WEAR ASSEMBLY

• US 20130174453A1
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ESCO Group LLC (WEIR Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ESCO Corporation (WEIR Group PLC)
• Inventors: Cheyne, Mark A., Conklin, Donald M., Cowgill, Noah, Roska, Michael B., Zenier, Scott H., Hainley, Chris J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 37/453
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2825 using adapters
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2833 Retaining means, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2841 resilient
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2858 characterised by shape
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2883 Wear elements for buckets or implements in general

Abstract

A wear assembly for use on various kinds of earth working equipment that includes a base with a supporting portion, a wear member with a cavity into which the supporting portion is received, and a lock to releasably secure the wear member to the base. The supporting portion is formed with top and bottom recesses that receive complementary projections of the wear member. These recesses and projections include aligned holes so as to receive and position the lock centrally within the wear assembly and remote from the wear surface. The lock includes a mounting component that defines a threaded opening for receiving a threaded pin that is used to releasably hold the wear member to the base. The separate mounting component can be easily manufactured and secured within the wear member for less expense and higher quality than forming the threads directly in the wear member.

Claims

1. A wear member for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear member comprising a front end to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment, a rearwardly-opening cavity with a longitudinal axis to receive a base on the earth working equipment, the cavity including a central section along the longitudinal axis and a side section to each side of the central section, each said side section including an outer side and an inner side, the inner sides each connecting with the central section, each outer side having an inwardly-projecting lateral projection defined by an upper outer bearing surface and a lower outer bearing surface, the upper and lower outer bearing surfaces being laterally inclined toward each other in an inward direction and axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, each inner side having an inside bearing surface above and below the central section, each inside bearing surface being laterally inclined inward and away from the outer side and axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the outer bearing surfaces and the inside bearing surfaces each bearing against complementary bearing surfaces on the base to resist vertical and side loads applied to the wear member during use, the central section including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface extending between and connecting the upper inside bearing surfaces, the lower surface extending between and connecting the lower inside bearing surfaces, the upper and lower surfaces being spaced apart to define a gap therebetween, the gap having a height between the upper and lower surfaces that is less than two-thirds of the overall height of the cavity, and at least one of the upper and lower surfaces including a hole for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the earth working equipment.

2. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cavity includes a front end portion including a front wall facing rearward, an upper stabilizing surface and a lower stabilizing surface, the upper and lower stabilizing surfaces face toward each other and axially extend rearward substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from the front wall, and the upper and lower stabilizing surfaces bear against complementary surfaces on the base during use.

3. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 which includes an external wear surface to contact the ground during use, and a depression that opens in the cavity and extends outward partially through the wear member toward the wear surface as a wear indicator that is exposed in the wear surface when the wear member needs replacing.

4. A wear member for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear member comprising a wear surface to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment, a mounting structure to effect mounting of the wear member on the earth working equipment, a hole defined by a wall extending through the wear member and opening in both the wear surface and the mounting structure to receive a lock to hold the wear member to the earth working equipment, the wall defining the hole including a retaining structure between the wear surface and the mounting structure, and the retaining structure having an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder for contacting corresponding bearing surfaces on the lock to positively hold the lock in the hole against inward and outward forces on the lock.

5. A wear member in accordance with claim 4 wherein the wall defining the hole defines a passage adjacent the retaining structure and extending along the length of the hole from the mounting structure toward the wear surface to permit a lock component of a unified construction to be installed in the hole and contact the upper shoulder and the lower shoulder.

6. A wear member in accordance with claim 4 wherein the mounting structure is a cavity shaped to receive and complement a base on the earth working equipment.

7. A wear member in accordance with claim 4 wherein the retaining structure is a continuation of the wall defining the hole surrounded on three sides by a relief in the wall to receive a lock component into the hole to contact the upper and lower shoulders.

8. A wear member for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear member comprising a wear surface to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment, a mounting structure to effect mounting of the wear member on the earth working equipment, a hole defined by a wall extending through the wear member and opening in both the wear surface and the mounting structure to receive a lock to hold the wear member to the earth working equipment, the wall defining the hole including a retaining structure between the wear surface and the mounting structure, the retaining structure having an upper bearing surface and a lower bearing surface for contacting corresponding bearing surfaces on the lock to positively hold the lock in the hole against inward and outward forces on the lock, and the wall defining a slot adjacent the retaining structure and extending along the length of the hole from the mounting structure toward the wear surface to permit a lock component of a unified construction to be installed in the hole and contact the upper shoulder and the lower shoulder.

9. A wear member in accordance with claim 8 wherein the mounting structure is a cavity shaped to receive and complement a base on the earth working equipment.

10. A wear member in accordance with claim 8 wherein the retaining structure is a continuation of the wall defining the hole surrounded by a relief in the wall above and below the retaining structure and the slot on an end of the retaining structure, and the relief and slot are interconnected to receive a lock component into the hole to contact the upper and lower bearing surfaces.

11. A wear member for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear member comprising a front end, an external wear surface to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment, and a rearwardly-opening cavity to receive a base on the earth working equipment, the cavity including a depression that opens in the cavity and extends outward from the cavity and partially through the wear member as a wear indicator that is exposed in the wear surface when the wear member needs replacing.

12. A wear member for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear member comprising a front end, an external wear surface to contact the ground during use of the earth working equipment in an earth working operation, a rearwardly-opening cavity to receive a base on the earth working equipment, a hole extending from the wear surface to the cavity, and a lock installed in the hole, the lock including a mounting component mechanically secured in the hole to resist movement of the mounting component in both inward and outward directions in the hole, and a holding component movable in the mounting component between a release position where the wear member can be installed on and removed from the base and a locked position where the wear member is secured to the base.

13. A wear member in accordance with claim 12 wherein the mounting component and the holding component have complementary threads to effect movement of the holding component between the release and locked positions.

14. A wear member in accordance with claim 12 wherein the hole in the wear member includes a retaining structure with upper and lower oppositely-facing bearing surfaces, and the mounting component includes complementary bearing surfaces to contact the upper bearing surface and the lower bearing surface on the retaining structure.

15. A wear member in accordance with claim 14 wherein the mounting component is a one-piece member.

16. A wear member for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear member comprising:

a wear surface to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment,

a mounting structure for receiving a base on the earth working equipment,

a hole defined by a wall extending through the wear member and opening in both the wear surface and the mounting structure to receive a lock to hold the wear member to the earth working equipment, the wall including a retaining structure having an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder between the wear surface and the cavity,

a collar including lugs to straddle the retaining structure and contact the upper and lower shoulders to resist movement of the collar in both inward and outward direction in the hole, and a threaded opening, and

a threaded pin received in the threaded opening for movement between a release position where the wear member can be installed on and removed from the base, and a locked position where the wear member is secured to the base.

17. A wear assembly for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear assembly comprising:

a base secured to the earth working equipment, the base including a hole;

a wear member including an external wear surface to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment, a rearwardly-opening cavity with a longitudinal axis to receive the base on the earth working equipment, the cavity including a central section along the longitudinal axis and a side section to each side of the central section, each said side section including an outer side and an inner side, the inner sides each connecting with the central section, each outer side having an inwardly-projecting lateral projection defined by an upper outer bearing surface and a lower outer bearing surface, the upper and lower outer bearing surfaces being laterally inclined toward each other in an inward direction and axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, each inner side having an inside bearing surface above and below the central section, each inside bearing surface being laterally inclined inward and away from the outer side and axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the outer bearing surfaces and the inside bearing surfaces each bearing against complementary bearing surfaces on the base to resist vertical and side loads applied to the wear member during use, the central section including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface extending between and connecting the upper inside bearing surfaces, the lower surface extending between and connecting the lower inside bearing surfaces, the upper and lower surfaces being spaced apart to define a gap therebetween, the gap having a height between the upper and lower surfaces that is less than two-thirds of the overall height of the cavity, and at least one of the upper and lower surfaces including a hole that aligns with the hole in the base; and

a lock received in the holes in the wear member and the base to releasably secure the wear member to the earth working equipment.

18. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 17 wherein the lock includes a leading end and a trailing end, the base includes a nose received into the cavity of the wear member, the nose having a top side and a bottom side, and, when the lock is inserted into the holes in the wear member and the base, the leading end is in the hole in the base is at about the midpoint of the base between the top side and the bottom side and the trailing end is remote from the wear surface.

19. A wear assembly for attachment to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the wear assembly comprising:

a base secured to the earth working equipment;

a wear surface to contact the ground during operation of the earth working equipment and a mounting structure to effect mounting of the wear member on the earth working equipment, and a hole defined by a wall extending through the wear member and opening in both the wear surface and the mounting structure; and

a lock received in the hole and movable to contact the base to hold the wear member to the earth working equipment;

the wall defining the hole in the wear member including a retaining structure between the wear surface and the mounting structure, and the retaining structure having an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder for contacting corresponding bearing surfaces on the lock to positively hold the lock in the hole against inward and outward forces on the lock.

20. A lock for releasably securing a wear member to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the lock comprising:

a collar having a body adapted to fit within a hole in the wear member, a threaded opening extending through the body, and a pair of vertically spaced lugs projecting outward of the body to engage opposite shoulders of a retaining structure, the body and the lugs being formed as a one-piece member; and

a threaded pin received into the threaded bore for movement between a release position where the wear member can be installed on and removed from the earth working equipment, and a locked position where the lock retains the wear member on the earth working equipment; and

a retainer inserted in the hole of the wear member outside of the body adjacent the lugs to prevent disengagement of the lugs from the shoulders.

21. A lock in accordance with claim 20 which includes a biased detent on one of the collar and pin, and a pair of recesses on the other one of the collar and pin into which receive the detent, wherein the detent is received in one recess when the pin is in the release position and in the other recess when the pin is in the locked position.

22. A lock for releasably securing a wear member to earth working equipment to protect the equipment from wear during use, the lock comprising a pin with a threaded shank and a head, the head including a socket, the socket having angled facets for receiving a tool and an enlarged clearance space in lieu of at least one of the facets to enable better cleaning of the socket of earthen fines.