AU2011203147A1 - Improved Wear Components - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a wear plate 20 for assembly to a base 50 which is adapted to be mounted to an implement, the wear plate 20 having an upper body portion and two side portions 22,23 extending downwardly therefrom, the side portions 22,23 having from their inwardly facing surfaces at least one inwardly projecting flange formation 36,37,38,39. The present invention also provides a base member 50 for receiving a wear plate 20, the base member having a body for attachment to an implement to be covered by a wear assembly, the body having on two opposed sides, at least one flange formation 46,47,48,49 extending away from the body. The present invention further provides a wear component assembly have having a wear plate as previously described, and a base member as previously described, characterised that the wear plate 20 will assemble into the base 50 in one direction and the shape formations 46,47,48,49 on the base 50 and the plate 20 will ensure that, once the wear plate 20 has been moved to the limit of its travel with respect to the base 50, then the wear plate 20 will overly or cover the base 50. The present invention also provides an assembly of wear components 20,50 wherein a line of bases 50 are secured to an implement to be protected so that once secured a respective number of wear plates 20 can be assembled in sequence from one end to another along the line of the bases so that each new wear plate 20 will prevent the preceding wear plate 20 from moving to a disassembly position with the final wear plate 20 in the line being prevented from moving in a disassembly direction by means of an abutment member 71,100,300 placed at the end of the assembled line to the implement or to the last base 50 in that line. The present invention further provides a method of assembling wear components 20,50 wherein a line of bases 50 are secured to an implement to be protected so that once secured a respective number of wear plates 20 can be assembled in sequence from one end to another along the line of the bases 50 so that each wear plate 20 will prevent the preceding wear plate 20 from moving in a disassembly direction with the final wear plate 20 in the line being prevented from moving in a disassembly direction by means of an abutment member 71,100,300 placed at the end of the assembled line to the implement or to the last base 50 in that line. The present invention also provides an abutment wear assembly 100,300 including a wear member 100 to be mounted to an implement or apparatus to be protected, a base member 300 to be attached to the implement or apparatus, a lock member 121 to lock the wear member 100 to the base member 300, the wear member 100 including or receiving the lock member 121 and the base 300 including at least one aperture 34 in which is located a releasable retaining means 140 to releasably hold a portion of the lock member 121. The present invention further provides a base 300 for an abutment wear assembly for use with an implement or apparatus, the base 300 including at least one formation 33 to cooperate with a wear member 100 which is to be secured to the implement or apparatus, the base 300 being adapted to be secured to the implement and characterised in that the base 300 includes an aperture 33 to receive a spigot or shaft of a lock member 121, the base 300 including a retaining means passage 34 which will allow a retaining means 140 to be positioned in the passage 34, in alignment with the aperture 33, and which will engage the spigot or shaft 121. The implement or apparatus can be one of: an excavation bucket; a grader blade; a chute; an excavation bucket edge; an excavation bucket surface; dump or haul truck load carrier; a mill; an earth, ore or mineral handling apparatus. 21 46.1 46 44 22 3838.1 4 36 36.1 4b 5 39.1 41FIG 3

Description

1 Improved Wear Components Field of the invention [001] The present invention relates to wear components including bases for attachment to surfaces to be protected and wear plates for attachment to these bases. Background of the invention [002] There exist many systems for the securing of bases and wear plates to surfaces of implements of mining and excavating equipment. One such example is described in Australian granted patent 634344. These systems tends to be relatively complex and are predicated on providing a base welded to the implement which in the main will not wear out whilst attached to the base is a wear plate which is adapted to wear away and once worn away or worn to a sufficient degree it is replaced without the need to replace the base member. [003] Another such system is described in Australian granted patent 678964 and is of a similar nature having base welded to the implement and wear plates to join to them. However, this includes separate locking systems and key systems to hold the wear plate and the base member together. [004] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application. Summary of the invention [005] The present invention provides a wear plate for assembly to a base which is adapted to be mounted to an implement, the wear plate having an upper body portion and two side portions extending downwardly therefrom, the side portions having from their inwardly facing surfaces at least one inwardly projecting flange formation. [006] The flange formation can be an L-shaped formation. [007] The sides can each have two inwardly projecting flange formations. [008] The flange formations are aligned on opposite sides of the wear plate. [009] The flange formations, sides and body portion can be integrally formed.

2 [010] The upper surface of the wear plate has a ridge portion at its longitudinal centre which is deeper than the edges at the longitudinal sides of the wear plate. [011] On an under surface of the body and running parallel to the sides, is at least one rib formation running the longitudinal length of the wear plate, and preferably there are two longitudinal ribs. [012] The present invention also provides a base member for receiving a wear plate, the base member having a body for attachment to an implement to be covered by a wear assembly, the body having on two opposed sides, at least one flange formation extending away from the body. [013] The flange formation can be an L-shaped formation. [014] There can be two flange formations extending from each side. [015] The flange formations are aligned on the opposed sides of the base. [016] The body can include at least one through aperture for securing the base to the implement. [017] The flange formation can be an L-shape formation and forms at one end a cavity between one of the legs of the L formation and the implement. [018] There can be three apertures so as to decrease the weight of the base member while maintaining the structural integrity of the base. [019] The present invention further provides a wear component assembly have having a wear plate as described above, and a base member as described above, characterised that the wear plate will assemble into the base in one direction and the L-shape formations on the base and the plate will ensure that, once the wear plate has been moved to the limit of its travel with respect to the base, then the wear plate will overly or cover the base. [020] An abutment member adjacent an end of the wear assembly, and secured to the implement or the base, can be used to prevent the wear plate from moving in a disassembly direction relative to the base. [021] An adjacent wear assembly can acts as an abutment member for another wear assembly to prevent the first mentioned wear plate from moving in a disassembly direction relative to its respective base.

3 [022] The present invention also provides an assembly of wear components wherein a line of bases are secured to an implement to be protected so that once secured a respective number of wear plates can be assembled in sequence from one end to another along the line of the bases so that each new wear plate will prevent the preceding wear plate from moving to a disassembly position with the final wear plate in the line being prevented from moving in a disassembly direction by means of an abutment member placed at the end of the assembled line to the implement or to the last base in that line. [023] The present invention further provides a method of assembling wear components wherein a line of bases are secured to an implement to be protected so that once secured a respective number of wear plates can be assembled in sequence from one end to another along the line of the bases so that each wear plate will prevent the preceding wear plate from moving in a disassembly direction with the final wear plate in the line being prevented from moving in a disassembly direction by means of an abutment member placed at the end of the assembled line to the implement or to the last base in that line. [024] The present invention also provides an abutment wear assembly including a wear member to be mounted to an implement or apparatus to be protected, a base member to be attached to the implement or apparatus, a lock member to lock the wear member to the base member, the wear member including or receiving the lock member and the base including at least one aperture in which is located a releasable retaining means to releasably hold a portion of the lock member. [025] The portion of the lock can be a shaft, or a spigot or a shaped shaft or a shaped spigot. [026] The releasable retaining means can include a spring or spring clip which will engage a groove on the portion of the lock. [027] The wear member, in the vicinity of the aperture, can include engaging surfaces which will allow the lock to pivot into and out of a locked condition, in which locked condition the wear member is secured and locked to the base and thus the implement, preferably the engaging surfaces are of a curved profile. [028] One or both of the lock or the wear member can include a lever engagement formation which allows a user to utilise a lever to pivot the lock or the wear member from a locked to an unlocked condition.

4 [029] The spring clip of the base and the groove on the portion can provide sufficient force to prevent the lock member or the wear member from pivoting during use of the implement or apparatus. [030] The spring clip can be located in the base in a passage which opens through a surface of the base which is at approximately 90 degrees to the at least one aperture. [031] The spring clip will only release the portion and the groove of the lock when a force in a direction opposite to a lock engagement direction is applied to the lock member or the wear member relative to the base. [032] The lock portion can include at least one tapered engagement surface which will expand the spring clip as the lock portion moves into the at least one aperture. [033] The spring clip can be prevented from exiting the passage once the wear member is arranged on the base member. [034] The present invention further provides a base for an abutment wear assembly for use with an implement or apparatus, the base including at least one formation to cooperate with a wear member which is to be secured to the implement or apparatus, the base being adapted to be secured to the implement and characterised in that the base includes an aperture to receive a spigot or shaft of a lock member, the base including a retaining means passage which will allow a retaining means to be positioned in the passage, in alignment with the aperture, and which will engage the spigot or shaft. [035] The retaining means passage can have a longitudinal axis at 90* to the axis of the aperture. [036] The retaining means passage can opens to one of: a rear side of the base, a front side of the base; a lateral side of the base. [037] The aperture can be a blind aperture or a through aperture. [038] The passage can be a blind passage or a through passage. [039] The retaining means passage can receive a spring or spring clip, such as a split toroidal spring. [040] Engagement of the wear member with the base, can prevent the retaining means from exiting the retaining means passage.

5 [041] The wear member can be a tile shroud. [042] The base member or the base can be a base for a tile shroud. [043] The implement or apparatus can be one of: an excavation bucket; a grader blade; a chute; an excavation bucket edge; an excavation bucket surface; dump or haul truck load carrier; a mill; an earth, ore or mineral handling apparatus. Brief description of the drawings [044] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [045] Figure 1 illustrates a wear assembly comprising an assembled wear plate and base; [046] Figure 2 illustrates part sectional underneath perspective of the assembly of Figure 1 in a partially unassembled condition; [047] Figure 3 illustrates the assembly of Figure 1 in an underneath perspective exploded view; [048] Figure 4 illustrates an underneath perspective view of the assembly of Figure 1; [049] Figure 5 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the wear plate and base overlying each other; [050] Figure 6 is a similar view similar to Figure 5 with the wear plate lowered into the base; [051] Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 6 with the wear plate having been moved in an assembly direction into interlocking engagement with the base; [052] Figure 8 is an upper perspective view of the base member; [053] Figure 9 illustrates a side view of the wear plate; [054] Figure 10 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly of a multiple of wear plates and bases; [055] Figure 11 illustrates an underneath perspective of the assembly of Figure 10; 6 [056] Figure 12 illustrates a perspective view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified arrangement; and [057] Figure 13 illustrates a perspective view similar to Figure 2, showing a further modified arrangement, but has a portion cut away for ease of illustration. [058] Figure 14 illustrates a perspective view of a tile shroud and base having a locking system which can be used as an end tile and or abutment means; [059] Figure 15 illustrates the tile shroud base and locking system of figure 14 in cross section as these components are being locked together; [060] Figure 16 illustrates an upper perspective view of the figure 15 components; [061] Figure 17 illustrates a cross section through the components of figure 14 when they have been locked together; and [062] Figure 18 illustrates an underneath perspective view of the components of figure 17. Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments [063] Illustrated in Figure 1, is a wear plate assembly 10 which includes a wear plate 20 and base 40. As best seen from Figure 3, the base 40 has a generally elongate skeletal body which apertures 41 and 42 which are bevelled and a generally perpendicular aperture 43 in the middle and is preferably manufactured by casting steel or SG Iron. Apertures 41 and 42 provide at their lower most edges a location for the welding of the base 40 to an implement (not illustrated), such as an excavation bucket of a mining or excavation equipment. The aperture 43 is provided mainly for reducing the weight of the base 40 without reducing its structural integrity. [064] Extending from the sides 44 and 45 are L-shape formations 46 and 47 which are on opposite sides and at location which are aligned with each other, as well as L-shape formations 48 and 49 which are also on opposed sides and aligned at the rear end 50 of the base 40. [065] Once a base 40 has been secured to an implement, the underneath surface 51 of the base 40 will be in contact with the surface to be protected. This will form a cavity under each of the legs 46.1, 48.1, 49.1 and 47.1 of the L-shape formations. [066] As illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3 and 9 the plate 20 has a central body portion 21 and longitudinal downwardly extending sides 22 and 23. As best seen in Figure 9 the central body 7 21 has a central raised portion 24 with inclined surfaces 25 and 26 which extend to the edges of the longitudinal sides 22 and 23. The raised formation 24 assists in the longevity of the wear plate by providing extra depth of material at a location of high frequency or rate of wear. [067] As can be seen from Figures 1, 3 and 9 the central body 21 and sides 22 and 23 form a generally upside down U-shaped formation or channel. On the under surface 27 of the central body there is include a downwardly projecting pair of ribs 28 and 29 which extend the length of the wear plate 20. The ribs 28 and 29 assist in decreasing the friction which would impede the sliding engagement of the wear plate 20 onto the base 40. [068] As best illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 9 the sides 22 and 23 have inwardly projecting L shaped formations 36 and 37 which are aligned and on opposite sides of the wear plate and extend in opposite directions. There is also a rearward pair of inwardly projecting L-shaped formations 38 and 39 which are also aligned and on opposite sides of the wear plate and extend in opposite directions. Each of the L-shape formations 36, 37, 38 and 39 have leg portions 36.1, 37.1, 38.1 and 39.1, which form with the underneath surface 27 of the wear plate 20, a pocket in which to receive the legs 46.1, 48.1, 49.1 and 47.1 of the L-shape formations on the bases 40. [069] In Figure 2 the side 22 has been cutaway so that the respective L-formations of the wear plate 20 and the base 40 can be clearly seen. In Figures 5, 6 and 7 (in that order) are side views of the wear plate 20 and base 40 of Figure 2 showing the movement and interaction between the components so as to achieve an interlocked or assembled condition, with disassembly being in the reverse direction namely from Figure 7 to Figure 5. [070] It will be noted in Figure 5 that in order to achieve sufficient clearance for the L-shape formations 36 and 37 an adjacent base 40A, as illustrated in Figure 5, has to be positioned so that a gap 40.9 exists between adjacent bases 40 and 40A. Once the termini of the portions 36.1 and 46.1, and 38.1 and 48.1 on one side, and 37.1 and 47.1 and 39.1 and 49.1 on the other side, are aligned the L-shape formations 36 and 38 can move past the leg portions 36.1 and 48.1 respectively. When they do this they will assume the condition as illustrated in Figure 6. By then pushing, in an assembly direction, namely in the direction of arrow 60, the wear plate 20 relative to the stationary base 40, they will be an assembled or interlocked condition as illustrated in Figure 7, where by forces applied to the wear plate 20 will be resisted if there is component of the force in the direction of arrows 60, 61 62 and 63 (see Figure 1). The forces in the direction of arrow 60 will be resisted due to the In which case the termini of formations 36.1 and 38.1 respectively abutting the surfaces 46.2 and 48.2 and will not be able to move any further in the direction of arrow 60.

8 [071] To resist forces which have a component in the direction of arrow 64 of Figure 1, an abutment member 70, as is described below can be used, or an adjacent like oriented assembly of a wear plate 20A and base 40A, as will be described below. [072] If a line of base members 40, 40A, 40B etc, as illustrated in Figure 11, are present then the end wear plate 20A will be held in its locked condition by the adjacent wear plate 20B which in turn will held in place by the next adjacent wear plate 20C. At the end of the line of assemblies the last wear plate 20C is locked into place by the positioning of an abutment member 71 which is secured by welding to the implement (or a base is welded and shroud attached such as illustrated figures 14 to 18 as described in more detail below). Abutment members 71 at the opposite end of the line are technically not required as the interaction of the terminuses 36.1, and shoulders 36.2 ensures that the wear member 20 cannot move towards the abutments 71. As such they are somewhat redundant however as the termini of respective legs of formations 36, 37, 38, 39 and 46, 47, 48 and 49 wear, then abutments 71 may provide an abutment role. [073] As can be best seen in Figure 10 a wear assembly can be made up of multiple rows and columns of wear plates 20 and bases 40. As can be seen in Figure 10 between adjacent rows an appropriate space, as described above in a line, is left to allow for expansion and contraction and further the gaps, once use begins on an implement, will be filled with fines and grit and dirt thus preventing relative movement between them. [074] Illustrated in Figure 12 and 13 are modified arrangements of the wear plates 20 and bases 40. [075] In figure 12, the base 40 has L-shaped formations 46, 47, 48 49 extending outwardly form its sides as described above, but the wear plate 20 has island flanges 36.15,37.15,38.15 and 39.15, that is just the terminal leg of the L-shaped formations of Figure 2. Whereas in Figure 13 the base 40 has the generally flat flanges 46.15, 48.15 (with the other two not being visible in this figure due to cut away, but being on opposite sides and aligned and oppositely extending) and the wear plate 20 has L-shaped formations 36, 37, 38 (with formation 39 not being visible) extending inwardly from the sides of the wear plate 20. [076] In the case of the wear assemblies of figures 12 and 13, the arrangements of flanges and L-shaped formations requires in less steel to be used than in the preceding embodiments. [077] As illustrated in figures 14 to 18 is a wear assembly which is a tile shroud arrangement which has a tile shroud 100 which releasably locks to a tile shroud base 300. The tile shroud 9 100 and the base 300 when connected and assembled can be an end abutment member to serve the same function as abutment member 71. [078] A tile shroud base 300 is welded to the surface to be protected, such as a bucket, a chute, a mill, a haul truck's payload tray or an earth, ore or mineral handling apparatus, by means of apertures 302 at either end of the base 300. The apertures 302 provide an edge for a fillet weld to be positioned where the rim of the apertures 302 meet the surface to which it is to be welded. [079] As the tile shroud can be assembled on a surface to be protected in any orientation, the base 300 does not have a front or rear end as such. At one end of the base is a longitudinal tongue or protrusion 301, which provides an overhang for the engagement of the tile shroud 100 as described later. At the opposite side to the location of the tongue 301 is an aperture 33 which passes through the upper and lower surfaces of the base 300. Passing through a side face of the base 300 is an aperture 34 which intersects with the aperture 33, so as to enable a split toroidal spring 140 to pass into register with the aperture 33, via the aperture 34. [080] As can be seen from figures 14 to 18 the shroud tile 100 has a main body portion or upper 103 which has a peripheral wall 101 at its outer edge, which will fully surround the base 300. Extending downwardly from an underside of the shroud tile 100 is a shaped spigot or shaped shaft 121, which has a tapered or bevelled end 121.1, which like the previously described embodiment, allows the spigot 121 to open the spring 140, which is split at 141, as it passes through the spring 140, so that the spring 140 will be able to enter the groove 122 located above the bevelled end 121.1. [081] Visible in figures 14 and 15, on the inside of the peripheral wall 101, at a location opposite to the location of spigot 121, is a longitudinal undercut or recess 102 having a curved shape in cross section and which is sized and shaped so as to pivotally engage the tongue 301 described above on the base 300. By both the recess 102 and the tongue 301 having a curved profile in cross section, this will allow ready rotation or pivoting when the tile shroud 100 is attached to the base 300, as is illustrated in figure 15 and 16, with the tongue 301 being engaged by the recess 102 providing a hinge or pivot means so that the two can be rotated together. Once this rotation or pivoting has resulted in the bevel 121.1 engaging the spring 140, by application of a large enough force, eg stamping with a foot or hitting with a hammer, the spigot 121 will push through the spring 140 thereby expanding it, and the spring 140 will enter the groove 122, where it will be held. This will lock the tile shroud 100 to the base 300, as the tile shroud 100 will not lift off the base 300, because the tongue 301 is captured within the recess 102, and spigot 121 is captured in aperture 33.

10 [082] If desired, as illustrated in figure 15, an undercut 101.1 can be provided on the outer side of the peripheral wall 101. The undercut 101.1 can be used to apply a force by leverage for example by a crow bar or the like, to the underside of the shroud tile 100, when it is desired to disassemble the tile shroud 100 from the base 300. [083] The embodiment of figures 14 to 18 has the spigot 121 is formed directly onto the wear member, in this case tile shroud 100. [084] It will be noted that the width W2 in figure 14 of the base 100 is such that it is less than the width W1 of the space between the undersides of the wear member 20 of figure 4. Thus when base 100 is aligned (that the longitudinal axis of the bases 100 and 40 are aligned) and spaced from the last base 40 (the spacing to accommodate the thickness of the peripheral wall 101 of the wear member 300) in the lines of bases of figures 10 and 11, then, the wear member 20 will be able to be moved into and out of engagement with its respective base 40, by sliding over the base 100, if the wear member 300 is absent. To assist in this ability for relative movement, the length L2 in Figure 14 is of a sufficient magnitude to receive the length LI of wear member 20, when the appropriate spacings are taken into account. [085] Alternatively if the longitudinal axis of the base 100 were to be at 90 degrees to the base 40, then the thickness of the peripheral walls 101, where the peripheral wall will be adjacent the end of the of the wear member 20, will need to be of sufficient thickness to accommodate the length of movement of the member 20 relative to the base 40, which will allow for disengagement of the two. This will be the same distance as the amount of movement that the projection 38 (and or 39) on wear member 20 will respectively have in between the projections 46 and 48 (and or between 47 and 49). [086] Where ever it is used, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its "open" sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its "closed" sense, that is the sense of "consisting only of". A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear. [087] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. [088] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and 11 examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (39)

1. A wear plate for assembly to a base which is adapted to be mounted to an implement, the wear plate having an upper body portion and two side portions extending downwardly therefrom, the side portions having from their inwardly facing surfaces at least one inwardly projecting flange formation.

2. A wear plate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flange formation is an L-shaped formation

3. A wear plate as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the sides each have two inwardly projecting flange formations.

4. A wear plate as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the flange formations are aligned on opposite sides of the wear plate.

5. A wear plate as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flange formations, sides and body portion are all integrally formed.

6. A wear plate as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper surface of the wear plate has a ridge portion at its longitudinal centre which is deeper than the edges at the longitudinal sides of the wear plate.

7. A wear plate as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein on an under surface of the body and running parallel to the sides, is at least one rib formation running the longitudinal length of the wear plate, and preferably there are two longitudinal ribs.

8. A base member for receiving a wear plate, the base member having a body for attachment to an implement to be covered by a wear assembly, the body having on two opposed sides, at least one flange formation extending away from the body.

9. A base member as claimed in claim 8 wherein the flange formation is an L-shaped formation.

10. A base member as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein there are two flange formations extending from each side.

11. A base member as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the flange formations are aligned on the opposed sides of the base.

12. A base member as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 11, wherein the body includes at least one through aperture for securing the base to the implement. 13

13. A base member as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 12, wherein the flange formation is an L-shape formation and forms at one end a cavity between one of the legs of the L formation and the implement.

14. A base plate as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein there are three apertures so as to decrease the weight of the base member while maintaining the structural integrity of the base.

15. A wear component assembly have having a wear plate as claimed in ay one of claims 1 to 7, and a base member as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14, characterised that the wear plate will assemble into the base in one direction and the L-shape formations on the base and the plate will ensure that, once the wear plate has been moved to the limit of its travel with respect to the base, then the wear plate will overly or cover the base.

16. A wear assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein an abutment member adjacent an end of the wear assembly, and secured to the implement or the base, will prevent the wear plate from moving in a disassembly direction relative to the base.

17. A wear assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein an adjacent wear assembly acts as an abutment member for another wear assembly to prevent the first mentioned wear plate from moving in a disassembly direction relative to its respective base.

18. An assembly of wear components wherein a line of bases are secured to an implement to be protected so that once secured a respective number of wear plates can be assembled in sequence from one end to another along the line of the bases so that each new wear plate will prevent the preceding wear plate from moving to a disassembly position with the final wear plate in the line being prevented from moving in a disassembly direction by means of an abutment member placed at the end of the assembled line to the implement or to the last base in that line.

19. A method of assembling wear components wherein a line of bases are secured to an implement to be protected so that once secured a respective number of wear plates can be assembled in sequence from one end to another along the line of the bases so that each wear plate will prevent the preceding wear plate from moving in a disassembly direction with the final wear plate in the line being prevented from moving in a disassembly direction by means of an abutment member placed at the end of the assembled line to the implement or to the last base in that line.

20. An abutment wear assembly including a wear member to be mounted to an implement or apparatus to be protected, a base member to be attached to said implement or apparatus, a 14 lock member to lock said wear member to said base member, said wear member including or receiving said lock member and said base including at least one aperture in which is located a releasable retaining means to releasably hold a portion of said lock member.

21. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein said portion of said lock is a shaft, or a spigot or a shaped shaft or a shaped spigot.

22. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 or 21, wherein said releasable retaining means includes a spring or spring clip which will engage a groove on said portion of said lock.

23. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein said wear member, in the vicinity of said aperture, includes engaging surfaces which will allow said lock to pivot into and out of a locked condition, in which locked condition said wear member is secured and locked to said base and thus said implement, preferably the engaging surfaces are of a curved profile.

24. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein one or both of said lock or said wear member includes a lever engagement formation which allows a user to utilise a lever to pivot said lock or said wear member from a locked to an unlocked condition.

25. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein said spring clip of said base and said groove on said portion provides sufficient force to prevent said lock member or said wear member from pivoting during use of said implement or apparatus.

26. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 22 to 25, wherein said spring clip is located in said base in a passage which opens through a surface of said base which is at approximately 90 degrees to said at least one aperture.

27. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 26, wherein said spring clip will only release said portion and said groove of said lock when a force in a direction opposite to a lock engagement direction is applied to said lock member or said wear member relative to said base.

28. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 27, wherein said lock portion includes at least one tapered engagement surface which will expand said spring clip as said lock portion moves into said at least one aperture. 15

29. An abutment wear assembly as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 28, wherein said spring clip is not able to exit said passage once said wear member is arranged on said base member.

30. A base for an abutment wear assembly for use with an implement or apparatus, said base including at least one formation to cooperate with a wear member which is to be secured to said implement or apparatus, said base being adapted to be secured to said implement and characterised in that said base includes an aperture to receive a spigot or shaft of a lock member, said base including a retaining means passage which will allow a retaining means to be positioned in said passage, in alignment with said aperture, and which will engage said spigot or shaft.

31. A base as claimed in claim 30, wherein said retaining means passage has a longitudinal axis at 900 to the axis of said aperture.

32. A base as claimed in claim 30 or 31, wherein said retaining means passage opens to one of: a rear side of said base, a front side of said base; a lateral side of said base.

33. A base as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 32 wherein said aperture is a blind aperture or a through aperture.

34. A base as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 33, wherein said passage is a blind passage or a through passage.

35. A base as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 34 wherein said retaining means passage receives a spring or spring clip, such as a split toroidal spring.

36. A base as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 35, wherein engagement of said wear member with said base, prevents said retaining means from exiting said retaining means passage.

37. An abutment wear assembly or base member as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 36 wherein said wear member is a tile shroud.

38. An abutment wear assembly or base as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 37 wherein said base member or said base is a base for a tile shroud.

39. An abutment wear assembly or base as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 38 wherein said implement or apparatus is one of: an excavation bucket; a grader blade; a chute; an excavation bucket edge; an excavation bucket surface; dump or haul truck load carrier; a mill; an earth, ore or mineral handling apparatus.