HK1125429B - Wear assembly - Google Patents

Description

Wear assembly

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a wear assembly for securing a wear member to excavating equipment.

Background

Wear members are typically attached along the front edge of excavating equipment, such as an excavating bucket or cutter head, to protect the equipment from wear and to enhance the excavating operation. The wear member may include an excavating tooth, a shroud, or the like. The wear member basically includes a base, a wear member and a lock to releasably hold the wear member to the base.

With respect to the digging tooth, the base includes a nose portion secured to a front edge of the digging implement (e.g., a front edge of a bucket). The nose portion may be provided as an integrally formed part of the front edge or as part of one or more adapters secured to the front edge by welding or mechanical connection. A point is fixed to the nose. The point narrows to a front digging edge for drilling and fracturing the ground. The combined nose and nib collectively define an opening in which a lock is received to releasably retain the nib to the nose.

Such wear parts are often subjected to harsh conditions and heavy loads. Thus, the wear member needs to be replaced after a period of wear. Various designs have been developed to increase the strength, stability, durability, penetration, safety, and ease of replacement of such wear members with varying degrees of success.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to an improved wear assembly for securing a wear member to excavating equipment for added stability, strength, durability, penetration, safety, and ease of replacement.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the base and wear member define a nose and socket formed with complementary stabilizing surfaces extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the assembly to provide a stronger and more stable configuration. One or more stabilizing surfaces are formed generally along the middle portions of the nose and socket, and away from the outer edges of these members. Thus, for a stronger and more durable base structure, the high loads expected in use are carried primarily by the stronger portions of the nose, rather than on the extremely bent fibers. This configuration further reduces the formation of high stress concentrations along the member.

In another aspect of the invention, the wear member includes a socket open at the rear end to receive a support nose. The receptacle is defined by top, bottom and side walls and has a longitudinal axis. At least one of the top and bottom walls includes stabilizing projections, each having bearing surfaces facing in different directions for bearing against opposite sides of a V-shaped recess in the nose.

In another aspect of the invention, pairs of stabilizing surfaces in each member are formed at transverse angles to each other to provide increased stability against vertical and side loads. In one exemplary embodiment, the stabilizing surface forms a V-shaped configuration on at least one side of the nose and socket.

According to another aspect of the invention, the stabilizing surface is recessed into the nose to protect the bottom surfaces from damage and wear due to continuous installation of wear members or due to excessive wear of the wear members.

According to another aspect of the invention, the nose and socket are formed with complementary grooves and projections on all sides (i.e., top, bottom and side walls) in order to maximize the stabilizing surface for resisting heavy loads generated during use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the nose and socket each have a generally X-shaped transverse cross-section for improved stability. Although the recesses and projections forming these configurations are preferably defined by stabilizing surfaces, the use of bearing surfaces that are substantially non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the assembly is also beneficial.

According to another aspect of the invention, the nose and the front end and/or the body of the socket have a generally oval configuration. This configuration provides high strength and long service life of the nose, eliminates distinct corners to reduce stress concentrations, and exhibits reduced thickness to enhance penetration into the ground.

Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wear assembly according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the nose of the wear assembly.

Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the nose.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the nose.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the nose.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the nose.

Figure 7 is a partial rear perspective view of a wear member of the wear assembly of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the wear assembly taken along a transverse plane to the rear of the lock.

Figures 9-12 are transverse cross-sections along the top wall of the wear member showing different examples of stabilizing projections.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a wear assembly of the present invention provided with another lock arrangement.

Figure 14 is a partial axial cross-sectional view of the alternative wear assembly.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the lock of the alternative wear assembly.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to a wear assembly 10 for releasably coupling a wear member 12 to excavating equipment. In this application, wear member 12 is the tip (point) of an excavating tooth coupled to the front edge of an excavating bucket. However, the wear member may be other kinds of items (e.g., a shroud), or connected to other equipment (e.g., an excavator cutter head). Furthermore, terms such as front, rear, upper, lower, vertical, or horizontal are used for convenience in explanation with reference to fig. 1; other orientations are possible.

In one embodiment (FIG. 1), tip 12 is adapted to fit over nose 14, which is secured to a bucket lip or other excavating equipment (not shown). In this embodiment, the nose is located forward of a base 15 secured to the excavating bucket. The rear mounting end of the base (not shown) can be secured to the bucket lip in a variety of ways. For example, the nose portion may be formed as an integrally formed portion of the leading edge, e.g., integrally formed with the leading edge in a cast manner; or by welding or mechanical attachment. When the base is welded or otherwise secured to the front edge by a locking mechanism, the base includes one or two rear leg members extending over the front edge. In these cases, the base is often referred to as an adapter. The base may also be formed of a plurality of interconnected adapters. The tip includes a socket that receives the nose. The tip and nose are then secured together with a lock 16.

Nose 14 has a body 25 with top and bottom walls 20, 21 converging toward a front end 24, and opposite side walls 22, 23 (fig. 2-6). The rear portions of the sidewalls are generally parallel to each other (i.e., converge slightly forward); of course, other configurations are possible. The front end 24 is formed with top and bottom stabilizing surfaces 30, 32 substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 34. The term "substantially parallel" includes parallel surfaces formed for manufacturing purposes, as well as surfaces that diverge rearwardly from axis 34 at a small angle (e.g., about 1-7 degrees). In a preferred embodiment, each stabilizing surface 30, 32 diverges rearwardly at an angle of no more than about 5 degrees, and preferably about 2-3 degrees, from axis 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the stabilizing surfaces 30, 32 are curved laterally to meet along the sides of the nose. As such, a stabilizing surface is formed around the entire front end 24 of nose 14. Of course, other configurations are possible.

In the illustrated embodiment, the front end 24 has a generally transverse oval shape with an oval front wall 36. Similarly, body 25 of nose 14 has a generally oval transverse shape, in addition to stabilizing recesses 127, 129. As shown in fig. 3, the body 25 extends rearward from the front end 24 over a majority of its length. The use of an elliptical nose section results in a high strength nose section, resulting in an increased service life of the nose section, and an elliptical shape also reduces the formation of corners, thereby reducing stress concentrations along the outer edge of the nose section. The elliptical shape also presents a streamlined profile for improved ground penetration during digging operations; that is, the wear member is formed with an oval shaped socket for receiving the nose, thereby allowing the wear member to have a smaller profile for better penetration through the ground. However, the nose front end and body may have other shapes; for example, the nose and socket may be angled and define a substantially parallelepiped front end, and which, like the body of the nose, has substantially rectangular stabilizing surfaces and/or substantially flat and angled top, bottom and side walls. The overall configuration of the nose (i.e., the oval shape) can vary considerably.

In one embodiment (fig. 2-6), top, bottom and side walls 20-23 of nose 14 each include a pair of stabilizing surfaces 40-47, each of which is generally parallel to axis 34. As with front stabilizing surfaces 30, 32, these rear stabilizing surfaces 40-47 are preferably at an angle of no more than about 5 degrees relative to longitudinal axis 34, and most preferably at an angle of about 2-3 degrees relative to axis 34. Any part of the nose is subject to the load from the tip at all times, and the stabilizing surface is the primary surface for resisting the load applied to the nose by the tip.

Wear member 12 includes top, bottom and side portions to define a front working end 60 and a rear mounting end 62 (fig. 1,7, 8). With respect to this point, the working end is a small piece having a front digging edge 66. The digging edge is a linear portion in the figures, but the nub and digging edge can have any shape used in digging operations. Mounting end 62 is formed with a socket 70 that receives nose 14 for supporting the point on excavating equipment (not shown). The receptacle 70 is formed by the interior walls of the top, bottom and sides 50-53 of the tip 12. Preferably, the socket 70 has a shape complementary to the nose 14, but may include other shapes.

In one embodiment (fig. 7), the socket 70 includes a front end 94 and has top and bottom stabilizing surfaces 90, 92 and a generally oval front surface 98 that mates with the nose front end 24. Top, bottom and side walls 100 and 103 of the socket extend rearwardly from front end 94 to the complementary top, bottom and side walls 20-23 of nose 14. The top, bottom and side walls 100 and 103 are each preferably formed with stabilizing surfaces 110 and 117 which bear against the stabilizing surfaces 40-47 on the nose. Like the stabilizing surfaces 30, 32, 40-47 of the nose, the stabilizing surfaces 90, 92, 110 and 117 in the socket 70 are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 34. Preferably, the stabilizing surface on the tip is designed to mate with a stabilizing surface in the nose; that is, if the stabilizing surface in the nose diverges at an angle of about 2 degrees relative to the axis 34, the stabilizing surface of the socket also diverges at an angle of about 2 degrees relative to the axis 34. However, the stabilizing surfaces 110-117 in the socket 70 may be angled toward the axis 34 at a slightly smaller angle (e.g., 1 or 2 degrees) than the stabilizing surfaces 40-47 on the nose 14 to form a tight engagement between the opposing stabilizing surfaces at a particular location, such as along the rear portions of the nose and socket.

Stabilizing surfaces 40-43 on the top and bottom walls 20, 21 are each formed in the middle portion of the nose so as to be positioned on the thickest, strongest portion of the nose. These stabilizing surfaces are preferably limited to the middle portion rather than extending across the entire nose. Thus, the load is not largely taken up by the outer portions of the nose, which are most prone to bending. In addition, maintaining stabilizing surfaces 40-43 away from the outer edges may also serve to reduce the formation of high stress concentrations at the interface between nose 14 and the mounting portion of base 15. The sides 119 of nose portion 14 to the sides of stabilizing surfaces 40-43 preferably diverge from axis 34 at a steeper angle than stabilizing surfaces 40-43 to provide strength and a smoother transition between nose portion 14 and the rear mounting portion of base 15. However, the stabilizing surfaces 40-43, 110 and 113 may extend the entire width and depth of the nose and socket.

The stabilizing surfaces 30, 32, 40-43, 90, 92, 110 and 113 stably support the tip on the nose even under very heavy loads. The rear stabilizing surfaces 40-43, 110-113 are preferably stacked (i.e., vertically spaced) relative to the front stabilizing surfaces 30, 32, 90, 92 to enhance operation, although such stacking is not required.

When a load with vertical members (referred to herein as a vertical load) is applied along digging edge 66 of point 12, the point is forced to roll forward off the nose. For example, when a downward load L1 is applied to the top of digging edge 66 (FIG. 1), point 12 is forced to roll forward on nose 14 such that stabilizing surface 90 in socket 70 bears against stabilizing surface 30 on front end 24 of nose 14. The bottom, rear portion 121 of tip 12 is also pulled upward relative to the rear portion of the bottom of nose 14 so that rear stabilizing surfaces 112, 113 in the socket bear against stabilizing surfaces 42, 43 on the nose. The substantially parallel stabilizing surfaces provide a more stable support for the tip than the polymeric surfaces, without much reliance on locks. For example, if a load L1 is applied to the nose and socket defined by the polymeric top and bottom walls rather than stabilizing surfaces 42, 43, 112, 113, the urging load of the tip on the nose rotating is partially resisted by the abutment of the rear portion of the bottom polymeric wall. Since these walls are inclined, their abutment tends to urge the tip in a forward direction and must be resisted by the lock. Thus, with this configuration, a larger lock is required to hold the point on the nose. Larger locks, in turn, require larger openings in the nose and tip, which reduces the overall strength of the assembly. In the present invention, stabilizing surfaces 30, 42, 43, 90, 112, 113 are generally parallel to longitudinal axis 34 to reduce the forward tendency of the tip. Thus, the tip is stably supported on the nose to increase the strength and stability of the installation, reduce wear, and allow the use of smaller locks. The stabilizing surfaces 32, 40, 41, 92, 110, 111 function in the same manner under vertical loads directed upwards.

In the embodiment shown (fig. 2-6), the stabilizing surfaces 40, 41 on the top wall 20 are inclined to each other in the transverse direction (fig. 2-4). In the same way, the stabilizing surfaces 42, 43 are set at a transverse angle to each other. Preferably, the angled stabilizing surfaces 40-43 are symmetrical. Similarly, stabilizing surfaces 110-113 form angled surfaces that bear against stabilizing surfaces 40-43 of nose 14. This transverse inclination allows the stabilizing surfaces 40-43 to engage the stabilizing surfaces 110-113 in the receptacle 70 and resist loads, such as load L2 (FIG. 1), with the lateral members (referred to herein as edge loads). It is advantageous to resist edge loads at the same time with the same surface that resists vertical loads, because loads are often applied to the tip in the direction of travel as the bucket or other excavating equipment passes over the ground. With laterally inclined surfaces, support between the same surfaces continues to occur even as a load moves, for example, from a vertical load to a side load. Due to this combination, wear of the components and movement of the tip can be reduced.

Stabilizing surfaces 40-41 and 42-43 are preferably oriented at an angle phi of between about 90 deg. and 180 deg. to each other, and most preferably about 160 deg. (fig. 4). The angle is selected substantially according to the expected load and operation of the machine. In general, the angle φ is preferably large when a large vertical load is expected and small when a large side load is expected, although there are exceptions. Since large vertical loads are common, the angle between the stabilizing surfaces is roughly a large angle. However, this transverse angle φ may vary significantly, and in some cases may be less than 90 °, such as under light load operation or particularly high side load conditions.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the posterior stabilizing surfaces 40-41 and 42-43 are preferably planar and oriented to form a V-shaped groove 127 in the nose. However, these posterior stabilizing surfaces may have a variety of different shapes and orientations. While the objectives of the present invention are not fully met in various shapes, variations are still possible to implement certain aspects of the present invention. For example, the posterior stabilizing surface need not be planar and may be formed with a convex or concave curvature. The rear stabilizing surface may define a shallow U-shaped continuous curvature such that the inclined stabilizing surfaces flow uninterrupted toward each other. The rear stabilizing surface may form a generally trapezoidal recess having a central stabilizing surface with substantially no lateral inclination, and the two side stabilizing surfaces form substantially an obtuse angle with the central surface to resist edge loading. The rear stabilizing surfaces may be inclined to each other at different angles. The formation of a stabilizing recess in the nose and a complementary protrusion in the socket is preferred to reduce the risk of wear or deformation of the nose surface by mounting multiple tips or by a bore worn through the tips. However, the recess and projection may be reversed. In addition, since vertical loads are often more important than side loads, the stabilizing surface can be positioned at an intermediate location on the nose and spaced from the side edges without lateral tilting.

The rear stabilizing surfaces 40-43 are generally most effective positioned at or near the rear end of the nose. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment (FIGS. 2-6), the front portion 123 of the stabilizing surfaces 40-43 tapers toward a front tip. Of course, the front portion 123 may have other narrowed shapes, non-polymeric shapes, or be completely devoid of the front portion 123. Although stabilizing surfaces 40-41 are preferably mirror images of stabilizing surfaces 42-43, this is not absolutely necessary.

In these orientations, the stabilizing surface 110-113 of the tip is preferably complementary to the stabilizing surface on the nose. However, some variations are possible. Thus, as shown, stabilizing surfaces 110, 111 are complementary to stabilizing surfaces 40, 41, and stabilizing surfaces 112, 113 are complementary to stabilizing surfaces 42, 43. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, stabilizing surfaces 110, 111 on top wall 100 of socket 70 define a generally V-shaped stabilizing projection 125 having stabilizing surfaces that are angled at an angle of about 160 to each other to fit into stabilizing recess 127 formed by stabilizing surfaces 40, 41 on nose 14 (FIG. 7). Similarly, stabilizing surfaces 112, 113 on bottom surface 101 of socket 70 form a V-shaped stabilizing projection 125 to matingly fit within stabilizing recess 127 formed by stabilizing surfaces 42, 43 on the nose. However, the side angle λ between each pair of stabilizing surfaces (e.g., between surfaces 110 and 111) in the socket 70 is slightly different relative to the angle φ between each corresponding pair of stabilizing surfaces on the nose (e.g., between surfaces 40 and 41) to ensure a tight fit at a certain location (e.g., along the center of the stabilizing recesses 127, 129).

Alternatively, the stabilizing projections of the receptacle 70 may have other shapes or forms to secure in the stabilizing recesses 127. For example, the stabilizing projection 125a may have a curved (e.g., hemispherical) configuration (fig. 9) to fit within the V-shaped stabilizing recess 127, a complementary curved recess, or other recess shape suitable for receiving the projection. Further, the stabilizing projections 125b (fig. 10) may be thinner than the stabilizing recess 127 received therein. The stabilizing projections may be shorter in length than the grooves 127 and extend only partially along the length of the grooves (fig. 11), or have a discontinuous length with gaps between each segment. The stabilizing projection may also be a separate component, such as a spacer held in place by screws, locks, or other means. In addition, a plurality of stabilizing projections 125d (fig. 12) may replace a single intermediate projection. Furthermore, in some situations, such as in light duty operations, a limited benefit may be obtained from the use of, for example, recesses and projections on the top and bottom walls of the nose and socket defined by bearing surfaces that are generally non-parallel to the longitudinal axis 34 (rather than stabilizing surfaces 40-43, 110 and 113).

Sidewalls 22, 23 of nose 14 are also preferably formed with stabilizing surfaces 44-47 (fig. 2-6). These stabilizing surfaces 44-47 are also generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 34. In the illustrated embodiment, stabilizing surfaces 44, 45 are oriented at an angle θ to one another to define a longitudinal recess or groove 29 (FIG. 4) along side wall 22 of nose 14. Similarly, stabilizing surfaces 46, 47 are oriented at an angle θ to each other, and also define a groove 129 along sidewall 23. These stabilizing surfaces 44, 45 and 46, 47 are preferably set at an angle θ of between about 90 ° and 180 °, and most preferably about 120 °. However, other angles may be selected, including substantially less than 90, and even under certain conditions, such as heavy vertical loading or light load operation, in a parallel relationship. Stabilizing recesses 129 along sidewalls 22, 23 are adapted to receive complementary stabilizing projections 131 formed in receptacle 70. Stabilizing projection 131 is defined by stabilizing surfaces 114 and 117, which form inclined surfaces to bear against stabilizing surfaces 44-47 of nose 14 (fig. 7). The lateral angle a between the side stabilizing surfaces 114, 115 and 116, 117 preferably matches the angle θ of the stabilizing surfaces 44, 45 and 46, 47. However, as described above for rear stabilizing surface 110-113, the angle between each pair of side stabilizing surfaces in socket 70 may be slightly different from the angle between the side stabilizing surfaces on nose 14 to form a tight fit at a particular location (e.g., along the middle of stabilizing recess 129). Furthermore, the above-described changes in the shapes of the stabilizing recess 127 and stabilizing projection 125 are equally applicable to the recess 129 and projection 131.

Together, front stabilizing surfaces 30, 32 and side stabilizing surfaces 44-47 resist edge loading, such as L2. For example, the application of edge load L2 causes tip 12 to tip on nose 14. The side portions of the front stabilizing surfaces 90, 92 that apply the edge load L2 are urged inwardly to bear against the front stabilizing surfaces 30, 32 on the nose. The rear portions of the opposing sidewalls 52 of the tip 12 are pulled inward so that the stabilizing surfaces 114, 115 bear against the surfaces 44, 45. Stabilizing surfaces 30, 32, 46, 47, 90, 92, 116, 117 act in the same manner on opposing edge loads.

The angled orientation of the stabilizing surfaces 44-47 allows these side stabilizing surfaces to bear against the stabilizing surfaces 114-117 in the socket 70 to resist lateral and vertical loading. In the preferred construction, the rear stabilizing surfaces 40-43, 110-113 are positioned closer to horizontal than vertical to resist primarily vertical loads and secondarily edge loads. However, other orientations are possible. For example, under heavy load conditions, all stabilizing surfaces 40-47, 110-117 are closer to horizontal than vertical. In use, under the preferred configuration, vertical and side loads are resisted by the front 30, 32, 90, 92, rear 40-43, 110 and side 44-47, 114 stabilizing surfaces. Providing stabilizing surfaces on the top, bottom and side walls of the nose and socket maximizes the area of stabilizing surfaces available to support the tip.

Preferably, stabilizing surfaces 44-47 are angled equally with respect to a horizontal plane extending through shaft 34. However, an asymmetric configuration is also possible, especially if it is desired that the upward vertical load is greater than the downward vertical load or vice versa. As described above with respect to rear stabilizing surfaces 40-43, side stabilizing surfaces 44-47 may be formed in a variety of different shapes. For example, while the surfaces 44-47 are preferably planar, they may also be convex, concave, curved, or comprised of angled portions. The groove 129 may also have a generally U-shaped or trapezoidal cross-section. Further, stabilizing recesses 129 may be formed in sidewalls 102, 103 of socket 70 with stabilizing projections 131 in sidewalls 22, 23 of nose 14.

In the preferred wear assembly, stabilizing surfaces 40-47 define stabilizing recesses 127, 129 in each of the top, bottom and side walls 20-23 of nose 14, such that the grooved portions of the nose have a generally X-shaped cross-sectional configuration (FIGS. 2 and 8). The receptacle 70 has complementary stabilizing projections 125, 131 along the respective top, bottom and side walls 100, 103 to fit within the recesses 127, 129 and thereby define an X-shaped receptacle. Generally V-shaped grooves 127, 129 are preferred, but other shapes of stabilizing grooves and protrusions may be used to form the generally X-shaped nose and socket. This configuration stably mounts the tip against vertical and edge loads and supports large loads through the strongest and strongest portions of the nose and avoids relying too much on the most curved side portions of the nose to reduce stress concentrations. In some applications, the X-shaped cross-section nose and socket may also be provided with similar grooves in the top, bottom and side walls 20-23, without the use of stabilizing surfaces extending substantially parallel to the axis 34, which has limited benefit.

The nose portion may also be formed with a configuration other than an X-shaped cross-section. For example, the nose and tip may include top and bottom stabilizing surfaces 40-43, 110 and 113, but no side stabilizing surfaces 44-47, 114 and 117. In another aspect, the nose portion may be formed with side stabilizing surfaces 44-47, 114 and 117, but without stabilizing grooves 127 in the top and bottom walls. The nose and tip may also be provided with only one set of stabilizing surfaces, such as only the rear stabilizing surface along the bottom wall. Additionally, the front stabilizing surfaces 30, 32, 90, 92 may be omitted, but preferably they may be used in combination with a variety of different rear and side stabilizing surfaces.

As described above, lock 16 is used to releasably secure wear member 12 to nose 14 (fig. 1 and 8). In one embodiment, nose 14 defines a groove 140 (FIGS. 2-6) in sidewall 22. Channel 140 is open on its outside and each end and is defined by a bottom or side wall 142, a front wall 144, and a rear wall 146. Wear member 12 includes a complementary channel 150 for generally aligning with groove 140 when tip 12 is assembled to nose 14 to cooperatively define an opening 160 (fig. 1 and 7-8) for receiving lock 16. Channel 150 includes an open end 151 on top wall 50 of tip 12 to receive lock 16. Within the receptacle 70, the channel 150 is open on its interior side and is defined by a bottom wall or side wall 152, a front wall 154, and a rear wall 156. The front and rear walls 144, 146, 154, 156 of the channel 140 and the channel 150 have complementary undulating configurations due to the side stabilizing surfaces 44-47, 114 and 117. Front wall 144 on nose 14 and rear wall 156 on wear member 12 are the surfaces that primarily engage lock 16. The channel 150 is preferably open in the bottom wall 51, but it may be closed if desired.

Although the tip 12 is secured by only one lock 16, the tip preferably includes two channels 150, 150', one along each side wall 52, 53. Channels 150, 150' are identical, but channel 150 is open to receive lock 16 on top wall 50 and extends along side wall 52; and channel 150' is open to receive lock 16 on bottom wall 51 and extends along side wall 53. With two channels, the tip can be inverted (i.e., rotated 180 ° about axis 34) and locked in place in either direction.

When lock 16 is inserted into aperture 160, it faces front wall 144 of nose 14 and rear wall 156 of tip 12 to release tip 12 from nose 14. Thus, in an assembled condition, the channel 140 is offset rearward of the channel 150 such that the front wall 144 is rearward of the front wall 154 and the rear wall 146 is rearward of the rear wall 156. In the preferred configuration, aperture 160 narrows from open end 151; that is, front wall 144 converges toward rear wall 156 and side walls 142 converge toward side walls 152 as front wall 144 and side walls 142 extend away from open end 151. Preferably, the channels 140 and channels 150 also converge as they extend from the open end 151 such that the front wall 144 converges toward the rear wall 146 and the front wall 154 converges toward the rear wall 156.

The lock 16 has a tapered configuration and is provided with a latch, as disclosed in U.S. patent No. 6,993,861, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Generally, lock 16 includes a body 165 for holding tip 12 to nose 14, and a latch (not shown) for engaging stop 166 in tip 12 to secure lock 16 in aperture 160. Body 165 includes an insertion end 169 that is first passed into bore 160, and a rear end 171. The lock body 165 is preferably tapered toward the insertion end 169 with the front and rear walls converging toward each other and the side walls converging toward each other. The narrowing of lock 16 matches the shape of aperture 160 to provide a lock that can be pushed (pire) into and out of the interior of the assembly. A gap 183 is formed adjacent rear end 171 for insertion of a pry tool to remove lock 16 from aperture 160. A clearance space 184 is also formed in the tip 12 forward of the open end 151 to allow a pry tool to access the clearance 183.

In a second embodiment of the present invention (fig. 13-15), wear assembly 210 includes a base having a nose 214, and a wear member 212 having a socket 270 for receiving nose 214. The nose and socket of wear assembly 210 are identical to wear assembly 10 except for the lock configuration. In wear assembly 210, lock 216 is received in a central passage 220 in nose 214 and a corresponding hole 222 in wear member 212. As shown in fig. 9, channel 220 opens in stabilizing recess 227. A hole 222 is formed in each of the top and bottom of wear member 212 and is vertically aligned to engage the lock and/or allow the wear member to be reversed on nose 214. Alternatively, channel 220 and hole 222 can extend horizontally through nose 214 and wear member 212.

The lock 216 includes a wedge 224 and a spool 226, as disclosed in U.S. patent No. 7,171,771, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The wedge 224 has a rounded narrow exterior, a helical thread 234, and a tool engagement hole 236. Spool 226 is formed with arms 246 set out of passage 220. Each arm preferably includes a protruding leading edge 247 on its outer end that fits under a relief 249 in the tip 212 to eject the lock in use. The spool 226 includes a thread forming portion 242, preferably in the form of a series of helical ridge portions that mate with the helical threads 234 on the wedge 224. Spool 226 has a groove 239 with a concave inner surface 240 to partially wrap around and accommodate wedge 224. Resilient pegs (not shown) constructed of rubber, foam, or other resilient material may be disposed in the holes in slot 239 to press against wedge 224 and prevent loosening, if desired. The spool is preferably tapered toward its lower end to match the preferred tapering of the channel 220. The spool may also be formed with a reduced front end to better fit through the bottom end of the channel 220 into the lower bore 222.

In use, spool 226 presses against front wall 228 of passage 220, while the ends of arms 246 press against rear walls 256 on the top and bottom of wear member 212. A gap exists generally between spool 226 and rear wall 230 of channel 220. The land 258 extending between the helical grooves 234 of the wedge 224 is disposed against the front wall 228 of the channel 220. An insert (not shown) may be placed between the wedge and the front wall 228. Alternatively, the spool may be placed against front wall 228 and the wedge against rear wall 256. To install the lock 216, the spool 226 and the front end 252 of the wedge 224 are loosely inserted into the channel 220 through the top hole 222. A wrench or other suitable tool is inserted into the hole 236 in the rear end 254 of the wedge 224 to rotate the wedge and pull the wedge into the channel 220.

Many other lock designs may be used to secure the wear member to the nose. For example, lock 16 may be a conventional sandwich pin structure that is hammered into the assembly. Such a lock may also pass vertically or horizontally through the nose and the hole at the center of the tip in a known manner.

Claims (11)

1. A wear member (12) for excavating equipment comprising a front end (60), a rear end (62), and a socket (70) open at the rear end (62) for receiving a support nose (14) secured to the excavating equipment, the socket (70) being defined by a front end (94) and top, bottom and side walls (100) and 103, the front end (94) having top and bottom front stabilizing surfaces (90, 92) and a front surface (98) for mating with the front end (24) of the nose (14), the top, bottom and side walls (100 and 103) extending rearwardly from the front end (94) to complementary top, bottom and side walls (20-23) of the nose (14) and defining a longitudinal axis (34), at least one of the top and bottom walls (100, 101) including a pair of rear stabilizing surfaces (110, 111) inclined to one another in a transverse direction to follow the respective top or bottom wall (100, 101) converging laterally towards a central position to bear against the nose (14) to resist vertical and lateral loads, the pair of rear stabilizing surfaces (110, 111) being along a central portion of the respective top or bottom wall (100, 101), and each of the front and rear stabilizing surfaces (90, 92, 11, 111) extending axially from the longitudinal axis (34) at an angle of no more than 7 degrees.

2. The wear member (12) of claim 1 wherein the pair of rear stabilizing surfaces (110) and (113) are each disposed on each of the top and bottom walls (100, 101) to define a generally V-shaped configuration.

3. The wear member (12) of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of rear stabilizing surfaces (110, 111) projects into the socket (70) toward the longitudinal axis (34).

4. A wear member (12) in accordance with any one of claims 1-3 wherein each side wall (102, 103) includes a pair of side stabilizing surfaces (114) inclined to one another in a lateral direction to converge laterally toward a central location along the respective side wall (102, 103) to resist lateral and vertical loading.

5. A wear member (12) in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said rear stabilizing surface (110, 111) diverges axially from the longitudinal axis (34) at an angle of no more than 5 degrees.

6. A wear member for excavating equipment comprising a front end (60), a rear end (62), and a socket (70) open at the rear end (62) for receiving a support nose (14) secured to the excavating equipment, the socket (70) being defined by top, bottom and side walls (100) and having a longitudinal axis (34), the side walls (102, 103) each including a pair of inclined stabilizing surfaces (114) and 117 converging toward an intermediate location transversely along the respective side wall and defining an inward projection (131) for bearing against the nose (14) and resisting lateral and vertical loads, and each said stabilizing surface (114) and 117 extending axially from the longitudinal axis (34) at an angle no greater than 7 degrees.

7. The wear member (12) of any of claims 1-3 and 5-6, further comprising at least one hole (150) for receiving a lock (16) for securing the wear member (12) to the excavating equipment.

8. The wear member (12) of claim 4, further comprising at least one hole (150) for receiving a lock (16) for securing the wear member (12) to the excavating equipment.

9. A wear assembly for excavating equipment, the wear assembly comprising:

a nose (14) secured to the excavating equipment;

the wear member (12) of any of claims 1-3 and 5-6; and

a lock (16) for releasably securing the wear member (12) to the nose (14).

10. A wear assembly for excavating equipment, the wear assembly comprising: a nose (14) secured to the excavating equipment; the wear member (12) of claim 4; and a lock (16) for releasably securing the wear member (12) to the nose (14).

11. A wear assembly for excavating equipment, the wear assembly comprising: a nose (14) secured to the excavating equipment; the wear member (12) of claim 7; and a lock (16) for releasably securing the wear member (12) to the nose (14).