Tooth with hard material applied to selected surfaces

Abstract

Teeth are normally mounted to the cutting edge of a bucket to aid in the penetration of the material being worked. Furthermore, hard material has been applied to selected surfaces of the teeth to increase their wear life. It is advantageous to strategically size and position the application of hard material to the tooth in order to increase wear life and to simultaneously enhance the ability of the tooth to remain sharp for better penetration during the useful life of the tooth. In the subject arrangement, a first portion of hard material having a predetermined width and length is applied to a bottom surface of a tooth and a second portion of hard material having a predetermined width less than the width of the first portion of hard material is applied to a top surface of the tooth. The first and second portions of hard material are applied extending from adjacent a transverse forward edge in a longitudinal direction. The width relationship between the first and second portions of hard material and the location of the first and second portions of hard material both increase the wear life of the tooth and maintains the sharpness of the tooth during its useful life for better penetration of the material being worked.