Hammerless C-Clamp Wedge Connector for Bucket Wear Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connector systems for retaining ground-engaging wear members on support structures, such as bucket lips, require pounding, posing safety hazards and presenting complexities in installation and removal, while alternative hammerless solutions often suffer from construction and access issues.
Innovation Solution
A specially designed hammerless connector system comprising a spool structure, wedge structure, and adjustment force generating structure, which allows for secure retention and adjustment of wear members without pounding, using a sliding tongue and groove interconnection and a screw shim assembly to expand or contract the connector system for tightening and loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional pound-in connector structure is used to retain the wear member, then secure retention is achieved, but safety hazards arise from pounding and installation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional pound-in mechanical installation method with a screw-driven mechanical system. The connector structure includes a screw thread engagement feature that allows the connector to be threaded into the wear member and support structure using a screwdriver or similar tool, eliminating the need for hammering or pounding while maintaining secure retention through threaded engagement and wedge expansion.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a hammerless connector structure is used to eliminate pounding, then safety hazards are reduced, but construction complexity and access difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector structure employs a nested design where the wedge feature is positioned within the body, and the spool feature with screw thread engagement is integrated into the connector assembly. The adjustment feature (screw mechanism) is nested within the connector structure, allowing all components to be compactly arranged. This nested configuration reduces overall complexity while maintaining the hammerless operation and providing accessible adjustment mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the connector system is made adjustable to compensate for wear, then operational efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector structure incorporates a dynamic adjustment mechanism featuring a screw thread engagement between the spool and an adjustment feature. This allows the connector to be easily tightened or loosened by rotating the spool, enabling periodic adjustment to compensate for wear between the wear member and support structure. The dynamic nature of this adjustment feature maintains operational efficiency without significantly increasing overall device complexity, as it uses a simple threaded mechanism rather than a complex system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables safe and convenient installation and removal of wear members without the need for pounding, providing secure retention and allowing for adjustments to compensate for wear, while preventing unwanted rotation and dislodgement, thus enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The wedge structure longitudinally extends through a central portion of the connector receiving passage and has nonparallel front and rear side surface portions... The adjustment force generating structure is operative to longitudinally drive the wedge structure in opposite directions... to selectively expand and permit contraction of the hammerless connector system
Implementation Method 2
The adjustment force generating structure comprises a body portion, a cylindrical, externally threaded screw member, and a drive stem. The screw member is rotatably received in the body portion... the screw member being in threaded, driving engagement with the wedge structure.
Implementation Method 3
facing portions of the spool and wedge structures have a sliding tongue and groove interconnection that inhibits relative rotation therebetween about an axis longitudinally extending through the connector receiving passage
Data Source
AI summary
A ground-engaging wear member is releasably retained on an associated support structure by a specially designed hammerless C-clamp and wedge connector system extending through aligned openings in the wear member and support structure. Illustratively, the wear member is an adapter, and the support structure is a bucket lip.