A retainer sleeve configured for use in a retainer system for a ground engaging tool includes a plurality of plate-like sections, each section being flexibly joined with an adjacent section along either a radially inner edge or a portion of a radially outer edge. The radially inner edges of the plurality of sections form part of a segmented inner surface configured for engagement with an outer surface of a locking member of the retainer system. The inner surface extends partially around a central axis of the retainer sleeve to form a substantially C-shaped retainer sleeve having opposite circumferential ends that are spaced from each other. The radially outer edges of the plurality of sections form part of a segmented, frustoconical outer surface configured for engagement in an internal lock cavity of a ground engaging tool tip.

A coupling for connecting ground engaging tools to a lip of an excavator bucket or similar uses an eccentric rotating lock, whereby rotation of the lock alters the distance between bearing surfaces and thus allows tightening of the lock.

A power locking device has a body including a blind bore with an electroactive polymer disposed in the blind bore, and a sliding lock member that is disposed in the blind bore and that contacts the electroactive polymer. A current source is in electrical communication with the electroactive polymer.

An adapter includes a first leg, a second leg, and a throat portion at least partially define a slot that defines a projection at the closed end of the slot that includes a flat middle portion straddled laterally by a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion, defining a lateral middle portion width. A projection protruding distance is measured along the direction of assembly from the closed end of the slot to the flat middle portion. The projection protruding distance ranges from 0.8 to 1.2 multiplied by the lateral middle portion width.

A ground-engaging tool system includes an adapter attachable to a work implement and a ground-engaging tip that is releasably connectable to the adapter. To releasably mate the adapter and the tip, the adapter may include a projecting lug post that locks and unlocks with a rotatable, latch-like retainer in the tip. The lug post may be a frustum or frustoconical structure having a truncated flat and an exterior side surface that intersect at a peripheral edge. The shape of the truncated flat, peripheral edge, and exterior side surface may further be delineated by a first radius and a second radius of different dimensions, or by radii having first and second centers that are not coincident in location on the truncated flat.

A lip to be applied to a bucket of excavating equipment for moving ground materials that includes a lip adapted to be attached to an open end of a container of the excavating equipment having a front end facing in a forward direction of the container, the lip defining a substantially horizontal bottom lip portion and side portions extending upwardly from lateral ends of the bottom lip portion, and a multiplicity of like projections extending forwardly relative to the lip from at least one of the portions of the lip.

A tooth assembly having an adapter, a tooth, and a pin. The adapter and the tooth each have a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the adapter is adapted to be combined with an earth-digging implement. The second portion of the adapter is adapted to be combined with the tooth. The second portion of the adapter has an opening adapted to receive an engagement member extending from the second portion of the tooth. The first portion of the tooth is adapted to engage the material being displaced by the implement and the second portion is adapted to be combined with the adapter. The second portion of the tooth has an opening adapted to receive an engagement member extending from the second portion of the adapter. The pin is inserted through openings in both the adapter and the tooth to secure the two components together during operation.

A wear assembly having an adaptor with a spigot portion is disclosed. The spigot portion has a transverse dimension. The wear assembly also has a wear member releasably mountable on the adaptor. The wear member has a body with a socket cavity and the socket cavity is adapted to receive the spigot portion of the adaptor. The wear member also has a pair of mounting ears extending from the body. Each of the mounting ears has a transverse dimension. The transverse dimension of each mounting ear is in the range 0.25 to 0.4 of the transverse dimension of the spigot portion.

The invention relates to a method of fixing a wear element (2) on the front edge of a support (1) using fixing means, where the wear element (2) comprises two arms (3) with first through openings (4) and the support (1) has a second through opening (5) sandwiched between the first through openings (4). The fixing means comprise a C-shaped first body (6), a wedge (14), ratchet means (24) between both and a second body (8), which are housed in the openings in an assembled position. The method consists of positioning the first body (6) and the second body (8) in the openings, inserting the wedge (14) between both, positioning a screw (21) between the wedge (14) and the second body (8) and screwing it in such a way that the wedge (14) moves with respect to the second body (8) and the first body (6) until the wedge (14) reaches its assembled position, and at least partially unscrewing the screw (21) and removing the screw (21) from the fixing means.

A wear member attachment system for use with an excavation implement can include a connector that releasably secures a wear member to the excavation implement, the connector including an elongated housing and engagement members extendable and retractable relative to the housing. One engagement member can extend relative to the housing when another engagement member retracts relative to the housing, and vice versa. A method of releasably securing a wear member to an excavation implement can include rotating a engagement member of a connector from an extended position in which opposing slots in the engagement member are aligned with respective projections in the wear member, to a retracted position in which the slots are not aligned with the projections. The rotating step can include extending another engagement member of the connector as the first connector displaces from the extended position to the retracted position.