Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RETENTION APPARATUS FOR A
GROUND ENGAGING TOOL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to ground engaging tools of the type
used on
excavating equipment such as shovels, buckets and the like and, more
particularly, to a retaining
pin assembly for releasably securing a ground engaging tool to such equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENIZON
Earthworking and ground engaging tools such as excavation teeth are commonly
known
in the industry for use in conjunction with earthmoving implements such as
excavators, shovels,
and buckets. Typically, such tools are mounted in side-by-side relations
across a forward edge
of the equipment and are replaceable should they become broken or dull.
Periodic replacement
is necessary since the tools are subject to extreme loads and wear due to
operation in conditions
where they encounter rock, sand and other types of abrasive earthen materials.
Such ground engaging tools can take a myriad of shapes and sizes. As used
herein
"tools" are intended to include lip protectors, lip shrouds, and other ground
engaging tools
including, but not limited to, ground engaging tooth assemblies. For exemplary
purposes, the
present invention is illustrated and described for use with a ground engaging
tooth assembly.
As mentioned, however, the present invention is equally applicable to other
ground engaging
equipment.
As is well known, an excavation tooth assembly includes an adapter or support
and an
excavator tooth carried by and connected to the adapter. A rear end of each
adapter is fastened
to a lip of a bucket or other suitable piece of excavating equipment and
extends forwardly
therefrom. At their free forward end, the adapters or supports are generally
configured with a
nose portion. Toward their rear end, the excavation teeth are provided with a
pocket area
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having a blind cavity for establishing a mating fit with the free end of the
adapter.
Traditionally, a retaining pin is thnlst through axially aligned opposed holes
in the excavation
tooth and through a bore in the adapter to secure the tooth to the adapter. To
facilitate
accessibility and promote removal of the retaining pin, it is desirable to
arrange the retaining pin
in a generally vertical direction.
In order to expedite the replacement of a worn tooth with a new tooth, various
types of
retaining pins have been used to secure the replaceable teeth to the support
or adapter. To
minimize the time required to replace the teeth, it is desirable that the
retaining pin be quickly
and easily removable and reinsertable with an existing or new pin. It is also
desirable that the
retaining pin be reusable to conserve materials and costs. Presently known
retainer pins are
basically of two types. One type involves using a solid pin retention system
that may be
releasably maintained in place. Another retention system involves the use of a
type of split pin.
Solid pin retainer systems typically include a retainer ring toward one end
thereof for
holding the pin in place and do nothing to forcibly urge the tool into
engagement with the
carrier or implement on which the tool is mounted and from which the tool
extends. When tool
replacement is effected, the pin is often releasably driven in the wrong
direction thus
exacerbating the problem of pin removal. Moreover, during operation, and as
the tool begins
to wear, the tool becomes looser thus the extreme forces acting on the tooth
have greater wear
characteristics than if the tool were snugly maintained in operative
association with the
implement. Tapering configurations on the adapter of a digging tooth assembly
tend to urge the
tooth forwardly in manner adversely effecting the performance of a solid pin
retainer system.
Accordingly, split pin type fasteners have been used to force the tool
rearwardly into
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snug engagement with the carrier thereof. That is, split pin retainer systems
are advantageously
configured to apply a continuous force to the tool thereby holding the tool in
firm contact with
the carrier or adapter. It is common practice to provide this biasing feature
by intentionally
offsetting or misaligning opposing holes in the tooth relative a bore in the
adapter. Moreover,
it is desirable to secure the retaining pin to the adapter so that the pin is
not inadvertently
"jacked" out of engagement with the tooth assembly due to extreme forces
acting on the tooth
assembly.
A split-pin arrangement typically includes two rigid, metal, elongate members
are
adhered to each other by a hard, resilient robber or elastomer center. When
assembled, the split
pin retainer typically has an elliptical cross-sectional configuration. To
restrain vertical
movement of the retaining pin and prevent the retaining pin from "jacking" out
of engagement
with the adapter, each elongate member has shoulders toward the ends thereof
for cooperative
engagement with either the adapter or the excavation tooth. Presently
available split pin types
require an elliptical hole in the adapter or adapter, the provision of which
requiring an expensive
manufacturing operation. Also, split pin type retainers require a larger pair
of openings in the
excavating tooth than if a generally solid circular retaining were used. As
will be appreciated,
a pocket area of an excavating tooth through which the retaining pin passes
when the tooth is
attached to the adapter is highly susceptible to wear and fatigue failure.
Providing a pair of
holes larger than absolutely necessary in the pocket area of a excavating
tooth furthermore
weakens the excavating tooth thus effecting the life thereof.
Additionally, a split or two piece retaining pin requires and intensive manual
effort and
time to produce. The two metal parts or members forming the split pin have
different
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configurations. Accordingly, the two metal parts or members of a split pin
require separate
machining or forging operations which are complicated by the shoulders formed
at each end of
each elongate member. Proper and precise vulcanizing or bonding of the rubber
or elastomer
to the metal members also involves a time consuming laborious process.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, and because of the
different shoulders
provided at opposite ends of the pin members, presently available split pin
type retainers
assemble to the tooth in only a specific rotational orientation. Accordingly,
inadvertent failure
to properly insert and assemble the locking pin to the tooth will require
further time to be spent
correcting the problem created through wrong assembly procedures.
During operation, the tooth and the adapter are subjected to extreme loading
conditions.
Significant forces are likewise applied to the pin retainer tending to
arcuately bend the pin along
its longitudinal axis. The forces applied to a conventional split pin design
are concentrated
toward opposite ends thereof in the area where the shoulders on the pin
members are disposed
for cooperative engagement with the adapter and tooth to prevent the pin from
"jacking" out of
engagement with the excavating tooth assembly. As the pin repeatedly flexes
and bends in
response to the extreme loading conditions to which it is subjected, the
rubber or elastomer
center of the split pin tends to fret and deteriorate. As the rubber tends to
deteriorate, the split
pin looses its holding force thus resulting in possible loss of the tooth
assembly from the bucket.
Moreover, the bending of the split pin between opposite ends thereof also
causes the shoulders
at opposite end of the pin to lose their locking association with the adapter
and the tooth thereby
enhancing the ability of the split pin to be jacked out of engagement with the
tooth assembly
during an excavating operation thereby losing the locked association between
the adapter and the
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tooth.
Excavating teeth are normally operated in a mining or other environment Laden
with dust,
dirt, rocks and the Like. As the pin flexes in response to the extreme loads
being applied
thereto, dirt and debris tend to move and become entrapped between the ends of
the pin and the
hole in the tooth thereby preventing the pin from returning to its locked
position. Since the pin
is prevented from returning to its locked position, it is easily displaced
thus resulting in loss of
the tooth relative to the adapter. As will be appreciated, the openings in the
tooth allowing the
split pin retainer to pass endwise therethrough also allow dust and dirt to
pass into contact with
the rubber or elastomer of the split pin retainer. Accordingly, the dust and
dirt tend to further
destroy the rubber used to flexibly secure the pin members to each other. Cold
weather
conditions moreover effect the performance of the split pin by rendering the
elastomer more
rigid.
Another significant problem with split pins involves their insertion and
removal of the
pin through the tooth and adapter. To effect either insertion or removal of
the split pin, the
rubber or elastomer between the two metal members needs to be compressed
thereby allowing
endwise movement of the pin through the tooth and adapter. To effect such
compression
requires a significant amount of force to be applied to the pin. During
removal of the pin, the
frictional drag and compressive relationship between engaging surfaces of the
pin and the adapter
must be overcome. As will be appreciated, the oval cross-sectional
configuration of the split
pin design only exacerbates surface contact and thus increases the amount or
level of force
required to remove the pin. Moreover, contaminants between those surfaces also
tends to
increase the force required to remove the pin. The level of force required to
insert or remove
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the pin, and the shear forces between the metal members and the rubber or
elastomer center,
often result in failure of the bond therebetween such that the pin is
generally not reusable.
U.S. Patent No. 4,3245,0587 to K. M. White discloses an alternative pin
arrangement
for securing an excavator tooth to an adapter. In the White device, an
elastomeric insert is fitted
within a bore of the adapter for receiving a straight pin. As noted above,
such a device utilizes
intentional misalignment of the holes in the tooth and the bore in the
adapter, such that the
retainer pin, when installed, will cause the prefetTed tight fit on the mating
surfaces of the tooth
and adapter. Testing has revealed, however, a significant problem is presented
when a pin, such
as that shown in the White device, is attempted to be driven through a
elastomeric insert. The
level of compressive forces required for the elastomer, as discussed above,
and the drag of the
surfaces between the pin and the insert, and the lack of a positive mechanical
lock for retaining
the pin against axial displacement during operation, have eliminated this
design from
consideration.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a retainer pin assembly that
facilitates installation
and removal of the pin relative the assembly thereby allowing the tool to be
readily secured to
or removed from the equipment, which is not susceptible to extreme loading
conditions applied
thereto, and which does not rely upon its relative fit to the tool in order to
prevent jacking and
inadvertent release of the tool from the equipment.
$~LARY OF THE IrIVFNTION
In view of the above, and in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a
retainer pin assembly for releasably securing a ground engaging tool in
position relative to an
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implement such as an excavator bucket, shovel and the like. The ground
engaging tool is
configured to fit about an aperture portion of the implement. Moreover, those
portions of the
tool that fit about the implement define a pair of axially aligned holes. The
retainer pin
assembly includes an elongated retaining pin extending through the aperture
defined by the
implement and the axially aligned holes in the tool for securing the tool to
the implement. A
salient feature of the present invention involves operably securing a central
portion of the pin
in positive locking relationship relative to the implement to inhibit axial or
endwise
movement of the retaining pin within the bore of the implement.
In a preferred form of the invention, the retainer pin assembly is of two-
piece design
including the retaining pin and an insert retained within the bore of the
implement by
cooperative engagement with the ground engaging tool. The insert includes an
exterior
resilient covering attached to an elongated rigid metal sleeve. In assembled
condition, the
retaining pin extends through the sleeve and through the opposed holes in the
tool and the
resilient member tends to urge the tool into engagement with the implement.
The rigid metal
sleeve adds support and strength along the pin to advantageously effect
distribution of forces
acting on the retaining pin along the entire length of the pin rather than at
opposite ends
thereof as with the prior art.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
excavator
tooth assembly comprising:
an adapter adapted for securement to an edge of excavating equipment and
defining a
bore extending therethrough;
an excavation tooth having a cutting end and a hollow mounting end slidably
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mounted about and along a lengthwise portion of said adapter, said mounting
end having two
axially aligned holes to act in conjunction with the bore extending through
the adapter; and
a retaining pin assembly for releasably securing said excavation tooth and
said
adapter in operable relation relative to each other, said retaining pin
assembly including a
rigid elongated sleeve sized to snugly fit within the bore defined by said
adapter, an elongated
retaining pin slidably fitted within said sleeve such that opposite ends of
said pin extend at
least partially through and operably engage said tooth thereby releasably
holding said tooth
and adapter in operable relation relative to each other, and a locking
mechanism for operably
securing said pin in positive interlocking relationship with said adapter and
to restrain
inadvertent axial displacement of the retaining pin during operation of said
tooth assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
an
excavator tooth assembly comprising:
an adapter having opposed surfaces and a bore opening to said surfaces and
extending
through said adapter;
an excavation tooth having a cutting end and a hollow mounting end slidably
mounted
along and about a portion of said adapter, said mounting end having two
axially aligned holes
that act in conjunction with the bore extending through the adapter;
an insert configured for insertion in the bore of the adapter between said
opposed
surfaces, said insert including elastomeric material attached to and along an
exterior surface
of a rigid elongated sleeve, said insert being operably maintained within said
bore by
cooperative engagement with said excavation tooth; and
a retaining pin extending endwise through said sleeve such that opposed ends
of said
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pin extend at least partially through the aligned holes and operably engage
surfaces on said
tooth thereby operably securing said excavation tooth and said adapter in
operable relation
relative to each other, with said retaining pin being secured within the
insert by a releasable
lock to restrain axial movement of said retaining pin during operation of the
tooth assembly.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an
excavator tooth assembly comprising:
an adapter having opposed surfaces and defining a bore extending therethrough
and
opening to said opposed surfaces;
an excavation tooth having a cutting end and a hollow mounting end slidably
mounted about and along a lengthwise portion of said adapter, said mounting
end having two
axially aligned holes in the hollow mounting end of the tooth that act in
conjunction with the
bore extending through the adapter;
an insert held within the bore defining by said adapter and between said
opposed
surfaces by cooperative engagement with said excavation tooth, said insert
having
elastomeric material attached to an exterior surface of a rigid sleeve, and a
locking member
biased radially inwardly under the influence of said elastomeric material and
through an
aperture in said sleeve; and
a retaining pin extending endwise through said sleeve such that opposed ends
of said
pin extend at least partially through the axially aligned holes and engage
surfaces in the tooth
thereby securing said excavation tooth and said adapter in operable relation
relative to each
other, with said locking member engaging a central portion of said retaining
pin to restrain
axial displacement of the retaining pin during operation of the tooth
assembly.
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In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an
excavator tooth assembly comprising:
an adapter having a mounting end portion and a nose piece end portion, the
nose piece
end portion having a forwardly extending tapered configuration with a bore
extending
vertically therethrough;
an excavation tooth having a cutting end and a hollow mounting end slidably
mounted to the nose piece portion of said adapter, the mounting end of said
tooth having two
opposed and aligned holes extending vertically therethrough to act in
conjunction with the
bore in the nose piece portion of the adapter;
an insert held within the bore defined by said adapter through cooperative
engagement with said excavation tooth, said insert having elastomeric material
attached to
and along an exterior portion of a rigid sleeve, and a locking member biased
radially inwardly
under the influence of said elastomeric material and through an aperture in
said sleeve; and
an elongated retaining pin extending endwise through said sleeve and with
opposed
ends of said pin extending at least partially through the opposed holes
defining by said tooth
thereby securing said excavation tooth and said adapter in operable
combination relative to
each other, said retaining pin having a recess formed toward a center section
thereof for
locking engagement with said locking member thereby restraining inadvertent
axial
displacement of the retaining pin during operation of the tooth assembly.
In accordance with a still yet further aspect of the present invention, there
is provided
a retainer pin assembly for releasably holding an apertured ground engaging
tool in position
relative to an apertured implement, said retainer pin assembly including an
elongated rigid
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metal sleeve having a first length sized relative to a bore in said apertured
implement; an
elongated retaining pin slidably received within said sleeve and having a
second length
greater than said first length such that a lengthwise portion of said pin is
received between
opposed ends of said sleeve while opposed ends of said sleeve extend axially
beyond said
sleeve and operably engage said tool; and a releasable lock mechanism for
restraining
inadvertent axial displacement of said retaining pin relative to said sleeve.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a
retainer pin assembly for releasably holding an apertured ground engaging tool
in operative
combination with an elongated and apertured carrier having a mounting end
portion, said
retainer pin assembly including a rigid metal cylindrically shaped sleeve; an
elongated
retaining pin slidably received within said sleeve and sized such that opposed
ends of said pin
axially project beyond the sleeve to operably engage with surfaces defined on
said apertured
tooth; elastomeric material affixed to an exterior portion of and along said
sleeve for
resiliently urging the retaining pin and thereby the tooth engaged thereby in
a direction
toward the mounting end of said carrier; and a lock for restraining said
retaining pin against
endwise movement relative to said sleeve.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
an
excavator tooth assembly including a support or adapter and an excavation
tooth. The
adapter defines a bore extending therethrough and includes a base portion and
a forwardly
extending nose portion. The excavation tooth has a cutting end and a mounting
end. The
mounting end of the tooth defines a pocket for receiving and releasably
accommodating a
lengthwise portion of the nose region of the adapter. The mounting end of the
excavator
tooth has two opposed and axially
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aligned holes that act in conjunction with the bore extending through the
adapter. According to
the present invention, a retaining pin extends through the bore and the
opposed holes for
securing the excavation tooth to the adapter. To restrain axial movement of
the retaining pin
within the bore, a central portion of the retaining pin is secured in
interlocking relationship to
the adapter thereby extreme forces applied to the excavator tooth assembly
have little or no
effect on the locking relationship of the pin relative to the adapter.
Moreover, positioning the
central portion of the retaining pin within the bore inhibits debris from
interfering with the
interlocking relationship between the retaining pin and the adapter or
support.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an insert which is held
within the
bore of the adapter by cooperative engagement with the excavation tooth. The
insert includes
a resilient member attached to an exterior surface of a rigid sleeve. The
retaining pin extends
endwise through the sleeve and the opposed holes in the tooth for biasing the
excavation tooth
rearwardly along the adapter thus maintaining a snug fit between the adapter
and the tooth.
In a preferred form of the invention, the retaining pin and the insert into
which it fits
have substantially corresponding cross-sectional configurations. Accordingly,
the present
invention offers significantly less surface contact relative the interior of
the sleeve than does a
correspondingly sized prior art split pin design. The retention pin of the
present invention is
therefore easier to insert and disassemble than prior art designs. Moreover,
because the pin of
the present invention fits within a sleeve, the compressive and friction drag
between adjacent
surfaces of the pin and sleeve are considerably less than prior art designs
without effecting the
holding ability of the pin relative to the adapter or tooth. This advantage
becomes increasingly
more apparent with larger applications.
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In a preferred form of the invention, the resilient member is attached to an
exterior
forward section of the sleeve and the locking member is embedded in the
resilient member and
extends through an aperture in the sleeve. The locking member extends radially
inwardly for
interlocking engagement with the retaining pin. Preferably, the retaining pin
has a
circumferential channel formed in a center section thereof for locking
engagement with the
locking member.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the pin or locking member
can be
specifically configured to control the level of force required and the
direction to remove the
retaining pin from the sleeve. The level of force required to remove the pin
can be controlled
as a function of the interrelationship between the locking member and the
retaining pin. In a
preferred form of the invention, a chamfer is provided on either the radial
pin or the locking
member allowing a ramping function to be achieved when to pin is moved in an
axial direction.
the angle of the chamfer controls the level of force required to overcome the
locking relationship
of the locking member and the pin. Alternatively, arranging the chamfer or
ramp surface on
only one surface of the channel defined by the locking pin or the locking
member will control
the axial direction in which the pin must be moved to effect release of the
tooth from the
adapter.
An alternative form of the present invention is also provided for a tooth
assembly used
in lighter duty applications where the forces acting on the retaining pin are
not as sever or have
the magnitude where a greater holding force is required of the retention pin.
In this alternative
form of the invention, the insert includes a resilient member attached to an
exterior surface of
a rigid sleeve defining a longitudinal bore and wherein the sleeve has a
longitudinal slot
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extending the length thereof thereby allowing expansion and contraction of the
sleeve within the
bore on the adapter. The sleeve is held within the bore of the adapter by
cooperative
engagement with the excavating tooth fitted to the adapter. Approximately mid-
length thereof,
the sleeve is provided with an indentation extending radially inwardly into
the bore defined by
the sleeve. As mentioned above, the sleeve acts to distribute the forces
applies to the retention
pin assembly along the entire length of the retaining pin. As mentioned above,
the retaining pin
has a circumferential channel formed approximately mid-length thereof. The
channel is adapted
to accommodate the detent on the sleeve when the channel longitudinally aligns
therewith thus
maintaining the pin in a locking relationship approximately midlength thereof
thereby
maintaining the pin in a locked relationship notwithstanding the effect
bending forces have on
the pin.
As is conventional, the adapter is typically provided with upper and lower
slanting
surfaces that converge relative to each other and toward the free end of the
adapter. In this
regard, the insert of the pin retention assembly is specifically configured to
provide a visual
indication of the manner in which the sleeve of the pin assembly is to be
assembled into the bore
of the adapter. That is, the sleeve of the retention pin assembly is provided
with slanted
surfaces at opposite ends thereof. The slanted surfaces on the sleeve
generally parallel the
slanted surfaces typically provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the
adapter. Accordingly,
when the sleeve is inserted into the bore in the adapter, the slanted surfaces
at opposite ends of
the sleeve provide a quick and ready reference whether the sleeve is inserted
properly into the
adapter. If the sleeve is incorrectly positioned within the bore of the
adapter, the opposite ends
of the sleeve will project beyond the adapter thus indicating the insert is
not properly positioned
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thereby minimizing the time required to reinstall the insert.
In an alternative form of the invention, the insert of the retaining pin
assembly includes
a pair of rigid elongated sleeves each having a resilient spring like member
extending about a
circumferential portion of the sleeve. The sleeves are substantially identical
in length and each
has a longitudinal slot extending the length thereof thereby allowing
expansion and contraction
of the sleeve within the bore on the adapter. Each sleeve is held within the
bore of the adapter
by cooperative engagement with the excavating tooth fitted over the adapter.
The bores defined
by the sleeves are arranged in axial alignment relative to each other. The
cumulative length of
the sleeves in this alternative form of the invention is less than the
distance separating upper and
lower surfaces of the adapter at that location wherein the sleeves are
inserted within the bore of
the adapter. In this form of the invention, one sleeve is inserted from one
side of the adapter
while the other sleeve is inserted from an opposite side of the adapter
thereby providing a
generally centralized gap or opening between confronting surfaces of the
sleeves. In this form
of the invention, the retaining pin is provided with an outside surface
configuration generally
corresponding to the interior surface configuration of the axially aligned
sleeves. The retaining
pin furthermore defines a detent extending radially outwardly and is generally
centrally disposed
along the length of the retaining pin. When the sleeve is inserted into the
openings defined by
the axially aligned sleeves, the outside of the pin passes therealong until
the detent engages one
of the sleeves. Further axial movement of the retaining pin will cause the
sleeve to expand
against the action of the resilient member thereby allowing the detent to move
axially along the
length of the sleeve until it reaches the gap established between the sleeves.
Thereafter, the
sleeve automatically contracts thus capturing the detent between the two
sleeves. Because the
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locking decent is disposed about midlength of the pin, the bending forces of
the pin will have
substantially no effect on the ability of the sleeves to maintain the pin in a
locked relationship
thereby preventing endwise displacement.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a seal is provided at
opposite ends
of the insert. The seal extends across the bore defined by the sleeve and into
which the retainer
pin is to be fitted. The retaining pin passes endwise through the seal when
assembled to the
insert. The purpose of the seal is to prevent contaminants such as dirt, dust,
and debris from
passing between the retainer pin and the sleeve of the insert thereby
facilitating removal of the
retainer pin during replacement or repair of the tooth.
The present invention provides significant advantages over other pin
arrangements for
releasably securing a ground engaging tool to an implement. The centrally
disposed locking
engagement between the retaining pin and the implement or apparatus maintains
the pin within
the implement or apparatus even though the pin may bend as a result of the
extreme digging
forces applied to the tool during operation of the excavating equipment. As
will be appreciated,
the ability of the present invention to positively secure the pin against
endwise movement
approximately midlength significant reduces and substantially eliminates the
effect bending forces
have on the pin since the pin is positively locked in place at a location
where the bending forces
acting on the pin are at their Ieast. Furthermore, positioning the lock for
the pin at about
midlength of the pin inhibits dirt, dust and debris from interfering with
operation of the locking
mechanism. The provision of an elastomer in combination with the sleeve
provide a dual
benefit. First, the elastomer maintains the tool in snug engagement with the
carrier thereof.
Also, the elastomer augments the positive locking engagement of the lock with
the adapter when
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the pin bends in response to extreme loading conditions being applied to the
tool.
In a most preferred form of the invention, the retaining pin and sleeve each
have a
circular cross-sectional configuration along their length. Using a cylindrical
pin design allows
the pin assembly of the present invention to remain simple and be economically
produced on
conventional screw machines or the like. The cylindrical design of the pin
assembly of the
present invention minimizes the size of the openings in the pocket portion of
the tool thereby
adding strength to the overall tool design. Additionally, using a cylindrical
design for the
retaining pin minimizes the size of the openings in the tool and thereby
lessens the amount of
dirt, dust and debris that can pass inwardly toward the pin. An important aim
of the present
invention was to utilize a round retaining pin thereby reducing surface
contact of the pin thereby
yielding advantageous removal of the pin without sacrificing strength or
rigidity of the or
holding ability of the retainer pin assembly. It should be appreciated,
however, that an oval or
an elliptical cross-sectional configuration for the pin and sleeve would
equally apply.
Another object of the present invention was to design a retaining pin assembly
such that
the rubber or elastomer fitted about the pin assembly is protected to the
fullest extent by the tool
after the tool is assembled onto the receiving implement. Still another
advantageous feature of
the present invention involves the ability to provide a pin retainer wherein
the pin is always
inserted correctly into the receiving bore on the receiving implement.
Moreover, the
combination of the resilient member and the rigid sleeve provide a self-
aligning insert that
facilitates assembly and disassembly of the retaining pin and securely biases
the tool onto the
receiving implement.
The present invention, together with further objects and advantages, will be
best
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understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWIrTGS
FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one form of the present invention
used to
hold a tool in place relative to a carrier or adapter;
FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the
tool in
disassembled relation relative to the carrier;
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the carrier or adapter shown in FIGURES 1
and 2;
FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of an excavating tool, shown broken away, mounted
to the
carrier or adapter;
FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along 5-S of FIGURE 2;
FTGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 7 is an enlarged elevational view of a central lengthwise section of
one form
of a retaining pin;
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view one form of locking member for use with the
present
invention;
FIGURE 9 is an enlarged elevational view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing an
alternative form of the retainer pin;
FIGURE 10 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing an alternative
form
of locking member;
FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing an alternative form of the
present
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invention;
FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 but showing wrongful insertion of a
portion
of the pin assembly of the present invention in the carrier or adapter;
FIGURE I3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing an alternative form of the
present
invention;
FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIGURE 13;
FIGURE 15 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 but showing the tool in assembled
relation
relative to the carrier;
FIGURE 16 is a sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIGURE I5;
FIGURE 17 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing still another embodiment
of the
present invention;
FIGURE 18 is a sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIGURE 17; and
FIGURE 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIGURE 17.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODllVIENT
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in various forms,
there is
shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described preferred embodiments
of the invention
with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as
setting forth
exempliflcations of the invention which are not intended to limit the
invention to the specific
embodiments illustrated.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like
parts
throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a ground engaging tool
10 that is
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releasably attached to excavating equipment. As mentioned above, the ground
engaging tool 10
can take a myriad of shapes and sizes. Such tool can take the form of lip
protector, a shroud,
or, as shown for exemplary purposes, an excavating tooth assembly. Although
shown in
combination with an excavating tooth assembly 10, it should be appreciated
that the teachings
and principals of the present invention are equally applicable to other ground
engaging tools
other than shown without detracting or departing from the spirit and scope of
the present
invention.
As shown, the tooth assembly 10 includes a support or adapter 12, an
excavating tooth
14, and a retainer pin assembly generally represented by reference numeral 18
and embodying
principals of the present invention. Although only a single tooth assembly 10
is shown in FIG.
1, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that for typical
excavating equipment such as
a bucket and the like, a plurality of spaced apart tooth assemblies
substantially identical to the
tooth assembly 10 would extend from the bucket. Additionally, the terms
horizontal and vertical
as used herein refer generally to the orientation of the excavating implement
upon the ground,
wherein the excavation movement of the implement would be primarily in the
vertical direction,
although horizontal loads are also imparted on the tooth assembly i0.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the support or adapter 12 is of conventional design
and includes
a base portion 20 adapted to be secured by welding or by a suitable releasable
locking
mechanism to an edge 21 of an excavating shovel, or bucket 23. A nose portion
22 of the
support or adapter 12 projects forwardly from the base portion 20 for mating
with and carrying
the tooth 14. In the illustrated form, the nose portion 22 of adapter 12 has a
pair of lateral side
walls 24 and opposed upper and lower surfaces 26 and 28. In the illustrated
form, the upper
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and lower surfaces 26, 28, respectively, taper and converge toward a free end
of the nose
portion 22 of support 12. As shown, the nose portion 22 preferably terminates
in a outwardly
bowed, curved terminal end portion 30 and is provided with an upper radius 32
and a lower
radius 34 at the juncture of the upper and lower surfaces 26 and 28,
respectively. This end
configuration of the adapter assists in stabilizing the tooth 14 and provides
a self centering
feature when the tooth 14 is under horizontal side loads.
In the illustrated form, the opposed surfaces 26 and 28 on adapter 12 also
have a recessed
areas 36 cut therein at the extended ends thereof which define flat
substantially horizontal
stabilizing surfaces or forward lands 38 bordered by curvilinear vertical
stabilizing wails 40.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the horizontal forward
lands 38 provide greater
load distribution to absorb extreme vertical loads, and the vertical
stabilizing walls 40 provide
additional vertical bearing surfaces to assist in absorbing extreme horizontal
loads.
The support or adapter 12 has a bore 42 extending through the rearward portion
of the
nose portion 22. In the illustrated form of the invention, the bore 42 is
shown extending
generally vertically between and opening to the upper and lower surfaces 26
and 28,
respectively, of the adapter 12. It should be appreciated, however, that the
bore 42 does not
necessarily have to extend vertically. Instead, the bore 42 may extend
horizontally and open to
the opposing side walls 24 of the adapter 12. Alternatively, the bore 42 can
extend at any
particular orientation without detracting or departing from the spirit and
scope of the present
invention.
As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, a pair of flat substantially horizontal
stabilizing surfaces
or t~eatward lands 44 extend outwardly from the upper and lower surfaces 26,
28 of the adapter
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12 adjacent the ends of the bore 42. As with the forward lands 38; the
rearward lands 44 define
curvilinear vertical stabilizing walls 46 which provide additional vertical
bearing surfaces to
assist in absorbing extreme horizontal loads. In particular, side load
distribution is transferred
from horizontal to vertical into the areas of the adapter 12 surrounding the
bore 42. The
rearward lands 44 also provide greater vertical load distribution to absorb
extreme vertical loads.
Thus, the combination of the forward and rearward lands 38 and 44
substantially increases the
stability of the tooth assembly 10 over a vast range of forces acting thereon.
Moreover, the
additional steel material provided by the rearward lands 44 strengthens the
area of the adapter
surrounding the bore 42, which is typically the weakest area of the adapter
12.
It will be appreciated that although the terminal end portion 30 and the
vertical stabilizing
walls 40, 46 of the adapter 12 are preferably curvilinear, they could define
other shapes capable
of absorbing horizontal loads acting on the adapter 12. For example, the
terminal end portion
30 and vertical stabilizing walls 40, 42 could each be configured with a V-
shape since both sides
of the "V" are eschewed or divergent from the centerline of the adapter 12.
The excavation tooth 14 has a cutting end portion 48 for excavating materials
and a
mounting end 50. In the illustrated form, the mounting end 50 of the tooth 14
has slightly
tapered exterior side walls 51 and a cavity or pocket 52 disposed therebetween
for endwise
accommodating a free end of the adapter 12. Pocket 52 is defined by a opposed
interior upper
and lower interior surfaces 53 and 54, respectively, that complement the upper
and lower
surfaces 26 and 28, respectively, of adapter 12. Pocket 52 is further defined
by opposed interior
side walls 55 that complement the side walls 24 on the adapter 12. A pair of
axially aligned
holes or apertures 56 are also defined at the mounting end 50 of the tooth 14.
In the illustrated
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form, the holes 56 extend vertically through the upper and lower surfaces 53,
54 to act in
conjunction with the bore 42 in the adapter 12. As will be appreciated,
however, if the hole or
aperture 42 in the adapter 12 were oriented differently from that shown, the
holes 56 in the
pocket area of the tooth 14 would likewise be oriented differently to act in
conjunction with the
bore 42.
The shape of the cavity 54 generally corresponds in configuration to that
portion of the
of the nose portion 22 of the adapter 12 extends rearwardly from the free end
thereof so that the
tooth 14 can fit thereon in mating relationship. As illustrated, a concavely
bowed forward
section 58 of cavity 54 matingly receives the outwardly bowed end portion 30
of the adapter 12.
Likewise, generally semicircular protuberances 60 extend inwardly into the
cavity or pocket 54
for mating engagement crith the forward lands 38, and semicircular recesses 62
are formed in
the upper and lower surfaces 53, 54 of the cavity 52 adjacent each hole 56 for
mating
engagement with the rearward lands 44. If other configurations of the terminal
end portion 30
and the stabilizing walls 40, 46 of the adapter 12 were employed, the
associated surfaces of the
tooth I4 would be correspondingly shaped to mate therewith.
As shown in FIG. 1, the retainer pin assembly 18 of the present invention
includes an
insert 62 and a retaining pin 64. In the illustrated form of the invention
shown in FIG. 4, the
insert 62 includes a resilient member 65 attached to an exterior forward
section of a rigid sleeve
66 defining a smooth elongated bore 67 of constant diameter opening to
opposite ends of sleeve
66. The resilient member 65 can be made of rubber or other suitable resilient
yet wear-resistant
elastomeric material. Sleeve 66 is formed from a suitable rigid material such
as alloy steel that
is preferably heat treated to offer additional strength, rigidity and
stiffness to the retaining pin
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64 when the retaining pin 64 is endwise inserted within the bore 67 of the
sleeve 66.
Preferably, and as shown in FiG. 5, the resilient member 65 surrounds about a
270°
circumferential portion of the sleeve 66 to leave a rearward portion 68 of the
sleeve 66 free from
the resilient material. Alternatively, the resilient elastomeric member 64 can
extend 360° about
the exterior surface of the sleeve 66 to facilitate placement of the bore 67
in sleeve 66 thereby
accommodating alternate pin locations. The resilient member 65 provides
compression relief
for the insert 62 when it is installed in the bore 42 and when the retaining
pin 64 endwise
extends therethrough.
The retainer pin 64 is formed from a suitable alloy steel preferably heat
treated to add
strength and rigidity thereto. As shown in FIG. 1, the retainer pin 64 has an
elongated
configuration with a smooth and substantially constant outside diameter sized
slightly less than
the inside diameter of bore 67 defined by sleeve 6b. In a preferred form, each
end of the
retaining pin 64 is provided with a chamfer 69 or other suitable configuration
for facilitating
endwise insertion of the retaining pin 64 into the bore 67 defined by sleeve
66 of insert 62.
Returning to FIG. 2, prior to assembly of the tooth 14 onto the support or
adapter 12,
the insert 62 of the retainer pin assembly 18 is installed in the bore 42 of
the adapter 12. The
outside diameter of the insert 62, including the sleeve 66 and resilient
member 65, is preferably
slightly larger than the diameter of the bore 42 in the support or adapter 12
so that the insert 62
is a light drive-in fit into the bore 42. In addition, the insert 62 is
further held within the bore
42 once the tooth 14 is assembled thereto by cooperative engagement with the
interior surfaces
on the tooth 14 in the area of the pocket 54.
To assemble the tooth I4 to the adapter 12 it is only necessary to place and
slide the
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tooth over the free end of the adapter 12 such that the opposed holes 56 in
the tooth 14 are
generally in alignment with the bore 42 defined by the adapter 12. The
retaining pin 18 is then
driven into the sleeve 66 (FIGS . 1, 4 and 6) to bias the tooth 14 rearwardly
along the adapter
12, thereby maintaining a tight fit between the tooth 14 and adapter 12.
Preferably, the holes
56 in the tooth 14 are intentionally offset or misaligned with the bore 42 in
the adapter 12 to
provide the desired biasing effect. Also, the resilient member 65 serves to
bias the pin 64 in
the desired rearward direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the effect of these
biasing features is to
resiliently urge the tooth 14 onto the adapter 12.
To inhibit inadvertent "jacking" or axial movement of the retaining pin 64 out
of the
sleeve 66 during heavy operating conditions, and also to localize the rearward
biasing effect of
the resilient member 64 against the pin 18, a locking member 70 is arranged in
operable
combination with the resilient member 65 of insert 62 and extends radially
inwardly through an
aperture 72 in the sleeve 66 to establish a positive locking relationship
between the retaining pin
64 and the adapter 12. In the preferred form of the invention, the locking
member 70 is
embedded within the resilient member 65. The lacking member 70 is preferably
configured with
an enlarged head portion 75 for limiting the radially inward movement of the
locking member
70 toward the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 66. An inner surface 74 of the
locking member
70 has a radius of curvature similar to the radius of a recess or channel 76
formed in the
retaining pin 18. As shown in FTG. 1, the locking member 70 is configured to
"snap" under
the influence of the resilient member 65 snugly into locking engagement with
the channel 76
when the pin 18 is driven into the sleeve 66.
Preferably, the locking member 70 is generally centrally positioned along the
length of
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the insert 62 and the channel or recess 76 is provided at about a longitudinal
center section of
the pin 64. The locking member 70 is preferably made of alloy steel that is
properly heat
treated or similar high strength material.
Preferably, the retaining pin 64 of assembly 18 is symmetrical in
configuration to allow
the pin 64 to be inserted within the insert 62 from either end. The pin 64
and/or the locking
member 70 can be configured to control the level of force required to remove
the pin from its
locked position relative to the insert 62. As shown in FTG. 7, the channel 76
defined along the
length of the retaining pin 64 has a diameter less than the outside diameter
of pin and, thus,
annular shoulders 80 and 82 are defined at the limits of the channel 76.
Returning to FIGS. l and 2, the locking member 70 defines opposing and
generally
parallel surfaces 84 and 86 that are separated by a distance less than the
axial distance separating
the shoulders 80 and 82 on the recess or channel 76 thereby allowing the
locking member 70
to move radially into positive locking engagement with the pin 64. In the
embodiment illustrated
in FIG. 7, the annular shoulders 80 and 82 are provided with angling surfaces
or ramps 87 to
specifically facilitate sliding movement of the edges 84, 86 of the locking
member 70 therepast.
As shown, the ramps 87 are generally equal to promote movement of the
retaining pin 64 in
either axial direction. Alternatively, and as shown in FIG. 8, the opposed
edges or surfaces
84 and 86 of the locking member 70 could be provided with similarky shaped
chamfers or
ramped surfaces 89 to promote movement of the locking pin 64 therepast in
either direction of
axial movement.
An alternative embodiment of the retaining pin 64 is schematically illustrated
in FIG. 9.
In this embodiment, only shoulder 80 has a chamfered or ramped surface
configuration 87 . The
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other radial shoulder 82 is disposed in substantially normal relation relative
to the outside surface
of the pin 64. Accordingly, the camped surface 87 provided on shoulder 80
permits axial
movement of the retaining pin 64 past locking member 70 in the direction of
arrow 90 under a
predetermined level of force. As will be appreciated, the opposite shoulder 82
because of its
disposition relative surface 86 of the locking member 70 will require a
significantly greater level
or magnitude of force to be applied to free the retaining pin 64 from its
locked relationship as
compared to the force required to move locking member 70 in the direction of
arrow 90.
Still another alterative embodiment of the present invention is partially
illustrated in FIG.
10. In this embodiment, only surface 84 is provided with a chamfered or camped
surface
configuration 89. The other surface 86 of the locking member 70 is disposed in
substantially
normal relation relative to the to the inner surface 74 of the locking member
70. As will be
appreciated, the romped or chamfered surface 89 will permit axial movement of
the retaining
pin 64 past the locking member 70 in the direction of arrow 90 under a
predetermined level or
magnitude of force. Moreover, the opposite surface 86, and because of its
disposition relative
to surface 74 of the locking member 70, will remain secured and require a
significantly greater
level or magnitude of force to be applied to free the retaining pin 64 from
its locked relationship
relative to the locking member 70 if moved in direction of arrow 91 as
compared to movement
of the retaining pin 64 in the direction of arrow 90.
Another embodiment of a retainer pin assembly according to the present
invention is
illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 and is designated therein by reference numeral
118. The retainer
pin assembly 118 and the excavating tool assembly which it is arranged in
combination with are
similar, and function in a similar manner to that described above with
reference to FIGS. 1
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through 6. The elements of this alterative embodiment of the retainer pin
assembly and the tool
assembly that are identical or functionally analogous to those of the
embodiment described above
are designated by reference numerals identical to those used for the earlier
described
embodiment with the exception that this alternative embodiment reference
numerals are in the
100 series.
As shown, the retaining pin assembly 118 is used to releasably secure a tooth
or other
suitable ground engaging tool 114 to an adapter or support I12. The adapter
112 is suitably
secured to and extends forwardly from a lip 115 of an excavating bucket or the
like. A nose
portion 122 of the adapter 112 has a pair of laterally spaced side walls 124
extending between
tapered upper and lower surfaces 126 and 128, respectively, that converge
toward a free end 130
of the adapter 112. The support 112 has a bore 142 extending therethrough.
Although the bore
142 is shown in a vertical disposition, and as mentioned above, the bore 142
can be disposed
at any suitable orientation without detracting or departing from the spirit
and scope of the present
invention.
As is conventional, a rear end of the tool 114 is provided with a suitably
shaped blind
cavity or pocket 152 that is shaped in a fashion complementary to the forward
end of the adapter
or support 112. lfiat is, the pocket 152 is shaped with slanting upper and
lower interior surfaces
153 and 154, respectively, that extend generally parallel to the upper and
lower surfaces 16 and
128, respectively, of the adapter 112. Moreover, the pocket 152 includes
opposed interior
sidewalls 155 that are configured to complement the sidewalls 124 of the
pocket 152. Suffice
it to say, pocket 152 is shaped to fit along and snugly about a lengthwise
portion of the support
112. A pair of axially aligned holes or apertures 156 intersect with the
pocket 152.
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The retainer pin assembly 118 is substantially similar to and operates in a
substantially
similar fashion to the pin assembly 18 discussed in detail above. The retainer
pin assembly 118
includes an insert 162 and a retainer pin 164. As shown, the insert 162
includes a resilient
member 165 attached to an exterior forward section of a rigid sleeve 166
defining an elongated
bore 167 opening to opposite ends of the sleeve 166. It will be appreciated
and understood that
the insert 162 and the parts comprising same are substantially similar and
functionally analogous
to that described above with reference to insert 62 and, thus, no further
detailed description need
be provided thereto.
To facilitate proper placement of the insert 162 within the bore 142 of the
adapter or
support 112, the insert 162 is specifically configured to provide a quick and
ready visual
indication of proper placement of the insert 162 within the bore 142. As shown
in FIG. 11,
opposed ends of the insert 162 are configured such that they generally
parallel adjacent surfaces
of the adapter 112. That is, in the embodiment illustrated, each end of the
insert 162 has
converging slanting surfaces 175 and 177 generally parallelling the slant or
slope of the upper
and lower surfaces 126 and 128, respectively, of the adapter 112. Notably, the
slanting surfaces
175 and 177 each define a generally planar surface and converge toward each
other and toward
a forward or front side of the insert 162. That is, the surfaces 175 and 177
converge toward
that side of the insert 162 to which the resilient member 165 is fixedly
joined. Moreover, the
axial distance separating the slanted surfaces 175 and 177 proximates the
axial distance between
the surfaces 126 and 128 along the centerline of the hole or bore 142. As
such, no portion of
the insert 162 projects axially outwardly beyond the slanting surfaces 126,
128 of the adapter
112 when the insert 162 is properly positioned therewithin thus allowing the
cavity 152 of the
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tooth 114 to readily and easily pass thereover when the tooth assembly 110 is
to be assembled.
Turning to FIG. 12, if the insert 162 is improperly positioned within the bore
142 of the
adapter 112, the configuration of the insert 162 will quickly identify a
problem involving
placement of the insert 162. In a most preferred form of the invention, the
configuration of the
insert 162 will inhibit attachment of the tool 114 to the adapter 1I2 when the
insert 162 is
improperly positioned in the bore 142 of the adapter 112. As shown, if the
insert 162 is
improperly positioned within the bore 142 of the adapter 112, at least a
portion of the slanted
surface configurations 175 and 177 at opposite ends of the insert 162 will
project beyond the
limits of the hole or bore 142 thereby quickly and readily identifying a
problem with placement
of the insert 162 thereby alerting the person assembling the retainer pin
assembly 118 that
placement or orientation of the insert 162 within the hole or bore I42 and
relative to the adapter
112 requires correction. Moreover, in a most preferred form of the invention,
the surface
configurations 175 and 177 at opposed ends of the insert are specifically
designed such that when
the insert 162 is improperly positioned within the support 112, they project
beyond the surfaces
126 and 128 of the adapter so as to prevent the tool l I4 from being slidably
moved to the extent
necessary to establish a cooperative relationship between the axially aligned
holes 156 in the tool
and the bore 142 in the adapter 112. As such, the tool 114 cannot be assembled
to the support
112 until the insert 162 of the retention pin assembly 118 is properly
positioned for operation.
Another embodiment of a retainer pin assembly according to the present
invention is
illustrated in FIGS. 13 through 16 and is designated therein by reference
numeral 218. The
retainer pin assembly 218 and the excavating assembly which it is arranged in
combination
therewith are similar, and function in a similar manner to that described
above with reference
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to FIGS. 1 through 6. The elements of this alterative embodiment of the
retainer pin assembly
and the excavating assembly that are identical or functionally analogous to
those of the
embodiment described above are designated by reference numerals identical to
those used for
the earlier described embodiment with the exception that this alternative
embodiment reference
numerals are in the 200 series.
As shown, the retaining pin assembly 218 is used to releasably secure a tooth
or other
suitable ground engaging tool 214 to an adapter or support 212 in lighter duty
applications where
the forces acting on the retaining pin assembly are not as sever or of a
magnitude where a
greater holding force is required for maintaining the retaining pin in
operable association with
the adapter. The adapter 212 is suitably secured to and extends forwardly from
a lip 215 of an
excavating bucket or the like. A nose portion 222 of the adapter 212 has a
pair of laterally
spaced side walls 224 extending between opposed upper and lower surfaces 226
and 228,
respectively. The support 212 has a bore 242 extending therethrough. Although
the bore 242
is shown in a vertical disposition, and as mentioned above, the bore 242 can
be disposed at any
suitable orientation without detracting or departing from the spirit and scope
of the present
invention.
As is conventional, a rear end of the tool 214 is provided with a suitably
shaped blind
cavity or pocket 252 that is shaped in a fashion complementary to the forward
end of the adapter
or support 222. That is, the pocket 252 includes upper and lower opposed
interior surfaces 253,
254 that complement the upper and lower surfaces 228, 228, respectively, on
the adapter 212.
Pocket 252 further defines opposed interior sidewalls 255 configured to
complement the
sidewalls 224 of the adapter 212. Suffice it to say, pocket 252 is shaped to
fit along and snugly
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about a lengthwise portion of the support 2.12. A pair of axially aligned
holes or apertures 256
intersect with the pocket 252.
The retainer pin assembly 218 is substantially similar to and operates in a
substantially
similar fashion to the pin assembly 18 discussed in detail above. The retainer
pin assembly 218
includes an insert 262 and a retainer pin 264. As shown in FIGS. 13 through
16, the insert 262
includes a resilient member 265 attached to an exterior forward side or
section of a sleeve 266
defining an elongated bore 267 opening to opposite ends of the sleeve 266.
Sleeve 266 is
preferably formed from an alloy steel or other suitable rigid material.
Notably, and as shown
in FIG. 14, sleeve 266 defines a bore 267 and a longitudinal slot 275
extending the length
thereof. The sleeve 266 thus defines opposed and confronting edges 277 and
279. The sleeve
266 is designed as roll pin and has a certain circumferential spring force
acting to urge the edges
277 and 279 toward each other. The resiliency of the member 265 extending
across and along
the slot 275 furthermore tends to urge the opposing edges 277 and 279 toward
each other while
allowing for expansion of the slot 275 and thereby the bore 267 of sleeve 266
when the pin 264
is installed thereinto. Notably, however, the outside diameter of the insert
262, including the
sleeve 266 and resilient member 265, is slightly larger than the diameter of
the bore 242 in the
support 212 such that the insert 262 is a light drive-in fit into the bore 242
of the adapter 212.
Additionally, the insert 262 is held axially within the bore 242 once the tool
214 is assembled
thereto by cooperative engagement with the interior surfaces on the tool 214
in the area of the
pocket 254.
As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a positive locking relationship is established
between the
retaining pin 264 and the insert 262 when the pion 262 is endwise inserted
within the sleeve 266.
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As shown, the bore 267 defined by sleeve 266 is substantially equal in
diameter to the outside
diameter of the pin 264. Approximately midlength thereof, the sleeve 266 is
provided with a
detent 282 extending radially inwardly of the diameter of bore 267. In a most
preferred from
of the invention, the sleeve 266 is provided with a second detent 284 (FIG.
16) arranged in
diametrically opposed relation relative to detent 282. In the illustrated form
of the invention,
the detents 282 and 284 are configured as indentations in the side of the
sleeve 266. It will be
appreciated, however, other suitable and well known forms of detents would
equally suffice
without detracting or departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Either alone
or in combination, the detents 282, 284 define a passage therebetween that is
significantly less
than the outside diameter of the retaining pin 264.
The retaining pin 264 is substantially similar to retaining pin 64 discussed
in detail above.
Suffice it to say, the retaining pin 264 defines a recess or channel 276
approximately midlength
thereof for radially accommodating the detents 282 and 284 on the sleeve 266.
Prior to assembly of the tooth 214 onto the support or adapter 212, the insert
262 of the
retainer pin assembly 218 is installed in the bore 242 of the adapter 212. The
outside diameter
of the insert 262, including the sleeve 266 and resilient member 265, is
preferably slightly larger
than the diameter of the bore 242 in the support or adapter 212 so that the
insert 262 is a light
drive-in fit into the bore 42. The tight fu of the insert 262 within the bore
242 of the adapter
212 causes the resilient member 265 to urge the opposing edges 277, 279 on the
sleeve 266
toward each other. In addition, the insert 262 is further held within the bore
242 once the tooth
214 is assembled thereto by cooperative engagement with the interior surfaces
on the tooth 214
in the area of the pocket 254.
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To assemble the tooth 214 to the adapter 212 it is only necessary to place and
slide the
tooth 214 over the free end of the adapter 212 such that the opposed holes 256
in the tooth 214
are generally in alignment with the bore 242 defined by the adapter 212. The
retaining pin 264
is then driven into the sleeve 266 (FIGS. 15 and 16) to bias the tooth 214
rearwardly along the
adapter 212, thereby maintaining a tight fit between the tooth 214 and adapter
212. Preferably,
the holes 256 in the tooth 214 are intentionally offset or misaligned with the
bore 242 in the
adapter 212 to provide the desired biasing effect. Also, the resilient member
265 serves to bias
the pin 264 in the desired rearward direction. The effect of this biasing
feature is to resiliently
urge the tooth 214 onto the adapter 212.
Chamfer 269 at the end of pin 264 will guide the pin 264 into the bore 267 of
sleeve 266.
If the sleeve 266 has retracted to reduce the diameter of bore 267, the
chamfer 269 will cause
an expansion of the resilient sleeve 266 radially outwardly to conform to the
outside diameter
of the pin 264. Moreover, the chamfer 269 facilitates the endwise passage of
the pin 264 across
the detents 282 and 284. As will be appreciated, when the pin 264 passes the
detents the sleeve
266 will expand against the resilient member 265 allowing the pin 264 to move
therepast. When
the pin 264 passes about midlength of the sleeve 266 the recess or channel 276
will axially along
with the detents 282 and 284 thus causing the detents 282 and 284 to
automatically snap into a
positive locking relationship with the pin 264 thereby securing the pin 264
against further
endwise axial displacement relative to the bore 267. As will be appreciated,
the pin contacting
sides of the detents 282, 284, the shoulders of the pin 264 in the area of
channel 276, or both
can be ramped or chamfered in the manner discussed above, to facilitate
passage of the pin
therepast and/or control the axial direction from which the pin can be
released from its positive
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locked relationship with the adapter 212.
Another embodiment of a retainer pin assembly according to the present
invention is
illustrated in FTGS. 17 through 19 and is designated therein by reference
numeral 318. The
retainer pin assembly 318 and the excavating assembly which it is arranged in
combination
therewith are similar, and function in a similar manner to that described
above with reference
to FIGS. 1 through 6. The elements of this alterative embodiment of the
retainer pin assembly
and the excavating assembly that are identical or functionally analogous to
those of the
embodiment described above are designated by reference numerals identical to
those used for
the earlier described embodiment with the exception that this alternative
embodiment reference
numerals are in the 300 series.
As shown, the retaining pin assembly 318 is used to releasably secure a tooth
or other
suitable ground engaging tool 314 to an adapter or support 312 in lighter duty
applications where
the forces acting on the retaining pin assembly are not as sever or of a
magnitude where a
greater holding force is required for maintaining the retaining pin in
operable association with
the adapter. The adapter 312 is suitably secured to and extends forwardly from
a lip 315 of an
excavating bucket or the like. A nose portion 322 of the adapter 312 has a
pair of laterally
spaced side walls 324 extending between opposed upper and lower surfaces 32b
and 328,
respectively. The support 312 has a bore 342 extending therethrough. Although
the bore 342
is shown in a vertical disposition, and as mentioned above, the bore 342 can
be disposed at any
suitable orientation without detracting or departing from the spirit and scope
of the present
invention.
As is conventional, a rear end of the tool 314 is provided with a suitably
shaped blind
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cavity or pocket 352 that is shaped in a fashion complementary to the forward
end of the adapter
or support 322. That is, the pocket 352 includes upper and lower opposed
interior surfaces 353,
354 that complement the upper and lower surfaces 326, 328, respectively, on
the adapter 312.
Pocket 352 further defines opposed interior sidewalls 355 configured to
complement the
sidewalls 324 of the adapter 312. Suffice it to say, pocket 352 is shaped to
fit along and snugly
about a lengthwise portion of the support 312. A pair of axially aligned holes
or apertures 356
intersect with the pocket 352.
The retainer pin assembly 318 is substantially similar to and operates in a
substantially
similar fashion to the pin assembly 18 discussed in detail above. In this
embodiment of the
invention, the retainer pin assembly 318 includes a pair or two inserts 362
and 362' and a
retainer pin 364. The inserts 362 and 362' are substantially identical to each
other. In the
preferred form of the invention, insert 362 is inserted into the bore 342 from
one side or surface
of the adapter 312 while insert 362' is inserted into the bore 342 from an
opposite side or
surface of the adapter 312. The cumulative length of the inserts 362 and 362'
is less than the
distance separating the surfaces of the adapter 312 at the location wherein
the inserts 362, 362'
are inserted within the bore 342. Accordingly, a gap or opening 352 is defined
between adjacent
ends of the sleeves 362 and 362'.
The sleeves 362 and 362' are substantially equal in length and substantially
identical in
construction. Accordingly, only insert 362 will be described in detail with
the understanding
that insert 362' is substantially identical thereto. Each insert includes a
resilient member 365
attached to an exterior forward side or section of a sleeve 366. Sleeve 366 is
preferably formed
from an alloy steel or other suitable rigid material. Notably, and as shown in
FTGS. 17 and 18,
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the sleeve 366 of each insert defines a bore 367 opening to opposite ends of
the respective sleeve
and a longitudinal slot 375 extending the length thereof. The sleeve 366 thus
defines opposed
and confronting edges 377 and 379. Each sleeve 366 is preferably designed as
roll pin and has
a certain circumferential spring force acting to urge the edges 377 and 379
toward each other.
The resiliency of the member 365 extending across and along the slot 375
furthermore tends to
urge the opposing edges 377 and 379 toward each other while allowing for
expansion of the slot
375 and thereby the bore 367 of sleeve 366 when the pin 364 is installed
thereinto. Notably,
however, the outside diameter of the insert 362, including the sleeve 366 and
resilient member
365, is slightly larger than the diameter of the bore 342 in the support 312
such that the insert
362 is a light drive-in fit into the bore 342 of the adapter 312.
Additionally, the insert 362 is
held axially within the bore 342 once the tool 314 is assembled thereto by
cooperative
engagement with the interior surfaces on the tool 314 in the area of the
pocket 354.
To facilitate proper placement of each insert 362, 362' within the bore 342 of
the adapter
312, each insert 362, 362' is preferably provided with a visual indication of
proper placement
of the insert within the bore 342. In this regard, each insert 362 and 362'
has a slanted surface
385 and 385' defined at one end thereof. The slanted surface 385, 385' is
configured such that
they parallel the adjacent surface of the adapter or support 312 when the
insert is properly
positioned within the bore 342. As will be appreciated, if either insert 362,
362' is improperly
positioned within the bore 342, the slanted surface configuration of the
misplaced insert 362,
362' would provide a visual indication of misplacement and could prevent the
tool 314 from
being moved into proper position relative to the adapter or support 312.
The retainer pin 364 is similar to retaining pin 64 discussed in detail above.
Rather than
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having a recess or channel formed along the length thereof, however, the
retaining pin 364
shown in FTGS. 17 and 19 includes a detent 376 projecting radially outwardly
relative the
outside diameter of the pin 364. The detent 376 is arranged approximately
midlength of the pin
364. In a preferred form of the invention, the detent 376 defines chamfered or
ramped
shoulders 380 and 382 thereon for facilitating insertion of the pin 364 within
and through the
inserts 362 and 362' . Moreover, opposed ends of the retaining pin are
likewise preferably
provided with chamfers or romped surfaces 388 for facilitating insertion of
the pin 364 from
either direction. As mentioned above, the annular shoulders 380, 382 on the
pin 364 can be
designed to control the direction of insertion and removal of the pin 364
relative to the inserts
362, 362' .
Prior to assembly of the tooth 314 onto the support or adapter 312, the
inserts 362 and
362' of the retainer pin assembly 318 are installed within and preferably from
opposite ends of
the bore 342 of the adapter 312. The outside diameter of the inserts 362,
362', including the
sleeve 366 and resilient member 365, of each insert 362, 362' is preferably
slightly larger than
the diameter of the bore 342 in the support or adapter 312 so that each insert
362, 362'
maintains a light drive-in fit into the bore 342. The tight fit of the inserts
362, 362' within the
bore 342 of the adapter 312 causes the resilient member 365 to urge the
opposing edges 377,
379 on each sleeve 366 toward each other. In addition, each insert 362 is
further held within
the bore 342 once the tooth 314 is assembled thereto by cooperative engagement
with the interior
surfaces on the tooth 314 in the area of the pocket 354. As explained above,
the slanted
surfaces 385 and 385' on the inserts 362 and 362', respectively, provide a
visual reference
regarding proper placement of the inserts 362, 362' within the bore 342 of the
adapter or support
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312.
To assemble the tooth 314 to the adapter 312 it is only necessary to place and
slide the
tooth 314 over the free end of the adapter 312 such that the opposed holes 356
in the tooth 314
are generally in alignment with the bore 342 defined by the adapter 312. The
retaining pin 364
is then driven into the inserts 362, 362' to bias the tooth 314 rearwardly
along the adapter 312,
thereby maintaining a tight fit between the tooth 314 and adapter 312.
Preferably, the holes 356
in the tooth 314 are intentionally offset or misaligned with the bore 342 in
the adapter 312 to
provide the desired biasing effect. Also, the resilient member 365 on each
insert 362, 362'
serves to bias the pin 364 in the desired rearward direction. The effect of
this biasing feature
is to resiliently urge the tooth 314 onto the adapter 312.
Chamfer 388 at the end of pin 364 will guide the pin 364 into the bore 367 of
sleeve 366
of insert 362. If the sleeve 366 has retracted to reduce the diameter of bore
367, the chamfer
389 will cause an expansion of the resilient sleeve 366 radially outwardly to
conform to the
outside of the pin 364. Moreover, the chamfers 380, 382 facilitate the endwise
passage of the
detest 376 past the edge of the sleeve 366. As will be appreciated, when the
pin 364 passes
axially along, the sleeve 366 will expand against the resilient member 365.
When the pin 364
passes about midlength thereof, the detest 376 on the pin 364 will pass from
the sleeve 366 into
and be captured within the opening or recess 352 between the inserts 362 and
362' . Of course,
when the detest 376 passes from the sleeve 366 the insert 362 will
automatically contract about
the outside surface of the pin 364 thereby securing the pin 364 against
further endwise axial
displacement relative to the adapter 312. As will be appreciated, one or both
of the shoulders
of the detest 376 can be camped or chamfered in the manner discussed above, to
facilitate
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passage of the pin therepast and/or control the axial direction from which the
pin can be released
from its positive locked relationship with the adapter 2I2.
The pin retainer assembly of the present invention may further include a seal
402 for
inhibiting dirt and debris from interfering with the locking relationship of
the retainer pin and
the carrier. In the illustrated embodiment, seal 402 includes a planar member
404 disposed at
the free end of the insert of the retainer pin insert (FIG. 1'n. The planar
member 404 is formed
from an elastomeric material. In the illustrated form of the invention, the
planar member 404
is formed integral with the resilient member of the insert. it should be
appreciated, however,
that it is well within the spirit and scope of the present invention to
provide the planar member
404 as a separate piece from the insert. Moreover, the planar member
404,defmes a central
bore 406 that allows passage of the retainer pin therethrough. As will be
appreciated, the bore
406 is sized to fir snugly about the retainer pin when the pin is passed
endwise therethrough.
In the illustrated form of the invention, a planar member 404 is disposed at
opposite ends of the
insert. To allow debris inadvertently passing between the retainer pin and the
insert to pass
therethrough, it may be desirable to position the planar member at only one
end of the insert of
the retainer pin assembly.
In working conditions, when a tool is to be repaired or replaced, a punch is
used to drive
the retaining pin out of engagement with the insert. To facilitate
disengagement of the pin 18
from the positive lock, when the pin is driven in an axial direction, the
ramps on either the pin,
the locking member or both facilitate release of the pin from its locked
relationship. Preferably,
the pin also has both ends beveled such that the it is reversible in
operation. Alternatively, the
pin or locking member can be configured to control the direction of insertion
and release for the
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locking pin. Once the retaining pin is removed, the tool is removed and a
replacement tool is
installed. The tool is thereafter readily maintained in place by reinserting
the pin into locked
relationship relative to the carrier or adapter. Since the pin does not have
to be oriented in any
specific manner for insertion, the chances for improper tooth installation is
minimized.
With the present invention, a relatively small, centralized and generally
localized area
along the length of the locking pin is used to maintaining the locking pin in
positive locked
relationship relative to the carrier regardless of the level of extreme loads
or the bending of the
pin. That is, the centrally disposed locking engagement between the retaining
pin and the
implement or apparatus maintains the pin within the implement or apparatus
even though the pin
may bend as a result of the extreme digging forces applied to the tool during
operation of the
excavating equipment. As will be appreciated, the ability of the present
invention to positively
secure the pin against endwise movement approximately midlength significant
reduces and
substantially eliminates the effect bending forces have on the pin since the
pin is positively
locked in place at a location where the bending forces acting on the pin are
at their least.
Moreover, the provision of an elastomer in combination with the sleeve provide
a dual benefit.
First, the elastomer maintains the tool in snug engagement with the carrier
thereof. Also, the
elastomer augments the positive locking engagement of the lock with the
adapter when the pin
bends in response to extreme loading conditions being applied to the tool.
That is, when the pin
bends in response to extreme loading conditions being applied to the tool and
thus to the pin,
the bending pin displaces the elastomer thus enhancing the force acting to
maintain the lock in
positive engagement with the retaining pin.
Positioning the lock for the pin at about midlength of the pin inhibits dirt,
dust and debris
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from interfering with operation of the locking mechanism. The present
invention is
advantageously designed such that the rubber or elastomer fitted about the pin
assembly is
protected to the fullest extent by the tool after the tool is assembled onto
the receiving
implement. In a preferred form , the seal at the end of the insert helps to
maintain dust, dirt
and debris from interfering with proper operation of the lock.
Still another advantageous feature of the present invention involves the
ability to provide
a pin retainer wherein the pin is always inserted correctly into the receiving
bore on the
receiving implement. Moreover, the combination of the resilient member and the
rigid sleeve
provide a self aligning insert that facilitates assembly and disassembly of
the retaining pin and
securely biases the tool onto the receiving implement.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications and
variations can
be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel
concept of the present
invention. It will be appreciated that the present disclosure is intended as
an exemplification of
the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific
embodiment illustrated.
The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such
modifications as fall within
the scope of the claims.
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