Ground engaging apparatus and method for configuring the same

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a ground engaging device (50) mountable at a distal end of an articulated arm of a ground excavating machine, wherein the ground engaging device comprises a plurality of tines (28) arranged in a row for engaging onto the ground to be excavated; and wherein the tines are held onto a carrier portion of the ground engaging device via corresponding locking pins, wherein the locking pins are configured to automatically pop out after the tines have been subjected to a threshold amount of wear, thereby enabling the tines to be removed and replaced after wear.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] This invention generally relates to ground engagement equipment including loaders and excavators, and more specifically to a unique hammerless multi-part assembly for field installation and replacement on a bucket or shovel (hereinafter referred to as "bucket").

[0002] It is well known that replacing conventional wear protection systems for ground-joining machinery is both time-consuming and dangerous in this field. The process often involves physical injury to the operator during replacement using hammers, or requires expensive and time-consuming third-party services, such as off-site welding and assembly facilities for replacing worn protective components, resulting in considerable costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the invention, a ground engagement device is provided, which can be installed at the distal end of the articulated arm of a ground excavator, wherein the ground engagement device includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a row for engagement with the ground to be excavated; and wherein the teeth are held to a carrier portion of the ground engagement device by corresponding locking pins, wherein the locking pins are configured to automatically pop out after the teeth have undergone a threshold amount of wear, thereby allowing the teeth to be removed and replaced after wear.

[0004] Advantageously, thanks to a novel spring-loaded, outwardly extending locking pin located within the adapter nose, the integrated system eliminates the need for tools to assemble and remove the digging teeth. When the worn components of the digging teeth reach the end of their service life, the locking pin automatically pops out, releasing the worn teeth without the need for hammering or other auxiliary tools.

[0005] Preferably, the extension axis of the locking pin is substantially perpendicular to the corresponding extension axis of the tooth, and the extension axis of the locking pin is substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the bearing portion of the ground engagement device.

[0006] Preferably, the locking pin is spring-loaded, so that the locking pin is ejected after a threshold amount of wear occurs on the underside of the teeth.

[0007] Preferably, multiple teeth are mounted onto the carrier via corresponding adapters.

[0008] Preferably, the adapter is slidably mounted into the corresponding retaining groove of the carrier, so that the adapter can also be slidably removed from the carrier.

[0009] Preferably, the retaining grooves are arranged in a tapering configuration, such that the retaining force of the adapter gradually increases as the adapter slides into its corresponding groove in the bearing portion.

[0010] Preferably, the retaining slot is configured as a set of converging tracks that converge in the front-to-back direction of the adapter.

[0011] Preferably, the ground bonding device further includes a protective cover member having tabs extending along two long edges of the protective cover member, such that when the protective cover member is pushed back into the channel, the extending tabs engage with the channel provided in the sidewall of the adjacent adapter.

[0012] Preferably, the protective cover is truncated conical, wherein the rearward extension has a smaller cross-sectional width, and when the protective cover is inserted into a channel provided in the sidewall of the adapter, the protective cover extends laterally toward the forward-facing edge.

[0013] Preferably, the ground bonding device further includes a front protective member having a recessed groove track disposed on the lower side of the front protective member, such that the front protective member can be fixed against a corresponding set of converging tracks on the adapter before the adapter is installed onto the carrier.

[0014] Preferably, the ground engagement device further includes a side member that can be substantially mounted at the extended end of the load-bearing portion to provide lateral wear protection to the distal end of the articulated arm of the ground excavator.

[0015] Preferably, the side member has 180° rotational symmetry and is designed to be mounted relative to the ground engagement device at at least two angular orientations that are 180° apart from each other.

[0016] Preferably, the side member is configured to be adjacent to the bearing portion, such that the bearing portion prevents the side member from rotating when the ground engagement device is used to excavate the ground.

[0017] Preferably, the side member is configured to be connected to the end of the ground bonding device by a fastening device disposed in a recess formed in the outer wall of the side member.

[0018] Preferably, at least one of the locking pins includes a plurality of cylindrical portions with different diameters, which are coaxially arranged in an increasing diameter manner, and the cylindrical portion with the largest diameter among the plurality of cylindrical portions forms a second part of at least one locking pin.

[0019] Preferably, at least one of the plurality of teeth has a substantially truncated conical wall, thereby defining a cavity in the tooth, wherein the cavity has a smaller cross section forward within the at least one tooth and a larger cross section rearward within the at least one tooth.

[0020] According to another aspect of the invention, a tooth for a ground engagement device is provided, wherein the tooth is elongated and has a gouging edge at a first end and a recessed tapering cavity at a second end, wherein the tooth is provided with an orifice located on the lower ground contact wall of the cavity, wherein the orifice is configured to restrict a locking pin to hold the tooth in the installed state until the lower ground contact wall of the cavity has undergone a threshold amount of wear.

[0021] Preferably, the orifice of the tooth is formed such that it has a first cross-section in the shape of a truncated cone and a second cross-section in the shape of a cylinder.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, an adapter for a ground bonding device is provided, wherein the adapter is configured at its first end to engage in a cavity of a tooth and is held in the cavity by a locking pin that automatically ejects after the tooth has undergone a threshold amount of wear, and the adapter is configured at its second end to slidably engage in a tapered groove of a bearing portion of the ground bonding device.

[0023] Preferably, the first end of the adapter is formed such that it has a first cross section in the shape of a truncated cone and a second cross section in the shape of a cylinder.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for configuring a ground engagement device that can be mounted at the distal end of an articulated arm of a ground excavator, wherein the method includes: mounting a carrier portion to the distal end of the articulated arm; mounting a plurality of teeth such that the teeth are arranged in a row relative to the carrier portion for engagement with the ground to be excavated, wherein the teeth are held on the carrier portion of the ground engagement device via corresponding locking pins; and arranging the locking pins to automatically eject after the teeth have undergone a threshold amount of wear, thereby allowing the teeth to be removed and replaced after wear.

[0025] Preferably, the method includes arranging the elongation axis of the locking pin substantially orthogonal to the corresponding elongation axis of the tooth, and arranging the elongation axis of the locking pin substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the bearing portion of the ground engagement device.

[0026] Preferably, the method includes arranging the locking pin as spring-loaded such that the locking pin is ejected when a threshold amount of wear occurs on the underside of the teeth.

[0027] Preferably, the method includes mounting a plurality of teeth onto a carrier via a corresponding adapter.

[0028] Preferably, the method includes slidably mounting the adapter into a corresponding retaining groove in the carrier, such that the adapter can be slidably removed from the carrier.

[0029] Preferably, the method includes mounting a side member of the ground engagement device substantially at the extended end of the bearing portion to provide lateral wear protection to the distal end of the articulated arm of the ground excavator.

[0030] Preferably, the side member has 180° rotational symmetry and is designed to be mounted relative to the ground engagement device at at least two angular orientations that are 180° apart from each other.

[0031] Preferably, the side member is mounted to the ground engagement device by a manually removable fastening device, allowing the side member to rotate after the fastening device is released and to be reused after one side of the side member has been worn.

[0032] Preferably, the method includes configuring the side member adjacent to the bearing portion such that the bearing portion prevents the side member from rotating when the ground engagement device is used to excavate the ground.

[0033] Preferably, the method includes arranging at least one of a plurality of locking pins to include a plurality of cylindrical portions with different diameters, the cylindrical portions being arranged coaxially in an increasing diameter manner, the cylindrical portion with the largest diameter among the plurality of cylindrical portions forming a second portion of at least one locking pin.

[0034] Preferably, the method includes arranging at least one of a plurality of teeth with a substantially truncated conical wall defining a cavity therein, wherein the cavity has a smaller cross section forward within at least one tooth and a larger cross section rearward within at least one tooth.

[0035] Preferably, the method includes installing a front protective member before the adapter is installed onto the carrier, wherein the front protective member includes a recessed groove track disposed on the lower side of the front protective member, such that the front protective member can be fixed against a corresponding set of converging tracks on the adapter.

[0036] Advantageously, by utilizing the power of the excavator's hydraulic arm, an innovative hammerless system has been invented to install and remove replacement adapters and lip guards without endangering the operator or requiring expensive and time-consuming off-site maintenance facilities.

[0037] Furthermore, the disclosed method for assembling side plate wear components allows a single plate to be used twice by rotating the wear component. This provides twice the service life of each side plate wear component compared to conventional systems. The hammerless connection system is designed to eliminate the need for welding side plate wear components, thereby minimizing the required connection points, reducing component weight, and improving its positioning so that the force from the corner teeth can be better transmitted to the bucket wall via the side plate wear component. Additionally, the design of this side protection wear component allows fine and loose dust and debris to be compacted into an internal channel located between the inner wall of the side plate and the outer wall of the bucket, thereby forming a robust and compacted additional support component, eliminating additional wear points between the side protection and the bucket, thus extending the equipment's lifespan.

[0038] The simplified attachment mechanism eliminates the need for expensive tooling systems, enabling rapid on-site installation and replacement of worn components while eliminating the hazards associated with typical worn component replacement operations.

[0039] The new connector system design between the teeth, adapter, lip, guard protector and side guard eliminates many of the traditional fixing mechanisms of the past, achieving a significant reduction in the total weight of the bucket, providing significant savings in fuel and emissions, while increasing the total volume of material that can be moved in a given period. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view of a loader bucket employing the fully assembled, hammerless wear component replacement system of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the fully assembled, hammerless wear component replacement system of the present invention, showing the option of removable teeth in this example;

[0042] Figure 3 It comes from Figure 2 A plan view of an assembled, hammerless wear component system;

[0043] Figure 4 It is from the present invention Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 A perspective view, a plan view, and a quarter section view of the teeth of the replaceable wear component;

[0044] Figure 5 Is it like this? Figure 2 and Figure 3 The adapter's plan view, perspective view, and perspective cross-sectional view are shown.

[0045] Figure 6Including a perspective view, this figure illustrates the new automatic tooth locking system and its origin. Figure 2 and Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a single adapter and gear system, showing the dimensional relationship between the two components after they have been locked together;

[0046] Figure 7 These are enlarged perspective partial cross-sections and sectional views of the teeth, adapter, and locking mechanism;

[0047] Figure 8 It shows Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The physical relationship between the teeth, adapter, and automatic locking system seen in the diagram is shown in a sequential cross-sectional view as it moves from the initial position to the fully locked position.

[0048] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the fully assembled, hammerless wear component replacement system of the present invention, showing the option of a "non-detachable" claw in this embodiment;

[0049] Figure 10 It constitutes as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 9 Enlarged plan view and perspective view of the front system of a portion of the system of the present invention as seen herein;

[0050] Figure 11 These are perspective and sectional views of an adapter and teeth combined in a unit that forms part of the present invention, wherein the combined adapter and teeth are referred to as claws.

[0051] Figure 12 The front view, side view and perspective view of the rotatable protection system for the side excavator, which is a part of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 13 These are enlarged partial perspective and side views showing the loader bucket connected to the system of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 14 Is it like this? Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 9 and Figure 13 Side view, plan view and projection view of a quick-release lip guard protection solution that forms part of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 15 This is a side view and a perspective view of a front protection scheme with claws according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0055] Figure 16 This is a perspective view of a side plate wear member connected to the bucket according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0056] This invention relates to a method for... Figure 1 This is a hammerless, field-replaceable wear component assembly solution used in floor bonding equipment of the type shown. The system shown includes multiple components, including wear component assemblies, which frequently need to be replaced during normal operation of this type of floor bonding equipment due to high impact and abrasive action.

[0057] Specific reference Figure 1 This type of ground engagement device, generally indicated by 50, includes a bucket floor 52, a bucket front portion 4 having a leading edge 53, and sidewalls indicated by 54 and 55 respectively.

[0058] The edge-cutting component 56 is described in more detail below. Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 9 The overall construction and operational advantages of the digging edge assembly 56 are best illustrated in the diagram. Typically, the digging edge assembly 56 includes a plurality of digging teeth 1 or 28 arranged in a spaced-apart relationship on the leading edge 53 of the front portion 4 of the bucket (also known as the load-bearing portion).

[0059] Specific reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In this embodiment of the invention, it can be seen that the digging teeth 1 is connected to the leading edge 53 via an intermediate adapter arm (hereinafter referred to as "adapter"), which is securely connected to the adjacent adapter 2 and the front of the bucket 4 via a tool-free wedge locking system.

[0060] The wedge locking system functions due to the following dual effects: (1) the convergence angle of the track 15 on the adapter 2, which produces an increased contact tightness with the adjacent similar converging recessed tracks 33 and 34 in the bucket front 4 as the adapter 2 continues to be further inserted into the bucket front 4; (2) the compound angle of the track in the bucket front 4, which reciprocates in the adapter track 15 and the compound angle is perpendicular to the angle included in the converging tracks 33 and 34 in the recesses. Figure 10 More details of the front part 4 of the bucket can be seen in the image.

[0061] Without using specialized insertion tools, the operator can load the adapter 2 into the tracked wedge-shaped recess in the front part 4 of the bucket until a secure, retaining frictional fit is achieved between the two parts. Subsequently, by tilting the bucket 50 and using the force of the hydraulic arm of the ground engagement device, the adapter 2 is further pressed into the wedge-shaped recess in the front part 4 of the bucket. Thus, the final positioning for the digging teeth operation is achieved without the use of any additional tools.

[0062] Specific reference Figure 3 After adapter 2 has been fully and correctly positioned in the bucket front 4, the locating screw 24 is inserted through the orifice 10 and tightened into the rear of adapter 2, thus passing through the bucket front 4. The purpose of inserting the locating screw is to create resistance between adapter 2 and bucket front 4, preventing adapter 2 from causing rails 15 to retract prematurely along the recessed rails 33 and 34 embedded in the bucket front 4. This ensures that the adapter will not fall off before the planned operation, thus preventing potential injury to the operator.

[0063] At the end of the service life of the worn adapter 2, the operator removes the locating screw 24, allowing the adapter to be moved in the reverse direction along the recessed tracks 33 and 34 in the bucket front 4 for removal. To release the tightly friction-locked adapter 2 from the bucket front 4, it may be necessary to use a pneumatic hammer attachment, typically used with earthmoving machinery and therefore readily available on-site, to apply an impact striking motion to the rear face of the adapter 2, thereby releasing the adapter from its high-friction wedge-shaped locking position within the bucket front 4. After removing the worn adapter, a new unit can be installed on-site without the need for additional tools or off-site facilities and services. Note that this significantly reduces equipment downtime, thereby increasing the productivity of the working machine.

[0064] In practice, digging buckets are often immediately retracted due to the failure of a single adapter, because for adapter attachments with conventional welds or bolts, other bucket components may experience additional stress and damage. However, specific references are needed. Figure 3 Unlike conventional adapters that are attached to the front lip of the bucket, the digging bucket does not need to be retracted immediately even when the adapter is damaged or reaches the end of its operational life, due to the length of the adapter when measured from the front surface 53 of the bucket front 4.

[0065] Typically, the length of the adapter used on the front of a conventional bucket allows for a very small physical distance between the leading edge 53 and the digging teeth 1. In this embodiment of the invention, the adapter increases the physical distance between the front of the bucket 4 and the digging assembly 56 by at least 300%. This significantly increased separation allows the ground engagement device to operate safely and continuously for an extended period after the adapter breaks. Otherwise, this would require the bucket to be taken out of service immediately to avoid further costly damage to the supporting wear components.

[0066] Specific reference Figure 4 The wear member tooth 1 is formed into a truncated cone shape with a minimum cross-section at the front and a larger cross-section at the rear. Tooth 1 includes a recess 40 located in its rear face to receive the nose of the adapter 2, which, when fully in place, connects to the deepest inner face 41 of the tooth. It should be noted that sufficient tolerance is maintained between the deepest inner face 41 of the tooth 1 and the nose of the adapter 2, preventing them from connecting.

[0067] Specific reference Figure 5 and Figure 7 The inner abutment of the tooth recess 40 is linear in surface design so as to mate with the adapter 2 through seven separate segments depicted by 42, 43, 44, and 45. These segments are combined with the lower inner abutment on the tooth recess via the lower surface of the adapter, thus including a total of seven connection mating points.

[0068] In this embodiment of the invention, the lower outer edge of the tooth 1 includes a surface with a material thickness unequal to that of the other three outer surfaces. Material has been removed from the area of ​​the lower outer surface 39 aligned with the orifice 21 leading to the internal recess of the tooth 1. When the tooth is securely seated on the adapter nose, the elliptical orifice 21 is axially aligned with the recessed cavity 47 received within the adapter nose. Reducing the wall thickness of the lower outer surface aims to accelerate corrosion of the wear-bearing member wall surrounding the orifice 21 during normal operation of the ground engagement device. This removes the resisting material holding the locking pin 31 in place, thereby disengaging the locking pin from its recess 47, removing the locking connection between the adapter 2 and the tooth 1, which can then be removed with minimal effort and without specialized tools.

[0069] Specific reference Figure 5One feature of this invention is its ease of attaching and removing the digging teeth 1 from the adapter 2 without the need for tools. Each adapter 2 accommodates a pre-inserted locking pin 31 mounted on a spring 32, both the locking pin and the spring being inserted into a recess 47 located within the nose of the adapter 2 before insertion into the receiving recess 40 of the teeth. The current embodiment of the invention uses a rubber cylindrical portion as the spring 32, which is received in a cylindrical recess located in the base of the locking pin 31. However, in other embodiments of the invention, any suitable material capable of providing the necessary and continuous spring stiffness to push the inner locking pin 31 outward can be used instead.

[0070] Specific reference Figure 8 The initial frictional hold between adapter 2 and tooth 1 is achieved by a spring-loaded locking pin 31, which is accommodated in a recess 47 within the nose of adapter 2, thereby engaging with the lower inner abutment of the tooth recess 40. Simultaneously, the top surface of the nose of adapter 2 begins to engage with the upper inner abutment of the tooth recess 1 (see detail D). After tooth 1 is sufficiently positioned by friction against adapter 2 without external physical support, the bucket 50, adapter 2, and tooth 1 are flipped face down toward the ground using the hydraulic arm of the ground engagement device, with the leading edges of the teeth pressing against a hard surface. This action forces a tighter fit between tooth 1 and adapter 2, thus forming a secure connection between the seven independent surfaces of the adapter's nose, housed in areas marked 42, 43, 44, and 45.

[0071] Reference Figure 8 When the tooth 1 is installed and reaches the midpoint between the insertion position and the final positioning position, the contraction of the space between the inner adjacent portion of the lower wall of the tooth's recess and the outer surface of the locking pin 31 causes the spring 32 to be compressed within the cavity 47 located in the nose of the adapter 2. This allows the rubber spring 32 to expand laterally, thereby momentarily displacing into the annular space provided within the recess 47 (see detail E). As the tooth continues to be positioned deeper into the nose of the adapter, the elliptical orifice 21 of the tooth 1 axially aligns with the locking pin 31, allowing the locking pin to overflow outward into the orifice 21 in incremental steps permitted by the concentric stepped leading edge of the locking pin 31.

[0072] This overflow increases with improved alignment of the locking pin 31 and the orifice 21. The nose-shaped section of the locking pin 31 is an assembly of concentric stepped cylindrical portions, with the smallest diameter cylindrical portion at the front section of the locking pin, the diameter of the steps increasing towards the base of the adjacent spring 32. When the locking pin 31 achieves greater axial alignment with the elliptical orifice 21 of the tooth 1, the additional width of the locking pin cylindrical portion protrudes into the elliptical orifice, thereby achieving a greater locking connection when the tooth is driven to its final position on the adapter 2.

[0073] The base of the locking pin 31 has a diameter larger than that of the elliptical orifice, creating a counterforce that keeps the tooth 1 rigidly against the nose of the adapter 2 until the underside of the tooth is worn away during normal operation of the device. Subsequently, the diameter of the base of the locking pin 31 can be disengaged from the adapter recess 47 through the enlarged orifice in the tooth 1, particularly by removing the reduced wall material on the lower outer surface 39, releasing the locking mechanism that holds the tooth 1 in place and allowing it to be removed without the need for special tools or hammering.

[0074] Specific reference Figure 1 and Figure 12 The side plate wear member 5 is symmetrical, which enables it to achieve twice the service life of conventional side plate wear members. This is because it allows the operator on site to rotate the side plate wear member 5 by releasing a single nut 7 without the need for cutting and welding equipment. This single nut releases the wear member from its locked position against the bucket front 4, the two shot sections 6, and the bucket wall 54 or 55. In this embodiment of the invention, the chamfered surface 14 serves two purposes: (1) to form a buffer zone between the typical convex welds present for securing the bucket front 4 to the bucket wall 54 or 55; and (2) to form an internal channel between the exterior of the bucket wall 54 or 55, the top surface of the bucket front 4, and the inner wall of the side plate wear member. This allows fine mud, dust, and debris stirred up during normal operation of the equipment to be compacted within the channel, which in turn hinders the possibility of movement between the side plate wear member 5, the bucket front 4, and the bucket wall 54 or 55. This significantly reduces the typical movement associated with conventional bolted side-protection wear component systems, thereby increasing the service life of wear components before they need to be replaced.

[0075] Specific reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 12 The side plate wear member 5 is provided with a lower surface 29, which mates with the top surface of the corner teeth or adapter 2 in a zero-tolerance contact engagement. This allows for the transfer of larger loads from the teeth or adapter 2 to the bucket assemblies 50, 52, 54, and 55, thereby reducing strain on the front of the bucket 4 and the digging edge assembly 56.

[0076] Specific reference Figure 2 and Figure 12 The side plate wear member 5 is connected to the bucket wall 54 or 55 via a single locking nut 7 and a threaded rod 9, which is screwed into mating threads machined into the side plate. After attachment to the side plate, the threaded rod 9 is secured to a recess on the inner surface of the bucket wall 54 or 55 by the locking nut 7, which is located within a recess in the bucket wall. The threaded rod 9 is provided with a small-diameter cylindrical drill hole 8 extending through the rod. In this embodiment of the invention, if the outer surface of the locking nut 7 becomes unusable due to the wear nature of normal operation of the equipment, the cylindrical extrusion cutter can remove the locking threaded rod more quickly at the end of its service life.

[0077] Specific reference Figure 1 and Figure 12 Symmetrically located on either side of the threaded rod 9, spherical steel projectile portions 6 are accommodated within two hemispherical recesses, the projectile portions 6 fitting into the recesses. The depth of these hemispherical recesses from the surface of the side plate wear member 5 must be slightly less than the radius of the projectile portions 6, so that when the side plate abuts against the bucket wall 54 or 55, the projectile portions 6 will not be fully received into their respective hemispherical recesses within the side plate and bucket wall 54 or 55. This creates a tensioning effect that directs all forces received by the side plate toward the bucket assembly only through three points (i.e., the threaded rod 9 and the two projectile portions 6).

[0078] Specific reference Figure 10 and Figure 11 In this embodiment of the invention, as Figure 2 The previously shown adapter 2 and digging teeth 1 have been combined into a single extended claw 28. This is particularly suitable for ground-joining applications, where the potential for components to fall into expensive third-party equipment (such as rock breaking systems) would result in time-consuming and costly losses. Claw 28 follows the same insertion and removal process as the body of the invention, which involves using converging rails 33 and 34 housed in the bucket front 4 to create a tight and increased engagement with converging rail 15 located on the top surface of claw 28. Combining the adapter and teeth into claw 28 allows the leading edge of the digging assembly to move further away from the bucket front 4, thereby increasing protection of the edge of this wear component. After claw 28 has been inserted into its fully seated position in the same manner as the adapter form 4, a locating screw is inserted through the orifice 10 in the bucket front 4. This creates an immovable resistance of material, preventing claw detachment when claw 28 is released from its connection with the converging rail system.

[0079] Specific reference Figure 2 , Figure 13 and Figure 14To reduce wear associated with the front part 4 of the bucket, especially with the leading edge 53, an integrated hammerless shroud protection system is inserted into a channel 12 cut into the side wall of the mounted adapter 2 or claw 28. The shroud protection system comprises three separate components. A first shroud protector 48, having tabs extending along two long edges 37, is inserted into the channel 12, which is cut into the side of the right distal and right proximal adapter 2 or claw 28 constituting the digging edge assembly 56, and is pushed rearward until a secure fit is achieved between the tabs 37 and the channel 12. A second set of shroud protectors 3, having tabs extending along two long edges 37, is inserted into the channel 12 on the side of the center adapter 2 or claw 28 and is pushed rearward until a secure fit is achieved between the tabs 37 and the channel 12. A third protective cover 49, having tabs extending along the two long edges 37, is inserted into a channel 12 that cuts into the side of the left proximal and left distal adapter 2 or claw 28, and is pushed back until a firm fit is achieved between the tabs 37 and the channel 12.

[0080] Specific reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 The protective shields 3, 48, and 49 are truncated cone-shaped, with a smaller cross-sectional width in the rearward extension portion. When inserted into the channel 12 provided in the sidewall of the adapter 2 or claw 28, the protective shield extends laterally toward the forward-facing edge. The protective shields 3, 48, and 49 are pushed rearward until they are securely in place and form a rigid fit due to the converging complementary angles included between the channel 12 and the extending tabs.

[0081] Specific reference Figure 3 After the protective covers 3, 48, and 49 are securely in place, the locating screw 25 is inserted into the protective covers 3, 48, and 49 through the orifice 23 in the front of the bucket 4. The locating screw 25 is a safety precaution to prevent the protective covers from retracting along the channel 12 before the end of their service life. To replace the protective covers, the operator removes the locating screw 25 and applies basic pressure to the rear face of the protective covers to release them from the convergent wedge lock, which holds the protective covers in the operating position between the adapter 2 or the claw 28.

[0082] Specific reference Figure 13 As can be seen in the side view of the mounted claw 28, an increased physical distance is achieved between the digging edges compared to the leading edge 53 of the bucket front 4. This significantly reduces wear caused by the lateral wear members 51 mounted on the underside of the bucket floor 52 and supported by the bucket walls 54 to 55.

[0083] Specific reference Figure 15In this embodiment of the invention, the protective covers 3, 48, and 49, as well as the side channel 12 (e.g., Figure 13 The tooth 1 (shown) has been removed and replaced by a front protective member (also referred to as the "front protector") 59, which protects the top surface of the tooth 1 and the leading edge 53 of the bucket front 4 from corrosion during normal operation of the ground engagement equipment. As shown, the front protector 59 is directly connected to the tooth 28 via a tool-free wedge locking system, thus providing protection without the need for direct attachment to the bucket front.

[0084] The wedge locking system functions due to the following dual effects: (1) the convergence angle of the track 15 on the claw 28, which produces increased contact tightness with the adjacent portion of a similar convergence recessed groove track 60 provided on the underside of the front protector 59 as the front protector continues to be further installed into the claw 28; (2) the compound angle of the track in the front protector 59, which reciprocates in the adapter track and the compound angle is perpendicular to the angle accommodated in the convergence track 60 in the underside recess. Figure 15 More details are shown regarding the installation sequence of attaching the front guard 59 to the wear member claw 28 before attaching the claw to the front of the bucket 4.

[0085] After the front guard 59 is secured against the track 15 within the claw 28, the same track 15 is also used to attach the now-assembled combination of the claw 28 and the front guard 59 to the converging tracks 33 and 34 located in the recesses within the bucket front 4. After the assembled components are installed within the bucket front 4, the locating screw 24 is inserted and tightened through the threaded hole 61 from the underside of the claw 28, passing through the entire body of the claw 28. This creates resistance against the underside recess 62 located in the bottom surface of the bucket front 4, thus serving as a safety mechanism to prevent premature slippage of the teeth during operation.

[0086] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 9 As shown, this embodiment of the invention eliminates the need for a borehole 10 drilled through the front portion 4 of the bucket. A borehole 61 is provided through the teeth, through which a locating screw 24 can be secured against a recess 62 located on the lower side of the front portion 4 of the bucket. This simplifies the manufacturing process and improves the integrity and durability of the front portion assembly of the bucket.

[0087] Thanks to a novel attachment mechanism that allows for quick retention of the front protector 59 on the claw 28 without the need for special tools or additional complex welds or additional fasteners adjacent to the front of the bucket 4, the front protector 59 can be easily replaced without the downtime and costs associated with conventional front protector replacement procedures. Once the worn component or adapter 2 has reached the end of its service life, the front protector 59 will be removed in the same action required to retract the worn component itself.

[0088] Specific reference Figure 16 In this embodiment of the invention, the side plate wear member 5 is connected to the bucket wall 54 or 55 by a fastening device such as a single bolt 57, which is located within a recess 63 on the outer side wall of the side plate wear member 5. In this embodiment of the invention, the reciprocating threads for securing the side plate wear member 5 with the bolt 57 are removed from the side plate wear member 5 and are instead accommodated within the bucket wall 54 or 55, thereby allowing sufficient tolerance within the bolt hole orifice distributed within the side plate wear member to allow the bolt 57 to pass freely. This mitigates damage to the fixing mechanism that may have occurred when fixed to the inner side of the bucket wall. The bolt 57 is provided with a small-diameter cylindrical drill hole 58 extending through a rod. In this embodiment of the invention, if the outer surface of the locking bolt 57 becomes unusable due to the wear nature of normal operation of the equipment, a cylindrical extrusion cut can remove the locking thread rod more quickly at the end of its service life. In another embodiment, the side plate wear member 5 can use a method such as the one described above. Figure 2 and Figure 12 The described threaded rods and loose nuts are different fastening devices that are connected to the bucket wall 54 or 55.

[0089] Specific reference Figure 17 In this embodiment of the invention, the recesses within the wear member tooth 64 are formed such that they begin at a truncated conical recess 65 and terminate at a cylindrical recess 66. The cylindrical recess 66 has a smaller cylindrical cross-section at the front and a larger truncated conical cross-section at the rear. In other words, the tooth 64 includes recesses with varying internal dimensions, beginning at a truncated conical opening, becoming cylindrical towards a deeper section, and terminating at a substantially circular recess 71 on the innermost surface.

[0090] In this embodiment of the invention, the shape of the nose of the adapter 72 has been modified to complement the improved recess in the wear member tooth 64. The nose begins with a frustoconical shape 70 that terminates forward in a cylindrical section 69. This ensures equivalent contact between the total surface area of ​​the cylindrical section 69 and the cylindrical recess 66 of the wear member tooth 64. Therefore, in addition to reducing noise pollution associated with previous embodiments of the invention, this also reduces premature wear on both the adapter 72 and the tooth 64.

[0091] It should be noted that the locking pin mechanism 31 in this embodiment is the same as that in the aforementioned embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, when the tooth 64 is fully in place, sufficient tolerance is maintained between the deepest inner surface of the tooth 64 and the nose of the adapter 72, preventing them from connecting.

[0092] In this embodiment of the invention, the lower outer edge of the tooth 64 includes a surface with a material thickness unequal to that of the other three outer surfaces. Material has been removed from the area of ​​the lower outer surface 68 that aligns with the orifice 67 leading to the internal recess of the tooth 64. When the tooth is securely seated on the adapter nose, the elliptical orifice 67 is axially aligned with the recess received within the adapter nose. Reducing the wall thickness of the lower outer surface aims to accelerate corrosion of the wear-bearing member wall surrounding the orifice 67 during normal operation of the ground engagement device. This removes the resisting material holding the locking pin 31 in place, which in turn disengages the locking pin from its recess, thereby removing the locking connection between the adapter 72 and the tooth 64, which can then be removed with minimal effort and without specialized tools.

[0093] Various other changes and modifications may be made to this invention without departing from its scope. Such changes and modifications are considered part of the invention as long as they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A ground connection device, which can be installed at the distal end of the articulated arm of a ground excavating machine. in, The ground engagement device includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a row for engaging with the ground to be excavated. and The teeth are held to the support portion of the ground bonding device by corresponding locking pins, wherein the locking pins are configured to automatically pop out after the teeth have undergone a threshold amount of wear, thereby allowing the teeth to be removed and replaced after wear. The plurality of teeth are mounted onto the carrier via corresponding adapters. The adapter is slidably mounted into the corresponding retaining groove of the support portion, allowing the adapter to be slidably detached from the support portion. The plurality of retaining grooves are arranged in a tapering configuration such that the retaining force of the adapter gradually increases as the adapter slides into the corresponding groove of the bearing portion.

2. The ground bonding device according to claim 1, wherein, The extension axis of the locking pin is substantially orthogonal to the corresponding extension axis of the tooth, and the extension axis of the locking pin is substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the bearing portion of the ground bonding device.

3. The ground bonding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The locking pin is spring-loaded, so that after the threshold amount of wear occurs on the underside of the teeth, the locking pin is ejected.

4. The ground bonding device according to claim 1, wherein, The retaining slot is configured as a set of converging tracks that converge in the front-to-back direction of the adapter.

5. The ground bonding device of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover having tabs extending along two long edges of the protective cover such that the extending tabs engage with channels disposed in the sidewalls of adjacent adapters when the protective cover is pushed rearward into channels.

6. The ground bonding device according to claim 5, wherein, The protective shield member is truncated conical, with a smaller cross-sectional width in the rearward extension portion, and when the protective shield member is inserted into the channel provided in the sidewall of the adapter, the protective shield member extends laterally toward the forward-facing edge.

7. The ground bonding device according to claim 4 further includes a front protective member having a recessed groove track disposed on the lower side of the front protective member, such that the front protective member can be fixed against a corresponding set of converging tracks on the adapter before the adapter is installed onto the support.

8. The ground bonding device according to claim 1, wherein, The ground engagement device also includes a side member that can be substantially mounted at the extended end of the bearing portion to provide lateral wear protection to the distal end of the articulated arm of the ground excavator.

9. The ground bonding device according to claim 8, wherein, The side member has 180° rotational symmetry and is designed to be mounted relative to the ground bonding device at at least two angular orientations that are 180° apart from each other.

10. The ground bonding device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, The side member is configured to be adjacent to the support portion such that the support portion prevents the side member from rotating when the ground engagement device is used to excavate the ground.

11. The ground bonding device according to claim 8, wherein, The side member is configured to be connected to the end of the ground bonding device by a fastening device disposed in a recess formed in the outer wall of the side member.

12. The ground bonding device according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the plurality of locking pins includes a plurality of cylindrical portions with different diameters, which are coaxially arranged in an increasing diameter manner, and the cylindrical portion with the largest diameter among the plurality of cylindrical portions forms a second part of the at least one locking pin.

13. The ground bonding device according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the plurality of teeth has a substantially truncated conical wall, thereby defining a cavity in the tooth, wherein the cavity has a smaller cross section forward and a larger cross section rearward within the at least one tooth.

14. A tooth for use in the ground engagement device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The tooth is elongated and has a chisel edge at a first end of the tooth and a recessed tapering cavity at a second end of the tooth, wherein the tooth is equipped with an orifice on the lower ground contact wall of the cavity, wherein the orifice is configured to restrict a locking pin to maintain the tooth in the installed state before a threshold amount of wear occurs on the lower ground contact wall of the cavity.

15. The tooth according to claim 14, wherein, The orifice is formed such that it has a first cross-section in the shape of a truncated cone and a second cross-section in the shape of a cylinder.

16. An adapter for use with the grounding device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The adapter is configured at a first end to engage in a cavity of a tooth and be held in the cavity by a locking pin that automatically ejects after the tooth has undergone a threshold amount of wear, and the adapter is configured at a second end to slidably engage in a tapered groove of a bearing portion of the ground bonding device.

17. The adapter according to claim 16, wherein, The first end of the adapter is formed such that the adapter has a first cross section in the shape of a truncated cone and a second cross section in the shape of a cylinder.

18. A method for configuring a ground engagement device, the ground engagement device being mountable at the distal end of the articulated arm of a ground excavator, wherein, The method includes: The bearing is mounted on the distal end of the articulated arm; Multiple teeth are installed in a row relative to the support portion, the teeth being used to engage with the ground to be excavated, wherein the teeth are held to the support portion of the ground engagement device via corresponding locking pins; and The locking pin is arranged to automatically pop out after the teeth have undergone a threshold amount of wear, thereby allowing the teeth to be removed and replaced after wear. The multiple teeth are mounted onto the carrier via corresponding adapters. The adapter is slidably installed into the corresponding retaining groove of the support portion, so that the adapter can be slidably removed from the support portion. The plurality of retaining grooves are arranged in a tapering configuration such that the retaining force of the adapter gradually increases as the adapter slides into the corresponding groove of the bearing portion.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The method includes arranging the extension axis of the locking pin substantially orthogonal to the corresponding extension axis of the tooth, and arranging the extension axis of the locking pin substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the bearing portion of the ground engagement device.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein, The method includes arranging the locking pin in a spring-loaded manner such that the locking pin is ejected after the threshold amount of wear occurs on the underside of the teeth.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The method includes mounting a side member of the ground engagement device substantially at the extended end of the bearing portion to provide lateral wear protection to the distal end of the articulated arm of the ground excavator.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, The side member has 180° rotational symmetry and is designed to be mounted relative to the ground bonding device at at least two angular orientations that are 180° apart from each other.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, The side member is mounted to the ground bonding device by a manually removable fastening device, which allows the side member to be rotated after the fastening device is released and reused after one side of the side member has been worn.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, wherein, The method includes configuring the side member adjacent to the bearing portion such that the bearing portion prevents the side member from rotating when the ground engagement device is used to excavate the ground.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The method includes arranging at least one of the plurality of locking pins to include a plurality of cylindrical portions with different diameters, the cylindrical portions being arranged coaxially in an increasing diameter manner, the cylindrical portion with the largest diameter among the plurality of cylindrical portions forming a second portion of the at least one locking pin.

26. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The method includes arranging at least one of the plurality of teeth to have a substantially truncated conical wall, thereby defining a cavity in the tooth, wherein the cavity has a smaller cross section forward within the at least one tooth and a larger cross section rearward within the at least one tooth.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising installing a front protective member before the adapter is mounted onto the carrier, wherein, The front protective member includes a recessed groove track disposed on the lower side of the front protective member, so that the front protective member can be fixed against a corresponding set of converging tracks on the adapter.

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