Compactor wheel tip

A tip for use with a wire guard system for a compactor wheel includes a base portion and a wear portion attached to and extending from the base portion. A first groove is disposed at the wear portion and shaped to receive an end portion of a first wire guard section. A second groove is disposed at the wear portion and shaped to receive an end portion of a second wire guard section.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to a compactor wheel tip for use in a wire guard system.

BACKGROUND

Wheeled compactors may be used in harsh applications, such as garbage compaction, Garbage compaction and handling can be a particularly harsh environment because wire, carpet, magnetic tape, rebar and the like, generally referred to herein as “wire,” may be distributed throughout a waste processing site or landfill and can become wrapped around the axles of the wheeled compactor causing the machine to stall or become disabled. To prevent this, wire guard systems, also known as axle guard systems, have been developed.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,507 describes an axle guard that includes at least one circumferential barrier extending above the rim and adjacent the inner circumferential edge of the rim. Similarly, Hanomag has sold a wire guard system that includes a plurality of tips attached around a wheel with metal plates disposed between the tips to form an annular barrier, However, it has been discovered by the Applicant that a gap between components of a wire guard system can engage and may encourage wire to wrap up around the wire guard system and the axle.

The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a tip for use with a wire guard system for a wire guard system is provided. The tip may include a base portion and a wear portion portion and shaped to receive an end portion of a first wire guard section. A second groove is disposed at the wear portion and shaped to receive an end portion of a second wire guard section.

In another aspect, a tip may include a base portion and a wear portion attached to and extending from the base portion. The wear portion includes a first side and a second side disposed opposite the first side. A first groove is disposed at the first side and shaped to receive an end portion of a first wire guard section. A second groove is disposed at the second side and shaped to receive an end portion of a second wire guard section.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the tip may include a central vertical axis with the second groove disposed about one hundred eighty degrees from the first groove about the central vertical axis.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first and second grooves may only be disposed at the wear portion.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first and second grooves may extend from the wear portion into the base portion.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first and second grooves may extend into the wear portion.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first groove may be defined by a first guide wall extending from the wear portion and a second guide wall spaced from the first guide wall and extending from the wear portion.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first guide wall and the second guide wall may be attached to the base portion.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first guide wall and the second guide wall may be connected by a base wall with the first guide wall, the second guide wall, and the base wall being unitarily formed and having a U shaped cross section.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the base wall, the first guide wall, and the second guide wall may be made of low-carbon steel.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the base portion may be made of low-carbon steel and the wear portion may be made of high-carbon steel.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the base portion and the wear portion are unitarily formed.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first groove and the second groove may each have an entirely flat bottom surface.

Additionally, in another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, a wire guard system may include a tip and a wire guard section including a first tongue disposed at a first end, the first tongue being shaped to fit within at least a respective one of the first and second grooves of the tip.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the wire guard section may have an inverted “Y” shaped cross section.

Another aspect that may be combined with any aspects herein, the first groove may have an inverted “Y” shaped cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a perspective view illustrates a compactor wheel100for use with wheeled compactors includes a plurality of tips102and a wire guard system104. As shown, the wire guard system104includes a plurality of tips110separated by wire guard segments112that together form an annular barrier. The wire guard system as shown may be disposed proximate an inner axial side114of the wheel100.

Referring toFIG. 2, a perspective view illustrates the tip110of the wire guard system104ofFIG. 1in isolation. As shown, the tip110includes a base portion120. In some configurations, the base portion120may be made of an easily weldable material, such as low-carbon steel or other alloy, in order to facilitate welding of the tip110to the wheel100. In some configurations, the base portion120may also be hollow with a chamfered bottom edge to facilitate welding to the wheel100.

The tip110further includes a wear portion122attached to and extending from the base portion120. The wear portion122may be made of a wear resistant material such as high-carbon steel or other alloy. In this configuration, the wear portion122and the base portion120may be brazed, friction-stir welded, or welded together to preserve the wear resistance of the wear portion122while providing a more weldable material in the base portion120for attachment to the wheel100. Alternatively, the wear portion122and the base portion120may be integrally formed meaning forged or cast as a single unitary piece.

The wear portion122may include a first side124and a second side126disposed opposite the first side124. A first groove130is positioned at the first side124and is shaped to receive an end portion of a wire guard segment112. A second groove132is positioned at the second side126and is shaped to receive an end portion of another wire guard segment112in the same manner as the first groove130.

In some configurations, the tip110may include a central vertical axis134such that the second groove132is disposed about one hundred eighty degrees from the first groove130about the central vertical axis134. As shown, the first and second grooves130,132may extend into the wear portion122and may each have a generally flat bottom surface136. The generally flat bottom surface136may facilitate match up between a tongue of a wire guard segment112and the tip110, as well as, installation and repair in that a wire guard segment112may require cutting during installation and a straight flat tongue is easier than a curvy tongue.

Further, the first and second grooves130,132in this configuration are positioned only on the wear portion122. Alternatively, the first and second grooves130,132may extend the height of the tip110.

Referring toFIG. 3, a perspective view illustrates a wire guard segment112of the wire guard system104ofFIG. 1is shown in isolation. As shown, the wire guard segment112includes a first tongue140disposed at a first end142and a second tongue144disposed at the second end146. Bottom portions148disposed at the first and second ends142,146may extend below the tongues140,144. The first and second tongues140,144may have a wide variety of profiles. In some configurations, the bottom portions148may not exist.

In this configuration, the first and second tongues140,144are shaped to engage only a wear portion122of the tip110. In some configurations, this may be useful in that the first and second tongues140,144can engage respective grooves130,132in the wear portions122of tips110so that welding is not required between the wear portions122and the tongues140,144. Further, bottom portions148of the wire guard segment112may be welded to the base portions120of tips110. Thus, the effects from welding on the wear portions122may be minimized.

When installed on the wheel100, the base150of the wire guard segments112may be welded to the wheel100.

Referring toFIG. 4, a perspective view illustrates the fit up between the wire guard segments112and the tip110of the wire guard system104. The tongues140,144of the wire guard segments112are engaged with the grooves130,132of the tip110to minimize separation and thus, the formation of a gap between the wire guard segments112and the tip110.

As shown, optional brace members160may be disposed adjacent the base portion120of the tip110and the base150of the wire guard segments112. The brace members160may be welded to the base portion120of the tip110and the base150of the wire guard segments112to provide lateral support to the wire guard system104.

FIG. 5is a perspective view of another configuration of a tip200and a wire guard segment201. The tip200is integrally formed meaning forged or cast as a single unitary piece. The tip200includes a base portion202and a wear portion204. As shown, a first groove206is disposed on a first side208of the base portion202and the wear portion204. A similar second groove (not shown) is disposed on a second side212of the base portion202and the wear portion204.

As shown, the first groove206extends from the base portion into the wear portion to a height of a wire guard segment201and provides a matching fit for the wire guard segment201. Thus, loads on the wire guard segment201may be transferred to the tip200through the first groove206with or without welding the tip200and the wire guard segment201together. In this configuration, the tongue222includes the entire cross sectional profile of the wire guard segment201.

Referring toFIG. 6, a perspective view illustrates another configuration of wire guard segments300and a tip302. As shown, the tip302ha a profile similar to the tip ofFIG. 5, however without a groove. The tip302includes a wear portion304and a base portion306.

In this configuration, a first groove insert310is disposed on a first side312of the tip302and a second groove insert314is disposed on a second side316of the tip302. As shown, the first and second groove inserts310,314conform to the outer profile of the tip302in order to engage and abut the respective first and second sides312,316.

The first and second groove inserts310,314each include a groove318defined by a first guide wall320extending from the wear portion304of the tip302and a second guide wall322spaced from the first guide wall320and extending from the wear portion304of the tip302. The first and second guide walls320,322may be connected by a base wall324with the first and second guide walls320,322, and the base wall324being integrally formed. The first and second guide walls320,322, and the base wall324may cooperate to form a “U” shaped cross section of the groove318.

In some configurations, the first and second guide walls320,322may be attached to the base portion306and may be made of an easily weldable material such as low-carbon steel or other alloy.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In general, any compactor wheel tip may be used in the wire guard system disclosed herein. As noted in the background section, gaps between the wire guard sections and the tips may permit wire to be engaged in the gap and retained on the wheel. In order to prevent such gaps from forming between the tips and the wire guard sections of the wire guard system, a groove disposed in at least the wear portion of a tip may be provided permitting a tongue extending from at least an upper portion of a wire guard section to engage and be retained in the groove. Thus, the gap is prevented even if the tongue and the wear portion are not welded together, but only abut each other.

Alternatively, if the tongue and the wear portion are welded together, the groove may provide further strength to the interface between the tongue and the wear portion.

In configurations were providing a groove in the wear portion is not preferred, a groove insert may be provided to abut against the tip and provide a groove for receipt and retention of the tongue of a wire guard section.

Further, the groove may be made to receive the entire profile of the wire guard section and thus, may have similar cross section. For example, if the tongue of the wire guard section includes the entire cross section of the wire guard section, which is an inverted “Y,” the groove for that configuration may also have an inverted “Y” cross section.