EXCAVATING ASSEMBLY WITH PIVOT FASTENING SYSTEM
A lock assembly includes a lock body with a bore extending from a top surface to a lateral side surface and a pin configured for receipt in the bore. A wear member configured for use with the lock assembly has an upper leg, a passage extending through the upper leg, and a fixation base recess formed into a lower side of the upper leg. The fixation base recess extends laterally between two opposing channels each having a lower surface angled downward toward each other. A fixation base configured for use with the lock assembly has a central opening extending through the top surface and bounded at a front side by a lock wall configured to engage a portion of a lock. Opposing first and second wings extend upward and laterally outward away from the central opening and have a lower surface angled downward toward the central opening.
This disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/329,803, filed Apr. 11, 2022, titled Excavating Assembly with Pivot Fastening System, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure is generally directed to an excavating assembly including a fastener assembly that secures a wear member component to an excavating assembly. More particularly, this disclosure is directed to a wear member system secured using a releasable fastening system having an improved lock assembly with a pivoting lock assembly.
BACKGROUNDMaterial displacement apparatuses or base structures, such as excavating buckets and/or lips secured to excavating buckets found on construction, mining, and other earth moving equipment, often include replaceable wear members such as earth engaging teeth, adapters, wear runners, shrouds, etc. These wear members often come into abrasive, wearing contact with the earth or other material being displaced. For example, excavating tooth assemblies forming a part of material displacement apparatuses or being attached to base structures, such as excavating buckets or lips and the like, typically comprise a relatively massive adapter portion which is suitably anchored to a structure of the equipment such as a forward bucket lip. A replaceable tooth typically includes an opening that releasably receives a nose of an adapter and the tooth is secured to the adapter with a fastening mechanism.
To reduce wear or damage to the base structure between the tooth assemblies, which are typically spaced apart along the edge of the base structure, shrouds may be secured to the base structure between tooth assemblies. Shrouds may also be positioned along vertical sides or wings at the edges of the base structure.
There are a number of different types of fastening mechanisms to secure shrouds to a bucket lip or other base structure. One method of mounting shrouds to a bucket is to form a series of holes vertically through the forward lip portion of the bucket lip. Corresponding holes are formed vertically through the shrouds, and, with the shrouds in place on the forward lip portion, the corresponding holes are aligned and wedges are driven therethrough. There are, however, disadvantages of the above-described wedge method of mounting shrouds to an excavating bucket. For example, the wedge method removes material from the forward lip portion by forming a series of holes through the bucket. This may weaken the forward lip portion and provide additional surface exposure where wear may occur. Further, these wedge methods may require hammering the wedge into place. The need to pound in and later pound out a wedge with a hammer can be challenging and time consuming.
Various alternatives to pound-in fastening mechanisms have been proposed to releasably retain a shroud on an excavating bucket. While these alternative fastening mechanisms desirably eliminate the need to pound a wedge into and out of a bucket lip, they typically present various other types of problems, limitations, and disadvantages including, but not limited to, complexity of construction and use or undesirably high cost. In one example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,145 to Ruvang, a shroud having a generally C-shaped cross section is removably attached to the front edge of an excavating bucket lip by first placing the front lip edge in the interior of the wear shroud so that the top and bottom legs of the shroud respectively extend along the top and bottom sides of the lip. A rear end portion of the top shroud leg is then removably secured, using a J-bolt inserted into the top leg after the shroud is positioned on the bucket lip, to a base structure welded to the top side of the lip. A nut threaded onto the J-bolt at the rear end of the top shroud leg and facing the welded base structure prevents the forward removal of the installed wear shroud from the bucket lip. While this particular system has proven to be well suited for its intended purpose, it has room for improvement. For example, the system requires that a portion of each shroud have a relatively high frontal projection area which increases the resistance to penetration of the shroud into the material being excavated. Additionally, portions of the fastening mechanism exposed to material being excavated may be subject to undesirable abrasion wear.
Some types of fastening mechanisms include a component rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position. However, the continuous vibration, high impact, and cyclic loading of the shroud can result in inadvertent rotation of the fastening mechanism from a locked position to an unlocked position. This may cause excess wear on the fastening mechanism and/or inadvertent release of the shroud or it may affect the useful life of both the fastening mechanism and the shroud.
A need accordingly exists for an improved shroud assembly fastening mechanism.
SUMMARYConsistent with some examples, a lock assembly for securing a wear member to a support structure may include a lock body and a pin. The lock body may have a top surface, a first lateral side surface, and a bore extending linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and the first lateral side surface. The pin may be configured for receipt in the bore of the lock body. The pin may include a head, a tip, and a shaft extending between the head and the tip. The pin may have a retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface.
In some examples, the pin may be configured to transition between the retracted and seated configurations by rotation about the axis. The bore of the lock body may include a first set of threads and the shaft of the pin may have a second set of threads corresponding to the first set of threads. The lock body may have a pin detent mechanism. A portion of the pin detent mechanism may extend into the bore. The pin may have a first indentation disposed along an upper portion of the second set of threads. The first indentation may be configured to receive the portion of the pin detent mechanism when the pin is in the seated configuration. The pin detent mechanism may include a flexible member and a rigid member secured to the flexible member. The portion of the pin detent mechanism extending into the bore may include a portion of the rigid member. The pin may have a second indentation disposed along a lower portion of the second set of threads. The second indentation may be configured to receive the portion of the pin detent mechanism when the pin is in the retracted configuration. Engagement of the portion of the pin detent mechanism with the second indentation may retain the tip of the pin in the bore and resists rotation of the pin.
In some examples, a first recess may be formed into the top surface of the lock body and the bore may open into the first recess. A second recess may be formed into the lock body and extend between the bore and the first recess. The second recess may be configured to receive the flexible member of the pin detent mechanism. The head of the pin may be positioned within the first recess when the pin is in the seated configuration.
In some examples, the lock body includes a second lateral side surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the first lateral side surface and a bottom surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface. The bottom surface may be planar. The first lateral side surface of the lock body may be wider than the second lateral side surface. The lock body may include a toe extending laterally outward from the second lateral side surface. The toe may have an upper surface facing upward and away from the second lateral side surface and a lower surface facing downward and away from the second lateral side surface. A channel may be formed at an interface of the upper surface of the toe with the second lateral side surface and a crest may be formed at an interface of the upper surface of the toe with the lower surface of the toe. The lock body may include a front surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface and a rear surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the front surface. At least a portion of the front surface and at least a portion of the rear surface may be angled outward away from one another from the bottom surface to the top surface. At least a portion of the front surface of the lock body may be angled rearward from the first lateral side surface to the second lateral side surface.
In some examples, the lock body may have a biased detent mechanism extending outward from the front surface of the lock body. The biased detent mechanism may include a rigid member secured to a flexible member. The flexible member may be disposed within a pocket formed through the front surface and the rigid member may extend outward away from the pocket. The lock body may have a tab extending outward from the front surface.
Consistent with some examples, a wear member assembly includes a wear member and a lock assembly. The wear member may include an upper leg extending rearward away from a leading edge of the wear member to a rear surface. A passage may extend through the upper leg from a top surface of the upper leg. A support structure recess may be formed into a lower side of the upper leg and may extend rearward through the rear surface of the upper leg. The support structure recess may be configured to receive a support structure when the wear member is secured to excavating equipment. The passage may extend into the support structure recess. The lock assembly may include a lock body and a pin. The lock body may include a top surface, a first lateral side surface, and a bore extending linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and the first lateral side surface. The pin may be configured for receipt in the bore of the lock body. The pin may have a head, a tip, and a shaft extending between the head and the tip. The pin may have a retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface.
In some examples, the wear member may include a guide channel extending along a wall of the passage and the lock body may include a tab extending outward from a side of the lock body. The tab may be configured to travel within the guide channel as the lock body is inserted into the passage from the top surface of the upper leg of the wear member. The lock body may have a biased detent mechanism extending from a side of the lock body. The biased detent mechanism may include a rigid member secured to a flexible member. The flexible member may be disposed within a pocket formed into the lock body and the rigid member may extend outward away from the pocket. The wear member may include an installation channel formed within a wall of the passage. The installation channel may taper inward toward the passage in a direction extending from the top surface of the upper leg to the support structure recess. The biased detent mechanism may be configured to travel along a surface of the installation channel as the lock assembly is installed through the passage. The wear member may include an indentation disposed adjacent to a bottom end of the installation channel. The indentation may be formed deeper into the wall of the passage than the bottom end of the installation channel. The biased detent mechanism may be configured to snap into the indentation when the lock body is installed.
In some examples, the lock body and passage may be sized and shaped such that the lock body is installable into the passage in only one orientation about a vertical axis. A central region of the upper leg may have an increased vertical profile relative to portions of the upper leg on each lateral side of the central region.
In some examples, the lock body includes a front surface, a bottom surface, and a rear surface. The front surface may be tapered outward from the bottom surface to the top surface of the lock body. The front surface of the lock body may be angled at approximately 1-10° with respect to a vertical plane, for example, at approximately 2-4°. The lock body may include a second lateral side surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the first lateral side surface, and a bottom surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface. The bottom surface may be planar. The first lateral side surface of the lock body may be wider than the second lateral side surface. A first sidewall of the passage may have a width corresponding to the first lateral side surface of the lock body and a second sidewall of the passage may have a width corresponding to the second lateral side surface of the lock body. The width of the second sidewall of the passage may be less than the width of the first lateral side surface of the lock body.
In some examples, the lock body includes a toe extending laterally outward from the second lateral side surface. The lock body may include a front surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface, and a rear surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the front surface. At least a portion of the front surface of the lock body and at least a portion of the rear surface of the lock body may be angled outward away from one another from the bottom surface of the lock body to the top surface of the lock body.
In some examples, the support structure recess may extend between two opposing channels extending forward from the rear surface of the upper leg and may be configured to receive opposing wings of a fixation base. The wear member may be a shroud and may include a lower leg extending rearward away from the leading edge. The shroud may include a transverse channel formed between the upper leg and the lower leg. The transverse channel may be configured to receive a bucket lip. The shroud may include at least one engagement region extending rearward in the transverse channel. The at least one engagement region may be configured to engage a front surface of the bucket lip. In some examples, a portion of the lower leg adjacent to a bottom surface of the lip, spaced from or in contact with bottom surface of the lip, may be angled at approximately 10-20° with respect to a portion of the upper leg configured to engage an upper surface of the lip, for example, at approximately 15°. In some examples, the portion of the lower leg adjacent to a bottom surface of the lip may be parallel to the portion of the upper leg configured to engage the upper surface of the lip. It is contemplated that the portion of the lower leg adjacent to a bottom surface of the lip may be angled at approximately 1-35° with respect to the portion of the upper leg configured to engage the upper surface of the lip.
In some examples, when the lock body is seated within the passage of the wear member, the top surface of the lock body may be positioned in the passage and a bottom surface of the lock body may be substantially flush with a bottom surface of the upper leg of the wear member.
Consistent with some examples, a wear member for excavating equipment may include a leading edge, an upper leg extending rearward away from the leading edge, a passage extending through the upper leg from a top surface of the wear member, and a fixation base recess formed into a lower side of the upper leg and extending through a rear surface of the upper leg. The fixation base recess may extend laterally between two opposing channels that extend forward from the rear surface of the upper leg. Each of the two channels may have a lower surface. The lower surface of each of the two channels may be angled downward toward each other. The fixation base recess may be configured to receive a fixation base secured to a lip of excavating equipment with wings of the fixation base received in the two channels. A portion of a bottom surface of the upper leg below each of the two channels may form a planar contact surface configured to engage the lip. In some examples, the portions of the bottom surface of the upper leg forming a planar contact surface may extend along a majority of the length of the upper leg.
In some examples, each of the two channels may have an upper surface. The upper surface of each of the two channels may be angled downward toward each other. The lower surface of each of the two channels may be angled downward at approximately 10-30° with respect to a bottom surface of the upper leg, for example, at approximately 18-22°. The two channels may be longitudinally angled inward toward one another from the rear surface toward the leading edge. Each of the two channels may extend forward beyond a front wall of the passage.
In some examples, the wear member may include a pry surface extending between the rear surface of the upper leg and a ceiling of the fixation base recess. At least one pry surface may extend between the top surface of the wear member and an interior wall of the passage.
In some examples, the passage is generally shaped as a trapezoid with rounded corners. A guide channel may extend along a wall of the passage. The guide channel may extend upward through the top surface and terminate at a lower end within the passage. An installation channel may be formed along a front wall of the passage. The installation channel may taper inward toward a rear wall of the passage in a direction extending from the top surface of the upper leg to the fixation base recess. An indentation may be disposed adjacent to a bottom end of the installation channel. The indentation may be formed deeper into the front wall of the passage than the bottom end of the installation channel.
In some examples, at least a portion of a front wall of the passage may be angled with respect to a rear wall of the passage, forming a narrower opening at a bottom of the passage than at a top of the passage. The portion of the front wall may be angled at approximately 1-20° with respect to the rear wall, for example, at approximately 2-16°. The portion of the front wall may be angled at approximately 6° with respect to the rear wall.
In some examples, the portion of the upper leg configured to contact the lip may be angled at approximately 10-20° with respect to a portion of a lower leg of the wear member configured to lie adjacent the lip. In some examples, the portion of the upper leg may be parallel to the portion of the lower leg. At least one engagement region may be formed in a transverse channel between the upper leg and the lower leg. The at least one engagement region may be configured to engage a front surface of the lip. The portion of the lower leg may be configured to engage a bottom surface of the lip or lie adjacent thereto. The portion of the upper leg may be configured to contact an upper surface of the lip. The engagement region may extend between the portion of the lower leg and the portion of the upper leg.
A central region of the upper leg may have an increased vertical profile relative to portions of the upper leg on each lateral side of the central region. A raised region may be formed in the top surface of the upper leg in the central region. The passage may extend through the raised region.
Consistent with some examples, a fixation base may include a bottom surface, a top surface, a central opening extending through the top surface, and opposing first and second wings. The central opening may be bounded at a front side by a lock wall configured to engage a portion of a lock. Each of the first and second wings may extend upward and laterally outward away from the central opening. The first and second wings may have a lower surface angled downward toward the central opening.
In some examples, a rear opening may extend through the top surface and the bottom surface in an extension extending from a rear side of the fixation base. The rear opening may be separated from the central opening by a lateral wall. A rear wall of the extension may include a pry surface extending between a top surface of the rear wall and a front surface of the rear wall. The lateral wall may include a pry surface extending between a top surface of the lateral wall and a front surface of the lateral wall.
In some examples, the first and second wings may be angled apart from a front side of the fixation base toward a rear side of the fixation base at approximately 1-10°, for example, at approximately 2-8°. The lower surface of each of the first and second wings may be angled at approximately 10-30° with respect to the bottom surface of the fixation base, for example, at approximately 18-22°.
In some examples, the fixation base may include opposing first and second sidewalls. Each of the first and second sidewalls may support a respective one of the first or second wings. Each of the first and second sidewalls may form a lock recess opening into the central opening. The lock recess may form an overhang extending laterally inward.
In some examples, the lock wall may be angled with respect to a front surface of the fixation base such that a thickness of the lock wall adjacent to the first wing is less than a thickness of the lock wall adjacent to the second wing. An inner surface of the lock wall facing the central opening may be substantially planar. The inner surface of the lock wall may be angled outward with respect to the bottom surface of the fixation base from the bottom surface toward the top surface.
Consistent with some examples, a wear member assembly may include a fixation base, a wear member, and a lock assembly. The fixation base may be disposed on a lip and positioned behind a leading edge of the lip. The fixation base may include a bottom surface, a top surface, a central opening extending through the top surface, and opposing first and second wings extending upward and laterally outward away from the central opening. The central opening may be bounded at a front side by a lock wall and laterally by opposing first and second sidewalls. Each of the first and second sidewalls may include a lock recess. The wear member may include an upper leg, a passage, and a fixation base recess. The upper leg may extend rearward away from a leading edge of the wear member to a rear surface. The leading edge may be configured to engage ground. The passage may extend through the upper leg from a top surface of the upper leg. The fixation base recess may be formed into a lower side of the upper leg and may extend rearward through the rear surface of the upper leg. The fixation base recess may be configured to receive a fixation base when the wear member is secured to excavating equipment. The passage may extend into the fixation base recess. The lock assembly may include a lock body and a pin. The lock body may include a top surface, a first lateral side surface, and a bore extending linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and the first lateral side surface. The pin may be configured for receipt in the bore of the lock body. The pin may have a head, a tip, and a shaft extending between the head and the tip. The pin may have a retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface.
In some examples, the lock assembly may be positionable through the top surface of the upper leg of the wear member such that a lower portion of the lock body is disposed in the central opening of the fixation base and an upper portion of the lock body is disposed in the passage of the wear member. When the pin of the lock assembly is in the seated configuration, the lock assembly may be secured in the fixation base with the tip of the pin disposed in the lock recess of the first sidewall and a portion of the lock body opposite the first lateral side surface disposed in the recess of the second sidewall.
Consistent with some examples, a wear member assembly may include a wear member having an upper leg extending rearward away from a leading edge of the wear member to a rear surface. A passage may extend through the upper leg from a top surface. A lock assembly may include a lock body shaped to fit within the passage. The lock assembly may include a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, with a portion of the top side having a width greater than a portion of the bottom side. The lock assembly may also include a front side and an opposing rear side extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, with the front side being angled relative to the rear side from a first lateral side of the lock body to a second lateral side of the lock body. A pin may be received in a bore of the lock body. The pin may be extendable from the lock body to prevent the lock body from being removed from the passage.
In some examples, the pin may include a head, a tip, and a shaft extending between the head and the tip. The pin may have retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore of the lock body and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface. In some examples, the bore may extend linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and a first lateral side surface.
Consistent with some examples, a wear member for excavating equipment may include a leading edge, an upper leg extending rearward away from the leading edge, and a passage extending through the upper leg from a top surface of the upper leg. The passage may have a front wall and an opposing rear wall, the front wall being angled away from the rear wall from one lateral side of the passage to an opposing lateral side of the passage. The passage may be shaped to receive a portion of a lock assembly.
In some examples, the front wall may comprise a guide channel formed therein to receive a portion of a lock assembly. The passage may comprise an indentation shaped to interface with a portion of a lock assembly, the indentation being disposed at a lower portion of the passage adjacent an inner surface of the leg. The wear member may include a fixation base recess formed into a lower side of the upper leg and extending through a rear surface of the upper leg. The fixation base recess may extend laterally between two opposing channels that extend forward from the rear surface of the upper leg. Each of the two channels may have a lower surface, with the lower surface of each of the two channels being angled downward toward each other. The fixation base recess may be configured to receive a fixation base secured to a lip of excavating equipment with wings of the fixation base received in the two channels.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following drawings and detailed description are exemplary and explanatory in nature and are intended to provide an understanding of the present disclosure without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In that regard, additional aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the drawings.
The accompanying drawings illustrate implementations of the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
These Figures will be better understood by reference to the following Detailed Description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONFor the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the implementations illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe them. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is intended. Any alterations and further modifications to the described devices, instruments, methods, and any further application of the principles of the present disclosure are fully contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. In addition, this disclosure describes some elements or features in detail with respect to one or more implementations or Figures, when those same elements or features appear in subsequent Figures, without such a high level of detail. It is fully contemplated that the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to one or more implementations or Figures may be combined with the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to other implementations or Figures of the present disclosure. For simplicity, in some instances the same or similar reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Orientation terms herein may refer to directions corresponding to an installed excavating assembly, generally based on a surface of a bucket lip. Terms such as “up,” “top,” and “above” may refer to a direction extending generally away from a surface of the bucket lip and terms such as “down,” “bottom,” “below,” or “under” may refer to a direction extending generally toward the bucket lip. The term “lateral” may refer to a direction extending along an axis generally parallel to a front edge of a lip of the excavating assembly or toward the sides of the lip. The term “front” may refer to a direction generally facing the front edge of the lip while the term “rear” may refer to a direction generally facing away from the front edge or into a bucket on which the lip is positioned.
The present disclosure is directed to an excavating assembly that may include a fastening system that secures a wear member component within the excavating assembly. More particularly, this disclosure is directed to a lip shroud assembly that may include a shroud secured to a fixation base using a releasable fastening system having a lock assembly that includes a lock body, a pin positionable within the lock body, and detent mechanisms for securing the lock body in the lip shroud assembly and the pin in the lock body. The lock body may be positionable within a portion of the shroud and a portion of the fixation base and secured thereto with snap-in detent mechanism. The pin may be advanced into the lock body and secured therein by threads and a snap-in detent mechanism which may provide haptic feedback to a user and/or prevent inadvertent loosening or removal of the pin. When so positioned, a portion of the pin may extend into the fixation base or other excavating structure such that the pin interferes with removal of the lock body from the fixation base and shroud and the lock body interferes with removal of the shroud from the fixation base. It should be appreciated that although described in the context of a wear member comprising a shroud and a support structure comprising a fixation base, the present disclosure may also be applicable for securing other wear members to support structures, for example, a tooth to an adapter, an intermediate adapter to an adapter, or a wear runner to an excavating structure.
Since the lock assembly employs mechanical interference to prevent inadvertent rotation of the pin, the lock assembly may be able to withstand vibration, high-impact, and cyclic loading while minimizing the chance of becoming inadvertently unlocked. In addition, some embodiments of the lock assembly may be arranged to emit an audible noise such as a click when various components achieve a locked or secured condition. Because of this, users such as machinery operators may have an easier time installing new shrouds and replacing old shrouds as compared to conventional fastening mechanisms.
A central region 130 of the ceiling 133 of the fixation base recess 121 extends downward toward the channel 114 in a similar manner to the raised region of the top surface on the opposite side of the upper leg 120. The region has a vertical profile which is increased with respect to regions of the shroud outside the central region. Within the central region 130 are a pair of channels, a guide channel 135a and an installation channel 135b. An indentation 136 is formed below the installation channel 135b and separated therefrom by a ridge having an angled surface on either side.
Within the channel 114 are two ribs 132 extending along a top side of the lower leg 122. The ribs 132 have a substantially planar top surface which may be configured to engage a bottom surface of a bucket lip or to be adjacent to and spaced from the bottom surface of the bucket lip when the shroud 104 is installed. Each rib extends upward on a front wall of the channel and form engagement regions 131 where the shroud 104 contacts and bears against a front surface of a bucket lip during use. One or more portions of the lower leg 122 adjacent a bottom surface of the bucket lip, for example a top surface of each rib 132, may be parallel to or may be angled with respect to one or more portions of the upper leg 120 configured to contact a top surface of the bucket lip, for example a planar region disposed below a respective one of the two channels 128. In the illustrated example, the top surface of the ribs 132 is angled at approximately 15° with respect to the bottom surface of the upper leg 120. It should be appreciated that in some examples, one or more of the engagement regions 131 and/or the ribs 132 may be omitted.
The passage 110 has an asymmetric shape in both a lateral direction (side to side in
Front side 158 and rear side 159 may be parallel or may be angled away from one another as they extend from the bottom surface 155 to the top surface 154. In the illustrated example, the front side 158 and the rear side 159 are angled outward from the bottom surface 155 at approximately 3° with respect to a vertical plane (e.g., perpendicular to the bottom surface). In some examples, the front side 158 and rear side 159 may be angled outward at different angles that one another and may be angled with respect to a vertical plane at approximately 1-15°. One or both of the front and rear sides may be vertical (e.g., perpendicular to the bottom surface 155). Lateral side 160 is wider than lateral side 161, with the front side 158 angled rearward from lateral side 160 to lateral side 161. At least a portion of the front side 158 may be curved or warped to urged to lock body 152 in a direction of lateral side 160 during loading of the excavation system. In some examples, lateral sides 160 and 161 may have the same width.
As shown in
A recess 151 is formed into the lock body 152 from the top surface 154. A bore 156 extends linearly through the lock body 152 from a planar wall forming a portion of the recess 151 to the lateral side 160. At least a portion of the bore is threaded with threads 166. A detent recess 145 is formed into lock body 152 within the planar wall and a curved wall forming the recess 151. The detent recess 145 also extends from an upper portion of the bore 156. A pin detent 164 as shown in
An installation detent 162 as shown in
As shown in the top vide of
The central opening 196 is enclosed laterally by sidewall 212 and sidewall 214. A front side of the central opening 196 is defined by a lock wall 206, at least a portion of which is shaped, sized, and oriented in a manner corresponding to the shape, size, and orientation of the front side 158 of the lock body 152. The sidewalls 212 and 214 are angled outward away from one another. A recess 213 (“or lock recess”) is formed into each sidewall 212 and 214, each recess having an overhang 220 with a surface facing generally downward and toward the center of the fixation base. These downward facing surfaces may be angled at approximately 35-60° (preferably about 37°) with respect to a horizontal plane (e.g., the bottom surface 197 of the fixation base). The lock wall 206 is angled in manner similar to (equal or within 3°) the front side 158 of the lock body 152, in one or both of a lateral or vertical direction.
A pry surface 208 is formed on the lateral wall 200 and a pry surface 210 is formed on a rear portion of the extension 205. The pry surfaces 208 and 210 are angled with respect to a top surface of the lateral wall 200 and extension 205 to facilitate access into the central opening 196 and rear opening 198 with a pry bar or other tool during removal of the shroud 104 and may provide a fulcrum for prying the shroud forward.
An outer surface 219 of each of the sidewalls 212 and 214 may be angled laterally outward and upward from the bottom surface 197 at approximately 45°, although it should be appreciated that surfaces 219 may be vertical or may be angled at any suitable angle with respect to the bottom surface. An inner surface of each sidewall 212 and 214 extending outward from the central opening 196 may parallel to the outer surface 219. The outer surface 219 and inner surface of each sidewall extends to a wing 218 formed on each lateral side of the fixation base 108. The wings 218 extend laterally outward and upward away from the central opening 196. The wings 218 are sized and shaped to be received in the channels 128 of the shroud 104 and to engage one or more surfaces forming the channels 128. Longitudinally (e.g., from top to bottom of
In the seated configuration of the lock assembly 106 as shown in
With the lock body fully seated, the pin 180 may be rotated to further advance the tip 190 of the pin 180 through the lateral side 160. The prong 170 of the pin detent 164 may ride along the channel formed between adjacent threads 186 with the flexible member 168 compressed and deformed, thereby biasing the prong 170 radially toward the pin 180. Upon reaching the locked (or “extended” or “seated”) configuration of the pin 180 in the lock body 152 as illustrated in
While the rear or the extension 205 of the fixation base 108 may be vertical or substantially vertical, the front surface along the front side 201 of the fixation base 108 is angled with respect to the bottom surface 197 at an angle of approximately 20-50°.
The central ridge 247a may be shaped and sized for receipt in the first central channel 147a of the shroud 104′ and the central ridge 247b may be shape and sized for receipt in the second central channel 147b of the shroud 104′. In this regard, in some examples, the central channels 147a, 147b may have the same depth and, in some examples, the first central channel 247a may have a greater depth into the ceiling 133′ than the second central channel 247b.
The additional height of the lock wall 206′ provided by the central ridge 247b, as compared to the height of the lock wall 206 of fixation base 108, may resist tilting of the lock body 152′ in response to forces tending to pull the shroud 104′ forward, such as dragging of the bucket lip rearward. The additional height may also improve distribution of loads over a greater surface area.
It should be appreciated that features of the shroud 104′, the fixation base 108′, and the lock assembly 106′ that are not described as being different than corresponding features of shroud 104, fixation base 108, and lock assembly 106, respectively, are substantially the same.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the implementations encompassed by the present disclosure are not limited to the particular exemplary implementations described above. In that regard, although illustrative implementations have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change, combination, and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure. It is understood that such variations may be made to the foregoing without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A lock assembly for securing a wear member to a support structure, comprising:
- a lock body comprising: a top surface; a first lateral side surface; and a bore extending linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and the first lateral side surface; and
- a pin configured to be received in the bore of the lock body, the pin comprising: a head; a tip; and a shaft extending between the head and the tip, the pin having a retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface.
2. The lock assembly of claim 1, wherein the pin is configured to transition between the retracted and seated configurations by rotation about the axis.
3. The lock assembly of claim 2, wherein the bore of the lock body comprises a first set of threads and the shaft of the pin comprises a second set of threads corresponding to the first set of threads.
4. The lock assembly of claim 3, wherein the lock body further comprises a pin detent mechanism, a portion of the pin detent mechanism extending into the bore, the pin further comprising a first indentation disposed along an upper portion of the second set of threads, the first indentation being configured to receive the portion of the pin detent mechanism when the pin is in the seated configuration.
5. The lock assembly of claim 4, wherein the pin detent mechanism comprises a flexible member and a rigid member secured to the flexible member, the portion of the pin detent mechanism extending into the bore comprising a portion of the rigid member.
6. The lock assembly of claim 5, wherein the pin further comprises a second indentation disposed along a lower portion of the second set of threads, the second indentation being configured to receive the portion of the pin detent mechanism when the pin is in the retracted configuration, wherein engagement of the portion of the pin detent mechanism with the second indentation retains the tip of the pin in the bore and resists rotation of the pin.
7. The lock assembly of claim 5, wherein a first recess is formed into the top surface of the lock body and the bore opens into the first recess.
8. The lock assembly of claim 7, wherein a second recess is formed into the lock body and extends between the bore and the first recess, the second recess configured to receive the flexible member of the pin detent mechanism.
9. (canceled)
10. The lock assembly of claim 1, wherein the lock body further comprises:
- a second lateral side surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the first lateral side surface; and
- a bottom surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface.
11. (canceled)
12. The lock assembly of claim 10, wherein the first lateral side surface of the lock body is wider than the second lateral side surface.
13. The lock assembly of claim 10, wherein the lock body further comprises a toe extending laterally outward from the second lateral side surface, the toe having an upper surface facing upward and away from the second lateral side surface and a lower surface facing downward and away from the second lateral side surface.
14-20. (canceled)
21. A wear member assembly, comprising:
- a wear member comprising: an upper leg extending rearward away from a leading edge of the wear member, the leading edge configured to engage ground, to a rear surface; a laterally oriented passage extending through the upper leg from a top surface of the upper leg; and a support structure recess formed into a lower side of the upper leg and extending rearward through the rear surface of the upper leg, the support structure recess configured to receive a support structure when the wear member is secured to excavating equipment, the passage extending into the support structure recess; and
- a lock assembly comprising: a lock body comprising: a top surface; a first lateral side surface; and a bore extending linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and the first lateral side surface; and a pin configured to be received in the bore of the lock body, the pin comprising: a head; a tip; and a shaft extending between the head and the tip, the pin having a retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface.
22. (canceled)
23. The wear member assembly of claim 21, wherein the lock body further comprises a biased detent mechanism extending from a side of the lock body, the biased detent mechanism comprising a rigid member secured to a flexible member, the flexible member being disposed within a pocket formed into the lock body and the rigid member extending outward away from the pocket.
24-26. (canceled)
27. The wear member assembly of claim 21, wherein the lock body and passage are sized and shaped such that the lock body is installable into the passage in only one orientation about a vertical axis.
28. (canceled)
29. The wear member assembly of claim 21, wherein the lock body further comprises:
- a front surface;
- a bottom surface; and
- a rear surface, the front surface being tapered outward from the bottom surface to the top surface of the lock body.
30. The wear member assembly of claim 29, wherein the front surface of the lock body is angled at approximately 1-10° with respect to a vertical plane.
31. The wear member assembly of claim 21, wherein the lock body further comprises:
- a second lateral side surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the first lateral side surface; and
- a bottom surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface.
32. The wear member assembly of claim 31, wherein the bottom surface is planar.
33. The wear member assembly of claim 31, wherein the first lateral side surface of the lock body is wider than the second lateral side surface, a first sidewall of the passage has a width corresponding to the first lateral side surface of the lock body and a second sidewall of the passage has a width corresponding to the second lateral side surface of the lock body, the width of the second sidewall of the passage being less than the width of the first lateral side surface of the lock body.
34. The wear member assembly of claim 31, wherein the lock body further comprises a toe extending laterally outward from the second lateral side surface.
35. The wear member assembly of claim 31, wherein the lock body further comprises:
- a front surface extending between the first lateral side surface and the second lateral side surface; and
- a rear surface disposed on a side of the lock body opposite the front surface.
36. The wear member assembly of claim 35, wherein at least a portion of the front surface of the lock body and at least a portion of the rear surface of the lock body are angled outward away from one another from the bottom surface of the lock body to the top surface of the lock body.
37-39. (canceled)
40. The wear member assembly of claim 21, wherein when the lock body is seated within the passage of the wear member, the top surface of the lock body is positioned in the passage and a bottom surface of the lock body is substantially flush with a bottom surface of the upper leg of the wear member.
41-75. (canceled)
76. A wear member assembly comprising:
- a fixation base disposed on a lip and positioned behind a leading edge of the lip, the fixation base comprising: a bottom surface; a top surface; a central opening extending through the top surface, wherein the central opening is bounded at a front side by a lock wall and laterally by opposing first and second sidewalls, each of the first and second sidewalls including a lock recess; and opposing first and second wings extending upward and laterally outward away from the central opening;
- a wear member comprising: an upper leg extending rearward away from a leading edge of the wear member, the leading edge configured to engage ground, to a rear surface; a passage extending through the upper leg from a top surface of the upper leg; and a fixation base recess formed into a lower side of the upper leg and extending rearward through the rear surface of the upper leg, the fixation base recess configured to receive a fixation base when the wear member is secured to excavating equipment, the passage extending into the fixation base recess; and
- a lock assembly comprising: a lock body comprising: a top surface; a first lateral side surface; and a bore extending linearly along an axis that intersects the top surface and the first lateral side surface; and a pin configured to be received in the bore of the lock body, the pin comprising: a head; a tip; and a shaft extending between the head and the tip, the pin having a retracted configuration in which the tip is retained within the bore and a seated configuration in which the shaft extends laterally outward from the bore beyond the first lateral side surface;
- wherein the lock assembly is positionable through the top surface of the upper leg of the wear member such that a lower portion of the lock body is disposed in the central opening of the fixation base and an upper portion of the lock body is disposed in the passage of the wear member, and wherein when the pin of the lock assembly is in the seated configuration, the lock assembly is secured in the fixation base with the tip of the pin disposed in the lock recess of the first sidewall and a portion of the lock body opposite the first lateral side surface disposed in the recess of the second sidewall.
77-83. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 27, 2023
Publication Date: Oct 12, 2023
Inventors: Yusuke Kiyama (Ibaraki-ken), Mohamad Youssef Bilal (Little Elm, TX), Venkata Prakash Vegunta (Flower Mound, TX)
Application Number: 18/190,576