Abstract:
A retention system for retaining a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket is provided. The retention system includes a tube member, a number of washers, and a fastener member. The tube member is positioned within a plurality of openings defined in the wing shroud and the side plate, such that the side plate is arranged within a slot in the wing shroud. The washers coaxially disposes at opposing ends of the tube member and are in abutment with the wing shroud. Inner diameter of the washers is smaller than outer diameter of the tube member. Outer diameter of the washers is greater than inner diameter of the openings in the wing shroud. The fastener member extends through the washers and the tube member, to engage with a nut. Thereby, the washers, the nut, and the fastener member restricts a linear motion of the tube member.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure generally relates to a retention system for retention of a wear assembly on a work implement. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to the retention system for retention of a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket of an earth-moving machine. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Earth-moving machines, such as excavators, are commonly known to employ a work implement for performing various operations. For example, an excavator generally employs a bucket to perform excavation. The bucket typically includes two side plates, one on either side of the bucket. The side plates are subject to abrasion and impact, which may cause the side plates to wearout quickly. To prolong a work life of the side plates, a replaceable wing shroud is installed on each side plate of the bucket. The wing shroud comprises of a ‘U’ shaped cross-section. The wing shroud is installed and retained on the side plate, via a retention system. 
         [0003]    Conventionally, the retention system includes two snap rings and a central pin. The central pin includes two grooves provided at opposing ends to engage with the snap rings. The snap rings are typically positioned in grooves provided at either ends of a first opening in the side plate. The wing shroud is positioned to overlap the side plate, such that a second opening and a third opening of the wing shroud are axially aligned with the first opening of the side plate. The central pin is passed through the two snap rings. Such installation requires a hammer to push the central pin past the snap rings, and to sequentially pass the central pin through each of the second opening, the first opening, and the third opening. Hammering the central pin into the snap rings may require additional operator effort, which makes it cumbersome for the operator to install the wing shroud on the side plate. 
         [0004]    US Patent Publication 20160115674 discloses a retention system for connecting a replaceable tool (wing shroud) to a work implement (bucket). The retention system includes a cylindrical pin, a first fastener, and a second fastener. Although, the retention system avoids hammering of the cylindrical pin, in order to connect the replaceable tool to the work implement, it may require the use of special fasteners to retain the wing shroud on the side plate of the bucket. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Various aspects of the present disclosure describe a retention system for retaining a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket of a machine. The retention system includes a tube member, a number of washers, a nut, a fastener member, and a number of bolt protectors. The tube member is coaxially positioned within a plurality of openings defined in the wing shroud and the side plate, such that the side plate is arranged within a slot provided in the wing shroud. The washers are disposed coaxially at opposing ends of the tube member, such that the washers are in abutment with the wing shroud. An inner diameter of the washers is smaller than an outer diameter of the tube member. An outer diameter of the washers is greater than an inner diameter of the openings in the wing shroud. The fastener member is extended through the washers and the tube member, to engage with a nut. The washers, the nut, and the fastener member restricts a linear motion of the tube member along a longitudinal axis. The bolt protectors are further attached to opposing external surfaces of the wing shroud. The bolt protectors are adapted to house the washers, a portion of the fastener member, the second washer, and the nut. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bucket of a machine, illustrating two wing shrouds installed on two side plates of the bucket, in accordance with the concepts of the present disclosure; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the bucket of  FIG. 1 , illustrating an assembly of a first side plate, a first wing shroud, and two retaining systems, in accordance with the concepts of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a portion of the bucket of  FIG. 1  taken along a section  3 - 3 ′, illustrating the assembly between the first side plate, the first wing shroud, and one of the two retention systems of the bucket, in accordance with the concepts of the present disclosure; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view of the portion of the bucket of  FIG. 1  taken along a section  3 - 3 ′, illustrating structure and arrangement of a washer of the retention system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary bucket  10  of an earth-moving machine (not shown) is shown. The bucket  10  performs digging operations on a work surface (not shown). Although, concepts of the present disclosure are described as applied to the bucket  10 , applicability to various other work implements may also be contemplated. Examples of the work implements include, but is not limited to, a shovel, a dragline, a blade, and a dozer. 
         [0011]    The bucket  10  includes a first side plate  12 , a second side plate  14 , and a shell plate  16  disposed between the first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14 . The first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14  are vertical plates disposed on either sides of the bucket  10 . Each of the first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14  defines two first openings  18  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), proximal to a work-facing surface  20  of each of the first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14 . The shell plate  16  is a C-shaped curved plate extending between the first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14 . The shell plate  16  supports a number of equally spaced ground engaging tools  22 , which perform excavation on the work surface (not shown). Moreover, the first side plate  12 , the second side plate  14 , and the shell plate  16 , in conjunction, define an enclosed space  24 . The enclosed space  24  retains excavated work material, during excavation of the work surface (not shown). Furthermore, the bucket  10  employs two wing shrouds  26 ,  28 , namely a first wing shroud  26  and a second wing shroud  28 . The first wing shroud  26  and the second wing shroud  28  cover a portion of the first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14 , respectively. For ease in reference and understanding, structure and arrangement of the first wing shroud  26  relative to the first side plate  12 , will be described hereinafter. Similar structure and arrangement of the second wing shroud  28  relative to the second side plate  14  may also be contemplated. 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an assembly  30  of the first side plate  12 , the first wing shroud  26 , and two retention systems  32 , is shown. The first wing shroud  26  is a U-shaped member that includes a first portion  36 , a second portion  38 , and a slot  40  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) between the first portion  36  and the second portion  38 . The first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26  includes two second openings  42  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Similarly, the second portion  38  of the first wing shroud  26  includes two third openings  44 . The third openings  44  of the second portion  38  are axially aligned with the second openings  42  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the first portion  36 . Additionally, the first wing shroud  26  is positioned on the first side plate  12 , such that the first side plate  12  is positioned in the slot  40  of the first wing shroud  26 . In such arrangement, the second openings  42  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the first portion  36  and the third openings  44  of the second portion  38  axially aligns with the first openings  18  of the first side plate  12 . 
         [0013]    Moreover, the retention systems  32  are provided to retain the first wing shroud  26  to the first side plate  12 . More specifically, one retention system  32  generally extends through one of the second openings  42  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the first portion  36 , one of the first openings  18  of the first side plate  12 , and one of the third openings  44  of the second portion  38 . Another retention system  32  extends through other of the second openings  42  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the first portion  36 , other of the first openings  18  of the first side plate  12 , and other of the third openings  44  of the second portion  38 . For ease in reference and understanding, structure and arrangement of a singular retention system  32  relative to the first side plate  12  and the first wing shroud  26 , will be describe in details hereinafter. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the retention system  32  retains the first wing shroud  26  to the first side plate  12 . The retention system  32  includes a tube member  46 , a first washer  48 , a second washer  50 , a nut  52 , a fastener member  54 , a first bolt protector  56 , and a second bolt protector  58 . 
         [0015]    The tube member  46  is an elongated member that includes a first end  60  and a second end  62 . The tube member  46  is coaxially positioned within each of the third opening  44  of the second portion  38  of the first wing shroud  26 , the first opening  18  of the first side plate  12 , and the second opening  42  of the first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26 , along a longitudinal axis X-X′. More specifically, the first end  60  of the tube member  46  flushes with a first exterior surface  64  of the first portion  36 . The second end  62  of the tube member  46  flushes with a second exterior surface  66  of the second portion  38 . 
         [0016]    The first washer  48  is disposed in abutment with the first end  60  of the tube member  46 . The first washer  48  extends radially to abut with the first exterior surface  64  of the first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26 . As is shown in  FIG. 4 , an inner diameter, I of the first washer  48  is relatively smaller than an outer diameter, OT of the tube member  46 . Also, an outer diameter, O, of the first washer  48  is relatively greater than an inner diameter, IG of the second opening  42  in the first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26 . Therefore, the first washer  48  abuts with the first end  60  of the tube member  46  and the first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26 . 
         [0017]    The second washer  50  is disposed in abutment with the second end  62  of the tube member  46 . The second washer  50  extends radially to abut with the second portion  38  of the first wing shroud  26 . Structure and arrangement of the second washer  50  is similar to the first washer  48 . Therefore, the second washer  50  abuts with the second end  62  of the tube member  46  and the second portion  38  of the first wing shroud  26 . 
         [0018]    The nut  52  is disposed in abutment with the second washer  50 , proximal to the second end  62  of the tube member  46 . The nut  52  is axially aligned with the second washer  50 , along the longitudinal axis X-X′. 
         [0019]    The fastener member  54  is extended through the first washer  48 , the tube member  46 , and the second washer  50 , to engage with the nut  52 . Therefore, the first washer  48 , the second washer  50 , the nut  52 , and the fastener member  54  of the retention system  32  restricts a linear motion of the tube member  46 , along the longitudinal axis X-X′. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the first bolt protector  56  is fixedly attached to the first exterior surface  64  of the first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26 . The first bolt protector  56  houses the first washer  48  and a portion of the fastener member  54  of the retention system  32 . 
         [0021]    The second bolt protector  58  is fixedly attached to the second exterior surface  66  of the second portion  38  of the first wing shroud  26 . The second bolt protector  58  houses and protects the second washer  50  and the nut  52  of the retention system  32 . 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0022]    In operation, the first wing shroud  26  and the second wing shroud  28  are required to be installed on the first side plate  12  and the second side plate  14 , respectively of the bucket  10 . For ease in reference and understanding, installation of the first wing shroud  26  on the first side plate  12  will be described in details hereinafter. However, similar installation of the second wing shroud  28  on the second side plate  14  may also be contemplated. To perform such installation, the first wing shroud  26  is initially positioned on the first side plate  12 , such that the first side plate  12  is positioned in the slot  40  of the first wing shroud  26 . More specifically, the first wing shroud  26  is positioned on the first side plate  12 , such that the second openings  42  and the third openings  44  of the first wing shroud  26  are axially aligned with the first openings  18  of the first side plate  12 . Thereafter, two retention systems  32  retains the first wing shroud  26  to the first side plate  12 . For ease in reference and understanding, structure and arrangement of a singular retention system  32  will be discussed in details. 
         [0023]    In order to retain the first wing shroud  26  to the first side plate  12 , the tube member  46  is initially pushed through each of the first opening  18  of the first side plate  12  and the second opening  42  and the third opening  44  of the first wing shroud  26 . With such arrangement, the first end  60  of the tube member  46  flushes with the first exterior surface  64  of the first portion  36 . Additionally, the second end  62  of the tube member  46  flushes with the second exterior surface  66  of the second portion  38 . Thereafter, the first washer  48  is assembled with the fastener member  54 . The second washer  50  is then positioned in abutment with the second end  62  of the tube member  46  and the second exterior surface  66  of the second portion  38 . The nut  52  is further positioned in abutment with the second washer  50 . Thereafter, the assembly of the fastener member  54  and the first washer  48  is extended through the tube member  46  and the second washer  50 , to engage with the nut  52 . With such arrangement, the first washer  48  is positioned in abutment with the first exterior surface  64  of the first portion  36  of the first wing shroud  26 . Therefore, the first wing shroud  26  is attached to the first side plate  12 . The first bolt protector  56  and the second bolt protector  58  are then attached to the first portion  36  and the second portion  38 , respectively of the first wing shroud  26 . The first bolt protector  56  and the second bolt protector  58 , in conjunction, protects the first washer  48 , the second washer  50 , the nut  52 , and a portion of the fastener member  54 . Installation with such retention system  32  eliminates hammering of the tube member  46 . Therefore, such retention system  32  facilitates relatively easy installation of the first wing shroud  26  on the first side plate  12 . 
         [0024]    Furthermore, the inner diameter, I of the first washer  48  and the second washer  50  is relatively smaller than the outer diameter, OT of the tube member  46 . Additionally, the outer diameter, O of the first washer  48  and the second washer  50  is relatively greater than the inner diameter, IG of the second opening  42  and the third opening  44 . Therefore, the first washer  48  and the second washer  50 , in conjunction with the nut  52  and the fastener member  54  restricts a linear movement of the tube member  46 . This corresponds to efficient installation of the first wing shroud  26  on the first side plate  12  of the bucket  10 . Ease in installation of the first wing shroud  26  on the first side plate  12  reduces downtime of the machine (not shown). This further reduces overall machine service cost. 
         [0025]    While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claim(s) and any equivalents thereof.