rever~ed end for-
end, and re-engaged with the ad~acent female member or
membersO If it is desired to reverse a female member A in
position it is of course necessary to unbolt the adjacent
male member or members B, rever~e the fe~ale member A and
then fasten the male member or members back in position~
Further9 if it is desired to set a number of the
cutting edge members in the drop position those members
may be moved longitudinall~ forwards in relation to the
remaining members, in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 6,
b~ the a~ount of one pitch of the dovetail parts 2~ and then
re-bolted in position.
It is believed that when a number of cutting edge
members made ~ccording to the invention are correctly bolted
- to a scraper blade a~d the scraper is being so operated that
the cutting edges dig i~to the ground the pressure o~ the
several edge members is in an anti-clockwise direction and
the individual edge members will lock with the ad~acent
members on the taper of the interengaging dovetail parts;
similarly, when the machine is operated to move forwardl~
the pres~ure on the edge members is in the opposite direction,
and the individual edge ~embers will again lock with adjacent
members o~ the taper o~ the interengaging do~etail parts.
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Refere~ce is now made to Fig, 7 which illustrates a
modification wherein the end of the cutting edge member has
a nose 26 adapted to receive and hold a tooth, as for elev-
ating scrapers.
It is to be understood that the inventio~ is not
limited to the particular interlocking edge means described
and illustrated - the female dovetail recesses 19 and male
dovetail members 23. Thus~ it may be found convenient to
provide longitudinally arranged dovetail recesses i~ the
opposite sides of female membe~ A and complementary, longit-
udinally arranged dovetail members on the opposite sides of
the male member ~. Alternatively~ instead of dovetail inter-
engaging parts the male and female members may be provided
with tongue-and-groove interfitting parts to permi-t replace-
ment of individual parts of the scraper cutting edge and/or
end-for-end reversal of such individual parts.
The cutting edge members according to this invention
may be made of shell mouldin~ operations of a suitable allo~
steel. Merely b~ way of example, the steel may have the
following analysis:
Carbon - O. 2~/o
Silicon - O. 60%
Manganese - 0.8~Yo
Sulphur - O~ 014% maximum
Phosphorus - 0.01~/o maximum
Chromium - 1. 87%
1 1~3~3~
NicXel - 0.0~/o
Molybdenum - 0. 61-~o
the remainder being ironO
However, other alloys known in the art ma~ be found to be
more suitable.
As the cutting edge members are made relativel~ narrow
in the transverse direction each cutting edge ~ember will be
substantiall~ lighter than cutting edges as hitherto provided
and one man will be able to handle them with ease, so that
one operator may replace or change the position of a cutting
edge ~ember9 or a number of cuttlng edge members, on his own.
It will be understood that the cutting edge members as
herein described ~y be made as toothed cutti~g edge members
- each said cutting edge member havlng one or more teeth at
one or both ends - or they may be made to support replaceab.~e
teeth in k~own manner.
It is to be appreciated that other modifications in
details of design, construction and/or arrangement ~a~ be
made and that the invention i~ not limited to the particular
construction of cutting edges described above in detail. All
such modifications are to be deemed to be included i~ tha
ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims~
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