AU2012101807B4

AU2012101807B4 - Lip Attachment For Excavator

Info

Publication number: AU2012101807B4
Application number: AU2012101807A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Claudio Zamorano Jones
Original assignee: Minetec SA
Current assignee: Minetec SA
Priority date: 2011-12-09
Filing date: 2012-12-10
Publication date: 2013-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-10
Also published as: AU2012101807A4; CL2011003127U1; ES1078886U; ES1078886Y

Abstract

A lip attachment for an excavator is described. The lip attachment includes: a main lip body including a front edge; a plurality of noses attached to the front edge, the noses for mounting excavator teeth; a slot on or adjacent at least one of the plurality of noses for visually identifying wear of the at least one of the plurality of noses. Figure 3

Description

1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention title: Lip Attachment for Excavator The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 LIP ATTACHMENT FOR EXCAVATOR Field of the Invention [001] The invention relates to a lip for excavator buckets used in earth movement machinery, typically used in the field of mining. Background [002] Known excavator buckets, as a result of excavating into dirt, rock, and other difficult materials, are subject to high wear in selected wear regions. One of these wear regions is on the excavator bucket lip. To alleviate wear on the excavator bucket lip and to facilitate excavation, there is known to be a lip assembly mounted on a ground contact surface of the excavator bucket, the lip assembly generally comprising a lip, tooth mounting adaptors, teeth, and a tooth mounting lock that secures the tooth to the adapter. In use, the lip is welded to an edge of the excavator bucket on a rear side of the lip, while the teeth and adaptors are secured to the front side of the lip. [003] Advantageously, the lip assembly alleviates wear of the edge of the excavator bucket, and furthermore, the parts repeatedly in contact with the ground may be readily detached and replaced without welding so as to reduce downtime of the excavator. If the lip itself suffers wear it is necessary to remove the lip and weld a new one on to the edge of the excavator bucket. [004] Known lips for excavators are manufactured from cast steel alloys, which are very heavy and have a long manufacturing process and lead times. [005] Furthermore, faces of known lip bodies wear away and are re-built by filling with weld material or solder, which material does not have particularly good wearing properties. This kind of filling is also a time consuming and expensive process, particularly when the downtime of the excavator is taken into account. [006] The present invention seeks to provide a new lip attachment for an excavator bucket.

3 Summary of the Invention [007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a lip attachment for an excavator bucket, the lip attachment including: a main lip body including a front edge; a plurality of noses attached to the front edge, the noses for mounting excavator teeth; and a slot on at least one of the plurality of noses for visually identifying wear of the at least one of the plurality of noses. [008] Preferably the slot is provided on a top of the at least one of the plurality of noses. [009] Preferably the slot is machined into the top of the at least one of the plurality of noses. [010] Preferably the slot is in the form of a recess which includes beveled edges to form a dish-shaped recess element so as to facilitate the visual indication of wear. [0111 Preferably the main lip body is fabricated from rolled steel and the lip attachment further includes a replaceable outer armour steel wear plate. [012] Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. [013] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form component of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia prior to development of the present invention.

4 Brief Description of the Drawings [014] In order to enable a clearer understanding, the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the attached drawings, and in those drawings: [015] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cast lip in accordance with known lip attachments, shown from above and one end; [016] Figure 2 shows a perspective view, similar to that of Figure 1, of a lip attachment in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [017] Figure 3 shows a perspective detail view of the lip attachment of Figure 2, showing in detail one of the plurality of noses, the nose including a slot machined into an upper portion for the visual indication and/or measurement of deformity and wear of the lip, in particular, the nose; [018] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the lip of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lip shown with a replaceable outer armour steel wear plate welded to an upper portion of the main lip body; and [019] Figure 5 shows a cross-section view of the nose slot shown in Figure 2, the slot being for the visual indication and measurement of deformity and wear of the nose. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments [020] Referring to the drawings there is shown a lip attachment for an excavator, the lip attachment generally indicated at 1 and including a main lip body 12 including a front edge 14 and a plurality of noses 5 attached to the front edge 14, the noses 5 for mounting excavator teeth (not shown). A slot 2 is shown on at least one of the plurality of noses 5 for visually identifying wear of the at least one of the plurality of noses 5. Slots 2 in the preferred embodiments shown are disposed in each one of the plurality of noses 5. [021] The slot 2 is provided on a top region or face of the at least one of the plurality of noses 5, and in the preferred embodiments shown are disposed in each one of the plurality of noses 5.

5 [022] Although not shown in the drawings, each excavator tooth is mounted to its respective nose 5 via an adaptor (not shown) which is inserted into through aperture 3 and locked in the aperture via a lock (not shown). [023] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the slot 2 is disposed in a ramped shoulder 7, that being an area against which the adaptor may wear, but also the tooth and lock may wear. [024] The slot 2 is machined into the top region or face of the at least one of the plurality of noses 5. [025] The slot 2 is in the form of a recess in the ramped shoulder as shown in the cross-section view of the slot in Figure 5, the recess including beveled edges to form a dish-shaped recess so as to facilitate the visual indication of wear. [026] The main lip body 12 is fabricated from rolled steel and the lip attachment further includes a replaceable outer armour steel wear plate 4 which in use is welded on a top wall 11 of the main lip body 12. [027] The advantages of the preferred embodiments of the lip attachment being fabricated from rolled steel are that each lip is provided with better mechanical properties in terms of wear and strength than known cast lips, while reducing weight. Further advantageously, manufacturing times of the lip attachment decrease from about 6 months for a cast lip to one month for a fabricated lip attachment of preferred embodiments, since foundries for casting lips have a high workload which delays production. [028] In use, the lip attachment 1 is welded to the excavator bucket (not shown) and the teeth are held on the nose 5 with adaptors through the through apertures 3, while the locks hold the adaptors in place. During excavation operations, there is some play between the teeth, adaptors and nose, and the adaptors and/or teeth wear against the ramped shoulder 7 on the upper face of the nose 5. The ramped shoulder 7 of the nose 5 subsequently wears and the slot 2 provides a visual indication of the degree of wear. Once the slot 2 has opened up or worn away to a selected position, the nose 5 is rebuilt or removed and replaced.

6 [029] In use, the main lip body wears away in places other than the nose 5 and thus a full armour plate is useful to protect those parts. The main lip body may be fabricated from selected material and the parts of the main lip body which are exposed to high wear may be armoured with high-wearing steel parts, which are expensive and thus only may be used in those parts where wear is an issue. Furthermore, when the armour plate 4 has worn away, which would take longer than a cast lip or even longer than a fabricated steel lip, the armour plate is replaced in one quick welding operation wherein the new armour plate 4 is welded around its edges, rather than having a worn area refilled with welding material or solder. [030] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A lip attachment for an excavator bucket, the lip attachment including: a main lip body including a front edge; a plurality of noses attached to the front edge, the noses for mounting excavator teeth; and a slot on at least one of the plurality of noses for visually identifying wear of the at least one of the plurality of noses.

2. The lip attachment in accordance with claim 1, wherein the slot is provided on a top of the at least one of the plurality of noses.

3. The lip attachment in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the slot is machined into the top of the at least one of the plurality of noses.

4. The lip attachment in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the slot is in the form of a recess which includes beveled edges to form a dish-shaped recess element so as to facilitate the visual indication of wear.

5. The lip attachment in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the main lip body is fabricated from rolled steel and the lip attachment further includes a replaceable outer armour steel wear plate.