Self-adjusting tooth/adapter connection system for material displacement

Abstract

An excavation tooth point longitudinally extending along an axis and having a pocket area extending inwardly through a rear end thereof is telescoped onto a nose portion of an adapter structure by inserting the nose portion into the tooth point pocket area. The inserted nose portion has a tapered side opening therein that is positioned between a corresponding pair of similarly tapered tooth side wall openings. The tooth point is removably coupled to the adapter nose using an elongated, wedge shaped connector member which is inserted, small end first, through the generally aligned tooth and adapter openings. An internal passage longitudinally extends through the large connector member end and receives an inner portion of a force exerting member which compresses a spring within the passage, the spring in turn resiliently biasing an outer portion of the force exerting member into abutment with an interior surface portion of the tooth. The compressed spring, via the force exerting member, maintains the tooth point in an axially tightened orientation on the adapter nose, and automatically tightens the tooth further onto the adapter nose in response to tooth/adapter interface wear that would otherwise cause undesirable 'play' between the tooth point and the adapter nose portion. The connector member may be removed by pushing the force exerting member further into the connector member passage, rotating it, and then releasably locking it in this retracted position using a cooperating pin and slot structure on the connector and force exerting members.