Patent ID: 7516564

Claim:
Ground engaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; a wear member releasably positioned on said support structure and extending in a front-to-rear direction along a first axis; a connector receiving passage extending through said support structure and said wear member along a second axis transverse to said first axis; and a hammerless connector system extending through said connector receiving passage and releasably retaining said wear member on said support structure, said connector system comprising: a spool structure extending through a rear portion of said connector receiving passage, said spool structure having a rear surface portion bearing against said wear member, and a front surface portion, a wedge structure longitudinally extending through a central portion of said connector receiving passage and having nonparallel front and rear side surface portions, said rear side surface portion of said wedge structure extending parallel to and slidably engaging said front surface portion of said spool structure, and an adjustment force generating structure disposed in a front portion of said connector receiving passage and having a rear side portion slidingly engaging said front side surface portion of said wedge structure, said adjustment force generating structure being operative to longitudinally drive said wedge structure in selectively opposite directions to selectively expand and permit contraction of said hammerless connector system parallel to said first axis.