EA040916B1 - WEAR ASSEMBLY - Google Patents

Description

The technical field to which the invention belongs

The present invention relates to a wear assembly for use on various types of earth moving equipment.

State of the art

In mining and construction, along the cutting edge of earth-moving equipment such as dragline buckets, rope shovels, front shovel shovels, hydraulic excavators and the like, wear parts are commonly used. These parts protect the underlying equipment from excessive wear and, in some cases, also perform other functions, such as breaking the ground in front of the cutting edge of the excavator bucket. In use, these parts are usually subjected to severe stress under high abrasion conditions. As a result, they need to be replaced periodically.

These wear parts typically comprise two or more components, such as a base that is attached to the cutting edge of the excavator bucket and a wear member that is mounted on the base to penetrate into the ground. The element subject to wear tends to wear out more quickly and is usually replaced several times before the base must also be replaced. One example of such a wear part is an earthmoving tooth that is attached to the shroud of an earthmoving machine bucket. The tooth typically includes a holder attached to the shroud of the bucket and a pointed tip attached to the holder for contact with the ground. A pin or other type of retainer is used to attach the pointed tip to the holder. In such wearable assemblies, it is desirable to increase strength, wear resistance, reliability, and ease of assembly and replacement.

The essence of the invention

The present invention relates to a wear assembly for use on various types of earthmoving equipment, including, for example, earthmoving machines and earth movers.

In one aspect of the invention, the wear assembly includes a base with a support portion, a wear element with a cavity in which the support portion is received, and a retainer for removably attaching the wear element to the base. The supporting section is made with upper and lower recesses, in which the protrusions of the wear element corresponding to them are placed. These recesses and projections include aligned holes so as to position the retainer centrally within the wear assembly and away from the wear surface. This arrangement protects the retainer from abrasive ground contact and reduces the risk of the retainer being thrown or lost.

In another aspect of the present invention, the wear assembly includes a base with a support portion and a wear element with a cavity accommodating the support portion. The contact between the abutment and the wear element includes stabilizing surfaces located along each wall: top, bottom and side walls, in a configuration that creates a very stable fastening of the wear element with increased penetrating power.

In another aspect of the present invention, the wear element includes a wear indicator recess that opens into a cavity containing the nose portion and is initially closed and spaced from the outer wear surface, but which extends through the wear surface when it is time to replace. element subject to wear due to its wear.

In another aspect of the invention, the wear element includes an opening accommodating a latch for attaching the wear element to the base. The opening is defined by a wall that includes a retaining structural element provided with an upper support surface and a lower support surface for engaging with and holding the latch from upward and downward movement in the hole. In one preferred design, a channel is provided in the opening to allow the latch or latch component to be integrally installed in the hole and positioned to be in contact with the upper and lower bearing surfaces of the retaining structural element.

In another aspect of the invention, the retainer includes a mounting component provided with an anchoring structure for securing within an opening in a wear member. The anchoring structure cooperates with the retaining structure within the opening in such a way as to resist movement of the mounting component in and out of the opening during use. The mounting component defines a threaded hole for receiving a threaded pin that is used to removably attach the wear member to the base. A separate locating component can be easily fabricated and secured within the wear member at lower cost and with higher quality than threading directly into the wear member. The installation component can be mechanically held inside

- 1 040916 openings in the wear element to resist axial movements in any direction to avoid inadvertent loss of the retainer.

In another aspect of the invention, the retainer includes: a mounting component placed and mechanically attached to a bore in a wear member to resist axial movement; a locking component movably positioned in the mounting component in order to removably attach the wear member to the base; and a stopper to prevent detachment of the mounting component from the wear member.

In another aspect of the invention, the retainer includes threaded components that are mechanically attached to a hardened steel wear member. The latch component can be adjusted between two positions relative to the wear element: a first position in which the wear element can be installed or removed from the base, and a second position in which the wear element is attached to the base by the latch. Preferably, the latch can be attached to the wear element by mechanical means during manufacture, so that it can be transported, stored and installed integrally with the wear element, i.e. with latch in position ready for installation. After the wear element is placed on the base, the latch is moved to a second position to hold the wear element in place for excavation use.

In another aspect of the invention, a retainer for removably attaching a wear member to earthmoving equipment includes a threaded pin with a socket at one end to receive a pin turning tool. The socket includes edges for placing the tool, and free space, instead of one of the edges, in order to better remove and clean out small earthen particles from the socket.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wear assembly according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a wear assembly.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the base for the wear assembly.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the base.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the base.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 shown in FIG. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a wear member for a wear assembly.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

Fig. 10A is a sectional view taken along the line 10A-10A shown in FIG. 8.

Fig. 11 is a rear view of the wear member.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. eleven.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. eleven.

Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a wear assembly.

Fig. 15 is a partial side view of the base.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 15.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIG. 15.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 15.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 15.

Fig. 21 is a partial side view of the wear assembly.

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken along line 22-22 of FIG. 21.

Fig. 23 is a sectional view taken along line 23-23 of FIG. 21.

Fig. 24 is a sectional view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 21.

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 21.

Fig. 26 is a sectional view taken along line 26-26 of FIG. 21.

Fig. 27 is a perspective view of a retainer included in a wear assembly.

Fig. 28 is an exploded perspective view of a wear assembly.

Fig. 29 is a sectional view taken along line 29-29 of FIG. 2, with the latch in the release position.

Fig. 30 is a partial sectional view taken along line 29-29 of FIG. 2, with the latch in the locked position.

- 2 040916

Fig. 31 is a partial perspective view of a wear member.

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary perspective view of the wear element with the retainer mounting component partially installed.

Fig. 33 is a perspective view of a wear member with a mounting component installed in the wear member.

Fig. 34 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wear member with an integrated retainer and stopper and pin mounting component, ready for installation.

Fig. 35 is a sectional view taken along line 35-35 of FIG. 34.

Fig. 36 is a side view of the latch stopper.

Fig. 37 is a top view of a finger.

Figures 38 and 39 are each a top view of a finger with tools shown in the socket.

Fig. 40 is a partial perspective view of a finger.

Fig. 41 is a front view of the latch.

Fig. 42 is a side view of the latch.

Fig. 43 is a bottom view of the retainer.

Fig. 44 is a side view of the retainer mounting component.

Implementation of the invention

The present invention relates to a wear assembly for various types of earth moving equipment, including, for example, earth moving equipment and earth moving equipment. The term earth-moving equipment means a general term referring to any of a variety of earth-moving machines used in mining and construction and other activities, and which, for example, include draglines, rope shovels, front shovel shovels, hydraulic excavators, and dredgers. shells. The term earth-moving equipment also refers to the components of these machines that penetrate the soil, such as the bucket or mechanical ripper. The cutting edge is that section of this equipment that comes into contact with the ground. One example of a cutting edge is a bucket visor. The term earth moving equipment also means a generic term referring to a variety of equipment that is used to move earth material and which includes, for example, chutes and cart platforms in mining. The present invention is suitable for use on the cutting edge of earthmoving equipment in the form of, for example, an earthmoving tooth and bandage. In addition, certain aspects of the present invention are also suitable for use as a wear surface in the form of, for example, a blade.

Relative terms such as anterior, posterior, upper, lower, and the like are used for convenience. The terms front or forward are usually used to indicate the normal direction of travel during use (for example, when digging), and the terms top or top are usually used to refer to the surface over which the material passes when, for example, it is collected in a bucket. However, it is recognized that during operation of various earthmoving machines, the wear assembly may be oriented in various ways and moved in various directions during use.

In one example, the wear assembly 14 is a digging tooth that is attached to the shroud 15 of the bucket (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 14). The tooth 14 includes a holder 19 welded to the visor 15, an intermediate holder 12 mounted on the holder 19, and a pointed tip, also referred to as a bit 10, mounted on the base 12. Although one tooth design is shown in the drawings, other tooth designs are possible using some or all aspects of the invention. For example, the holder 19 in this embodiment is welded to the canopy 15, but it could be attached mechanically, for example by assembly using a Whisler type interlock. In addition, the base could be an integral part of the earthmoving equipment, rather than a separately attached component. For example, the holder 19 could be replaced with a molded canopy nose piece integral with the canopy. Although in this application, for purposes of explanation, the intermediate holder 12 is referred to as the base and the pointed tip 10 as the wear member, the intermediate holder 12 could be referred to as the wear member and the holder 19 as the base.

The holder 19 includes a pair of legs 21, 23, which cover on both sides of the visor 15, and protruding in the forward direction of the nose 18. The intermediate holder 12 includes a cavity 17 open in the rear direction, accommodating the nose 18, located at the front end holder 19 (see Fig. 1, 2, 5 and 14). Preferably, cavity 17 and nose 18 are constructed as in US Pat. No. 7,882,649, which is incorporated herein by reference, but other nose and cavity designs could be used. The holder 12 includes a forwardly protruding nose 48 for receiving a pointed tip 10. The pointed tip 10 includes a rearwardly open cavity 26,

- 3 040916 containing the bow 48, and the front end 24 for penetration into the ground. The retainer 16 is used to attach both the wear member 10 to the base 12 and the base 12 to the nose 18 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 14). In this example, the fasteners for attaching both the wear member 10 to the base 12 and the base 12 to the nose 18 are the same. However, they could be of different sizes, have different designs, or could be entirely different retainers.

When using an intermediate holder, the tooth is suitable for use on larger machines, but could also be used on smaller machines. Alternatively, the pointed tip, as a wear element, could be attached directly to the holder 19 serving as the base.

The wear element 10, in this embodiment of the invention, has a generally wedge-shaped configuration with a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 22 that converge to a narrow front end 24 designed to penetrate and penetrate the ground during operation of the equipment (see Fig. 1, 2 and 8-14). The cavity 26 is open at the rear end 28 of the wear member 10 to receive the base 12. Preferably, the cavity 26 includes a front end portion 30 and a rear end portion 32. away from cavity 26. The back or mounting portion 29 of wear member 10 is the portion that includes cavity 26.

The front end portion 30 of cavity 26 (see FIGS. 10-13) includes upper and lower stabilizing surfaces 34, 36. Stabilizing surfaces 34, 36 are located axially substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 of cavity 26 to improve stability under the action of vertical loads, i.e. loads that include a vertical component. The term substantially parallel in this application means essentially parallel or with a small angle of deviation from parallelism, i.e. approximately 7° or less. Accordingly, the stabilizing surfaces 34, 36 are located axially at an angle of approximately 7 degrees or less with respect to the longitudinal axis 42. Preferably, the stabilizing surfaces are axially inclined rearward from the longitudinal axis at an angle of approximately five degrees or less, and most preferably at an angle of 2-3°.

The stabilizing surfaces 34, 36 are arranged opposite each other and fit snugly against their respective complementary stabilizing surfaces 44, 46 on the nose 48 of the base 12 (see FIG. 24). The stabilizing surfaces 44, 46 are also substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 when the components are assembled together (see FIGS. 3-7, 14-16 and 24). The tight fit of the stabilizing surfaces 34, 36 located in the cavity 26 to the stabilizing surfaces 44, 46 located on the nose 48 provides a stable fastening of the wear element 10 under vertical loads. The vertical loads applied to the front end 24 of the wear member 10 cause it, if not constrained by the nose and latch, to move forward away from the nose. Stabilizing surfaces, i.e. surfaces that are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 resist this effect more effectively than surfaces with large axial slopes and provide a more stable attachment of the wear element 10 to the nose 48. A more stable attachment allows the use of a smaller retainer and has its own the result is less internal wear between parts.

The forward end portion 30 of the cavity 26 further includes side bearing surfaces 39, 41 for contact with their respective side bearing surfaces 45, 47 on the nose 48 in order to withstand lateral loads, i. loads with a lateral component. Preferably, the side bearing surfaces 39, 41 located in the cavity 26 and the side bearing surfaces 45, 47 located on the nose 48 are located axially, essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 for greater stability of the fastening of the wear element 10. These front side bearing surfaces 39, 41, 45, 47 work in conjunction with the rear bearing surfaces which also resist side loads as discussed below. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the front bearing surfaces 34, 36, 39, 41 located in the cavity 26 are each made with a slight transverse concave curvature for greater resistance to shear loads and loads from other directions. The forward bearing surfaces 44-47 located on the bow 48 would have a corresponding convex configuration. However, the front bearing surfaces located in the cavity 26 and on the nose 48 could be flat or made with a different curvature.

The nose portion 48 of the base 12 includes a rear or main portion 50 on the rear side of the stabilizing surfaces 44, 46 of the front end 52 (see Fig. 3-7 and 14-20); the nose portion 48 is considered to be that portion of the holder 12 located in the cavity 26 of the wear member 10. The main portion 50 in cross section has a dog bone configuration (see FIGS. 18-20) with a narrower central section 54 and larger or larger side sec

- 4 040916 56. This kind of design is similar in function to the design of an I-beam, and provides strength with reduced weight. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the side sections 56 are mirror images of each other. The side sections 56 gradually increase in thickness from front to back to increase strength and reduce stress in the structure. The use of a nose 48 with a narrow center section 54 and larger side sections 56 provides a dual benefit: i the nose 48 has sufficient strength to withstand the heavy load it may encounter during operation, and ii the location of the retainer 16 in the center of the assembly 14, which protects it from abrasive contact with the ground during use and reduces the risk of the retainer falling out. Preferably, the center section 54 is approximately the center two-thirds or less of the total thickness, i.e. nose height 48 in the same transverse plane. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the center section 54 is approximately 60% or less than the largest or full thickness of the nose 48 in the same transverse plane.

The center section 54 is defined by a top surface 58 and a bottom surface 60. Preferably, the top and bottom surfaces 58, 60 are axially substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42, but they could be more sloped. The top surface 58, on each side, smoothly merges into the inner surface 62 at the side sections 56. The inner surfaces 62 slope upwardly and outwardly from the top surface 58, partially defining the top of the side sections 56. Similarly, the inner surfaces 64 have lateral slope downward and outward from the bottom surface 60, partly defining the lower portion of the side sections 56. The inner surfaces 62 each have a transverse slope with respect to the top surface 58 at an angle α of approximately 130-140°, in order to resist both vertical and lateral loading on the wear element 10, and reduce the stress concentration during loading (see Fig. 20). However, if required, they could be at an angle outside this range, for example, approximately 105-165°. Preferably, the inner surfaces 64 are mirror images of the inner surfaces 62, but they could be different if desired. The preferred slope ranges are the same for both groups of interior surfaces 62, 64. The most preferred slope for each interior surface 62, 64 is at an angle α of 135°. In some designs, it may be preferable that each inner surface 62, 64 be inclined at an angle α of greater than 135° with respect to its adjacent upper or lower surface in order to provide greater resistance to vertical loads. Preferably, the inner surfaces 62, 64 are stabilizing surfaces, each of which is located in the axial direction, essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 in order to better withstand vertical loads and provide stable fastening of the wear element 10 to the base 12.

The central section 54 has a central opening 66 which is open on the top and bottom surfaces 58, 60 (see FIGS. 3, 5, 7, 19, 25 and 29), although if desired it could be open only on the top surface 58. The downward passage of the opening 66 through the bottom surface 60 reduces the accumulation of fine soil particles in the hole and makes it easier to clean the hole from these small particles. The top wall 20 of the wear member 10 includes a through hole 67 which, when the wear member 10 is mounted on the nose 48, is aligned with the hole 66 (see FIGS. 1, 9, 10A, 13, 14, 25 and 29 ). A latch 16 is inserted into the holes 66, 67 in order to fasten the wear element 10 to the base 12 (see Figs. 25, 29 and 30). Details of the preferred latch 16 are given below. However, other retainers could be used to secure the wear member 10 to the base 12. As examples, alternative retainer designs could take the form disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,578,081 or US Pat. No. 5,068,986, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The shape of the aligned holes in the wear element and the base, in cases where alternative retainers are used, could, of course, be different from that illustrated here in order to use other retainers.

The opening 67 in the wear member 10 is defined by a wall 68 which preferably surrounds the retainer 16 (see FIG. 31). Wall 68 includes a retaining structural element 69 that extends transversely along a portion of the wall, defining an upper bearing surface 71 and a lower bearing surface 73. The bearing surfaces 71, 73 are each in contact with a latch 16 in order to hold the latch in an opening. and resist inward and outward vertical forces applied to the latch during transport, storage, installation and use of the wear member, so as to better prevent the latch from popping out or being lost. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the retaining structural element 69 is made as a radial protrusion extending into the hole 66 from the wall 68, in which the supporting surfaces 71, 73 are made as an upper

- 5 040916 and lower shoulders. Alternatively, the retaining structure 69 could be provided as a recess, not shown in the drawing, in the perimeter wall 68 with upper and lower support surfaces facing each other. A vertical channel 75 is provided along the wall 68 in the opening 67 to allow the insertion of the retainer 16 and the engagement of the retaining structure 69, i.e. with latch 16 in operative contact with both upper and lower bearing surfaces 71, 73. In the illustrated embodiment, no opening is made in the bottom wall 22 of wear member 10; but the hole could be made in order to allow reversible installation with the ability to install in an inverted position of the pointed tip 10. In addition, if desired, the base 12 could be installed on the nose 18 in a reversible manner, if the fit between the base 12 and the nose Part 18 allows this. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the base 12 cannot be installed on the bow in a reversible manner.

In the preferred embodiment, the retaining structural element 69 is essentially a continuation of the wall 68, which is limited by the first cut 77 located above or outside the retaining structural element 69, the second cut 79 located below or inside the retaining structural element 69 and a channel 75 located at the distal edge 81 of the containment structure 69. The cuts 77, 79 and the channel 75 then define a continuous recess 83 in the perimeter wall 68 around the containment structure 69. Edge walls 87, The 89 slices 77, 79 form abutments for positioning the retainer 16. Preferably, a recess 85 is provided along the inner surface 91 of the cavity 26 in order to function as an abutment during insertion of the insertion component of the retainer 16, as described below.

The cavity 26 in the wear element 10 has a shape that matches the nose 48 (see Fig. 9, 10, 10A, 24-26 and 29). Accordingly, the rear edge 32 of the cavity includes an upper ledge 74 and a lower ledge 76 that fit into the upper and lower recesses 70, 72 in the nose 48. The upper ledge 74 includes an inner surface 78 that is located opposite the upper surface 58 on the nose. parts 48, and side surfaces 80, which are located against the inner surfaces 62 on the nose 48 and fit tightly to them. Preferably, there is a gap between the inner surface 78 and the top surface 58 in order to allow contact between the side surfaces 80 and the inner surfaces 62, but if desired, they could be in contact. The side surfaces 80 have a transverse slope corresponding to the transverse slope of the inner surfaces 62. The side surfaces 80 are located in the axial direction, essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42, to correspond to the location in the axial direction of the inner surfaces 62.

Preferably, the lower projection 76 is a mirror image of the upper projection 74 and includes an inner surface 82 opposite the lower surface 60 and side surfaces 84 opposite and closely adjacent to the inner surfaces 64. In cavity 26, then, inner surface 78 faces inner surface 82, with a gap 86 between the two inner surfaces 78, 82 that is slightly greater than the thickness of the center section 54 of nose 48. Preferably, the thickness or height of gap 86 is within the middle two-thirds of the full thickness or height of the cavity, i.e. greatest height 26 in the same transverse plane, and most preferably within an average of 60% or less of the total thickness of that cavity in the same transverse plane. The side surfaces 80, 84 slope away from their respective inner surfaces 78, 82 and are axially substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42, defining top and bottom stabilizing surfaces for the pointed tip. The front stabilizing surfaces 34, 36 cooperate with the rear stabilizing surfaces 80, 84 in order to stably support the wear member 10 on the nose 48. For example, a downward vertical load L1 at the front end 24 of the wear member 10 (see FIG. 2 ) is primarily taken up by stabilizing surface 34 in cavity 26 closely adjacent to stabilizing surface 44 on nose 48, and by rear stabilizing surface 84 in cavity 26 closely adjacent to rear stabilizing surface 64 on nose 48 (see FIG. 24). -26 and 29). The location of these stabilizing surfaces 34, 44, 64, 86 in the axial direction, i.e. that they are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 minimizes the tendency to move forward and downward, which the load L1 induces wear element 10. Similarly, the opposite upward load L2 at the front end 24 (see Fig. 2) , primarily received by the front stabilizing surface 36 in the cavity 26 closely adjacent to the front stabilizing surface 46 on the nose 48, and by the rear stabilizing surface 80 in the cavity 26 closely adjacent to the rear stabilizing surface 62 on the nose 48 (see FIG. 24-26 and 29). In the same manner as noted above, the stabilizing surfaces 36, 46, 62, 84 securely hold the wear element 10 on the base 12.

- 6 040916

The working contact between the side surfaces 80 and the inner surfaces 62 and between the side surfaces 84 and the inner surfaces 64 resist both vertical loads and loads with transverse components referred to as lateral loads. It is useful that the same surfaces withstand both vertical and lateral loads because the loads are typically applied to the wear members in changing directions as the wear members are forced through the ground. With transversely inclined stabilizing surfaces, a snug fit between these surfaces can continue to be maintained even if the load is shifted from, for example, more vertical load to more side load. With this design, the movement of the pointed tip on the nose is reduced resulting in reduced component wear.

On each side of each of the upper and lower projections 74, 76, a hollow section 88, 90 is provided in the cavity 26 in order to accommodate the side sections 56 of the bow 48 (see Fig. 9, 10, 12, 13, 25, 26 and 29). Hollow sections 88, 90 are appropriate with respect to the side sections 56 and contain them. The upper hollow portions 88 are defined by the side surfaces 80 on the ledge 74 and the outer surfaces 92. The lower hollow portions 90 are defined by the side surfaces 84 of the ledge 76 and the outer surfaces 94. in relation to the top, bottom and outer surfaces of the side sections 56.

In the preferred design, each side wall 100 of nose 48 is provided with a chute 102 (see FIGS. 18-20). Preferably, each chute is defined by sloped chute walls 104, 106, giving the chute a generally V-shaped configuration. Preferably, the troughs 102 each have a bottom wall 107 in order to avoid a sharp internal corner, but if required, they could be made without a bottom wall, i. with a mate connecting the walls 104, 106. Preferably, the walls 104, 106 are each inclined so as to withstand both vertical and lateral loads. In a preferred design, the trough walls 104, 106 diverge to define a profile angle β of about 80-100°, preferably about 45° on either side of the central horizontal plane, although the angle could be outside this range. Preferably, the trough walls 104, 106 are each axially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42.

Opposite sides 98 of cavity 26 define projections 108 that correspond to and are located in grooves 102. The protrusions 108 include support walls 110, 112 that oppose and fit tightly against the chute walls 104, 106 so as to resist vertical and lateral loading. Preferably, the protrusions 108 are located the length of the side walls 98, but they could be shorter and are placed only on sections of the troughs 102. Preferably, the support walls 110, 112 correspond to the transverse slope of the walls 104, 106 of the trough and are located in the axial direction, essentially , parallel to the longitudinal axis 42.

While any opposing parts of wear member 10 and base 12 may be engaged with each other during use, the engagement of surfaces 34, 36, 44, 46, 62, 64, 80, 84, 104, 106, 110, 112 designed as main bearing surfaces to withstand both vertical and lateral loads. The contacting front wall 114 of the cavity 26 with the front face 116 of the nose 48 is designed to be the main bearing surfaces resisting axial loads, i.e. loads with components that are parallel to the longitudinal axis 42.

Preferably, the wear element 10 includes transversely spaced recesses 123, 125 on the top wall 20 and corresponding transversely spaced recesses 127, 129 in the bottom wall 22 at the rear end 28 (see Fig. 1, 2, 10, 14 and 26). Preferably, nose 48 includes cooperating recesses 130, 132, 134, 136 (see FIGS. 1-3, 5, 6, and 26) that are transversely offset from recesses 123, 125, 127, 129 on the subject. wear element 10 so that the rear end 28 of the wear element 10 engages with the rear end 138 of nose 48 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 26). When the wear element is fully installed on the nose 48, the side segments 124 of the wear element 10 are located in the side recesses 130, 136 of the base 12, the upper segment of the wear element 126 is located in the upper recess 132 in the base 12, and the lower segment of the wear element 128 10 is located in the lower recess 134 of the base 12. Similarly, the lower and upper segments 140, 142 of the base fit into the recesses 123, 125, 127, 129 of the wear element 10 interacting with them. This engagement of the wear element 10 and the base 12 resists loads in time of use. However, other designs could be used, or a coupled design could be omitted, i. e. with a rear end 28 having a solid structure without recesses 123, 125, 127, 129.

Preferably, the wear element 10 includes a notch - an indicator

- 7 040916 wear 170, which opens into the cavity 26 (see Fig. 26). In the illustrated example, wear indicator notch 170 is a slot made in bottom wall 22 near trailing end 28, although other locations may be used. The recess 170 has a bottom surface 172 defining a depth which, when the wear element 10 is new, is some distance from the wear surface 13. When the recess 172 breaks through the wear surface 13 during use, this provides the operator with a visual indication that that it is time to replace the wear element.

Preferably, retainers 16 are used to attach the wear member 10 to the base 12 and the base 12 to the nose 18 (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 14). In a preferred design, for attaching the wear member 10 to the base 12, one retainer 16 is provided in the top wall 20, and for attaching the base 12 to the holder 19, one retainer 16 is provided in each side wall 151 of the base 12. Alternatively, for attaching the wear member 15 element 10 to the base 12 could be used two clamps, and for attaching the base 12 to the holder 19 - one clamp. An opening 146 is provided on each side 151 of the base 12 to accommodate a respective latch 16. Each opening 146 then has the same design as that described above for the opening 67. In addition, on opposite sides 163 of the nose 18 a hole 161 is provided similar to hole 66. Preferably, holes 161 are blind, but they could be connected to each other through the nose 18. The retainers, however, could have a wide variety of designs. The retainer attaching base 12 to nose 18 could, for example, be constructed in the manner disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,709,043.

The retainer 16 includes a mounting component or ring 222 and a retaining component or pin 220 (see FIGS. 27-44). Ring 222 fits into bore 67 of wear member 10 and includes a bore or bore 223 with threads 258 to receive pin 220 with corresponding threads 254. A stopper 224, preferably in the form of a spring latch, is inserted into bore 67 along with ring 222 to prevent disengagement of ring 222 and wear member 10. Preferably, stopper 224 is inserted during the manufacture of wear member 10 so that the retainer 16 has been integrally connected to the wear element 10, i. e. to define a wear element that includes an integrated retainer for transport, storage, installation and/or use of the wear element. This kind of design reduces inventory and warehousing requirements, eliminates the latch falling out during installation, which can be particularly inconvenient at night, ensures that the proper latch is always used, and facilitates installation of a wear member. However, if required, the stopper 224 could be removed at any time in order to remove the latch 16.

The ring 222 has a cylindrical body 225 with bosses 236, 237 that project outwardly to contact and fit snugly against the bearing surfaces or shoulders 71, 73 of the retaining structure 69 in order to hold the retainer 16 in place in the subject to wear. element 10. To install the ring 222, the body 225 is inserted into the hole 67 from the inside of the cavity 26 so that the thickening 236, 237 slides along the channel 75 or groove, and then rotates so that the thickenings 236, 237 surround the retaining structural element 69 on both sides (see Fig. 32 and 33). Preferably, ring 222 is translated into opening 67 until flange 241 is seated in recess 85 and rests against wall 93 of recess 85 (see FIG. 32). After that, the ring 222 is rotated until the bulges 236, 237 rest against the stops 87, 89 (see Fig. 33). Preferably, the rotation of the ring 222 is approximately 30°, so that the bulges 236, 237 move into the upper sections 77, 79 and abut against the stops 87, 89. Another arrangement of the stops is possible, for example, the ring could have some structural element abutting against the edge wall 81 or have only one thickening, for engagement with the stop. In this position, boss 236 is positioned against the top bearing surface or shoulder 1 and boss 237 against the bottom bearing surface or shoulder 73. The engagement of bosses 236, 237 with both sides of retaining structural member 69 holds ring 222 in bore 67 even under load in earthwork time. In addition, the interaction of the outer boss 236 and the flange 241 provides a pair to resist cantilever loads applied to the pin 220 during use.

After the ring 222 is in place, a stopper or spring latch 224 is inserted into the channel 75 from the outside of the wear member 10 (see FIG. 34). Preferably, the stopper 224 snaps into the channel 75, thus preventing the ring 222 from rotating so that the bosses 236, 237 are held in the cuts 77, 79 and against the shoulders 71, 73. a tab 242 that snaps into a receiving slot 244 on the outer surface 246 of the ring 222 so as to hold the stopper 224 in the wear member 10 (see FIGS. 35 and 36). The stopper makes it possible for

- 8 040916 ring 222 was fixed in the subject to wear element 10 for reliable storage, transport, installation and/or use, and thus determined the constituent part of the subject to wear element 10. In addition, it is preferable that the stopper 224 resiliently acts on the ring 222 so as to displace ring 222 so as to more tightly seat ring 222 in hole 67. Preferably, a flange 267 is provided to abut against boss 236 and prevent the stopper from being inserted too deep into this hole.

The engagement of bosses 236, 237 with shoulders 71, 73 mechanically holds ring 222 in bore 67 and effectively prevents inward and outward movement during shipping, transport, storage, installation, and/or use of wear member 10. Mechanical fastening is preferred because that the hardened, low alloy steel commonly used to make wear parts for earthmoving equipment generally does not have sufficient weldability. Ring 222 is preferably one piece, or assembled as one piece, and is preferably of one piece construction for strength and simplicity. Preferably, the stopper 224 is made of sheet steel because it does not withstand the heavy loads applied during use. Stopper 224 is only used to prevent ring 222 from turning undesirably in hole 67 so as to prevent detent 16 from detaching from wear member 10.

Pin 220 includes head 247 and shank 249 (see FIGS. 28-30, 34, and 37-40). Shank 249 is provided with threads 254 along a portion of its length from head 247. Preferably, pin end 230 is unthreaded for placement in hole 66 in nose 48. Pin 220 is inserted into ring 222 from the outside of the wear member such that end 230 of the pin was the front end, and the threads 254 on the pin engaged with the threads 258 on the ring. Head 247 has a hex socket or other structure at its rear end to engage tool 248 to insert tool T in order to rotate pin 220 in ring 222.

Preferably, the hexagon socket 248 is provided with a cleaning hole 250 instead of one of its faces, i. e. only five edges 280 are provided to define the cleaning area (see FIGS. 27, 28, 34, and 37-40). The cleaning area 250 makes the resulting hole larger, and therefore less likely to retain compacted fines and gravel that often clog such pockets and holes in earth-moving equipment sections. The cleaning area 250 also provides additional insertion sites for a tool to break up and remove compacted fines. For example, a sharp chisel, pick, or power tool attachment may be pushed, hammered, or inserted into the cleaning area 250 to begin breaking up the compressed fines. If any damage occurs to the interior surfaces of the cleaning area 250 during this process, this damage usually has no effect on the five active front faces for the tool in the hex hole 48 for engagement. Once some of the compressed fines have been removed from the cleaning area 250, any compressed fines within the hex engagement hole 248 can be acted upon from the side or at some angle as they are accessed through the cleaning area 250.

An additional benefit of the paddle-shaped cleaning area is that the combination of the hex socket with the paddle-shaped cleaning area located on one face of the hex socket also creates multi-tool interface for the finger 20. For example, a hex socket sized for use with a 7/8" T1 hex drive tool (see Fig. 38) when extended on one of its faces will also accept a T1 3/4" square drive tool (see Figure 38). Fig. 39). An optimal fit for such a square driven tool is obtained by making a groove 251 on one facet of the hex socket 248 opposite the cleaning area 250 . If necessary, in the field where a hex tool is not available, other tools such as a pry bar may also be suitable.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the threaded pin 220 includes a displaceable locking tooth or latch 252 that is displaceable to extend beyond the surrounding threads 254 (see FIGS. 29, 30, and 34). Threaded 258 on ring 222 has a corresponding outer pocket or recess 256 that receives latch 252 so that threaded pin 220 locks in position with respect to ring 222 when locking latch 252 aligns with and enters outer pocket 256. The engagement of the locking latch 252 in the outer pocket 256 holds the threaded pin 220 in a disengaged position relative to the ring 22, which holds the pin 220 out of the cavity 26 or at least out of the opening 66 with sufficient clearance over the nose 48 so that the wear member 10 could be installed on the nose of the 48 and removed from it. Preferably, the pin is transported and stored in the release position so that the wear member 10 is

- 9 040916 ready for installation. Preferably, the locking latch 252 is located at the start of the thread on the threaded pin 220, near the end 230 of the pin. The outer pocket 256 is located approximately 1/2 turn from the start of the threads on the ring 222. As a result, the pin 220 will lock in the transport position after approximately 1/2 turn of the pin 220 inside the ring 222.

Further application of torque to the pin 220 will force the locking latch 252 out of the outer pocket 256. An inner pocket or recess 260 is formed at the inner end of the threads on the ring 222. Preferably, the threads 258 on the ring 222 end slightly in front of the inner pocket 260. This results in to an increase in resistance to rotation of finger 220 as finger 220 is screwed into ring 222 as locking latch 252 is forced out of thread 258. This is followed by a sudden decrease in resistance to rotation of finger 220 as locking latch 252 aligns with and is pushed into this inner pocket. In use, there is a noticeable click or thud when the pin 220 reaches the end of its travel within the ring 222. The combination of increasing resistance, decreasing resistance, and thump provides the user with tactile feedback that helps the user determine that the finger 220 is fully locked into the proper operating position. . This tactile feedback results in a more secure fitting of wear parts using the present ring and pin joint assembly, as the operator is trained to easily recognize this tactile feedback as checking that pin 220 is in the correct position to hold wear member 10. on the base 12. The use of a latch 252 allows the pin 220 to stop at the desired position with each installation, unlike conventional threaded locking devices.

Preferably, the locking latch 252 may be made of sheet steel held in place within the cavity 262 within the pin 220 while resiliently secured in place within the elastomer 264. The cavity 262 is positioned to open into the cleaning area 250. The elastomer contained in the cavity 262 can also be pushed into the cleaning area 250 when the locking latch 252 is compressed during rotation of the pin 220. and removing compacted fine particles from the area 250 cleaning. Elastomer 264 may be molded around locking latch 252 such that elastomer 264 solidifies in place and engages locking latch 252. The resulting latch 252 and elastomer 264 assembly may be forced into place through cleaning region 250 and into cavity 262. Preferred the locking latch 252 structure includes a body 266, a latch 268, and guides 270. The latch 268 rests on a cavity wall 262 that holds the locking latch 252 in proper place with respect to the threads 254. The guides 270 further support the locking latch 252, allowing this pressing the locking latch 252 into the cavity 262, as discussed above.

When the pin 220 is inserted into the ring 222, it is rotated 1/2 turn into the release position for transportation, storage and/or installation of the wear element 10. This wear element 10, containing an integral retainer 16, is installed on the nose 48 of the base 12 ( see Fig. 29). Preferably, the pin 220 is then rotated 2.5 turns until the end 230 of the pin is fully engaged in the hole 66 in the locked or operative position (see FIG. 30). Depending on the pitch of the threads and whether the thread has more than one start, more or fewer turns of the threaded pin 220 may be necessary. threaded pin 220 has been found to be easy to use in the field, and reliable for use in extreme earthmoving conditions. In addition, the use of large screw threads is better in installation cases where the retainer will be surrounded by compacted fine particles during use.

The latch 16 is located within the upper recess 70 between the side sections 56 to protect against contact with the ground and wear during use (see Fig. 25 and 30). The location of the retainer 16 in the wear subassembly 14 helps to protect the retainer from wear caused by soil moving over the wear member 10. Preferably, the retainer 16 is recessed into the bore 67 so that it remains protected from movement of soil material during its service life. wear member 10. In the preferred example, pin 220 in the locked position is in the bottom 70% or lower of bore 67. Ground material will tend to accumulate in bore 67 above latch 10 and keep the latch from excessive wear, even when subject to wear element 10 wears out. In addition, the latch in the locked position is generally centrally located in the wear assembly with the pin end 230 located at or near the center of the hole 66. The location of the latch is closer to the center of the bow 18

- 10 040916 will tend to reduce the ejection loads applied to the retainer during use of the wear member, and especially with vertical loads that tend to rock the wear member on the base.

Pin 20 can be released with a ratchet or other tool to unscrew pin 220 from ring 222. While pin 220 can be removed from ring 222, it only needs to be pulled back into the release position. The wear element 10 can then be removed from the nose 48. The torque when the pin 220 is unscrewed can cause significant torsional loads on the ring 222, which loads are taken by the stops 77 and 79, providing a strong and reliable stop for the bosses 236 and 237.

The mounting component 222 of the retainer 16 defines a threaded bore 223 for receiving a threaded pin 220 which is used to removably attach the wear element 10 to the base 12 and the base 12 to the holder 19. A separate mounting component 222 can be easily machined machined or otherwise made with threads, and secured within the wear member at lower cost and higher thread quality compared to threading directly into the wear member 10. The steel used for the wear member 10 is very hard and difficult to cast or otherwise form a screw thread in hole 67 for the intended locking operation. The relatively large size of the wear member 10 also makes it more difficult to mold or otherwise form a screw thread into the bore 67. The mounting component 222 may be mechanically secured within the bore in the wear member in order to resist axial movement in either direction during use, i.e. e. in other words, inward and out of the opening 67 in order to better prevent unintentional loss of the retainer during transport, storage, installation and use. Due to the hardness of the steel commonly used for wear member 10, mounting component 222 could not easily be welded into hole 67.

The use of a retainer in accordance with the present invention provides many advantages: i the retainer is integrated into the element subject to wear so that the retainer is transported and stored in a ready-to-install position, resulting in lower material costs and easier assembly; ii a latch that requires only a common tool such as a hex tool or ratchet screwdriver to operate and does not require a hammer; iii retainer with easy tool access; iv retainer with clear visual and tactile evidence of correct installation; v a new retainer is supplied with each wear part; vi latch that is positioned for easy access; vii latch with simple intuitive operation; vii a permanent mechanical connection between components of varying geometric complexity creates a finished product with the characteristics and benefits provided by individual manufacturing processes; viii a retainer embedding system around a simple molded part, where embedding supports high loads, requires no special tools or adhesives, and creates a permanent assembly; ix a retainer with a hexagonal engagement hole extended on one of its edges, making it easier to remove small soil particles with simple tools; x a latch located in the central part of an assembly subject to wear in order to protect the latch from wear and reduce the risk of latch ejection; xi retainer with counteracting bulges on the retainer ring to accommodate loads in the system perpendicular to the bearing faces; xii a factory-installed spring latch that retains the ring in the wear member while also biasing the ring toward the load-bearing interface and removing play from the system; xiii a design approach that simplifies the complexity of casting while maintaining advanced product functionality; xiv a design approach whereby critical seating surfaces in the retainer area only need to be ground to fit a single piece that could serve as a template; and xv a design that fits within standard manufacturing processes.

The latch 16 is a connecting structure for attaching two detachable components during excavation. The system consists of a pin 220 housed in an opening 66 in the base 12 and a ring 222 mechanically held in the wear member 10. The ring has features to support its integral transport, load transfer, retainer installation, and retainer removal. The ring is attached to the wear member 10 by a stopper 224 which acts on two bulges 236, 237 around the circumference of the ring to hold the bulges in an optimal load-bearing orientation. The stopper also makes for a tighter fit between components. Pin 220 is helically advanced through the center of ring 222 between two low energy positions created by an elastomer supported latch mechanism. The first position is retained by 1/2 turn of the thread in engagement between the ring and the pin for retention during transport. Finger 220 advances into the second low energy

Claims (4)

mechanical position after a 2 1/2 turn, resulting in a hard stop, signaling that the system is locked. When the wear member 10 needs to be replaced, pin 220 is rotated counterclockwise and removed from the assembly, allowing the wear member to slide freely from the base. Although the illustrated embodiment is an earthmoving tooth, the features associated with locking the wear member 10 to the base 12 can be used in a wide variety of wear subassemblies on earthmoving equipment. For example, with an opening similar to opening 67, skids may be formed and mechanically attached to a base defined on the side of a large bucket, the surface of the chute, platforms of trolley bodies, and the like. The invention encompasses many different variations having utility in their own right. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, specific embodiments of them, as disclosed and illustrated herein, should not be construed in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. Each example defines an embodiment of the invention disclosed in the preceding disclosure, but no example necessarily covers all features or combinations of features that may ultimately be claimed. Where an element or its equivalent is specified in a description, such description includes one or more such elements, while neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. In addition, ordinal designators such as first, second, or third for identified elements are used to distinguish between elements and do not indicate a required or limited number of such elements, nor indicate a specific position or order of such elements, unless otherwise not specifically stated. CLAIM 1. Wearable element (10) for attachment to equipment for earthworks, designed to protect equipment from wear during use, and containing: wear surface (13) for contact with the ground during operation of earthwork equipment, cavity (26) for installation of the base (12) of earthwork equipment in it, hole (67) bounded by wall (68) and passing through the wear element (10) and opening both on the wear surface (13) and into the cavity (26) for receiving a latch (16) for attaching the wear element (10) to the earthwork equipment, and the wall (68) includes a retaining structural element (69) having an upper shoulder (71) and a lower shoulder (73) between the wear surface (13) and the cavity (26), a ring (222) including thickenings (236, 237) covering the retaining structural element (69) and in contact with the upper and lower shoulders (71, 73) in order to resist movement of the ring both inward and outward in the hole (67), and threaded through hole (223), and threaded th pin (220) positioned in the threaded through hole (223) to move within the threaded through hole (223), between a release position in which the wear element (10) can be installed on the base (12) and removed from it, and a fixed position in which the wear element (10) is attached to the base (12). 2. A wear element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity (26) is shaped to accommodate a suitable base (12) for excavation equipment. 3. A wear element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall is sheared (77, 79) above and below the retaining structural element to provide contact with the upper and lower shoulders. 4. The wear element according to claim 3, wherein the wall has a channel (75) at the end of the retaining structural element, the shear and the channel being connected to each other. -