Scraping blade for converting a cutting edge on a loading bucket

Claim 2

In a loading bucket having a ground-engaging edge provided with a multiplicity of horizontally-spaced apart cutting teeth to cut into a hard surface and to enable a load to be picked up, each of a plurality of said teeth including a base portion fixed to the bucket and a protruding lug and a replaceable cap secured over the lug by pin means removably received in aligned holes in said cap and lug, the improvement comprising: means for selectively converting said ground-engaging edge of said bucket to a straight edged configuration over which material passes into said bucket and for returning said edge to its toothed configuration, said means including a straight-edged scraping blade having a straight leading edge and a trailing edge portion and a plurality of housing members fixed to the upwardly facing surface of said trailing edge portion, each of said housing members corresponding in position to one of said plurality of teeth and being configured to closely receive the lug of one of said teeth whereby said scraping blade is supported by said teeth when the lugs are received in the housing members, and each housing member having aligned openings therein to receive said pin means to thereby removably secure said scraping blade to said teeth, the ground-engaging surface of said scraping blade being substantially smooth and flat and the arrangement of said blade when supported by said teeth being such that said blade will cut away material while leaving a smooth, level surface and will scoop the cut-away material directly over the blade and unimpeded into the bucket.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each said housing member has an open end and a closed end, the open end defining a lug-receiving opening.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said pin means includes a removable pin which is insertable in the holes in each housing member and its respective lug, the pin being oriented in use generally horizontally and parallel to the ground-engaging edge of the bucket.

Claim 5

A loading bucket for excavating equipment comprising: a ground-engaging edge defining one side of an opening for receiving material being loaded into the bucket; a multiplicity of teeth fixedly secured to said edge, each of a plurality of said teeth including a projecting lug adapted to receive a replaceable cap configured to be matingly coupled to the lug, said lug having a hole therein for receiving a pin; a removable scraping blade for converting said ground-engaging edge from a toothed configuration to a straight-edged configuration, each of which configurations allows unimpeded passage of material over said edge into the bucket while cutting and scraping up the material, said scraping blade having a straight leading edge and a trailing edge portion and a plurality of open-ended housing members spaced apart along the length of said blade and fixed to the upwardly facing surface of said trailing edge portion with their openings facing the bucket, each of said housing members corresponding in position to one of said plurality of teeth and being configured to closely receive the lug of one of said uncapped teeth whereby said blade is supported by said teeth, each housing member having a hole aligned with the hole in its respective lug; a knock-out pin removably inserted through the aligned holes to thereby removably secure said blade to said bucket, the ground-engaging surface of said blade being substantially smooth and flat and the arrangement of said blade being such that said blade will cut away material while leaving a smooth level surface and will scoop the cut-away material directly over the blade and into the bucket.

Claim 6

A loading bucket for excavating equipment comprising: a ground-engaging edge defining one side of an opening for receiving material being loaded into the bucket; a multiplicity of teeth fixedly secured to said edge, each of a plurality of said teeth including a projecting lug adapted to receive a replaceable cap configured to be matingly coupled to the lug, said lug having a hole therein for receiving a pin; a removable scraping blade for converting said ground-engaging edge from a toothed configuration to a straight-edged configuration, each of which configurations allows unimpeded passage of material over said edge into the bucket while cutting and scraping up the material, said scraping blade having a straight leading edge and a trailing edge portion and a plurality of open-ended housing members spaced apart along the length of said blade and fixed to the upwardly facing surface of said trailing edge portion with their openings facing the bucket, each of said housing members corresponding in position to one of said plurality of teeth and being configured to closely receive the lug of one of said uncapped teeth whereby said blade is supported by said teeth, each housing member having a hole aligned with the hole in its respective lug; a knock-out pin removably inserted through the aligned holes to thereby removably secure said blade to said bucket, the ground-engaging surface of said blade being substantially smooth and flat and the arrangement of said blade being such that said blade will cut away material while leaving a smooth level surface and will scoop the cut-away material directly over the blade and into the bucket.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the knock-out pins and the aligned holes in said lugs and housing members are disposed horizontally.