Patent Publication Number: US-10767349-B2

Title: Bucket tip end cover

Description:
This application claims priority to JP 2018-141911 filed Jul. 28, 2018, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a bucket tip end cover attached to a tip end side of a bucket for a shovel machine. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     For example, for a bucket of a shovel machine such as a power shovel or a shovel loader, multiple adaptors are fixed to a tip end of the bucket at predetermined intervals. For example, a claw-shaped tooth as a drilling tool is attached to a tip end of each adaptor. The tooth protrudes from the tip end of the bucket. 
     Patent Literature 1 describes that a bucket tip end cover (a shroud) is fixed to a tip end of a bucket exposed between adjacent teeth. The bucket tip end cover is fixed to the bucket tip end, and therefore, the bucket tip end is protected. Generally, the bucket tip end cover is made of metal such as casting iron, and is fixed to the plate-shaped bucket tip end by welding. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PATENT LITERATURE 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-245529 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     The interval of adjacent adaptors (i.e., a tooth interval) varies according to the type and size of the bucket. Thus, for properly covering and protecting the bucket tip end between the adaptors, multiple types of bucket tip end covers with different sizes are preferably prepared for various different adaptor intervals. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to prepare the multiple types of bucket tip end covers in advance, considering a manufacturing cost and inventory control. 
     The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described point, and is intended to modify a configuration of a bucket tip end cover to enhance even protection of a tip end of a bucket with different adaptor intervals. 
     Solution to the Problems 
     The present disclosure relates to a bucket tip end cover fixed to a tip end of a bucket exposed in a state in which drilling tools are each attached to adaptors to protect the tip end of the bucket, the adaptors being provided at a predetermined interval at the bucket. The bucket tip end cover includes a first cover member and a second cover member arranged at the tip end of the bucket between adjacent ones of the adaptors. The first cover member and the second cover member are fixed to the bucket in a state in which an entire width in an arraying direction of the adaptors is adjusted in such a manner that each cover member relatively moves in the arraying direction. The first cover member includes a first base portion provided along an inner surface or an outer surface of the bucket, and a first front end portion standing at a front end of the first base portion to cover the tip end of the bucket. The second cover member includes a second base portion provided along the inner surface or the outer surface of the bucket, and a second front end portion standing at a front end of the second base portion to cover the tip end of the bucket. A cutout portion is formed at the substantially center of the first base portion. A center protruding portion having a front surface configured to support a back surface of the cutout portion is formed at the second base portion. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     According to the present disclosure, even protection of a tip end of a bucket with different adaptor intervals can be enhanced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an enlarged partial plan view of a tip end of a bucket attached to a bucket tip end cover in a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a first cover member. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the first cover member. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a second cover member. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the second cover member. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is narrowed. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is narrowed. 
         FIG. 15  is a plan view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is narrowed. 
         FIG. 16  is a front view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is narrowed. 
         FIG. 17  is a bottom view of the bucket tip end cover whose width is narrowed. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a bucket tip end cover whose width is expanded in a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a first cover member. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a second cover member. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, the present embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments below. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is an enlarged partial plan view of a tip end  6  of a bucket  5  attached to a bucket tip end cover  1  in the present embodiment.  FIGS. 2 to 4  are perspective views of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is expanded.  FIG. 5  is a plan view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is expanded.  FIG. 6  is a front view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is expanded.  FIG. 7  is a side view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is expanded.  FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is expanded. 
     In the present embodiment, a lower side as viewed in  FIGS. 1 and 5  will be referred to as a “front side,” and an upper side as viewed in these figures will be referred to as a “back side.” Thus, a tip end side of the bucket  5  is the “front side.” 
     Although not shown in the figure, the bucket  5  is mounted on an arm of a power shovel. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , multiple adaptors  7  are provided at predetermined intervals at the tip end  6  of the bucket  5 . Note that in  FIG. 1 , part of the tip end  6  of the bucket  5  is illustrated in close-up, and therefore, only two adaptors are illustrated in the figure. However, three or more adaptors  7  may be provided at the bucket  5 . 
     The tip end  6  of the bucket  5  is formed in a plate shape. The adaptors  7  are fixed to the tip end  6  of the bucket  5  by welding. A tooth  8  as a drilling tool is attached to each adaptor  7 . Moreover, the bucket tip end cover  1  is attached to the tip end  6  of the bucket  5  between adjacent ones of the adaptors  7 . The bucket tip end cover  1  is for protecting the tip end  6  of the bucket  5 , and is fixed to the tip end  6  of the bucket  5  by welding. 
     The bucket tip end cover  1  includes multiple cover members  10 ,  20  arranged at the tip end  6  of the bucket  5  between adjacent ones of the adaptors  7 . The multiple cover members  10 ,  20  are configured such that each cover member  10 ,  20  is fixed to the bucket  5  in a state in which the cover members  10 ,  20  relatively move in an arraying direction (the direction of an arrow A as a right-to-left direction in  FIG. 1 ) of the adaptors  7  to adjust an entire width in the arraying direction A. Hereinafter, details will be described. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are perspective views of a first cover member.  FIGS. 11 and 12  are perspective views of a second cover member. The multiple cover members  10 ,  20  include a first cover member  10  and a second cover member  20  made of casting iron, for example. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the first cover member  10  has a first base portion  11  provided along an inner surface (a near side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) or an outer surface (a far side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) of the bucket  5 , and a first front end portion  12  standing at a front end of the first base portion  11  to cover the tip end  6  of the bucket  5 . The first base portion  11  of the present embodiment is provided along the outer surface (the far side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) of the bucket  5 . 
     The first base portion  11  has a plate-shaped flat plate portion  13 , and an edge portion  14  formed at the side of the flat plate portion  13 . The edge portion  14  is provided on the opposite side of the flat plate portion  13  from the second cover member  20 . An inclined surface  15  is formed at the edge portion  14 , and a welding portion is housed between the inclined surface  15  and the surface of the bucket  5 . A first cutout portion  16  is formed at the substantially center of the flat plate portion  13 . The first cutout portion  16  opens to the opposite side of the flat plate portion  13  from the edge portion  14 . For resistance against impact from the front of the bucket  5  or wear, the first front end portion  12  has a relatively-large thickness in a front-to-back direction. 
     On the other hand, the second cover member  20  has a second base portion  21  provided along the inner surface (the near side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) or the outer surface (the far side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) of the bucket  5 , and a second front end portion  22  standing at a front end of the second base portion  21  to cover the tip end  6  of the bucket  5 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . As in the first base portion  11 , the second base portion  21  of the present embodiment is provided along the outer surface (the far side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) of the bucket  5 . 
     The second base portion  21  has a base body  23  and step portions  24  formed on a side of the base body  23  close to the first cover member  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , an inclined surface  25  is formed at the base body  23 , and the welding portion is housed between the inclined surface  25  and the surface of the bucket  5 . Moreover, as illustrated in  FIG. 12 , a protrusion  26  is formed outside (the opposite side of the bucket  5 ) the second base portion  21 . 
     A second cutout portion  27  is formed on a side of the second base portion  21  close to the first cover member  10 . The step portions  24  are provided on both sides of the second cutout portion  27  in the front-to-back direction. In other words, two step portions  24  are provided next to each other in the front-to-back direction at the second base portion  21 , and the second cutout portion  27  is arranged between these two step portions  24 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 5 , the step portions  24  overlap with the flat plate portion  13  of the first cover member  10  in a state in which the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  are assembled with each other. Moreover, the first cutout portion  16  and the second cutout portion  27  form a single long-hole-shaped opening  31  in a state in which the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  are assembled with each other. The opening  31  is for welding the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  to the surface of the bucket  5  at an inner peripheral edge of the opening  31 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the second base portion  21  has a center protruding portion  33  standing on the step portion  24 . The center protruding portion  33  is formed on one of the step portions  24 , and a side surface of the center protruding portion  33  defines part of the second cutout portion  27 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  are perspective views of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is narrowed.  FIG. 15  is a plan view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is narrowed.  FIG. 16  is a front view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is narrowed.  FIG. 17  is a bottom view of the bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is narrowed. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 13 to 17 , the bucket tip end cover  1  is configured such that the width of the bucket tip end cover  1  is narrowed in such a manner that the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  relatively move in an approaching direction. Then, the bucket tip end cover  1  is welded and fixed to the bucket  5  with the bucket tip end cover  1  being adjusted to a desired width. 
     The center protruding portion  33  of the second cover member  20  is configured such that a side surface on the opposite side of the side surface defining the second cutout portion  27  is guided by a side surface of the first cutout portion  16  when the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  are combined and relatively moved right to left. Further, the center protruding portion  33  is provided so that the strength of the second base portion  21  can be enhanced. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the first front end portion  12  includes a first shielding portion  18  configured to shield, from the front, a clearance  35  formed between the first front end portion  12  and the second front end portion  22 . The first shielding portion  18  is configured to shield, from the front, not only the clearance  35  but also a clearance  36  formed between the first base portion and the second base portion. In other words, the first shielding portion  18  shields, from the front, the clearances  35 ,  36  which might be formed at a front end of the bucket tip end cover  1 . 
     A front surface of the second front end portion  22  is configured to guide a back surface of the first shielding portion  18  when the first cover member  10  moves right to left relative to the second cover member  20 . That is, the first shielding portion  18  relatively moves along the front surface of the second front end portion  22 . 
     Further, the second base portion  21  includes a second shielding portion  28  configured to shield, from the back, the clearance  36  formed between the second base portion  21  and the first base portion  11 . A back surface of the first base portion  11  is configured to guide a front surface of the second shielding portion  28  when the first cover member  10  moves right to left relative to the second cover member  20 . That is, the second shielding portion  28  relatively moves along the back surface of the first base portion  11 . 
     In a state in which the entire width in the arraying direction A of the adaptors  7  is adjusted by relative movement of the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  in the arraying direction A, the bucket tip end cover  1  is fixed to the bucket  5  by welding. 
     Thus, according to the first embodiment, the bucket tip end cover  1  includes the multiple cover members (the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20 ), and therefore, the width of the bucket tip end cover  1  in the arraying direction A of the adaptors  7  can be adjusted as necessary in such a manner that each cover member (the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20 ) relatively moves in the arraying direction A. Thus, even for the bucket  5  with different intervals of the tooth  8 , the width of the bucket tip end cover  1  is changed as necessary according to the interval of the tooth  8  so that protection of the tip end  6  of the bucket  5  can be enhanced. 
     When the first cover member  10  and the second cover member  20  are separated from each other to expand the width of the bucket tip end cover  1 , the clearance  35  is formed between the first front end portion  12  of the first cover member  10  and the second front end portion  22  of the second cover member  20 . In the present embodiment, it is configured such that the clearance  35  is shielded from the front by the first shielding portion  18 . Thus, not only the strength of a front end portion of the bucket tip end cover  1  having the first front end portion  12  and the second front end portion  22  is enhanced, but also entrance of dirt etc. into the clearance  35  from the tip end side (i.e., the front of the bucket  5 ) of the bucket  5  upon a drilling process can be prevented. Further, not only the clearance  35  between the first front end portion  12  and the second front end portion  22  but also the clearance  36  between the first base portion  11  and the second base portion  21  can be shielded by the first shielding portion  18 . Thus, entrance of dirt etc. into these clearances  35 ,  36  from the front can be prevented. 
     By operation of the arm of the power shovel, the bucket  5  not only moves forward to the tip end side, but also moves backward to the opposite side. In the present embodiment, it is configured such that the clearance  36  between the first base portion  11  and the second base portion  21  is shielded from the back by the second shielding portion  28 . Thus, entrance of dirt etc. into the clearance  36  from the back of the bucket upon drilling of dirt etc. or a leveling process for dirt etc. can be prevented. 
     The front surface of the second front end portion  22  can support the back surface of the first shielding portion  18 . In addition, the front surface of the second shielding portion  28  can support the back surface of the first base portion  11 , and a front surface of the center protruding portion  33  can support a back surface of the first cutout portion. Thus, the first cover member  10  can be firmly supported by the second cover member  20 . Thus, the bucket tip end cover  1  of the present embodiment has enhanced strength against impact from the front upon the drilling process. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 18 to 20 .  FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a bucket tip end cover  1  whose width is expanded in the second embodiment.  FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a first cover member  10 .  FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a second cover member  20 . Note that configurations similar to those of the first embodiment above will not be described. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 18 to 20 , the bucket tip end cover  1  of the second embodiment is configured such that a first front end portion  12  of the first cover member  10  includes a third shielding portion  38  in addition to a first shielding portion  18 . The third shielding portion  38  is configured to shield a clearance  35  formed between a first front end portion  12  and a second front end portion  22  from a protruding side (i.e., an upper side in  FIG. 18 ) of the second front end portion  22  from a second base portion  21 . The third shielding portion  38  is formed integrally with the first shielding portion  18 . 
     According to the second embodiment, the first shielding portion  18  and the third shielding portion  38  are integrally formed so that the entire strength of the first front end portion  12  can be enhanced. In addition, entrance of dirt etc. into the clearance  35  between the first front end portion  12  and the second front end portion  22  upon a drilling process of a bucket  5  can be prevented not only from a tip end side (i.e., the front of the bucket  5 ) of the bucket  5  but also the protruding side (i.e., the upper side in  FIG. 18 ) of the second front end portion  22 . 
     Note that in description above, the example where the first base portion  11  and the second base portion  21  are provided along the outer surface (the far side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) of the bucket  5  has been described. However, the first base portion  11  and the second base portion  21  may be provided along the inner surface (the near side in the plane of paper of  FIG. 1 ) of the bucket  5 . With this configuration, advantageous effects similar to those described above can be also obtained. Moreover, in description above, the example where the bucket tip end cover  1  includes two cover members  10 ,  20  has been described, but the bucket tip end cover  1  may include three or more cover members. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As described above, the present disclosure is useful for a bucket tip end cover attached to a tip end side of a bucket for a shovel machine. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         A arraying direction 
           1  bucket tip end cover 
           5  bucket 
           6  tip end 
           7  adaptor 
           8  tooth (drilling tool) 
           10  first cover member 
           11  first base portion 
           12  first front end portion 
           16  first cutout portion (cutout portion) 
           18  first shielding portion 
           20  second cover member 
           21  second base portion 
           22  second front end portion 
           28  second shielding portion 
           33  center protruding portion 
           35 ,  36  clearance 
           38  third shielding portion