Wear collar for tool retention system

Abstract

A wear collar is provided for use with a tool retention system having a locating member with a wedge portion. The wear collar may have a hollow body at least partially forming an inner surface configured to mate against an external surface of the locating member at the wedge portion, and an outer surface offset from the inner surface. The outer surface may have a profile generally matching a profile of the inner surface. The hollow body may be configured to receive and annularly surround the locating member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wear collar for a tool retention system having a locating member with a wedge portion, the wear collar comprising:
 a hollow body at least partially forming:
 an inner surface configured to mate against an external surface of the locating member at the wedge portion; and 
 an outer surface offset from the inner surface and having a profile generally matching a profile of the inner surface, 
   wherein the hollow body is configured to receive and annularly surround the locating member.   
     
     
         2 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body of the wear collar is configured to extend in an axial direction a majority length of the wedge portion. 
     
     
         3 . The wear collar of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the locating member has a shank portion extending from the wedge portion, an end surface located opposite the shank portion relative to the wedge portion, and a chamfered edge joining the end surface with the wedge portion; and   the hollow body of the wear collar is configured to extend in an axial direction of the shank portion from the chamfered edge to a transition between the wedge portion and the shank portion.   
     
     
         4 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body of the wear collar is fabricated from a material substantially identical to a material from which the locating member is fabricated. 
     
     
         5 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body has a single plane of symmetry. 
     
     
         6 . The wear collar of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the single plane of symmetry passes through the inner surface at a first location and at an opposing second location;   the inner surface is configured to be generally aligned with an axial direction of the locating member at the first location; and   the inner surface is tilted at an angle relative to the axial direction of the locating member at the second location.   
     
     
         7 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hollow body includes a first axial end and an opposing second axial end;   the inner surface at the first axial end is generally elliptical; and   the inner surface at the second axial end is generally circular.   
     
     
         8 . The wear collar of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the locating member has a shank portion extending from the wedge portion, an end surface located opposite the shank portion relative to the wedge portion, and a chamfered edge joining the end surface with the wedge portion;   the first axial end is configured to be located at the chamfered edge; and   the second axial end is configured to be located at a transition between the wedge portion and the shank portion.   
     
     
         9 . The wear collar of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow body has a thickness to inner diameter ratio of about 1:3-4 at the second axial end. 
     
     
         10 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hollow body includes a first axial end and an opposing second axial end;   the inner surface at the first axial end is generally elliptical; and   the inner surface at the second axial end is generally elliptical, has a small diameter about equal to a small diameter of the inner surface at the first axial end, and has a large diameter about 10-30% smaller than a large diameter of the inner surface at the first axial end.   
     
     
         11 . The wear collar of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the locating member has a shank portion extending from the wedge portion, an end surface located opposite the shank portion relative to the wedge portion, and a chamfered edge joining the end surface with the wedge portion;   the first axial end is configured to be located at the chamfered edge; and   the second axial end is configured to be located at a transition between the wedge portion and the shank portion.   
     
     
         12 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body has a thickness to length ratio of about 1:2.5-3.5. 
     
     
         13 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface is continuous and generally curved at the wedge portion. 
     
     
         14 . The wear collar of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface is faceted at the wedge portion. 
     
     
         15 . A wear collar kit for a tool retention system having a locating member with a wedge portion, the wear collar kit comprising:
 at least a first wear collar connectable to the wedge portion of the locating member and being configured to limit relative movement between a tool adapter and a mounting nose of a work implement by a first amount; and   at least a second wear collar connectable to the wedge portion of the locating member and being configured to limit relative movement between the tool adapter and the mounting nose of the work implement by a second amount greater than the first amount.   
     
     
         16 . The wear collar kit of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least a first wear collar includes two substantially identical first wear collars each having a first wall thickness; and   the at least a second wear collar includes substantially identical second wear collars having a second wall thickness at least 10% greater than a wall thickness of the first wear collars.   
     
     
         17 . A tool retention system, comprising:
 at least one locating member having a wedge portion and a shank portion extending from the wedge portion, the shank portion configured to be slidably inserted into a side of an adapter and into a mounting nose of a work implement;   a bolt configured to engage an end of the shank portion opposite the wedge portion, wherein tension of the bolt is configured to cause the wedge portion to urge the adapter into further engagement with the mounting nose; and   at least one wear collar having:
 a first axial end; 
 an opposing second axial end; 
 an inner surface extending from the first axial end to the second axial end and configured to mate against an external surface of the at least one locating member at the wedge portion; and 
 an outer surface offset from the inner surface and having a profile generally matching a profile of the inner surface, 
 wherein:
 the inner surface of the wear collar is configured to receive and annularly surround the at least one locating member; 
 the wear collar is configured to extend in an axial direction a majority length of the wedge portion; 
 the inner surface at the first axial end is generally elliptical; and 
 the inner surface at the second axial end is generally circular. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The tool retention system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the at least one locating member includes two locating members configured to be inserted into opposing sides of the adapter and into the mounting nose of the work implement; and   the at least one wear collar includes two wear collars, each configured to receive a corresponding one of the two locating members.   
     
     
         19 . A method of servicing a tool retention system, comprising:
 removing tension from a bolt to release a locating member connecting an adapter to a mounting nose of a work implement;   removing the locating member from corresponding apertures in the adapter and the mounting nose of the work implement;   installing a wear collar over a wedge portion of the locating member;   inserting the locating member and the wear collar back through the corresponding apertures; and   re-tensioning the bolt to increase engagement of the adapter to the mounting nose of the work implement.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the wear collar is a first wear collar; and   the method further includes:
 removing tension from the bolt a subsequent time to release the locating member and the first wear collar; 
 removing the locating member and the first wear collar from the corresponding apertures in the adapter and the mounting nose of the work implement; 
 removing the first wear collar from the locating member; 
 installing a second wear collar having a thickness greater than a thickness of the first wear collar over the wedge portion of the locating member; 
 inserting the locating member and the second wear collar back through the corresponding apertures; and 
 re-tensioning the bolt to further increase engagement of the adapter to the mounting nose of the work implement.