Abstract: A tip assembly has a replaceable wear member mounted to an adapter carried on the cutting edge of an implement of an earth-working machine. The adapter has an external surface formed to engage a complementary internal cavity of the wear member and includes a pair of transversely spaced sides at least one of the transversely spaced sides include a guide arrangement and a retainer pocket positioned therein. The wear member has a body with an exterior ground-engaging surface, a mounting end, an adapter receiving cavity and at least one ear extending from the mounting end. The at least one ear is configured to be received by the guide arrangement when the wear member is positioned on the adapter.

Abstract: A bottom mount pin retainer is disclosed for retaining a mounting pin detachably mounting a first member of a ground engaging tool to a second member thereof. The pin retainer utilizes a retainer assemblage that is adapted to relieve a snap-ring employed for retaining the pin from high axial loads in an upward direction while preventing axial movement of the pin in a downward direction. A non-load bearing member used has sufficient load bearing capacity to restrain the upward movement of the snap-ring during the insertion of the pin into the pin openings in order to seat the snap-ring in its snap-ring groove in the pin.

Abstract: A mechanical retention system is disclosed for detachably retaining a ground engaging tool onto an earthworking implement. The retention system uses an elongated steel retainer, which has a convolute spring portion between opposite the end portions of the retainer to allow the retainer to be compressible in one direction in order to be mounted through a retainer opening in the tool into a retainer pocket in the mounting portion of the implement.

Abstract: Bucket tip retention means for retaining an excavator bucket tip to an adapter on an excavator bucket including a retention pin extending through co-axial bores in the bucket tip and the adapter, the retention pin having a groove defined in a front face, a positioning shoulder extending from the rear face of the pin, and a resilient locking clip element retained in the locking clip groove by a clip retaining pin, the locking clip element having a first locking portion and a second locking portion extending from the locking clip groove for engaging the bore in the adapter and urging the positioning shoulder to engage the bore in the adapter.

Abstract: A cutter bit having a concave face surface has a base surface spaced from the concave face surface and a recess extending inwardly from the base surface, The recess is adapted to receive a portion of a tool holder that extends at least partially into the recess, A bearing member is interposed the body of the cutter bit and the portion of the tool holder disposed in the recess.

Abstract: Pin retainers are normally used to secure a pin in its assembled so that one member can be releasably secured to another member, such as, securing a tooth to an adapter nose. Many times the pin retainer is not sufficiently strong to hold the pin in place under adverse operating conditions. Known pin retainers that are effective to hold the pin in place are not readily available and are expensive to produce. In the subject arrangement, a pin retainer assembly is provided which can be made from known components and is effective to hold a pin in place under adverse operating conditions. The pin retainer assembly includes a split retaining ring loosely sandwiched between at least two retaining members and held together by various known bonding or securing methods.

Abstract: An aluminum piston for use in heavy duty internal combustion engines is disclosed, in which the grooves for receiving the piston rings are formed in stainless steel inserts fusion bonded directly to the aluminum without an intermediate metallic layer other than the resulting alloy of the steel and aluminum. The method of making such piston is described in which austenitic stainless steel powder deposited in an oversize groove in the aluminum piston is melted in situ by a laser beam to simultaneously form the stainless steel insert and alloy it with the aluminum to provide a fusion bond, the piston ring groove being subsequently formed in the stainless steel insert.

Abstract: Spheroidal particles of wear-resistant alloy comprising boron, chromium and iron having maximum hardness for a given composition are produced by the rapid cooling of a molten alloy mixture. The resultant solid particles are then incorporated into a composite alloy wherein the solid particles are held together with a matrix of different material from the alloy. Inserts of the composite wear-resistant alloy are useful in producing long wearing tools.

Abstract: A method of heat treating a bore in a workpiece to increase its surface hardness is disclosed, including shaping an annular laser beam emanating from a source into an elongated focal pattern to provide a more evenly distributed energy level in cross section, directing the elongated focal pattern generally axially inwardly toward the bore, reflecting the elongated focal pattern from a mirror arrangement substantially transversely upon a surface of the bore to provide an instantaneously more uniformly hot heating zone thereat, and effecting relative motion between the workpiece and the mirror arrangement so that the bore is progressively scannably heat treated to minimize heating of the entire workpiece.

Abstract: Spheroidal particles of wear-resistant alloy comprising boron, chromium and iron having maximum hardness for a given composition are produced by the rapid cooling of a molten alloy mixture. The resultant solid particles are then incorporated into a composite alloy wherein the solid particles are held together with a matrix of different material from the alloy. Inserts of the composite wear-resistant alloy are useful in producing long wearing tools.

Abstract: A wear-resistant alloy comprising boron, chromium and iron having maximum hardness for a given composition is produced by rapidly cooling and solidfying spheroidal particles of the molten alloy mixture. The resultant solid particles are then cast in the desired form, or incorporated into a composite alloy wherein the solid particles are held together with a matrix of different material from the alloy.

Abstract: a method of applying a wear-resistant composite coating to an article is disclosed which includes the steps of depositing a plurality of wear-resistant particles having a predetermined melting point along with a lower melting point element in solid form onto the surface of the article, focusably directing a coherent beam of electromagnetic energy thereon at a power density level sufficient to melt the element and a limited surface portion of the article while retaining the particles in substantially solid form, and removing the beam therefrom to allow solidification of the melted portion thereof into a matrix in which the wear-resistant particles are embedded. Advantageously this method provides a thin diffusion zone and a hardened zone underneath it to better support the coating.