Excavator tooth, holder and retainer

Claim 2

A holder for a tooth comprising a member formed with a recess shaped to receive the proximal end of a tooth opening inward from one end of said member in a first direction, said holder formed with an opening spaced back from said one end, said opening extending inward from a first surface of said holder generally perpendicular to said first direction to a second surface of said holder opposite said first surface, at least one wall of said opening comprising a continuation of a wall of said recess, said one wall of said opening having a straight first portion parallel to said first direction, a second portion adjacent said first surface laterally offset with respect and approximately parallel to said first portion, a shoulder interconnecting said first and second portions, said first surface formed with a depression intersecting said opening and extending transverse to said first direction having a bottom spaced outwardly of said shoulder, said second surface formed with an outward flared extremity comprising a continuation of said first portion.

Claim 3

In combination, an excavating tooth having a proximal portion of non-circular cross-section and a distal portion formed with a cutting edge, a tooth holder formed with at least one recess complementary to said proximal portion and opening inward from the forward end of said holder and extending inward from said forward end in a first direction, said recess having first side walls extending approximately parallel to said first direction, and a retainer, said retainer having a pair of legs and a connecting portion connecting one end of each said leg, said retainer being formed of a resilient material to resist movEment of said legs toward and away from each other, said retainer being slideable in said holder between operative and retracted positions, said holder formed with an opening extending from a first side of said holder to the second side of said holder opposite said first side, said opening having opposed second side walls extending approximately parallel to said first direction, said opening being spaced back from said forward end, said opening extending parallel to a plane generally perpendicular to said first direction, at least one said second side wall having a first portion, a second portion laterally offset with respect and approximately parallel to said first portion and a first shoulder interconnecting said first and second portions, said proximal portion of said tooth formed with a notch and having a second shoulder rearward of said notch, at least one leg of said retainer extending along one said second wall adjacent said first and said second sides and into said notch when said retainer is in operative position and abutting said second shoulder to restrain said tooth against dislodgement from said holder, said one leg being movable out of said notch without total removal of said one leg from said holder when said retainer is in retracted position, said legs biased to diverge from each other so that said legs engage said second walls to resist unintentional movement of said retainer, said one retainer leg being entirely inside said holder when said retainer is in operative position, said retainer being assembled with said holder when either in retracted or in operative position, at least one leg of said retainer having an upper portion, a lower portion offset laterally relative to said upper portion and a short interconnection joining said upper and lower portions, said interconnection being located approximately midway of the length of said one leg and being at all times within said opening when said retainer is either in operative or in retracted positions, said first shoulder engaging said interconnection to limit outward movement of said retainer when said retainer is in retracted position.

Claim 4

In combination, an excavating tooth having a proximal portion of non-circular cross-section and a distal portion formed with a cutting edge, a tooth holder formed with at least one recess complementary to said proximal portion and opening inward from the forward end of said holder and extending inward from said forward end in a first direction, said recess having first side walls extending approximately parallel to said first direction, and a retainer, said retainer having a pair of legs and a connecting portion connecting one end of each said leg, said retainer being formed of a resilient material to resist movEment of said legs toward and away from each other, said retainer being slideable in said holder between operative and retracted positions, said holder formed with an opening extending from a first side of said holder to the second side of said holder opposite said first side, said opening having opposed second side walls extending approximately parallel to said first direction, said opening being spaced back from said forward end, said opening extending parallel to a plane generally perpendicular to said first direction, at least one said second side wall having a first portion, a second portion laterally offset with respect and approximately parallel to said first portion and a first shoulder interconnecting said first and second portions, said proximal portion of said tooth formed with a notch and having a second shoulder rearward of said notch, at least one leg of said retainer extending along one said second wall adjacent said first and said second sides and into said notch when said retainer is in operative position and abutting said second shoulder to restrain said tooth against dislodgement from said holder, said one leg being movable out of said notch without total removal of said one leg from said holder when said retainer is in retracted position, said legs biased to diverge from each other so that said legs engage said second walls to resist unintentional movement of said retainer, said one retainer leg being entirely inside said holder when said retainer is in operative position, said retainer being assembled with said holder when either in retracted or in operative position, at least one leg of said retainer having an upper portion, a lower portion offset laterally relative to said upper portion and a short interconnection joining said upper and lower portions, said interconnection being located approximately midway of the length of said one leg and being at all times within said opening when said retainer is either in operative or in retracted positions, said first shoulder engaging said interconnection to limit outward movement of said retainer when said retainer is in retracted position.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 in which said proximal portion of said tooth forwardly of said notch has a first surface extending in said first direction, a second surface parallel to said first surface, and two third surfaces intersecting said first and second surfaces, at least one said third surface having an outwardly protruding ear extending in said first direction, said ear being intermediate said first and second surfaces and having both its width and its breadth substantially less than one-half the distance between said first and second surfaces, said third surface to either side of said ear comprising a flat plane.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 2 in which the walls of said opening diverge proceeding outwardly from said recess to permit dirt to escape from said opening.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 4 in which at least one leg of said retainer is bent outward into the diverging portion of said opening to restrain unintentional withdrawal of said retainer.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 2 in which the ends of the legs of said retainer are curled inward to facilitate movement of said retainer within said holder.