Wear Assembly For Excavating Equipment

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.

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,   a leading side adapted to be a forward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground during a digging operation, and   a trailing side adapted to be a rearward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground,   the leading and trailing sides extending axially across the working and mounting sections, and the leading side having a greater width than the trailing side in transverse cross sections perpendicular to the longitudinal axis along at least part of the mounting section.   
     
     
         2 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 1  including an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. 
     
     
         3 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the working section is an elongate bit. 
     
     
         4 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the mounting section has a generally trapezoidal transverse configuration perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the working section has a generally trapezoidal transverse configuration perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 4  wherein substantially the entire length of the mounting section has a generally trapezoidal transverse configuration perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least one wall of the socket is bowed inwardly to define a projection that fits into a trough formed on the base. 
     
     
         8 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the socket has a generally trapezoidal transverse configuration. 
     
     
         9 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 8  wherein each wall of the socket defining the trapezoidal shape has a generally curved, convex shape across substantially the entire width of the wall. 
     
     
         10 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the leading side has a greater width than the trailing side in transverse cross-sections perpendicular to the longitudinal axis along at least part of the working section. 
     
     
         11 . 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,   a leading side adapted to be a forward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground during a digging operation, and   a trailing side adapted to be a rearward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground,   the leading and trailing sides extending axially across the working and mounting sections, sidewalls extending between the leading and trailing sides generally converging toward the trailing side in digging profiles of at least a forward portion of the mounting section, the digging profiles being cross sections extending parallel to the direction of travel through the ground at a center point of a digging pass and extending laterally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis for at least one digging angle.   
     
     
         12 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 11  including an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. 
     
     
         13 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the sidewalls generally converge toward the trailing side in the digging profiles across substantially the entire length of the mounting section. 
     
     
         14 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the working section is an elongate bit. 
     
     
         15 . 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 the socket having a generally trapezoidal configuration transverse to the longitudinal axis and being defined by surfaces that are each curved and bowed inwardly. 
     
     
         16 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the surfaces of the socket are bowed inwardly across substantially their entire widths. 
     
     
         17 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the front end of the socket includes a generally hemispherical front bearing face. 
     
     
         18 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 15  including an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. 
     
     
         19 . 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 the socket including a front end defining a generally hemispherical front bearing face and a main portion rearward of the front end. 
     
     
         20 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the main portion has a generally trapezoidal configuration transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         21 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the main portion includes at least one stabilizing surface that axially extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         22 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 19  including an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. 
     
     
         23 . 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 the socket including a front end defining a front bearing face that is concave and curved about two axes which are each perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a main portion rearward of the front end having a generally trapezoidal configuration transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         24 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 23  including an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. 
     
     
         25 . 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, the socket including a front end defining a generally hemispherical front bearing face and a main portion rearward of the front end, the main portion including stabilizing surfaces axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and transversely extending substantially around a perimeter of the socket. 
     
     
         26 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 25  wherein the main portion has a generally trapezoidal configuration transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         27 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 25  including an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. 
     
     
         28 . 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 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 for easy access by an operator for tightening of the lock. 
     
     
         29 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 28  wherein a marker is provided adjacent the opening to provide a visual indicating to the operator when the lock has been sufficiently tightened. 
     
     
         30 . A wear member in accordance with  claim 28  wherein the socket includes rear stabilizing surfaces axially extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and positioned rearward of the hole. 
     
     
         31 . A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising:
 a base fixed to the excavating equipment;   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 a base fixed to the excavating equipment, a leading side adapted to be a forward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground during a digging operation, and a trailing side adapted to be a rearward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground, the leading and trailing sides extending axially across the working and mounting sections, and the leading side having a greater width than the trailing side in transverse cross sections perpendicular to the longitudinal axis along at least part of the mounting section; and   a lock to releasably secure the wear member to the base.   
     
     
         32 . A wear assembly in accordance with  claim 31  wherein the base includes a nose received into the socket, and wherein the nose and the socket each has a generally trapezoidal transverse configuration perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         33 . A wear assembly in accordance with  claim 31  wherein the base includes a nose received into the socket, the nose includes a plurality of troughs, and the socket includes a plurality of projections received into the troughs. 
     
     
         34 . A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising
 a base fixed: to the excavating equipment;   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 a base fixed to the excavating equipment, a leading side adapted to be a forward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground during a digging operation, and a trailing side adapted to be a rearward surface during advance of the wear member through the ground, the leading and trailing sides extending axially across the working and mounting sections, sidewalls extending between the leading and trailing sides generally converging toward the trailing side in digging profiles of at least a portion of the mounting section, the digging profiles being cross sections extending parallel to the direction of travel through the ground at a center point of a digging pass and extending laterally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis for at least one digging angle; and   a lock for releasably securing the wear member to the base.   
     
     
         35 . A wear assembly for excavating equipment comprising:
 a base fixed to the excavating equipment;   a wear member including a working section and a mounting section generally aligned along a longitudinal axis, the mounting section including a socket having a generally trapezoidal configuration transverse to the longitudinal axis and being defined by surfaces that are each curved and bowed inwardly; and   a lock for releasably holding the wear member to the base.   
     
     
         36 . A wear assembly in accordance with  claim 31  wherein the base includes a nose which has a generally trapezoidal configuration transverse to the longitudinal axis to substantially conform to the shape of the socket. 
     
     
         37 . 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.   
     
     
         38 . A wear assembly in accordance with  claim 37  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. 
     
     
         39 . 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 noses 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.   
     
     
         40 . A method in accordance with  claim 39  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. 
     
     
         41 . 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 a 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;   positioning lock 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.   
     
     
         42 . A method in accordance with  claim 41  wherein the lock is tightened to be in a compressive state between the stop and the wall of the opening. 
     
     
         43 . 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 a lock 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;   adjusting the lock to tighten the fit of the wear member onto the nose until a visual indicator of the lock generally aligns with a marker on the wear member.   
     
     
         44 . A lock for releaseably securing a wear member to a base fixed to excavating equipment, the lock comprising a linear, threaded shaft having a bearing end and a tool engaging end, a nut threaded onto the shaft, and a spring, the spring including a plurality of alternating annular elastomeric disks and annular spacers fit about the threaded shaft between the bearing end and the nut.