US 12,480,288 B2
Handling system for ground-engaging wear parts secured to earth working equipment
David M. Paul, Magdalena, NM (US); Rodney K. Clarke, Cleveland (AU); and Alain Latino, Ardoss (AU)
Assigned to ESCO GROUP LLC, Portland, OR (US)
Filed by ESCO GROUP LLC, Portland, OR (US)
Filed on Sep. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/242,755.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/404,488, filed on Sep. 7, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0076858 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. E02F 9/28 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 9/2891 (2013.01) [E02F 9/2825 (2013.01); E02F 9/2833 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A handling tool for handling a ground-engaging wear part for earth working equipment, the handling tool comprising:
a pair of gripping assemblies spaced apart to receive the wear part therebetween, each of the gripping assemblies including (i) an inner surface to selectively contact and hold the wear part, and (ii) a tab assembly having a resilient member, a tab that is resiliently biased by the resilient member to project inward of the inner surface, the tab being retractable against the resilient bias of the resilient member when in contact with a side of the wear part and extendible inward of the inner surface by the resilient member for contact with a rear-facing surface on the wear part, and a cover, wherein the tab includes a first surface that faces in a first direction to set against the rear-facing surface of the wear part and a second surface that faces in a second direction opposite the first direction to set against the cover, each of the gripping assemblies includes a plurality of resilient gripping pads and a plurality of rigid gripping elements that collectively define the inner surface to contact and hold the wear part, and the gripping elements and the gripping pads are interleaved with each other seriatim in an alternating pattern with one of the gripping pads positioned between adjacent pairs of the gripping elements;
actuators to move the gripping assemblies toward and away from each other to grip and release the wear part; and
a base structure supporting the gripping assemblies and the actuators.