Wear assembly

Abstract

A wear assembly includes a base and at least one wear member. The wear member may have a drill bit portion and / or a mounting portion, the drill bit portion having an increased size relative to the mounting portion, the mounting portion having one or more dampers on each side and / or bottom of the wear member. The cushioning portion may include a portion extending upwardly proximate the rear portion of the wear member.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 388,498, filed on July 12, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to wear members for earth moving equipment. In particular, the present invention relates to wear members suitable for attachment to a bucket. Background Art

[0004] Wear parts are typically attached along the leading edge of earth moving equipment (e.g., buckets, excavator heads, drum rollers, etc.) to protect the equipment from wear and enhance digging operations. Wear parts may include teeth, shrouds, adapters, wing shrouds, pick-ups, etc. Such wear parts typically include a base, a wear member, and a lock that releasably holds the wear member to the base.

[0005] With respect to the teeth, the base generally includes a nose that is secured to the leading edge of the equipment (e.g., the lip of a bucket). The nose may be formed as an integral part of the leading edge or as part of one or more adapters secured to the leading edge by welding or mechanical attachment. A tip or adapter is mounted on the nose. The tip narrows to a forward digging edge for penetrating and breaking up the ground. The assembled nose and tip together define an opening in which a lock is received to releasably retain the tip to the nose.

[0006] These types of wear parts are often subjected to harsh conditions and heavy loads. As a result, the wear components will wear out and need to be replaced after a period of time. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention relates to an improved wear assembly for securing a wear member to earth-moving equipment to improve wear life, material utilization, design flexibility of the locking mechanism, and / or strength.

[0008] In one example, the wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearwardly opening mounting cavity and a front drill bit portion having one or more transverse dimensions greater than the same transverse dimensions of the rear mounting portion.

[0009] A wear member for an excavating device includes a rear mounting portion and a front drill head portion. The rear mounting portion has an exterior surface, a rearwardly opening mounting cavity for receiving a base, and an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base. The front drill head portion is located forward of the mounting cavity and includes an exterior surface that is wider and / or deeper than at least a portion of the exterior surface of the rear mounting portion.

[0010] In another example, the wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a mounting cavity opening rearwardly and a front bit portion enlarged along a side region of the front bit portion relative to a side region of the mounting portion.

[0011] In another example, the wear member includes a rear mounting portion having a rearwardly opening mounting cavity and one or more large external recesses defining a thinner wall structure extending rearwardly and / or below the side lock receiving opening and a thicker wall structure extending above and forwardly of the lock receiving opening.

[0012] In another example, the wear member includes a rear mounting portion and a front drill portion, the rear mounting portion having a mounting cavity opening rearwardly. The exterior of the mounting portion includes a recess extending from the rear of the lock receiving opening to the front of the mounting portion below the lock receiving opening.

[0013] In another example, a wear member for earth-moving equipment includes a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a support base, and an outer wear surface. The outer wear surface includes side surfaces, a lock receiving opening located on at least one of the side surfaces for positioning a lock therein to secure the wear member to the base, and at least one side recess (i) extending between the at least one lock receiving opening and the rear end of the wear member and (ii) extending below and forward of the at least one lock receiving opening.

[0014] In another example, the wear member includes a rear mounting portion and a front drill head portion, the rear mounting portion having a mounting cavity opening rearwardly. The exterior of the mounting portion includes a recess on each side, the recess surrounding a majority of a lower half of the mounting portion.

[0015] In another example, the wear member includes an outer wear surface and a mounting cavity opening in the rear end of the wear member to receive the support base. The outer surface includes a hole and a recess, the hole is located on the side surface for locking therein, and the recess is located behind the hole and in front of the rear end of the wear member. In some examples, the recess can optionally continue below and / or in front of the lock hole.

[0016] In another example, the wear member includes an outer wear surface and a mounting cavity opened in a rear end of the wear member to receive the support base. The outer wear surface includes a hole and a recess, the hole is located on the outer surface of the side for locking therein, and the recess is located below the hole and extends inwardly from both the outer surface of the side and the bottom surface.

[0017] In another example, the wear member includes an outer wear surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a support base. The outer wear surface includes a hole and a recess, the hole is located on the outer surface of the side for locking therein, and the recess extends from the rear of the hole to the front of the hole and extends inwardly from both the outer surface of the side and the bottom surface. A portion of the recess is located between the rear end of the wear member and the hole, wherein the length of the portion of the recess from one side to the other along the longitudinal axis is between 10% and 15% of the overall length of the recess.

[0018] In another example, the wear member includes an outer wear surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a support base. The outer wear surface includes a hole and a recess, the hole is located on the outer surface of the side for locking therein, and the recess extends from the rear of the hole to the front of the hole and extends inwardly from both the outer surface of the side and the bottom surface.

[0019] In yet another example, the wear member includes an outer wear surface and a mounting cavity opened in a rear end of the wear member to receive a support base. The outer wear surface includes a hole, a recess, and a second recess, the hole is located on the outer surface of the side for locking therein, the recess extends from the rear of the hole to the front of the hole and extends inwardly from both the outer surface of the side and the bottom surface, and the second recess is located on the bottom surface of the outer wear surface.

[0020] In one example, the wear member includes an outer wear surface and a mounting cavity opening in a rear end of the wear member to receive a support base. The outer wear surface includes a hole and a recess, the hole is located on the outer surface of the side for locking therein, and the recess extends from the rear of the hole to the front of the hole and extends inwardly from both the outer surface of the side and the bottom surface to create a recess surface that outlines the mounting cavity.

[0021] In another example, the wear member includes an outer surface having a drill bit portion, an intermediate portion, and a mounting portion, the mounting portion being located behind the drill bit portion and including a cavity opening in the rear end of the wear member to receive the support base. The intermediate portion is the portion of the drill bit portion extending over the mounting cavity. The drill bit portion has a width that is wider than the intermediate portion and the mounting portion. This structure reduces and / or maintains the overall weight and increases the service life. The drill bit portion can also be lifted above the mounting portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wear assembly and lip according to the present invention, with a portion of the lip.

[0023] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 Exploded view of the wear components and lip.

[0024] Figure 2B is an exploded view of a second wear component according to the present invention, with a portion of the lip.

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a first wear member of a wear assembly.

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A top view of a first wear member.

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Bottom view of the first wear member.

[0028] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Side view of a first wear member.

[0029] Figure 7 yes Figure 3 Relative side views of a first wear member.

[0030] Figure 8 yes Figure 3 Front view of a first wear member.

[0031] Fig. 9 yes Figure 3 Rear view of the first wear member.

[0032] Fig.10 It was taken along line 10-10 Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a first wear member.

[0033] Fig.11 It was taken along line 11-11 Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a first wear member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2AIn the example of FIG. 1 , the wear assembly 11 is shown as a tooth system having a wear member 45 that is releasably secured to a base, in this example the nose 19 of an adapter 14, which in turn is mounted to a support structure or base 12 of the earth-moving equipment. For example, the adapter 14 may be secured to the lip by welding, bolts, locks, etc. In the example shown, the wear member 45 includes a cavity 70 for receiving the nose 19 and a lock 17 that releasably secures the wear member 45 to the adapter 14. A second wear member 13 is optionally provided on the adapter 14, rearwardly of the nose. The tooth system 11 shown includes a wear member 45 in the form of a tip, a second wear member in the form of a wear cap 13, and a base in the form of an adapter 14, although other configurations are possible.

[0035] For ease of discussion, the tooth system 11 is disclosed herein as being mounted to the digging edge 12 of a bucket, although other types of wear members and / or other types of earth-moving equipment may be used. Likewise, although the support structure shown is the lip of a bucket, the support structure may be the leading edge of a bucket sidewall, an excavator milling head, a drum, a blade, etc. For ease of reference Figure 1 For purposes of description, relative terms are used herein, such as up, down, inside, outside, front, back, vertical, or horizontal; other orientations are possible.

[0036] In one example, the digging edge 12 is defined by the lip of a bucket (e.g., a bucket of a dragline excavator) that includes a front surface 16, an inner surface 18, and an outer surface 20. Although a Whisler-type lip and adapter are shown, the wear members 13, 45 as disclosed herein can be used with a wide range of earth-moving machines, can be secured to other types of digging edges (with or without holes), can be secured to other types of adapters, noses, etc., and / or secured to a support structure in a variety of ways. The front surface 16 is shown as a curved surface, but other variations are possible. Although only a small portion of the digging edge 12 is shown in the drawings, the digging edge 12 can include a series of through holes for mounting other teeth to the bucket. Various structures and / or other wear components (not shown) can also be provided on other portions of the digging edge.

[0037] exist Figure 2B In the example shown, the base 212 is a forwardly projecting nose 219 that is formed as part of the cast lip 212 rather than a separately fixed adapter (see, e.g. Figure 2A). In this example, wear assembly 211 is shown as a tooth system, the tooth system including a wear member 245 in the form of a tip and a second wear member in the form of a wear cover 213. Components of the wear assembly may be referred to herein as wear members and / or bases, depending on whether the component supports a wear member (in which case it may be referred to as a base) and / or is itself supported by a base (in which case it may be referred to as a wear member) in the context of discussion. Wear member 245 is assembled to nose 219 of cast digging edge 212, and wear cover 213 is placed into a retaining area of ​​lip 212 behind tip 245. Wear member 245 includes a cavity 270 for receiving nose 219. In this example, tip 245, wear cover 213, nose 219 and cavity 270 have the same design as wear member 45, wear cover 13, nose 19 and cavity 70, but they may also have a different design. Either tooth system 11, 211 may have variations including, for example, different nose and cavity configurations (one example includes those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,649), different locks (one example includes the lock disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,222,243), etc. Likewise, while the support structure shown is the lip of a bucket, the support structure may be the leading edge of a bucket sidewall, an excavator milling head, a drum, a blade, etc. A lock 217 similar to lock 17 is used to releasably secure the tip 245 to the base or lip 214, as discussed further below. Additionally, other types of wear covers may be used, or the wear cover may be omitted.

[0038] refer to Figures 3 to 11 , the wear member 45 is a tip having a body 25 that includes a drill head portion 26 at a front end and a mounting portion 29 at a rear end. The mounting portion 29 includes a middle portion 27 adjacent the drill head portion 26 and a rear portion 28 located rearward of the middle portion 27. In some examples, there is no middle portion because there is no overlap between the drill head portion 26 and the mounting portion 29. Typically, the mounting portion includes the portion of the wear member that includes the mounting cavity, and the drill head portion is the outer portion in front of the mounting cavity. The middle portion 27 is the portion of the drill head portion that overlaps the mounting portion rearwardly ( Figure 5 ). These terms used herein are intended to be general terms, so that the dividing line between the drill head portion and the mounting portion is only close to the front thrust surface (or front wall) of the mounting cavity. In this article, the drill head portion is defined by the outer structure of the wear member close to the front of the mounting cavity.

[0039] Wear member 45 is not limited to a tip and may include other types of wear members such as, by way of non-limiting example, an intermediate adapter, a shovel tooth, a shroud, or a wear cap. Body 25 extends along longitudinal axis A and has a generally tapered configuration toward the front end, although variations in configuration along the outer surface of the tip are possible. Mounting portion 29 includes a mounting cavity 70 that opens in a rear surface to receive nose 19.

[0040] In one example, the drill bit portion 26 is wider than the mounting portion at the junction of the drill bit portion and the mounting portion. Compared with similar wear members having a conventional generally continuously tapered external design, by this arrangement, there is more wear-resistant material in the drill bit portion without a significant increase in weight, and the wear member can have a longer life. A longer service life can reduce machine downtime, increase productivity and / or reduce the cost per ton of material moved. Alternatively, the wear member can have a lighter weight than similar conventional wear members while retaining enough material in the drill bit portion to avoid premature wear and breakage during use. The reduced weight can reduce the demand for raw materials in manufacturing, provide a lower cost, more sustainable solution for wear members, and / or provide a larger load capacity for buckets.

[0041] In the example shown, the width W of the drill portion 26 is greater than the width W′ ( Figure 4 ), such that the sides of the drill bit portion 26 are wider than the sides of the mounting portion 28. Due to the undercuts in the form of the buffers 86, 86' described further below, the material added in the drill bit portion 26 is generally comparable to the material removed in the mounting portion. In order to maintain or reduce the weight of the entire tip 45, the material eliminated in the mounting portion due to the presence of the buffers 86, 86' can be at least partially contained in the drill bit portion 26. This added material causes the drill bit portion 26 to have a width W that is greater than W' of the mounting portion 28. In one example, the exterior surface of the front drill bit portion 26 is wider and / or deeper than at least a portion of the exterior surface of the rear mounting portion 29. The width is considered to be a side-to-side dimension and the depth is considered to be a top-to-bottom dimension, regardless of whether the dimension intersects the longitudinal axis.

[0042] In one example, 10 kg of material is saved from the mounting portion 29 by the buffers 86, 86', and a range of from 60% to 100% (e.g., 6 kg to 10 kg) of material is contained in the drill head portion 26 to extend the drill head portion 26 outward. In this way, the weight of the tip 45 can remain relatively similar to the tip without the expanded drill head portion 26 and the buffers 86, 86'. One benefit of the design of the tip 45 can be to increase the life of the wear member 45 without adding significant or noticeable weight that requires more energy to move the wear member (as a unit and as multiple wear members) during excavation operations. Preferably, the weight is limited to maximize the overall efficiency of the earth-moving equipment to which the wear member is designed to be attached. Another benefit is the cost of the material, because more steel is used where wear occurs more frequently. The amount of steel helps to reduce the overall cost of manufacturing the wear parts.

[0043] The buffer 86, 86' positioned in the rear mounting portion of the wear member protects the drill bit portion from further wear penetration, is at least partially shielded by the thicker wall portion of the wear member, and / or facilitates dead bedding to minimize premature wear despite the thin wall thickness.

[0044] In one example, the buffer 86, 86' is located behind and / or below the side lock receiving opening to be unaffected by the movement of the wear member into, through and / or out of the ground during the digging operation. The buffer 86, 86' can extend from the drill head portion 26 to the mounting portion 29. In the example shown, the buffer 86, 86' does not extend to the rear surface 95, 95', but stops near the rear surface 95, 95' (near the distance between 0.2mm and 35mm from the rear surface). By thinly outlining the contour of the nose 19 along the sides and bottom of the wear member 45, the buffer 86, 86' provides an adequate protective layer to the nose 19 of the adapter. This use of thin wall thickness allows the maximum amount of material to be saved from the wear member without causing premature penetration and / or fracture. The thin wall thickness can be 20mm to 35mm, and in some examples may not be a uniform thickness. In some examples, the thickness becomes thicker along the forward direction.

[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, each buffer 86, 86' includes an upper portion 93, 93' extending upwardly just behind the lock receiving opening in the side of the wear member and a lower portion 87, 87' occupying a majority of the side of the corresponding mounting portion below the lock receiving opening. The lower portion extends axially forwardly from a position behind the lock receiving opening to the drill portion and vertically from near the lock receiving opening to the bottom axial ridge 55. Other variations are possible.

[0046] The reduction in material in the buffers 86, 86' can allow the drill bit portion 26 to also be raised outwardly from the mounting portion 28 along the top and bottom surfaces (e.g., about 3mm to 7mm, although certain portions of the drill bit portion 26 may have different distances above the mounting portion 28). For example, the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the drill bit portion 26 may have different thicknesses when measured relative to the corresponding surfaces of the mounting portion 2. However, the drill bit portion may have a configuration that is not wider than and / or does not extend outwardly beyond any portion or intermediate portion of the mounting portion. In one such example, the mounting portion may include a buffer located behind the drill bit portion so that at least a portion of the mounting portion has the same thickness as an adjacent drill bit portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the top and bottom ridges 34 are formed in the mounting portion having approximately the same lateral dimension as the adjacent drill bit portion. The same lateral dimension is a second dimension having the same orientation as the first dimension but axially displaced.

[0047] The drill bit portion 26 can be between 40% and 65% of the total overall length of the body 25, but other configurations are possible. In one example, the drill bit portion 26 can be longer or shorter on the top surface of the body 25 than on the bottom surface of the body 25. The drill bit portion 26 represents the front earth-penetrating end of the tip 45. Once the drill bit portion 25 is worn and damaged, the cavity 70 in the tip 45 may be exposed, potentially damaging the nose 19 (or the nose 219 of the cast lip) of the adapter 14 located in the cavity 70.

[0048] The front drill bit portion 26 presents a tapered profile that improves penetration into the ground during digging operations ( Figure 8 ). In other words, the front drill bit portion 26 may include at least some surfaces that converge about the longitudinal axis A in a forward direction.

[0049] In the example shown, the front portion 26 includes side surfaces 30, 30', 32, 32', top surfaces 36, 36', 38, 38', bottom surfaces 40, 40', 42, 42', and front surfaces 44, 44', but other variations are possible. In the example shown, the mounting portion 29 may also include a relatively narrow flange or ridge 34 extending rearwardly, the flange or ridge 34 serving as an extension of the enlarged drill portion. The flange 34 may have one or more surfaces, but other variations are possible (e.g., no flange 34). The flange 34 extends rearwardly from the top surfaces 36 and 36' into the middle portion 27 and the rear portion 28 of the tip 45, although the extensions may be longer or shorter. The flange 34 may be incorporated into the reduced area of ​​the rear portion 28. The flange 34 is shown centrally, but other configurations are possible. For example, the flanges may be a web comprising multiple flanges or angled so as not to be centrally located, the flanges may also be located on the sides 53, 53' of the mounting portion 28 or only on the sides 53, 53' rather than on the top and bottom as shown.

[0050] A lifting ring 62 and / or an end-of-life latch aperture and connector 64 , such as that disclosed in US 2022 / 0325504 , which is incorporated herein by reference, may be formed on the drill bit portion or spine 34 .

[0051] The front surfaces 44, 44' can be inclined laterally and vertically relative to the longitudinal axis and converge to the central intersection 50 along the longitudinal direction A. In the example shown, the front surfaces 44, 44' also tilt from top to bottom in the lateral direction, but other configurations are also possible. The side surfaces 30, 30' can converge forward to the corresponding front surfaces 44, 44' at the same angle along the longitudinal direction A. The side surfaces 32, 32' are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A, but other angles are also possible. The term "substantially parallel" is intended to include parallel surfaces and those surfaces that deviate from the longitudinal angle at a small angle (e.g., about 0 to 7 degrees) for manufacturing purposes. For example, the side surfaces 32, 32' can converge forward to the corresponding side surfaces 30, 30' along the longitudinal direction, but other configurations are also possible.

[0052] The side surfaces 30, 30', 32, 32' and the top surfaces 38, 38' may optionally include at least one recess 63, but other locations are possible. The recess 63 of the drill head portion may be omitted. The recess 63 may be used as a wear indicator, a weight reducer and / or a marker in a visual monitoring system for monitoring the properties of a wear member, such as wear or replacement. For example, once the last recess 63 in the rearward direction is no longer visible, it means that the wear member is to be replaced. The recess may also be used simply as a decoration.

[0053] The bottom surface 40, 40' may also include a protrusion or contact point 51 and a recess 56, which may contribute to manufacturability and / or be used to reduce the weight of the wear member. The bottom surfaces 40, 40' may converge in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis A (e.g., vertically downward). Other bottom surfaces 42, 42' may also converge in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis A outward (e.g., vertically downward). In the example shown, the top surfaces 38, 38' and the bottom surfaces 42, 42' converge forward in the longitudinal direction, respectively. Similarly, the top surfaces 36, 36' and the bottom surfaces 40, 40' converge forward in the longitudinal direction, respectively. The top surfaces 38, 38' and the bottom surfaces 42, 42' converge outwardly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, respectively. The forward convergence of the surface of the drill bit portion 26 helps penetrate and guide the flow of material.

[0054] In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting portion 29 includes a top surface 43, 43', 46, 46', a side surface 53, 53' and a bottom flange or ridge 55, but other configurations are also possible. The bottom flange may intersect with or terminate before the surface 60, 60' of the rear portion. The bottom flange may be inclined, rather than extending longitudinally backward. The bottom flange may be a plurality of flanges or meshes. The top surface 43, 43', 46, 46' may be parallel to the top surface 36, 36', 38, 38' of the drill bit portion 26. Therefore, the top surface 43, 43', 46, 46' converges forward along the longitudinal direction. The top surface 46, 46' converges outward along the transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis A. The side surfaces 53, 53' may converge at a speed similar to the side surfaces 32, 32'. In the illustrated example, the side surfaces 53, 53' are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis A.

[0055] The side surfaces 53, 53' each include a buffer 86, 86' extending from the exterior inwardly into the tip 45. The buffer 86, 86' is defined by a plurality of contoured surfaces and a surface 87, 87' surrounding the interior of the cavity 70. The contoured surfaces may have a variety of different shapes.

[0056] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, one such contoured surface defining the buffer 86, 86' is a forward and upwardly inclined surface 90, 90' located below the locking hole 82, 82' and the mounting hole 84, 84'. The buffer 86, 86' includes a front surface 88, 88' adjacent to the corresponding upwardly inclined surface 90, 90'. The buffer is also defined by a substantially horizontal or longitudinal surface 91, 91' extending from the front surface 88, 88' to the convex surface 92, 92'. The convex surface 92, 92' surrounds a portion of the locking hole 82 and partially defines a recessed portion or narrow recess 93, 93' in the buffer 86, 86' located between the locking hole 82 and the side surface 54 of the rear portion. The side-to-side length L of the narrow recess 93, 93' is between 10% and 15% of the overall length L' of the buffer 86, 86'. The semicircular surface 94, 94' is adjacent to the rear surface 95, 95' and the convex surface 92, 92'. The rear surface 95, 95' can extend parallel to the concave surface 72, 72'. The rear surface 95, 95' is adjacent to the corresponding bottom surface 97, 97'. The bottom surface 97, 97' of the buffer portion 86, 86' can be aligned with the outwardly facing surface 58, 58' of the bottom because the bottom surface 97, 97' converges inwardly along the transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis A. The bottom surface 97, 97' is adjacent to the inwardly converging surface 99, 99' of the bottom. The inwardly converging surface 99, 99' of the bottom is adjacent to the bottom surface 60, 60' of the rear portion. The front surface 88, 88' is adjacent to the inwardly and rearwardly converging bottom surface 101, 101'. The rearwardly converging bottom surface 101, 101' is connected to the forwardly converging surface 99, 99' of the bottom by the connecting surface 103, 103'. The connecting surface 103, 103' is adjacent to the bottom flange 55 of the intermediate portion 27. The connecting surfaces 103, 103' and the bottom surface 55 bridge the bottom surface 40, 40' of the drill head portion 26 with the bottom surface 60, 60' of the mounting portion 29. The buffer 86, 86' can be proximate the rear end of the tip 45 on one end and proximate the drill head portion 26 on the other end. The buffer 86, 86' extends forward and rearward of the locking hole 82. The length of the buffer 86, 86' itself is between 35% and 55% of the overall length of the tip 45. The buffer 86, 86' can include a narrow recess 93, 93' located just behind the locking hole 82.

[0057] In the illustrated embodiment, the length of the buffer 86, 86' does not extend to or communicate with the recess 56 on the bottom surface 40, 40', but other configurations are possible.

[0058] The depth of the buffers 86, 86' from front to back and from the sides to the bottom creates a thickness T1 around a portion of the cavity 70 (see Fig.10), so as to outline the lower portion of the interior of the cavity shape and the nose 19, but other configurations are also possible. For example, the thickness T1 can be a uniform thickness over the entire length of the buffer 86, 86'. In another example, the thickness T1 can be uniform in the transverse direction, but in the longitudinal direction, the thickness varies over the entire length of the buffer 86, 86'. In another example, the buffer 86, 86' can have a uniform thickness at the rearmost end of the buffer 86, 86' and another uniform thickness at the frontmost end of the buffer 86, 86'. In this case, the thickness will transition from one to the other. The thickness T1 can be between 25mm and 43mm, but can be scaled for smaller wear part sizes.

[0059] The side surfaces 53, 53' can each include a lock hole 82, 82' for placing a lock and an optional mounting hole 84, 84', which can be used to grasp the tip 45 during installation and removal. The mounting holes 84, 84' are generally aligned with the corresponding lock holes 82, 82' in the longitudinal direction, but other configurations are also possible. The lock holes 82, 82' and mounting holes 84, 84' can be generally circular to match the lock holes on the base, but other configurations are also possible. Single or multiple locks 17 can also be located on other surfaces of the wear member and the base. In the case of asymmetric wear (such as corner teeth), a single lock can be switched to the other side. With two locking holes 82, 82', the tip 45 can alternatively use one of the locking holes 82, 82' for an attachment device, such as a sensor, a plug, and / or an end-of-life attachment device, such as disclosed in US2020 / 0378091 and US2019 / 0002248, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The locking holes 82, 82' are shown to be the same, but other configurations are possible.

[0060] The mounting portion 29 includes a mounting cavity 70 ( Fig. 9 The mounting cavity 70 may be between 35% and 55% of the overall length of the tip 45 (see Fig.11 ). As described above, the cavity 70 is protected by the entire length of the drill portion 26, so the rule of thumb for replacement is that once the drill portion 26 ends, the cavity 70 begins, although there may be some variation. This means that the drill portion 26 can be between 45% and 65% of the overall length of the tip, measured from the side of the drill portion 26. The mounting cavity 70 can have virtually any configuration that can adequately support the wear member. As an example, the mounting cavity can be shaped similar to those in US20220290413, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] The rear portion 28 includes outwardly facing surfaces, which are defined as outwardly facing surfaces 48, 48', 52, 52' at the top, outwardly facing surfaces 54, 54' at the side, and outwardly facing surfaces 58, 58', 60, 60' at the bottom. The outwardly facing surfaces 48, 48', 52, 52' at the top can converge inwardly (e.g., converge to a vertex) along a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis A. In the example shown, the outwardly facing surfaces 48, 48', 52, 52' at the top are inclined forwardly from the rear of the top to the front of the bottom along the longitudinal direction. The outwardly facing surfaces 52, 52' at the top and the outwardly facing surfaces 58, 58' at the bottom can converge outwardly, but other shapes are also possible. The outwardly facing surfaces 60, 60' at the bottom converge inwardly in a vertical downward direction. The outwardly facing surfaces 54, 54' at the side are flat in the vertical direction and extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A, but can converge forwardly in the longitudinal direction to facilitate penetration.

[0062] The rear portion 28 also includes rearward-facing surfaces surrounding the cavity, which are defined as rearward-facing surfaces 61, 61', 66, 66' at the top, rearward-facing surfaces 72, 72' at the side, and rearward-facing surfaces 80, 80' at the top and bottom. At least some of these rearward-facing surfaces may be similar to those disclosed in US20220290413 (e.g., pentagonal). The rearward-facing surfaces 72, 72' at the side are concave in the vertical direction (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A). The rearward-facing surfaces 61, 61', 66, 66' at the top are tilted backward in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The rearward-facing surfaces 61, 61', 66, 66' at the top are shown as tilted backward to converge inward toward the center of the tip 45.

[0063] The lock 17 is used to releasably secure the wear member to the base 12. Typically, the lock 17 includes a body for retaining the tip 45 to the base, and a collar for engaging an internal retaining structure in the cavity of the tip 45 to secure the lock 17 in the holes 82, 82', but other configurations, such as fasteners, may also be used. The lock 17 may be a lock of the type including a pin and collar lock of US9,222,243, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The lock 17 may include a shipping position within the hole and a locked position, the shipping position allowing the lock 17 to remain in the locking hole 82, 82' while the base 12 is installed, and the locked position locking the tip 45 to the adapter 14 by the lock 17 engaging the locking hole in the adapter 14. The lock 217 may be used to secure the tip (not shown) to the intermediate adapter, and to secure the intermediate adapter to the nose 219. Many other lock designs may be used to secure the wear member to the nose. For example, the lock 17 can be a conventional sandwich pin structure nailed into the assembly. Such a lock can also pass vertically or horizontally through a hole in the center of the nose and tip in a known manner. Another example is the lock disclosed in US20220333358, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A wear member for earth-moving equipment, the wear member comprising a body extending in a longitudinal direction, and the body comprising: a rear mounting portion having an exterior surface and a mounting cavity opening rearward; as well as A front drill bit portion is located in front of the mounting cavity and has an outer surface, at least one lateral dimension of the outer surface of the front drill bit portion is greater than at least one same lateral dimension of the outer surface of the rear mounting portion.

2. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one transverse dimension is along a horizontal plane.

3. The wear member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The at least one transverse dimension is along a vertical plane.

4. A wear member for earthmoving equipment, the wear member comprising: a rear mounting portion having an exterior surface, a rearwardly opening mounting cavity for receiving a base, and an opening for receiving a lock to secure the wear member to the base; as well as A front drill bit portion is located forward of the mounting cavity and includes an exterior surface that is wider and / or deeper than at least one axially aligned portion of the exterior surface of the rear mounting portion.

5. The wear member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The rear mounting portion includes at least one recess in the exterior surface.

6. The wear member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The rear mounting portion includes at least one of a top ridge and / or a bottom ridge extending from the front drill bit portion, wherein at least a portion of the ridge has a same depth dimension as at least a portion of the front drill bit portion.

7. A wear member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The front bit portion is between 45% and 65% of the overall length of the wear member.

8. A wear member for earthmoving equipment, the wear member comprising: Front drill bit part; a rear mounting portion having a mounting cavity opening rearwardly, and An exterior portion having one or more exterior recesses located rearward of the front drill bit portion and below the side lock receiving opening.

9. The wear member according to claim 8, wherein: The exterior recess extends rearwardly of the side lock receiving opening.

10. The wear member according to claim 8, wherein: The one or more external recesses extend adjacent to the rear surface of the wear member.

11. A wear member for earthmoving equipment, the wear member comprising: Backend and frontend; a mounting cavity opening in the rear end to receive a support base; as well as an outer wear surface comprising side surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces having a lock receiving opening for positioning a lock in the lock receiving opening to secure the wear member to the base, and a side recess (i) extending between the lock receiving opening and the rear end and (ii) extending below and forward of the lock receiving opening.

12. The wear member according to claim 11, wherein: Each of the side surfaces includes one of the lock receiving openings and one of the side recesses.

13. The wear member of claim 12, wherein: The undercuts are separated by axial ridges along the bottom of the wear member.

14. A wear member according to any one of claims 12 to 13, wherein: Each of the undercuts extends into the bottom of the wear member.

15. A wear member according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein The undercuts create thickness by thinly contouring the base along the sides and bottom of the wear member.

16. The wear member of claim 15, wherein: The thickness changes to become thinner toward the rear.

17. A wear member according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein The wear member includes a drill head portion located in front of the mounting cavity, the drill head portion including a bottom recess located on a bottom of the wear member, wherein the bottom recess is not in communication with any of the side recesses.

18. A wear member according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein The undercut on at least one side surface axially rearward of the center of the lock receiving opening has an axial dimension between 10% and 15% of the maximum axial dimension of the undercut.

19. A wear member according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein The exterior recess creates a recess surface that outlines the mounting cavity.

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