Modular digging attachment

Abstract

A digging attachment for an industrial excavating machine includes a first housing portion including a first housing opening, a second housing portion including a second housing opening, and an intermediate portion positioned between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. The intermediate portion may be one of a plurality of intermediate portions each having a different length that corresponds to a different volume of a cavity of the digging attachment. The length of the intermediate portion can determine the volume of the cavity. The intermediate portion may have open ends that complement a profile of the first and second housing openings. The cavity may have a substantially continuous profile between the first housing opening, the open ends of the intermediate portion, and the second housing opening. The intermediate portion may be omitted and the first housing portion may be directly couplable to the second housing portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly for a dipper of an industrial excavating machine, the assembly comprising:
 a first housing portion including a first housing opening at a first housing end;   a second housing portion including a second housing opening at a second housing end; and   an intermediate portion positionable between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the intermediate portion including a first open end that is positionable proximate the first housing end and a second open end that is positionable proximate the second housing end,   wherein the first housing portion is selectively couplable to the second housing portion to define a cavity of the dipper having a first volume and the intermediate portion is selectively couplable to each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion to define the cavity of the dipper having a second volume that is greater than the first volume.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion is configured to be one of a plurality of intermediate portions, each of the intermediate portions having a different length corresponding to a different volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a profile of the first open end of the intermediate portion complements a profile of the first housing opening, and a profile of the second open end of the intermediate portion complements a profile of the second housing opening. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the profiles of the first housing opening, the second housing opening, the first open end of the intermediate portion, and the second open end of the intermediate portion are substantially the same. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the profiles include cross-sectional shapes, and wherein the cavity has a substantially continuous cross-sectional shape between the first housing opening, the first and second open ends of the intermediate portion, and the second housing opening. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing portion includes a material receiving opening of the dipper opposite the first housing opening and the second housing portion includes a material discharging opening of the dipper opposite the second housing opening. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the different lengths of the plurality of intermediate portions vary between about four inches to about four feet. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion is a unitary piece. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of interconnectable segments that are positionable between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion is couplable to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion via welding. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion is couplable to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion via fasteners. 
     
     
         12 . A digging attachment defining a cavity for receiving material therein, the digging attachment comprising:
 a first housing portion including a first housing surface and a first housing opening;   a second housing portion including a second housing surface and a second housing opening; and   an intermediate portion positioned between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the intermediate portion extending between a first intermediate surface at a first open end of the intermediate portion and a second intermediate surface at a second open end of the intermediate portion, the first intermediate surface positioned proximate the first housing surface and the second intermediate surface positioned proximate the second housing surface,   wherein a profile of the first open end of the intermediate portion complements a profile of the first housing opening,   wherein a profile of the second open end of the intermediate portion complements a profile of the second housing opening,   wherein the first housing portion, the second housing portion, and the intermediate portion cooperatively define the cavity,   wherein a volume of the cavity is determined based on a length of the intermediate portion,   wherein the first housing portion is configured to be directly coupled to the second housing portion and indirectly coupled to the second housing portion via the intermediate portion.   
     
     
         13 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate portion is configured to be one of a plurality of intermediate portions, each of the intermediate portions having a different length corresponding to a different volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the profiles of the first housing opening, the second housing opening, the first open end of the intermediate portion, and the second open end of the intermediate portion are substantially the same. 
     
     
         15 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the cavity has a substantially continuous cross-sectional shape between the first housing opening, first and second open ends of the intermediate portion, and the second housing opening. 
     
     
         16 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the first housing portion includes a material receiving opening of the digging attachment and the second housing portion includes a material discharging opening of the digging attachment. 
     
     
         17 . The digging attachment of  claim 16 , wherein the first housing surface is opposite the material receiving opening and the second housing surface is opposite the material discharging opening. 
     
     
         18 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the length of the intermediate portion is between about four inches to about four feet. 
     
     
         19 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate portion is attached to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion via welding. 
     
     
         20 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate portion is attached to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion via fasteners. 
     
     
         21 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate portion is a unitary piece. 
     
     
         22 . The digging attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of interconnected segments positioned between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. 
     
     
         23 . An industrial excavating machine comprising a boom, an arm supported for movement relative to the boom, and the digging attachment of  claim 12  coupled to the arm, the digging attachment supported by a hoist rope extending over an end of the boom. 
     
     
         24 . A method for assembling a digging attachment, the method comprising:
 selecting an intermediate portion from a plurality of intermediate portions, each of the intermediate portions having a different length;   positioning the selected intermediate portion between a first housing portion and a second housing portion; and   securing the selected intermediate portion to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion, the first housing portion, the second housing portion, and the selected intermediate portion cooperatively defining a cavity of the digging attachment for receiving material therein, the cavity having a volume that is determined by the length of the selected intermediate portion.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the cavity has a substantially continuous profile between the first housing portion, the intermediate portion, and the second housing portion. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the cavity has a substantially continuous cross-sectional shape between the first housing portion, the intermediate portion, and the second housing portion. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein securing the selected intermediate portion to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion comprises attaching the selected intermediate portion to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion using fasteners. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein securing the selected intermediate portion to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion comprises welding the selected intermediate portion to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein positioning the selected intermediate portion between the first housing portion and the second housing portion comprises positioning a unitary intermediate portion between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, wherein the unitary intermediate portion is secured to each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein positioning the selected intermediate portion between the first housing portion and the second housing portion comprises positioning a plurality of segments of the selected intermediate portion in series between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, wherein the method further comprises:
 connecting the plurality of segments of the intermediate portion together;   securing a first segment of the plurality of segments to the first housing portion; and securing a second segment of the plurality of segments to the second housing portion.