Abstract: A wear assembly for protecting the digging edge of a bucket which includes a wear member having a lock-receiving hole in one leg and an upstanding rib along the other leg. The rib extends axially along the leg to be received into a slot in a base fixed to the lip of the bucket. The rib has a rear end that engages the base to hold the rear end of the rib between the base and the lip. The wear member further includes an interior surface that has a front portion formed with a curve to wrap around the digging edge and a plurality of stabilizing surfaces. The lock has a latch and a threaded wedge received into the passage to move the latch to its holding position to maintain the lock in the assembly during use.

Abstract: A wear assembly for protecting the digging edge of a bucket which includes a wear member having a lock-receiving hole in one leg and an upstanding rib along the other leg. The rib extends axially along the leg to be received into a slot in a base fixed to the lip of the bucket. The rib has a rear end that engages the base to hold the rear end of the rib between the base and the lip. The wear member further includes an interior surface that has a front portion formed with a curve to wrap around the digging edge and a plurality of stabilizing surfaces. The lock has a latch and a threaded wedge received into the passage to move the latch to its holding position to maintain the lock in the assembly during use.

Abstract: A wear member for excavating equipment and which is particularly suited for a dredge cutterhead that includes a curved abutting surface that abuts a complementary curved bearing surface on the base. The curved bearing surfaces are able to maintain substantially full contact with each other under transverse loading. The base and adapter further having a plurality of complementary stops for resisting relative movement between them.

Abstract: A lock for securing a wear part to earth-working equipment that is foldable between a retaining position to hold the wear part to the equipment and a release position that permits removal of the lock and release of the wear part from the equipment. The lock includes a retainer for releasably holding the lock in the retaining position. The retainer may comprise a threaded wedge received into a complementary threaded passage.

Abstract: A wear assembly for attaching a wear member to a support structure that includes a wear member and a lock. The wear member includes a pair of legs to straddle the support structure, each with a hole that aligns with a hole in the support structure for receiving a lock to hold the wear member in place. Each hole includes a recess with an engagement surface facing generally away from the support structure for receiving portions of the lock. The lock includes a wedge provided with a thread formation that threadedly engages a second thread formation in the aligned holes so that rotation of the wedge axially drives the wedge.

Abstract: A wear assembly for excavating equipment that includes a base, a wear part and an improved locking arrangement that provides improved stability, strength, durability, safety and ease of use. The locking arrangement includes a hammerless lock that is pivotally moved between hold and release positions, wherein the fulcrum is set forward of the bearing surface engaging the wear part. The lock can be manipulated by a threaded member or pry tool. The lock further includes bearing surfaces that enhance stability and reduce wear.

Abstract: A UDD bucket for a UDD mining operation provided with multiple hoist connection points that alternative couple to the front and/or rear hoist lines. The UDD mining machine includes a control system that directs the movement of the bucket within a prescribed carry envelope to limit unequal wearing of the hoist lines or minimize the magnitude of rope loads. In one construction, the control system directs the movement of the bucket with a range of motion where the loads on the hoist lines are kept within a prescribed variance of each other during the carry phase or most of the carry phase of a digging cycle. The bucket will be moved by the mining machine with the inventive control system so that, in the carry phase, the loads applied to the front hoist line are within, for example, 5%, 10% or 15% of the loads applied to the rear hoist lines.

Abstract: A UDD mining machine provided with a control system directs the movement of the bucket within a prescribed carry envelope to limit unequal wearing of the hoist lines. In one construction, the control system directs the bucket within a range of motion where the loads on the hoist lines are kept within a prescribed variance of each other during the carry phase or most of the carry phase of a digging cycle. Movement of the bucket will be controlled by the mining machine with the inventive control system so that, in the carry phase, the loads applied to the front hoist line are within, for example, 5%, 10% or 15% of the loads applied to the rear hoist lines. This general equaling of the loads in the hoist lines results in longer wear life for the front hoist lines, and generally equal wearing of the front and rear hoist lines to enable simultaneous replacement.

Abstract: A wear assembly for excavating equipment which includes a wear member and a base each with upper and lower stabilizing surfaces that are offset and at overlapping depths to reduce the overall depth of the assembly while maintaining high strength and a stable coupling. The nose and socket each includes a generally triangular-shaped front stabilizing end to provide a highly stable front connection between the nose and wear member for both vertical and side loading. The lock is movable between hold and release positions to accommodate replacing of the wear member when needed, and secured to the wear member for shipping and storage purposes.

Abstract: A chain for conveying logs may be formed of both fabricated and cast links to produce a chain that is durable and economical. The chain includes a plurality of driving links each having at least one contact for engaging the logs and a plurality of common links free of the contacts. Whereas each of the driving links are formed as a cast link, each of the common links is formed as a fabricated link.

Abstract: A wear assembly to protect the front edge of an excavating bucket, which is secure, stable, easy to use, readily manufactured, and provides increased safety, and which eliminates any need for holes to be formed in the lip. The wear assembly includes a wear member that has a pair of legs to straddle the front edge of the bucket. One of the legs defines an axial slot, which has opposing grooves for receiving rails of a boss fixed to the bucket. The grooves narrow in a forward direction to permit easier installation and removal of the wear member, to permit use of side wings without interference from adjacent wear parts, and to enable enhanced resistance under some loads.

Abstract: A wear assembly for securing a wear member to excavating equipment that includes a base having a nose and a wear member having a socket. The nose and socket are each provided with one or more complementary stabilizing surfaces in central portions thereof.

Abstract: A lock that includes a wedge that is used to releasably secure separable components of an assembly together. The wedge can be used with a spool. The wedge and spool are threadedly coupled together to drive the wedge into and out of an opening in the assembly without hammering or prying. The direct coupling of the wedge and spool eliminates the need for bolts, washers, nuts and other hardware so as to minimize the number of parts. As a result, the lock is inexpensive to make, easy to use, and unlikely to become inoperative because of lost or broken parts or due to fines or other difficulties encountered in harsh digging environments. Further, the wedge can be driven into the assembly to provide the degree of tightness necessary for the intended operation and/or to re-tighten the assembly after incurring wear during use. A latch assembly is preferably provided to securely hold the wedge in place and avoid an undesired loss of parts during use.

Abstract: In a wear assembly for securing wear members to excavating equipment, a spool is used with a wedge to hold the wear member in place. The spool is formed with at least one laterally extending arm at its upper end in lieu of an axial arm such as used in a conventional C-shaped spool. In this way, the spool can be easily supported in the assembly as the wedge is installed. The spool does not fall through the opening and no special care is needed to prevent it from falling. The spool also holds itself in place when the wedge is driven into the passage. As a result, installation of the wear assembly is easier and less hazardous. In addition, the lateral support reduces the risk that the spool will suffer spreading.

Abstract: A wear member that includes a pair of legs defining a slot straddles the digging edge of a piece of excavating equipment. In one construction, the slot is formed at its front end with a pair of inclined surfaces and a laterally extending ridge that is fit within a complementary channel on the digging edge. A lock is received within an opening in the wear member to releasably secure the wear member to the digging edge.

Abstract: A coupling arrangement for securing two separable components in an excavating operation includes a wear component, a base component and a lock. The lock has a body having a configuration adapted to be received in a hole in the base component, and a rotatable locking member. The locking member includes a flange that is movable between a locking position wherein the flange holds the lock in the assembly and a release position wherein the flange permits the lock to be removed from the assembly. In the release position, the flange sets within the axial extension of the outline of the body. In the locking position, at least part of the flange sets outside the axial extension of the outline of the body. In one construction, the rotation of the locking member to the locking position tightens the fit of the wear component on the base component.

Abstract: A lock that includes a wedge that is used to releasably secure separable components of an assembly together. The wedge can be used with a spool. The wedge and spool are threadedly coupled together to drive the wedge into and out of an opening in the assembly without hammering or prying. The direct coupling of the wedge and spool eliminates the need for bolts, washers, nuts and other hardware so as to minimize the number of parts. As a result, the lock is inexpensive to make, easy to use, and unlikely to become inoperative because of lost or broken parts or due to fines or other difficulties encountered in harsh digging environments. Further, the wedge can be driven into the assembly to provide the degree of tightness necessary for the intended operation and/or to re-tighten the assembly after incurring wear during use. A latch assembly is preferably provided to securely hold the wedge in place and avoid an undesired loss of parts during use.

Abstract: A lock that includes a wedge and a spool are used to releasably secure separable components of an assembly together. The wedge and spool are threadedly coupled together to drive the wedge into and out of an opening in the assembly without hammering or prying. The direct coupling of the wedge and spool eliminates the need for bolts, washers, nuts and other hardware so as to minimize the number of parts. As a result, the lock is inexpensive to make, easy to use, and unlikely to become inoperative because of lost or broken parts or due to fines or other difficulties encountered in harsh digging environments. Further, the wedge can be driven into the assembly to provide the degree of tightness necessary for the intended operation and/or to re-tighten the assembly after incurring wear during use. A latch assembly is preferably provided to securely hold the wedge in place and avoid an undesired loss of parts during use.

Abstract: A wear assembly for protecting a structure, such as an excavating bucket, from wear includes a lock for securing the wear member in place. The lock includes a take-up element for tightening the fit of the wear member, a latch to retain the lock in the assembly during use, and an arrangement for resisting loosening of the lock. With the assembly, the lock is able to effectively tighten the fit of the wear member on the lip, resist loosening of the fit, and facilitate easy removal of the lock without a concomitant increased risk of lock ejection.

Abstract: An assembly for mounting an excavating tooth particularly suited for a dredge cutterhead includes a base, an adapter, and a lock. The base includes a convex, curved bearing surface that abuts a concave, curved bearing surface on the adapter. The curved bearing surfaces are able to maintain substantially full contact with each other under transverse loading.