Pivoting fender assembly for a work machine having a protective recess for an associated latch assembly

A fender assembly for a work machine, comprising:

• a fender body having an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein (i) said fender body is positionable between an operation position and an access position, (ii) said upper panel has a latch recess defined therein, (iii) said upper panel further has a user-side opening and a latch-side opening defined therein, (iv) said latch-side opening is located within said latch recess, and (v) said lower panel is spaced apart from said upper panel so as to define an actuator chamber;
• a latch assembly positioned in said latch recess, said latch assembly being positionable between (i) a lock position in which said fender body is secured in said operation position, and (ii) a release position in which said fender body is allowed to move between said operation position and said access position;
• and
• an actuator for moving said latch assembly between said lock position and said release position, wherein (i) said actuator extends from a user-side location to a latch-side location through said user-side opening and said latch-side opening, (ii) said user-side location is located above said upper panel of said fender body, (iii) said latch-side location is located within said latch recess, (iv) said actuator further includes an intermediate portion, a user end portion, and a latch end portion, (v) said intermediate portion extends between said user-side opening and said latch-side opening and is located within said actuator chamber, (vi) said latch-end portion is secured to said latch assembly, and (vii) said user-end portion is located above said upper panel of said fender body.

A work machine, comprising:

• a fender body having a first panel, wherein (i) said fender body is positionable between an operation position and an access position, (ii) said first panel has a latch recess defined therein, (iii) said first panel further has a user-side opening and a latch-side opening defined therein, and (iv) said latch-side opening is located within said latch recess;
• a latch assembly positioned in said latch recess, said latch assembly being positionable between (i) a lock position in which said fender body is secured in said operation position, and (ii) a release position in which said fender body is allowed to move between said operation position and said access position;
• an actuator for moving said latch assembly between said lock position and said release position, wherein (i) said actuator extends from a user-side location to a latch-side location through said user-side opening and said latch-side opening, (ii) said user-side location is located above said first panel of said fender body, and (iii) said latch-side location is located within said latch recess;
• a recess cover which is secured over said latch recess;
• a shoe block, wherein (i) said fender body further has a shoe recess defined therein, and (ii) said shoe block is secured within said shoe recess;
• a structural member, wherein (i) said fender body is secured to said structural member when said fender body is positioned in said operation position, and (ii) said fender body is spaced apart from said structural member when said fender body is positioned in said access position;
• and
• a guide member, wherein (i) said guide member is secured to said structural member, (ii) said guide member has a guide channel defined therein, (iii) said shoe block is positioned within said guide channel when said fender body is positioned in said operation position, and (iv) said shoe block is spaced apart from said guide channel when said fender body is positioned in said access position.