TOOTH ARRANGEMENT

Abstract: The cutting edge of an excavator bucket is provided with a number of teeth comprising at least two parts that are exchangeably joined together. A turning movement and a displacement movement must be performed in order to join the parts. The invention constitutes a simplification in which only a pushing movement is required.

Description: TOOTH ARRANGEMENT The present invention relates to a tooth arrangement, preferably for use with machines for earth working. Such machines are generally provided with an excavator bucket having a cutting edge and thereon a number of holders provided with a tooth. In such an excavator the teeth are intended to loosen a ground surface which the cutting edge then transfers to the actual bucket space. The cutting edge of an excavator generally consists of a separate plate welded to the actual bucket, a number of holders being attached to the cutter. The holders are intended to receive a point adapter that is secured to the holder with the aid of a dowel. The free end of the point adapter is in turn provided with an arrangement for securing a point. A point adapter is attached to a holder by means of a turning movement followed by a displacement movement. This is a laborious procedure and also entails the drawback that the parts of the holder an point adapter that are to cooperate with each other are dimensioned too slimly from the strength point of view. The object of the present invention is to facilitate joining holder and point adapter together. According to the invention this is achieved with only a linear displacement movement, after which the two parts are locked together by means of a dowel. This procedure enables the cooperating parts of holder and point adapter to be made more robust, thereby resulting in greater strength. From a purely practical point of view the opposite ends of the holder and the point adapter each have a male part and a female part located one above the other, the male part of the holder being located opposite to a female part of the point adapter and a male part of the point adapter being located opposite to the female part of the holder. One male part is provided with a longitudinal ridge intended to cooperate with a longitudinal groove in the other male part. The two male parts are each provided with a transverse groove, said grooves providing a transverse cavity for a dowel in order to lock the joined holder and point adapter together. According to a preferred embodiment the transverse cavity for a dowel has a predetermined cross section so that if a dowel with the same cross section is inserted into said cavity, the dowel will always have a predetermined position. According to a preferred embodiment the dowel may be arc-shaped and be so oriented in said cavity for the dowel that the plane of the dowel will coincide substantially with the axial plane of the holder and the point adapter. The wall of the groove in the ridge-like part of one of the male parts may be so displaced that the cavity formed when the parts are fitted together, acquires one or two pockets that can be used for snap-in members pertaining to the dowel used. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the dowel is in the form of a frame with two longitudinal sides, the space between the sides being filled with a yielding material such as rubber. One longitudinal side of the dowel is suitably free from the rest of the frame, and can thus be displaced inwardly. The other longitudinal side of the frame is provided with a protrusion to limit the inward movement of the movable side. The longitudinal side of the dowel frame that is not movable may be provided externally with a snap arrangement to be snapped into the pocket that may be formed in the transverse cavity, by the wall of the groove in one of the male parts. However, it should be evident that the dowel arrangement described for joining the parts is not limited to use with a holder and a point adapter. Other uses for it are also possible where two optional parts are to be joined in which a groove is form that may have a pocket. Other characteristics of the present invention are revealed in the following claims. The present invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a point adapter intended to be provided with a point and joined to a holder of the type, for instance, shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 shows the frame of a key and Figure 4 shows a complete key. In the figures, 1 is a point adapter provided with a male part 2. The male part is provided with a longitudinal ridge 3 and a female part is arranged below the male part to receive a male part 10 from a holder 6, shown in Figure 2. The male part 2 with longitudinal ridge 3 is provided with a transverse groove 13. The point adapter is provided at its left end with an attachment 5 for attachment of a point. The point adapter 1 is designed to be inserted in the left end of a holder 6 having two arms 7 and 8 for welding to the cutting edge which in turn is welded to the front end, at the base of an excavator. The holder 6 is provided with a female part 9 for the male part 2 with ridge 3. The male part 10 is provided with an axial recess 11 for the ridge 3, as well as a transverse groove 12. Since the holder 6 is welded to a cutter, the male part 2 of the point adapter must be pushed directly into the female part 9, whereupon the male part 10 penetrates into the female part 4 of the point adapter. When the holder 6 and point adapter 1 are fitted together the grooves 12 and 13 form a transverse cavity that may be provided with smooth walls running all the way through. Alternatively the walls of the groove 13 may be displaced so that two pockets appear in the cavity formed by the two grooves 12 and 13. A dowel can then be inserted and if this is provided with snap-in members they will snap into said pockets so that the dowel is locked in position. The two grooves 12 and 13, together forming a transverse cavity, have been shaped so that a predetermined cross section is obtained for the through- hole, which means that the dowel to be inserted in the cavity can only be inserted if it has a cross section corresponding to that of the cavity. The dowel will then always have a predetermined orientation in the cavity and if it is provided with a snap arrangement, said snap arrangement will be located exactly aligned with a pocket. It has proved suitable to manufacture a dowel as shown in Figure 3, formed by a frame of homogenous material, slightly curved. The frame has been designated 15 and consists of a loose, longitudinal frame part 16 and a stationary remaining frame part 17. The latter part of the frame is provided with a protrusion 18 intended to limit inward movement of the movable frame part 16. The frame part 17 has an external area intended for a snap arrangement. The space between the frame parts is filled with rubber, as shown in Figure 4 where the rubber filling is designated 20. The loose part 16 of the frame can also be seen in the drawing. Furthermore it can be seen that the space 19 for a snap arrangement is filled with rubber 21, the upper side of this being covered with a metal plate 22. When the key is inserted into the cavity formed by grooves 13 and 12, the metal plate 22 with the rubber 21 will be pressed into the pocket inside the cavity. The above is a detailed description of how a holder and the point adapter of an excavator are joined together. To facilitate understanding of the invention drawings are enclosed where XVII shows an excavator with teeth, I shows a cutter with holder, point adapter and point, II shows the picture according to I without point, II shows the picture according to I without point and without point adapter, IV shows a cutter, V shows a cutter, VI shows a holder, VII shows a point adapter, VIII shows a point, IX shows a point protector intended to be arranged between two teeth and attached thereto, X shows a dowel, XI shows a cutter, XII shows a holder, XIII shows a point adapter, XIV shows a locking device, i.e. a key, XV shows a cutter protector and XVI shows a point.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A tooth arrangement for treating a surface, the surface possibly consisting of a ground surface, in which the tooth arrangement is preferably applied on the cutting edge of an excavator bucket and where the tooth arrangement has at least two parts exchangeably joined together, a removable dowel constituting the joining member, characterized in that the opposite ends of two parts (1 and 6) each have a male part (2 and 10, respectively) and a female part (4 and 9, respectively) located one above the other, the male part (2) of one part (1) being opposite to the female part (9) of the other part (6) so that the surface of the male part (2) of one part (1) that constitutes the opposing surface to the other male part (10) in the other part (6) is provided with a longitudinal, ridge (3) to cooperate with a longitudinal groove (11) in the male part (10) of the other part (6) and that when the two parts (1 and 6) are fitted together the two male parts (2 and 10) form a transverse groove (12 and 13) for a dowel. 2. A tooth arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transverse groove (12 and 13) has a predetermined cross section and is designed for a dowel with corresponding cross section, whereupon the dowel has predetermined orientation when inserted. 3. A tooth arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the wall of the transverse groove of the ridged male part (2) is provided with a recess so that, when the parts (10 and 6) are fitted together, a pocket appears in the transverse groove (12 and 13) for a snap-in member 22 pertaining to a dowel (15-22). 4. A tooth arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dowel (15-22) is formed by an oblong frame surrounding a yielding material (20) such as rubber. 5. A tooth arrangement as claimed claim 4, characterized in that one longitudinal side (16) of the frame is separated from the rest of the frame (15). o 6. A tooth arrangement as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the other longitudinal side (17) of the frame is provided with an inwardly directed protrusion to limit the inward movement of said longitudinal side (16) of the frame. 7. A tooth arrangement as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said second longitudinal frame side (17) is provided externally with an outwardly directed snap arrangement (21 and 22).

Inventors: QUARFORDT PER ULF TORGNY, QUARFORDT, PER, ULF, TORGNY
Applicants: COMPONENTA TOOLS AB, QUARFORDT PER ULF TORGNY, QUARFORDT, PER, ULF, TORGNY
Application year: 1995
Main classification: E02F9
IPC codes: E02F9