Patent Abstract:
A locking device for excavating equipment including a C-clamp member and a wedge member, the wedge member having ratchet-type teeth held in position against the C-clamp member by means of an arcuate lock which itself is resiliently mounted within the C-clamp member.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a locking device for excavating equipment and, more particularly, to a device including a C-shaped clamp member and a wedge member useful in securing an adapter to the lip of a shovel dipper bucket, etc. 
     This invention is related to the co-pending application of Frederick C. Hahn and Larren F. Jones, Ser. No. 112,160, filed Jan. 16, 1980 to which reference may be made for additional details of construction not specified here. 
     For years, workers in the excavating tooth fastening art have been entrigued by the idea of using corrugated pins and locks to develop greater holding power in the lock. In this connection, reference may be made to co-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,126,654 and 4,061,432. In some instances, the art workers have gone to a ratchet type of corrugation--see U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,932--because of the ease of installation but the greater resistance to inadvertent disassembly. However, conventional ratchets as seen in the &#39;932 patent are unsatisfactory because when it does comes time to disassemble, this is very difficult. 
     The mutually exclusive problems of good, strong holding power during operation yet easy disassembly when desired have been reconciled according to the instant invention which makes use of a unique lock engaging the ratchet which is partly metal and partly resilient material such as rubber and which is conveniently upsetable when disassembly is indicated. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention is described in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a dipper lip equipped with an adapter and showing the inventive lock in the process of assembly; 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the lock installed in place with the lock parts in section to show engagement thereof and in which the lock is in the process of being disassembled; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially broken away showing the working parts of the inventive lock; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the sight line 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the arcuate lock portion of the invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of the C-clamp showing the locking shoulders which releasably restrain the arcuate lock member in position until disassembly is indicated. 
    
    
     In the illustration given and with reference first to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates generally a portion of the lip of an excavating machine such as the shovel dipper, drag line bucket, etc., and which is equipped with a plurality of spaced apart openings slightly rearward of the forward edge of the lip--one of which is indicated at 11. Straddling the lip 11 is an adapter 12 equipped with the usual forwardly projecting nose 13 for the receipt of a point (not shown). For the purpose of straddling the lip 10, the adapter 12 is equipped with rearwardly extending legs 14 and 15 each of which is equipped with a lock receiving opening as at 16 and 17, respectively. In FIG. 1, a C-shaped clamp member 18 shown installed in the aligned openings 16, 11, 17. 
     Cooperating with the clamp member 18 in locking the adapter 12 in place on the lip 10 is a wedge member 19 and a lock member generally designated 20. The way the members 18-20 are assembled can be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 3. 
     In FIG. 3, it is seen that the wedge member 19 is equipped with a rear face 21 on which are provided a plurality of serrations in the form of ratchet teeth 22. The wedge shape is developed by longitudinally tapering the front wall 23 relative to the rear face 21. As can be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 4, the ratchet teeth 22 are narrower than the wedge 19 and are rearwardly tapered so as to sit within a correspondingly contoured slot 24 in the clamp member 18. 
     Referring again to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the clamp member 18 adjacent the upper end thereof is equipped with an arcuate passageway 25 in which is received the lock member 20. The lock member 20 has a forward portion as at 20a which is constructed of metal and terminates in a sloping face to develop a contour corresponding to that of the ratchet teeth. The rear portion 20b of the lock member 20 is constructed of resilient material such as rubber and is suitably bonded to the forward portion 20a. The rear portion 20b is seen in a temporary holding position by virtue of shoulders 26 provided within the passageway 25. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that a screwdriver S is in the process of being inserted within the upper end 27 of the passageway 25 for the purpose of dislodging the resilient portion 20b from its &#34;held&#34; position under the shoulders 26. By bending the resilient portion 20b to the dotted line position designated 28 in FIG. 3, the lock between the lock member 20 and the wedge member 19 is released so that the lock member 20 can move further into the passageway 25 when the wedge member 19 is moved upwardly--as by applying force to the bottom thereof as at 19a by a sledge, hammer, etc. 
     The C-shaped clamp member 18 is reversible by virtue of being symmetrical about a mid-plane and is equipped with a lower passageway 25&#39; (see FIG. 6) should the member 18 be inserted in reverse fashion from that shown in FIG. 3. 
     In the operation of the invention, the lock member 20 is normally inserted into the C-shaped clamp member 18 from the front, i.e., into the slot 24 defined between the sidewalls or flutes 29. This insures that the resilient portion 20b will engage the shoulders 26 with minimum of difficulty. This disposes the forward portion 20a between the flutes 29 and serves as a ratchet or pawl for the ratchet teeth 22 of the wedge member 19. Thereafter the wedge member 19 is inserted in the fashion depicted in FIG. 1 with the lock member 20 sliding along the sloping portions of the teeth 22 until the wedge member 19 is fully engaged. During this operation, the resilient portion 20b is alternately compressed and relaxed, the compression being implemented by virtue of bores 30 (see FIG. 5) within the resilient portion 20b. Simultaneous with the foregoing, the flutes 29 not only serve to guide the wedge member 19 but by lateral confinement serve to stabilize the movement into a linear downward movement and thus insure proper engagement of the lock member 20 therewith. The arrangement of the teeth 22 and the flutes 29 (see FIG. 4) in what might be considered a trapezoidal shape makes for an effective lock irrespective of dimensional variations arising out of casting techniques. Further, it is advantageous to undercut the teeth 22 slightly as at 22a (see FIG. 3) which avoids the possibility of build-up of material within the spaces between adjacent teeth and which might impair the seat between the teeth of the lock member 20. Thus, each time the wedge member 19 is to be reinstalled, it can be quickly cleaned of clinging debris by means of a wire brush or like available tool. 
     When removal of the adapter 12 is indicated, the previously referred to operation depicted in FIG. 2 is performed. The screwdriver S is inserted into the slot 31 (see FIG. 6) developed between the shoulders 26 so as to engage the upper end of the lock member 20 and pivot it to the dotted line position designated 28 wherein the resilient portion 20b now is disposed in the passageway enlargement 25a (see FIG. 6). 
     After the wedge member 19 has been removed, the lock member 20 is readily pushed back into the locking position shown in FIG. 3. The relaxed configuration of the lock member 20 is that illustrated in solid line in FIG. 3 wherein the resilient portion 20b is defined by essentially flat front and rear surfaces as contrasted to the arcuate front and rear surfaces of the forward metal portion 20a. This also facilitates the insertion of the lock member 20 into the passageway 25 at the time of initial assembly. 
     While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention has been set down for the purpose of illustration, many variations in the details hereingiven may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4