Patent ID: 7266914

Claim:
A lead plate assembly for attachment to an excavator bucket, said excavator bucket comprising: a backshell and a pair of opposed end walls mounted thereto; said back shell and said end walls defining a bucket cavity having a width; said backshell having a lower portion; said end walls being spaced from each other a distance defining a width of said loader bucket, said lead plate assembly comprising: a base plate mounted to said lower portion of said backshell, said base plate extending forwardly thereof, said base plate having a width extending across the width of said loader bucket; said base plate having a leading edge, a first surface oriented inwardly relative to said backshell and a second surface oriented outwardly relative to said backshell; said base plate having bores defined therethrough, said bores being inset from said leading edge; at least one wear segment mounted to said base plate, said wear segment having a leading edge having upper and lower surfaces and oriented forwardly away from said base plate, said lower surface including a region tapering upwardly and forwardly towards said upper surface and forwardly; said wear segment having a trailing portion having an accommodation for said leading edge of said base plate; and said leading edge of said base plate having a male profile; said accommodation of said wear segment having a female profile matching said male profile of said leading edge of said base plate, including said tapering region, said female profile including a first portion engaging said first surface of said base plate and a second portion engaging said second surface of said wear plate; said wear segment having at least one bore formed therein, said bore of said wear segment and a corresponding one of said bores of said base plate being aligned when said male and female profiles are engaged; and said wear segment and said base plate being connected at said aligned bores by an impermanent mechanical fastener mounted across a single connection interface, wherein said trailing portion of said wear segment includes first and second spaced apart flanges and a root section from which said flanges extend rearwardly, said flanges and said root co-operating to define said accommodation.