US3402486A

US3402486A - Dipper

Info

Publication number: US3402486A
Application number: US488845A
Authority: US
Inventors: David T Branson
Original assignee: NORTHWEST ENGINEERING CORP
Current assignee: NORTHWEST ENGINEERING Co
Priority date: 1965-09-21
Filing date: 1965-09-21
Publication date: 1968-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-24

Description

Sept. 1958 D. T. BRANSON 7 3,402,486

DIPPER Filed Sept. 2l, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DA v10 I BRANSON ndrus g5 Star/(g Afmvevs D. T. BRANSON Sept. 24, 1968 DIPPER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1965 mvawm DAVID T. BRANSON drus Star" AffRue'Ys p 1968 D. T; BRANSON 3,402,486

DIPPER Filed Sept. 21, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M /Z Y =Q JO av ll'lll "1' Z8 Z5 INVENTCIDR DAVID 72 BRANSON 7qirtv'rus StarKe United States Patent 3,402,486 DIPPER David T. Branson, Green Bay, Wis, assignor to Northwest Engineering Corporation, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Sept. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 488,845 Claims. (Cl. 37-118) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE An excavator dipper having a stick with an end forming a dipper back which is disposed between the dipper sides and pivotally connected thereto near the upper back edge. A reversible wedge block rigidly secures the back to each corresponding side near the lower back edge.

This invention relates to a dipper as employed on a power shovel for dredging and excavating purposes.

The invention constitutes an improvement upon the excavating dipper illustrated in US. Patent No. 2,652,940 granted on Sept. 22, 1953, to Anders H. Brolin et al. In this type of dipper the stick provides the back of the dipper and is secured to the sides by a pivotal cross bolt illustrated as being near the bottom of the dipper and by wedge blocks illustrated as being near the top corner of the dipper and providing bearing surfaces generally constituting radii of the pivotal cross bolt. The wedge block is generally spring biased toward the pivotal cross bolt to maintain tightness of fit and thereby rigidly secure the stick to the sides of the dipper.

The present invention has for its principal objective to greatly simplify the construction and to eliminate the expensive machining operations required in the former construction for the wedge blocks and their recesses. The invention also eliminates the goose neck support for the dipper bottom and provides a more direct connection between the bottom and its pivotal securement to the sides of the dipper.

In carrying out the invention the wedge blocks have slanting sides that fit between complementary slanting recess portions of the stick and of the dipper sides. The wedge action, instead of being related to the axis of the cross bolt, is directed transversely of the dipper and the parts are secured together by a transverse through bolt reaching completely across the dipper.

For the purpose of adjusting the angle of the stick each wedge block is constructed with a base portion that fits into the recess in a side of the dipper having a substantially greater width than the wedge portion that fits into the recess in the stick so that by reversing and interchanging the wedge blocks the stick angle is changed.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the specific embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an assembled dipper with the free end of the stick broken away;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1 with parts broken away and sectioned;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the assembly of FIG. 1 with parts broken away and sectioned;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1 with parts broken away and sectioned;

3,402,486 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 FIG. 5 is a detail transverse horizontal section taken on line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 5 showing the blocks reversed to adjust the angle of the stick to the opposite position FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a wedge block;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the same wedge block from a dilferent angle;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the wedge block from the outer side; and

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the wedge block from the inner side.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the dipper generally comprises the dipper handle or stick, which forms the rear of the dipper, an. integrally cast member providing the right side 2, the left side 3 and the front 4 to which suitable replaceable teeth 5 are provided, and a pivotal bottom 6.

The stick 1 is weld fabricated from plate or structural angle stock and comprises a long rectangular member 7 having a lower end 8 for attachment to the dipper proper.

The lower end 8 comprises two

side plates

9 and 10 which carry a curved back plate 11 constituting the back side of the dipper proper and generally disposed between the

sides

2 and 3 of the dipper. Various strengthening members 12 are welded to the

side plates

9 and 10 and the back plate 11 and to member 7 to support the same from the member 7.

Suitable bail ears 13 are carried by the upper members 12 for receiving the pin 14 and anchor connector 15 for the hoist cable 16.

The

side plates

9 and 10 are spaced apart to fit just inside the

corresponding sides

2 and 3 of the dipper, and are provided with means to removably secure the same to the

dipper sides

2 and 3 and to provide for limited angular adjustment between the stick 1 and dipper proper.

In carrying out the present invention the connection between

side plates

9 and 10 and the

corresponding sides

2 and 3 comprises the pivotal connection 17 at the upper front corner of the dipper and the wedge block connection 18 at the lower rear corner of the dipper.

The pivotal connection 17 comprises a through bolt 19 for the dipper and which extends transversely through the

opposite sides

2 and 3 and

corresponding side plates

9 and 10.

The wedge block connections 18 comprise two

wedge blocks

23 and 24, each disposed in a pair of adjacent facing

recesses

25 and 26, recess 25 being in the corre sporlding

sides

2 or 3 and recesses 26 being in

corresponding side plates

9 or 10.

Each of the

wedge blocks

23 and 24 has a base portion 27 fitting in the recess 25 of the

corresponding dipper side

2 or 3. Also each of the

wedge blocks

23 and 24 has an angle adjustment portion 28 fitting in the recess 26 of the corresponding ,

side plate

9 or 10.

The base portions 27 of the

corresponding wedge blocks

23 and 24 are substantially rectangular with their upper and lower edges extending longitudinally in a direction generally parallel to a center line 29 for the portion and which center line coincides with the center line for recess 25 and also intersects the axis 30 for pivotal connection 17.

The portions 28 of the

corresponding wedge blocks

23 and 24 are generally rectangular with a length corresponding to the length of base portions 27 and a width corresponding to approximately one-halt the width of 3 the adjacent base portion. Portions 28 are offset from the corresponding adjacent base portions 27 at an angle of approximately one-half the desired angle of adjustment for stick 1.

Where the desired angle of adjustment for stick 1 is 8, for instance, the longitudinal center line 31 for portion 28 will be offset approximately 4 relative to the center line 29 for portion 27. The upper and lower edges of portion 28 are generally parallel to center line 31.

The parallel relationship of the upper and lower edges of portion 27 and also the edges of portion 28 greatly facilitates machining of these edges.

The longitudinal edges of base portion 27 of each

wedge block

23 and 24 are inclined to taper in a direction away from the side having the portion 28 integral therewith. Likewise the longitudinal edges of the angle adjustment portion 28 of each

Wedge block

23 and 24 are inclined to taper in a direction away from the side having base portion 27. In other words the longitudinal edges of portion 27 are laterally tapered outwardly and the longitudinal edges of portion 28 are laterally tapered in the opposite direction, i.e., inwardly of the dipper.

The longitudinal edges for

recesses

25 and 26 are inclined generally complementary to the taper on the corresponding mating edges of the Wedge block. In general about a 5 incline has been found to be sufiicient for the longitudinal edges of

portions

27 and 28 of the wedge blocks and also for the longitudinal edges of the

recesses

25 and 26.

When the dipper is assembled the wedge block 23 is confined in the

recesses

25 and 26 between the right side 2 and the side plate 9, and the wedge block 24 is confined in the

recesses

25 and 26 between the left side 3 and side plate 10.

Both

recesses

25 and 26 constitute slots in the sides 2-3 and the side plates 9-10, respectively, and are open at the bottom end to facilitate assembly.

After the stick 1 and dipper body are assembled with the Wedge blocks in place the pivotal connection 17 is made secure. Then the wedge blocks 23 and 24 are secured tightly by lateral wedging action in their corresponding pairs of recesses, by means of a bolt 32 which passes through aligned openings in the sides 23, the side plates 9-10 and the wedge block on the center line for portion 28 of the corresponding wedge block.

Assembly as described provides a very rigid securement of stick 1 to the dipper proper. The wedge blocks 23 and 24 are generally of cast metal and may be cast with the inclined edges complete without requiring any machining to make them usable. Where machining of the tapered edges may be desired it is accomplished by a simple longitudinal movement of the cutting tool along the corresponding edge. Likewise the

recesses

25 and 26 may be either cast or readily machined in the

corresponding plates

2 and 3 and the

side plates

9 and 10.

When it is desired to change the angle of the stick 1 relative to the dipper proper, as illustrated by comparison of FIGS. 5 and 6, the stick 1 is merely disassembled from the dipper proper and the

wedge blocks

23 and 24 are reversed and turned over so that the portions 28 are disposed at a different angle from the axis of connection 17. In this reversed position the wedge block 23 will be disposed in the recess 26 of side plate and the recess of side 3, while wedge block 24 will be disposed in the recess 26 of side plate 9 and the recess 25 of side 2.

The construction thus simplifies angular adjustment for the stick and provides a rigid connection to the sides of the dipper.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. In a dipper for excavators and the like, the combination of a dipper stick having an end formed to provide a back for the dipper, a dipper body having sides and a front, said dipper back being disposed between said dipper sides, means pivotally connecting said back to said sides on a transverse axis disposed near the upper edge of said back, and wedge means rigidly securing said back to said sides near the lower edge of said back, said wedge means comprising a wedge block clamped in recesses in the opposed faces of said back and each corresponding side with the recesses offset vertically to provide for adjustment of the back relative to the side by reversing the block.

2. In a dipper for excavators and the like, the com bination of a dipper stick having an end formed to provide a back for the dipper, a dipper body having sides and a front, said dipper back being disposed between said dipper sides, means pivotally connecting said back to said sides on a transverse axis disposed near the upper edge of said back, and wedge means rigidly securing said back to said sides near the lower edge of said back, said wedge means comprising separate Wedge blocks clamped in corresponding recesses in the opposed faces of said back and said sides, said recesses opening as slots toward the rear of the dipper, and the longitudinal edges of the recesses and of the corresponding edges of the wedge blocks being inclined laterally to provide the wedging action.

3. In a dipper for excavators and the like, the combination of a dipper stick having an end formed to provide a back for the dipper, a dipper body having sides and a front, said dipper back being disposed between said dipper sides, means pivotally connecting said back to said sides on a transverse axis disposed near the upper edge of said back, and wedge means rigidly securing said back to said sides near the lower edge of said back, said wedge means comprising separate wedge blocks clamped in corresponding recesses in the opposed faces of said back and said sides, each said wedge block having a base portion and an angle adjustment portion disposed back to back with the longitudinal edges of each portion tapered outwardly from the other portion to provide a wedging action by engagement of the inclined edges with corresponding edges of said recesses when the block is clamped in place.

4. In a dipper for excavators and the like, the combination of a dipper stick having an end formed to provide a back for the dipper, a dipper body having sides and a front, said dipper back being disposed between said dipper sides, means pivotally connecting said back to said sides on a transverse axis disposed near the upper edge of said back, and wedge means rigidly securing said back to said sides near the lower edge of said back, said wedge means comprising separate wedge blocks clamped in corresponding recesses in the opposed faces of said back and said sides, each said wedge block having a base portion and an angle adjustment portion disposed back to back with the longitudinal edges of each portion tapered outwardly from the other portion to provide a wedging action by engagement of the inclined edges with corresponding edges of said recesses when the block is clamped in place, the base portion of each said wedge block fitting into a recess in the inner surface of the corresponding dipper side, the angle adjustment portion of each said wedge block fitting into a recess in the outer surface of the corresponding dipper back, the longitudinal center line for each said dipper side recess being offset from the axis of said pivotal connection, the longitudinal center line for each said back recess being radial to said axis of said pivotal connection, and said recesses constituting slots open at the end farthest removed from said pivotal axis, and said portions of said Wedge blocks being angularly offset from each other to provide for angular adjustment of the stick relative to the dipper by reversal of said wedge blocks from side to side of the dipper and inversion of the wedge blocks.

5. In an excavating dipper having a stick secured to the sides of the dipper body and constituting the back for the dipper, a connection between the stick and the dipper body comprising a wedge block disposed between each side of the dipper body and the dipper back, trecesses in each said side and the corresponding side of the dipper back for receiving said Wedge block, opposite edges of each said block being inclined laterally of the dipper to taper the block outwardly, cor-responding edges of said recesses being inclined to receive the tapered portion of the corresponding Wedge blocks, and means eX- tending laterally through said dipper side, said wedge block and the side edge of said back to clamp the same rigidly together on opposite sides of the dipper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,652,940 9/1953 Brolin et al. 214-145 3,049,252 10/1962 Noll 37-403 X ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner.