Patent Publication Number: US-2019177954-A1

Title: Implement cutting edge with brazed white cast iron teeth

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to an implement cutting edge, and more particularly, to an implement cutting edge with brazed white cast iron teeth. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Machines, for example motor graders, dozers, wheel loaders, and excavators are commonly used in material moving applications. These machines include a ground engaging tool having a cutting edge component configured to contact the material. For example, motor graders are typically used to perform displacement, distribution and leveling of material, such as rock and/or soil. The motor graders may move the ground engaging tool over the ground so that the cutting edge component engages with the rock and/or soil so as to displace, distribute, or level the rock and/or soil. 
     During use of the cutting edge component, the material may abrade the cutting edge component, causing it to erode away. Accordingly, the cutting edge component may be removably attached to the ground engaging tool and replaced on a periodic basis. Conventional cutting edge components may be formed as a single plate of constant thickness. Such conventional cutting edge components may be relatively costly to manufacture and relatively difficult to handle due to their weight. The cutting edges on large motor graders and similar equipment experience very high rates of wear. Therefore, customers of such heavy duty equipment are seeking solutions that provide significant improvements in the wear life of the cutting edges while minimizing associated cost increases. 
     A wear component for use on an excavator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,027,266 (the &#39;266 patent) issued to Maher et al. Specifically, the wear component of the &#39;266 patent includes a shell formed from a tough metal such as carbon steel and an inner body formed from an abrasion resistant metal such as a chromium white iron. The shell is provided with cross portions extending through the inner body, with the cross portions being made of the tough metal. While the wear component of the &#39;266 patent may strengthen the overall toughness and abrasion resistance of a work tool on earth moving equipment, the configuration of the shell and complexities in the process of joining the shell to a work tool may be prohibitively expensive and result in excessive downtime during repair or replacement of the wear component. 
     The disclosed cutting edge component with brazed white cast iron teeth is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and other problems associated with conventional implement cutting edges. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a cutting edge component for a work tool on an earth-moving machine. The cutting edge component may include a longitudinally-extending wear component and a support surface connectable to a moldboard of the earth-moving machine, wherein the wear component includes at least one wear portion connected to the support surface, and the at least one wear portion forms at least one ground engaging edge. The at least one wear portion may include a mild steel body and a plurality of longitudinally-spaced white cast iron teeth vacuum brazed along a distal, ground engaging edge of the mild steel body, the plurality of teeth each being shaped with two intersecting substantially planar surfaces arranged to mate with at least a surface extending between the distal, ground engaging edge and at least one of a rearward-facing surface of the mild steel body and a front-facing surface of the mild steel body on at least one of a side of the mild steel body facing away from a direction of travel of the machine and a side of the mild steel body facing in a direction of travel of the machine to form a brazed joint. Each tooth may also include a material directing feature defined along a front-facing surface of each tooth when the tooth is brazed to the mild steel body. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a wear component for a work tool on an earth-moving machine. The wear component may include at least one wear portion including at least one ground engaging edge, and the at least one wear portion may include a mild steel body and a plurality of longitudinally-spaced white cast iron teeth vacuum brazed along the at least one ground engaging edge. The plurality of teeth may each be shaped with two intersecting substantially planar surfaces arranged to mate with at least a surface extending between the at least one ground engaging edge and at least one of a rearward-facing surface of the mild steel body and a front-facing surface of the mild steel body on at least one of a side of the mild steel body facing away from a direction of travel of the machine and a side of the mild steel body facing in the direction of travel of the machine to form a brazed joint. Each tooth may also include a material directing feature defined in a front-facing surface of each tooth when the tooth is brazed to the mild steel body. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method of forming a cutting edge component for a work tool on an earth-moving machine. The method may include preparing a main body of an existing cutting edge component for vacuum brazing and casting a plurality of white cast iron teeth. Each of the plurality of teeth may be shaped with two intersecting planar surfaces that form an angle with each other arranged to mate with at least a surface extending between a distal, ground engaging edge and at least one of a rearward-facing surface of the main body and a front-facing surface of the main body. The method may further include vacuum brazing the plurality of white cast iron teeth along the distal, ground engaging edge of the main body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a machine, according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a cutting edge component connected to a moldboard assembly of the machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the cutting edge component and the moldboard assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a portion of an exemplary cutting edge component mounted on a support surface of a moldboard; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a portion of another exemplary cutting edge component mounted on a support surface of a moldboard; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of a portion of yet another exemplary cutting edge component mounted on a support surface of a moldboard; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of a section of the exemplary cutting edge component of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of a section of the exemplary cutting edge component of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of a section of the exemplary cutting edge component of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an exemplary tooth for brazing to a distal edge of a cutting edge component; 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of the exemplary tooth of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the exemplary tooth of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a front elevation view of the exemplary tooth of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a front view of a cutting edge component connected to a moldboard assembly of the machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the cutting edge component and the moldboard assembly of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a front view of a portion of an exemplary cutting edge component mounted on a support surface of a moldboard; 
         FIG. 17  is a front view of a portion of another exemplary cutting edge component mounted on a support surface of a moldboard; 
         FIG. 18  is a front view of a portion of yet another exemplary cutting edge component mounted on a support surface of a moldboard; 
         FIG. 19  is a front view of a section of the exemplary cutting edge component of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 20  is a front view of a section of the exemplary cutting edge component of  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a front view of a section of the exemplary cutting edge component of  FIG. 18 ; 
         FIG. 22  is a front elevation view of an exemplary tooth for brazing to a distal edge of a cutting edge component; 
         FIG. 23  is a side elevation view of the exemplary tooth of  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 24  is a perspective view of the exemplary tooth of  FIG. 22 ; and 
         FIG. 25  is an end view of the exemplary tooth of  FIG. 22 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of a machine  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The machine  10  may be, for example, a motor grader, a backhoe loader, an agricultural tractor, a wheel loader, a skid-steer loader, a dozer, an excavator, or any other type of machine known in the art. As a motor grader, the machine  10  may include a frame assembly  12 . The frame assembly  12  may include a pair of front wheels  14  (or other traction devices) and may support an operator station  16 . The frame assembly  12  may also include one or more compartments  18  for housing a power source (e.g., an engine) and associated cooling components. The power source may be operatively coupled to one or more pairs of rear wheels  20  (or other traction devices) for propulsion of the machine  10 . 
     The machine  10  may also include one or more ground engaging tools  30 . The ground engaging tool(s)  30  may include one or more wear components, such as one or more cutting edge components  40 . In the case of a motor grader, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the ground engaging tool  30  may include a plurality of the cutting edge components  40  (e.g., six cutting edge components). Alternatively, other numbers of cutting edge components  40  may be provided, such as from one to eight cutting edge components, depending on the application.  FIGS. 2-9  illustrate additional alternative embodiments of wear components  212  attached along a distal edge of a support surface  214 , such as exemplary cutting edge components  410 ,  510 ,  610 .  FIGS. 14-25  illustrate alternative embodiments of wear components  212  attached along a distal edge of support surface  214 , with teeth  720  brazed along a distal, ground-engaging edge  240  of wear component  212  and a front-facing surface of wear component  212 . 
     In the embodiment of the motor grader shown in  FIG. 1 , the ground engaging tool  30  may include a drawbar-circle-moldboard (DCM) assembly  32  with a moldboard assembly  34  (or other mounting assembly) including a support surface  36 . The cutting edge components  40  may be removably attached to the support surface  36 . The DCM assembly  32  may be operatively connected to and supported by the frame assembly  12  or by another portion of the machine  10 . The DCM assembly  32  may control the movement of the moldboard assembly  34  and therefore also the movement of the cutting edge components  40  mounted to the support surface  36  of the moldboard assembly  34 . The DCM assembly  32  may also be supported by a hydraulic ram assembly  38  that controls the movement of the DCM assembly  32 . As a result, the DCM assembly  32  and/or the hydraulic ram assembly  38  may control one or more of a vertical, horizontal, or pivotal movement of the moldboard assembly  34  and the cutting edge components  40  mounted to the support surface  36  of the moldboard assembly  34 . Alternatively, different mechanical and/or hydraulic arrangements, e.g., other than the DCM assembly  32  and/or hydraulic ram assembly  38  described above, may be provided to allow for movement of the cutting edge components  40 . 
       FIGS. 2-6  show exemplary embodiments of wear components  212  mounted to a support surface  214  of a moldboard assembly using multiple fasteners  216 . The support surface  214  and/or portions of the wear components  212  may be flat or curved.  FIGS. 7-9  show the exemplary cutting edge components  410 ,  510 ,  610 , of  FIGS. 4-6 , respectively, removed from support surface  214 .  FIGS. 14-18  show further exemplary embodiments of wear components  212  mounted to a surface  214  of a moldboard assembly using multiple fasteners  216 .  FIGS. 19-21  show the exemplary cutting edge components  420 ,  520 ,  620 , of  FIGS. 16-18 , respectively, removed from support surface  214 . The term “longitudinal”, as used herein, refers to a dimension generally lengthwise with respect to each cutting edge component.  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary implementation of a moldboard assembly, with the wear components  212  including two exemplary cutting edge components  610  connected along a longitudinal extent of a left-hand portion of support surface  214 , two exemplary cutting edge components  410  connected along a longitudinal extent of a center portion of support surface  214 , and two exemplary cutting edge components  510  connected along a longitudinal extent of a right-hand portion of support surface  214 .  FIG. 14  illustrates an exemplary implementation of a moldboard assembly, with the wear components  212  including two exemplary cutting edge components  620  connected along a longitudinal extent of a left-hand portion of support surface  214 , two exemplary cutting edge components  520  connected along a longitudinal extent of a center portion of support surface  214 , and two exemplary cutting edge components  420  connected along a longitudinal extent of a right-hand portion of support surface  214 . In various alternative embodiments, a moldboard assembly may include different arrangements of cutting edge components with different features. The term “lateral”, as used herein, refers to a dimension generally extending between a proximal end or proximal edge  230  and a distal, ground engaging edge  240  of each cutting edge component. The proximal edge  230  and the distal, ground engaging edge  240  may extend generally longitudinally as shown. In an embodiment, the length of each cutting edge component along the longitudinal direction may range from approximately 24 inches to approximately 92 inches, and the length of a cutting edge component along the lateral direction may range from approximately 8 inches to approximately 16 inches. In one exemplary embodiment, a cutting edge component may be approximately 48 inches longitudinally and approximately 16 inches laterally. 
     The terms “distal” and “proximal” are used herein to refer to the relative positions of components or features of the exemplary cutting edge components along the lateral dimension. When used herein, “distal” refers to one end of a cutting edge component in the lateral dimension, e.g., the ground engaging edge of a cutting edge component. In contrast, “proximal” refers to the end of a cutting edge component that is opposite the distal end in the lateral dimension, e.g., the proximal edge  230  of each cutting edge component  410 ,  510 ,  610 , as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , and the proximal edge  230  of each cutting edge component  420 ,  520 ,  620 , as shown in  FIGS. 16-18 , along which each cutting edge component is joined to support surface  214  with multiple fasteners  216 . 
     While the cutting edge components shown in  FIGS. 4-9 and 16-21  may be positioned substantially at right angles to the normal direction of travel of each cutting edge component, a cutting edge component may be oriented at a different angle relative to the direction of travel and/or curved. The terms “front” and “rear” are also used herein to refer to the relative positions and features of the components of the exemplary cutting edge components. When used herein, “front” and “front-facing” refers to one side of a cutting edge component positioned near the forward side of the cutting edge component with respect to the direction of travel of the machine  10 . In contrast, “rear” and “rearward-facing” refers to the side of a cutting edge component that is opposite the front side. As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 and 16-18 , the rearward-facing side of wear component  212  may be the side that is connected to or proximal to the support surface  214  of the ground engaging tool to which the cutting edge component is mounted. 
     Each cutting edge component may be replaceable to help ensure productivity and/or efficiency of the machine  10 . For example, each cutting edge component  410 ,  510 ,  610 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  may be removably connected to the support surface  214  of a ground engaging tool by way of one or more fasteners  216 , such as bolts, inserted through one or more mounting holes formed along a longitudinal extent of a portion of each cutting edge component near proximal edge  230 . 
     An exemplary cutting edge component  410  is shown in  FIG. 4  mounted to support surface  214  of a ground engaging tool. A plurality of teeth  220  may be connected along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of the main body of cutting edge component  410  to enhance the wear life and surface penetration performance of the cutting edge component. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2-13 , teeth  220  are configured such that they may be connected along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of the main body of cutting edge components  410 ,  510 ,  610 , with a brazing surface of each tooth  220  extending along a portion of a rearward-facing side of wear component  212 . In the alternative embodiments shown in  FIGS. 14-25 , teeth  720  are configured such that they may be connected along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of the main body of cutting edge components  420 ,  520 ,  620 , with a brazing surface of each tooth  720  extending along a portion of a front-facing side of wear component  212 . 
     The main body of cutting edge component  410 ,  510 ,  610 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  may be an existing cutting edge part made from a mild steel. Mild steel is a type of carbon steel with a low amount of carbon, and is also known as “low carbon steel”. Although ranges vary depending on the source, the amount of carbon typically found in mild steel is 0.05% to 0.25% by weight, whereas higher carbon steels are typically described as having a carbon content from 0.30% to 2.0% by weight. The mild steel is typically more ductile, machinable, and weldable than high carbon and other steels, but is difficult to harden and strengthen through heating and quenching. Improved wear resistance of the cutting edge component is obtained according to various embodiments of this disclosure by vacuum brazing teeth  220 ,  720  made from superior wear resistant materials along the distal, ground engaging edge  240  of the mild steel main body. Details of tooth  220  are shown in  FIGS. 10-13 . Details of an alternative embodiment of a tooth  720  are shown in  FIGS. 22-25 . Each tooth  220 ,  720  may be cast from a white cast iron material with excellent wear resistance properties that are better than the wear resistance of the mild steel main body of the cutting edge component. As best seen in  FIGS. 10 and 12 , a front-facing surface of each tooth may include one or more grooves  233  extending inward from a front side surface  238  of tooth  220  along the front-facing surface in a U-shaped configuration, with each groove  233  intersecting the front-facing surface of the tooth along substantially parallel side edges  234  and an arcuate rear edge  235 . Grooves  233  in teeth  220  enhance the penetration performance of the cutting edge component by providing sharp edges along the lines of intersection of the grooves with the front-facing surface of each tooth, and by increasing the total length of the edge actually coming into contact with ground. In the alternative embodiment of tooth  720 , and as shown in  FIGS. 22-25 , substantially planar, intersecting brazing surfaces  731 ,  732  may be formed along rearward-facing surfaces of tooth  720 , and a front-facing surface of each tooth  720  may include a portion  740  substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the machine and a portion  730  that tapers in a rearward direction from portion  720  toward wear component  212 . The front-facing surface of each tooth  720  may also include a centrally located ridge  733  formed along the length of the front-facing surface, with sloped surfaces  734 ,  735  extending from the ridge  733  laterally to side surfaces  739  of each tooth  720 . 
     In various exemplary implementations according to this disclosure, each white cast iron tooth  220 ,  720  may be cast in a shape designed to mate along a distal, ground engaging edge  240  of an existing wear component  212 , typically made from a mild steel. The teeth  220 ,  720  may be vacuum brazed directly to the ground engaging edge  240  of the main body of the wear component without the need for an intermediate mild steel base. The teeth  220 ,  720  may also be vacuum brazed directly to the ground engaging edge  240  without the need to perform any machining operations to the existing wear component  212 , other than some fine finishing operations to clean up surfaces to be brazed. The custom cast shape of teeth  220 ,  720  conforming to the configuration of distal, ground engaging edge  240  of the main body of an existing wear component  212  also eliminates any requirement to weld an intermediate mild steel base to the ground engaging edge of the wear component. As shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 10 , and in the side elevation view of  FIG. 11 , an exemplary tooth  220  may be designed with two flat brazing surfaces  231 ,  232  oriented in planes that intersect with each other at an obtuse angle corresponding to an angle of a chamfered surface along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of the main body of an existing wear component  212 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , intersecting brazing surfaces  231 ,  232  of each tooth  220  may be configured to mate with a rearward-facing surface and a chamfered surface extending between the rearward-facing surface of wear component  212  and distal, ground engaging edge  240 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, intersecting brazing surfaces  731 ,  732  of each tooth  720  may be configured to mate with a front-facing surface of wear component  212  and distal, ground engaging edge  240 . Embodiments including teeth  720  brazed along a front-facing surface of wear component  212  may be able to withstand higher loads during an earth moving operation on larger machines as the loads impacting each tooth may be largely absorbed by wear component  212  and put less stress on the brazed joint. 
     In exemplary embodiments including teeth brazed along a rearward-facing surface of wear component  212 , the front-facing surface of each tooth with groove  233  may be arranged approximately coplanar with a front-facing surface of the mild steel body when the tooth is brazed to the mild steel body. The term “approximately coplanar” refers to coplanar within standard machining, brazing, and other manufacturing and assembly tolerances. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that it is not required for the front-facing surface of each tooth  220  to be coplanar with the front-facing surface of the mild steel body of the wear component  212 . Alternative implementations may include the front-facing surfaces of each of the teeth  212  extending an amount forward of the forward-facing surface of the main body of wear component  212 , or even lying in a plane that is an amount rearward of the forward-facing surface of the mild steel body. Each of the brazing surfaces  231 ,  232  may be ground or otherwise finish machined to form a flat, smooth surface suitable for brazing to the wear component. In an exemplary embodiment, each of brazing surfaces  231 ,  232  may be ground to be flat within approximately 0.1 mm, and along with the mating surfaces on the wear component, may be finished so that any gap between the mating surfaces is less than approximately 0.2 mm. The process of vacuum brazing the white cast iron teeth  220  along the distal, ground engaging edge  240  of each wear component  212  may include control of a number of factors including, but not limited to, braze alloy selection, finish of the mating surfaces on both the white cast iron teeth and the mild carbon steel main body of the wear component, cleaning of the surfaces before a vacuum brazing operation, fixture design for holding the teeth against the wear component during the brazing operation, braze furnace environment, temperatures, and cycles, etc. 
     In the alternative embodiments shown in  FIGS. 14-25 , teeth  720  may be configured with a front-facing surface that includes portion  740  extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel, and portion  730  tapering from portion  740  in a rearward direction toward wear component  212 , as best seen in  FIG. 15 . The front-facing surface of each tooth  720  may include the centrally located ridge  733  and sloped surfaces  734 ,  735 , which form material directing features defined in the front-facing surface of each tooth when the tooth is brazed to the mild steel body of wear component  212 . The ridges  733  and sloped surfaces  734 ,  735  of teeth  720 , and the one or more grooves  233  extending inward from a front side surface  238  of teeth  220  along the front-facing surface in a U-shaped configuration, form material directing features along the front-facing surface of teeth  720 ,  220 . These material directing features may improve the penetration performance of teeth  720 ,  220 , while also increasing wear life of the wear components and reducing loads and stresses on the brazed joints between the teeth and the distal, ground engaging edge of wear component  212 . 
     The various disclosed embodiments of cutting edge components with white cast iron teeth vacuum brazed along a distal, ground engaging edge  240  include different configurations and arrangements of the teeth  220  along distal, ground engaging edge  240 . In the exemplary embodiments of  FIGS. 4, 7, 16, and 19 , individual teeth  220 ,  720  are brazed along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of cutting edge component  410 ,  420 , with each tooth  220 ,  720  being spaced a selected distance from an adjacent tooth  220 ,  720 . In alternative embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5, 8, 17, and 20 , teeth  220 ,  720  are arranged in pairs along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of cutting edge component  510 ,  520  with the two teeth  220 ,  720  in each pair of teeth contacting each other, and with a selected space provided between each of the pairs of teeth. In yet another alternative embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6, 9, 18, and 21 , teeth  220 ,  720  are arranged along distal, ground engaging edge  240  of cutting edge component  610 ,  620  with each tooth  220 ,  720  contacting and abutting against an adjacent tooth along the entire longitudinal extent of the cutting edge component such that there are no spaces between the individual teeth  220 ,  720 . 
     The brazing surfaces  231 ,  232  of each tooth  220 , and the brazing surfaces  731 ,  732  if each tooth  720  may be arranged with a stress-relieving, arcuate-shaped recess  237 ,  737  or groove formed at the intersections of the brazing surfaces with each other and with a surface of tooth  220 ,  720  designed to contact the distal, ground engaging edge  240  of wear component  212 . The arcuate-shaped recesses  237 ,  737  may be designed to eliminate any high stress regions that may develop at sharp-angled intersections between cast surfaces on the white cast iron teeth  220 ,  720 . 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 10 and 12 , and as discussed above, each tooth  220  may include one or more grooves  233  provided in a front-facing surface of a substantially planar portion of tooth  220 . Each groove  233  may extend inwardly along the front-facing surface of tooth  220  from a distal edge of tooth  220  in a direction toward distal edge  240  of wear component  212  along which each tooth  220  is brazed. Each groove  233  may extend along a majority of a lateral length of the portion of tooth  220  subjected to wear as wear component  212  contacts a surface being graded. The proximal end of each groove  233  may be located near a middle portion of tooth  220  in the lateral direction. As shown in  FIGS. 10, 12, and 13 , each groove  233  may be generally U-shaped with a bottom surface and sides, and may have a depth that may be relatively shallow compared to a total thickness of the wear portion of tooth  220 . The bottom surface of each groove  233  may be substantially parallel to the front-facing surface of tooth  220 . In an embodiment, the depth of groove  233  may be approximately 5%-30% of the total thickness of the wear portion of tooth  220 . 
     The sides of the grooves  233  may form edges  234 ,  235  with the front-facing surface of tooth  220 . The edges  234 ,  235  may serve as self-sharpening teeth as wear progresses on the front-facing surface of tooth  220 . As the front-facing surface of tooth  220  wears away, unworn and sharpened portions of edges  234 ,  235  become exposed, and therefore edges  234 ,  235  may be self-sharpening. 
     In some embodiments, the enhanced wear resistance of the white cast iron teeth  220 ,  720  may be still further enhanced by coating grooves  233 , and ridges  733  formed along the front-facing surface of each tooth with a coating of abrasion resistant material. For example, the bottom surfaces, sides, and/or edges  234 ,  235  of grooves  233  may be coated with the abrasion resistant material. The abrasion resistant material may include a carbide (e.g., tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, and/or chromium carbide) and/or a metal oxide (e.g., aluminum oxide and/or chromium oxide). The abrasion resistant material, e.g., in particle form, may be applied to the grooves  233  by welding, plasma transfer arc deposition, and/or laser deposition. In some exemplary embodiments, the coating may not fill in grooves  233 , thereby allowing grooves  233  to maintain the profile of the bottom surface, sides, edges  234 ,  235 , and depth. Alternatively, the coating may fill the grooves  233 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 13 , each tooth  220  may have a width that may taper along a front side surface  238  of tooth  220  toward the front-facing surface of tooth  220 , and along lateral side surfaces  239  toward the front-facing surface of tooth  220  with groove  233 . Front side surface  238  and lateral side surfaces  239  may be oriented at angles ranging from approximately 0 degrees to approximately 15 degrees relative to a plane that is perpendicular to the front-facing surface of tooth  220 . The tapering of teeth  220  toward either the front-facing surface or the opposite rearward-facing surface  236  of each tooth  220  may improve a cutting efficiency of the cutting edge component including teeth  220  by reducing drag forces or friction caused by the material flowing against the side surfaces of each tooth  220 . Similarly, as shown in  FIGS. 23 and 25 , each tooth  720  may have a width that may taper along a front side surface  738  of tooth  720  toward the front-facing surface of tooth  720 , and along lateral side surfaces  739  toward the front-facing surface of tooth  720  with ridge  733  and sloped surfaces  734 ,  735 . Front side surface  738  and lateral side surfaces  739  may be oriented at angles ranging from approximately 0 degrees to approximately 15 degrees relative to a plane that is perpendicular to the front-facing surface of tooth  720 . The tapering of teeth  720  toward either the front-facing surface or the opposite rearward-facing surface  736  of each tooth  220  may improve a cutting efficiency of the cutting edge component including teeth  720  by reducing drag forces or friction caused by the material flowing against the side surfaces of each tooth  720 . 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The disclosed cutting edge components with wear portions that include white cast iron teeth  220 ,  720  brazed along a distal, ground engaging edge  240  of an existing mild steel wear component  212  may be applicable to any machine having a ground engaging tool. Several advantages may be associated with the cutting edge components according to various embodiments of this disclosure. The cutting edge components may exhibit improved penetration performance and longer wear life. For example, the cutting edge components may penetrate and break up hard and/or frozen ground, and may direct the flow of material passing by the cutting edge component when the cutting edge component is moved horizontally and/or vertically into the ground. Additionally, the disclosed embodiments with white cast iron teeth  220 ,  720  vacuum brazed along the distal, ground engaging edge  240  of an existing wear component  212  eliminate the need for an intermediate mild steel base to which the teeth must first be attached before the base can then be attached to an existing wear component, and eliminate any requirement to weld to existing support surfaces on wear components. Moreover, the custom cast shapes of the teeth enable mating and vacuum brazing of the teeth directly to existing cutting edge parts, with the cast shape providing improved sharpness, reduced soil cutting forces, improved flow of material past the teeth on the wear portions of the cutting edge component, and improved cutting efficiency of the disclosed cutting edge components. 
     The cast teeth  220 ,  720  of the wear portions on the cutting edge components may each have brazing surfaces formed along portions of the teeth that mate with either chamfered rearward-facing surfaces of an existing wear component  212 , or a front-facing surface of an existing wear component  212 . A front-facing surface of each tooth  220  may include material directing features such as one or more of at least one of a centrally positioned groove  233  that intersects with the front-facing surface along edges that provide self-sharpening cutting edges for each tooth, and a centrally positioned ridge  733 . The grooves  233  and ridges  733  also increase the length of contact between the front-facing surface of each tooth  220 ,  720  and the ground being operated on by the cutting edge components, thereby increasing penetration force for the same amount of power expended in moving the cutting edge components through the soil. The custom cast shapes of teeth  220 ,  720  along the distal, ground engaging edges of wear components  212  may include tapered side surfaces extending between a rearward-facing surface of each tooth and the front-facing surface. The tapering of the width and/or thickness of each tooth  220 ,  720  along the sides of the tooth may form a chisel-like member at the ground engaging edge for penetrating and breaking up hard and/or frozen ground, e.g., when the cutting edge components  410 ,  510 ,  610 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  with teeth  220 ,  720  move horizontally and/or vertically into the ground. Cast teeth  220 ,  720  may also be spaced along a distal, ground engaging edge of each cutting edge component in different configurations and spacings to achieve different results and/or to provide more effective penetration of different ground materials. 
     The arrangements of the cast teeth  220 ,  720  along the distal, ground engaging edge of each cutting edge component  410 ,  510 ,  610 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  may include individual teeth  220 ,  720  that are each spaced a selected distance from an adjacent tooth, pairs of teeth  220 ,  720  that are arranged with each of the two teeth in each pair of teeth positioned immediately adjacent to each other, and with each pair of teeth being spaced a selected distance from an adjacent pair of teeth, and all teeth along the ground engaging edge being immediately adjacent and abutting against each other. The spacing of the teeth from each other, or the spacing of different groups of teeth from each other, along with the amount of taper of the sides of the teeth may be selected to allow the flow of material that is broken up by the ground engaging edge to pass between the teeth. The widths and spacing of the teeth  220 ,  720  may be different depending on the intended function of the cutting edge component as well as the dimensions of an existing wear component  212  to which the teeth  220 ,  720  are to be brazed. Also, the spacing (e.g., the width of the gaps between the teeth) of the teeth  220 ,  720  of the cutting edge components  410 ,  510 ,  610 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  may depend at least in part on the size of the particles of the material broken up by the ground engaging edge. 
     The cutting edge components  410 ,  510 ,  610 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  may also be constructed for optimal placement of the white cast iron teeth  220 ,  720  along the ground engaging edge  240  of a wear component  212  to reduce weight, cost, and the amount of material at the end of life of the cutting edge components. The custom cast shape of each tooth  220 ,  720  may be selected to optimize the penetration capabilities of the tooth and the wear life of the tooth, while minimizing costs associated with the amount of material and processing required to form each tooth. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed cutting edge components. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed cutting edge components. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.