Coupler

Abstract

A locking mechanism to secure a coupler's jaw, and a coupler incorporating the locking mechanism.

Claims

1. A coupler to engage a work attachment that includes a first pin and a second pin, wherein the coupler includes a body, a first jaw to receive the first pin of the work attachment, a moveable jaw, an actuator having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is connected to the moveable jaw to enable the actuator to expand and contract to move the moveable jaw through a path of movement so as to engage or disengage the second pin on the work attachment, a locking mechanism that can in use ensure that the second pin received in the moveable jaw is sufficiently held within the moveable jaw on loss of engagement force in the actuator, and wherein the actuator is connected to the locking mechanism to enable deliberate expansion or contraction of the actuator to move the locking mechanism to a release position to enable the actuator to move the moveable jaw to disengage the second pin receive therein.

2. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable jaw is a rear jaw of the coupler.

3. The coupler as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first jaw is a front jaw of the coupler to engage the first pin on the work attachment.

4. The coupler as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first jaw is fixed.

5. The coupler as claimed in claim 3, wherein the moveable jaw and the first jaw are oriented to face in opposite directions to each other.

6. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, including a locking system to secure a pin in the first jaw.

7. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiple positions are predefined positions.

8. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body includes aperatures forming part of a quick hitch configured to secure the coupler to an arm of a work vehicle.

9. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein deliberate expansion of the actuator moves the moveable jaw away from the first jaw to thereby cause the moveable jaw to engage the second pin.

10. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable jaw is a slide.

11. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable jaw has guide portions which are received in corresponding channel in the body to guide movement of the moveable jaw along its path of movement.

12. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable jaw includes a recess configured to receive a second pin.

13. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises: at least a first recess and a second recess in the body, and wherein the first recess and the second recess are spaced apart from each other along the moveable jaw's path of movement, and at least one locking member mounted to the moveable jaw and which in use can engage the first recess or the second recess to secure the moveable jaw with respect to the body to prevent the moveable jaw moving sufficiently to completely disengage the second pin on loss of engagement force in the actuator.

14. The coupler as claimed in claim 13, wherein in use the at least one locking member engages the first recess and/or second recess to secure the moveable jaw with respect to the body, and wherein the actuator is connected to the locking member(s) so that deliberate expansion or contraction of the actuator moves the locking member(s) to a release position and also moves the moveable jaw.

15. The coupler as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locking member includes a nub which in use can be disposed in the first recess and/or second recess.

16. The coupler as claimed in claim 14, including a third recess spaced apart from the first recess and the second recess along the moveable jaws' path of movement.

17. The coupler as claimed in claim 13, wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one biasing element configured to urge the locking member toward a locked position in which it can engage one of the recesses.

18. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder and ram, and wherein the cylinder provides the first end of the actuator and the ram provides the second end of the actuator.

19. The coupler as claimed in claim 18, wherein the ram is connected to a locking member by a slot aperture and a pin disposed in the slot aperture, and further wherein the connection pin is orientated to be substantially perpendicular to an axis defined by a length of the ram.

20. The coupler as claimed in claim 19, wherein the slot aperture has a length that is longer than the diameter of the pin.

21. The coupler as claimed in claim 20, wherein the slot aperture is approximately 20% longer than the diameter of the pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an end perspective view of a slide according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2A is a side perspective view of a coupler according to the present invention having a locking mechanism in a release position.

(4) FIG. 2B is a side view of a coupler according to the present invention having a locking mechanism in the locking position.

(5) FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing components of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 4 is a side view of a locking member.

(7) FIGS. 5A-D show a side cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment in operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention provides an improved coupler 1. The aspects of the coupler 1 will be described by reference to its components in the order in which they are assembled.

(9) A body 2 houses the components of the coupler 1. The body 2 has side walls and end walls 4. The walls 3, 4 define a cavity 5 to receive a slide 6.

(10) Flanges 7, 8 on the body 2 have apertures 9, 10 forming part of a quick hitch (not shown). The quick hitch facilitates securing the coupler 1 to an excavator (not shown). This should be understood by those skilled in the art.

(11) A first end 11 of the body 2 is formed to provide a first jaw 12. The first jaw 12 may include a locking system to secure a pin therein. The locking system is not shown in order to simplify the Figures. However it could be any known or yet to be developed locking system.

(12) A second end 13 of the body 2 has an aperture 14 into the cavity 5.

(13) The inside of side walls 2 have channels 15 one of which is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Each channel 15 has a top surface 16 and a bottom surface 17.

(14) A row of recesses 18, 19, 20 in the bottom surface 17 are spaced apart along the length of the channel 15. Recesses 18, 19, 20 provide a multi centred locking mechanism as should become clearer from the following description.

(15) The channels 15 define an axis of movement for the slide 6 allowing this to move forward and backwards freely. The axis of movement is shown as line Y.

(16) The slide 6 has a jaw 21. The jaw 21 is the primary jaw of the coupler 1 as should be known to those skilled in the art.

(17) Slide 6 has guide portions 22. The guide portions 22 have a shape corresponding to channels 15. Therefore the guide portions 22 may be disposed in the channels 15. It should be appreciated that the channels 15 define a path to guide movement of the slide 6.

(18) The slide 6 has slot apertures 23. The slot apertures 23 can receive a connection pin 24.

(19) Locking members 25 are pivotally attached to the slide 6 at points 26. The locking members 25 are shown in FIG. 4.

(20) The locking members 25 have a connector aperture 26. The axis of the connector aperture is shown as line X. Axis x is at a 45 degree angle to axis of movement Y.

(21) The locking members 2 have a nub 27. The nub 27 provides a locking edge shown by line 28, and a leading edge shown by line 29.

(22) The leading edge 29 is shaped so that it does not hinder movement of the slide 6 towards the second end 13. The locking edge 28 is shaped so that it stops the slide 6 moving towards end 11 when in the locking position. This should become clearer form the following description.

(23) Biasing elements 30 urge the locking members 25 to pivot around points 31. The biasing elements 30 may be springs or rubber detents.

(24) Connection pin 24 extends through the slot apertures 23 and connection apertures 26.

(25) An actuator 32 in the form of a hydraulic cylinder is positioned inside the cavity 5.

(26) The actuator 32 is connected to a control system (not shown). The control system allows a user to control extension or contraction of the actuator 32.

(27) End 33 of the actuator 32 is secured to the body 2. End 34 of the actuator 32 is connected to the connection pin 24.

(28) The slide 6 has slot apertures 23. The slot apertures 23 are approximately 20% longer than the diameter of the connection pin 24. This provides slack in the connection of the actuator 32 to the locking members 25.

(29) Extension of the actuator 32 moves the slide 6 forward towards second end 13. This will be referred to herein as locking movement.

(30) Contraction of the actuator 32 moves the slide 6 towards first end 11. This will be referred to herein as releasing movement.

(31) The operation of the coupler 1 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

(32) The jaw 12 engages a first pin 36A on a work attachment (neither shown in FIG. 2A or 2B). The coupler 1 is rotated about the pin.

(33) The actuator 32 extends to move the slide 6 forward towards end 13. Biasing elements 30 urge locking members 25 towards a locking position. However, the leading edge 29 does not hinder movement of the slide 6 towards end 13.

(34) Movement of the slide 6 continues until the jaw 21 engages pin 36 on a work attachment (not shown). This secures the work attachment to the coupler 1.

(35) At this position the locking members 25 do not engage any of the recesses 18, 19, 20.

(36) The actuator 32 applies a driving or engagement force that ensures that the jaw 12 engages the pin 36B.

(37) The position of the recesses 18, 19, 20 is selected so that these correspond to the positions in which the jaw 21 engages a pin. That is, when the jaw 12 engages a pin 36B the locking members 25 are adjacent to one of the recesses 18, 19, 20.

(38) Note that when the jaw 21 engages pin 36B the nubs 27 do not align with a recess 18, 19, 20.

(39) The work attachment can be used as per normal operation.

(40) If the actuator 32 loses hydraulic pressure the slide 6, and therefore jaw 21, moves along the length of the channels 15 towards end 11. However, this aligns nubs 27 with one of the recesses 18, 19, 20.

(41) The biasing elements 30 urge the locking members 25 to pivot and thereby force nubs 27 into one of the recesses 18, 19, 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B this is recess 18. This is the locking position.

(42) The locking members 25 secure the slide 6 with respect to the body 2. This protects against loss of engagement force due to failure of the actuator 32.

(43) The connection of the actuator 32 to the slide 6 is such that the locking mechanism secures the slide 6 with respect to the body 2 until deliberate movement of the actuator 32 moves the locking members 25 to the release position. That is, to release the pin 36B from the jaw 21 an operator sends a signal to the actuator 32 to contract. The actuator 32 moves the connection pin 24 along the length of the slot apertures 23 towards end 11. The connection pin 24 presses against the edges of the connector apertures 26. The incline of the connector apertures 26 causes the connection pin 24 to move the locking members 25 thereby drawing the nubs 27 out of recesses 18 and moving the locking members 25 into the release position.

(44) In the release position the slide 6 can move with respect to the body 2 to release the pin 36 and thereby release the work attachment from the coupler 1.

(45) It should be appreciated that the use of multiple recesses 18 which are spaced along the channels 15 allows the locking mechanism to secure the slide 6 jaws 21. This may be beneficial where the coupler 1 is used with work attachments (not shown) having pins 36A, 36B of different spacing. Therefore, were the actuator 32 to fail then the recesses may facilitate a locking member 25 preventing the jaw 12 releasing the pin. Therefore, the coupler 1 and locking mechanism guard against loss of engagement force and may facilitate a coupler being used with different types of, or specification, work implements.

(46) Referring now to FIGS. 5A-E showing an alternate embodiment of the coupler 1. Like numerals are used to refer to like components from FIGS. 1-4.

(47) The components of the coupler 1 are identical to that shown and discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-4. However, the orientation of the locking members 25 and recesses 18, 19, 20 has been altered. That is, the recesses 18, 19, 20 are now in the top surface 16 of the channel 15.

(48) The nubs 27 now face upwards towards top surface 16. The biasing elements 30 urge the locking members 25 to pivot upwards with respect to the slide 6 at points 26. In all other aspects the operation of the coupler shown in FIGS. 5A-E is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1-4.

(49) FIG. 5A shows the coupler 1 having the actuator 32 fully contracted. This moves slide 6 so as jaw 21 releases pin 36B. Note that locking member 25 is rotated so that nub 27 does not engage or extend into one of the recesses 18, 19, 20.

(50) FIG. 5B shows the actuator 32 partly through its stroke. The jaw 21 is moved towards pin 36B.

(51) Continued extension of the actuator 32 causes the jaw 21 to engage the pin 36B as shown in FIG. 5C. Note that locking members 25 have been moved past recesses 18, 19, 20. Nub 27 does not align with, nor extend into, any of recesses 18, 19, 20.

(52) If loss of engagement force occurs through failure of actuator 32 slide 6 can move with respect to body 2. This is shown in FIG. 5C. Note that locking member 25 has been moved along the length of path 15 so as nubs 27 align with recess 18.

(53) Biasing elements 30 force locking members 25 so as to pivot upwards towards top surface 16. This causes nubs 27 to extend into recesses 18. The locking member 25 prevents the slide 6 moving further towards end 2. Therefore, the jaw 21 does not fully release pin 36B. Accordingly, the locking mechanism prevents the coupler from releasing the work attachment.

(54) Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.