WEAR ASSEMBLY
20220333358 · 2022-10-20
Assignee
Inventors
- Clinton A. Wood (Portland, OR, US)
- Cameron R. Leedham (Portland, OR, US)
- Christopher D. Snyder (Driggs, ID, US)
- Christopher E. Grewell (Portland, OR, US)
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
A wear assembly for earth working equipment including a wear member including an exterior surface, an opening to receive a separable component, and a hole extending from the external surface to the opening. A lock in the hole to secure the separable component to the wear member, wherein the lock includes a collar and a pin that is adjustable within the collar so that the pin is movable inward to retain the separable component and movable outward to release the separable component. A magnet to secure the collar in the hole. The lock may pivot outwardly into the hole.
Claims
1. A wear assembly for earth working equipment comprising: a wear member including an exterior surface, an opening to receive a separable component, and a hole extending from the external surface to the opening; a lock in the hole to secure the separable component to the wear member, wherein the lock includes a collar and a pin that is adjustable within the collar so that the pin is movable inward to retain the separable component and movable outward to release the separable component; and a magnet to secure the collar in the hole.
2. The wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the wear member is a ground engaging tool and the separable component is a nose for mounting the wear member to a digging edge of an earth working equipment.
3. The wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the wear member is a rigging component and the separable component is a rigging pin.
4. The wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnet is secured to the wear member.
5. The wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnet is secured to the collar.
6. A wear assembly for earth working equipment comprising: a wear member for earth working equipment comprising an exterior surface, an opening for receiving a separable component, a hole extending from the external surface to the opening, the hole having an outer portion adjacent the exterior surface and an inner portion forming a recess in the opening wherein the recess surrounds the outer portion, and a pivot support on one side of the recess; and a lock in the hole wherein the lock includes a collar and a pin that is adjustable within the collar to move inward to retain the separable component and outward to release the separable component, the collar including a pivot formation to engage the pivot support to pivot the collar into the recess.
7. The wear assembly of claim 6, wherein the wear member is a ground engaging tool and the separable component is a nose for mounting the wear member to a digging edge of an earth working equipment.
8. The wear assembly of claim 6, wherein the wear member is a rigging component and the separable component is a rigging pin.
9. The wear assembly of claim 6, wherein the magnet is secured to the wear member.
10. The wear assembly of claim 6, wherein the magnet is secured to the collar.
11. A wear member for earth working equipment comprising: an exterior surface, an opening for receiving a separable component, a hole extending from the external surface to the opening, the hole having an outer portion adjacent the exterior surface and an inner portion forming a recess in the opening wherein the recess surrounds the outer portion, and a pivot support on one side of the recess to facilitate pivoting of a collar of a lock into the recess so the lock can retain the separatable component in the opening.
12. The wear member of claim 11, wherein the recess includes a magnet opposite the pivot support.
13. The wear member of claim 11, wherein the wear member is a rigging component.
14. The wear member of claim 11, wherein the wear member is a ground engaging tool.
15. The wear member of claim 11, wherein the pivot support is a projection that includes an opening in the center thereof.
16. The wear member of claim 11, wherein the pivot support is a recess interacting with a projection in the collar.
17. A wear member for earth working equipment comprising an exterior surface, an opening defined by an internal surface to receive a separable component, a hole extending from the external surface to the opening, and at least one magnet in the hole adjacent the internal surface to hold a lock to the wear member.
18. The wear member of claim 17, wherein the wear member is a rigging component.
19. The wear member of claim 17, wherein the wear member is a ground engaging tool.
20. A lock for securing a wear member for earth working to a separable component, the lock comprising: a collar including a body, at least one projection extending from one side of the body, a threaded opening extending through the body, and at least one magnet to hold the collar to an interior surface of the wear member in an install position; a threaded pin in the threaded opening in the collar that is adjustable within the collar to move inward and outward of the separable component.
21. The lock of claim 20, wherein the magnet is positioned within the projection.
22. The lock of claim 20, wherein the collar includes two of the projections on opposite sides of one another, each projection containing a magnet.
23. The lock of claim 20, wherein the pin is adjustable between a locked position where the threaded pin retains the separable component in the wear member and a release position where the threaded pin releases the separable component.
24. A lock for securing a wear member for earth working to a separable component, the lock comprising: a collar including a pivot formation on one end of the collar to facilitate pivoting of the collar into a usable position against an interior surface on the wear member, a threaded opening extending through the collar, and at least one magnet to hold the collar to a wear member; a threaded pin in the threaded opening in the collar which is adjustable inward and outward of the separable component.
25. The lock of claim 24, wherein the collar includes a body and at least one projection, the magnet being positioned within the projection.
26. The lock of claim 24, wherein the pin is adjustable between a locked position where the threaded pin retains the separable component in the wear member and a release position where the threaded pin releases the separable component.
27. The lock of claim 24, wherein the pivot formation is a recess that mates with a projection in the wear member.
28. The lock of claim 27, wherein the projection in the wear member includes a cut-out portion.
29. A process for installing a lock in a wear member for earth working equipment, the process comprising: providing a wear member having an opening for receiving a separable component, and a transverse hole that intersects the opening; installing a collar with a through-hole into the opening and against an interior surface of the opening so the through-hole is aligned with the transverse hole in the wear member; providing a magnet on the wear member and/or the collar to secure the collar to the wear member; and inserting a pin in the through-hole in the collar that is adjustable toward and away from the opening.
30. The process of claim 29, wherein the collar includes a pivot formation that pivots about a pivot support on the wear member when installing the collar against the interior surface of the opening.
31. The process of claim 29, including a second magnet on the wear member and/or collar to secure the collar to the wear member.
32. A wear member for earth working equipment comprising: a nose for mounting a second wear member with a cavity thereto, the nose having a lock hole for receiving a lock to secure the second wear member to the wear member, the lock hole having an interior surface with a substantially circular portion and two flat sections for engagement with the lock.
33. The wear member of claim 32, wherein the lock includes a pin and the two flat sections engage an end of the pin of the lock in two locations.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0058] The present disclosure pertains to a wear assembly for earth working equipment. While the disclosure herein includes examples of securing a ground engaging tool (which in this example is shown as a point) to an adapter, wear assemblies in accordance with this disclosure may be used in securing other kinds of wear parts such as intermediate adapters, shrouds, runners, picks, hammers, rigging components, etc. Likewise, although excavating buckets are disclosed herein as the earth working equipment, other kinds of earth working equipment could be used such as dredge cutter heads, shredders, rigging equipment, roll crushers, chutes, truck bodies, etc. Relative terms such as front, rear, top, bottom and the like are used for convenience of discussion. The terms front or forward are generally used to indicate the normal direction of travel during use (e.g., while digging), and upper or top are generally used as a reference to the surface over which the material passes when, for example, it is gathered into the bucket. Nevertheless, it is recognized that in the operation of various earth working machines the wear assemblies may be oriented in various ways and move in all kinds of directions during use.
[0059] In the illustrated example of
[0060] The base 58 may be an integral portion of the earth working equipment (such as a digging edge of a bucket) or may be a separate component attached to such equipment (e.g., an adapter) by, e.g., welding, or mechanical attachment. The cavity 19 and base 58 received therein are complementary shaped to suitably support the wear member 12 during use. In this embodiment, base 58 is a nose of an adapter or cast lip. In the illustrated example, the cavity and nose are generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,649 (incorporated herein by reference) but a wide range of cavity and nose configurations could be used. Nose 58 includes an opening 60 to receive a leading end 27 of pin 22 to secure the wear member to the base (
[0061] The lock 14 is a coupling arrangement for securing two separable components in an earth working operation. Referring to
[0062] The collar 26 has a body 25 that fits in recess or lock receiving area 16 of wear member 12 and includes a bore or opening 26A. The illustrated bore includes threads 26B for receiving the pin 22 with matching threads 22B, but other configurations without threads to secure and move the pin relative to the collar are possible (e.g. prying latches, oil pressure, etc.). In the illustrated example, the body 25 includes an inner portion 31 that is received in recess 16 and an outer portion 30 that is received in passage 18. The inner portion 31 is elongated to be larger than passage 18 to resist outward movement during use. The outer portion 30 is smaller for receipt into passage 18 to ensure alignment of bore 26A with hole 17 and/or provide a longer run of threads. Nevertheless, other collar shapes are possible.
[0063] The collar 26 includes at least one magnet 11 to secure the collar 26 and/or lock 14 in recess 16. In the illustrated example, two magnets are located near each respective end 13, 13′ on an outer surface 30 of collar 26, though other locations and numbers of magnets 11 are possible. Each magnet 11 may be installed into an open-ended hole 11A (which in this example is a blind hole) or otherwise secured to the collar 26. The magnet 11 and hole 11A are illustrated as cylindrical, but other shapes are possible. The magnet(s) could alternatively be secured to the wear member in hole 17. The magnets 11 can hold the collar 26 and, when pin 22 is installed, the lock 14 in place within wear member 12 during shipment, storage, and/or installation of wear member 12. This arrangement can permit the wear member 12 to be installed on base 58 without first moving or removing the lock 14 from the wear member 12. In some examples, the lock 14 is preferably held to wear member 12 in a first or release position, where the inner end 27 of pin 22 is located within the collar 26, so the lock 14 does not obstruct installation of wear member 12 onto a base 58 (
[0064] The pin 22 may be similar to the pin disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 16/671,096, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The pin 22 includes a tool-receiving formation 22C for turning the pin 22. In the illustrated example, the formation 22C includes a hole with facets 22D in head 22A for receiving, e.g., a hex wrench tool. The pin 22 can include a distal tapering shank 24 extending away from the head with threads 22B. In this example, an outer seal 28 is retained in a recess 28A located inward of the head 22A on pin 22 (
[0065] In one preferred example, the threaded pin 22 includes an optional latch or detent 45 biased to protrude beyond the surrounding thread 22B. A corresponding outer pocket or recess 46 is formed in the thread 26B of collar 26 to receive detent 45, so that threaded pin 22 latches into a specific position relative to collar 26 when latching detent 45 aligns and inserts with an outer pocket. Preferably, latching detent 45 is located at the start of the thread 22B on threaded pin 22, nearer to the pin end 27 than to the pin head 22A. Preferably, latching detent 45 may be formed of sheet steel, held in place within a sump 52 within pin 22, and resiliently fixed to an elastomer 50. The elastomer 52 may, e.g., be molded around latching detent 45 so that elastomer 52 hardens in place and bonds to latching detent 45. The latch 45 could alternatively be in the collar 26 and pocket 46 in the pin 22.
[0066] The use of a single integral wear member 12 and lock 14 reduces the number of parts to be held in an inventory. Such a construction reduces inventory and storage needs, eliminates dropping the lock during installation (which can be particularly problematic at night), ensures the proper lock is always used, and eases the installation of the wear member. Nevertheless, if desired, pin 22 could be removed at any time. The collar 26 is preferably a single unit (one piece or assembled as a unit), and preferably a one-piece construction for strength and simplicity. Likewise, the pin 22 is preferably one single unit of a one-piece construction for strength and simplicity. Nevertheless, the collar and/or pin could be formed of multiple pieces. While the collar and pin are preferably assembled into wear member 12 at the time of manufacture, the collar 26 and the pin 22 could be installed at other times. For example, the collar 26 with or without the pin 22 could be installed at the worksite prior to installation to a base. If the collar 26 is installed without the pin 22, the pin 22 could be inserted from the outside to secure the wear member 12 to the base 58.
[0067] The recess 16 is an opening in the interior surface 21 of the wear member 12 and is structured to receive and cooperate with the collar 26 of the lock 14, i.e., the collar is fit into hole 17 from the within cavity 19. The recess 16 surrounds a passage 18 to receive a pin 22 and the inner portion 30 of the collar 26 of the lock 14. The recess 16 and/or passage 18 may be an elongate circle shape defined by an inner surfaces 33, 34, but other shapes are possible.
[0068] Referring to
[0069] The pin 22 can be installed into collar 26 from outside the wear member 12 so that pin end 27 is the leading end 27 and pin threads 22B engage collar threads 26B, but could be connected to collar 26 and installed into hole 17 with collar 26. The leading end 27 is preferably unthreaded for receipt into a hole 60 in the side 56 of the nose 58. The engagement of latching detent 45 in outer pocket 46 holds threaded pin 22 in a release position relative to collar 26, which holds pin 22 outside of cavity 19 (or at least outside of hole 60 with sufficient clearance on nose 58), so that the wear member 12 can be installed on (and/or removed from) nose 58 (
[0070] Further application of torque to pin 22 will squeeze latching detent 45 out of outer pocket 46. An inner pocket or recess is optionally formed at the inner end of the thread of collar 26 and puts the lock in the locking position (
[0071] To remove wear member 12 from base 58, the pin 22 may be released using a torque-applying tool (e.g., a torque wrench) to unscrew pin 22 from collar 26. While pin 22 can be removed from collar 26, it need only be backed up to the release position without completely removing the pin 22. Wear member 12 can then be removed from nose 58. The torque of unscrewing pin 22 may exert substantial torsion loads on collar 26, which are resisted by shelf surface 33.
[0072] The use of a lock in accordance with the present disclosure can provide many benefits: (i) the lock can be integrated into the wear member so that the lock ships and stores in a ready to install position for less inventory and easier installation; (ii) the lock requires only common drive tools (such as a hex tool) for easy use; (iii) the lock requires no hammer for safe operation; (iv) the lock provides easy tool access for ready installation and/or removal; (v) the lock can provide visual and/or haptic confirmation of correct installation; (vi) a new lock can be provided with each wear part for enhanced reliability and/or ease; (vii) the lock has a simple, intuitive operation that makes it easy to use; (viii) the lock can have an integration system built around simple castable feature where the integration supports high loads, requires no special tools or adhesives and creates a permanent assembly; (ix) a magnet holds the collar to the wear member in a quick and easy install position; and/or (x) the lock is located within an interior of the wear assembly to protect the lock from wear and reduce the risk of lock ejection.
[0073] In the illustrated example of
[0074] In the illustrated example, the wear member 112 is shown as a point having a working portion 112A in the form of a narrowed front end 112B to penetrate the ground during digging, and a mounting portion 112C with a rearwardly-opening cavity 119 defined by an interior surface 121 for receiving the base 158.
[0075] The wear member 112 includes a cavity 119 that is shaped generally to accept the base 158 therein and includes an opening 160 that is sized and shaped to engage an inner end 127 of pin 122 to secure the wear member 112 to the base 158. The opening 160 may optionally include the two linear sections as discussed above.
[0076] The lock 114 is a coupling arrangement for securing two separable components in an earth working operation. Referring to
[0077] The collar 126 includes at least one magnet 111 to secure the collar 126 and/or lock 114 in the recess 116. In the illustrated example, the magnet 111 is located near an end 113 of the body 125 on a top surface 172 of the collar 126, though other locations are possible. The magnet(s) could alternatively be secured to the wear member 112 in the hole 117. The body 125 includes a coupling structure or anchor feature 162 that is configured to cooperate with a complementary support feature 164 formed in recess 116 (
[0078] The presence of support 164 and the magnet 111 function to contain the collar 126 or the lock 114 in the first or release position so that the lock 114 does not obstruct installation of the wear member 112 onto the base 158. The magnet 111 in combination with the support 164 holds lock 114 in place within wear member 112, permitting shipment and storage of wear member 112, and to additionally permit the wear member 112 to be installed upon an appropriate base 158, preferably without first moving or removing the lock 114 (e.g. either pin 122 or collar 126) from the aperture 117. However, the base 158 is not needed to hold the lock 114 in the first position, though the opposition of the base to the collar during use prevents the collar from moving out of recess 116. Any outward movement of lock 114 is resisted by support 164 in slot 162, and by the top surface 172 on the end 113 of the lock 114 abutting resisting surface 135 (
[0079] The body 125 includes a bottom surface 174 that is similarly shaped to the top surface 172. In one example, the top surface 172 is longer in a lengthwise dimension than the bottom surface 174. The top surface 172 is adjacent a proximal surface 176 and an opposite distal surface 177. The slot 162 defines a curved surface 178, which is adjacent a lower side surface 180 (
[0080] The recess 116 is an opening in the interior surface 121 of the wear member 112 and is structured to receive and cooperate with the collar 126 of the lock 114 (
[0081] Referring to
[0082] Referring to
[0083] To remove the wear member 112, the pin 122 may be released using a torque applying tool (e.g., a torque wrench) to unscrew pin 122 from collar 126 back to the release or shipping position (
[0084] In the illustrated example of
[0085] A base end 212C is provided on the opposite end of Y connector 212. Rigging component 212 is typically part of a rigging assembly and is secured to other components (e.g., other rigging components, chains, bucket parts, etc.) via the rigging pin 258 (i.e., between arms 212A, 212B, and via the aperture in base end 212C. While a Y connector rigging component is used as an example, a lock 214 could be used to secure the pin in other kinds of rigging components.
[0086] Each opening 219A, 219B may be shaped generally to accept the rigging pin 258. A hole 217 extends through arm 212A to intersect opening 219A. A hole 217 may also or alternatively be located in arm 212B (not shown). The hole 217 includes an inner portion or recess 217′ that opens to the interior 221 of the opening 219A. The recess 217′ is structured to receive and cooperate with the main body 225 of the collar 226 of the lock 214. The outer portion of hole 217 may be an elongate circle shape defined by an inner surface 218, but other shapes are possible. The outer portion or passage 216 of hole 217 is sized and shaped to mate with at least an outer portion 231 of the collar 226 of the lock (
[0087] The rigging wear member 212 is a coupling arrangement for securing two separable components in an earth working operation. Lock 214 secures the rigging pin 258 in wear member 212. Referring to
[0088] The collar 226 has a body 225 that fits into the lock receiving recess 217′ in arm 212A of wear member 212 and extends into passage 218. The body 225 may be cylindrically shaped and include a bore 226A. In the illustrated example, the bore 226A includes threads 226B for receiving pin 222 with matching threads 222B, but other configurations are possible. The illustrated bore includes threads 226B for receiving the pin 222 with matching threads 222B, but other configurations without threads to secure and move the pin relative to the collar are possible (e.g. prying latches, oil pressure, etc.).
[0089] In the illustrated example, the body 225 includes an inner portion 230 that is received in the recess 217′ and an outer portion 231 that is received in the hole 217. The inner portion 230 is elongated to be larger than the hole 217 to resist outward movement during use. The inner portion 230 is smaller for receipt into the hole 217 to ensure alignment of bore 226A with hole 217 and/or provide a longer run of threads. Nevertheless, other collar shapes are possible.
[0090] The body 225 may be further defined by at least two projections 215, 215′ extending outward from the cylindrical portion of the body 225. The projections 215, 215′ may be sized and shape to fit within the grooves 287, 288 in the lock receiving area 217′. One of the projections 215, 215′ may have a different length or shape than the other. In the illustrated example, a third projection 229 may be situated into the relief 232 that extends from the hole 217 into the lock receiving area 217′.
[0091] The collar 226 includes at least one magnet 211 to secure the collar 226 and, thus, lock 214 in recess 217′. In the illustrated example, two magnets 211 are located near each respective end 213, 213′ on an outer surface 30 of the two projections 215, 215′ of the collar 226, though other locations and numbers of magnets 211 are possible. The magnets 211 are illustrated as being at different elevations, such that one magnet 211 is higher than the other, but other configurations are possible. The magnets 211 are shown as different in size, but may also be the same. Each magnet 211 may be installed into an open-ended hole 211A or otherwise secured to the collar 226. The magnets 211 and holes 211A are similar to the magnets 11 and hole 11A discussed above. The magnets 211 can hold the collar 226 in place during shipment, storage, and/or installation of wear member 212. This arrangement can permit the rigging pin 258 to be installed on wear member 212 without first moving or removing the lock 214 from the wear member 212 depending on the length of the shank 224 on the pin 222. In the illustrated example, the lock 214 is only positioned in a locked or unlocked position (
[0092] The body 225 includes a bottom surface 274 that is similarly shaped to the top surface 272. In other examples, the bottom surface 274 may engage the rigging pin 258. The projections 215, 215′ includes side surfaces 281-284. These side surfaces may converge towards the ends 213, 213′ of the lock 214. In the illustrated example, the converging surfaces 283, 284 converge toward the proximal end 215 and are longer in dimension than the side surfaces 281, 282, but other configurations are possible (diverging, planar, curved, etc.).
[0093] Referring to