Patent Publication Number: US-11661727-B2

Title: Wear member and wear assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of the present disclosure relates to wear members for earth working equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     During excavating operations, replaceable wear members are typically used to protect earth working equipment such as excavation buckets. During use, the wear members gradually wear down due to the abrasive conditions and heavy loading. Once depleted, the wear members are removed from the equipment and replaced. Using wear members provides a cost-effective approach to digging and other earth working operations because it lessens the need of having to repair or replace the more expensive underlying equipment such as the lip or other portions of the equipment. 
     A set of wear members are commonly secured to earth working equipment by mechanical means (for example, a lock pin, bolt, or other locking mechanism). A set of teeth can be installed to the lip of a digging bucket to break up the ground ahead of the bucket and to protect the bucket lip from excessive wear. Where the teeth wear evenly, the entire set of teeth can be replaced simultaneously at the end of their service life. However, during earth working operations, wear members may be subjected to a variety of directional forces, which can include axial, vertical, and lateral loads and impacts, that can result in damage to or earlier wearing of an individual tooth requiring replacement of a single tooth or less than all of the teeth. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to wear members for earth working equipment that are mechanically secured to the equipment. The wear assemblies according to some embodiments of the invention are reliable, safe, easy to use, versatile, given to high productivity and/or can be individually replaced with little machine downtime. 
     According to a first aspect there is provided a wear member for earth working equipment, the wear member defining a longitudinal axis and comprising: a body defining a rearward opening cavity dimensioned to receive a base; first and second lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the body and defining a front edge for engaging earth, the first lateral portion defining a complementary formation to the second lateral formation to enable axial insertion and removal of a wear member mounted between adjacent wear members due to the open removal path defined by the complementary formations, and to resist rotational movement of the wear member about the longitudinal axis. 
     The wear member optionally further comprises a lip mount including a pair of rearward extending portions disposed on opposing lateral sides of the body and being dimensioned to engage on an upper and lower surface of a lip plate on an excavating bucket to provide further resistance to rotational movement of the wear member about the longitudinal axis. The lip mount also reduces gaps between adjacent wear members, thereby reducing the potential for ingress of debris or other particles into the lateral portions. 
     Optionally, each of the pair of rearward extending portions comprises a pair of arms dimensioned and configured to engage with the lip plate. 
     Optionally, the complementary formations on the first and second lateral portions comprise offset planar surfaces. 
     Optionally, the planar surfaces are offset in a direction transverse to a plane extending through one of the first and second lateral portions. In some embodiments, the planar surfaces are vertically offset from each other, so that one planar surface slides immediately below the other planar surface. 
     Optionally, the planar surfaces have substantially the same lateral width and extend forwards of the body. 
     Optionally, the first and second lateral portions provide a seal to reduce or prevent ingress of earth or other material into the wear member. 
     Optionally, the front edge provides a continuous edge substantially free from gaps, or alternatively completely free from gaps. 
     Alternatively, the front edge may define a serrated edge, or an edge defining spaced gaps therealong, such as between adjacent teeth. A serrated edge may provide better earth penetration for the earth working equipment. 
     Optionally, the wear member further comprises a third lateral portion located beneath the second lateral portion, and defining an upper surface, the second and third lateral portions defining an insertion gap therebetween, and the first lateral portion further comprises an insertion portion defined by the complementary formation of the first lateral portion and a lower surface on an opposite side of the first lateral portion to the complementary formation. This enables the insertion portion of one wear member to be inserted into the insertion gap of an adjacent wear member. 
     Optionally, the third lateral portion extends for substantially the same lateral width as the second lateral portion but only extends part-way along the length of the second lateral portion. 
     Optionally, the third lateral portion is located closer to a rear of the wear member than to the front edge. 
     Optionally, the upper surface of the third lateral portion and the complementary formations of the first and second lateral portions are all planar surfaces. 
     Optionally, the complementary formations of the first and second lateral portions are surfaces that are spaced apart but generally aligned relative to a plane (for example, by deviating by ten degrees or less from a line parallel to the plane), or closely aligned (for example, by deviating by five degrees or less from a line parallel to the plane), or generally parallel (for example, by deviating by approximately two degrees or less from a line parallel to the plane). In one embodiment, the engaging formation of the first lateral portion (for example, an upper surface) may slope at a small angle (less than five degrees) away from the body such that the height of the first lateral portion reduces as it extends away from the body. Similarly, the engaging formation of the second lateral portion (for example, a lower surface) may slope at a similar small angle towards from the body such that the height of the second lateral portion increases as it extends towards from the body. 
     According to a second aspect there is provided a wear member for earth working equipment, the wear member defining a longitudinal axis and comprising: a body defining a rearward opening cavity dimensioned to receive a base; a first and second lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the body and defining a front edge for engaging earth; a coupling surface defined by the first lateral portion; an arm upstanding from the second lateral portion transverse to the longitudinal axis and extending from the front edge towards the body, the arm defining an inner face opposite the body and inclined thereto to guide earth towards the body. 
     Optionally, the wear member further comprises a lip mount including a pair of rearward extending portions disposed on opposing lateral sides of the body and being dimensioned to engage on an upper and lower surface of a lip plate on an excavating bucket to provide further resistance to rotational movement of the wear member about the longitudinal axis. 
     Optionally, each of the pair of rearward extending portions comprises a pair of arms dimensioned and configured to engage with the lip plate. 
     Optionally, the first lateral portion is on a left side of the body and the coupling surface is defined on a lower surface of the first lateral portion, and the wear member further comprises a third lateral portion located beneath the first lateral portion, and defining an upper surface, the first and third lateral portions defining an insertion gap therebetween. 
     Optionally, the first lateral portion is on a right side of the body and the coupling surface is defined on an upper surface of the first lateral portion for insertion into an insertion gap by movement along the longitudinal axis. 
     According to a third aspect there is provided a wear assembly for earth working equipment, the wear assembly comprising: a lip plate for mounting on an excavating bucket; first, second and third adapters mounted on the lip plate and each defining a base protruding therefrom; first, second and third wear members, each having a base secured to a corresponding adapter and each wear member defining a longitudinal axis, each wear member comprising: first and second lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the body and defining a front edge for engaging earth, the first lateral portion defining a complementary formation to the second lateral formation, whereby the second wear member can be inserted between, or removed from, a gap between the first and third wear members due to an open removal path defined by the complementary formations on the first and second wear members and the second and third wear members, respectively. 
     Optionally, the wear member further comprises: a third lateral portion located beneath the second lateral portion, and defining an upper surface, the second and third lateral portions defining an insertion gap therebetween, and the first lateral portion further comprises an insertion portion defined by the complementary formation of the first lateral portion and a lower surface on an opposite side of the first lateral portion to the complementary formation. 
     Optionally, the third lateral portion extends for substantially the same lateral width as the second lateral portion but only extends part-way along the length of the second lateral portion. 
     Optionally, the third lateral portion is located closer to a rear of the wear member than to the front edge. 
     According to a fourth aspect there is provided a bucket including a plurality of the wear members (such as teeth), with any of the above-noted constructions to define a generally continuous front edge. 
     According to a fifth aspect there is provided a bucket including a wear assembly having wear members having any of the above-noted constructions to define a generally continuous front edge. 
     According to a sixth aspect there is provided a method of seating a wear member to an edge includes positioning a first wear member adjacent a second wear member seated to the edge and adjacent a third wear member seated to the edge so a first lateral portion of the first wear member overlaps the second wear member and a second lateral portion of the first wear member overlaps the third wear member and moving the first wear member rearward to seat on the edge. 
     According to a seventh aspect there is provided a method of removing a wear member of a wear assembly from an edge includes moving a first wear member from a seated position on the lip away from the lip with lateral portions on opposite sides of the first wear member overlapping second and third wear members on opposite sides to disengage the first wear member from the assembly. 
     According to an eighth aspect there is provided a wear member for earth working equipment, the wear member defining a longitudinal axis and comprising: a body defining a rearward opening cavity dimensioned to receive a base; first and second lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the body and defining a front edge for engaging earth, the first lateral portion defining a complementary formation to the second lateral formation to enable insertion and removal of a wear member mounted between adjacent wear members; and a lip mount including a pair of rearward extending portions disposed on opposing lateral sides of the body and being dimensioned to engage on an upper and lower surface of a lip plate on an excavating bucket to provide resistance to rotational movement of the wear member about the longitudinal axis. 
     In one embodiment, a wear member for earth working equipment includes overlapping lateral portions to close gaps between adjacent wear members and/or provide support against the applied loads during use. The overlapping lateral portions maintain an open removal path that permits removal of the wear member without removal the adjacent overlapped wear members. 
     In another embodiment, a wear member for earth working equipment has a front portion for engaging the earth, a rearward opening cavity to receive a base and lateral portions to overlap wear members on both sides. The wear member is installed to the lip between adjacent overlapping installed wear members free of interference. In another embodiment the wear member on one side includes upper and lower lateral portions that form an opening to receive a lateral portion of an adjacent wear member. 
     In another embodiment, a wear member includes a forward working portion to engage the earth, a cavity opening rearward at a rear mounting portion to receive a base, a longitudinal axis and left and right staggered wings extending away from the longitudinal axis each with a planar surface substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis to bear on a planar surface of an adjacent wear member. In an additional embodiment, the wear member includes a third wing that extends from the longitudinal axis to form an opening that receives a wing of an adjacent wear member. In an additional embodiment, the mounting portion includes rearward extending members on each side of the cavity to straddle and bear on the lip. In an additional embodiment, each planar surface extends from the rear portion to the front working portion. 
     In another embodiment, an excavating tooth for a bucket includes a mounting cavity, a front edge and at least one lateral extension to engage a lateral extension of at least one other tooth to define a generally continuous edge along the front edges of adjacent teeth, wherein the tooth can be removed from the bucket without requiring removal of an adjacent tooth. 
     In another embodiment, an excavating tooth for a bucket includes a mounting cavity, a front edge, legs to straddle the lip, and a pair of wings extending laterally from the cavity to engage complementary wings on adjacent teeth and thereby define a generally continuous edge along the front edges of the adjacent teeth. 
     In another embodiment, an excavating tooth for a bucket includes a mounting cavity, a front edge, a lateral extension to engage a lateral extension of an adjacent tooth to define a generally continuous edge along the front edges of the adjacent tooth, and an upright guide along a side opposite the lateral extension to guide earthen material into the bucket during use. The guide optionally includes an inwardly inclined portion and/or an inward curve. This tooth is suitable to form an end of the generally continuous edge of teeth. 
     In another embodiment, an excavating tooth for a bucket includes a mounting cavity, a front edge, a lateral extension to overlap a lateral extension of an adjacent tooth to define a generally continuous edge along the front edges with the adjacent tooth, and a wing opposing the lateral extension to sandwich the lateral extension of the adjacent tooth. The wing has a reduced dimension and/or rearward location to minimize removal force and/or reduce the distance for complete disengagement. 
     In another embodiment, a wear assembly includes first, second and third wear members secured to an edge of earth working equipment in adjacent laterally overlapping positions where the second wear member adjacent the first and third wear member can be removed from the wear assembly without interference from (and without having to loosen or remove any parts from) the first and third wear members. In another embodiment each wear member can optionally include rearward extending stabilizing portions to straddle the edge. 
     In another embodiment a wear assembly on an edge of earthmoving equipment includes a plurality of overlapping wear members that form a continuous edge free from open spaces between the wear members at the edge, and a first wear member can be removed from the lip without removing an adjacent second wear member. 
     The various features of the above-noted embodiments can be used independently of each other or collectively with all or some of the different features in securing a wear member to an edge of earth working equipment. The noted features are exemplary summary observations of certain ideas of the various concepts of the invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or essential. The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be more readily understood in view of the following detailed description of certain embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Understanding that the drawings depict only certain embodiments and are not, therefore, to be considered limiting in nature, these embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an upper perspective view of a wear assembly. 
         FIG.  2    is an upper perspective view of part of the wear assembly of  FIG.  1   , namely a wear member. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of the wear member of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  4    is a side view of the wear member of  FIG.  2   , viewed from the opposite side to that shown in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  5    is a rear view of the wear member of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  6    is a front view of part of the wear assembly of  FIG.  1    illustrating a left corner wear member adjacent the wear member of  FIGS.  2  to  5   . 
         FIG.  7    is a top view of a central part of the wear assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  8    is a cross section view of a portion of the wear assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of a partial cross section portion of the wear assembly of  FIG.  1    from a first side. 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of a partial cross section portion of the wear assembly of  FIG.  1    from a second side opposite the first side of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  11    is a top view of a left corner wear member from the wear assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  12    is a top view of a right corner wear member from the wear assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     Wear members are applied to many kinds of earth working equipment to extend the service life of the equipment. The present invention is related to wear members secured along the digging edge of a bucket, their assemblies, and methods for installing and removing wear members on such edges. 
     Referring now to the Figures,  FIG.  1    shows a wear assembly  12  including wear members  10 , where the wear assembly  12  is designed to be attached to earth working equipment. In the illustrated example, the wear member  10  is a point or tooth. The wear assembly  12  includes a profiled lip  9  onto which the teeth  10  are attached. The profiled lip  9  comprises a lip plate  8  attached to an edge (not shown) of an earthmoving bucket (not shown) and adapters  8 A welded to the lip plate  8 . Each adapter  8 A defines a nose  8 B (best seen in  FIG.  8   ) extending therefrom and protruding beyond the lip plate  8 . The adapters  8 A could alternatively be secured by mechanical means such as a Whisler (trade mark) wedge and clamp, or the noses  8 B could be formed as part of the lip plate  8 . The lip plate  8  can have a variety of different designs but preferably has a linear leading surface. The profiled lip  9  has a direction of advance during operation of the earth working equipment (e.g., a digging operation). 
     Tooth  10  of wear assembly  12  includes a working portion  32  (best seen in  FIGS.  2  and  3   ) tapering to a narrowed front working edge  16  and a mounting portion  34  (best seen in  FIGS.  2  and  3   ) that includes a rearward opening cavity  14  that receives a nose  8 B extending forward of the lip plate  8 . The mounting portion  34  includes a lip mount comprising one or more rearwardly extending legs  24  and  26  on one or each side of cavity  14 . In this embodiment each leg  24 ,  26  straddles (above and below) the lip plate  8  thereby providing stabilization for the tooth  10  and resisting rotational forces on the tooth  10 . 
     Cavity  14  is defined by top, bottom and side walls that form a central body  28  of the tooth  10 . The tooth body  28  preferably includes an opening  28 A that receives a lock  30  to releasably secure the tooth  10  to the lip  9  (via the adapter  8 A). Cavity  14  and opening  28 A could have a shape selected from a number of different shapes to suit the kind of fit, stabilization, locking, etc. that is desired for a particular application of the tooth  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cavity  14 , opening  28 A and lock  30  received into opening  28 A are as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,649, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Each tooth  10  has a longitudinal axis  36  that is defined by a centerline extending generally in the direction of advancement of the lip  9  during operation of the earth working equipment. 
     During use, the tooth  10  contacts the earth or other material during the excavation process to protect the lip  9 , ease penetration and/or gather material in the bucket. The front edges  16  of the teeth  10  when installed on the lip  9  can collectively align to form a generally continuous linear edge that can be used for leveling or flattening earth or digging smooth walled and/or floored holes or other digging operations. This wider configuration of each tooth  10  to form a generally continuous edge can generate increased risks of the tooth  10  bending or turning (i.e., generally about axis  36 ) during digging. The above-mentioned legs  24 ,  26  on both sides of the lip plate  8  help resist such turning. Tooth  10  includes a first lateral portion or wing  18  that extends away laterally from body  28  and a second lateral portion or wing  20  that extends away laterally on the opposite side from body  28 . Each lateral portion  18 ,  20  extends for most of the length of the tooth  10  from the working portion  32  to the mounting portion  34 , but in other embodiments they may have gaps or extend only partially along the length. Wings  18 ,  20  overlap with the wings ( 20 ,  18  respectively) on adjacent teeth  10  to ensure a generally continuous edge without significant gaps and/or provide support against turning of the teeth about axis  36 . The lateral portions  18 ,  20  decrease in thickness, e.g., in a step fashion, as they extend laterally from the body  28 . Each lateral portion  18 ,  20  defines an edge  18 A and  20 A from which a tongue  18 B,  20 B extends. Opposite surfaces of the tongues  18 B,  20 B provide complementary formations to each other, so that tongues  18 B,  20 B from adjacent teeth  10  slidingly engage in an overlapping relationship with corresponding tongues  20 B,  18 B respectively of the adjacent teeth  10 , thereby providing a partial overlap of the lateral portions  18 ,  20 . 
     The lateral portions  18 ,  20  extend laterally to peripheries or edges that are parallel on opposite sides and perpendicular to the linear leading edge to form a generally rectangular shape but could alternatively have non-parallel and/or non-linear side edges. In this embodiment, the lateral portions  18 ,  20  comprise generally planar surfaces that have a small slope, as shown in  FIG.  5   . An upper surface of the first lateral portion  18  has a downward slope (two degrees) away from the body  28 ; whereas, a lower surface of the second lateral portion  20  has a similar but upward slope (two degrees) away from the body  28 . 
     The lateral portions  18 ,  20  can be at staggered positions (or vertically offset). One lateral portion  20  can extend on a plane above the longitudinal axis  36  and the opposite lateral portion  18  can extend on a plane below the longitudinal axis  36 . The tooth  10  can include an optional, additional (third) laterally extending portion or wing  22  extending laterally from body  28  below and spaced from wing  20 . Lower lateral portion  22  can be narrower than the upper lateral portion  20  extending forward and back only a limited distance. This construction is preferred to reduce the removal force when impacted earthen fines are present, and to reduce the distance for complete disengagement, but other arrangements are possible. Wing  22  can provide additional resistance to turning of the tooth about axis  36 ; i.e., the upper and lower lateral portions  20  and  22  form an opening (an insertion gap) that accepts the lateral portion  18  (an insertion portion) of an adjacent tooth  10  to stabilize the tooth  10  from rotation about the nose  8 B. Other or additional overlaps could be provided. 
     While a linear leading edge for the assembly  12  is illustrated, other configurations can be provided. The leading edges of the assembly  12  can form a continuous linear leading edge angled to the longitudinal axis  36 , a curved edge, a staggered edge, or linear edge portions that meet at an angle where the lateral portions overlap with adjacent wear member lateral portions. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second lateral portions  18  and  20  each includes a planar face  18 B and  20 B substantially parallel to a plane through the longitudinal axis  36  that bears on the corresponding planar face of the adjacent tooth  10 , but non-parallel surfaces are possible. Some wear members (or corner teeth)  40 ,  44  are provided as corner members. 
     In particular, left corner tooth  40  includes only the first lateral portion  18 ; and the right corner tooth  44  includes only the second lateral portion  20 . 
     Each corner tooth  40 ,  44  can include both lateral portions, if desired. In general, each corner tooth  40 ,  44  can have one of the lateral extensions included on teeth  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the corner tooth  40  includes leg  26  and wing  18 , and corner tooth  44  includes leg  24  and wings  20 ,  22 . Alternatively, teeth  10  could be used on the ends and form the corner teeth as well as the medial teeth. Also, alternatively, other configurations of corner tooth could be used. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, tongue  18 B is a continuous extension of the bottom surface of the wing  18 , while tongue  20 B is a continuous extension of the top surface of the wing  20 . However, different configurations may be selected, such as tongue  20 B being along the bottom and tongue  18 B along the top, both tongues  18 B,  20 B being along the top surface or both along the bottom surface (in which case the adjacent teeth would have the opposite configuration), or having a tongue and groove arrangement (e.g., wing  18  could have a central orientation and wing  20  could be formed by two spaced apart lateral extensions to receive tongue  18 B of the adjacent tooth). 
     In the illustrated embodiment, left corner tooth  40  (see particularly  FIGS.  1  and  11   ) includes a body  28  with rear cavity  14  and lock opening  28 A, rearward extending legs  26  to straddle the lip plate  8 , working edge  16  and lateral portion  18  similar to lateral portion  18 . The corner teeth  40 ,  44  of the wear assembly  12  typically experience increased wear as compared to the medial teeth  10  and the exposed square corner can become rounded. Left corner member  40  includes a thickened outer edge or upright arm  42  with an inner face  42 A to form an edge wall. The edge wall can optionally curve inward and/or be inclined inward extending rearward from working edge  16 . The inward curve of face  42 A can guide collected material inward toward the center of the bucket. Alternatively, the horizontal thickness of the outer edge can increase, diverging as it extends rearward to guide collected material toward the center of the lip  9  during operation. The increased thickness of the wear member outer edges (or arms)  42  provides additional material at a high wear area of the assembly  12 , increases the life of the corner wear member  40  and/or guides earth material into the bucket during use. 
     Right corner tooth  44  (see particularly  FIGS.  1  and  12   ) includes a rearward opening cavity  14 , rearward extending legs  24  to straddle the lip plate  8 , a thickened edge or upright guide  46  (preferably a mirror image of edge (or arm)  46  on corner member  40 ) to resist wear with an inner face  46 A. Right corner member  44  can include an upper lateral portion  20  on the edge with a lower lateral portion  22  similar to previously described teeth  10 . 
     The working edge  16  engaging earthen materials generates forces on the supporting surfaces of the teeth  10 ,  40 ,  44 . The additional width of the teeth  10 ,  40 ,  44  provided by the lateral portions  18 ,  20  generates strong torque forces on the teeth  10 ,  40 ,  44  during operation. Assembling the teeth  10 ,  40 ,  44  to the digging edge of the bucket, the lateral portions  18 ,  20  of each tooth  10  overlap with lateral portions  20 ,  18  respectively, of adjacent teeth  10 . Lateral portion  18  can be received in the gap between lateral portion  20  and  22  of the adjacent tooth  10  to provide support to the adjacent lateral portion  20 ,  22 . 
     The rearwardly extending legs  24  and  26  bear on the lip plate  8 . These bearing surfaces at the side of the teeth  10  and the rear of the teeth  10  as well as the bearing surfaces in cavity  14  bearing on the nose  8 B stabilize the teeth  10  and resist torque, vertical and/or axial forces generated by digging operations. 
     The wings  18 ,  20 ,  22  and legs  24 ,  26  as well as possibly other portions of teeth  10 ,  40 ,  44  are interlocked with each other and/or the lip plate  8  for support in resisting the various digging forces likely to be encountered during use and/or forming the continuous edge. The teeth also preferably form open removal paths for each of the overlapping portions  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26  to move forwardly independently of the adjacent teeth to permit individual replacement of each tooth  10 ,  40 ,  44 . Conventionally, teeth forming continuous edges have been overlapped for support in ways that require removal of adjacent teeth when replacement of a tooth is needed. Whereas in the illustrated embodiment, wing  18  can slide forward relative to wings  20 ,  22  with which it overlaps on the adjacent tooth, and wings  20 ,  22  can slide forward relative to the wing  18  with which it overlaps. The adjacent teeth also do not block the forward movement of legs  24 ,  26  straddling lip plate  8 . In the illustrated embodiment, the removal path for each tooth  10 ,  40 ,  44  is along a linear path but in other embodiments, the removal path could have a non-linear path; as one example, the removal path could be curved. 
     With the tooth seated on the nose  8 B of adapter  8 A (which is received in cavity  14 ), lock  30  can be inserted into opening  28 A. The lock  30  can be a hammerless lock, if preferred, but that is not required. 
     These embodiments are described herein in the context of a wear assembly for one kind of bucket. It should be understood that this is merely one example of the disclosed subject matter and is not meant to be limiting. Wear members in accordance with the present invention may have other constructions for use on a wide variety of buckets including, for example, buckets for hydraulic excavators, loaders, cable shovels, face shovels, etc., or for use on other products. Relative terms such as top, bottom, forward, rearward, left and right are used herein for ease of discussion and are not intended to be limiting. 
     With reference to the drawings, this specification describes particular embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. The embodiments described are set forth by way of illustration only and not limitation. The described features, structures, characteristics, and methods of operation may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In view of the disclosure herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or methods of operation are not shown or not described in detail to avoid obscuring more pertinent aspects of the embodiments. It is intended that subject matter disclosed in any one portion herein can be combined with the subject matter of one or more other portions herein as long as such combinations are not mutually exclusive or inoperable. In addition, many variations, enhancements and modifications of the concepts described herein are possible. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations can be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention; for example, in other embodiments, the lateral portions  18 ,  20  may be mounted lower down or further up on the body  28  than described above or illustrated on the drawings.