AU659951B2 - Wear resistant blocks and associated retaining insert plates - Google Patents

Description

1659951

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 Name of Applicant Actual Inventors Address for Service PHILLIP JOHN SANTIAGO BLAS PHILLIP JOHN SANTIAGO BLAS

KIDCAFF

KIDCAFF

and and GRANT ADAMS COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Floor SANTOS HOUSE 215 Adelaide Street BRISBANE QUEENSLAND 4000

AUSTRALIA.

WEAR RESISTANT BLOCKS AND ASSOCIATED RETAINING INSERT

PLATES

Invention Title Details of Associated Provisional Applications Numbers PL5911 ft ft The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to us.

T,

THIS INVENTION relates to wear resistant b Zks and associated retaining insert plates.

Earthmoving equipment is subject to impact and abrasion wear on certain areas of the working surfaces (eg. buckets) on the machines and it has been the practice to arrest or alleviate such wear by the application of wear plates or other wear resistant members to the surfaces which have been, or are likely to be, affected.

Examples of such wear plates are described and illustrated in our Australian Patent Numbers 540850 (AU- B-21910/83) and 602440 (AU-B-29800/89).

Although wear plates and wear resistant blocks of their general description have been very effective in use, problems do arise. The manufacture of the wear plates (see 540850), requiring weld fill materials, is expensive and time-consuming. Conversely, the wear blocks with cast (internal) fill material have been both economical to manufacture and resistant to wear, but 20 the tubular or hollow pressed tapering (fill retaining) outer shroud material has not had the expected operational life, often resulting in the loss of the cast infill material due to dislodgement of same from its retaining shroud.

25 It is an object of the present invention to provide a wear resistant block which will not be dislodged from the component to which it is installed.

It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide a simple, efficient means of installing the blocks on the component.

It is a further preferred object to provide a block where the wear cap is supported against impact loads.

Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.

I I 3 In one aspect, the present invention resides in a wear resistant block, incluid.ng: a body having a conbined cap and base which is fabricated or cast from a wear resistant composition material having at least two upwardly inwardly inclined grooves or slots in the underside of the body; and a plurality of upwardly inwardly directed retaining plates, each retaining plate engageable in a respective groove or slot in the body and weldable (or otherwise fixable) to a component to be protected by the wear block, wherein: movement of the body away from the component forces the body into wedging engagement with the retaining plates.

Preferably, the block is square, rectangular, circular, triangular or other shape in plan view.

Where the block is only moved in one direction, a convergent pair of the grooves or slots may be provided in the base to receive the retaining plates.

For a square or rectangular block, it is preferred to provide four grooves or slots, each receiving a respective retaining plate.

Preferably, the corners of the base are relieved to enable the ends of the retaining plates to S•' 25 be welded together.

Preferably, the retaining plates are formed of a readily weldable steel composition.

In a second aspect, the present invention iresides in fitting a wear resistant block to a component 30 to be protected, the block being of the type hereinbefore described, including the steps of: inserting the retaining plates into respective grooves or slots in the base of the body; to welding the ends of adjacent retaining o N ©'iol plates together; locating the block on the component; and welding the retaining plates to the component.

In an alternative aspect, step is effected after step To enable the invention to be fully understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective underside view of a partially assembled wear resistant block; Fig 2 is a similar view showing the block readily for installation; and Fig 3 is a part-sectional end view of the block installed on a component.

Referring to Figs 1 and 2, the block 10 has a body with an integral base 11 and cap 12 fabricated or cast of wear resistant material. The base 11 has four inwardly-inclined slots 13 and a respective recess 14 at each corner allows access to the adjacent ends of the slots 13.

A respective retaining plate 15, of readily weldable steel material, is located in each slot 13 and the ends of adjacent plates 15 are welded, as at 16, access being provided by the respective corner recesses 14.

When the block 10 has been assembled (see Fig it is ready to be installed on a component 17 (eg.

an excavator bucket see Fig 3) where wear protection is required. Each retaining plate 15 is welded along its junction with the component 17, eg. as shown at 18.

(NB: The outer edge 15a of the retaining plates 15 may be made to be parallel to, and rest on, the component 17, or be perpendicular to the faces of the plates 15 to form a wedge-like channel, with the component 17, to be filled with the weld 18.) By use of the retaining plates 15, the block which is of material which is not easily weldable, can be easily mounted on the component 17. The block can be manufactured of a material with a higher wear resistance than would be possible if it had to be of a weldable material for direct welding to the component.

In addition, the retaining plates act to brace or support the block against impact or shock loads.

The retaining plates 15 are protected from wear by the shrouds 19 along the sides of the block (and the welding 18) and their rate of wear will be much less than if exposed to direct wear.

The blocks 10 may be square, rectangular, circular, triangular or any other shape in plan and each may be secured to the component 10 by at least two retaining plates 15 For example, a circular block could have three retaining plates 15 provided in a 20 triangular pattern.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the present invention provides wear resistant blocks which are relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture and instal, and which have excellent 25 wear resistant and impact resistant qualities.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without S. departing from the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

e*e..

c

Claims (12)

1. A wear resistant block including: a body having a combined cap and base which is fabricated or cast from a wear resistant composition material having at least two upwardly, inwardly inclined grooves or slots in the underside of the body; and a plurality of upwardly inwardly directed retaining plates, each retaining plate engageable in a respective groove or slot in the body and weldable (or otherwise fixable) to a component to be protected by the wear block, wherein: movement of the body away from the component forces the body into wedging engagement with the retaining plates.

2. A block as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the block is square, rectangular, circular, triangular, or other shape in plan view.

3. A block as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: where the block is only moved in one direction, a convergent pair of the grooves or slots are provided in the base to receive the retaining plates.

4. A block as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: e* 25 when the block is square or rectangular in plan view, four grooves or slots are provided, each receiving a respective retaining plate.

A block as claimed in Claim 2, or Claims 3 or 4 when dependent on Claim 2, wherein: 30 the base has corners relieved to enable the ends of the retaining plates to be welded together.

6. A block according to any one of Claims 1 to wherein: the retaining plates are formed of a readily weldable steel composition. p7 s ^r SA"/

7. A block as claimed in Claim 2, or any one of Claims 3 to 6 when dependent on Claim 2, wherein: each retaining plate is at least partially protected by a shroud on the cap.

8. A method of fitting a wear resistant block to a component to be protected, the block being of the type as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, the method including the steps of: inserting retaining plates into respective grooves or slots in the base of the body; welding the ends of adjacent retaining plates together; locating the block on the component; and welding the retaining plates to the component.

9. A method as claimed in Claim 10 wherein: step is effected after step

10. A wear resistant block substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 20 accompanying drawings.

11. A method of fitting a wear resistant block to fe.: a component substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A component having at least one wear resistant 25 block, as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 or fitted thereto. DATED this fifteenth day of March 1995. *5*555 PHILLIP JOHN KIDCAFF and SANTIAGO BLAS, By their Patent Attorneys, GRANT ADAMS COMPANY. ABSTRACT A wear resistant block (10) for a component (17) (eg. an excavator bucket) has a cap (11) and base (12) fabricated or cast from wear resistant material. Retaining plates (15) of readily weldable material, are received in inwardly, upwardly inclines slots (13) and are welded at their ends, access being gained via corner recesses (14) in the cap The retaining plates are welded to the component (17) to retain the block (10) and are at least partially protected against wear by shrouds (19) on the cap (11). S* 5* S *i