Wear assembly for excavating equipment

• US 8,578,637 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ESCO Group LLC (WEIR Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ESCO Corporation (WEIR Group PLC)
• Inventors: Ollinger, Charles G IV, Snyder, Chris D, Kreitzberg, John S
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/253,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 374/46, 37452-460, 172/772, 172/772.5, 172/749, 172/705, 172/713, 403/379.2, 403/379.4
• US Class Current: 37/453
• 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 9/2866 for rotating digging elements for milling machines B28D1/186; for mining machines E21C35/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A wear assembly for excavating equipment includes a base fixed to the excavating equipment, a wear member fit over the base, and a lock to releasably hold the wear member to the base. The wear member includes side relief to reduce drag on the system. The wear member and the base each includes a hemispherical front end and a generally trapezoidal rear portion. The base includes a nose and a stop projecting from the nose to cooperate with the lock without an opening being needed to receive the lock into the nose. The lock is an elongate lock positioned generally in an axial direction and which holds the wear member to the base under compressive loads.

Claims

1. A wear member for excavating equipment comprising a working section and a mounting section generally aligned along a longitudinal axis, the mounting section including a socket for receiving a base fixed to the excavating equipment, and an opening in communication with the socket for receiving a lock in a generally axial direction to releasably hold the wear member to the excavating equipment, the opening having a front wall and a rear wall, the rear wall defining a surface to maintain the lock in a compressive state, and the rear wall including a hole through which the lock extends from the opening at an inclination to the longitudinal axis for easy access outside of the opening by an operator for tightening of the lock.

2. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein a marker is provided adjacent the opening to provide a visual indicating to the operator when the lock has been sufficiently tightened.

3. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the socket includes rear stabilizing surfaces axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and positioned rearward of the hole.

4. The wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the rear wall is generally perpendicular to the extension of the lock.

5. The wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the rear wall defines a bearing surface for the lock.

6. A wear member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the opening is in the top of the wear member.

7. A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising:

a base fixed to the excavating equipment and including a first surface;

a wear member including a working section and a mounting section generally aligned along a longitudinal axis, the mounting section having a socket in which to receive the base, and an opening having a second surface; and

an elongate lock oriented in the same general direction as the longitudinal axis to fit between the first surface and the second surface in a compressive state to releasably hold the wear member to the base, the lock including a first face to contact the first surface on the base and a second face to contact the second surface on the wear member, the first and second surfaces being aligned and facing in opposite directions and the lock being adjustable such that the first and second faces can be moved apart when contacting the first and second surfaces to tighten the fit of the lock between the components and tighten the fit of the wear member onto the base.

8. The wear member in accordance with claim 7 wherein the first and second faces of the lock move apart along an axis inclined to the longitudinal axis.

9. A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising:

a base fixed to the excavating equipment and including a first surface;

a wear member including a working section and a mounting section generally aligned along a longitudinal axis, the mounting section having a socket in which to receive the base, and an opening having a second surface; and

an elongate lock oriented in the same general direction as the longitudinal axis to fit between the first surface and the second surface in a compressive state to releasably hold the wear member to the base, wherein the lock includes a threaded shaft to bear against the first surface, a nut threaded to the shaft, and a spring about the shaft to be compressed between the second surface and the nut.

10. The wear assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the elongate lock is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis in a first plane and inclined to the longitudinal axis in a second transverse plane.

11. A method for installing a wear member onto excavating equipment comprising:

fitting a wear member with a socket over a nose fixed to the excavating equipment such that the nose is received into the socket;

positioning an elongate lock in an opening in the wear member so that a first bearing surface of the lock fits against a bearing surface on the nose, a second bearing surface of the lock fits against a bearing surface on the wear member, and a longitudinal axis of the lock is oriented generally in the direction the wear member is fit over the nose;

adjusting the lock with first bearing surfaces fit against the nose and the second bearing surface fit against the wear member to tighten the fit of the wear member onto the nose so that the lock is in a compressive state to hold the wear member to the base.

12. The method of installing a wear member in accordance with claim 11 wherein the elongate lock is inclined to a longitudinal axis of the wear member.

13. A method for installing a wear member onto excavating equipment comprising:

fitting a wear member with a socket over a nose fixed to the excavating equipment such that the nose is received into the socket, positioning an elongate lock in an opening in the wear member so that a first bearing surface of the lock fits against a bearing surface on the nose, a second bearing surface of the lock fits against a bearing surface on the wear member, and a longitudinal axis of the lock is oriented generally in the direction the wear member is fit over the nose, adjusting the lock to tighten the fit of the wear member onto the nose so that the lock is in a compressive state to hold the wear member to the base, wherein the lock includes a threaded shaft to bear against the first surface, a nut threaded to the shaft, and a spring about the shaft to be compressed between the second surface and the nut.

14. The method of installing a wear member in accordance with claim 13 wherein the elongate lock is positioned at an incline to a longitudinal axis of the wear member.

15. A method for installing a wear member onto excavating equipment comprising:

providing a nose fixed to the excavating equipment having a stop that projects outward from one side thereof;

fitting the wear member with a socket over the nose so that an opening extending through the wear member is placed in general axial alignment with the stop rearward of the stop;

inserting a lock into the opening and in a hole in the wear member to extend out of the opening and outward of the nose, and along an exterior side of the nose, to abut against the stop and a wall of the opening to releasably hold the wear member to the nose.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the lock is tightened to be in a compressive state between the stop and the wall of the opening.

17. A method for installing a point onto an adapter secured to excavating equipment comprising fitting the point with a socket defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, and sidewalls over a forwardly projecting nose fixed to the excavating equipment such that the nose is received into the socket, positioning an elongate lock having a threaded shank in an opening in the point such that the lock extends generally axially through the opening so that a front end of the lock fits against a stop on the nose, and a nut threaded to the shank, adjusting the lock to move the nut along the length of the shank in a rearward direction relative to the nose such that the nut abuts a rear wall of the opening and a front bearing face in the socket of the point is tightened against a forward-facing bearing face of the nose.

18. The method for installing a wear member in accordance with claim 17 wherein positioning the lock includes positioning the lock inclined to a longitudinal axis of the wear member.

19. The method for installing a point onto an adapter of claim 17 where the point is tightened onto the nose until a visual indicator of the lock generally aligns with a marker on the point.

20. The method for installing a point onto an adapter of claim 17 where the nut abuts a spring about the shaft and the spring abuts a rear wall of the opening.

21. A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising:

a base fixed to the excavating equipment and including a stop;

a wear member including a working section and a mounting section generally aligned along a longitudinal axis, the mounting section including a socket for receiving the base fixed to the excavating equipment, and an opening rearward of the stop in communication with the socket for receiving a lock to releasably hold the wear member to the excavating equipment, the opening having a front wall and a rear wall, and the rear wall including a hole; and

a lock which abuts the stop and extends through the hole at an inclination to the longitudinal axis for easy access by an operator for tightening of the lock.

22. A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising:

a base fixed to the excavating equipment and a wear member received over a portion of the base, the portion of the base received within the wear member including a laterally-outward projecting stop and being substantially solid throughout, the wear member including an opening having a rear wall; and

a lock extending rearward and inclined to the longitudinal axis, the lock including a threaded shank with a front end to contact the stop and a nut that applies a biasing force on the rear wall of the opening to releasably hold the wear member to the base.

23. A wear assembly comprising:

a wear member with a front working portion, a socket at the rear and an opening in the wear member in communication with the socket including a front edge and a rear bearing surface;

a base configured to receive the socket of the wear member aligned along a longitudinal axis, the base including a front bearing surface; and

a lock including a front end and a rear end to engage the front bearing surface and the rear bearing surface;

where with the lock positioned in the opening and in a compressive state biases the lock front end against the front bearing surface of the base and the lock rear end against the rear bearing surface of the wear member to secure the wear member to the base.

24. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the rear bearing surface of the opening is spaced farther from the longitudinal axis than the front edge of the opening.

25. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the lock rear end is spaced farther from the longitudinal axis than the lock front end with the lock engaging the front bearing surface and the rear bearing surface.

26. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the front bearing surface includes a recess that accepts at least a portion of the lock front end.

27. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the lock bias between the front bearing surface and the rear bearing surface urges the wear member rearward onto the base and to take up gaps between the wear member and the base.

28. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the base is free of through holes.

29. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the front bearing surface is accessible through the opening of the wear member with the wear member assembled to the base.

30. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the lock includes a spring biasing member.

31. The wear assembly of claim 23 where the lock in the opening accepts a tool to tighten the lock and the tool rotates at least a portion of the lock to tighten the lock.

32. The wear assembly of claim 31 where the lock includes a visual indictor of rotation of the lock.

33. The wear assembly of claim 31 where the visual indicator determines the pressure exerted by the lock.

34. A wear member for excavating equipment comprising a working section and a mounting section generally aligned along a longitudinal axis, the mounting section including a socket for receiving a base fixed to the excavating equipment, and an opening in communication with the socket for receiving a lock in a generally axial direction to releasably hold the wear member to the excavating equipment, the opening having a front wall and a rear wall, and the rear wall including a hole through which the lock extends from the opening at an inclination to the longitudinal axis so that the lock abuts a stop on the nose within the socket and for easy access outside of the opening by an operator for tightening of the lock.