BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to ground engaging apparatus including loaders and excavators, and more particularly to a unique hammerless multi-part assembly for the in-field installation and replacement on buckets or shovels (hereinafter "bucket").

[0002] It is well known that replacing conventional wear member protection systems for ground engaging machinery is both a time consuming and dangerous operation to achieve in the field. This process typically exposes the operator to physical harm during the replacement process by way of using hammers, or requires costly and time-consuming third party services, such as off-site welding and fitting facilities to replace worn protection members, which carries significant expense.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a ground-engaging apparatus that is mountable at a distal end of an articulated arm of a ground- excavating machine, wherein the ground-engaging apparatus includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a row for engaging onto ground to be excavated; and wherein the teeth are retained onto a carrier of the ground-engaging apparatus via corresponding locking pins, wherein the locking pins are configured to be ejected automatically after the teeth have undergone a threshold amount of wear, thereby enabling the teeth when worn to be removed and replaced.

[0004] Advantageously, this integrated system requires no tools to fit and remove the digging teeth by way of a novel spring-loaded outwardly expanding locking pin located within the adapter nose. When the digging tooth wear member reaches the end of its useful life, the locking pin is ejected automatically, thereby releasing the worn tooth without the need for hammering or other supplemental tools. [0005] Preferably, elongate axes of the locking pins are substantially orthogonal to corresponding elongate axes of the teeth, and the elongate axes of the locking pins are substantially orthogonal to a principal plane of the carrier of the ground-engaging apparatus.

[0006] Preferably, the locking pins are spring-loaded so that they are ejected when the threshold amount of wear occurs at an underside of the teeth.

[0007] Preferably, the plurality of teeth are mounted via corresponding adapters onto the carrier.

[0008] Preferably, the adapters are slide mountable into corresponding retaining slots of the carrier, such that the adapters can also be slidably demounted from the carrier.

[0009] Preferably, the retaining slots are arranged in a tapered configuration such that retention of the adapters is progressively enhanced as the adapters are slid into their respective slots of the carrier.

[0010] Preferably, the retaining slots are configured as a set of converging rails that are converging in a direction from frontward to rearward of the adapters.

[0011] Preferably, the ground-engaging apparatus further comprises a shroud protection member having extended tabs along both long edges of the shroud protection member, such that the extended tabs mate with channels disposed in side walls of the adjacent adapters when the shroud protection member is pushed rearwards into the channels.

[0012] Preferably, the shroud protection member is frustrum shaped with a rearward extending portion having a smaller cross sectional width that expands laterally toward a forward facing edge when slotted into the channels disposed in the side walls of the adapters.

[0013] Preferably, the ground-engaging apparatus further comprises a front protection member having recessed pocket rails disposed underside the front protection member, such that the front protection member can be secured against the corresponding set of converging rails on the adapter prior to the adapter being installed onto the carrier. [0014] Preferably, the ground-engaging apparatus further includes side members that are mountable substantially at elongate ends of the carrier to provide lateral wear protection to the distal end of the articulated arm of the ground-excavating machine.

[0015] Preferably, the side members have 180° rotational symmetry, and are designed to be mountable in at least two angular orientations mutually 180° apart in respect of the ground-engaging apparatus.

[0016] Preferably, the side members are configured to abut onto the carrier, such that the carrier prevents rotation of the side members when the ground-engaging apparatus is in use for excavating ground.

[0017] Preferably, the side members are configured to be connected to the ends of the groundengaging apparatus by a fastening means disposed within a recessed pocket formed in outer walls of the side members.

[0018] Preferably, at least one of the locking pins includes a plurality of cylinders of mutually different diameters that are co-axially arranged with increasing diameters therein, with a cylinder having a largest diameter of the plurality of cylinders forming a second portion of the at least one locking pin.

[0019] Preferably, at least one of the teeth has a substantially frustum-shaped wall defining a cavity therein, wherein the cavity has a smaller cross-section frontward within the at least one of the teeth, and a larger cross-section rearward within the at least one of the teeth.

[0020] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a tooth for a ground-engaging apparatus, wherein the tooth is elongate and has a cutting edge at a first end of the tooth, and a recessed tapered cavity at a second end of the tooth, wherein the tooth is provided with an aperture on a lower ground-contacting wall of the cavity, wherein the aperture is configured to restrain a locking pin to maintain the tooth in a mounted state until a threshold amount of wear has occurred to the lower ground-contacting wall of the cavity. [0021] Preferably, the aperture of the tooth is formed such that it has a frustum shaped first section and a cylindrical shaped second section.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an adapter for a groundengaging apparatus, wherein the adapter at its first end is configured to engage into a cavity of a tooth and be retained therein by a locking pin that is automatically ejected after the tooth has undergone a threshold amount of wear, and the adapter at its second end is configured to slidably engage into a tapered slot of a carrier of the ground-engaging apparatus.

[0023] Preferably, the first end of the adapter is formed such that it has a frustum shaped first section and a cylindrical shaped second section.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for configuring a ground-engaging apparatus that is mountable at a distal end of an articulated arm of a groundexcavating machine, wherein the method includes mounting a carrier onto the distal end of the articulated arm; mounting a plurality of teeth arranged in a row in respect of the carrier for engaging onto ground to be excavated, wherein the teeth are retained onto a carrier of the ground-engaging apparatus via corresponding locking pins; and arranging for the locking pins to be ejected automatically after the teeth have undergone a threshold amount of wear, thereby enabling the teeth when worn to be removed and replaced.

[0025] Preferably, the method includes arranging for elongate axes of the locking pins to be substantially orthogonal to corresponding elongate axes of the teeth, and the elongate axes of the locking pins to be substantially orthogonal to a principal plane of the carrier of the ground-engaging apparatus.

[0026] Preferably, the method includes arranging for the locking pins to be spring-loaded so that they are ejected when the threshold amount of wear occurs at an underside of the teeth.

[0027] Preferably, the method includes mounting the plurality of teeth via corresponding adapters onto the carrier. [0028] Preferably, the method includes slide mounting the adapters into corresponding retaining slots of the carrier, such that the adapters can be slidably demounted from the carrier.

[0029] Preferably, the method includes mounting ground-engaging apparatus side members substantially at elongate ends of the carrier to provide lateral wear protection to the distal end of the articulated arm of the ground-excavating machine.

[0030] Preferably, the side members have 180° rotational symmetry, and are designed to be mountable in at least two angular orientations mutually 180° apart in respect of the ground-engaging apparatus.

[0031] Preferably, the side members are mounted to the ground-engaging apparatus by manually removable fastening means such that the side members can be rotated after unfastening the fastening means and be reused when one side of the side members has worn out.

[0032] Preferably, the method includes configuring the side members to abut onto the carrier, such that the carrier prevents rotation of the side members when the ground-engaging apparatus is in use for excavating ground.

[0033] Preferably, the method includes arranging for at least one of the locking pins to include a plurality of cylinders of mutually different diameters that are co-axially arranged with increasing diameters therein, with a cylinder having a largest diameter of the plurality of cylinders forming a second portion of the at least one locking pin.

[0034] Preferably, the method includes arranging for at least one of the teeth to have a substantially frustum shaped wall defining a cavity therein, wherein the cavity has a smaller cross-section frontward within the at least one of the teeth, and a larger cross-section rearward within the at least one of the teeth.

[0035] Preferably, the method includes installing a front protection member prior to the adapter being installed onto the carrier, wherein the front protection member includes recessed pocket rails disposed underside the front protection member such that the front protection member can be secured against a corresponding set of converging rails on the adapter. [0036] Advantageously, by utilizing the power of the excavator’s hydraulic arm, an innovative hammerless system has been invented to install and remove the replacement adapters and lip shrouds without endangering the operator or requiring expensive and time-consuming off-site maintenance facilities.

[0037] Moreover, the disclosed approach to the side plate wear member assembly enables one plate to be used twice by rotating the wear member. This provides twice the useful operational life of each side plate wear member compared to a conventional system. A hammerless connection system is designed to remove the requirement of welding the side plate wear member, minimizing the required connection points, thereby reducing the weight of the component, whilst improving its position better enabling the force of the corner tooth to be better transferred via the side plate wear member to the bucket walls. Furthermore, the design of this side protection wear member enables fine loose dust and debris to be compacted into an internal channel disposed between the interior wall of the side plate and the exterior wall of the bucket, thereby creating a solid and compacted additional support member removing an additional wearing movement point between the side protector and the bucket thereby prolonging life of the apparatus.

[0038] The simplification of the attachment mechanisms removes the requirement for costly tooling systems, enabling a rapid installation and replacement of wear members in the field whilst removing the dangers associated with typical wear member replacement operations.

[0039] The novel connector system designs between the tooth, adapter, lip, shroud protector and side protection plates remove many of the traditional fixing mechanisms of the past, achieving a significant reduction in the gross weight of the bucket, providing a substantial savings in fuel and emissions whilst increasing the gross volume of materials that can be moved within a given period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of a loader bucket employing the fully assembled hammerless wear member replacement system of this invention; [0041] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fully assembled hammerless wear member replacement system of the present invention, in this instance illustrating the removable teeth option;

[0042] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembled hammerless wear member system from FIG. 2;

[0043] FIG. 4 is an isometric, plan and quarter section view of the replaceable wear member tooth from FIG.2, FIG. 3, FIG. 6 & FIG.7 of this invention;

[0044] FIG. 5 is a plan, isometric and perspective cross sectional view of the adapter as seen in FIG.2 and FIG. 3;

[0045] FIG. 6 contains a cross sectional view illustrating the novel automatic tooth locking system and a perspective view of a single the adapter and tooth system from FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, illustrating the dimensional relationships between the two components once they have been locked together;

[0046] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective partial cross sectional and sectional view of the tooth, adapter and locking mechanism;

[0047] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional sequence view of illustrating the physical relationship between the tooth, adapter and automatic locking system seen in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 & FIG. 6 as it moves from initial position to full locked position;

[0048] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fully assembled hammerless wear member replacement system of the present invention, in this embodiment illustrating the “no-drop” claw option;

[0049] FIG.10 is an enlarged plan and isometric view of the Front system which makes up part of the system of this invention as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 & FIG. 9;

[0050] FIG. 11 is a perspective and section view of the combined adapter and tooth in one unit called the Claw, which makes up part of this invention;

[0051] FIG. 12 is a front, side and perspective view of the side cutter rotatable protection system that makes up part of this invention; [0052] FIG. 13 is enlarged partial perspective views and side view of the loader bucket illustrating the connections to the system of this invention;

[0053] FIG. 14 is a side, plan and projection view of the quick release lip shroud protector solution which makes up part of this invention, as seen in FIGI, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 9 and FIG. 13;

[0054] FIG. 15 is a side and perspective view of a front protection solution with the claw according to another embodiment of the invention; and

[0055] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a side plate wear member connected to the bucket according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0056] The present invention is directed to a hammerless on-site replaceable wear member assembly solution for use in ground engaging apparatus of the type illustrated in FIG.1. The system illustrated comprises various components including wear member assembly components that are often necessary to change due to high impact and abrasive actions during the normal operation of such ground engaging apparatus.

[0057] Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a ground engaging apparatus of the type generally indicated at 50 includes a bucket floor 52, a bucket front 4 having a leading edge 53, and side walls indicated respectively at 54 and 55.

[0058] A cutting edge assembly 56 is set forth in greater detail below. The general configuration and operating advantages of the cutting edge assembly 56 is best shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 & FIG. 9. Typically, the cutting edge assembly 56 includes a plurality of digging teeth 1 or 28 being arranged in a spaced apart relation across the leading edge 53 of the bucket front 4 (also referred to as a carrier).

[0059] Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, in this embodiment of the invention, it may be seen that the digging teeth 1 are connected to the leading edge 53 by way of an intermediate adapter arm 2 (simply referred to as “adapter” hereinafter) which connects securely the abutments of the adapter 2 and the bucket front 4 by way of a tool-less wedge locking system. [0060] Said wedge locking system functions due to the dual action of (1) the converging angles of rails 15 on the adapter 2 which creates increasing tightness of contact with the abutments of the similar converging recessed pocket rails 33 and 34 in the bucket front 4 as the adapter 2 continues to be inserted further into the bucket front 4; (2) the compound angles of the rails in the bucket front 4 which are reciprocated in the adapter rails 15 perpendicular to the angles contained in the pocket converging rails 33 and 34. Greater detail of the bucket front 4 may be seen in FIG. 10.

[0061] Using no specialized insertion tools, the operator can load the adapters 2 into the railed wedge pockets in the bucket front 4 until a safe holding friction fit is achieved between the two components. Thereafter, by inverting the bucket 50 and using the force of the hydraulic arm of the ground engagement apparatus, the adapters 2 are further pressed into the wedge pockets of the bucket front 4. Therefore, a final seated position for working operation of the digging teeth is achieved without use of any additional tools.

[0062] Referring particularly to FIG. 3, once the full and correct seating of the adapter 2 into the bucket front 4 has been achieved, a set screw 24 is inserted and tightened into the rear of the adapter 2 gaining access through the bucket front 4 via an aperture 10. The purpose of the set screw insertion is to create a conflict between the adapter 2 and the bucket front 4 to prevent the adapter 2 from premature retraction of the rails 15 along the pocket rails 33 and 34 embedded in the bucket front 4. This keeps the adapter safe from falling out before schedule preventing potential operator injury.

[0063] Upon reaching the end of useful life of the wear member adapter 2, the operator removes the setscrew 24, thereby enabling the adapter to be reversed along the pocket rails 33 and 34 in the bucket front 4 for removal. In order to free the tight friction seating of the adapter 2 into the bucket front 4, a pneumatic hammer attachment, commonly used in concert with earthmoving machines and therefore readily available on-site, may be required to provide a percussive tapping action to the rear face of the adapter 2 in order to loose it from its high-friction wedge lock position within the bucket front 4. Following the removal of the worn adapter 4, a new unit can be installed on-site without need of additional tools, or off-site facilities and services. Notedly, this significantly reduces downtime of the apparatus, thereby improving productivity on the working machines. [0064] It is a common practice to immediately retire the digging bucket due to a single adapter breakage, as additional stress and damage can occur to other bucket components with conventional welded or bolt-through adapter attachments. However, referring particularly to FIG. 3, unlike conventional adapters that are connected to the front lip of a bucket, even when the adapter has been damaged or reached the end of its operational life, there is no need to immediately retire the digging bucket due to the length of the adapter when measured from the front surface 53 of the bucket front 4.

[0065] Typically, the length of adapters employed on conventional bucket fronts allows very little physical distance to be maintained between the leading edge 53 and the cutting tooth 1. The adapter 4 in this embodiment of the invention increases the physical distance between the bucket front 4 and the cutting assembly 56 by at least 300%. This significantly increased separation enables a safe and continuous operation of the ground engaging apparatus for a prolonged period of time subsequent to a breakage of an adapter. This would otherwise require the bucket to be taken out of service immediately in order to avoid further costly damage to the supporting wear member assemblies.

[0066] Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the wear member tooth 1 is formed in a frustum shape with the smallest cross section frontwards and the larger cross section rearwards. The tooth 1 comprises a pocket 40 in the rear face to receive the nose of the adapter 2, where when fully seated, connects with the deepest internal face 41 of the tooth. It is to be noted that sufficient tolerance is maintained between the deepest internal face 41 of the tooth 1 and the nose of the adapter 2 so that they do not connect.

[0067] Referring particularly to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, the interior abutments of the tooth pocket 40 are linear in surface design in order to mate with the adapter 2 in seven separate sections depicted by 42, 43, 44, 45, combined with the lower internal abutment on the tooth pocket with the lower surface of the adapter, comprising seven connecting mating points in total.

[0068] In this embodiment of the invention, the lower exterior edge of the tooth 1 comprises a surface with an unequal thickness of material when compared to the remaining three exterior faces. Material has been removed from an area of the lower exterior face 39 where it is aligned with an aperture 21 that leads to the internal pocket of the tooth 1. When the tooth has been firmly seated on the adapter nose, the elliptical aperture 21 is in axial alignment with the recessed pocket 47 contained within the adapter nose 2. The purpose of reducing the wall thickness 39 of the underlying exterior face is to accelerate the erosion of the wear member wall surrounding the aperture 21 during normal operation of the ground engaging apparatus. This removes the conflicting material holding the lock pin 31 in place, which in turn will loose from its pocket 47, removing the locked connection between the adapter 2 and the tooth 1, which can then be removed with minimal effort and without the need of specialized tools.

[0069] Referring particularly to FIG. 5, one of the features of the present invention is to facilitate the installation and removal of the digging tooth 1 onto the adapter 2 without requiring tools. Each adapter 2 contains a pre-inserted lock pin 31 that is mounted on a spring 32 both of which are inserted into a pocket 47 located within the nose of the adapter 2 prior to the insertion of the tooth’s receiving pocket 40. The present embodiment of the invention utilizes a rubber cylinder as the spring 32, which is received into a cylindrical pocket in the base of the lock pin 31. However, in other embodiments of the invention any suitable material that can provide the necessary and sustained spring rate to force outward the internal lock pin 31 may be substituted.

[0070] Referring particularly to FIG. 8, the initial friction hold between the adapter 2 and the tooth 1 is achieved by way of the spring loaded lock pin 31 contained inside a pocket 47 disposed inside the nose of the adapter 2 connecting with the lower internal abutment of the tooth pocket 40 at the same time as the top surface of the nose of adapter 2 begins to mate with the upper internal abutment of the pocket of the tooth 1 (see Detail D). Once the tooth 1 is seated well enough by friction against the adapter 2 without requiring external physical support, by using the hydraulic arm of the ground engaging apparatus, the bucket 50, adapter 2 and tooth 1 are inverted facing down towards the ground and the forward edge of the tooth is pressed against a hard surface. This action forces a tighter fit between the tooth 1 and the adapter 2, making solid connections between the seven separate surfaces of the adapter’s nose contained within areas marked 42, 43, 44 and 45.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 8, as the tooth 1 is installed and reaches the midway point between insertion and final seated position, the constriction of space between the internal abutment of the lower wall of the tooth’s pocket and the external face of the lock pin 31 causes the spring 32 to be compressed within the chamber of the pocket 47 located within the nose of the adapter 2. This causes the spring 32, which may be formed of rubber, to expand laterally to be displaced momentarily into the annular space afforded within the pocket 47 (see Detail E). As the tooth continues to be seated deeper into the nose of the adapter, the elliptical aperture 21 of the tooth 1 aligns axially with the lock pin 31 enabling the lock pin to escape outwardly into the aperture 21, in incremental steps allowed by the concentric stepped leading edge of the lock pin 31.

[0072] This escapement is increased as the alignment of lock pin 31 and aperture 21 improves. The shape of the lock pin’s 31 nose section is a collection of concentric stepped cylinders, with the narrowest diameter cylinder at the leading section of the lock pin, increasing in stepped diameters towards the base of the pin that abuts the spring 32. As the lock pin 31 gains greater axial alignment with the elliptical aperture 21 of the tooth 1, additional widths of the lock pin cylinders are projected into the elliptical aperture, thereby achieving greater locking connection as the tooth is driven to its final position on the adapter 2.

[0073] The base of the lock pin 31 has a diameter greater than that of the elliptical aperture, creating a conflict that holds the tooth 1 hard against the nose of the adapter 2 until such time as the underside of the tooth 39 is worn away during normal operation of the apparatus. Following which, the diameter of the base of the lock pin 31 can escape from the adapter pocket 47 by way of the enlarged aperture in the tooth 1, particularly due to the removal of the reduced wall material on the lower face 39, releasing the locking mechanism securing the tooth 1 and enabling it to be removed without the need for specialized tools or hammering.

[0074] Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 12, the side protection wear member 5 incorporates a symmetry that enables twice the useful life of a conventional side protection wear member. This is due to enabling the operator on site, without needing cutting and welding equipment, to rotate the side protection wear member 5 by releasing a single nut 7 which frees the wear member from its locked position against the bucket front 4, the two bullets 6 and the bucket sides 54 or 55. In this embodiment of the invention, the chamfered surface 14 serves two purposes (1) creating a buffer zone between the typically convex welding bead that exists to secure the bucket front 4 to the bucket sides 54 or 55; and (2) creating an internal channel between the exterior of the bucket wall 54 or 55, the top surface of the bucket front 4 and the internal wall 14 of the side plate wear member which enables fine silt, dust and debris which is churned up during the normal course of apparatus operation, to become compacted inside said channel, which in turn impedes the possibility of movement between the side protection wear member 5, the bucket front 4 and the bucket walls 54 or 55. This greatly reduces the typical movement associated with conventional bolt-on side protection wear member systems, thereby increasing the useful lifetime of the wear member before replacement is required.

[0075] Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 & 12, the side plate wear member 5 is disposed of a lower face 29 that mates with the top surface of the corner tooth 28, or the adapter 2, joining with a zerotolerance contact. This enables a greater transfer of load from the tooth 28 or adapter 2 to the bucket assembly 50, 52, 54 & 55, thereby reducing the strain on the bucket front 4 and the cutting edge assembly 56.

[0076] Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 12, the side plate wear member 5 is connected to the bucket sides 54 or 55 by a single locking nut 7 and threaded bar 9 which screws into a reciprocal thread machined into the side plate 5. Once attached to the side plate 5, the threaded bar 9 is then secured to a recess on the inside surface of the bucket wall 54 or 55 by way of the locking nut 7 which is located inside a recessed pocket in the bucket wall. The threaded bar 9 is disposed of a small diameter cylindrical borehole 8 that runs throughout the bar. In this embodiment of the invention, this cylindrical extruded cut enables faster removal of the locking threaded bar at end-of-life should the outer surface of the locking nut 7 have become unusable due to the abrasive nature of normal operation of the apparatus.

[0077] Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 12, spherical steel bullets 6 located symmetrically on either side of the threaded bar 9 are contained within two hemispheric depressions that the spherical bullets 6 mate within. The depth of these hemisphere depressions from the surface of the side plate wear member’s 5 must be marginally less than the radius of the bullet 6 so that when the side plate 5 is tightened against the bucket wall 54 or 55, the bullets 6 will not be completely received into their respective hemispheric depressions within both the side plate 5 and the bucket wall 54 or 55. This creates a tensioning action which will direct all forces received by the side plate 5 toward the bucket assembly via only three points, namely the threaded bar 9 and the two bullets 6. [0078] With particular reference to FIG.10 & 11, in this embodiment of the invention, the previous adapter 2 and digging tooth 1 as shown in FIG. 2 have been combined into a single elongated claw 28. This is particularly suitable for ground engaging applications where the shedding of components which might fall into expensive third party apparatus, such as rock crushing systems would cause timely and costly expense. The claw 28 follows an identical insertion and removal process to the main body of this invention regarding the use of converging rails 33 and 34 pocketed in the bucket front 4, which creates tight and increasing mating with the converging rails 15 located on the top surface of the claw 28. The combination of the adapter and tooth into the claw 28 enables the leading edge of the cutting assembly to be moved further away from the bucket front 4, thereby increasing protection afforded to this wear member edge. Once the claw 28 has been inserted to a full seated position, in an identical manner to the securement of the adapter version 4, a set screw is inserted through aperture 10 in the bucket front 4. This creates an immovable conflict of materials preventing the claw 28 from falling off should it loose its connection with the converging rails system.

[0079] Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 13 and 14, in order to reduce the wear associated with the bucket front 4, especially with the leading edge 53, an integrated hammerless shroud protection system is inserted into channels 12 cut into the sidewalls of the installed adapters 2, or claws 28. The shroud protection system comprises three separate components. A first shroud protector 48, which has extended tabs along both long edges 37, is inserted into channels 12 cut into the sides of the far right and near right adapters 2 or claws 28 that make up the cutting edge assembly 56 and pushed rearwards until a solid mating has occurred between the tabs 37 and channels 12. A second set of shroud protectors 3 which have extended tabs along both long edges 37 is inserted into the channels 12 on the sides of the center adapters 2 or claws 28 and pushed rearwards until a solid mating has occurred between the tabs 37 and the channels 12. A third shroud protector 49, which has extended tabs along both long edges 37, is inserted into the channels 12 cut into the sides of the near left and far left adapters 2 or claws 28 and is pushed rearwards until a solid mating has occurred between the tabs 37 and the channels 12.

[0080] With particular reference to FIGS 13 and 14, the shroud protectors 3, 48 and 49 are frustrum shaped, with the rearward extending portion having a smaller cross sectional width that expands laterally toward the forward facing edge when slotted into the channels 12 disposed in the side walls of the adapters 2, or claws 28. The shroud protector 3, 48 and 49 is pushed rearwards until it is firmly seated and forms a rigid mating due to the converging complimentary angles contained herein between the channels 12 and the extended tabs.

[0081] Referring particularly to FIG. 3, once the shroud protectors 3, 48 and 49, have been firmly seated, a setscrew 25 is inserted into the shroud protectors 3, 48 and 49, via an aperture 23 in the bucket front 4. The purpose of the setscrew 25 is a safety precaution to prevent the shroud protector from retracting along the channels 12 before the end of their useful lifetime. In order to change the shroud protectors, the operator removes the setscrew 25 and applies basic pressure to the rear face of the shroud protector in order to release it from the converging angle wedge lock holding it in operation position between the adapters 2 or the claws 28.

[0082] Referring particularly to FIG. 13, as can be seen in the side view of the installed claw 28, the increased physical distance achieved between the cutting edge when compared to the leading edge 53 of the bucket front 4. This significantly reduces the wear incurred by the lateral wear members 51 that are installed on the underside of the bucket floor 52 and braced from bucket walls 54 to 55.

[0083] Referring particularly to FIG.15, in this embodiment of the invention, the shroud protectors 3, 48 and 49 and side channels 12 (as shown in FIG. 13) have been removed and are replaced by a front protection member (also referred to as “front protector”) 59, which serves to protect the top surface of the tooth 1 and the leading edge 53 of the bucket front 4 from erosion during the normal operation of the ground engaging apparatus. As shown, the front protector 59 is connected directly to the claw 28, by way of a tool-less wedge locking system, providing protection without requiring fixing directly to the bucket front.

[0084] The wedge locking system functions due to the dual action of (1) the converging angles of the rails 15 on the claw 28, which creates increasing tightness of contact with the abutments of the similar converging recessed pocket rails 60 disposed upon the underside of the front protector 59 as the front protector continues to be installed further into the claw 28; (2) the compound angles of the rails in the front protector 59 which are reciprocated in the adapter rails perpendicular to the angles contained in the underside pocket converging rails 60. Greater detail of the installation sequence of front protector 59 being installed onto the wear member claw 28 prior to the claw being installed into bucket front 4 is shown in FIG. 15. [0085] Subsequent to front protector 59 being secured against the rails 15 within the claw 28, the same rails 15 are used to further attach the now assembled claw 28 and the front protector 59 combination to the pocket converging rails 33 and 34 located within the bucket front 4. Once the combination assembly has been installed within the bucket front 4, a set screw 24 is inserted and tightened from the underside of the claw 28 via a threaded aperture 61 running through the entirety of the claw 28 body. This creates a conflict with the underside pocket 62, which is situated within the bottom face of the bucket front 4, acting as a safety mechanism preventing the tooth from sliding out prematurely during operation.

[0086] This present embodiment of the invention removes the requirement for an aperture 10 to be drilled through the bucket front 4, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 & 9. An aperture 61 is provided through the tooth 28, through which the set screw 24 can be tightened against the recessed pocket 62 within the underside of the bucket front 4. This both simplifies the manufacturing process and improves the integrity and durability of the bucket front assembly.

[0087] Due to the novel attachment mechanism employed to hold fast the front protector 59 to the claw 28 without requiring specialized tools, or further complex weldments or additional fixings abutting the bucket front 4, the front protector 59 can be easily changed without incurring the downtime and costs associated with conventional front protection replacement procedures. Once the wear member 28, or adapter 2 has reached the end of its useful life, the front protector 59 will be ejected within the same action as required for retiring the wear member itself.

[0088] Referring particularly to FIG. 16, in this embodiment of the invention, the side plate wear member 5 is connected to the bucket sides 54 or 55 by a fastening means such as a single bolt 57 which is located within a recessed pocket 63 located on the outside wall of the side plate wear member 5. In this embodiment of the invention, the reciprocal receiving thread for securing the side plate wear member 5 with the bolt 57 is removed from the side plate wear member 5 and is instead contained within the bucket wall 54 of 55, allowing sufficient tolerance within the bolt hole aperture dispensed within the side plate wear member to allow the bolt 57 to pass through freely. This mitigates damage that may have occurred to the fixing mechanism when secured on the inside of the bucket wall. The bolt 57 is disposed of a small diameter cylindrical borehole 58 that runs throughout the bar. In this embodiment of the invention, this cylindrical extruded cut enables faster removal of the locking threaded bar at end-of-life should the outer surface of the locking bolt 57 have become unusable due to the abrasive nature of normal operation of the apparatus. In another embodiment, the side plate wear member 5 may be connected to the bucket sides 54 or 55 using a different fastening means such as a threaded bar and loose nut as previously described with reference to FIGs. 2 and 12.

[0089] Referring particularly to FIG. 17, in this embodiment of the invention, the pocket within the wear member tooth 64 is formed such that it originates in a frustum shaped pocket 65 and terminates in a cylindrical shaped pocket 66. The cylindrical shaped pocket 66 has smaller cylindrical cross section frontwards and the larger frustum cross section rearwards. In other words, the tooth 64 comprises a pocket of changing internal dimensions, beginning in a frustum shaped aperture 65, becoming cylindrical 66 in shape towards the deeper section of the pocket, and terminating in a substantially circular pocket 71 on the innermost face.

[0090] In this embodiment of the invention, the shape of the nose of the adapter 72 has been altered to compliment the modified pocket in the wear member tooth 64. The nose begins with a frustum shape 70 which terminates frontwards in a cylindrical cross section 69. This ensures an equal contact between the total surface areas of the cylindrical nose section 69 and the cylindrical pocket 66 of the wear member tooth 64. This therefore reduces both premature wearing of the adapter 72 and the tooth 64, in addition to reducing noise pollution associated with previous embodiments of the invention.

[0091] It is to be noted that the locking pin mechanism 31 in this embodiment is identical to the previous embodiments of this invention. Furthermore, when the tooth 64 is fully seated, a sufficient tolerance is maintained between the deepest internal face 71 of the tooth 64 and the nose of the adapter 72 so that they do not connect.

[0092] In this embodiment of the invention, the lower exterior edge of the tooth 64 comprises a surface with an unequal thickness of material when compared to the remaining three exterior faces. Material has been removed from an area of the lower exterior face 68 where it is aligned with an aperture 67 that leads to the internal pocket of the tooth 64. When the tooth has been firmly seated on the adapter nose, the elliptical aperture 67 is in axial alignment with the recessed pocket contained within the adapter nose 72. The purpose of reducing the wall thickness 68 of the underlying exterior face is to accelerate the erosion of the wear member wall surrounding the aperture 67 during normal operation of the ground engaging apparatus. This removes the conflicting material holding the lock pin 31 in place, which in turn will loose from its pocket, removing the locked connection between the adapter 72 and the tooth 64, which can then be removed with minimal effort and without the need of specialized tools.

[0093] Various other changes and modifications could be made in carrying out the present invention without departing from the scope thereof. Insofar as these changes and modifications are within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of the present invention.