GB2079816A - Mounting brackets for tools such as hoe or digger blades - Google Patents

Abstract

A mounting bracket for fastening replaceable earth-engaging tools such as rotary hoe blades or trench digger teeth in which the shaft (10) of the tool fits within a recess in the bracket (between plates 5 and 6), and a pin (12) biased by a spring (11) is arranged to pass through both the shaft (10) and the bracket (5, 6) at right angles to the longitudinal dimension of the shaft (10). This arrangement does away with the need to use bolts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mounting brackets for tools such as hoe or digger blades This invention relates to means for fastening earth engaging tools, particularly but not exclusively those used with rotary hoes, or with tranch diggers where the blades are carried on a chain.

Generally such earth engaging tools are simply bolted into position on a rotary plate or on a drive chain and consequently after use the bolts are covered in earth and become encrusted in position and are particularly difficult to remove. Thus the replacing of blades on such machines can become a major task.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a mounting bracket incorporates a recess which is adapted to receive the shaft of a tool, the bracket and the tool shaft incorporating complementary holes which are aligned when the shaft is seated within the recess, and a spring biased pin movably attached to the bracket, the pin being adapted to seat within the holes of the shaft and bracket.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a mounting bracket for an earth engaging tool comprises a body portion, a recess within the body portion adapted to receive a complementarily-shaped shaft of an earth engaging tool, a spring clip attached to the body portion of the bracket, and a retaining pin, secured to the spring clip, and adapted to seat within aligned holes of the tool shaft and the body portion when the tool and the bracket are assembled. Such brackets may either be attachable to or form part of a chain or a rotor plate of such machines as trench diggers or rotary hoes.

Two preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described.

The attached drawings illustrate two brackets, one of which can be secured to a chain of a trench digger or similar tool, while the other can be secured to a rotary hoe.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the first bracket; Figure 2 is an end view of the bracket with the shaft of a tool secured in position onto a chain of a trench digger; and Figure 3 is a view of the second bracket fitted to a rotary hoe.

The bracket of Figs. 1 and 2 consists of a body portion 4 comprising two plates 5 and 6 which extend between end portions 7 of the bracket. The plates 5 and 6 are spaced apart from one another, and are welded together adjacent each end portion 7 to maintain this spacing, providing a recess 9. The plate 5 includes access holes 1 7 for bolts 8, and the plate 6 includes countersunk holes 1 8 for accepting the ends of the boles 8. The bolts 8 are adapted to secure the bracket to a chain 1 9 of a trench digger, as shown in Fig. 2.

Thus the plate 6 will abut the chain, and the plate 5 is exposed. The recess 9 between the plates 5 and 6 is complementary in shape to the shaft 10 of a digging tool. Movement of the chain 1 9 to which the bracket is attached is in the direction parallel to the plates 5 and 6 and along the line joining the two end portions 7.

A leaf spring 11 having attached thereto a pin 1 2 seats on to the plate 5; the ends 1 3 of the spring 11 are curved to snap over flanges 14 at the ends of the plate 5. The shaft 10 incorporates a hole which aligns with a central hole 1 5 in each of the plates 5 and 6, and the pin 1 2 extends through the holes 1 5 and the cooperating hole of the shaft 1 0. The major stress forces to which the shaft 10 is subjected are borne by those parts (indicated at 16) of the bracket which define the ends of the recess 9, whereas the pin 1 2 merely serves to retain the shaft 10 in position.

To remove the shaft 10 the spring 11 is flexed to raise the pin 1 2 above the surface of the shaft 10 and the shaft 10 can then simply be pulied from the recess 9. Assembly is equally simple. The end portions 7 are shaped to provide shoulders surrounding the ends 1 3 of the spring 11 and serve to protect these ends 1 3 and prevent them being dislodged or broken. These protective shoulders 7 are not essential; if the bracket is for use on rotary hoes, for example, rather than trench diggers, the bracket may simply terminate in the end walls 1 6b and the end flanges 1 4.

The pin 1 2 of spring 11 need not be headed as shown but is preferably riveted to the spring 11.

Fig. 3 shows a bracket 22 welded to a rotary wheel 23 of a rotary hoe. A hoe blade 24 is secured within the bracket 22 by a spring 26 and pin 27 arrangement, as used in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. Once again the hoe blade can easily be removed, in a very short time.

1. A mounting bracket incorporating a recess which is adapted to receive the shaft of a tool, the bracket and the tool shaft incorporating complementary holes which are aligned when the shaft is seated within the recess, and a spring biased pin movably attached to the bracket, the pin being adapted to seat within the holes of the shaft and bracket.

2. A mounting bracket for an earth ensag- ing tool comprising a body portion, a recess within the body portion adapted to receive a complementarily-shaped shaft of an earth engaging tool, a spring clip attached to the body portion of the bracket, and a retaining pin, secured to the spring clip, and adapted to seat within aligned holes of the tool shaft and the body portion when the tool and the bracket are assembled.

3. A mounting bracket as claimed in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Mounting brackets for tools such as hoe or digger blades This invention relates to means for fastening earth engaging tools, particularly but not exclusively those used with rotary hoes, or with tranch diggers where the blades are carried on a chain. Generally such earth engaging tools are simply bolted into position on a rotary plate or on a drive chain and consequently after use the bolts are covered in earth and become encrusted in position and are particularly difficult to remove. Thus the replacing of blades on such machines can become a major task. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mounting bracket incorporates a recess which is adapted to receive the shaft of a tool, the bracket and the tool shaft incorporating complementary holes which are aligned when the shaft is seated within the recess, and a spring biased pin movably attached to the bracket, the pin being adapted to seat within the holes of the shaft and bracket. According to a second aspect of the invention, a mounting bracket for an earth engaging tool comprises a body portion, a recess within the body portion adapted to receive a complementarily-shaped shaft of an earth engaging tool, a spring clip attached to the body portion of the bracket, and a retaining pin, secured to the spring clip, and adapted to seat within aligned holes of the tool shaft and the body portion when the tool and the bracket are assembled. Such brackets may either be attachable to or form part of a chain or a rotor plate of such machines as trench diggers or rotary hoes. Two preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described. The attached drawings illustrate two brackets, one of which can be secured to a chain of a trench digger or similar tool, while the other can be secured to a rotary hoe. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the first bracket; Figure 2 is an end view of the bracket with the shaft of a tool secured in position onto a chain of a trench digger; and Figure 3 is a view of the second bracket fitted to a rotary hoe. The bracket of Figs. 1 and 2 consists of a body portion 4 comprising two plates 5 and 6 which extend between end portions 7 of the bracket. The plates 5 and 6 are spaced apart from one another, and are welded together adjacent each end portion 7 to maintain this spacing, providing a recess 9. The plate 5 includes access holes 1 7 for bolts 8, and the plate 6 includes countersunk holes 1 8 for accepting the ends of the boles 8. The bolts 8 are adapted to secure the bracket to a chain 1 9 of a trench digger, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the plate 6 will abut the chain, and the plate 5 is exposed. The recess 9 between the plates 5 and 6 is complementary in shape to the shaft 10 of a digging tool. Movement of the chain 1 9 to which the bracket is attached is in the direction parallel to the plates 5 and 6 and along the line joining the two end portions 7. A leaf spring 11 having attached thereto a pin 1 2 seats on to the plate 5; the ends 1 3 of the spring 11 are curved to snap over flanges 14 at the ends of the plate 5. The shaft 10 incorporates a hole which aligns with a central hole 1 5 in each of the plates 5 and 6, and the pin 1 2 extends through the holes 1 5 and the cooperating hole of the shaft 1 0. The major stress forces to which the shaft 10 is subjected are borne by those parts (indicated at 16) of the bracket which define the ends of the recess 9, whereas the pin 1 2 merely serves to retain the shaft 10 in position. To remove the shaft 10 the spring 11 is flexed to raise the pin 1 2 above the surface of the shaft 10 and the shaft 10 can then simply be pulied from the recess 9. Assembly is equally simple. The end portions 7 are shaped to provide shoulders surrounding the ends 1 3 of the spring 11 and serve to protect these ends 1 3 and prevent them being dislodged or broken. These protective shoulders 7 are not essential; if the bracket is for use on rotary hoes, for example, rather than trench diggers, the bracket may simply terminate in the end walls 1 6b and the end flanges 1 4. The pin 1 2 of spring 11 need not be headed as shown but is preferably riveted to the spring 11. Fig. 3 shows a bracket 22 welded to a rotary wheel 23 of a rotary hoe. A hoe blade 24 is secured within the bracket 22 by a spring 26 and pin 27 arrangement, as used in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. Once again the hoe blade can easily be removed, in a very short time. CLAIMS

1. A mounting bracket incorporating a recess which is adapted to receive the shaft of a tool, the bracket and the tool shaft incorporating complementary holes which are aligned when the shaft is seated within the recess, and a spring biased pin movably attached to the bracket, the pin being adapted to seat within the holes of the shaft and bracket.

2. A mounting bracket for an earth ensag- ing tool comprising a body portion, a recess within the body portion adapted to receive a complementarily-shaped shaft of an earth engaging tool, a spring clip attached to the body portion of the bracket, and a retaining pin, secured to the spring clip, and adapted to seat within aligned holes of the tool shaft and the body portion when the tool and the bracket are assembled.

3. A mounting bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the body portion incorporates shoulders adapted to protect the ends of the spring clip.

4. A rotary hoe in which a rotary plate carries a plurality of mounting brackets as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, each mounting bracket supporting a respective earth-engaging tool.

5. Trench digging apparatus which includes an endless chain having mounted thereon a plurality of mounting brackets as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, each mounting bracket supporting a respective earth-engaging tool.

6. A mounting bracket substantially as herein described, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of Fig. 3 of the accompanying draw tongs.

7. A cornbination of a mounting bracket as claimed in Claim 6 and an earth-engaging tool carried by the mounting bracket.