Excavating – Digging edge – Tooth or adaptor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-10
2002-08-13
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Excavating
Digging edge
Tooth or adaptor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06430851
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a two-part digging tooth system and, more specifically, to a hammerless attachment assembly for releasably maintaining an adapter and a replacement part of a two-part tooth system in operable combination relative to each other.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Excavating equipment used in mining, construction and a myriad of other ground engaging operations typically includes a series of spaced apart ground engaging tools or teeth arranged in side-by-side relation across a bucket lip or blade. The digging teeth project forwardly and serve to break up material to be gathered into a bucket of such excavating equipment.
The art recognized long ago the advantages to be gained by constructing each digging tooth as a two-part system. That is, the art recognized the advantages to be obtained by connecting a ground engaging tooth or tool to an adapter or support which, in turn, is connected to the bucket of excavating equipment. Typically, the adapter or support is provided with a base portion which is configured for attachment to the forward lip or blade of a bucket and a free ended nose portion. The digging tool is typically provided with a blind cavity or pocket whereby allowing the tool to fit over and along the adapter nose portion. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the size of the adapter and digging tooth vary depending upon the particular digging application. For example, a two-part digging tooth system can vary in weight between a few pounds, i.e., three to five pounds, to two-hundred pounds.
During some digging operations, such teeth assemblies are subjected to highly abrasive conditions and, thus, experience considerable and rapid wear. Unless the conjuncture between the component parts of the two-part system is properly fitted, wear problems, especially in the pocket or cavity of the replacement part and along the nose portion of the adapter, can result. Moreover, the relatively high forces developed during some digging operations furthermore add to the rapid wear of the component parts of the digging tooth assembly.
In service, and although specific steps may be taken during fabrication of the digging teeth, a forward cutting edge of the replacement part sometimes quickly wears and become dull and, thus, inefficiencies in the digging operation develop thereby requiring replacement of such parts. As mentioned, the multipiece or two-part construction of such a tooth assembly advantageously allows the digging or excavating tooth to be replaced independent of the adapter. Depending upon conditions, a given adapter can be successfully equipped with anywhere from five to thirty replacement digging teeth to maintain sharp penetrating edges. In the field, replacement of worn excavating or digging teeth is a common and sometimes a daily experience.
It is well known in the industry to releasably interconnect the component parts of the two-component parts with an elongated retaining pin. Removing the replacement part from the digging system component parts, however, involves a tedious and often difficult task of pounding the retaining pin from registering apertures in the replacement part and the adapter. Removal of the retaining pin is typically effected by using a large hammer to manually and endwise force the retaining pin from the apertures in the digging tooth and adapter. Of course, with larger two-part digging systems, the retaining pins are proportionately sized larger thereby adding to the manual effort and, thus, increasing the time and effort involved to effect digging tooth replacement and/or repair. Problems involving the hammer missing the punch or other tool used to removably pound the retaining pin and hitting the hand of the operator are well known. Of course, similar problems exist when the retaining pin is again pounded into the apertures to effect reattachment of the replaceable part and the adapter. The availability of appropriate tools, i.e., hammers and punches, is a consistent and well known problem.
Many two part digging systems arrange the retaining pin along a generally horizontal axis. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, with the digging systems being mounted in side-by-side relation relative to each other across the bucket lip, the horizontal disposition of the retainer pin for each digging system only adds to the time and effort required to initially remove the pin, whereby allowing for removal/repair of the worn/broken part of the digging system and, subsequently, reinsertion of the pin into the registered apertures in the replacement part and adapter of the two-part system. Some operators utilize specially designed tools to facilitate removal of the horizontal pins. Of course, availability of such tools is another problem.
It is also known to arrange the retaining pin in a generally vertical orientation. While advantageously enhancing access to the retaining pin, such retaining devices are more susceptible to the forces applied thereto as a result of the generally vertical movements of the bucket during a digging/excavating operation. Moreover, with a vertically oriented pin system, the lower hole or aperture in the replacement part of the two-part digging system is more exposed—as compared to a horizontal pinning system—to the ground surface over which the digging implement or bucket moves during a digging operation.
In any digging or excavating operation, contaminants including rocks, dust, dirt fines, moisture, and etc. furthermore exacerbate removal of the retaining pin. During any digging or excavating operation, small rocks, stones, dirt, dirt fines, and dust quickly accumulate, fill, and pack into holes or apertures in the digging tooth and adapter. As will be appreciated, moisture readily and quickly moves between confronting surfaces formed at the conjuncture of the digging tooth and adapter and passes toward the retaining pin. As is well known, the moisture corrodes and rusts on the surfaces of both the retainer pin and closed margins of the apertures in the digging tooth and adapter thereby adding to the problem of retaining pin removal. Moreover, such moisture often combines with the small rocks, stones, dirt, dirt fines, and dust already packed and filled into the apertures or holes of the component parts of the two-part tooth system, thereby adding to the considerable labor already involved with effecting tooth replacement.
Using threaded devices for releasably interconnecting component parts of a two-part tooth system have been previously proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,337,495 and 6,052,927 to S. Pippins disclose an externally threaded tooth point bolt in combination with an insert for releasably maintaining a digging tooth and adapter in operable combination relative to each other. Like others before, the Pippins devices do not solve the problem of having contaminants including small rocks, stones, dirt, dirt fines, dust, and moisture passing into the apertures and onto both internal and external threads of the interconnecting devices thereby resulting in clogging, oxidation and corrosion of the mating surfaces. Of course, contamination of any mating threaded surfaces as by clogging, oxidation or rusting can only further add to the problems of disconnecting the related parts relative to each other when servicing of the worn part of the two-part system, is required. Moreover, the Pippins devices fail to disclose any means for inhibiting wear between the component parts of a two-part digging tooth system.
Thus, there is a desire and a continuing need for a hammerless attachment assembly for releasably maintaining component parts of a two-part digging tooth system in operable combination relative to each other. There is also a continuing need and desire for a two-part tooth system having an attachment assembly which enhances the conjuncture between the component parts of the system thereby reducing wear between the parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, and in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is
H&L Tooth Co.
Harbst John W.
Pezzuto Robert E.
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