Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02358932 2001-10-12
TOOTH RETAINER WITH ROTARY CAMLOCK
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to excavating tools and, more
particularly, a device for removably attaching excavation teeth to a shovel
dipper.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is common to remove dirt, debris, or other material using heavy
machinery such as backhoes, shovel dippers, or other similar devices. As
shown in United States Patent No. 4,481,728 to Minder et al., herein
incorporated by reference in its entirety, shovel dippers often include
adapters
configured to receive replaceable excavation teeth to help loosen soil, clay,
and
rock. Each excavation tooth typically is attached to a corresponding adapter
via a pin or wedge. Examples of removable teeth connected to an adapter with
pins or wedges are illustrated in U.S. Patent Nos. 564,664, 3,256,622,
3,410,010, and 6,018,896.
The disadvantages of using wedges are discussed in U.S. Patent
No. 6,018,896 to Adamic. One problem is that the wedges may be dislodged
from the adapter during operation of the shovel dipper or other related
equipment. A primary disadvantage for using pins is that the pins must be
forcibly pounded into or out of a passageway connecting the tooth to the
adapter. This is time consuming and sometimes physically difficult, especially
if the pins develop a mushroom-shaped end from repeated pounding by a
hammer or a specialized tool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to help eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art, the
present invention generally includes an excavation tooth for use with an
adapter that defines a first passageway. The excavation tooth generally
includes a tooth body defining a second passageway, a first or second cam
receiving recess adjacent to one end of the second passageway, and a cam
access orifice adjacent to the first or second cam receiving recess. A pin,
CA 02358932 2001-10-12
having a cam which extends in a direction away from the pin,
is received in the second passageway defined by the tooth
body. The cam is received in the first or second cam
receiving recess defined by the excavation tooth to removably
secure the excavation tooth to the adapter.
The cam may be integrally formed with the pin or the
pin may define a cam receiving orifice, with the cam slideably
received in the cam receiving orifice. An elastomeric material
may be positioned in the cam receiving orifice between the cam
receiving orifice and the cam such that the cam exerts a force
on the elastomeric material, depending on the position of the
pin and the cam in the second cam receiving recess. In
another embodiment, the cam may define an internal cavity and
a compressible spring may be positioned in the internal cavity
defined by the cam such that such that the compressible spring
compresses and decompresses, depending on the position of the
pin and the cam in the second cam receiving recess. More than
one pin and more than one cam can be used to help hold the
excavation tooth on the adapter.
One method of removably attaching an excavation
tooth to an adapter is also provided. The excavation tooth
preferably defines a first passageway and the excavation tooth
defining a second passageway, a first or second cam receiving
recess adjacent to one end of the second passageway, and a cam
access orifice adjacent to the first or second cam receiving
recess, with the first passageway defined by the adapter and
the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth aligned
with one another. The steps may include: (a) inserting a pin
into the first passageway defined by the adapter and the
second passageway defined by the excavation tooth, the pin
having a cam which extends in a direction away from the pin;
(b) orienting the pin so that the cam can be received in the
cam access orifice and the first or second cam receiving
recess defined adjacent to one end of the second passageway
defined by the excavation tooth; (c) rotating the pin in a
first direction with respect to the excavation tooth so that
the cam engages in the first or second cam receiving
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recess and the excavation tooth is removably secured to the adapter; (d)
rotating the pin in a second direction with respect to the excavation tooth
until
the cam is aligned with the cam access orifice; (e) removing the pin from the
first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by
the excavation tooth; and (f) removing the excavation tooth from the adapter.
The present invention provides an easy and expeditious way to
remove a worn excavation tooth from an adapter, replace the worn excavation
tooth, and re-secure a new excavation tooth to the adapter. Due to the cam
mechanism, the pins do not need to be pounded through the aligned
passageways defined by the adapter and the excavation tooth. Instead, the pins
can be inserted into the aligned passageway and rotated in a first direction
for
installation and rotated in a second direction for removal. The rotation can
be
done with customary tools such as a rachet and socket, helping to eliminate
the
possibility of the pins becoming bent, mangled, or otherwise mutilated.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be
clarified in the description of the preferred embodiment taken together with
the
attached drawings in which like reference numerals represent like elements
throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a top perspective exploded view of a portion of an
adapter, a portion of an excavation tooth, a first embodiment pin and cam
combination, and dust covers according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment pin and cam
combination shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a top sectional view of a portion of the adapter, the
excavation tooth, the first embodiment pin and cam combination shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, and the dust covers shown in Fig. 1 in an installation
configuration;
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Fig. 4 is a top perspective partial sectional view of a portion the
adapter, the excavation tooth, the first embodiment pin and cam combination
shown in Figs. 1-3, and the dust covers shown in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a partial sectional side view of the excavation tooth
shown in Figs. 1-3 defining a cam access recess and a first embodiment cam
receiving orifice configured to receive the first embodiment pin and cam
combination;
Fig. 6 is a perspective, partial sectional view of a second
embodiment pin and cam combination;
Fig. 7 is a sectional side view of an excavation tooth defining a
cam access recess and a second embodiment cam receiving orifice configured
to receive the second embodiment pin and cam combination shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a is a perspective, partial sectional view of a third
embodiment pin and cam combination; and
Fig. 9 is a schematic side view of a movable work vehicle having
a shovel dipper configured with an adapter, an excavation tooth, and a pin and
cam combination according to any embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 generally shows an excavation tool 10 having an adapter
12, a removable excavation tooth 14 having a tooth body 15, a first
embodiment pin and cam combination 16, and dust covers 18A.
The adapter 12 defines a first passageway 20 extending at least
partially through a width W of one end of the adapter 12. The adapter 12 is
configured to removably receive the excavation tooth 14. The adapter 12 is
preferably made from steel or other suitable material.
The excavation tooth 14 has a cutting end 22 and an adapter end
24. The excavation tooth 14 further defines an internal cavity 26 configured
to
receive the adapter 12, a second passageway 28 extending at least partially
through the excavation tooth 14, a cam access orifice 30 positioned adjacent
to
the second passageway 28, and a first cam receiving recess 32, shown in
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greater detail in Fig. 5, positioned adjacent to the second passageway 28 and
the cam access orifice 30. The excavation tooth 14 is preferably made from
steel or other suitable material.
With continuing reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 shows the first
embodiment pin and cam combination 16 in more detail. The first embodiment
pin and cam combination 16 includes a generally elongated cylindrically-
shaped pin 34 and a cam 36. The cam 36 is any object which protrudes or
extends away from an external surface 38 of the pin 34. The pin 34 and the
cam 36 are preferably positioned adjacent to a rotational drive recess 40,
with
the cam 36 integrally formed with the pin 34 in this embodiment. The drive
recess 40 is at one end of the pin 34 and in configured to receive a drive
tool
(not shown). The drive recess 40 can be square shaped, as shown in Figs. 1
and 2, or define another suitable shape. Moreover, instead of forming a drive
recess 40, the pin 34 can define one or more drive points which protrude in a
direction away from an end of the pin 34, with the drive points configured to
be received by a hollow socket. One or more pin and cam combinations 16 may
be used. Both the pin 34 and the cam 36 are preferably made from steel or
other suitable material.
Referring again to Fig. 1, the dust covers 18A preferably have a
main body 42, preferably semi-circular or other suitable shape and an endcap
44, preferably circular or other suitable shape. Each dust cover 18A is
positioned adjacent to the drive recess 40 defined by a corresponding pin 34.
The dust covers 18A preferably are made from plastic, rubber, steel, or other
suitable material. In particular, it is preferred that the main body 42 be
made
from metal and the endcap 44 be made from rubber or other suitable material.
On elastomeric O-ring may also circumscribe the endcap 44.
Figs. 3 and 4 show the adapter 12 connected to the excavation
tooth 14 by the first embodiment pin and cam combination 16, with the dust
covers 18A added to help protect the pins 34. This configuration is
accomplished by aligning the first passageway 20 defined by the adapter 12
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with the second passageway 28 defined by the excavation tooth 14. The pin 34
is inserted into the aligned first and second passageways 20, 28, and oriented
so
that the cam 36 can be moved through the cam access orifice 30 defined by the
excavation tooth 14 and be aligned with and received in the first cam
receiving
recess 32 defined by the excavation tooth 14, shown in greater detail in Fig.
5.
As shown in Fig 3, once the cam 36 has been aligned with the first cam
receiving recess 32, the pin 34 is rotated about a longitudinal axis L, in a
first
direction, shown by arrow A1 in Fig. 5. As the first embodiment pin 34 is
rotated in the first direction A1, the cam 36 is received in the first can
receiving
recess 32 and follows the first cam receiving recess 32, shown in Figs. 3-5,
removably locking the excavating tooth 14 to the adapter 12. The dust covers
18A shown in Figs. l, 3 and 4 then are added to help keep dirt and debris out
of
the second passageway 28 and the cam access orifice 30.
Refernng again to Figs. 3 and 4, when the excavation tooth 14
needs to be removed due to wear or for any other reason, the dust covers 18A
are removed from the second passageway 28, the pin 34 is rotated in a second
direction A2, shown by arrow A2 in Fig. 5, and the pin 34 is removed from the
aligned passageways 20, 28. An excavation tooth 14 then can be removed and
a new excavation tooth 14 installed by inserting the adapter 12 into the
internal
cavity 26 defined by the excavation tooth 14, aligning the first and second
passageways, 20, 28, inserting the first embodiment pin and cam combination
16 into the aligned first and second passageways 20, 28, rotating the first
embodiment pin and cam combination 16 in a first direction A2 so that the cam
36 is received in or engages the first cam receiving recess 32, and inserting
the
dust covers 18A into a respective end of the second passageway 28.
Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment pin and cam combination 46.
In this embodiment, which is similar to the first embodiment pin and cam
combination 16, the pin 34A defines a cam receiving orifice 48A which
receives a cam 36A, or an elastomeric material 50 and a cam 36A. The cam
36A is slideably received in the cam receiving orifice 48A. The elastomeric
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material 50 is preferably rubber or other suitable material that is
compressible.
As with the second embodiment pin and cam combination 46, the cam 36A and
pin 34A of the second embodiment pin and cam combination 46 are preferably
made from steel or other suitable material. The second embodiment pin and
cam combination 46, including the elastomeric material 50 preferably is used
in
conjunction with a second cam receiving recess 52, shown in Fig. 7. The
second cam receiving recess 52, differs from the first cam receiving recess
32,
shown in Fig. 5, because the second cam receiving recess 52 tapers in the
first
direction A1. With reference to Fig. 6, the taper of the second cam receiving
recess 52 compresses the cam 36A into the elastomeric material 50 as the cam
36A is rotated in the first direction A1, and the cam 36A exerts a restoring
force on the elastomeric material 50 which helps to hold the cam 36A
removably secure in the second cam receiving recess 52.
Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment pin and cam combination 54,
which is similar to the second embodiment pin and cam combination 46 shown
in Fig. 6. In this third embodiment, the cam receiving orifice 48B defined by
the pin 34B is tapered T at one end 56. A cam 36B, also having a taper 58 and
defining an internal cavity 60, is slideably received in the cam receiving
orifice
48B. The taper 58 of the cam 36B is biased against a receiving surface 62
defined by the cam receiving orifice 48B, preferably by a compressible spring
64. The compressible spring 64 is preferably received in the internal cavity
60
defined by the cam 36B and may be positioned between the cam 36B and a
second embodiment dustcover 18B made from metal, a combination of metal
and an elastomeric material, or other suitable material or materials. The
dustcover 18B is held in place when the pin 34B is inserted into the
excavation
tooth 14, such as the excavation tooth 14 shown in Fig. 7. Alternatively, the
dustcover 18B may be integrally formed with the pin 34B or attached to the pin
34B by welding or other suitable attachment method. As with the first and
second embodiment pin and cam combinations 16, 46, the cam 36B and pin
34B of the third embodiment pin and cam combination 54 are preferably made
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from steel or other suitable material. Moreover, as with the second
embodiment pin and cam combination 46, the third embodiment pin and cam
combination 54 is preferably used in conjunction with the second cam
receiving recess 52, shown in Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 shows an excavation machine 66 including a movable
work vehicle 68 such as the depicted shovel or a dragline bucket, end loader,
hydraulic shovel, or other suitable movable work vehicle 68 with a shovel
dipper 70 or other suitable device attached thereto. Attached to the shovel
dipper 70 is the adapter 12. Attached to the adapter 12, via either the first
embodiment pin and cam combination 16, the second embodiment pin and cam
combination 46, or the third embodiment pin and cam combination 54 is an
excavation tooth 14.
As is evident from the preceding discussion, it is clear that the
present invention provides a quick and easy method and apparatus for
removing an excavation tooth from an adapter and for reinstalling an
excavation tooth onto an adapter. The present invention uses an easy cam
operating mechanism to hold the pin in place. The present invention reduces
the need to pound pins through openings defined by the excavation tooth and
the adapter, an operation which is particularly difficult if the pins are
mangled,
bent or have a mushroom-shaped first end or second end. Moreover, the cam
of any embodiment of the present invention helps to prevent the pins from
being dislodged from the excavation tooth.
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred
embodiment. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon
reading and understanding the preceding detailed description.
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