CORNER HALF ARROW FOR A BUCKET

Abstract

 A corner half arrow 1 for a lip 2 of a bucket 3, wherein the corner half arrow 1 comprises a front wear portion 4, a side wear portion 5, a back portion 6 for attachment to the lip 2 of the bucket 3 and an inner side portion 7 for facing an adjacent intermediate half arrow 8, wherein the inner side portion 7 extends along a first longitudinal axis 9, and wherein the back portion 6 extends along a second longitudinal axis 10, and wherein the second longitudinal axis 10 forms a first angle 17 of more than 90 degrees to the first longitudinal axis 9.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to improvements to wear parts for a bucket for earthmoving equipment.

Background

[0002] The present invention has been created in relation to buckets used by earthmoving equipment and to wear parts/ground engaging tools connected to such buckets.

[0003] Ground engaging tools (GET) for earth-moving equipment, such as those used in mining operations, operate in a highly abrasive environment, are subjected to high impact forces and therefore wear out or become damaged through use. GET, such as teeth used on the front lip or edges of a bucket of the earth moving equipment, therefore require regular replacement.

[0004] Traditionally, GETs are welded onto the lips of buckets. When the GET come to the end of their useful life, they can be cut from the bucket, and new GET welded in their place.

[0005] Sometimes, the corners or other parts or portions of a bucket are precast in steel, and then the floor, any side structures and cast corners are welded together. Such welding is a time consuming and costly process that must usually be done in a workshop to ensure accuracy and quality of reconstruction. Downtime of equipment adds to loss of productivity and increased operating costs to a business. Structural failure of buckets is therefore to be avoided. The present invention has been realized with these problems in mind.

[0006] A specific problem relates to a bucket comprising a lip protected by half arrows attached to the lip of the bucket for protection of the lip. The two opposite corners of the lip are provided with GETs in the form of corner half arrows and a plurality of intermediate half arrows are attached to the lip between the two corner half arrows. The specific problem related to this bucket is structural failure to corner portions of the lip of the bucket due to continued use of the bucket after the lifetime of the corner half arrow(s) is passed.

[0007] A known bucket and associated ground engaging tool are disclosed in AU2013311372B. Another known ground engaging tool of bolt-on type is disclosed in US3029534A. DE1952397U and U4044481A both relate to technology for a ground engaging tool for bucket corners.

[0008] Accordingly, an object of this disclosure is to mitigate structural failure to the lip of a bucket whilst reducing downtime for service and repair of the bucket including any half arrows.

Summary

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, the above-mentioned object is enabled by a corner half arrow as defined in the appended claim 1 with alternative embodiments defined in the dependent claims. The corner half arrow is for (attachment to) a lip of a bucket and comprises a front wear portion, a side wear portion, a back portion for attachment to the lip of the bucket and an inner side portion for facing an adjacent intermediate half arrow. The inner side portion extends along a first longitudinal axis, and the back portion extends along a second longitudinal axis. The second longitudinal axis forms a first angle of more than 90 degrees to the first longitudinal axis.

[0010] The corner half arrow is for being attached to the lip of a bucket to provide protection against wear to the bucket when attached. Once the corner half arrow has worn out, it can be replaced with a new corner half arrow. The claimed configuration of the corner half arrow provides additional material at the side wear portion adjacent the back portion by making the back portion extend obliquely rearwards. Such a configuration allows the claimed corner half arrow to replace prior art corner half arrows by removing the prior art corner half arrow to free the corner lip portion of the bucket and subsequently remove material from the lip of the bucket, such as by grinding or cutting, to make room for the extended back portion and side wear portion of the corner half arrow. The new corner half arrow may subsequently be attached to the lip by welding or by a connection system (not shown in the illustrated embodiments). The increased rearward extent of the corner half arrow enables prolonged use without availing the corner lip portion for destructive wear of the lip of the bucket. This is turn enables the corner half arrow to reach its end-of-life at the same time as the intermediate half arrows reach their end-of-life. In prior art solutions the corner half arrows often wear out before the intermediate half arrows wear out. Accordingly, the claimed corner half arrow is advantageous in that it mitigates damages to the corner lip portions of the bucket caused by operators continuing use of the bucket despite the corner half arrows being worn out. Also, the claimed design of the corner half arrow provides this whilst allowing for unchanged front geometry of the front wear portion of the corner half arrow, such that the bucket can handle and function as normal with no difference to the operator of the bucket as compared to when using prior art corner half arrows. The corner half arrow also works as an upgrade for existing buckets with straight left and right lips by removal of material as described above, which can be done by field workers with basic tools. Since the intermediate half arrows wear out about the same time as the new design corner half arrow, fewer production stops need be made for maintenance of individual intermediate half arrows or corner half arrows, effectively increasing availability of the bucket over time.

[0011] The first angle may be within the range of 95-120 degrees, such as within 100-105 degrees, or such as 100 degrees.

[0012] The corner half arrow portion according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a bottom support portion extending from a bottom of the corner half arrow and rearwards of the back portion, thereby forming a shelf for receiving the lip of the bucket.

[0013] The side wear portion may extend from the front wear portion and rearwards of the back portion.

[0014] The side wear portion may be connected to the bottom support portion.

[0015] A central portion of the shelf may comprise a central recess for facing a bottom of the lip.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure the above-mentioned object is enabled by a first half arrow kit comprising the above-described corner half arrow and the intermediate half arrow. The intermediate half arrow comprises a front wear portion, a first side portion for facing the corner half arrow, a second side portion facing away from the corner half arrow, and a back portion for attachment to the lip of the bucket, wherein the side portion and the back portion extend perpendicular to each other.

[0017] Since the side portion and the back portion of the intermediate half arrow extends perpendicular to each other, the side portion of the intermediate half arrow will extend perpendicular to the lip of the bucket when attached to the lip. Thus, when positioning the corner half portion adjacent the intermediate half arrow with the inner side portion of the corner half arrow extending along the first side portion of the intermediate half arrow, the back portion of the corner half arrow will extend obliquely rearward from the intermediate half arrow.

[0018] Differently worded, the above-mentioned object is enabled by a second half arrow kit comprising a corner half arrow for a lip of a bucket, and comprising an intermediate half arrow for attachment to said lip adjacent the corner half arrow. The corner half arrow comprises a front wear portion, a side wear portion, a back portion for attachment to the lip of the bucket and an inner side portion for facing the intermediate half arrow. Further, the intermediate half arrow comprises a front wear portion, a first side portion for facing the corner half arrow, and a back portion for attachment to the lip. The back portion of the intermediate half arrow extends along a fifth longitudinal axis, and the back portion of the corner half arrow is configured to extend from the inner side portion obliquely rearwards away from the fifth longitudinal axis when the corner half arrow and the intermediate half arrow are installed adjacent each other.

[0019] The technical effect is the same as for corner half arrow discussed above however with the additional advantage that the kit provides a set of perfectly matching intermediate half arrow and corner half arrow. Specifically, the increased rearward extent of the corner half arrow enables prolonged use without availing the corner lip portion for destructive wear of the lip of the bucket. The enables the corner half arrow to reach its end-of-life at the same time as the intermediate half arrows reach their end-of-life. In prior art solutions the corner half arrows often wear out before the intermediate half arrows wear out. Accordingly, the claimed corner half arrow is advantageous in that it mitigates damages to the corner lip portions of the bucket caused by operators continuing use of the bucket despite the corner half arrows being worn out. Also, the claimed design of the corner half arrow provides this whilst allowing for unchanged front geometry of the front wear portion of the corner half arrow, such that the bucket can handle and function as normal with no difference to the operator of the bucket as compared to when using prior art corner half arrows. The corner half arrow also works as an upgrade for existing buckets with straight left and right lips by removal of material as described above, which can be done by field workers with basic tools. Since the intermediate half arrows wear out about the same time as the new design corner half arrow, fewer production stops need be made for maintenance of individual intermediate half arrows or corner half arrows, effectively increasing availability of the bucket over time.

[0020] The front wear portion of the intermediate half arrow of the second kit may extend parallel to the back portion of the intermediate half arrow.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, the above-mentioned object is enabled by a system as defined in the appended claim 10 with an alternative embodiment defined in the dependent claim. The system comprises a bucket either a corner half arrow according to any one of the above-described embodiments or the above described first or second half arrow kit. A lip of the bucket comprises a central lip portion extending along a third longitudinal axis and a corner lip portion extending along a fourth longitudinal axis, wherein the fourth longitudinal axis extends at a second angle offset to the third longitudinal axis, wherein the second angle is configured such that the back portion of the corner half arrow aligns with the corner lip portion when the corner half arrow is attached to the lip of the bucket.

Brief description of drawings

[0022] 

Fig. 1 shows a lip plate of a bucket with GETs in the form of half arrows attached along the front portion of the lip for protection of the lip.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of the lip plate of fig 1 from above including the angled /retracted right corner portion of the lip front edge. The left corner portion of the lip has not yet had material cut off for fitting of the left corner half arrow.

Figs. 3-4 show the right-side corner half arrow also shown in figs. 1-2.

Fig. 5 shows a prior art right-side corner half arrow and an adjacent intermediate half arrow along with a portion of the lip of a bucket shown in dash-dotted lines.

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of a right-side corner half arrow according to the present disclosure, along with an adjacent intermediate half arrow and with a portion of the lip of a bucket shown in dash-dotted lines.

1	corner half arrow
2	lip of bucket
3	bucket
4	front wear portion
5	side wear portion
6	back portion for attachment to lip
7	inner side portion for facing adjacent intermediate half arrow
8	intermediate half arrow
9	first longitudinal axis (defining inner side portion of corner half arrow)
10	second longitudinal axis (defining back portion of corner half arrow)
11	central lip portion
12	third longitudinal axis (defining central lip portion)
13	corner lip portion
14	fourth longitudinal axis (defining corner lip portion)
15	bottom support portion
16	fifth longitudinal axis (defining back portion of intermediate half arrow)
17	first angle (of corner half arrow)
18	second angle (of lip)

Table of reference numerals

Detailed description

[0023] A corner half arrow for a lip of a bucket of an earth-moving machine will hereinafter be described with reference to the appended drawings.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a lip 2 of a bucket 3 with GETs in the form of half arrows attached along the front portion of the lip 2 for protection of the lip 2. The half arrows 1, 8 jointly present a front wear portion and respective left and right side wear portions for protection of the bucket 3. The typical shape of a lip 2 is either with a straight front edge extending all the way from left to right, or with a straight front edge and a straight right front edge angled relatively each other as depicted in fig. 2. As also shown in fig. 2, the right front edge portion has been cut off at an angle to its original straight shape (compare to the left front edge portion in fig. 2 with its original straight shape before being cut), thereby revealing a triangular space not previously available. Before attaching the left corner half arrow 1 to the lip, the same procedure has to be performed on the straight left front edge shown in fig. 2 to remove material obliquely outwards-rearwards. The side portions of prior art intermediate half arrows typically extend perpendicular to the lip edge portion to which they are attached. An intermediate half arrow with such a prior art design is shown in fig. 2.

[0025] A first embodiment of the new corner half arrow 1 is shown in figs. 1-2. The corner half arrow 1 comprises a front wear portion 4, a side wear portion 5, a back portion 6 for attachment to the lip 2 of the bucket 3 and an inner side portion 7 for facing an adjacent intermediate half arrow 8. The inner side portion 7 extends along a first longitudinal axis 9, and the back portion 6 extends along a second longitudinal axis 10. The second longitudinal axis 10 forms a first angle 17 of more than 90 degrees to the first longitudinal axis 9.

[0026] When such a corner half arrow 1 is attached to the lip 2 of the bucket 3 with the inner side portion 7 of the corner half arrow 1 positioned adjacent the corresponding side portion of the intermediate half arrow 8 the back portion of the corner half arrow 1 extends further backwards than the prior art corner half arrows do, thus providing additional wear material on the corner half arrow 1 such that the corner half arrow 1 wears out later, preferably at about the same time as the intermediate half arrows 8 wear out. This enables an operator of the bucket 3 to keep on operating the bucket 3 until all of, or at least most of the half arrows are worn out without damaging corner portions of the lip of the bucket 3.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first angle 17 is 100 degrees, but could in other embodiments be chosen otherwise, such as in the range of 95-120 degrees or 100-105 degrees, as appropriate.

[0028] The corner half arrow 1 further comprises a bottom support portion 15 extending from a bottom of the corner half arrow 1 and rearwards of the back portion 6, thereby forming a shelf for receiving the lip 2 of the bucket 3. The bottom support portion 15 enables a greater area of engagement between the lip 2 and the corner half portion 1, thus reducing stress and increasing robustness of the connection between corner half arrow 1 and bucket 3.

[0029] The side wear portion 5 extends from the front wear portion 4 and rearwards of the back portion 6 extending along the lip 2. In other embodiments, the side wear portion 5 could alternatively extend only to the back portion 6. Further, the side wear portion 5 is connected to the bottom support portion 15. In this embodiment, the corner half arrow 1 is molded in one piece, including the connection between the bottom support portion 15 and side wear portion 5 but any other suitable manufacturing method may be used instead.

[0030] Also, as shown in figs. 3 and 4, a central portion of the shelf comprises a central recess for facing a bottom of the lip 2. The central recess is visible once the front wear portion is worn out and thus provides a visual indicator for wear. In other embodiments, the central recess may alternatively have other shapes or be omitted.

[0031] See figs. 5-6 for comparison of a prior art corner half arrow and a corner half arrow 1 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure with the lip shown in dash-dotted lines. As shown, the corner half portion is provided with a

[0032] The corner half arrow 1 may be provided as part of a kit comprising both the above-described corner half arrow 1 and the above referenced intermediate half arrow 8. The intermediate half arrow 8 comprises a front wear portion, a first side portion for facing the corner half arrow 1, a second side portion facing away from the corner half arrow 1, and a back portion for attachment to the lip 2 of the bucket 1, wherein the side portion and the back portion extend perpendicular to each other as shown in fig. 2.

[0033] In other words, the half arrow kit comprises a corner half arrow 1 for a lip 2 of a bucket 3, and comprising an intermediate half arrow for attachment to said lip 2 adjacent the corner half arrow 1, wherein the corner half arrow 1 comprises a front wear portion 4, a side wear portion 5, a back portion 6 for attachment to the lip 2 of the bucket 3 and an inner side portion 7 for facing the intermediate half arrow 8. The intermediate half arrow 8 comprises a front wear portion, a first side portion for facing the corner half arrow 1, and a back portion for attachment to the lip. The back portion of the intermediate half arrow 8 extends along a fifth longitudinal axis 16, and the back portion 6 of the corner half arrow is configured to extend from the inner side portion 7 obliquely rearwards away from the fifth longitudinal axis 16 when the corner half arrow 1 and the intermediate half arrow 8 are installed adjacent each other. The front wear portion of the intermediate half arrow 8 extends parallel to the back portion of the intermediate half arrow 8 but could in other embodiments alternatively extend obliquely to the back portion of the intermediate half arrow 8.

[0034] Also, the corner half arrow or the kit could be provided together with a bucket thereby forming a system for attachment to an earth moving machine. A lip 2 of the bucket comprises a central lip portion 11 (shown with dash-dotted lines in fig. 2) extending along a third longitudinal axis 12 and a corner lip portion 13 (shown with dashed lines in fig. 2) extending along a fourth longitudinal axis 14. The fourth longitudinal axis 14 extends at a second angle 18 offset to the third longitudinal axis 12. The second angle 18 is configured such that the back portion 6 of the corner half arrow 1 aligns with the corner lip portion 13 when the corner half arrow 1 is attached to the lip 2 of the bucket.

[0035] It should be understood that the various edges and portions defined as extending along respective longitudinal axes are typically straight portions/edges but that they in other embodiments alternatively could be arcuate, wave shaped or otherwise shaped as long as they still extend generally along the respective longitudinal axis referred to.

[0036] The herein described half arrows are designed to be attached to the lip 2 by welding but they could alternatively be redesigned to be attached by a mechanical connection system releasably holding the GET to the bucket (not shown).

Claims

1. A corner half arrow (1) for a lip (2) of a bucket (3),
wherein the corner half arrow (1) comprises a front wear portion (4), a side wear portion (5), a back portion (6) for attachment to the lip (2) of the bucket (3) and an inner side portion (7) for facing an adjacent intermediate half arrow (8),
wherein the inner side portion (7) extends along a first longitudinal axis (9), and wherein the back portion (6) extends along a second longitudinal axis (10),
characterized in that the second longitudinal axis (10) forms a first angle (17) of more than 90 degrees to the first longitudinal axis (9).

2. A corner half arrow (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first angle (17) is within the range of 95-120 degrees, such as within 100-105 degrees or such as 100 degrees.

3. A corner half arrow (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a bottom support portion (15) extending from a bottom of the corner half arrow (1) and rearwards of the back portion (6), thereby forming a shelf for receiving the lip (2) of the bucket (3).

4. A corner half arrow (1) according to claim 3, wherein the side wear portion (5) extends from the front wear portion (4) and rearwards of the back portion (6).

5. A corner half arrow (1) according to claim 4, wherein the side wear portion (5) is connected to the bottom support portion (15).

6. A corner half arrow (1) according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein a central portion of the shelf comprises a central recess for facing a bottom of the lip (2).

7. A half arrow kit comprising the corner half arrow (1) according to any one of the preceding claims and the intermediate half arrow (8), wherein the intermediate half arrow (8) comprises a front wear portion, a first side portion for facing the corner half arrow (1), a second side portion facing away from the corner half arrow (1), and a back portion for attachment to the lip of the bucket, wherein the side portion and the back portion extend perpendicular to each other.

8. A half arrow kit comprising a corner half arrow (1) for a lip (2) of a bucket (3), and comprising an intermediate half arrow (8) for attachment to said lip (2) adjacent the corner half arrow (1),
wherein the corner half arrow (1) comprises a front wear portion (4), a side wear portion (5), a back portion (6) for attachment to the lip (2) of the bucket (3) and an inner side portion (7) for facing the intermediate half arrow (8),
wherein the intermediate half arrow (8) comprises a front wear portion, a first side portion for facing the corner half arrow (1), and a back portion for attachment to the lip (2),
wherein the back portion of the intermediate half arrow (8) extends along a fifth longitudinal axis (16),
wherein the back portion (6) of the corner half arrow (1) is configured to extend from the inner side portion (7) obliquely rearwards away from the fifth longitudinal axis (16) when the corner half arrow (1) and the intermediate half arrow (8) are installed adjacent each other.

9. A half arrow kit according to claim 8, wherein the front wear portion of the intermediate half arrow (8) extends parallel to the back portion of the intermediate half arrow (8).

10. A system comprising a bucket (3) and a corner half arrow (1) according to any one of claims 1-6 or comprising a half arrow kit according to any one of claims 7-8, wherein a lip (2) of the bucket (3) comprises a central lip portion (11) extending along a third longitudinal axis (12) and a corner lip portion (13) extending along a fourth longitudinal axis (14), wherein the fourth longitudinal axis (14) extends at a second angle (18) offset to the third longitudinal axis (12), wherein the second angle (18) is configured such that the back portion of the corner half arrow (1) aligns with the corner lip portion (13) when the corner half arrow (1) is attached to the lip (2) of the bucket (3).

Drawing