Releasable coupling assembly

• US 7,171,771 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ESCO Group LLC (WEIR Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ESCO Corporation (WEIR Group PLC)
• Inventors: Briscoe, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach; Thomas A
• Application Number:
  US10/425,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 37455-460, 374/52, 374/46, 403/374.3
• US Class Current: 37/455
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2808 Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2833 Retaining means, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2841 resilient
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2883 Wear elements for buckets or implements in general
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7056 Threaded actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7069 Axially oriented

Abstract

A lock that includes a wedge and a spool are used to releasably secure separable components of an assembly together. The wedge and spool are threadedly coupled together to drive the wedge into and out of an opening in the assembly without hammering or prying. The direct coupling of the wedge and spool eliminates the need for bolts, washers, nuts and other hardware so as to minimize the number of parts. As a result, the lock is inexpensive to make, easy to use, and unlikely to become inoperative because of lost or broken parts or due to fines or other difficulties encountered in harsh digging environments. Further, the wedge can be driven into the assembly to provide the degree of tightness necessary for the intended operation and/or to re-tighten the assembly after incurring wear during use. A latch assembly is preferably provided to securely hold the wedge in place and avoid an undesired loss of parts during use.

Claims

1. A lock adapted to be received into an opening in an assembly for securing two separable components together, the lock comprising a wedge and a spool,

the wedge having a first end, a second end, a rounded cross section, and an exterior thread, the wedge further being tapered toward a first end for initial receipt into the opening,

the spool including a pair of spaced arms extending away from the wedge and a body portion interconnecting the arms, each said arm including an inner surface facing the other said arm, each said inner surface tapering away from the opposite arm, and the body including a trough on a side opposite the arms for receiving the wedge, the trough including a thread portion for cooperating with the exterior thread of the wedge, and a retainer resiliently biased against the wedge to resist loosening of the wedge,

the wedge and the spool being threadedly coupled together in the opening such that rotation of the wedge about an axis translates the wedge in the opening in a direction generally parallel to the axis and along the spool to tighten the lock in the opening thereby causing the wedge to press against a first of the components and the arms of the spool to press against a second of the components, the wedge and spool thereby pressing in opposite directions to hold the two components together.

2. A lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thread has a large pitch so that a substantial portion of the exterior surface exists between each turn of the thread to provide a bearing surface for the lock.

3. A lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein a series of teeth are provided within the thread to cooperate with the retainer in trough.

4. A lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thread on the wedge is a helical ridge.

5. A lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wedge further includes a turning formation at one end to facilitate engagement with a tool for turning the wedge.

6. A lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wedge includes a helical groove and the spool includes a series of spaced apart helical ridge segments to be received in spaced portions of the groove.

7. A lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wedge includes a helical ridge and the spool includes a series of spaced apart helical groove segments to receive spaced portions of the helical ridge.

8. A wedge for use in releasably securing separable components together, the separable components defining an opening for receiving the wedge, the wedge comprising a rounded, generally conical exterior surface formed with a thread formation extending substantially along the length of the wedge, the thread formation including a spiral groove for translating the wedge into and out of the opening upon rotation of the wedge about an axis, and a spiral land segment extending between adjacent turns of the groove, the land segment and the groove each having a width with the width of the land segment being larger than the width of the groove, and the land segment defining a first bearing face to contact one separable component and an opposite second bearing face to contact the other separable component to thereby resist loading between the wedge and the components.

9. A wedge in accordance with claim 8 wherein the width of the land segment is substantially larger than the width of the groove.

10. A wedge in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a series of teeth formed in a segment of the groove.

11. A wedge in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a turning formation at one end to facilitate engagement with a tool for turning the wedge.

12. A wedge in accordance with claim 10 wherein the series of teeth extend only about one-third of the length of the groove.

13. A wedge in accordance with claim 10 wherein the teeth are inclined to define a ratchet for a latch.

14. A wedge in accordance with claim 8 wherein the width of the groove narrows as the groove extends toward a wider end of the wedge.

15. A wedge in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a turning formation at one end to facilitate engagement with a tool for turning the wedge.

16. A lock adapted to be received into an opening in an assembly for securing two separable components together, the lock comprising a wedge and a spool,

the wedge having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis extending centrally through the first and second ends, and a rounded exterior surface about the longitudinal axis that tapers toward the first end for initial receipt into the opening, the exterior surface including a first thread formation,

the spool including a trough having a generally concave surface for receiving the wedge, a second thread formation coupled to the first thread formation of the wedge, and a retainer resiliently biased against the wedge to resist loosening of the wedge,

the wedge and the spoor being threadedly coupled together in the opening such that rotation of the wedge about the longitudinal axis translates the wedge in the opening in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and along the trough of the spool to tighten the lock in the opening thereby causing the wedge and the spool to press the separable components in opposite directions to hold the two components together.

17. A lock in accordance with claim 16 wherein the spool includes a pair of arms extending in a direction opposite to the trough.

18. A lock in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said arm includes an inner surface that faces the other arm, and wherein the inner surfaces diverge in a direction away from the trough.