(12) United States Patent
`US 7,174,661 B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`Briscoe
`(45) Date of Patent:
`*Feb.13,2007
`
`USOO7174661B2
`
`(54)
`
`(75)
`
`RELEASABLE COUPLING ASSEMBLY
`
`Inventor: Terry L. Briscoe, Portland, OR (US)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee: ESCO Corporation, Portland, OR (US)
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 77 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.: 10/824,490
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. 15, 2004
`
`(65)
`
`(63)
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2004/0221491 A1
`
`Nov. 11, 2004
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/425,934,
`filed on Apr. 30, 2003.
`
`Int. Cl.
`
`(2006.01)
`E02F 9/28
`US. Cl.
`............................ 37/455; 37/456; 37/457;
`403/370; 403/374.4
`Field of Classification Search .......... 37/4557457;
`403/370, 374.1, 374.2, 374.3, 374.4, 379.2,
`403/379.4, 172/753, 772, 772.5, 751
`See application file for complete search history.
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1,021,185 A
`1,917,431 A
`2,020,215 A
`2,547,789 A
`
`3/1912 Foster
`7/1933 O’Fallon
`11/1935 Ross
`4/1951 Skeel
`
`2,576,225 A *
`3,032,152 A
`3,121,289 A
`3,410,010 A *
`3,413,740 A
`3,494,245 A *
`3,722,932 A
`3,831,298 A *
`4,167,355 A
`4,282,665 A
`4,326,348 A
`
`..................... 37/454
`
`11/1951 Hostetter ..................... 37/459
`5/1962 Titsler
`2/1964 Eyolfson
`11/1968 Ratowski
`12/1968 Peterson
`2/1970 Helton ....................... 411/548
`3/1973 Dougall
`8/1974 Helton et al.
`9/1979 Hansson
`8/1981 Fletcher et al.
`4/1982 Ernrich
`
`................. 37/457
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Illustration 0fV61 Hot Slag Pin Sold by ESCO Before Jul. 2, 2002.
`
`Primary ExamineriThomas A Beach
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firmisteven P. Schad
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A lock that includes a wedge that is used to releasably secure
`separable components of an assembly together. The wedge
`can be used with a spool. The wedge and spool are thread-
`edly coupled together to drive the wedge into and out of an
`opening in the assembly without hammering or prying. The
`direct coupling of the wedge and spool eliminates the need
`for bolts, washers, nuts and other hardware so as to minimize
`the number of parts. As a result, the lock is inexpensive to
`make, easy to use, and unlikely to become inoperative
`because of lost or broken parts or due to fines or other
`difiiculties encountered in harsh digging environments. Fur-
`ther, the wedge can be driven into the assembly to provide
`the degree of tightness necessary for the intended operation
`and/or to re-tighten the assembly after incurring wear during
`use. A latch assembly is preferably provided to securely hold
`the wedge in place and avoid an undesired loss of parts
`during use.
`
`44 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`Caterpillar v. ESCO |PR2015-00409
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`Page 2
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,372,703 A
`4,380,102 A
`4,433,496 A
`4,540,309 A
`5,052,134 A
`5,068,986 A
`5074962 A
`5,233,770 A *
`5,3363:
`5
`5
`5,331,754 A
`
`5,361,520 A
`5,410,826 A
`5,452,529 A
`5,465,512 A
`
`2/1983 Szostak
`4/1983 Hansson
`2/1984 Jones etal.
`9/1985 HanSSfm
`10/1991 BlerWlth
`12/1991 Jones
`12/1991 HahP etal~
`8/1993 Robins?“
`1313343 Eornellus 5.1.................. 37/458
`“311% et
`'
`7/1994 Ruvang
`.
`11/1994 Roblnson
`5/1995 Immeletal.
`9/1995 Neuenfeldt et al.
`11/1995 Livesay et al.
`
`............... 37/457
`
`
`
`37/457
`
`11/1995 Jones et al.
`5,469,648 A
`2/1996 Robinson
`5,491,915 A
`10/1996 Ruvang
`5,564,206 A
`4/1997 Launderetal.
`5,617,655 A *
`6/1997 Keech etal.
`5,638,621 A
`................... 37/452
`8/1997 Jones etal.
`5,653,048 A *
`7/1998 Balassa et 31.
`5,784,813 A
`11/1998 Massa etal.
`5,833,323 A
`5,852,888 A * 12/1998 Cornelius
`5,868,518 A
`2/1999 Chesterfield etal.
`5964547 A
`10/1999 Brinkley
`6,009,644 A
`1/2000 Hedley
`.
`.
`6,032,390 A *
`3/2000 B1erW1th ...................... 37/456
`6301810 B1
`10/2001 F'dl
`’
`’
`1
`
`er
`
`* cited by examiner
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 1 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 2 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
`
`FIG. 2
`
`22
`
`l0
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`{ F
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`IG. 3
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`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 3 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO |PR2015-00409
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 4 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`FIG‘ 6
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`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13 2007
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`Sheet 5 of 14
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`FIG. 8
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`36
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 7
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 6 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO |PR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 8
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13 2007
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`Sheet 7 of 14
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`.........
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`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 9
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 8 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 10
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 11
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 10 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 12
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 11 of 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`I80
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`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 13, 2007
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`Sheet 12 0f 14
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`US 7,174,661 B2
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 14
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`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 15
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`374
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`374
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 16
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`

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`US 7,174,661 B2
`
`1
`RELEASABLE COUPLING ASSEMBLY
`
`This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No.
`10/425,934 filed Apr. 30, 2003.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention pertains to a coupling assembly for
`releasably securing separable parts together, and especially
`for securing together components of a wear assembly used
`in excavating or the like.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Excavating equipment typically includes various wear
`parts to protect underlying products from premature wear.
`The wear part may simply function as a protector (e.g., a
`wear cap) or may have additional functions (e.g., an exca-
`vating tooth). In either case, it is desirable for the wear part
`to be securely held to the excavating equipment to prevent
`loss during use, and yet be capable of being removed and
`installed to facilitate replacement when wom. In order to
`minimize equipment downtime, it is desirable for the worn
`wear part to be capable of being easily and quickly replaced
`in the field. Wear parts are usually formed of three (or more)
`components in an effort to minimize the amount of material
`that must be replaced on account of wearing. As a result, the
`wear part generally includes a support structure that is fixed
`to the excavating equipment, a wear member that mounts to
`the support structure, and a lock to hold the wear member to
`the support structure.
`As one example, an excavating tooth usually includes an
`adapter as the support structure, a tooth point or tip as the
`wear member, and a lock or retainer to hold the point to the
`adapter. The adapter is fixed to the front digging edge of an
`excavating bucket and includes a nose that projects forward
`to define a mount for the point. The adapter may be a single
`unitary member or may be composed of a plurality of
`components assembled together. The point includes a front
`digging end and a rearwardly opening socket that receives
`the adapter nose. The lock is inserted into the assembly to
`releasably hold the point to the adapter.
`The lock for an excavating tooth is typically an elongate
`pin member which is fit into an opening defined coopera-
`tively by both the adapter and the point. The opening may be
`defined along the side of the adapter nose, as in U.S. Pat. No.
`5,469,648, or through the nose, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,
`986. In either case, the lock is inserted and removed by the
`use of a large hammer. Such hammering of the lock is an
`arduous task and imposes a risk of harm to the operator.
`The lock is usually tightly received in the passage in an
`effort to prevent ejection of the lock and the concomitant
`loss of the point during use. The tight fit may be effected by
`partially unaligned holes in the point and adapter that define
`the opening for the lock, the inclusion of a rubber insert in
`the opening, and/or close dimensioning between the lock
`and the opening. However, as can be appreciated, an
`increase in the tightness in which the lock is received in the
`opening further exacerbates the difiiculty and risk attendant
`with hammering the locks into and out of the assemblies.
`The lock additionally often lacks the ability to provide
`substantial tightening of the point onto the adapter. While a
`rubber insert will provide some tightening effect on the tooth
`at rest, the insert lacks the strength needed to provide any
`real tightening when under load during use. Most locks also
`fail to provide any ability to be re-tightened as the parts
`
`u.
`
`10
`
`20
`
`30
`
`40
`
`u. u.
`
`60
`
`2
`
`become worn. Moreover, many locks used in teeth are
`susceptible to being lost as the parts wear and the tightness
`decreases.
`
`These difficulties are not limited strictly to the use of locks
`in excavating teeth, but also apply to the use of other wear
`parts used in excavating operations. In another example, the
`adapter is a wear member that
`is fit onto a lip of an
`excavating bucket, which defines the support structure.
`While the point experiences the most wear in a tooth, the
`adapter will also wear and in time need to be replaced. To
`accommodate replacement in the field, the adapters can be
`mechanically attached to the bucket. One common approach
`is to use a Whisler style adapter, such as disclosed in U.S.
`Pat. No. 3,121,289. In this case, the adapter is formed with
`bifurcated legs that straddle the bucket lip. The adapter legs
`and the bucket lip are formed with openings that are aligned
`for receiving the lock. The lock in this environment com-
`prises a generally C-shaped spool and a wedge. The arms of
`the spool overlie the rear end of the adapter legs. The outer
`surfaces of the legs and the inner surfaces of the arms are
`each inclined rearward and away from the lip. The wedge is
`then ordinarily hammered into the opening to force the spool
`rearward. This rearward movement of the spool causes the
`arms to tightly pinch the adapter legs against the lip to
`prevent movement or release of the adapter during use. As
`with the mounting of the points, hammering of the wedges
`into the openings is a difiicult and potentially hazardous
`activity.
`In many assemblies, other factors can further increase the
`difiiculty of removing and inserting the lock when replace-
`ment of the wear member is needed. For example,
`the
`closeness of adjacent components, such as in laterally
`inserted locks (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,348), can create
`difiiculties in hammering the lock into and out of the
`assembly. Fines can also become impacted in the openings
`receiving the locks making access to and removal of the
`locks difiicult. Additionally, in Whisler style attachments,
`the bucket must generally be turned up on its front end to
`provide access for driving the wedges out of the assembly.
`This orientation of the bucket can make lock removal
`
`difiicult and hazardous as the worker must access the open-
`ing from beneath the bucket and drive the wedge upward
`with a large hammer. The risk is particularly evident in
`connection with dragline buckets, which can be very large.
`Also, because wedges can eject during service, it is common
`practice in many installations to tack-weld the wedge to its
`accompanying spool,
`thus, making wedge removal even
`more difficult.
`
`There has been some effort to produce non-hammered
`locks for use in excavating equipment. For instance, U.S.
`Pat. Nos. 5,784,813 and 5,868,518 disclose screw driven
`wedge-type locks for securing a point to an adapter and U.S.
`Pat. No. 4,433,496 discloses a screw-driven wedge for
`securing an adapter to a bucket. While these devices elimi-
`nate the need for hammering, they each require a number of
`parts, thus, increasing the complexity and cost of the locks.
`The ingress of fines can also make removal difiicult as the
`fines increase friction and interfere with the threaded con-
`nections. Moreover, with the use of a standard bolt, the fines
`can build up and become “cemented” around the threads to
`make turning of the bolt and release of the parts extremely
`difiicult.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention pertains to an improved coupling
`assembly for releasably holding separable parts together in
`
`Caterpillar v. ESCO |PR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 17
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
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`US 7,174,661 B2
`
`3
`a secure, easy, and reliable manner. Further, the lock of the
`present invention can be installed and removed simply by
`using a manual or powered wrench. The need to hanrrner or
`pry the lock into and out of the assembly is eliminated.
`The present invention is particularly useful for securing a
`wear member to a support structure in conjunction with an
`excavating operation. The lock of the present invention is
`easy to use, is securely held in the wear assembly, alleviates
`the risk associated with hammering a lock into and out of a
`wear assembly, and operates to effectively tighten the wear
`member onto the support structure.
`In one aspect of the invention, a tapered lock member is
`formed with a threaded formation that is used to pull the lock
`member into a locking position in the assembly. The lock
`member, then, bears against the assembly to hold the com-
`ponents of the assembly together. The use of a threaded
`formation on the lock member also reduces the risk that the
`
`lock member will be ejected during use as compared to a
`lock that is simply hanrrnered into place.
`In another aspect of the present invention, a wedge and a
`spool are threadedly coupled together to drive the wedge
`into and out of the wear assembly without hammering. The
`direct coupling of the wedge and spool eliminates the need
`for bolts, washers, nuts and other hardware so as to minimize
`the number of parts. As a result of this efiicient construction,
`the lock is inexpensive to make, easy to use, and unlikely to
`become inoperative because of lost or broken parts or due to
`fines or other difiiculties encountered in harsh digging
`environments. Further, the wedge can be selectively driven
`into the assembly to provide the degree of tightness neces-
`sary for the intended operation and/or to re-tighten the
`assembly after incurring wear during use.
`In one preferred construction, the wedge includes a thread
`formation with a wide pitch to form a sizable land segment
`by which the wedge can directly apply pressure to the wear
`assembly for holding the wear member to the support
`structure. In one embodiment, the wedge is formed with a
`helical groove along its outer periphery to engage helical
`ridge segments formed in a generally trough shaped recess
`along the spool or other part of the assembly. Rotation of the
`wedge moves the wedge along the spool, and into and out of
`the wear assembly. Movement of the wedge into the assem-
`bly increases the depth of the lock, and thereby tightens the
`engagement of the wear member onto the support structure.
`A latch assembly is preferably provided to securely hold
`the wedge in place and avoid an undesired loss of parts
`during use. In one preferred construction,
`the wedge is
`formed with teeth that interact with a latch provided in an
`adjacent component such as the spool, wear member or
`support structure. The teeth and latch are formed to permit
`rotation of the wedge in a direction that drives the wedge
`farther into the opening, and to prevent rotation in a direc-
`tion that retracts the wedge. The latch may also function to
`retain the lock in the assembly when the wear member
`and/or support structures begin to wear.
`The inventive lock is simple, sound, reliable, and requires
`only minimal components. The lock is also intuitively easy
`for the operator to understand. Elimination of hammering
`also makes replacement of a wear member easy and less
`hazardous. Moreover, the lock is able to provide selective
`tightening of the wear assembly to facilitate re-tightening of
`the wear members or a better original mounting when, for
`example, the support structure is partially worn. These and
`other advantageous will be evident in the drawings and
`description to follow.
`
`4
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`u.
`
`10
`
`20
`
`30
`
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coupling assembly in
`accordance with the present invention securing a point to an
`adapter.
`FIG. 2 is a side view of a lock in accordance with the
`
`present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wedge of the lock.
`FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view of the
`wedge.
`FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a spool of the lock.
`FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wear member having a
`latch of the inventive coupling assembly.
`FIG. 7 is a partial, exploded, perspective view of the wear
`member shown in FIG. 6.
`
`FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the coupling assembly
`taken along line 878 in FIG. 1 in the assembled condition.
`FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative spool for the
`lock.
`
`FIG. 10 is an exploded, perspective view of the alternative
`spool.
`FIG. 11 is a side view of a second lock in accordance with
`
`the present invention including the alternative spool. This
`lock is adapted to secure an adapter to a bucket lip in a
`Whisler style connection.
`FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view along a longitudinal axis
`of another wear assembly using the lock of FIG. 11.
`FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view along the same line as
`FIG. 12 for an alternative embodiment including an insert
`between the wedge and support structure.
`FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the insert used in the
`alternative embodiment of FIG. 13.
`
`FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an alternative wedge
`construction.
`
`FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another alternative wedge
`construction.
`
`FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view along the same line as
`FIG. 12 for an alternative embodiment.
`
`40
`
`FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view along the same line as
`FIG. 12 for another alternative embodiment.
`
`FIG. 18a is a cross-sectional view illustrating shifting of
`the wear member on a lock without a cradle.
`
`FIG. 18b is a cross-sectional view illustrating shifting of
`the wear member on a lock with cradle.
`
`FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a cradle used in the
`alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 18 with the wear
`member omitted.
`
`FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view along the same line as
`FIG. 12 for another alternative embodiment.
`
`FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view along the same line as
`FIG. 12 for another alternative embodiment.
`
`FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view along the same line as
`FIG. 12 for another alternative embodiment.
`
`FIG. 23 is an perspective view of another alternative
`embodiment wherein the wear member is partially fit onto a
`lip.
`FIG. 24 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 23 in
`the same orientation.
`
`FIG. 25 is a partial cross-sectional view of the fit of the
`wear member in FIG. 23 with the hole in the lip when fully
`fit on the lip.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`The present invention pertains to a coupling assembly for
`releasably holding separable parts together. While the inven-
`
`u. u.
`
`60
`
`65
`
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`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
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`US 7,174,661 B2
`
`5
`tion has a broader application, it is particularly useful in
`releasably securing a wear member to a support structure in
`an excavating operation. The wear member may,
`for
`example, be a point, an adapter, a shroud or other replace-
`able component.
`the lock 10 includes a
`In one preferred construction,
`wedge 12 and a spool 14 (FIGS. 275). Although the lock can
`be used to secure a wide range of components together, it is
`shown in FIG. 1 holding together the parts of an excavator
`tooth. In this embodiment of the invention, the lock is placed
`in a wear assembly 15 wherein the support structure is
`formed as an adapter 17 and the wear member is defined as
`a point or tip 19. Lock 10 is received into an opening 21 in
`wear assembly 15 that is cooperatively defined by holes 23
`in point 19 and hole 25 in adapter 17 so as to releasably hold
`the point to the adapter (FIGS. 1 and 8). Holes 23 and 25 are
`each preferably elongated longitudinally to prevent mis-
`alignment of the wedge and spool, although the holes could
`be circular or have other shapes.
`The wedge 12 preferably has a frusto-conical shape with
`a rounded exterior surface 16 that tapers toward a front end
`18 (FIGS. 174). A thread formation 22, preferably in the
`form of a helical groove 20 with a wide pitch, is formed
`along the exterior surface 16 of the wedge. Accordingly, a
`rather wide, helically shaped land segment 24 exists
`between the adjacent spiraling groove segments. This land
`segment presents a large surface area to press against the
`front surface 31 of the hole 25 in adapter 17 and the wall 37
`of recess 36 in spool 14. The relatively large land segment
`enables the lock to resist large loads with acceptable levels
`of stress and without the need for threads to be formed in the
`
`wall of hole 25 in the adapter. The wide pitch of the groove
`20 also permits the wedge to be quickly moved into and out
`of the opening 21.
`In one preferred construction, the pitch of the thread on
`the wedge is on the order of one inch and the groove forming
`the thread about 1A; of an inch wide, although the pitch and
`groove width could vary widely. The groove is preferably
`formed with curved corners to form a robust thread that is
`
`not susceptible to peening or other damage. The rear end 27
`of the wedge is provided with a turning formation 29 to
`facilitate engagement with a tool, such as a wrench, for
`turning the wedge. In the preferred embodiment, formation
`29 is a square socket, although other arrangements could be
`used.
`
`The taper of the wedge can be varied to provide an
`increased or decreased take-up of the wear member on the
`support structure. For example, if the taper of the wedge is
`increased, the rate at which the wear member moves to the
`set position on the support structure is increased, but at the
`expense of tightening force (i.e., more torque is required to
`turn the wedge). The taper of the wedge can be designed to
`match the particular task. In all cases the holding power of
`the lock would be about the same so long as the wedge is not
`formed too small at the forward end to provide sufiicient
`strength.
`The spool 14 preferably has a generally C-shaped con-
`figuration with a body 26 and arms 28 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5).
`In this example, the arms are fairly short so as to press
`against the rear wall portions 30 of holes 23 in point 19 (FIG.
`8). However, the particular shape and size of the arms can
`vary widely depending on the construction and use of the
`parts receiving the lock. Additionally, the arms could be
`omitted entirely if the opening in the support structure were
`sized to permit the rear wall of the body to press against the
`rear wall portions in the openings of the wear member and
`the spool was adequately anchored. Similarly, in this type of
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`construction, the lock could be reversed such that the wedge
`pressed against the wear member and the spool against the
`support structure.
`The body 26 of spool 14 is formed with a generally trough
`shaped recess 36 to receive a portion of the wedge (FIG. 5).
`The recess is provided with a thread formation 42 that is
`defined as at least one projection to fit within groove 20. In
`this way,
`the wedge and spool are threadedly coupled
`together. Although the projection can take the form of a wide
`range of shapes and sizes, recess 36 preferably includes
`multiple ridges 40 on the spool to complement groove 20 on
`wedge 12. The ridges 40 are shaped as helical segments
`having the same pitch as the helical groove 20 so that the
`ridges are received into the groove to move the wedge in or
`out of the opening when the wedge is rotated. While ridges
`40 are preferably provided along the entire length of recess
`36, fewer ridges or even one ridge could be provided if
`desired. Further, each ridge preferably extends across the
`entire recess 36, but can have a lesser extension if desired.
`In the preferred construction, the helical groove 20 has the
`same pitch along the length of the wedge. Since the wedge
`is tapered, the angle of the thread changes to become more
`shallow as the groove extends from the forward end 18 to the
`rear end 27. This variation requires the allowance of clear-
`ance space between the internal and external thread so they
`can cooperate and avoid binding with each other. This
`construction, then, forms relative loose fitting threads.
`As an alternative construction, a ridge(s)
`to engage
`groove 20 on the wedge could be formed on the front wall
`portion of the hole 23 defined in point 19 in addition to or
`in lieu of the ridges 40 on the spool. The ridge could simply
`be provided by the body 62, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, but
`could also include an extension and/or other ridges on the
`front wall portion of the hole, similar to the inclusion of
`body 62a in spool 14a (as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10). Similarly,
`one or more ridges (or other projections) to engage groove
`20 could instead be formed on the wall structure of the hole
`
`25 in adapter 17 (in addition to or in lieu of the other ridges).
`In these alternatives where a thread formation is formed on
`
`the point and/or adapter, the wedge could be inserted into the
`opening without a spool to hold the wear member to the
`support structure. As can be appreciated, the hole in the point
`would need to be smaller to permit direct bearing contact
`between the wedge and the rear wall portions of the holes in
`the point or the ridge provided on the rear wall of the
`opening.
`The thread formations may also be reversed so that
`grooves are formed in the point, adapter and/or spool to
`receive a helical ridge formed on the wedge. While a ridge
`may be used to form the thread on the wedge with grooves
`only in the spool and not in the adapter wall (or vice versa),
`the ridges do not form as good a bearing surface as land
`segment 24 without the matching grooves in the opposing
`surfaces. Nevertheless, a helical ridge on the wedge may be
`used even with a smooth adapter wall and/or smooth recess
`in the spool in lower stress environments. In this alternative,
`the wedge 94 would preferably have a ridge 96 with a blunt
`outer edge 98 (FIG. 15). Nevertheless, the provision of a
`ridge on the wedge could be designed to bite into the adapter
`wall and/or spool. Finally, the wedge 101 could be formed
`with a tapping ridge 103 that cuts a thread in the spool and/or
`adapter wall as it is threaded into the assembly (FIG. 16).
`Recess 36 in spool 14 preferably tapers toward one end 38
`to complement the shape of the wedge and position forward
`portions of the land segment 24 bearing against the adapter
`to be generally vertical for a solid, secure contact with the
`nose of adapter 17 (FIGS. 5 and 8). This orientation stabi-
`
`Caterpillar v. ESCO |PR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 19
`
`Caterpillar v. ESCO IPR2015-00409
`ESCO Exhibit 2017 Page 19
`
`

`

`US 7,174,661 B2
`
`7
`lizes the wedge and lessens the stresses engendered in the
`components when the wedge is inserted tightly into the wear
`assembly 15.
`In a preferred construction,
`the recess is
`tapered at twice the taper of the wedge so as to place forward
`portions of the land segment 24 in a vertical orientation (as
`illustrated). As can be appreciated,
`the purpose of this
`construction is to orient the forward portions of the land
`segment substantially parallel to the wall of the member
`which they engage as opposed being in a strictly vertical
`orientation. In the preferred construction, recess 36 is pro-
`vided with a concave curve that is designed to complement
`the shape of the wedge when the wedge is at the end of its
`projected travel in a tightening direction. In this way, the
`wedge is best able to resist the applied loads and not bind
`with the spool during tightening. Nevertheless, other shapes
`are possible.
`In use, lock 10 is inserted into opening 21 in the wear
`assembly 15 when the wear member 19 is mounted on the
`nose 46 of adapter 17 (FIGS. 1 and 8). The lock 10 is
`preferably placed into opening 21 as separate components
`(i.e., with the spool being inserted first) but may in some
`cases be inserted collectively as a unit (i.e., with the wedge
`placed partially into the recess 36). In either case, the free
`ends 50 of arms 28 are placed in engagement with the rear
`wall portions 30 of holes 23 in wear member 19. The wedge
`is then rotated to drive it into opening 21 so that the forward
`portions of land segment 24 of wedge 12 press against the
`front wall portion 31 of hole 25, and arms 28 of spool 14
`press on the rear wall portions 30 of holes 23. Continued
`rotation of the wedge further enlarges the depth of the lock
`(i.e., the distance in a direction parallel to the axis of the
`movement of the point onto the adapter nose) so that the
`arms 28 push the wear member 19 farther onto the support
`structure 17. This rotation is stopped once the desired
`tightness has been achieved. By using a tapered wedge in the
`lock receiving opening 21, a significant clearance exists
`between much of the wedge and the walls of the opening. As
`a result, fines from the digging operation would generally
`not become firmly impacted into the opening. Even if fines
`did become impacted in the opening, the wedge would still
`be easily retracted by turning the wedge with a wrench. The
`tapered shape of the wedge makes the opening around the
`lock larger at the bottom of the assembly in the illustrated
`orientation. With this arrangement, the fines tend to fall out
`as the wedge is loosened. The relatively wide groove in the
`wedge in the preferred construction also tends to enable
`release of fines from the lock and thereby avoid having the
`lock becoming “cemented” into the assembly. Moreover,
`because of the tapered shape of the threaded wedge, the
`assembly is quickly loosened with just a short turn of the
`wedge. Rubber caps or the like (not shown) could be used
`to inhibit the ingress of fines in socket 29 if desired.
`In a preferred construction, a latching assembly 56 is
`provided to retain the wedge in the opening. As seen in
`FIGS. 274 and 8, ratchet teeth 58 are preferably provided
`within groove 20 to cooperate with a latch 60. By being
`recessed within the groove, the teeth do not disrupt the
`threaded coupling of the wedge and the spool, or the
`engagement of the wedge with support structure 17 and
`spool 14. The ratchet teeth are adapted to engage latch 60,
`which is mounted in either the wear member 19 (FIGS. 678),
`spool 14 (FIGS. 10 and 12) or support structure 17 (not
`shown). The teeth are inclined to permit rotation of the
`wedge in a tightening direction but prevent rotation in a
`loosening direction. The teeth generally need to be only
`formed along about one third the length of groove 20 to
`ensure engagement of the latch with the teeth when the
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`wedge is fully tightened for use. Of course, the teeth could
`be positioned along more or less than about one-third the
`length of the groove as desired. The number of teeth and
`their location on the wedge depend largely on the amount of
`travel expected between the parts being coupled together,
`and the expected wear of the components and retightening of
`the lock. The teeth will preferably be positioned along the
`rear end of the wedge, i.e., where the wedge is widest, so that
`the latch 60 is securely engaged against the teeth and stress
`in the wedge is minimized. Nevertheless, other arrange-
`ments are possible. The teeth may have a reversible style that
`inhibits unwanted turning in both directions, but whic