Wear assembly for excavator digging edge

• US 7,080,470 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ESCO Group LLC (WEIR Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ESCO Corporation (WEIR Group PLC)
• Inventors: Jones, Larren F.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEACH, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US10/425,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 403/379.5, 403/378, 403/379, 374/46, 374/47, 374/49, 37450-459, 172/772, 172/772.5, 172/753, 172/713
• US Class Current: 37/452
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/8152 Attachments therefor, e.g. wear resisting parts, cutting edges E02F3/8155, E02F3/8157 take precedence; teeth per se E02F9/28
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2825 using adapters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7079 Transverse pin

Abstract

A wear assembly that includes a wear member and a boss to define an opening for receiving a lock forward of the front edge face of the lip which can mount the wear member in a stable and balanced manner without a through-hole in the lip. The wear member includes an aperture and a rib to define bearing faces on opposite sides of a central plane of the lip. The boss includes rails to hold the wear member in place, and a brace at the rear end, which supports the rails on the boss, abuts the rear of the wear member to reduce the loading on the lip, and deflects earthen material away from the wear member under reverse loading.

Claims

1. A wear assembly for attachment to an excavator having a lip with an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face, the wear assembly comprising:

a boss adapted to be fixed to the lip, the boss including a front part having a first face extending generally along the front edge face of the lip, a body extending rearwardly of the front part along one of the inner and outer faces of the lip and a passage that opens to a side by the inner face and to a side by the outer face, the passage including a first bearing surface facing in a generally rearward direction, the front part and the body defining a gap for receipt of the lip with the gap being laterally open at opposite ends of the first face to accommodate a lateral extension of the lip;

a wear member received over the boss and including an aperture generally aligned with the passage, and a second bearing surface associated with the aperture and facing in a generally forward direction; and

a lock received in the aperture and the passage to be in opposition to the first and second bearing surfaces to hold the wear member to the boss.

2. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the front part wraps around the lip and extends partially along at least one of the inner and outer faces opposite the body.

3. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the wear member includes a leg that overlies the body, wherein the leg and the body define a cooperative tongue and groove construction whereby the leg is held to the lip.

4. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which the body defines the tongue and the leg defines the groove.

5. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein the body includes at least one holding surface spaced from and facing the lip and the leg includes a retaining member between the holding surface and the lip to hold the wear member to the lip.

6. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein the body defines the groove and the leg defines the tongue received in the groove.

7. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the body includes sides extending generally away from the front edge face of the lip, each side including a rail, and each rail including a holding surface spaced from and facing the lip to hold the wear member to the lip.

8. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein the body with the rails defines a T-shaped configuration.

9. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein the rails have a dovetail configuration.

10. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 7 in which the boss further includes a brace rearward of the body that extends laterally outward of at least a portion of the body and is fixed to the rails.

11. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein the brace includes a forwardly facing abutting surface and the leg includes a rear wall that is adapted to abut the abutting surface.

12. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 10 in which the brace extends outward away from the lip farther than the body.

13. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 12 in which the brace includes a generally rearward facing deflector surface that is inclined forward and away from the lip.

14. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the wear member includes a third bearing surface to oppose the lock, wherein the second and third bearing surfaces are spaced apart in a direction generally transverse to the lip.

15. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 14 in which the wear member includes a rib to define the third bearing surface and the front part of the boss includes a groove extending therethrough to communicate with the passage, wherein the rib passes through the groove when the wear member is installed on the lip.

16. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein the boss further includes a pocket aligned with the groove on an opposite side of the passage to receive the rib when the wear member is installed on the lip.

17. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wear member includes one of a tongue and groove on each side thereof to mate with an adjacent other one of the wear members attached to the lip.

18. A wear assembly In accordance with claim 1 which the wear member is bifurcated to define spaced apart legs, wherein a first of the legs includes the aperture and a second of the legs includes a rib extending toward the aperture, and wherein the rib includes a third bearing surface to oppose the lock and hold the wear member to the lip.

19. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lock has front and rear surfaces that are tapered toward a leading end, and wherein the passage and the aperture are each tapered in the same direction to receive the lock.

20. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 19 wherein the lock has a movable latch that engages a keeper in the passage to secure the lock in the assembly.

65. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the boss further includes a brace rearward of the body and extending laterally outward of at least a portion of the body.

66. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 65 wherein the brace includes a forwardly facing abutting surface that abuts the wear member to resist rearwardly directed forces thereon.

67. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lock has a movable latch to releasably secure the lock in the assembly.

68. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the boss is a one-piece member.

69. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the boss is composed of a plurality of members.

21. A wear assembly for attachment to an excavator having a lip with an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face, the lip defining a central plane extending medially between the inner and outer faces, the wear assembly comprising:

a boss adapted to be fixed to the lip and including a first bearing surface facing generally in a rearward direction;

a wear member received over the boss and including an aperture, a second bearing surface and a third bearing surface, the second bearing surface being on an inner side of the central plane, and the third bearing surfaces being on an outer side of the central plane, each of the second and third bearing surfaces facing in a generally forward direction; and

a lock received in the aperture to be in opposition to the bearing surfaces to hold the wear member to the boss.

22. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the boss includes a front part that wraps around the lip and extends partially along at least one of the inner and outer faces and a body that extends along the other of the inner and outer sides of the lip.

23. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 22 in which the wear member includes a leg that overlies the body, wherein the leg and the body define a cooperative tongue and groove construction whereby the leg is held to the lip.

24. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 23 in which the body defines the tongue and the leg defines the groove.

25. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 23 in which the body defines the groove and the leg defines the tongue.

26. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 23 wherein the body includes sides extending generally away from the front edge face of the lip, each side including a rail, and each rail including a holding surface spaced from and facing the lip to hold the wear member to the lip.

27. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 26 wherein the body with the rails defines a T-shaped configuration.

28. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 26 wherein the rails have a dovetail configuration.

29. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 26 in which the boss further includes a brace rearward of the body that extends laterally outward of at least a portion of the body and is fixed to the rails.

30. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 29 in which the brace extends outward away from the lip farther than the body.

31. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the boss includes a brace having a forwardly facing abutting surface, and wherein the wear member includes a rear wall that is adapted to abut the abutting surface.

32. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 in which the wear member includes a rib to define the third bearing surface.

33. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 32 wherein the boss includes a front surface and a groove that opens in the front surface and extends rearward through a portion of the boss, wherein the rib passes through the groove and into the assembly when the wear member is installed on the lip.

34. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the lock has front and rear surfaces that are tapered toward a leading end, and wherein the aperture is tapered in the same direction to receive the lock.

35. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 34 wherein the lock has a movable latch that engages a keeper in the aperture to secure the lock in the assembly.

70. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 in which the boss further includes a brace rearward of the body and extending laterally outward of at least a portion of the body.

71. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the brace includes a forwardly facing abutting surface that abuts the wear member to resist rearwardly directed forces thereon.

72. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the lock has a movable latch to releasably secure the lock in the assembly.

73. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the boss is a one-piece member.

74. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the boss is composed of a plurality of members.

36. A wear member for attaching to a lip of an excavator wherein a boss is fixed to the lip, the wear member comprising:

a front working portion; and

a rear mounting portion adapted to overlie the boss when installed on the lip, the rear mounting portion including a pair of legs, a first of the legs including an aperture for receiving a lock therein, and a second of the legs including a rib generally opposed to the aperture and extending toward the aperture, the aperture and the rib each including a face to engage the lock and hold the wear member to the lip.

37. A wear member in accordance with claim 36 further including retaining members with holding surfaces spaced from and facing one of the legs to cooperate with complementary holding surfaces of the boss to hold the leg to the lip.

38. A wear member in accordance with claim 37 wherein the retaining members define a slot into which a portion of the boss is received.

39. A wear member in accordance with claim 38 wherein the retaining members are shaped as dogleg flanges extending outward from one of the legs.

40. A wear member in accordance with claim 39 wherein the retaining members define a tongue to be received in a slot in the boss.

41. A wear member in accordance with claim 36 wherein one of the legs includes at a rear end thereof a deflector face inclined outward and forward from the lip to deflect earthen material away from the wear member when the excavator is moved in a reverse direction.

42. A wear member in accordance with claim 36 wherein the wear member includes one of a tongue and groove on each side thereof to mate with an adjacent another one of the wear members attached to the lip.

43. A wear member in accordance with claim 36 wherein the aperture includes a front wall and a rear wall that taper toward each other.

44. A boss for attachment of a wear member to a lip of an excavator, the lip having an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face interconnecting the inner and outer faces, the boss comprising:

a front part extending along a front edge face of the lip and having a forwardly facing front surface;

a body extending rearwardly of the front part and along one of the inner and outer faces of the lip;

an opening for receiving a lock securing the wear member to the boss; and

a groove in the front part that opens in the front surface and in the opening for the passage of a part of a wear member to the opening to cooperate with the lock.

45. A boss in accordance with claim 44 wherein the front part extends partially along one of the inner and outer faces opposite the body.

46. A boss in accordance with claim 45 in which the front part and the body each includes a hole, wherein the holes are aligned to define the opening in the body.

47. A boss in accordance with claim 46 wherein each of the holes in the front part and the body includes a generally rearward facing bearing surface adapted to abut a lock holding the wear member to the lip.

48. A boss in accordance with claim 44 wherein the body includes sides extending generally away from the front edge face of the lip, each side including a rail, and each rail including a holding surface spaced from and facing the lip to hold a wear member to the lip.

49. A boss in accordance with claim 48 wherein the body with the rails defines a T-shaped configuration.

50. A boss in accordance with claim 48 wherein the rails have a dovetail configuration.

51. A boss in accordance with claim 48 which the boss further includes a brace rearward of the body that extends beyond at least a portion of the body in a transverse direction and is fixed to the rails.

52. A boss in accordance with claim 51 in which the brace extends outward away from the lip farther than the body.

53. A boss in accordance with claim 52 in which the brace includes a generally rearward facing deflector surface that is inclined forward and away from the lip.

75. A boss in accordance with claim 44 further including a brace rearward of the body and extending extends laterally outward of at least a portion of the body, the brace having a forwardly facing abutting surface that abuts the wear member to resist rearwardly directed forces thereon.

76. A boss in accordance with claim 44 formed as a one-piece member.

77. A boss in accordance with claim 44 which is composed of a plurality of members.

54. A boss for attachment of a wear member to a lip of an excavator, the lip having an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face interconnecting the inner and outer faces, the boss comprising:

a body including an inner surface adapted to be fixed to one of the inner and outer faces of the lip, and a pair of spaced rails, each rail including a holding surface spaced outward of the inner surface and facing generally in the same direction as the inner surface to hold a wear member to the lip; and

a brace rearward of the body and having an inner face adapted to be fixed to the lip, and a front face fixed to the rails to provide support therefor.

55. A boss in accordance with claim 54 further including a front part that wraps around the lip and extends partially along at least one of the inner and outer faces opposite the body.

56. A boss in accordance with claim 55 further including an opening for receiving a lock.

57. A boss in accordance with claim 54 wherein the body with the rails defines a T-shaped configuration.

58. A boss in accordance with claim 54 wherein the rails have a dovetail configuration.

59. A boss in accordance with claim 54 further including a front surface and a groove that opens in the front surface and extends rearward into the boss to receive a part of the wear member.

78. A boss in accordance with claim 54 wherein the brace includes a forwardly facing abutting surface that abuts the wear member to resist rearwardly directed forces thereon.

79. A boss in accordance with claim 54 formed as a one-piece member.

80. A boss in accordance with claim 54 which is composed of a plurality of members.

60. A boss for attachment of a wear member to a lip of an excavator, the lip having an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face interconnecting the inner and outer faces, the boss comprising:

a body including an inner surface adapted to be fixed to one of the inner and outer faces of the lip, the body being adapted to be received in a corresponding groove formed in the wear member; and

a brace rearward of the body and having an inner face adapted to be fixed to the lip, and a front face that extends beyond the body in a transverse direction to form an abutment against which a rear wall of the wear member abuts so as to resist rearward deflection of the wear member.

61. A boss in accordance with claim 60 wherein the boss includes rails extending away from the front edge face, each rail defining a rear end, and wherein the brace is fixed to the rear ends of the rails on each said side of the body.

62. A boss in accordance with claim 61 in which the brace extends outward away from the lip farther than the body.

63. A boss in accordance with claim 60 in which the brace extends outward away from the lip farther than the body.

64. A boss in accordance with claim 60 in which the brace includes a generally rearward facing deflector surface that is inclined forward and away from the lip.

81. A boss in accordance with claim 60 formed as a one-piece member.

82. A boss in accordance with claim 60 which is composed of a plurality of members.

83. A boss in accordance with claim 60 further comprising a pair of rails, each rail including a holding surface spaced outward of the inner surface and facing generally in the same direction as the inner surface to hold a wear member to the lip.

84. A boss for attachment of a wear member to a lip of an excavator, the lip having an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face interconnecting the inner and outer faces, the boss comprising:

a front part extending along the front edge face of the lip and at least partially extending transversely outward of one of the inner and outer faces of the lip, the front part including a rearward facing end wall transversely outward of one of the inner and outer faces to abut a lock to hold the wear member in place;

a body extending rearward of the front part and along one of the inner or outer faces of the lip, the body being on a side of the lip opposite the end wall of the front part, the body having an inner surface to be fixed to the lip and opposite sidewalls, each sidewall including a rail projecting therefrom and spaced from the inner surface so as to be spaced from the lip when the boss is attached thereto; and

an opening for receiving a lock securing the wear member to the boss.

85. A boss in accordance with claim 84 formed as a one-piece member.

86. A boss in accordance with claim 85 which is composed of a plurality of members.

87. A wear assembly for attachment to an excavator having a lip with an inner face, an outer face and a front edge face, the wear assembly comprising:

a boss adapted to be fixed the lip, the boss including a body extending generally away from the front edge face along one of the inner and outer faces, and a brace rearward of the body and extending transverse to the body, the brace including a forwardly facing abutting surface;

a wear member including a groove to receive the body of the boss, and a rear wall to abut the forwardly facing abutting surface and resist rearward directed forces on the wear member; and

a lock to hold the wear member to the lip.

88. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 87 wherein the body includes rails and the wear member includes grooves for receiving the rails.

89. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 88 wherein the rails are fixed to the brace.

90. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 87 wherein the boss is a one-piece member.

91. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 87 wherein the boss is composed of a plurality of members.

92. A wear assembly in accordance with claim 87 wherein the boss includes a rearward facing bearing surface, and the wear member includes an aperture provided with a bearing surface facing in a generally forward direction, the bearing surfaces of the boss and wear member abut opposite sides of the lock to hold the wear member to the lip.