Patent Publication Number: US-9416520-B2

Title: Wear pad assembly

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 from PCT International Application No. PCT/US2012/069683, filed Dec. 14, 2012, which claims benefit of priority of UK Patent Application No. 1122481.3, filed Dec. 30, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure is directed to a wear pad assembly for a work tool, and in particular to a wear pad assembly for use with work tools having bucket-like elements, such as front end loaders. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Work machines, such as backhoe loaders, are commonly operated on hard finished surfaces such as tarmac work surfaces or roads. In order to stabilise the machine when working, rear stabiliser pads and a front end work tool, such as a loader, are lowered to ground level. However, the forces on the surface resulting from the weight and movement of the machine can result in damage to the surface, which may lead to a penalty or re-work costs for the operator or contractor. 
     In order to address this problem, it is known to affix wear pads to the rear stabilisers, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,586. Such wear pads have a lower hardness than the road surface, and thus erode in preference thereto. 
     Similarly, wear pads may also be affixed to the front end work tool. US-A-2006/0145489 discloses an apparatus for protecting a floor or surface and a bucket or scoop from costly wear and/or damage during material handling operations, wherein the wear pad is configured to be bolted to a bucket or scoop. 
     However, the front end work tool is typically used for tasks such as lifting, digging, and loading, which tasks may be impeded by the presence of wear pads. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a wear pad which can be quickly attached to a work tool, such as a front end loader, in a non-permanent manner. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a wear pad assembly for a work tool comprising an edge provided with one or more holes, the wear pad assembly comprising: 
     a wear-resistant pad; 
     a mounting bracket configured for attachment to the wear-resistant pad; and 
     a quick-release pin for securing the wear pad assembly to the work tool edge. 
     One exemplary embodiment of a wear pad assembly is as described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a work machine having a wear pad assembly according to the present disclosure secured thereto; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the wear pad assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the wear pad assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view of the wear pad of  FIGS. 2 and 3  located on a work tool of a work machine; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the wear pad of  FIGS. 2 to 4  located on a work tool of a work machine and secured in place using a linchpin. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a work machine  5  having a front end work tool  6 , which in the illustrated embodiment is a front end loader. The work tool  6  may be pivotally connected to the work machine  5  via one of more linkage members  7 . The work tool  6  may comprise a bucket-like element  8  having an edge  9 , commonly known as a cutting edge, which is provided with one or more mounting holes (not shown). The work tool  6  is typically made of steel or a similar material. At least one wear pad assembly  10  is removably attachable to the edge  9  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate the wear pad assembly  10  in greater detail. The wear pad assembly  10  comprises three main components, namely a mounting bracket  11 , a wear-resistant pad  12 , and a pin  13 . 
     The mounting bracket  11  may be a generally C-shaped component, having a pair of generally parallel flanges  16 , 17 , comprising an upper flange  16  and a lower flange  17 , joined by a curved portion  11 . The bracket  11  is thus configured for location on the edge  9  of the work tool  6 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . At least one pair of coaxial holes  31  may be provided in the flanges  16 , 17 , for attachment of the mounting bracket  11  to the edge  9  of the work tool  6 . 
     The mounting bracket  11  may be provided with shear lugs  23  for assisting in the location of the wear-resistant pad  12  on the mounting bracket  11 . The shear lugs  23  also provide stability to the wear-resistant pad  12 , as they resist relative transverse movement between the mounting bracket  11  and the wear-resistant pad  12  when the work machine  5  is being operated. 
     The mounting bracket  11  may be made from steel or any other suitable material. It may be manufactured by any suitable method, such as fabrication or casting. 
     The wear-resistant pad  12  may be provided with blind holes  24  for receiving the shear lugs  23  of the mounting bracket  11 . The wear-resistant pad  12  may also comprise through holes  25  for receiving fasteners  26 , such as bolts. The through holes  25  may be provided with counterbores  27  such that the heads  30  of the fasteners  26  sit flush with or below the outer surface of the wear-resistant pad  12 . The blind holes  24  and the through holes  25  may be coincident. This arrangement enables service replacement of the wear-resistant pad  12  as a singular item. 
     The wear-resistant pad  12  may be made of a wear-resistant compound, such as polyurethane or neoprene, or any suitable rubber material. The wear-resistant pad  12  may be manufactured from a moulding process. The size of the wear-resistant pad  12 , in terms of surface area and thickness, is selected according to front end machine weight distribution and surface pressure of the machine  5  on which the wear-resistant pad  12  is to be used. 
     The pin  13  is used to attach the mounting bracket  11  and wear-resistant pad  12  to the work tool  6 . The pin  13  may be a quick-release type pin, and passes through coaxial holes  31  in the wear-resistant pad  12  and the flanges  16 , 17  of the mounting bracket  11 . A loose collar  32  may be provided to act as a spacer to take up clearance between the pin  13  and the coaxial hole  31  in the upper flange  16  of the mounting bracket  11 , and to ensure a close fit therebetween. The pin  13  may comprise a locking mechanism, such as a hole  33  in its upper end for receiving a split pin or a quick-release linchpin  34  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ). 
     The pin  13  may be made of a steel material, which may be plated in order to enhance its corrosion resistance. 
     The pin  13  enables the wear pad assembly  10  to be quickly and easily fitted to a variety of work tools  6  having one or more mounting holes. The linchpin  34  or other locking mechanism may be fitted and removed without tools. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The wear pad assembly  10  has industrial applicability in the field of work machines, and may be used on a variety of different work machines, including backhoe loaders, which have a work tool  6  comprising a bucket-like element  8  such as a loader. 
     The wear pad assembly  10  is attached and secured to the work tool  6  when it is required to lower the work tool  6  to the ground to act as a stabilising leg for the work machine  5 . With the work tool  6  raised off the ground, the C-shaped mounting bracket  11  is located on the edge  9  of the work tool  6  over a hole provided thereon. The collar  32  may be positioned in the aligned hole  31  of the mounting bracket  11 . The pin  13  is then inserted through the aligned holes  31 , and is secured in place using a linchpin  34  or any other suitable locking mechanism. 
     The wear pad assembly  10  according to the disclosure enables a machine operator to easily and quickly fit a wear pad to a front-end bucket  8 .