Hydraulic hammers include wear members that are provided between various components, such as a housing member and a power cell of the hydraulic hammer as a buffer material. The wear members act as sacrificial material, and prevent the components of the hydraulic hammer from being subjected to wear and abrasion. The wear members are subjected to extensive wear during an operation of the hydraulic hammer.
When the wear members wear out beyond a predefined wear limit, the wear members may require immediate replacement to avoid wear and abrasion of the components of the hydraulic hammer. Maintenance operator at customer's end may have to refer to service manuals to check the predefined wear limits of the wear members. However, this method of inspecting a condition of the wear member is time consuming and is prone to errors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,516 describes a wear indicator. The wear indicator is provided in a plate structure, for instance, a planting plate. The wear indicator is mounted on the surface opposite to that which is exposed to a wearing environment. The wear indicator is strategically located to encounter the greatest wear or erosion such that after a preselected thickness of material has been worn away, a hole will appear to visually indicate that the plate has worn beyond prescribed limits.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds