AU2008243058B2 - Implement Coupling System - Google Patents

Abstract

A coupling system for securing an implement such as a bucket to an implement mount on a front end loader, the bucket being secured by means of one or more moving pin which are adapted to pass through corresponding apertures in the bucket to secure the bucket to the implement mount, wherein the system includes means to push one or more of the pins away from a locking axis which would otherwise allow the pin to move to a locked condition. The pin, once moved from the axis, engages a detent adapted to hold the pins in a unlocked condition. A release member is operated by the attachment of a bucket to the implement mount and dislodges the pin back to the locking axis so that the locking pins pass through the aperture in the bucket to secure the bucket. Figure 5 FF-l

Description

1 Implement Coupling System Field of the invention [001] The present invention relates to implement coupling systems, such as the type on front end loaders or back hoes, for coupling an implement to an implement mount. Background of the invention [002] Prior art systems attempt to make the connection and disconnection of implements to implement mounts as convenient as possible, however, to date such systems have been clumsy and of questionable value to the users. [003] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application. Summary of the invention [004] The present invention provides a coupling system for securing an implement to an implement mount on a front end loader or the like, the coupling system securing the implement to the implement mount by means of one or more moving pin members on the coupling system which are adapted to pass through corresponding apertures in the implement to thereby secure the implement to the implement mount, the coupling system including means to translate the or each of the pins away from a locking axis which would allow the pin to move to a locked condition, whereby the pin, once moved from the axis, is enabled to engage a detent adapted to hold the at least one of the pins in a unlocked condition. [005] There can be two oppositely movable pin members. [006] One or more of the pins can be biased to the locked condition. [007] The pins can be adapted to be moved to an unlocked condition by means of a single handle operation. [008] Each pin can be adapted to be moved to an unlocked condition by a corresponding individual handle. [009] The system can include a release member adapted to release the pin from the unlocked condition, wherein the detent is formed within a collar through which the pin will pass, wherein the collar includes an aperture to allow passage of the release member to pass through 2 the aperture thereby pushing the pin back onto the axis, when it is desired to release the pin for movement to a locked condition. [010] The release member can operate by the implement mount being rotated whereby one end of the release member is pushed towards the detent against a bias in an opposite direction. [011] The release member can be adapted to slide to push the pin back onto the axis. [012] The release member can be adapted to pivot to push the pin back onto the axis. [013] The release member can be adapted for manual operation. [014] The pin can include a flat surface and or bevelled periphery. [015] The pin can be moved from the axis by the action of a handle withdrawing the pin from a locked condition to an unlocked condition. [016] One of the pins can be mounted to the implement mount via an apertured bracket, the aperture having its central axis at an angle to the locking axis. [017] The apertured bracket can allow the locking pin associated therewith to be rotated away from the locking axis. [018] The present invention also provides a front end loader having a coupling system as described in paragraphs [004] to [015] above. [019] The present invention also provides a tractor or vehicle having a front end loader of paragraph [018] above, or including an implement coupling system as described in paragraphs [004] to [015] above. Brief description of the drawings [020] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a front end loader showing an implement mount and an implement coupling system to releasably secure an implement to the implement mount; [022] Figure 2 is perspective view of the loader and implement mount of figure 1 with the implement coupling system being armed ready for release; [023] Figure 3 is a front view station the implement coupling system of figures 1 and 2; 3 [024] Figure 4 is a cross section through the implement coupling system of figure 3 showing the lock pins in a fully extended condition; [025] Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 with the locking pins in a fully retracted condition; [026] Figure 6 illustrates a cross section through the implement coupling system of Figure 5 [027] Figure 7 illustrates a partial cross section through the locking pin of Figure 6; [028] Figure 8 illustrates a partial cross section through the pin and spring of the implement coupling system of previous figures; [029] Figure 9 illustrates a close up perspective view of the implement mounting system; [030] Figure 10 illustrates a close up perspective view of the release mechanism to move said implement coupling system from a retracted condition to a fully extended condition; [031] Figure 11 illustrates a view similar to that of Figure 10 in which the release mechanism has released the coupling system [032] Figure 12 shows the release mechanism being activated by crowding the implement mount anti clockwise; [033] Figure 13 shows the release mechanism immediately prior to crowding the implement mount in an anti-clockwise direction; [034] Figure 14 illustrates a perspective view of a collar used with the implement coupling system; and [035] Figure 15 illustrates a perspective view of another collar used with the implement coupling system. [036] Figure 16 is a first view of an alternative locking and releasing arrangement. [037] Figure 17 is a second view of the arrangement of Figure 1. Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments [038] Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein the convention used in the drawings is: X.YY, XX.YY, X.YYY, 4 XX.YYY where X or XX represents the figure number in which an item, feature or part is illustrated, while YY or YYY represents the item, feature or part. [039] Illustrated in figure 1 is an implement mount 1.10 which is located at the end of a front end loader boom 1.02 and which is adapted to receive an implement releasably mounted thereon. [040] An implement coupling system 1.12 is incorporated in the implement mount 1.10 and is mounted on a cross bar 1.18 of the implement mount 1.10. The cross bar 1.18 is held between and spaces apart walls 1.11 and 1.09 of the implement mount 1.10. The cross bar 1.18 has attached to it a bracket 1.20 upon which is pivotally mounted a handle 1.16 which is used to move the lock pins 3.14 and 3.28 from a locked conditioned to an unlocked condition. [041] The lever 1.16 is pivotally attached to the bracket 1.20 by pivot formed by bolt 1.17. The lever 1.16 is pivotally connected to a link 1.22 which connects the handle 1.16 to the proximal end of the pin 3.28. Further the handle 1.16 is connected by a shaped link 1.24 to a second lock pin 3.14. The pin 3.14 is slidably mounted to the crossbar 1.18 by means of an apertured bracket 1.44, which it will be noted from Figures 3 to 6 is mounted at an angle to the crossbar 3.18. [042] The shaped link 1.24 has an apertured right angled end 3.42 which sits around the lock pin 3.14. The end 3.42 has an aperture 7.47 through which the pin 3.14 passes and is prevented from movement relative to the lock pin 7.14 , in one direction, by means of a cross pin 7.48 which passes through the lock pin 7.14 . By this means when the handle 1.16 is rotated to move the lock pins 3.14 and 3.28 from a locked to an unlocked condition, the handle 3.16 will draw the link 3.24 towards, around and past the pivot 3.17, making the end 7.42 pull against the pin 7.48, and with continued movement will compress the spring 7.26 against the bracket 3.44. [043] The shaped link 1.24 via its aperture 7.47 allows rotation relative to the lock pin 7.14 in two directions. The first direction is about an axis which is transverse to the pin 7.14, with the axis lying in the horizontal plane, with this rotation occurring when the link 1.24 is rotated and translated by the rotational movement of the handle 1.16. The second axis is also transverse to the pin 7.14 but is in the vertical plane and occurs when the pin 7.14 is rotated away from a locking axis 7.17. [044] As the bracket 3.44 is at an angle to the longitudinal or locking axis 7.17 of the pins 3.14 and 3.28, when locked in a locked condition, as can be seen from figure 8 the bracket 5 8.44 has a aperture 8.45 through it which has its central axis also at an angle to the locking axis of pin 8.14. This arrangement ensures that once the distal end of the pin 8.14 has passed in an inboard direction through the collar 8.30, the forces of the handle 1.16 transmitted through the end 8.42 will cause the pin 8.14 to rotate in the clockwise direction of arrow 8.99 in the aperture 8.45 of bracket 8.44, to thereby rotate pin 8.14 away from the locking axis 8.17 required for the pin 8.14 to pass from the unlocked conditioned to the locked condition. [045] When the pin 8.14 is rotated away from the locking axis 8.17, as best illustrated in Figure 7 the distal end of the lock pin 7.14, which has a flat circular face 7.15 and a beveled edge or rim 7.16, will engage a detent surface 7.31 on the collar 7.30. As this engagement is done against the bias of the spring 7.26, once the face 7.15 has engaged the detent surface 7.31, the lock pin 7.14 is in an "armed" condition awaiting a trigger by which it can be released to automatically move from the "unlocked armed" condition to a locked condition. [046] By the lock pin 7.14 moving from locking axis 7.17, which is centrally located with respect to the apertures 7.46 in collar 7.30, the releasing of manual rotation force on the handle 1.16 by the operator will mean that the spring 7.26 by the pin 7.48 and the bracket 3.44 will maintain the lock pin 7.14 in an "armed" condition awaiting the release of the lock pin 7.14 which is triggered by the implement mount 1.10 being "crowded" back so that a release mechanism can operate, whether or not an implement is engaged with the implement mount 1.10. [047] When the lock pin 7.14 is in the condition illustrated in Figure 7, which is the unlocked and armed condition, the link 7.24 and the end 7.42, are free to slide back along the lock pin 7.14 . However as the handle 2.16 has rotated to the other side of the pivot 2.37, the weight of the handle 2.16 maintains a gravitational or rotational bias on the handle 2.16 to urge the link 2.24 to maintain contact with the pin 7.48 without human intervention. This helps to maintain the locking pin 3.28 in an unlocked condition, however if an operator were to rotate the handle 2.16 in the opposite direction this would free move the pin 3.28 to the locked condition while the pin 3.14 would not do so (as it is armed and awaiting release) and the end 7.42 would move away from the pin 7.48. This is not a desirable condition however it is unlikely for the handle 2.16 to be moved to a condition whereby pin 3.14 is armed and unlocked while pin 3.28 is locked, unless an operator were to cause deliberately. This can be readily avoided by the use of another pin (not illustrated) which passes through the lock pin 7.14, on the other side of the end 6 7.42 from the pin 7.48, or any other appropriate means which allows for relative rotation between the pin 7.14 and the end 7.42. [0481 As illustrated figure 7, the collar 7.30 with its detent surface 7.31 has an aperture 7.46 which is sized two allow the diameter of the lock pin 7.14 to pass through so that the lock pin 7.14 can move to and from a locked condition. However, the wall 7.11 of the implement mount 7.10 has an aperture 7.13 which has an adjacently mounted collar 7.45 welded thereto, with the apertures 7.13 and 7.43 being of considerably larger surface area than aperture 7.46, thereby allowing the lock pin 7.14 to move off the locking axis 7.17 so as to be held armed by detent surface 7.31. The apertures 7.13 and 7.43 are each of an obround shape, where the round portion is of the same diameter as the aperture 7.46. The aperture 15.43 is illustrated in figure 15 and can be seen to have an elongated portion, while the curve of the obround shape of 15.43 is the same diameter as that of the aperture 14.46 (see 7.46 in figure 7). [049] A release or trigger mechanism is used to move the lock pin 7.14 from the armed condition to the locked condition. The release mechanism is located on the outboard face of the wall 7.11 where there is slidably arranged a release bracket 8.32 which is mounted thereto by two bolts 10.62, 10.64. [050] To release the lock pin 7.14 from its armed condition of Figure 7, the distal end 7.60 of the release bracket 7.32 is pushed into the aperture 7.50 (see 14.50 in figure 14) at the rear side of the caller 7.30. In so doing the distal end 7.60 of the release bracket 7.32 will engage the side of pin 7.14 when in the armed condition to thereby push and rotate the lock pin 7.14 back to the locking axis 7.17 and away from the detent surface 7.31 which would otherwise be restraining or holding the lock pin 7.14 in the armed condition. [051] Once the pin 7.14 is realigned with locking axis 7.17, the spring 7.26 (which is in a compressed state between the pin 7.48 and bracket 6.44) will urge the lock pin 7.14 to move to the locked condition. In so doing, as the lock pin 7.14 moves to the locked condition the link 7.24, by means of the end 7.42 will be urged towards the panel 7.11. This will draw the handle 2.16 back to its locked condition. This simultaneously moves the link 4.22 to push the pin 4.28 from the unlocked to the locked condition. [052] It will be seen from Figure 6 that the pin 6.28 in the unlocked condition is sitting within an elongated cylindrical collar 6.40 and when it moves to the locked condition as is illustrated in Figure 3 or 4 the lock pin 3.28,4.28 bridges the gap between elongated cylindrical 7 collar 4.40 and outboard collar 4.38. In a likewise manner, the pin 4.14 passes from the collar 4.30 across to the other outboard elongated collar 4.36 to bridge the gap between the two collars. [053] Referring now to Figures 13 and 12, which shows how the coupling system 1.12 is triggered from the unlocked and armed condition to the locked condition. The release bracket 13.32 has its distal end 13.60 shaped for entry into the aperture 10.50, 11.50, 14.50 so as to push against the side of the pin 10.14, 11.14. The release bracket 13.32 is mounted for slidable movement to the outboard face of wall 13.11 by means of two bolts 13.64 and 13.62, with the movement in the desired direction being provided and limited by elongated or obround slots 13.63 and 13.61 respectively. The release bracket 13.32 is biased towards the boom arm 13.02 by means of a tension spring 13.34. [054] When the implement mount 13.10 is rotated away from the boom arm 13.02 in the direction of clockwise arrow 13.99, the implement mount 13.10, by means of its top bar 13.13, can engage the hooks 13.85 on an implement 13.87. With the coupling system 1.12 in the unlocked and armed condition, the operator need only crowd the implement mount 13.10 back in the anti clockwise direction of arrows 13.97 until, as illustrated in figure 12, the movement causes the proximal end of the release bracket 12.32 engage the wall or face 12.04 of the boom arm 12.02. By further crowding the implement mount 12.10 in the direction of arrow 12.97, the distal end 12.60 will be pushed towards the collar 12.30 against the bias of the spring 12.34 and a relative to the end wall 12.11. By continuing to further crowd in the direction of arrow 12.97 the distal end 12.60 will move into the aperture 10.50, 11.50 to push the armed pin 12.14 back onto the locking axis 7.17, thus allowing the coupling system 1.12 to move fully from the unlocked condition to the locked condition. [055] As the implement mount 12.10 is moved from its forward location where it is capable of picking up an implement 13.87 and is crowded back in direction of arrows 12.97, 13.97, the implement 13.87 will move from a dangling condition so that a flange 13.89 of the implement 13.87 which has an aperture 13.83 through it, through which the pin 12.14 can pass, will be moved into alignment with the locking axis 7.17, so that the aperture 13.83 through the implement 13.87 will be aligned with the locking axis 7.17. Once in this condition the crowding movement and the implement mount 13.10 will not alter this position whereupon when the release member 12.32 engages the wall or face 12.04 of boom arm 12.02 and the pin 12.14 is moved on to locking axis 7.17, the pin 12.14 will pass respectively into the collars 7.36 and 7.30 8 through the aperture 13.83 in the implement 13.87 thereby securing the implement 13.87 to the implement mount 1.10. [056] Figures 16 and 17 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the locking release arrangement in which the locking release member is a pivot member 16.202 which pivots about axis 16.206, in contrast with the sliding locking release bracket 10.32 of Figure 10. This has the advantage that the slots of the arrangement of Figure 10 are not required, and this removes the possibility of the slots becoming blocked with dirt or grit. The spring 16.034 is anchored to the fixed bolt 16.064. In addition, the pivot lever of Figure 16 can be made sufficiently long to facilitate operation by hand. Projection 16.204 facilitates manual gripping of the release member 16,202 for manual operation or attachment of a handle for manual operation of the release member. [057] As best seen in Figure 17, instead of using the wall 12.04 of the boom (Figure 12) to actuate the release bracket 12.32, the pivot arm 17.202 is actuated by the pivoting link 17.210 which connects to the pivoting link 17.212 attached to the boom 17.02. The boom 17.02, the wall 17.11 the link 17.210, and the link 17.212 form a skewable quadrilateral having four pivoting elements which is actuated by the crowd cylinder to control the bucket. Thus when the link 17.212 acts on the pivotable arm 17.202 as shown in Figure 17 the actuating projection 17.060 dislodges the end of the locking pin 6.14 (Figure 6) to permit it to be pushed into the locking position. [058] In a further embodiment of the invention, the locking pins can be separately operable, each having an actuating handle and each being separately latchable in the open state in preparation for connection of a bucket. [059] The above is described with reference to the mounting of a work implement onto an implement mount at the end of a boom arm, however, the word implement includes within its scope boom arms, or front end loaders per se, which need to be secured to an implement mount on a tractor or vehicle, and as such the system is readily applicable to the mounting of boom arms of a front end loader to a vehicle, or other appliances to a vehicle or tractor, whether at the front or rear thereof. [060] Where ever it is used, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its "open" sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its "closed" sense, that is the sense of "consisting only of'. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear.

9 [061] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. [062] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (17)

1. A coupling system for securing an implement to an implement mount on a front end loader or the like, said coupling system securing said implement to said implement mount by means of one or more moving pin members on said coupling system which are adapted to pass through corresponding apertures in said implement to thereby secure said implement to said implement mount, said coupling system including means to translate the or each of said pins away from a locking axis which would allow said pin to move to a locked condition, whereby said pin, once moved from said axis, is enabled to engage a detent adapted to hold said at least one of said pins in a unlocked condition.

2. A coupling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are two oppositely movable pin members.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or more of said pins is biased to the locked condition.

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said pins are adapted to be moved to an unlocked condition by means of a single handle operation.

5. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each pin is adapted to be moved to an unlocked condition by a corresponding individual handle.

6. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a release member adapted to release the pin from the unlocked condition, wherein said detent is formed within a collar through which said pin will pass, wherein said collar includes an aperture to allow passage of the release member to pass through said aperture thereby pushing said pin back onto said axis, when it is desired to release said pin for movement to a locked condition.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said release member operates by said implement mount being rotated whereby one end of said release member is pushed towards said detent against a bias in an opposite direction.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the release member is adapted to slide to push the pin back onto said axis.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the release member is adapted to pivot to push the pin back onto said axis. 11

10. A system as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the release member is adapted for manual operation.

11. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said pin includes a flat surface and or bevelled periphery.

12. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said pin is moved from said axis by the action of a handle withdrawing said pin from a locked condition to an unlocked condition.

13. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein one of said pins is mounted to said implement mount via an apertured bracket, said aperture having its central axis at an angle to said locking axis.

14. A system as claimed in clam 10, wherein said apertured bracket allows said locking pin associated therewith to be rotated away from said locking axis.

15. A coupling system being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings.

16. A front end loader having a coupling system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

17. A tractor or vehicle having a front end loader of claim 16, or including an implement coupling system as claimed in any one of claims I to 12.