Tooth retainer with rotary camlock

Abstract

An excavation tooth removably connected to an adapter connected to a shovel dipper, the adapter defining a first passageway, the excavation tooth having a tooth body defining a second passageway, a first cam receiving recess adjacent to one end of the second passageway, and a cam access orifice adjacent to the first cam receiving recess, a pin received in the second passageway defined by the tooth body and a cam which extends in a direction away from the pin, wherein the cam is received in the first cam receiving recess defined by the excavation tooth to removably secure the excavation tooth to the adapter.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An excavation tooth for use with an adapter, the adapter defining a first passageway, the excavation tooth comprising: 
 a tooth body defining a second passageway, a cam receiving recess adjacent to one end of the second passageway, and a cam access orifice adjacent to the cam receiving recess;    a pin which is received in the second passageway defined by the tooth body; and    a cam which extends in a direction away from the pin,    wherein the cam is received in the cam receiving recess defined by the excavation tooth to removably secure the excavation tooth to the adapter.    
     
     
         2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the cam is integrally formed with the pin and the cam receiving recess is a first cam receiving recess.  
     
     
         3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the pin defines a cam receiving orifice and the cam is slideably received in the cam receiving orifice.  
     
     
         4 . The device as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising an elastomeric material positioned in the cam receiving orifice between the cam receiving orifice and the cam and wherein the cam receiving recess is a second cam receiving recess, such that the cam exerts a restoring force on the elastomeric material, depending on the position of the cam in the second cam receiving recess.  
     
     
         5 . The device as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the cam defines an internal cavity.  
     
     
         6 . The device as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising a compressible spring positioned in the internal cavity defined by the cam and wherein the cam receiving recess is a second cam receiving recess, such that the compressible spring compresses and decompresses, depending on the position of the pin and the cam in the second cam receiving recess.  
     
     
         7 . The device as claimed in  claim 6  further comprising an end cap, wherein the compressible spring is positioned between the end cap and the cam.  
     
     
         8 . A method of removably attaching an excavation tooth to an adapter, the adapter defining a first passageway and the excavation tooth defining a second passageway, a cam receiving recess adjacent to one end of the second passageway, and a cam access orifice adjacent to the cam receiving recess, with the first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth aligned with one another, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) inserting a pin into the first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth, the pin having a cam which extends in a direction away from the pin;    (b) orienting the pin so that the cam can be received in the cam access orifice and the cam receiving recess defined adjacent to one end of the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth; and    (c) rotating the pin in a first direction with respect to the excavation tooth so that the cam engages the cam receiving recess and the excavation tooth is removably secured to the adapter.    
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising the steps of: 
 (d) rotating the pin in a second direction with respect to the excavation tooth until the cam is aligned with the cam access orifice; and  
 (e) removing the pin from the first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9  further comprising the step of: 
 (f) removing the excavation tooth from the adapter.  
 
     
     
         11 . An excavating tool comprising: 
 a moveable work vehicle: 
 a shovel dipper attached to the moveable work vehicle;  
 an adapter attached to the shovel dipper, the adapter defining a first passageway;  
 and an excavation tooth removably attached to the adapter, the excavation tooth defining a second passageway, a cam receiving recess adjacent to one end of the second passageway, and a cam access orifice adjacent to the cam receiving recess, with the first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth aligned with one another;  
 a pin removably received in the first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth; and  
 a cam which extends in a direction away from the pin and is received in the cam receiving recess defined adjacent to one end of the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth,  
 wherein rotation of the pin and cam in a first direction with respect to the excavation tooth causes the cam to engage the cam receiving recess and prevents the pin and cam from being removed from the first passageway defined by the adapter and the second passageway defined by the excavation tooth.  
   
     
     
         12 . The excavating tool as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the cam is integrally formed with the pin and the cam receiving recess is a first cam receiving recess.  
     
     
         13 . The excavating tool as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the pin defines a cam receiving orifice and the cam is slideably received in the cam receiving orifice.  
     
     
         14 . The excavating tool as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising an elastomeric material positioned in the cam receiving orifice between the cam receiving orifice and the cam and wherein the cam receiving recess is a second cam receiving recess, such that the cam exerts a restoring force on the elastomeric material, depending on the position of the cam in the second cam receiving recess.  
     
     
         15 . The excavating tool as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the cam defines an internal cavity.  
     
     
         16 . The excavating tool as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising a compressible spring positioned in the internal cavity defined by the cam and wherein the cam receiving recess is a second cam receiving recess, such that such that the compressible spring compresses and decompresses, depending on the position of the pin and the cam in the second cam receiving recess.