Wear assembly

Abstract

A wear member for attaching to a digging edge of a bucket includes a front end and bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end. Each leg includes an inner surface to face the digging edge, a rear wall, and a lock opening to receive a lock therethrough. At least one of the bifurcated legs includes a front portion, a rear portion, and a coupling feature. The rear portion defines a stabilizing region comprising a front facing lateral wall forward of the rear wall.

1 . A wear member for attaching to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear member comprising:
 a front end; and   bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end, each of the legs including an inner surface to face the digging edge and a rear wall, and at least one of the legs having a lock opening to receive a lock therein;   at least one of the legs including a front portion and a rear portion recessed relative to the front portion, the front portion including a rear facing lateral wall adjacent the rear portion to oppose a wear cap receivable in the recessed rear portion, and the rear portion including at least one front facing lateral wall forward of the rear wall which is suitable for engaging a wear cap in the rear portion and resisting rearward movement of the wear cap.   
     
     
         2 . A wear member according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion at least partially surrounds the lock opening. 
     
     
         3 . A wear member according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion includes two of the front facing lateral walls which are defined in indentations located on opposite sides of the lock opening. 
     
     
         4 . A wear member for attaching to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear member comprising:
 a front end;   bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end, each of the legs including an inner surface to face the digging edge and a rear wall, and at least one of the legs defining a lock opening to receive a lock therein; and   a pair of indentations to each side of the lock opening, wherein each indentation includes a front facing wall for resisting rearward movement of a wear cap on the at least one leg.   
     
     
         5 . A wear member according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the indentations includes a laterally facing longitudinal wall and an outward facing ledge each extending forward from the respective front facing lateral wall. 
     
     
         6 . A wear member according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the ledges is inclined to extend from a lower end of one of the front facing walls to an outer side of the rear portion. 
     
     
         7 . A wear member according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the ledges tapers so that a width of each of the ledges reduces towards the front end. 
     
     
         8 . A wear member according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the legs includes a front portion and a rear portion recessed relative to the front portion, and the lock opening and indentations are included in the rear portion. 
     
     
         9 . A wear member according to any  claim 4 , wherein one of the legs includes at least one retaining surface that faces generally in a same direction as the inner surface of the one leg, and which is suitable for overlying a portion of the wear cap to resist movement of the wear cap away from the wear member. 
     
     
         10 . A wear member according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the legs includes an engagement structure to interact with at least one support on the digging edge. 
     
     
         11 . A wear member according to  claim 10 , wherein the engagement structure includes a slot that opens in the inner wall and in the rear wall of the at least one leg to receive the at least one support on the digging edge to resist lateral forces on the wear member. 
     
     
         12 . A wear member according to  claim 10 , wherein the engagement structure includes exterior opposed side surfaces of the at least one leg for being received and bounded by a plurality of the at least one support for resisting lateral forces on the wear member. 
     
     
         13 . A wear member according to  claim 4 , wherein the rear portion includes an axial groove proximate each sidewall of the at least one leg, wherein each said groove extends axially between the lock opening and the rear wall for receiving a portion of the wear cap for resisting lateral forces on the wear cap. 
     
     
         14 . A wear member according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the legs includes a lock opening for receiving the lock. 
     
     
         15 . A wear member according to  claim 4 , which is an adapter or a shroud. 
     
     
         16 . A wear assembly for attaching to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear assembly comprising a wear member according to  claim 4 , a wear cap mounted on the wear member, and a lock in the lock opening to retain the wear cap on the wear member and the wear member on the digging edge. 
     
     
         17 . A wear assembly for earth working equipment comprising:
 a wear member operable to couple to a digging edge of the earth working equipment;   a wear cap configured to mount on the wear member; and   a lock that secures the wear member to the digging edge and the wear cap to the wear member.   
     
     
         18 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear member includes a front end and bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end, each of the legs including an inner surface to face the digging edge, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and a rear wall, at least one of the legs having a lock opening to receive a lock therein. 
     
     
         19 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear member includes a recess in the outer surface into which the wear cap is received. 
     
     
         20 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear cap includes a top portion overlying the top surface of one of the legs, and a pair of sidewalls overlying opposite sides of the one leg to resist side loads on the wear cap. 
     
     
         21 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear member includes at least one front facing lateral wall, and the wear cap includes at least one rear facing bearing surface to engage the at least one front facing lateral wall to resist rearward movement of the wear cap. 
     
     
         22 . A wear assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein the wear member includes an indentation on each side of the lock opening, each of the indentations includes one said front facing lateral wall, the wear cap includes a projection to fit into each of the indentations, and each of the projections includes one said rear facing bearing surface. 
     
     
         23 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear member includes at least one retaining surface that faces generally in a same direction as the inner surface of the leg with the wear cap, and which is suitable for overlying a portion of the wear cap to resist movement of the wear cap away from the wear member. 
     
     
         24 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the lock includes at least one retaining surface that faces generally in a same direction as the inner surface of the leg with the wear cap, and which is suitable for overlying a portion of the wear cap to resist movement of the wear cap away from the wear member. 
     
     
         25 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the lock includes a pair of arms that capture a portion of the wear cap and a portion of the wear member therebetween. 
     
     
         26 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear cap includes an opening in registration with the lock opening. 
     
     
         27 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the lock includes a spool and a wedge. 
     
     
         28 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear member is an adapter with a nose to support a point. 
     
     
         29 . A wear assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the wear member is a shroud. 
     
     
         30 . A wear assembly for attaching to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear assembly comprising:
 a wear member including a front end and bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end, each of the legs including a front portion, a rear portion rearward of the front portion, an inner surface to face the digging edge, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and a rear wall, and at least one of the legs having a lock opening to receive a lock therein;   a wear cap mounted on the wear member to overlie at least the outer surface of one of the legs in the rear portion proximate the rear end; and   a lock in the lock opening to retain the wear member on the digging edge.   
     
     
         31 . A wear assembly according to  claim 30 , wherein the lock in the lock opening retains the wear cap on the wear member and the wear member on the digging edge. 
     
     
         32 . A wear assembly for attaching to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear assembly comprising:
 a wear member including a front end and bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end, each of the legs including an inner surface to face the digging edge, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and a rear wall, at least one of the legs including a recess in the outer surface, and at least one of the legs having a lock opening to receive a lock therein;   a wear cap mounted in the recess on the wear member; and   a lock in the lock opening to retain the wear member on the digging edge.   
     
     
         33 . A wear assembly according to  claim 32 , wherein the lock also retains the wear cap to the wear member. 
     
     
         34 . A wear cap for use with a wear member attached to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear cap comprising an upper wear surface, a lower surface opposite the upper wear surface to engage the wear member, a front coupling formation to engage the wear member, and a rear coupling formation to engage a lock, wherein the front and rear coupling formations retain the wear cap to the wear member. 
     
     
         35 . A wear cap according to  claim 34 , including engagement wings extending inward from the upper wear surface to overlie sides of the wear member and resist lateral loads. 
     
     
         36 . A wear cap according to  claim 35 , wherein each engagement wing includes a rear facing bearing wall to engage a front facing lateral wall on the wear member. 
     
     
         37 . A wear cap according to  claim 35 , wherein each of the engagement wings tapers in mutually orthogonal directions towards a front portion of the wear member. 
     
     
         38 . A wear cap according to  claim 34 , wherein the front coupling formation includes a protrusion extending forward beyond the upper wear surface and operable to engage with a complementary formation on a wear member. 
     
     
         39 . A wear cap according to  claim 34 , wherein the rear coupling formation includes a tongue extending towards the opening and operable to locate beneath a corresponding portion of the lock in the opening to prevent the wear cap from moving in an outward direction. 
     
     
         40 . A wear cap according to  claim 34  including an opening extending through the upper wear surface and the lower surface for receiving a lock. 
     
     
         41 . A wear cap for use with a wear member attached to a digging edge of an earth working equipment, the wear cap comprising a top portion to overlie a top portion of the wear member, and engagement wings extending inward and on opposite sides of the top portion to overlie sides of the wear member and resist lateral forces on the wear cap, wherein each engagement wing includes a rear facing bearing wall to engage a complementary front facing lateral wall on the wear member to resist rearward forces on the wear cap. 
     
     
         42 . A wear cap according to  claim 41 , wherein each of the engagement wings has an axial extension and includes a projection along only part of the axial extension, and wherein the rear facing bearing wall is on the projection. 
     
     
         43 . A wear cap according to  claim 41  including a plurality of axially spaced forwardly-projecting tongues to retain the wear cap to the wear member. 
     
     
         44 . A wear assembly for earth working equipment comprising:
 a wear member for attaching to a digging edge, the wear member including a front end and bifurcated legs extending rearwardly from the front end, each leg including an inner surface to face the digging edge, a rear wall, and a lock opening;   a wear cap according to  claim 34 ; and   a lock to secure the wear cap to the wear member and the wear member to the digging edge.   
     
     
         45 . A spool for use in releasably securing a wear member to a base for earth working equipment, the wear member and the base cooperatively defining a lock opening for receiving the spool, the spool comprising an elongate body extending along a body axis, the body including a head at one end of the body, a leg extending from the head, a front side, a rear side, and a pair of arms at the end with the head, the arms extending away from the body axis on the rear side. 
     
     
         46 . A spool according to  claim 45  including a pair of shoulders at the head and extending between the front side and the rear side. 
     
     
         47 . A spool according to  claim 46 , wherein the pair of shoulders are formed on either side of, and at or above, the arm closer to the leg of the pair of arms. 
     
     
         48 . A spool according to  claim 45 , wherein the rear side includes a bearing surface between the arms for engaging the wear member. 
     
     
         49 . A spool according to  claim 45 , wherein the leg portion is substantially free of any protrusions so that the spool can be inserted into the lock aperture without the leg portion catching on a digging edge or a wear member during installation thereof. 
     
     
         50 . A spool according to  claim 45  including a concave recess defined in the front side, wherein the concave recess defines a thread for engaging with a complementary thread on a wedge. 
     
     
         51 . A spool according to  claim 45 , wherein a lower section of the leg portion defines a stop protruding into the concave recess to prevent a wedge from protruding beyond the limit stop. 
     
     
         52 . A lock for securing a wear member to a base for an earth working equipment, the lock comprising a spool according to  claim 45  and a wedge driven in and out of the lock opening along the front side of the spool. 
     
     
         53 . A wedge for use in releasably securing a wear member to a base for earth working equipment, the wear member and the base cooperatively defining a lock opening for receiving the wedge, the wedge comprising an upper frusto-conical portion, a lower frusto-conical portion, and a central portion between the upper and lower frusto-conical portions, wherein at least one of the upper and lower frusto-conical portions includes a thread. 
     
     
         54 . A wedge according to  claim 53 , wherein the diameter of the central portion matches a diameter of the lowest part of the upper frusto-conical portion, and a diameter of the highest part of the lower frusto-conical portion. 
     
     
         55 . A wedge according to  claim 53 , wherein the frusto-conical portions have the same external surface taper angle. 
     
     
         56 . A wedge according to  claim 53 , wherein each of the upper and lower frusto-conical portions is threaded. 
     
     
         57 . A wedge according to  claim 53 , wherein the central portion is unthreaded and un-tapered. 
     
     
         58 . A wedge according to  claim 53 , wherein each of the threads is defined by a relatively wide, helically shaped land segment formed between adjacent spiraling groove segments. 
     
     
         59 . A lock for securing a wear member to a base for an earth working equipment, the lock comprising a spool having a concave recess on one side and a wedge according to  claim 53  received in the concave recess to be driven in and out of the lock opening.