Abstract: A bucket wheel bearing assembly adapted to be attached to a bucket wheel support structure for rotationally supporting bucket wheel shaft to the support structure comprises bucket wheel bearing means to be disposed on the bucket wheel shaft, a bearing box situated outside the bucket wheel bearing means and having a central projection with slanted side faces at the entire outer surface thereof and two side walls, the slanted side faces extending radially outwardly toward the central projection from the both side walls, locking means to be disposed alongside of the central projection of the bearing box, and a plurality of fastening means for connecting the locking means around the bearing box, some of the fastening means connecting the locking means and the bearing box to the support structure.

Abstract: A bucket-wheel excavator has a frame provided with an unsplit-ring bearing that defines an axis for a shaft assembly. This assembly is formed by a solid core shaft extending along the axis through the bearing, an input-side tube shaft fitted over the core shaft to one side of the bearing and having one end turned away from the bearing and formed with an input flange, and an output-side tube shaft fitted over the core shaft to the opposite side of the bearing and having one end also turned away from the bearing and formed with an output flange. The opposite ends of these tube shafts are provided with angularly interengaging formations that rotationally couple them together and bolts press these formations axially into tight engagement with one another. A bucket wheel is carried on the output flange and a drive motor is connected to the input flange for rotating the shaft assembly and bucket wheel about the axis.