Bucket lip and bucket lip assembly for machine having shroud stations

Abstract

A bucket lip includes an elongate one-piece casting have a plurality of shroud stations along a forward lip edge. The plurality of shroud stations each include a top surface recessed relative to an upper lip surface, and a bottom surface and a forward-facing shroud contact surface. The plurality of shroud stations each further include a beveled transition surface extending between the respective top surface and the respective forward-facing shroud contact surface. The bucket lip may be arranged in a bucket lip assembly wherein a shroud boss is attached to the top surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bucket lip comprising:
 an elongate one-piece casting including an upper lip side having an upper lip surface extending in a lateral direction between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, and in a fore-aft direction between a forward lip edge and a back lip edge, and a lower lip side;   the elongate one-piece casting further including a plurality of shroud stations along the forward lip edge;   the plurality of shroud stations each including a top surface recessed relative to the upper lip surface, a bottom surface, and a forward-facing shroud contact surface;   the plurality of shroud stations each further including a beveled transition surface extending between the respective top surface and the respective forward-facing shroud contact surface.   
     
     
         2 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein the beveled transition surface slopes angularly downward from the top surface to the forward-facing shroud contact surface, and defines an obtuse angle with the top surface and an acute angle with the forward-facing shroud contact surface. 
     
     
         3 . The bucket lip of  claim 2  wherein a running length of the beveled transition surface from the top surface to the forward-facing shroud contact surface is greater than 10% of a running length of the top surface. 
     
     
         4 . The bucket lip of  claim 2  wherein the forward-facing shroud contact surface is vertically oriented, and wherein a vertical plane is defined parallel to the forward-facing shroud contact surface and a horizontal plane is defined normal to the vertical plane. 
     
     
         5 . The bucket lip of  claim 4  wherein at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface slopes relative to the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         6 . The bucket lip of  claim 5  wherein the top surface slopes downward relative to the horizontal plane, and the bottom surface slopes upward relative to the horizontal plane, and each of the top surface and the bottom surface defines a respective draft angle to the horizontal plane that is from 3° degrees to 10°. 
     
     
         7 . The bucket lip of  claim 4  wherein the beveled transition surface defines an angle to the vertical plane that is from 35° to 65°. 
     
     
         8 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein the elongate one-piece casting includes an integral beam extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge. 
     
     
         9 . The bucket lip of  claim 8  wherein the elongate one-piece casting defines a vertical beam height, and the forward-facing shroud contact surface defines a vertical blunt height that is from 30% to 50% of the vertical beam height. 
     
     
         10 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of shroud stations includes sidewalls extending upwardly from the top surface and, together with the top surface, forming a bathtub profile having as a bathtub bottom the top surface. 
     
     
         11 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of shroud stations are in an alternating arrangement with a plurality of coupler stations along the forward lip edge, and each of the plurality of shroud stations and the plurality of coupler stations is in a centrally stepped-forward arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . A bucket lip comprising:
 an elongate one-piece casting including an upper lip side having an upper lip surface extending in a lateral direction between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, and in a fore-aft direction between a forward lip edge and a back lip edge, and a lower lip side; and   the elongate one-piece casting further including a plurality of shroud stations along the forward lip edge and each including a top surface and a beveled transition surface extending to a forward-facing shroud contact surface and, together with the top surface, forming an aquiline profile.   
     
     
         13 . The bucket lip of  claim 12  wherein the forward-facing shroud contact surface is vertically oriented and defines a vertical plane, and the beveled transition surface defines an acute angle to the vertical plane. 
     
     
         14 . The bucket lip of  claim 13  wherein the acute angle is from 35° to 65°. 
     
     
         15 . The bucket lip of  claim 13  wherein the bottom surface defines an acute angle to a horizontal plane that is smaller than the acute angle to the vertical plane defined by the beveled transition surface. 
     
     
         16 . The bucket lip of  claim 12  wherein the top surface is recessed from the upper lip surface, and each of the plurality of shroud stations includes sidewalls forming, together with the top surface, a bathtub profile. 
     
     
         17 . A bucket lip assembly comprising:
 a bucket lip including an upper lip side including an upper lip surface, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a forward lip edge, a back lip edge, and a lower lip side;   the bucket lip further including a shroud station positioned laterally between two coupler mounting stations, upon the forward lip edge;   the shroud station including a top surface recessed relative to the upper lip surface, a bottom surface, a forward-facing shroud contact surface, and a beveled transition surface extending between the top surface and the respective forward-facing shroud contact surface; and   a shroud boss attached to the top surface.   
     
     
         18 . The bucket lip assembly of  claim 17  wherein the top surface slopes downward relative to the horizontal plane, and the bottom surface slopes upward relative to the horizontal plane, such that each of the top surface and the bottom surface defines a respective draft angle to a horizontal plane that is from 3° to 10°. 
     
     
         19 . The bucket lip assembly of  claim 18  further comprising a shroud installed upon the shroud station and secured to the shroud boss, and the shroud forming an installation pocket fitted over the forward lip edge and having a plurality of internal pocket surfaces in alignment, respectively, with the top surface, the beveled transition surface, the forward-facing shroud contact surface, and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         20 . The bucket lip assembly of  claim 17  wherein:
 the bucket lip includes an integral beam extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge; and 
 the bucket lip defines a vertical beam height, and the forward-facing shroud contact surface defines a vertical blunt height that is from 30% to 50% of the vertical beam height.