Lip for excavating bucket

Abstract

A lip for an excavating bucket with a front beam and a rear beam extending along the length of the lip and defining at least one recess between them. The front beam includes noses extending forward of the beam for mounting ground engaging tools. Ribs extend between the front beam and the rear beam. The ribs separate recesses extending between the beams.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A lip for an excavating bucket having a length extending between opposite sidewalls of the bucket, the lip comprising a front beam and a rear beam extending along the length of the lip, a panel coupling the front and rear beams together, at least one rib interconnecting and spanning between the front and rear beams, and recesses extending along the at least one rib and between the front and rear beams, wherein the lip is thickest at the front beam. 
     
     
         25 . The lip of  claim 24  including noses extending forward of the front beam for mounting ground engaging tools. 
     
     
         26 . The lip of  claim 25  wherein the at least one rib includes one said rib in general alignment with each of the noses. 
     
     
         27 . The lip of  claim 24  wherein the thickness of the panel at the center of the recess is less than 25% of the thickness of the front beam at its thickest point. 
     
     
         28 . The lip of  claim 24  wherein the thickness of the panel at the center of the recess is less than 50% of the thickness of the rear beam at its thickest point. 
     
     
         29 . The lip of  claim 24  wherein the front and rear beams each has a substantially continuous extension along the length of the lip. 
     
     
         30 . The lip of  claim 24  wherein the front beam has a central portion between two ends, and the front beam is bowed with the central portion projecting farther forward than the ends. 
     
     
         31 . The lip of  claim 24  wherein the total volume of the recesses is at least 15 percent of the total volume of the lip including the total collective volume of the recesses. 
     
     
         32 . The lip of  claim 24  wherein the total volume of the recesses is at least 18 percent of the total volume of the lip including the total collective volume of the recesses. 
     
     
         33 . An excavating bucket comprising walls defining a cavity for receiving earthen materials during a digging operation, and a lip welded to at least one of the walls and having a length extending between opposite side walls of the bucket, the lip including a front beam and a rear beam extending along the length of the lip, a panel coupling the front and rear beams together, at least one rib interconnecting and spanning between the front and rear beams, and recesses extending along the at least one rib and between the front and rear beams, wherein the lip is thickest at the front beam. 
     
     
         34 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the lip includes noses extending forward of the front beam for mounting ground engaging tools. 
     
     
         35 . The excavating bucket of  claim 34  wherein the at least one rib includes one said rib in general alignment with each of the noses. 
     
     
         36 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the thickness of the panel at the center of the recess is less than 25% of the thickness of the front beam at its thickest point. 
     
     
         37 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the thickness of the panel at the center of the recess is less than 50% of the thickness of the rear beam at its thickest point. 
     
     
         38 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the front and rear beams each has a substantially continuous extension along the length of the lip. 
     
     
         39 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the front beam has a central portion between two ends, and the front beam is bowed with the central portion projecting farther forward than the ends. 
     
     
         40 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the total volume of the recesses is at least 15 percent of the total volume of the lip including the total collective volume of the recesses. 
     
     
         41 . The excavating bucket of  claim 33  wherein the total volume of the recesses is at least 18 percent of the total volume of the lip including the total collective volume of the recesses.