GB2182834A

GB2182834A - Tractor-implement coupling

Info

Publication number: GB2182834A
Application number: GB08610649A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arne Lindberg
Original assignee: ALO MASKINER AB
Current assignee: ALO MASKINER AB
Priority date: 1985-11-19
Filing date: 1986-05-01
Publication date: 1987-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2006-05-01
Also published as: SE447282B; GB2182834B; GB8610649D0; SE8505466D0

Abstract

A device (4) for fastening implements to an operating means of the implement carried by a tractor comprises a larger number of retaining means 30,31,52-55 (in guide bushes 46 to 51 )than the number of retaining means utilized for retaining the points of attachment of an implement, the nonutilized retaining means being intended to retain an implement having a different location of the points of attachment. The fastening device is connected with the operating means and has means (30,31,52-55) intended to retain and cooperate with points of attachment of the implement. The fastening device (4) for the implements comprises a link system (40) arranged to move retaining means 52-55 between a position locking the implement and a position releasing the implement. The retaining means that are movable by means of the link system consist of four pins (52-55) two of which (52,54) move in one direction in operation of the link system simultaneously as the two other pins (53,55) move in an opposite direction.The fastening means enables fastening of two different implements with a different placement of the points of attachment to the operating means carried by the tractor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for fastening implements to a tractor This invention relates two a deviceforfastening implements to an operating means of the implement carried by a tractor or the like, the fastening device forthe implements being connected with the operating means and having means intended to retain and cooperate with points of attachment ofthe implement.

It is usual practice to provide tractors with an operating meansintheformofe.g. aso-calledfront loader capable of supporting a series of different implements, e.g. buckets ofdifferenttypes, lift fork etc. The front loader comprises an arm system which can be operated from the driver's cabin ofthetractor via hydraulic cylinders so thatthe implement carried by the front loader will accomplish different tasks.

In orderto beabletoconnectsimplyacurrent implement to the loaderthis is normally provided with fastening deviceforthe implements comprising meansforretaining and cooperating with points of attachment ofthe current implement.

However, different systems for mounting ofthe implements are found on the market. Therefore one has in principle been restricted to implement and fastening device from the same manufacturer. Of coursethis has been an undesired limiting factor in many cases as one has not only been restricted in one's choice of accessories in the form of implements but also, when procuring new working vehicles and/or operating devices, confined to a certain manufacture if one has still desired to utilize the previously procured implements.

It is the object of this invention to provide a device forfastening implements capable of retaining implements with two different locations of points of attachments, and this object is achieved by the characteristicfeatu res of the device defined in the claims.

Thus, the advantages of the invention are obvious as a greater option in choosing implement manufacture is obtained in this way.

Illustrative examples of the invention will be described in the following in greater detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which Figure lisa side view of a fastening device according to the invention connected to a so-called front loader and an implementwhich can be coupled to said device, Figure2 corresponds to Figure 1 with the difference that the points of attachment of the implement have a different location in comparison with Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rearview of the fastening device, and Figure 4 is a side view of said fastening device.

Figures 1 and 2 show a section of an operating means supported by a tractor in the form of a so-called front loader 1 which comprises arms 2 and hydraulic cylinders 3 to enable the desired operation of the implements. An inventive fastening device (4) for implements is articulatedly connected to the front loader1 abouttheaxes5and6.Thankstothisthe fastening device 4 and an implement 7 connected to this can be adjusted to different angles in different directions by the action of hydraulic cylinders. By operating the arms 2the implement7 can be moved vertically.

The implements 7,8 shown in Figures 1 and 2 consist of so-called buckets but itwill be appreciated that this is of course only examples of implements that can be connected to the front loader 1 via the fastening device.

The implements 7 and 8 shown in Figures 1 and 2 are of two different manufactures and have different locati ns of the points of attachment. The implement 7 has two upper points of attachment 8 and two lower points of attachment 10. The implement9 has two upper points of attachment 11 and two lower points of attachment 12. The upper points of attachment 11 are hook-shaped and have a recess 13 and 14, respectively. The lower points of attachment 10,12 have a hole 15and an opening 16, respectively.

The device 4forfastening implements comprises two end plates 20,21 and plate-shaped members 22-27 located between these. The plates 20-25 are connected to an upper pipe 28 and a lower pipe 29, and the plates 26,27 are connected to the upper pipe 28.

The plates 20,22 and 21,23, respectively, support means for enabling attachment of the fastening device 4to the front loader 1,the centre axes of said means being designated 5 and 6 in Figure 3.

Moreover, the fastening device 4 comprises two pins 30which are connected to the plates 20 and 21, respectively, and to the uppertransversal pipe 28 and which pins 30 are intended to be in engagement with the hooks 9 ofthe implement7 in their recesses 13. Moreover, the two pins 31 are arranged which are connected to the upper transversal pipe 28 via the plates 24,26 and 25,27, respectively, and which pins 31 are intended to be in engagement with the hooks 11 ofthe implement8 intheir recesses 14.

Fu rthermore, the fastening device 4for implements comprises a link system 40 which, in turn, comprisesfour arms 41-44 and an operating lever 45. Said arms 41 -44 and the lever 45 are articulatedly interconnected as is apparent from Figure 3. The plates 20-25 have openings required for the movements of the link arms 41 and 44. Moreover, the plates 20-25 have guide bushings 46-51 which are provided with openings for guiding pins 52-55 operated by the link system, the pins 52 and 55 being intended to enterthe hole 15 of the lower point of attachment 10 ofthe implement7 and the pins 53 and 54 being intended to enter the opening 16 ofthe lower point of attachment 1 2 of the implement 8.

Attachments 60 and 61, respectively, for the link system 40 are connected with the plates 24 and 25, said attachments having elongated openings 62 and 63, respectively, for guiding pivot pins 64 and 65, respectively, arranged at the operating lever45 and the link arm 43.

A shoulder 70 is connected to the upper transversal pipe 28,which shoulder is intendedto serve as a stop means ofthe operating lever 45 when this is located in the position of disengagement shown in Figure 3 and when this is in the position of engagement shown in Figure 3 with dash-and dot lines. A means exerting forces and in the form of a tensile spring 71 is acting between the upper transversal pipe 28 and the central linkarm 42,the object of said means being to ensure locking of a current implement.

Coupling of an implement 7 is carried out as follows. The fastening device 4 with the link system 40 in the position shown in Figure 3 and the implement7arecombined sothatthe hooks 9 engage the pins 30 and the lower points of attachment 10 enter between the guide bushings 46 and 47 and 50 and 51, respectively, and so that the holes 15 agree with the centre holes of said guide bushings afterwhich the operating lever 45 is moved from the position shown in Figure 3 with full lines to the position shown in the same figure with dot-and-dash lines, with the result that the pins 52 and 55 enterthe holes of attachment 15 ofthe implement7 and partly also the centre holes ofthe guide bushings 47 and 50, respectively. Atthe same time the pins 53 and 54 will also partly enterthe centre holes of the guide bushings 47 and 50, respectively.

Unfastening ofthe implementfrom the fastening device 4 is carried out in such a way that the operating lever45 is moved from the locking position shown in Figure 3 with dot-and-dash lines to the releasing position shown in the same figure with full lines.

Coupling of an implement 8 is in principle accomplished in the same way as coupling ofthe previously described implement 7 but with the differencethatthe upper points of attachment, i.e.

the hooks 11, engage the pins 31 ofthefastening device 4 and that the lower points of attachment 12 enter between the guide bushings 47 and 48 and 49 and 50, respectively, the pins 53 and 54 of the link system 40 entering the opening 16 of the lower points of attachment 12.

Besides, it can be added that remote operation of the link system between a locking and nonlocking position can be achieved e.g. by replacing the operating lever45 by a link arm similarto the link arm 43 and arranging a hydrauliccylinderto act between the pivot points 80 and 81 of the link system 40. It is then possible to operate the pins 52-55 between a locking and nonlocking position by means of the hydraulic cylinder via the link system.

The invention is not restricted to what has been shown and described but amendments and modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for fastening implements to an operating meansoftheimplementcarried bya tractor or the like, said fastening means for the implements being connected with the operating means and having means intended to retain and cooperate with points of attachment ofthe implement characterized in that the device for fastening the implements comprises a larger numberofretaining meansthan the number of retaining means utilized for retaining the points of attachment of an implement, the nonutilized retaining means being intended to retain an implement having a different location of the points of attachment.

2. The fastening device of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a link system arranged to move some retaining means between a position locking the implement and a position releasing the implement.

3. The fastening device of claim 2, characterized in that the retaining means that are movable by the link system comprise four pins two of which are arranged to move in one direction in operation ofthe link system simultaneously as the two other pins are arranged to move in an opposite direction.

4. The fastening device of claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the movable retaining means are movable along a common axle.

5. A device for fastening implements to an operating means of the implement carried by a tractor or the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.