US20030007831A1 - Lock with internal retainer - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking assembly has two members which are moveable into coupling engagement with one another. The two members have lock engaging walls, and one of the members has an opening between the lock engaging walls for receiving a lock. The lock comprises a lock body and a retainer. The lock body has a channel for receiving a portion of the retainer. An end of the retainer extends underneath a retainer engaging wall, thus resisting movement of the lock out of the opening.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to a lock assembly for securing two components together, and more particularly, to a lock comprising a lock body and a retainer housed within the lock body to retain the lock body in a locked condition.[0001]
• It is often desired to secure two members together. For example, earthmoving and excavating equipment often employ wear members to protect the equipment from abrasion and wear encountered during use. The wear members are preferably removably attached to the equipment with a locking assembly, so that a wear member may be removed and replaced as needed. An example of such a wear member and associated locking assembly is disclosed in Jones, et. al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,765.[0002]
• The continuing problem is to provide a locking assembly which securely locks the wear member to the equipment so that the wear member remains in place during operation, but yet which allows the wear member to be easily removed and replaced when worn. The wear member is subjected to extreme forces during operation which the lock must be capable of resisting. In addition, the wear member and lock are exposed to rocks, soil fines, mud, grease, and other debris and contaminants. These materials may be impacted into the spaces between the wear member and the lock, thus creating substantial difficulties when attempting to remove the lock from the wear member.[0003]
• Jones, et. al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,765 disclose a locking device having a lock body that pivots into an opening in a wear member, and a resilient latch to retain the lock body in the opening. Because the lock must pivot and/or translate laterally within the opening to be removed, any material such as soil fines which becomes impacted into the spaces between the lock body and the wear member may interfere with removal of the lock body.[0004]
• Renski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,508 and Renski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,216 disclose a lock comprised of an arcuate retainer held within an arcuate slot. A variety of mechanisms are disclosed that prevent the retainer from being removed from the slot, including a pin and several different types of springs. Removal from the slot requires that the pin or spring be pried away, which may be difficult in the presence of impacted fines.[0005]
• What is therefore desired is a lock that may be used to securely retain two members together, such as retaining a wear member in place, that is preferably tolerant of the presence of soil fines, that can withstand extreme forces exerted against it during operation, but that is nonetheless easily withdrawn to allow the two members to be quickly uncoupled.[0006]
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a lock assembly for retaining two moveable members with respect to one another. The lock assembly includes a lock comprised of a lock body and a retainer which fits within the lock body to resist movement of the lock body away from the two members which are locked together.[0007]
• In a first aspect of the invention, a lock assembly includes a first member, a second member, and a lock. The first member and the second member are moveable longitudinally with respect to one another into coupling engagement. The first member and the second member have respective engaging surfaces to resist transverse movement of the first member and the second member with respect to one another when the first member and the second member are in coupling engagement. The first member and the second member each have a lock engaging wall. The second member defines an opening between the lock engaging wall of the first member and the lock engaging wall of the second member when the first member and the second member are in coupling engagement. The opening receives the lock to resist longitudinal movement of the first member with respect to the second member. The lock comprises a lock body and a retainer. The lock body defines at least one channel in communication with a side of the lock body. The retainer is at least partially received within the channel, so that at least a portion of the retainer extends beyond the side of the lock body and interferes with removal of the lock body from the opening.[0008]
• In a separate aspect of the invention, a lock is provided comprising a lock body and a retainer. The lock body is rigid, and substantially incompressible. The lock body is generally block shaped. The lock body defines an opening and a pair of channels in communication with the opening and in communication with opposite sides of the lock body. The retainer has a hinge portion and a pair of legs, each having a respective end. The hinge portion is receivable within the opening and each of the pair of legs is receivable within a respective one of the pair of channels. The ends of the legs extend beyond the sides of the lock body.[0009]
• In another separate aspect of the invention, a method is provided for locking a first member to a second member, where the first member and the second member are moveable longitudinally into coupling engagement. The method comprises the following steps. A lock comprised of a lock body and a retainer is provided. The first member and the second member are provided with respective engaging surfaces to resist transverse movement of the first member and the second member with respect to one another when the first member and the second member are in coupling engagement. The first member and the second member are each provided with a lock engaging wall. An opening is defined in the second member between the lock engaging wall of the first member and the lock engaging wall of the second member when the first member and the second member are in coupling engagement. The lock is inserted into the opening to resist longitudinal movement of the first member with respect to the second member. A channel is provided in the lock body in communication with a side of the lock body. The retainer is inserted into the channel of the lock body so that a portion of the retainer extends beyond the side of the lock body to resist transverse movement of the lock body out of the opening.[0010]
• The various aspects of the invention provide several advantages. First, the invention substantially reduces, if not eliminates, the problem of soil fines interfering with removal of the lock. The lock does not require displacement of soil fines within the opening in the wear member in order to be removed. To remove the lock, the retainer is removed from the lock body, which then allows the lock body to be rotated or pulled out of the opening in the wear member. The lock body travels along a path that allows the lock body to exit the opening without compacting or displacing soil fines. The lock body can be reused many times by simply adding a new retainer, which renews the engagement means of the lock and makes it essentially as strong as a completely new lock. Yet another advantage is that the majority of the retainer is housed within and protected by the lock body, and thus may be formed from a light-weight material. The lock is also vibration resistant, due to the light-weight retainer.[0011]
• The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.[0012]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a lock, wear member, and base member.[0013]
• FIG. 2 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1.[0014]
• FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the lock of FIG. 1 being inserted into an opening in a wear member, showing the retainer being inserted into the lock body.[0015]
• FIG. 4 is a side sectional view like that of FIG. 3 showing the lock inserted into the opening in the wear member, and the retainer inserted into the lock body.[0016]
• FIG. 4A is a view like that of FIG. 4 of an alternative embodiment.[0017]
• FIG. 4B is a view like that of FIG. 4 of yet another alternative embodiment.[0018]
• FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of a retainer with a reinforcing member shown in phantom view.[0019]
• FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lock body.[0020]
• FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a lock.[0021]
• FIG. 8 shows a side sectional view of the lock of FIG. 7 being inserted into an opening in a wear member.[0022]
• FIG. 9 shows the lock of FIG. 7 inserted into the opening in the wear member.[0023]
• FIG. 10 shows yet another alternative embodiment of a retainer.[0024]
• FIG. 11 shows a perspective exploded view of a tooth system comprising a point, a nose, a lock body and a retainer.[0025]
• FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the assembled tooth system of FIG. 11.[0026]
• FIG. 13 is a partial cross-section taken along line[0027]13-13 of FIG. 12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• The present invention relates to a locking assembly for securing two members with respect to one another, such as a moveable or replaceable wear member with respect to a fixed base member. The present invention finds application in many different types of situations in which it is desired to couple or secure two members with respect to one another. For example, the present invention may be used to secure wear members to excavating or mining equipment, such as a wear member to the exterior of a bucket, wear members to stationary equipment, points to adapters, etc.[0028]
• Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like elements, FIG. 1 shows an[0029]exemplary assembly10 comprising abase member12, awear member14, and a lock comprising alock body16 and aretainer18. Thebase member12 is attached to the exterior of thesurface20 to be protected, such as an exterior surface of a dragline bucket or other earthmoving or excavating equipment. Thewear member14 slidably attaches to thebase member12 so as to protect the underlyingexterior surface20. In order to prevent thewear member14 from slidably detaching from thebase member12, thelock body16 is inserted into anopening22 in thewear member14. Theretainer18 prevents thelock body16 from falling out of theopening22. Removing theretainer18 allows thelock body16 to be removed from theopening22, thus allowing thewear member14 to be removed and replaced when necessary.
• Turning now to the[0030]base member12 and wearmember14 in more detail, thebase member12 and wearmember14 define a generally longitudinal direction depicted by the arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2. As used herein, the term “longitudinal” is used in the sense of movement of the wear member and base member with respect to one another when being coupled together. Both the base member and wear member have respective engaging structures to resist transverse movement of the wear member and base member with respect to one another when the wear member and base member are coupled together. “Transverse” movement is movement that is perpendicular to “longitudinal” movement, and out of the opening, as shown by arrow B in FIGS.3-4.
• As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the[0031]base member12 has a plurality of protrudingrails24 on either side. Therails24 are spaced apart from thesurface20, and define a pair ofslots26 between therails24 and thesurface20. Thewear member14 has a corresponding pair ofrails28, which define a pair ofelongate slots30 extending longitudinally within thewear member14. Therails24 of the base member slide into theslots30 of thewear member14, while therails28 of thewear member14 slide into theslots26 of thebase member12. The shapes of the respective rails and slots of the base and wear members thus provide an interlocking engaging structure with opposing surfaces when the base member and wear member are coupled together that prevents transverse movement of the two members with respect to one another when the two members are assembled.
• While a particular arrangement of rails and slots is shown in the embodiment of FIGS.[0032]1-4, other engaging surfaces may be provided to prevent transverse movement of the two members with respect to one another. The lock of the present invention may be used with any of the engaging structures depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,765, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. Thus, while FIG. 1 shows the interlocking rails and slots extending along only a portion of the length of the two members, the interlocking structure may be provided along the entire length of each of the two members. In general, any tongue and groove engaging structure may be used. The engaging structure may be generally T-shaped in cross-section, as shown in FIG. 1, or may be dove-tail shaped. Similarly, the engaging structures may be those disclosed in Renski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,508, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. Alternatively, engaging surfaces could simply be the interior and exterior surfaces of the two coupled members, respectively, such as in the case of a point and adapter.
• Returning to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS.[0033]1-4, thebase member12 and wearmember14 also each have lock engaging surfaces to prevent longitudinal movement of thebase member12 with respect to thewear member14. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thewear member14 has alock engaging wall32. Likewise, thebase member12 has a correspondinglock engaging wall34. As shown in FIG. 2, thelock engaging wall32 of thewear member14 is longitudinally spaced apart from thelock engaging wall34 of thebase member12 when thebase member12 and wearmember14 are coupled together. While FIGS. 1 and 2 show thelock engaging walls32 and34 being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the walls may be set at another angle relative to the longitudinal direction. All that is required is that the walls be longitudinally spaced apart so as to be capable of receiving a lock body therebetween.
• The[0034]wear member14 defines anopening22 for receiving thelock body16. The opening is located on the wear member such that it is between thelock engaging surface32 of thewear member14 and thelock engaging surface34 of thebase member12 when the two members are coupled together. To prevent thebase member12 and wearmember14 from moving longitudinally relative to each other and detaching from one another, thelock body16 is inserted into theopening22. As shown in FIG. 2, thelock engaging wall32 of thewear member14 engages thelock body16, preventing the wear member from moving rearward out of coupling engagement with thebase member12. (“Forward” refers to movement into coupling engagement, while “rearward” refers to movement out of coupling engagement.) Thelock body16 is prevented from moving longitudinally rearward by thelock engaging surface34 of the base member. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, thewear member14 is prevented from moving forward due to the engagement of theend35 of the base member and the rearinternal wall33 of the wear member. Alternatively, the lock may be inserted between two longitudinally spaced-apart base members. For example, FIG. 4B depicts two longitudinally spaced-apartbase members12aand12b, each having a lock engaging surface facing thelock body16. (In FIG. 4B theretainer18 is oriented perpendicularly to the direction depicted in FIG. 2.)
• Turning now to the lock, the lock consists of a[0035]lock body16 andretainer18. As shown in FIG. 1, thelock body16 is generally block-shaped, having a generally rectangular solid shape corresponding with the shape of theopening22. Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, thelock body16 defines anupper opening38 and a pair ofchannels40 in communication with theopening38. Thelock body16 is sufficiently sized so that when inserted into theopening22 as shown in FIG. 4, it will engage both thelock engaging wall34 of the base member and thelock engaging wall32 of the wear member. Thelock body16 is preferably made from an incompressible material, such as steel. However, in applications where thebase member12 and wearmember14 are not subject to substantial thrust forces, other materials may be used for thelock body16. While the figures depict a block-shaped lock body, other shapes may be used for thelock body16, it being only necessary for thelock body16 to resist movement of thebase member12 and wearmember14 with respect to one another. Thus, the lock body may be cylindrical, wedge-shaped (trapezoidal), or arcuate.
• The present invention achieves its advantages by employing a[0036]retainer18 to hold thelock body16 in theopening22. Thechannels40 communicate withrespective sides36 of thelock body16. Theretainer18 has twolegs42 extending generally away from one another. In one embodiment, aflexible hinge portion44 interconnects the twolegs42. Theflexible hinge portion44 is received within theupper opening38 of thelock body16, while thelegs42 fit within the twochannels40.
• Referring now particularly to FIG. 4, when the[0037]retainer18 is inserted into thelock body16, theretainer18 retains thelock body16 in theopening22 of thewear member14. As shown in FIG. 4, thelegs42 of the retainer are slightly longer than thechannels40 of thelock body16. The ends46 of thelegs42 thus extend from thelock body16 when theretainer18 is inserted into thelock body16. As shown in FIG. 4, the ends46 extend past thesides36 of thelock body16. Thewear member14 has a pair of overhangingwalls48 which engage the respective ends46 of thelegs42 of theretainer18 in order to resist transverse movement of thelegs42, and hence the lock, out of theopening22. Thewalls48 are located adjacent to and above theends46 of thelegs42 and definerespective cavities50 within which the respective ends46 of each of thelegs42 may be received.
• As shown in FIG. 4, the overhanging[0038]walls48 are provided by thewear member14. Alternatively, the overhanging walls may be provided by another structure. For example, thebase member12 may have a pair of surfaces for engaging theends46 of thelegs42. Alternatively, another structure connected to the base member or wear member may be provided with walls to interfere with transverse movement of theends46 of theretainer legs42. While FIGS. 3 and 4 show thewalls48 spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, theretainer engaging walls48 may be longitudinally spaced apart from one another, as shown in FIG. 4A. In such an arrangement, onewall48amay be provided by thebase member12, while theother wall48bis provided by thewear member14. (Theretainer18 in FIG. 4A is oriented in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction depicted in FIG. 2.) FIG. 4B shows another embodiment in which thelock body16 is inserted between twobase members12aand12b, each providing aretainer engaging wall48.
• In any event, the[0039]retainer engaging walls48 engage theends46 of thelegs42, thus resisting transverse movement of thelock body16 out of theopening22. This prevents thelock body16 from exiting theopening22, and thus prevents thebase member12 and wearmember14 from moving longitudinally with respect to one another.
• In one embodiment, the[0040]retainer18 is formed at least in part from an elastomeric or flexible material(s) so that thelegs42 may be bent and inserted into thechannels40. Preferably, theretainer18 is formed from a polymeric material or composite material. The material used for theretainer18 may be chosen depending on the conditions of the particular application, such as the severity of the loads likely to be encountered, the temperature, the material in which the lock assembly is used, etc. For example, if theassembly10 is to be used in an underwater application, then a material having a higher coefficient of friction when wet would be preferred. If theassembly10 is to be used in a high temperature application, then a material such as a thermal-set plastic may be required which would not break down due to heat. If theassembly10 is used in an extreme duty application, then steel or heat-treated aluminum may be bonded to thelegs42 of theretainer18 to provide additional shear strength. For hot-slag type applications, theretainer18 may be made of spring steel instead of an elastomer.
• When the[0041]retainer18 is formed from a polymeric material, theretainer18 may also optionally have an added steel portion bonded to thehinge portion44 to add strength without decreasing elasticity. This increases the strength of the lock in assembly and eases removal by reducing the possibility of breakage of the hinge portion during removal. For example, FIG. 5 shows apreferred retainer18 comprised of an outerpolymeric material52 and having aninner steel insert54. Thesteel insert54 lends strength to the retainer, while the use of thepolymeric material52 for the bulk of theretainer18 insures that the retainer will be light-weight and flexible. The addition of steel or other strengthening material to the retainer is not required in most applications, but may be used in heavy duty or extreme duty applications.
• To lock the assembly, the[0042]lock body16 andretainer18 are inserted into theopening22. Theretainer18 is first partially inserted into thelock body16 through theupper opening38. FIG. 3 illustrates the insertion of theflexible retainer18 into thelock body16. Thehinge portion44 of theretainer18 is bent, and the two legs are squeezed toward each other and inserted into theupper opening38. Thelock body16 is then inserted into theopening22. Theretainer18 is pushed down, so as to push thelegs42 down into thechannels40. FIG. 4 illustrates thehinge portion44 received within theupper opening38 and thelegs42 received within thechannels40 of thelock body16.
• It is preferred that the[0043]retainer18 and the cavities within the lock body16 (e.g. theupper opening38 and channels40) are sized correspondingly so as to reduce the amount of space available for soil fines or other material to become impacted within thelock body16. In addition, because the shape of the retainer corresponds to the shape of theupper opening38 inchannels40, the retainer must be deformed or bent in order to be removed from the upper opening in the channels. Preferably, theretainer18 returns to its relaxed shape when fully inserted into the lock body, as illustrated in FIG. 4. While theretainer18 is flexible, it nonetheless is sufficiently inelastic to resist deformation. Thus, to remove theretainer18, a sufficient force must be applied to deform theretainer18. The need to provide a sufficient force to remove theretainer18 means that theretainer18 is held more securely within thelock body16.
• To remove the[0044]lock body16 from theopening22, theretainer18 is removed from thelock body16. Preferably, the lock body has arecess61 at the top center of thelock body16 in communication with theupper opening38 to aid in placing a pry tool under thehinge portion44 of theretainer18. Alternatively, theretainer18 may simply have alip56 which may be used to pry thehinge portion44 out of theupper opening38. Once thehinge portion44 has been pried out, the retainer may be easily pulled out of thelock body16. For example, when thehinge portion44 is pushed slightly out of theupper opening38, a pry tool may be inserted underneath thehinge portion44 in the space created between thelock body16 and thehinge portion44.
• After the[0045]retainer18 has been removed, thelock body16 may be removed from theopening22. The lock body travels out of the opening along a path such that the lock body does not compact or displace a significant amount of material, such as soil fines, within the opening. That is, the path that the lock body travels is such that once the top of the lock body has been cleared of material, the sides of the lock body exit the opening by following within a substantial portion, and preferably all of, the profile of the top of the lock body and without lateral movement within the opening that would require compacting or displacing soil fines in the opening. By “profile” is meant the outer perimeter of the upper or top portion of the lock body. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.1-4, the lock body is pulled transversely straight out of the opening, and does not pivot or move laterally within the opening in order to be removed. Thus, the lock body travels along a path that does not compact or displace a significant amount of material within the opening. While it is preferred that the sides of thelock body16 follow entirely within the profile, nevertheless the lock body may have some projecting features, such as a take-up member (described below), which displace a relatively small amount of material.
• In addition, while the embodiment of FIGS.[0046]1-4 shows transverse movement directly away from the wear member, the opening and lock body may be correspondingly shaped so that the lock body travels along a curved or inclined path but nonetheless may be removed without the need to displace a significant amount of material within the opening. Thus, the lock body may be arcuate and the opening may be correspondingly shaped, such that the lock body rotates out of the opening. Alternatively, the lock body may be shaped like a rhombohedron and translated along an inclined path out of the opening. In general, as the lock body translates out of the opening, the profile of the lock body defines a volume of space. The shape of the lock body and opening are chosen so that the path the lock body travels as it exits out of the opening is such that the following sides of the lock body preferably remain entirely within the defined volume as the lock body travels along the exit path. Thus, lock body shapes which taper from the top to the bottom or which are wedge-shaped are preferred.
• Preferably, the[0047]lock body16 substantially fills theopening22. By “substantially fills” is meant that the lock body occupies at least 85% of the volume of theopening22, more preferably at least 90% of the volume of the opening, and even more preferably at least 95% of the volume of the opening. By substantially filling theopening22, thelock body16 prevents the ingress of fines or other material which could interfere with removal of thelock body16 from theopening22. In addition, the top of the lock body is preferably flush with the exterior surface of the wear member, in a worn condition, so that a minimum amount of material must be cleared away to remove the lock body.
• The locking[0048]assembly10 provides several advantages. One of the advantages of the present locking assembly is that the lock is extremely tolerant of fine materials, such as dirt, grit, sand and mud, which are encountered during earthmoving and excavating applications. In use, fines become impacted into locks. When it is desired to remove the lock, the fines must often be removed in order to allow the necessary movement of the lock so that it may be removed. However, the lock of the present invention overcomes these difficulties. Theretainer18 may be removed from thelock body16 by simply grasping thehinge portion44 and pulling theretainer legs42 out of thechannels40. It is not necessary to move thelock body16 to remove theretainer18. Thelock body16 may then be pulled straight out of the opening22 (that is, transversely) without the necessity of being rotated or moved sideways or longitudinally within theopening22. Thus, thelock body16 does not need to compact or displace any fines to be removed. This greatly improves the ease with which the lock may be removed from theopening22 in the wear member.
• The use of the[0049]retainer18 also allows the lock to withstand a very high load but yet be removed with a relatively small pry tool. The primary loads are directed along the longitudinal, rather than the transverse direction. Thus, thelock body16 may be formed of a rigid, incompressible and non-flexible material to withstand such loads. However, theretainer18 is not subjected to the direct stress on thewear member14, but rather only transverse movement of thelock body16. Indeed, the majority of the retainer is housed within and protected by the lock body. Since the load on theends46 of thelegs42 is relatively small, light-weight, flexible materials may be used for theretainer18.
• The locking[0050]assembly10 also has the advantage that thelock body16 may be reused many times by simply adding anew retainer18. This renews the engagement means of thelock body16 and returns the lock to essentially its original strength.
• The lock is also vibration resistant. When a light-weight material, such as an elastomeric, polymeric material, is used for the[0051]retainer18, theretainer18 is so light that vibration has little effect on it. In addition, the force required to deform and remove the retainer, although minimal, is many times the weight of theretainer18 and thelock body16. Therefore, even under extreme dynamic loads, the lock should remain in place in theopening22. Thus, the lock may find particular utility in applications subject to vibration, such as flywheels, vibration dampers, disc brakes etc.
• The[0052]lock body16 may also optionally include a take-upmember57 to improve the fit of thelock body16 within theopening22 as shown in FIG. 1. For example, thelock body16 may optionally be provided with a longitudinally extending bolt or a composite steel/elastomer insert. This allows the longitudinal thickness of thelock body16 to be increased, thus providing for a tighter fit within theopening22. Of course, if the take-up member extends too far away from the side of the lock body, it may, if too large, interfere with removal of the lock due to displacement of a significant amount of soil fines above the take-up member during removal.
• FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a[0053]lock body16′ of the present invention. Thelock body16′ has a pair ofpry ledges58 located on either side of thelock body16′, andcorresponding grooves60 for receiving the end of a pry tool. The pry ledges at thesides36 of thelock body16′ aid in prying thelock body16′ out of theopening22 after theretainer18 has been removed. In addition, thelock body16′ has arecess61 at the top center of thelock body16′ in communication with theupper opening38 to aid in placing a pry tool under thehinge portion44 of theretainer18. Thesides36 of thelock body16′ are slightly tapered, so that theupper portion62 of thelock body16′ is slightly wider than thelower portion63 of the lock body. This reduces the resistance to removal of thelock body16′ from theopening22, especially in the presence of impacted fines. In addition, thebottom corners64 are rounded. This also reduces resistance to removal of thelock body16′ from theopening22, and further allows thelock body16′ to pivot slightly when pried out of theopening36.
• FIGS.[0054]7-9 show yet another embodiment of alock115 of the present invention. Thelock115 has alock body116 and aretainer118. Thelock body116 has anupper opening138 and a pair ofchannels140. Thechannels140 are open at the bottom of thelock body116. Thelock body116 also has an arch168 extending above theupper opening138 for grasping thelock body116. Theretainer118 haslegs142 and ahinge portion144. Thehinge portion144 allows thelegs142 to be moved toward and away from each other. Thelegs142 themselves may be rigid if desired. The ends146 of thelegs142 extend beyond thelock body116 to retain the lock within theopening22 as described above with respect to the other embodiments of the invention.
• The[0055]lock body116 andretainer118 have corresponding structures to allow thelock body116 andretainer118 to be securely fastened to one another. In order to hold theretainer118 in thelock body116, thelock body116 has a pair ofupper shelves170 located near theupper opening138. Theretainer118 has a corresponding pair offastening members180 connected to thehinge portion144. In use, thehinge portion144 is inserted through thechannels140 at the bottom of the lock body and into theupper opening138. Thefastening members180 squeeze past theshelves170 and then snap back into shape, extending over theshelves170 as shown in FIG. 8. Theshelves170 prevent thefastening members180 from being pulled back through thechannels140 and out of thelock body116. Conversely, theretainer118 may be removed by squeezing thefastening members180 toward each other and pushing theretainer118 down through thechannels140.
• In addition, the[0056]lock body116 andretainer118 have corresponding structures to allow theretainer legs142 to be securely fastened to thelock body116. Thelock body116 has a pair ofwalls172 defining thechannels140 which terminate inlips174. Thelock body116 defines a pair ofcavities176 above and adjacent to thelips174. Theretainer118 has at each end anear182. Initially, when thelock115 is inserted into theopening22, thelegs142 are allowed to hang freely beneath thelock body116 as shown in FIG. 7. Once thelock body116 is fully inserted into theopening22, thelegs142 are received in thechannels140, and theears182 push over thelips174 so as to be received within thecavities176. The corresponding engagement of thelips174 with theears182 causes theends146 to resist transverse movement of thelock body116 out of theopening22. In addition, apin183 may be inserted through thelock body116 and through thelegs142 to further secure the retainer within the lock body.
• As in the case of the[0057]retainer18 of FIGS.1-4, theretainer118 must be deformed (that is, thehinge portion144 and/orlegs142 must be stretched outward and theears182 pulled over the lips174) to remove the retainer. The retainer's resistance to deformation thus acts to secure theretainer118 in thelock body116.
• One of the advantages of this embodiment of the invention is that the lock may be removed in a single step. To remove the[0058]lock115 from theopening22, the arch168 is either pulled or pried. Theears182 are pulled out of thecavities176, so that the ends146 no longer resist transverse movement of thelock body116 out of theopening22. Thefastening members180, however, continue to hold theretainer118 within thelock body116. Thus, theretainer118 and lockbody116 are removed from theopening22 in a single step.
• FIG. 10 shows yet another alternative embodiment of a[0059]lock200 of the present invention. This embodiment is like the embodiment shown in FIGS.1-4, with the exception that theretainer202 comprises several rigid members rather than a single flexible member. Referring to FIG. 10, thelock body204 has anupper opening206 and a pair ofchannels208 just like those of the embodiment of FIGS.3-4. Thechannels208 progressively narrow from theupper opening206 toward thesides210. The retainer comprises three separate members. The retainer has twolegs212. Thelegs212 are wedge shaped so as to be retained within the twochannels208 and not exit out thesides210. The retainer also has acap214, which prevents thelegs212 from exiting out of theupper opening206. Thecap214 fits into theupper opening206 and covers the upper ends of the twolegs212. This embodiment has the advantage that the legs may be formed from relatively stiff material so as to withstand greater loads than retainers having flexible legs, and thus may be suitable for heavy duty applications.
• The[0060]cap214 may be retained in theupper opening206 by any conventional method. As shown in FIG. 10, thecap214 is retained by a lock member such as a key216. The key216 is inserted through a bore in the retainer (not shown) so that a lower portion is received within akeyhole218 in the lock body. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 10, the key216 is rotated after insertion into thekeyhole218 to retain thecap214. Alternatively, thecap214 could be retained with a bolt or other mechanical device. As yet another alternative, thecap214 could be flexible and inserted underneath a projecting ledge or lip of the lock body so as to be retained within the upper opening. As yet another alternative, the cap and lock member may be combined into a single member.
• While the various embodiments of the retainer have been shown having two legs, it is possible to retain the lock body within the opening using a retainer having only a single leg. Thus, the present invention encompasses retainers having one or more legs. In addition, the lock body may be retained using multiple retainers.[0061]
• While FIGS.[0062]1-4 depict abase member12 and wearmember14, the lock assembly may be used with any two members which may be coupled together. The members do not necessarily need to be attached to a surface. For example, referring now to FIGS.11-13, apoint300 andadapter nose302 are shown. The top and bottom surfaces of the adapter nose engage the corresponding interior surfaces of the socket of the point so as to resist transverse movement of the point with respect to the adapter. Thelock body304 is inserted into anopening306 in thepoint300, which communicates with arecess308 in thenose302. The lock is inserted into theopening306 so as to resist longitudinal movement of thepoint300 with respect to theadapter nose302. While FIGS.11-13 show the lock at the side of the point and nose, alternatively, the lock may be placed at other locations, such as the top of the point and nose.
• The cross-sectional view of FIG. 13 shows a[0063]channel312 in the lock body and anend314 of a leg of theretainer310. Theend314 of theretainer310 extends into acavity316 defined by thepoint300. Thus, when inserted into thechannel312, theretainer310 prevents thelock body304 from being pivoted out of therecess308 and theopening306.
• The retainer may be held in position by any mechanical means that prevents the retainer from becoming dislodged from the[0064]channel312. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.11-13, theretainer310 is flexible, so that it may be inserted into thechannel312. The retainer has adistal portion318 that is received within arecess320 in thelock body304. The engagement of thedistal portion318 with aninterior wall322 of thelock body304 prevents theretainer310 from becoming displaced from thechannel312. To remove theretainer310, a pry tool may be inserted into theslot324, and theretainer310 may be bent and extracted from thechannel312.
• The embodiment of FIGS.[0065]11-13 has the same advantage as the other lock embodiments in that thelock body304 may be removed without the need to displace a significant amount of soil fines. Thelock body304 is removed from theopening306 by prying the lock body so as to pivot the lock body out of the opening. The path of removal of the lock body does not require any movement or displacement of soil fines within the opening.
• The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.[0066]

Claims (31)

1. A lock assembly, comprising:

(a) a first member, a second member, and a lock;

(b) said first member and said second member being moveable longitudinally with respect to one another into coupling engagement, and said first member and said second member having respective engaging surfaces to resist transverse movement of said first member and said second member with respect to one another when said first member and said second member are in coupling engagement;

(c) said first member and said second member each having a lock engaging wall, and said second member defining an opening between said lock engaging wall of said first member and said lock engaging wall of said second member when said first member and said second member are in coupling engagement, said opening receiving said lock to resist longitudinal movement of said first member with respect to said second member;

(d) said lock comprising a lock body and a retainer, said lock body defining a channel in communication with a side of said lock body; and

(e) said retainer being located at least partially within said channel, a portion of said retainer extending beyond said side so as to interfere with removal of said lock body from said opening.

2. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said lock body travels along a path that does not require significant displacement of soil fines to remove said lock body from said opening.

3. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said lock body substantially fills said opening.

4. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said first member is a base member and said second member is a wear member.

5. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said first member is a nose of an adapter and said second member is a point.

6. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said retainer has a pair of legs and a hinge portion, and said legs are capable of being moved toward each other.

7. The lock assembly ofclaim 6 wherein said lock body has an opening in communication with said channels, and said hinge portion is received within said opening.

8. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said retainer is formed at least partially from an elastomeric material.

9. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said retainer is formed at least partially from metal.

10. The lock assembly ofclaim 1, further comprising a retainer engaging wall located on one of said first member and said second member.

11. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said retainer is unitary.

12. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said retainer comprises separate members.

13. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said lock body is tapered so that the bottom of said lock body is narrower than the top of said lock body.

14. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 further comprising a lock member fastening said retainer to said lock body.

15. The lock assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said retainer is deformable and is in a relaxed condition when fully inserted into said lock body.

16. A lock, comprising:

(a) a rigid, substantially incompressible lock body, said lock body being generally block shaped, and said lock body defining an opening and a pair of channels in communication with said opening and in communication with opposite sides of said lock body; and

(b) a retainer having a hinge portion and a pair of legs terminating in respective ends, said hinge portion being receivable within said opening and each of said pair of legs being receivable within a respective one of said pair of channels, and said ends of said legs extending beyond said sides of said lock body.

17. The lock ofclaim 16 wherein said retainer is deformable.

18. The lock ofclaim 16 wherein said lock body has a groove lip for prying said retainer out of said lock body.

19. The lock ofclaim 16 wherein said retainer is at least partially formed from an elastomer.

20. The lock ofclaim 16 wherein said retainer has a pair of fastening members and said lock body has a pair of shelves for engaging said fastening member.

21. The lock ofclaim 16 wherein said lock body is tapered so as to be narrower at the bottom of said lock body than the top of said lock body.

22. The lock ofclaim 16, further comprising a longitudinal take-up member.

23. The lock ofclaim 16 wherein said lock body further comprises a pry ledge for receiving a pry tool.

24. A method for locking a first member to a second member, said first member and said second member being moveable longitudinally into coupling engagement, comprising:

(a) providing a lock comprised of a lock body and a retainer;

(b) providing said first member and said second member with respective engaging surfaces to resist transverse movement of said first member and said second member with respect to one another when said first member and said second member are in coupling engagement;

(c) providing said first member and said second member each with a lock engaging wall, and defining in said second member an opening between said lock engaging wall of said first member and said lock engaging wall of said second member when said first member and said second member are in coupling engagement for receiving said lock to resist longitudinal movement of said first member with respect to said second member;

(d) defining a channel in said lock body in communication with a side of said lock body;

(e) inserting said lock body into said opening; and

(f) inserting said retainer into said channel of said lock body so that a portion of said retainer extends beyond said side of said lock body and interferes with removal of said lock out of said opening.

25. The method ofclaim 24 wherein said retainer is deformed to insert said retainer into said channel.

26. The method ofclaim 24 wherein said lock body is inserted into said opening before said retainer is inserted into said lock body.

27. The method ofclaim 24 wherein said retainer is at least partially inserted into said lock body before said lock body is inserted into said opening.

28. The method ofclaim 24, further comprising the step of unlocking said assembly by removing said lock from said opening, comprising the step of removing said retainer from said channel and the step of moving said lock body from said opening without significantly displacing any soil fines within said opening.

29. The method ofclaim 24 wherein said lock body is inserted into said opening by hand.

30. The method ofclaim 24 wherein said lock body is removed with a pry tool.

31. The method ofclaim 24 wherein said lock body is provided with another channel and said retainer is formed to have a hinge portion and a pair of legs.

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