# US 8,464,803 B2 · DCM having adjustable wear assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,803 B2 - Document ID: US8464803B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/945,211 - Filed: 2010-11-12 - Published: 2011-10-13 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2010-04-07 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Andrew G. Greuel; Anthony J. Piraino; Jacob P. Fawer; Daniel E. Bozich - Inventors: Andrew G. Greuel; Anthony J. Piraino; Jacob P. Fawer; Daniel E. Bozich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464803B2 ## CPC - A01B 31/00: Drags - E02F 3/764: {with the scraper blade being pivotable about a vertical axis} - E02F 3/765: {with the scraper blade being pivotable about a horizontal axis disposed perpendicular to the blade} - E02F 3/844: {for positioning the blade, e.g. hydraulically} - E02F 9/123: {Drives or control devices specially adapted therefor (E02F9/125 and E02F9/128 take precedence)} - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) ## Abstract An adjustable wear assembly for a machine mounting component having a channel is disclosed. The adjustable wear assembly may have a wear insert located within the channel, and an inclined adjustment plate located within the channel in contact with the wear insert. The adjustable wear assembly may also have at least one wedge block located within the channel in contact with the inclined adjustment plate, and a cover connectable to the mounting component to close off a side of the channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adjustable wear assembly for use with a mounting component of a drawbar-circle-moldboard having a channel, comprising: a wear insert located within the channel; an inclined adjustment plate located within the channel in contact with the wear insert; at least one wedge block located within the channel in contact with the inclined adjustment plate; and a cover connectable to the mounting component to close off a side of the channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the wear insert is fabricated from a material softer than the mounting component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 1, wherein: the inclined adjustment plate includes an interlocking feature; and the wear insert includes a corresponding interlocking feature configured to engage the interlocking feature of the inclined adjustment plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the inclined adjustment plate includes at least one of teeth and undulations that engage the at least one wedge block. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 1, further including a visual wear indicator associated with the at least one wedge block. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 5, wherein: the cover includes at least one channel; and the visual wear indicator includes a pin extending from the at least one wedge block through the at least one channel of the cover. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 1, wherein the inclined adjustment plate includes a first inclined protrusion and a second inclined protrusion, the first inclined protrusion being oriented opposite the second inclined protrusion relative to a length-wise midpoint of the inclined adjustment plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one wedge block includes a first wedge block associated with the first inclined protrusion and a second wedge block associated with the second inclined protrusion and spaced apart from the first wedge block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 8, further including at least one spring located between the first and second wedge blocks to urge the first and second wedge blocks up the first and second inclined protrusions and away from the wear insert. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one spring is a compression-type coil spring configured to urge the first and second wedge blocks away from each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 9, further including: a pin supporting the at least one spring; a disk connected to an end of the pin to rotate with the pin; a first lever arm connected to the first wedge block and a first edge of the disk; and a second lever arm connected to the second wedge block and a second opposing edge of the disk, wherein the at least one spring is a torsion spring connecting the cover to the disk. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 9, further including: a pin; a bushing that slidingly receives the pin and supports the at least one spring; a first lever arm connected to the first wedge block; a second lever arm connected to the second wedge block; and a link connected at a center to the pin, at a first end to the first lever arm, and at a second end to the second lever arm, wherein the at least one spring is a torsion spring connecting the cover to the link. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one spring includes a pair of constant force extension springs located at a mid-point of the inclined adjustment plate, the pair of constant force springs configured to pull the first and second wedge blocks towards each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 1, further including: a compression-type coil spring configured to urge the at least one wedge block up the inclined adjustment plate away from the wear insert; and a leaf spring located between the cover and the at least one wedge block. ### Claim 15 An adjustable wear assembly, comprising: a mounting component having a channel; a wear insert located within the channel; an adjustment plate located within the channel in contact with the wear insert; a mechanical biasing assembly located within the channel in contact with the adjustment plate to bias the adjustment plate toward the wear insert a greater amount as the wear insert becomes thinner; a mechanical wear indicator operatively connected to the mechanical biasing assembly to move with the mechanical biasing assembly and provide an indication of a thickness of the wear insert; and a cover connectable to the mounting component to close of a side of the channel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 15, wherein: the adjustment plate includes: a first inclined protrusion; and a second inclined protrusion oriented opposite the first inclined protrusion relative to a length-wise midpoint of the adjustment plate; and the mechanical biasing assembly includes: a first wedge member associated with the first inclined protrusion; a second wedge member associated with the second inclined protrusion; and at least one spring located between the first and second wedge members to urge the first and second wedge members up the first and second inclined protrusions and away from the wear insert. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 16, further including: a pin supporting the at least one spring; a disk connected to an end of the pin to rotate with the pin; a first lever arm connected to the first wedge member and a first edge of the disk; and a second lever arm connected to the second wedge member and a second opposing edge of the disk, wherein the at least one spring is a torsion spring connecting the cover to the disk. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 16, further including: a pin; a bushing configured to slidingly receive the pin and support the spring; a first lever arm connected to the first wedge member; a second lever arm connected to the second wedge member; and a link connected at a center to the pin, at a first end to the first lever arm, and at a second end to the second lever arm, wherein the spring is a torsion spring connecting the cover to the link. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The adjustable wear assembly of claim 16, wherein the at least spring is a first constant force spring and the adjustable wear assembly includes a second constant force spring, the first and second constant force springs being located at a central portion of the inclined shim plate configured to pull the first and second wedge members towards each other.