Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WEAR PARTS FOIL EXCAVA'.PTOI~ APPARATUS
Technical Field
Present invention .relates generally to ground engaging appa-
ratus including loaders and excavators, and more particularly
provides a unique assembly for installation on buckets or shovels
(hereinafter "bucket") of such apparatus to prevent wear on cer-
tain parts of the bucket and to enable those parts of the bucket
that are subject to wear to be economically replaced.
Background of the Tnvention
Large ground engaging buckets are typically provided with a
series of earth-cutting teeth mounted along a forward lower lip
of the bucket. The teeth are the part of the apparatus which is
most subject to wear and various proposals have been made to pro-
vide configurations which allow for the efficient replacement of
the tooth as it is worn during use. One such example is the
tooth and wear cap assembly described in U.S. Patent 4,716,667
(Martin). Even with use of the wear cap assembly, the lower sur-
face of the bucket, particularly the underside of the tooth
adapters and the portions between the teeth, is freguently sub-
jetted to considerable wear forces and tend to be relatively rap-
idly damaged during use.
Various proposals have been made in the past to protect the
lower surface of the bucket, for example, G H Hensley Company
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has sold two-piece wear parts in the form of individual adapters
which are positioned by means of a shim and welded on the forward
lower lip of the bucket between the excavating teeth. In U.S.
Patent 4,129,952 (Olson), the bottom and sides of a bucket have
welded to them strips of material containing inserts of
wear-resistant material and in U.S. Ratent 4,086,712 (McReynoldsy
the bucket is provided on its underside with ribs which cooperate
with a paddle plate to form a box-like reinforcement.
While the above described proposals have successfully
extended the working life of a bucket between repairs, there is
still room for considerable improvement and a need to provide a
wear assembly which is swiftly, and hence economically, replaced
with minimum down time of the apparatus, but which is, neverthe-
less, securely held on the bucket to minimize the risk of the
wear part, the excavating tooth, or its associated adapter,
becoming detached from the bucket during use. ,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wear
assembly and the individual parts thereof for protecting the
edges of a bucket of a ground engaging apparatus to improve the
resistance of the bucket to wear and extend the useful working
life of the bucket and its excavating teeth between services.
It is a further object to provide a wear assembly which,
while providing enhanced protection does not, by reducing the
effective penetrating length of the excavating teeth, detract
from the efficiency of the bucket's operation. ..
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Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a wear assembly comprising
replaceable wear shrouds, which protect the lip of the bucket and
the underside of the teeth-mounting adapters and in which the two
fastest wearing parts of the assembly, the excavating teeth and
the shrouds, are detachable for easy and speedy replacement, but
in which these parts are securely held on the bucket so the risk
of either dropping oft, in use, is minimized.
According to the present invention in at least one preferred
form, there is provided a wear assembly for a bucket of an exca-
vation apparatus comprising:
a wear plate which, in use, is secured to the bucket and
provides a forward lower lip of the bottom wall of the bucket;
a plurality of adaptors mounted at spaced apart locations on
the forward edge of the wear plate;
a plurality of hollow, replaceable, excavating teeth,
a plurality of wear shroud means, each mounted on the for-
ward edge, of the wear plate, said wear. shroud means each occupy-
ing the space between adjacent adapters and having a lower sur-
face disposed in the same plane as the lower surface of the exca-
vating teeth, and covering the bottom of the adjacent adapters,
to provide a wear bearing, lower surface for the bucket.
The present invention also provides a wear part assembly for
protecting a working edge of a ground engaging apparatus, such as
an excavator or loader comprising:
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a plurality of adapters, each having a forwardly extending
nose, two pairs of upper and lower laterally-extending
wedge-shaped flanges and a rearwardly extending mounting portion;
a plurality of hollow, excavating teeth, each removably
mounted on the forwardly extending nose of a respective adapter;
a plurality of wear protecting shrouds, each including upper
and lower spaced-apart, lateral ears defining between them a
wedged-shaped channel adapted to engage the said wedge-shaped '
flanges;
first pin means detachably securing the shrouds between the
flanges of adjacent adapters; and second pin means securing each
tooth on its respective adapter. ,
~'he present invention in another aspect also provides:
a wear part assembly for protecting the working edge of
excavation apparatus, such as a bucket, comprising:
a plurality of adaptors, each having a forwardly extending
nose, two pairs of upper and lower laterally-extending
wedge-shaped flanges and a reasonably extending mounting portion
flanges;
a plurality of hollow, excavating teeth, each removably
mounted on the forwardly extending nose of a respective adaptor;
a plurality of wear protecting shrouds, each including upper
and lower spaced-apart, lateral ears defining between them a
wedged-shaped aperature adapted to engage the upper and lower
surface of the wedge-shaped flanges;
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First pin means detachably securing the shrouds between the
flanges of adjacent adaptors; and second pin means securing each
tooth on its respective adaptor.
In another aspect, the present invention also providess
a wear assembly for protecting t:he vertical edge of a bucket
of a ground engaging tool comprising .
a lower vertical shroud detachably mounted on and surround-
ing the vertical edge of the bucket and restrained at its lower
end against movement away from the vertical bucket edge by
engagement between a lower extremity of the lower vertical shroud
and an adapter for an excavating tooth;
a generally horizontal aperture in the upper end of the ver~
tical shroud;
a mounting plate secured to the vertical bucket edge and
engaging at its lower end an upper end of the lower vertical
shroud and having an aperture which, in use, is in register with
the aperture in the lower vertical shroud;
flexible pin means secured in the registering apertures in
the lower vertical shroud and the mounting plate;
at least one upper vertical shroud, detachably secured to
and surrounding the vertical edge of the bucket, having a lower
extremities, which is complementary, in shape, to the shape of
the upper extremity of the loiaer vertical shroud, and an upper
extremity which is the same shape as the upper extremity of the
lower vertical shroud;
a generally horizonta l aperture in the upper end of each
upper vertical shroud whereby the upper vertical shroud is
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detachably secured to the bucket edge by means of a second mount-
ing plate secured to the bucket edge and having a registering
generally vertical aperture in which is receS_ved a flexible pin
means.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a plan view of a wear plate assembly for mount-
ing on the forward edge of an excavating bucket;
Figure 2 is a vertical section along the line 2-2 in
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side elevation in the direction 3-3 in
Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the center adapters shown
in Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a. side elevation of the center adapter shown in
Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the corner adapters shown
in Figure 1;
Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a plan of the center lip protector shown in
Figure 1;
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Figure 10 is a section on the line 10-10 in Figure 9;
Figure 11 is a plan of one of the angled shrouds shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 12 is a section on the line 12-12 in Figure 11;
Figure 13 is a side elevational view of a flexible pin;
Figure 14 is a section on the line 14-14 in Figure 13;
Figure 15 is a side elevation of one of the lower vertical
shrouds shown in Fig 3; and
Figure 16 is a top plan on the line 16-16 in Fig 15.
Detailed Descri tion
General Configuration:
Referring firstly to Figure 1, the wear plate assembly com-
prises, for example, a 2~ inch thick, steel plate 10 which, in
plan, has a straight rear edge 11 having a chamfered top edge
(not shown). The sides of the plate 10, in this form of the
invention, converge slightly inwardly to meet a stepped, forward
edge 17 of the plate 10, forming a lip for an excavating tool,
and having a shape that is frequently referred to in the art as a
clip "V" blade.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the teaching
of this invention can be readily applied to blades of other
shapes, such as straight blades and spade nose blades.
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similarly, although is the pa:rticu.lar example described below the
assembly comprises eight excavating teeth and associated adapters
and seven wear shrouds, the skilled reader will appreciate that
the particular number and form of these parts will depend on the
dimensions and geometry of the bucket.
The forward edge 17 includes four adapter-receiving portions
19, which are aligned parallel to the rear edge 11, a center por-
tion 21 at the widest part of the plate 10 and two outer portions
22. In addition, the forward edge 17 of the plate 10 includes
six angled portions 23 which extend at an angle of, for example,
about 20 degrees to the rear edge I1 and interconnect the adja-
cent adapter-receiving portions 19 and the outer portions 19 to
the outer portions 22. The angled portions 23 receive, as will
be explained in more detail below, angled lip protector wear
shrouds 2S. A center lip protector wear shroud 27 is mounted on
the center portion 21 of the forward edge 17 of the plate 10.
The wear plate assembly further includes six center adapters
29 mounted on the forward edge 17 of the plate lip I0. Four of
the center adapters 29 are mounted on the adapter-receiving por-
tions 19 and two are mouilted on the center portion 2I at each end
thereof and on either side of the center shroud 27. Two corner
adapters 31 are mounted respectively on the two outer ends. of the
forward edge 17 of the plate 10. As will be described in more
detail below, a hollow excavating tooth 33 is mounted on each
adapter 29, 31.
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The cheek plates of the excavating bucket (not shown) are
protected by left and right side vertical shroud assemblies 35
(Fig. 3), each of which comprises an upper vertical shroud 37 and
a lower vertical. shroud 39 interconnected by a vertical shroud
mount ~1. The detailed construction and configuration of the
vertical shroud assemblies 35 will be described in greater detail
below.
The above description outlines the mayor components making
up the wear plate assembly of th_Ls invention. The individual
components of the assembly will now be described in greater
detail.
Adapters
As mentioned above, the wear plate assembly includes six
center adapters 29, shown in detail in Figures 4, 5 and 6, which
are mounted on the adapter-receiving portions 19 and on the cenm
ter portion 21 of the forward edge 17 of the plate 10, and two
corner adapters 31, shown in detail in Figures 7 and 8, which are
mounted on the outer extremes of the forward edge 17 of the plate
10. Referring firstly to the center adapter 29 shown in Figures
4 through 6, each adapter 29 comprises a solid body 51 having a
forwardly extending nose 53 on which, in use, a hollow excavating
tooth 33 is secured, and a rearwardly extending hollow elongate
mounting section 55 which comprises upper and lower, spaced
apart, limbs 57 and 59 respectively defining between them a
throat 58 which, in use, receives the forward edge 17 of the
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pate 10. Extending from either side of the adapter body 51 are
wedge-shaped lateral flanges 61 which are disposed, as shown in
Fig. 5, with their greater dimension towards the edge 17. As
shown in Figure 5, the inwardly facing surface of each of the
limbs 57 and 59 is rebated to provide a curved bearing surface 63
on each limb. In use, the flanges 61 are engaged by the adjacent
shrouds 25 or 27, in a manner to be described in more detail
below and as indicated in Figure 6.
The corner adapters 31, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, are substan-
tially similar to the center adapters 29 and each comprises an
adapter body 51, a nose 53 on which, in use, an excavating tooth
33 is secured, and a mounting section 65. In the case of the
corner adapters 31, however, the mounting section 65 is solid,
with longitudinally extending lateral flanges 67 by the inner one
of which the corner adapter 31 is secured to the plate lip 10.
The adapter body 51 of each corner adapter 31 has lateral
flanges 69 which, in use, are connected to the adjacent angled '
lip protector shroud 25, as best shown in Figure 8.
Excavating Teeth
The hollow excavating teeth 52, which generally are of well
known construction, are mounted on each respective adapter, using
a locking pin described in more detail below. The teeth 52 have
on their sides wedge-shaped ribs, which when the invention is
assembled, project across the front of the lateral ears of the
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shrouds further securing the shrouds in position on the buc~Cet
lip 10.
Lip Protector Shrouds
As described above, the wear plate assembly includes Six
angled lip protector shrouds 25, shown in Figures 11 and 12, and
a center lip protector shroud 27, shown in Figures 9 and 10.
Referring first to Figures 9 and :LO, the center shroud 27 com-
prises a main body 71 having a forwardly directed wedge-shaped
nose 73 and a rearwardly extending base 75 which projects beyond
the rear end of the nose 73 and has four upstanding ribs 77.
The nose 73 has, on each side, an upper, laterally extending
ear 74 and the base 75 provides corresponding lower, laterally
extending ears 76. The upper ears 74 have apertures 79 extending
vertically therethrough which register with vertically extending
apertures 81 in the lower ears 76, as best seen in Figure 10.
The angled lip protector shrouds 25 (Figs. 11 and 12) are
essentially similar to the center lip protecto.b shroud 27. Each
comprises a main body 71, a wedge-shaped forwardly facing shroud
portion 73, a rearwardly extending base 75 with four upstanding
ribs 77 and lateral ears 74 and 76. Registering apertures 79 and
81 are provided in the nose 73 and ears 74 and 76, as in the case
of the center shroud 27.
The nose 73 and base 75 of each angled shroud 25 are essen-
tially offset from the lateral ears 74 and 76 by the amount
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necessary to conform to the angle that the angled portion 23
makes with the forward edge 17 of the plate 10. The lateral ears
74 and 76, on the other hand, are directed so as to be parallel
to the rear edge 11 of. the plate 10 and to mate with the adjacent
adapter 29, or 31, on the forward edge 17 of the plate 10,~ as
shown in Fig. 12.
In use, the center lip protector shroud 27 is mounted on the
forward edge 17 of the plate 10 beaween the two inner adjacent
center adapters 29. The rear edge of the nose 73 is adjacent
the forward edge 17 of the plate 10, and three points of contact,
at the zones indicated at A, B, and C in Fig 4, 5, 9 and l0, are
made between the shroud 27 on the one hand and the adapter 29 and
wear plate 10 on the other hand: the ribs 77 of the shroud 27
make contact at C with the underside of the plate 10 well to the
rear of the forward edge 17 of the plate 10. The underside of
the upper ears 74, make contact with a zone B towards the rear of
the top surface of the flange 61 of the adapter 58. As seen in
Fig. 5, the zone B slope upwardly and rearwardly. The third
r.,
point of contact A is on the underside of the flange 61, tawards
its front. As seen in Fig. 5, the zone A slopes downwardly and
rearwardly. As will be appreciated, the contact surfaces on the
adapter.29 are each angled with.respect to the contact surface C.
Tn use, the forces generated during use of the bucket will gener-
ate oppositely directed reactor forces in the wear assembly which
are directed downwardly at A and upwardly at B to produce a
resultant upward force at C, which acts to keep the rear of the
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lip protector shroud 27 in contact with the underside of the wear
plate 10.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the
angled shrouds 27 are mounted between the ad jacent adapter with
essentially the same contact geornetry, so that their rear por-
tions are held securely against the underside of the plate 10
during use by similar reaction forces generated by three points
of contact.
Vertical Shroud Assemblies
One of the vertical shroud assemblies 35 is shown in Fig 3
and it will be understood that a similar, mirror image, assembly
35 is provided to protect the other vertical cheek of the bucket.
The lower vertical shroud 39 of the assembly 35 is essen-
tially U-shaped in horizontal section and is mounted on and sur-
rounds the side check of the bucket. As seen in Figs 3 and 15,
the shroud 39 has at its lower end a forked extremity 111 which
engages on either side of a protruberance 113 upstanding from the
upper surface of the corner adapter 31. The engagement between
the extremity 111 and the protruberance 113 restrains the shroud
39 against forward movement. Rearward movement of the shroud 39
is restrained by contact between an inner surface 115 of the
shroud and a forward surface 117 of the corner adapter 31. The
vertical edge of the bucket is not shown iri Fig 3, but would lie
on the dotted line 118.
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The vertical shroud assembly is mounted on the bucket by
means of the vertical. shroud mount 4:1 which is secured, as by
welding, to the bucket. As seen in Fig 3, the mount 41 fitts
inside the upper end of the lower shroud 39 and rests with its
lower surface on an angled inner surface 119 of the shroud 39.
The shroud 39 and mount 47. have aligned apertures 121 and are
secured together by means of a flexible pin 91, described in more
detail below.
The remainder of the vertical edge of the bucket may be pro-
tected by one or more upper vertical shrouds 37, which are
mounted on the upper end of the mount 41 and the upper end of the
vertical shroud below it, which may be a lower vertical shroud
39, or an upper vertical shroud 37. At its upper end, each upper
vertical shroud 37 has a shape complementary to its lower end and
has an aperture 113 that registers with the aperture 121 in a
second mount 41 which is welded to the bucket edge.
As will be appreciated by these skilled in the art, and as
illustrated with respect to the lower vertical shroud 39 in Fig
16, the mounts 41 and upper vertical shrouds 3? are also essen-
tially U-shaped in cross-section to wrapp around the bucket edge
and protect it from wear. Because the upper arid lower ends of
the upper shrouds 37 are complementary in shape as many of them
as may be needed are juxtaposed to protect the vertical edge of
the bucket and are secured thereon by mounts 41.
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Pins
The lip protector shrouds 25, 27 are secured to the adjacent
adapters and the excavating teeth 33 to the adapters 29, 31 by
flexible pins 91, best seen in Figures 13 and 14 and described in
detail in U.S. Patent 4,823,487 (Robison). Each flexible pin 91
comprises a body 93 having raised ends 95 defining between them a
housing 97 for a rubber insert 99 for example of durometer 80
neoprene located in place by upstanding ribs 101 in the interior
of the body 93 extending into the interior housing 97. The flex-
ible pin 91 is completed by a retaining member 103 which is
adapted to f it between the ends 9 5 o f the body 9 3 and to cover
the outer edge of the rubber insert 99. The retaining member 103
can be forced towards the body 93 compressing the rubber insert
99 and allowing the flexible pin 91 to be inserted into the
appatures in the tooth and adapter, or the adapter and wear
shroud. Once inserted, the resilience of the rubber insert 99
forces the retaining member 103 away from the body 93 securing
the pin 91 in place and holding the parts of the wear plate
assembly together. As will be appreciated, the expansion of the
pin 91 acts to force each wear shroud 25, 27, onto its respective
adapter 29, 31 further securing the shrouds.
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