US2618873A

US2618873A - Digger tooth construction

Info

Publication number: US2618873A
Application number: US665149A
Authority: US
Inventors: Morgan D Hostetter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-04-26
Filing date: 1946-04-26
Publication date: 1952-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1969-11-25

Description

Nov. 25, 1952 M. D. HOSTETTER 2,618,873

DIGGER TOOTH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1946 2 SHEETS-Sl-1EET 1 i a4 MORGAN flfisrsrrse,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 25, 1952 HOSTETTER 2,618,873

DIGGER TOOTH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 MOQGA/V D. .HZDSTETTER,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BIGGER TOOTH CONSTRUCTION Morgan D. Hostetter, El Monte, Calif.

Application April 26, 1946, Serial No. 665,149

. 14 Claims.

1 My invention relates to an improved digger tooth construction of the character embodied in my application, Serial No. 659,047, filed April 2,-

1946, now Patent No. 2,576,225, issued November 27, 1951, and wherein a socketed digging point is removably mounted on a tapered tang of a supporting body carried by the digging bucket or other earth moving implement, the digging point being releasably locked on the the tang to permit detachment thereof for resharpening or replacement when required. More particularly, my pres ent invention relates to the means for releasably locking the digging point on the tang.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide, in a digger tooth construction, a point locking means which embodies a resilient element and a key rotatable in one direction to occupy one extreme position in which it coacts with the resilient element to securely lock the point on the tang, and to automatically take-up any slack developing between the two when in use, and in the other direction to occupy another extreme position in which the point is released to permit removal thereof from the tang.

Another purpose of my invention is the provision of a digger tooth construction in which the aforesaid point locking means is completely housed and thus protected against earth formations damaging or otherwise rendering the mechanism thereof inoperative to effect release of the point when desired.

I will describe only one form of digger tooth construction embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of digger tooth construction embodying my inven- Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 3 and taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

' Having specific reference to the drawing, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a supporting body l5 (see Fig. 1) of rectangular form in cross section, but which tapers forwardly 2 from its rear end, the latter being formed with a rearwardly opening socket l6 receiving a supporting boss I! which is suitably fixed to and projects forwardly from the forward edge l8 of a digging bucket.

The body [5 includes an integral and forwardly extending tang I9 also tapered and bordered at its rear end by shoulders 23. Ahead of the top shoulder and in the upper face of the tang, is a groove 2| disposed along the major axis of the tang and communicating at its forward end with a pocket 22. This pocket is of the same depth as the groove but at one side it is widened as at 23 and bounded by a curved Wall 24, and at its end by a straight wall 25. The other side wall 24w of the pocket, is a straight continuation of one side wall of the groove.

Extending upwardly from the bottom face of the tang I9, and communicating with the pocket 22, is an opening 26 circular in cross section and providing a bearing for a stub shaft 2'! which extends into the pocket where it is provided with a crank 28. The crank seats on the bottom wall of the pocket 22, and its free end is rounded to provide a cam 29.

The groove 2| receives a resilient element 30 which may be in the form of a spiral spring, and in the ends of this spring are fitted plugs 3| and 32 having flanges 33 for limiting movement thereof into the spring ends.

The removable digging point of the tooth'construction which is indicated at 34, is tapered substantially symmetrically with the taper of the body l5, its rear end being formed with a for- Wardly tapering and rearwardly opening socket 35. This socket is adapted to receive the tang [9 with a close fit, but with its rear edges spaced from the shoulders 20.

Fixed adjacent the rear upper edge of the point so as to extend into the socket 35 is a boss or lug 36 of a width to be received in the groove 2| when the tang I9 is seated within the socket 35. As so assembled, access may be had to the lower end of the opening 26 through an opening 31 in the bottom wall of the point 34, for the purpose of extending a suitable wrench (not shown) into a socket 38 in the lower end of the stub shaft 21 for turning the crank to cause the cam 29 to compress the spring 30.

In order to mount the point 34 on the tang l 9, the spring 30 with its plugs 3| and 32, are placed within the groove 2|, and the stub shaft in the bearing 26, with the crank 28 seated in the pocket 23, and against the wall 25. The crank must occupy the extreme position shown in Fig. 5, in

order that the spring may occupy an advanced position in the groove 2|, to permit mounting of the point on the tang.

As will be seen in Fig. 4, in applying the point to the tang, it moves in the direction indicated by the line 39 so that the boss moves along a corresponding line 40. Thus, with the spring 30 in advanced position the boss 36 clears the rear plug 32, and passes downwardly into the rear end of the groove 2|, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 4.

In the final position of the point on the tang, the opening 3'! is in registration with the opening 26, and thus a suitable Wrench may be extended upwardly into the socket 31. By turning the wrench, the shaft 21 can be turned to swing the crack 28 from the extreme position shown in Fig. to the other extreme position shown in Fig. 3, wherein it abuts the side wall 24a of the groove 2|. Obviously, the curved wall 24 permits of this swinging'movement of the crank. In its movement to this other extreme position the'cam' 29" engages the forward plug 3i and forces it rearwardly, thereby moving the spring 30 rearwardly until the rear plug 32 abuts the boss 36, when'the spring is compressed by the cam.

As will be seen in Fig. 3, the crank 28, when abutting the side wall of the groove, is in a position which is past the major axis or deadlcenter of the spring so that under the expansive force of the spring as exerted forwardly on the plug 3 l, the crank is held against movement away from the groove wall. In consequence, the spring is maintained under compression to constantly urge .the boss 33 rearwardly, and thereb maintain the point snugl fitted and securely locked on the tang.

Because the crank and spring are housed between" the point and the tang, and the opening 26'is closed by the shaft 21, earth formations cannot enter the pocket 22 to prevent rotation of the cam 29, and thus actuation of the cam to release the point incident to its removal from the tang can be performed when required. Also, because of the manner in which the spring is housed and associated with the boss and crank, should the spring for any reason break it will still functionto maintain the point locked on the tang, because, at most, it can only collapse an amount equal to the distance between its convolutions.

Should any slack occur between thepoint and the tang during use of the tooth, the spring which is constantly under tension, will automatically take up slack to maintain the point closely fitted on the tang atall times.

To remove the-point from the tang for repair or replacement, all that is' necessary is to turn the crank 28 back to. the extreme position shown in' Fig. 5, when the boss 36 is relieved of the spring tension, thus allowing the point to be pulled forward and'off of the tang. Obviously, during this point movement the boss pushes the spring forward so that it can clear the spring plug and thus be withdrawn from the groove.

Although I have herein shown and described only'one form' of digger tooth construction, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A digger. tooth construction, including: a body having a tang; a digging point removably fitted onsaid tang; and meansreleasably locking said point on said tang, comprising resilient means between the tang and the point, and a member between the tan and the resilient means rotatable about a fixed axis and independently of the tang and the point for placing the resilient means under compression.

2. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang; a digging point; and means for releasably locking said point on said tang, including an element on said tang, a second element on said point spaced from the element on said tang, a compression spring between said elements, and a cam between one of said elements and said spring, which is rotatable to load said spring.

3. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang; a digging point; and means for releasably locking said point on said tang, including an element on said tang, a second element on said point spaced from the element on said tang, a compression spring between said elements, and a cam between one of said elements and said spring, which is rotatable in one direction to load said spring and in the other direction to unload said spring.

4. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang; a digging point; and means for releasably locking said point on said tang, including an element on said tang, a second element on said point spaced from the element on said tang, a compression spring between said elements, and a cam between one of said elements and said spring, which is rotatable in one direction to load said spring, and past a dead center position to maintain said spring loaded and the cam locked by the spring against rotation in the other direction.

5. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang; a digging point; and means for releasably locking said point on said tang, including an elem'ent on said tang, a second element on said point spaced from the element on said tang, a compression spring between said elements, and a crank rotatable between one of said elements and said spring for loading said spring.

6. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang; a digging point; and means for releasably locking said point on said tang, including an element on said tang, a second element on said point spaced from the element on said tang, a compression spring between said'elements, and a crank between said spring and one of said elements, which is rotatable in one direction to load said spring, and past a dead center position in relation to said spring.

7. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang having a groove therein, a pocket, and a bearing opening; a digging point removably mounted on said tang, and having a boss there on within said groove; a shaft rotatable in said opening; a crank in said pocket, and fixed to said shaft; and a compression spring within'said groove between said boss and said crank.

8. A digger tooth construction; including: a tang; a digging point enclosin said tang; a boss on said point between the latter and said tang; a sprin in said tang engaging said boss; and a cam between said spring and said tang, said cam rotatable in said tang to place and hold said spring under compression to force said boss rearwardly of said tang and said point rearwardly on said tang. as a consequence.

9. A digger tooth construction as embodied in claim 8, wherein said tan and said point are formed. with openings bywhich access to said cam-is had for actuation thereof.

10. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang having a groove therein, a pocket, and a bearing; a digging point removably, mounted on said tang, and having a boss within said groove; a shaft rotatable in said bearing; a crank in said pocket and fixed to said shaft; a cam on said crank; a compression spring within said groove between said boss and said cam; a socket in said shaft; and said point having an openin therein through which said socket is accessible by a wrench to turn said shaft to cause said cam to load or unload said spring.

11. A digger tooth construction. including: a tang; a digging point; and means for locking said point on said tang, including an element on said tang, a second element on said point spaced from the element on said tang, a spiral spring between said elements, plugs in the ends of said spring, and a cam rotatable between one of said elements and one of said plugs for loading said spring.

12. A digger tooth construction as embodied in claim 11, wherein said plugs are provided with flanges for limiting movement thereof into the ends of said spring. 1

13. A digger tooth construction, including: a tang; a digging point; and means for releasably locking said point on said tang, including an element fixed on said tang, a second element fixed on said point and spaced from the element on said tang, resilient means between said elements, and a member rotatable between one of said elements and the resilient means for placing the resilient means under compression.

14. A digger tooth construction, including: a

tang; a digging point removably mounted on said tang, and means releasably locking said point on said tang, including a crank rotatable in said tang, said point having an openin therein; and a shaft fixed to said crank so as to be accessible through said opening by a tool to rotate said crank.

MORGAN D. I IOSTETTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: