QUICK ATTACH COUPLING DEVICE

RACCORD RAPIDE

English Abstract

An assembly for securing an implement to a boom, the assembly comprising a
boom having a boom proximal end and a boom distal end, a link member having a
link
proximal end and a link distal end, the link proximal end being pivotably
connected to the
boom proximate the boom distal end, a first set of recesses formed in first
and second
sides of the link member, the first set of recesses being located intermediate
the link
member proximal end and the link member distal end, a second set of recesses
being
formed in the link member proximate the link member distal end, the second
recesses each
having an elongated configuration with a longitudinal axis extending parallel
to a link
member longitudinal axis, an opening to each of the second elongated recesses,
the
opening being at an end of a respective axis, the recesses being distant from
the link
member distal end, an implement assembly comprising a mounting arm and an
implement,
the mounting arm having a first end mounted to the implement, a pair of first
pins
extending outwardly from opposite sides of the mounting arm, and a pair of
second pins
extending outwardly from opposite sides of the mounting arm, the first pair of
pins being
located between an end opposite the implement receiving end and a center of
gravity of
the implement assembly.

French Abstract

Assemblage pour fixer un outil sur une flèche, et comprenant une flèche ayant une extrémité proximale et une extrémité distale, un élément de raccordement ayant une extrémité proximale et une extrémité distale, l'extrémité proximale étant reliée de manière pivotante à la flèche près de l'extrémité distale du bras et une première série d'enfoncements formés dans le premier côté et le second côté de l'élément de raccordement. La première série d'enfoncements est située entre l'extrémité proximale de l'élément de raccordement et l'extrémité distale de l'élément de raccordement. Une deuxième série d'enfoncements est formée dans l'élément de raccordement, près de l'extrémité distale de l'élément de raccordement. Les enfoncements de la deuxième série ont une configuration allongée avec un axe longitudinal s'étendant de manière parallèle à l'axe longitudinal de l'élément de raccordement, une ouverture pour chacun des enfoncements allongés de la deuxième série, l'ouverture étant située à une extrémité d'un axe respectif, les enfoncements étant distants par rapport à l'extrémité distale de l'élément de raccordement. Un assemblage d'outil comprend un bras et un outil, le bras ayant une première extrémité installée sur l'outil, une paire de premières goupilles s'étendant vers l'extérieur à partir de côtés opposés du bras, et une paire de deuxièmes goupilles s'étendant vers l'extérieur à partir de côtés opposés du bras. La première paire de goupilles est située entre une extrémité opposée par rapport à l'extrémité réceptrice de l'outil et un centre de gravité de l'assemblage d'outil.

Claims

The embodiments of an invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is
defined as follows:
1. An assembly for securing an implement, said assembly comprising:
a boom having a boom proximal end and a boom distal end;
a link member having a link proximal end and a link distal end, said link
proximal
end being pivotably connected to said boom proximate said boom distal end;
a first set of recesses formed in first and second sides of said link member,
said first
set of recesses being located intermediate said link member proximal end and
said link
member distal end, a second set of recesses being formed in said link member
proximate
said link member distal end, said second recesses each having an elongated
configuration
with a longitudinal axis extending parallel to a link member longitudinal
axis, an opening
to each of said second elongated recesses, said opening being at an end of a
respective
axis, said recesses being distant from said link member distal end;
an implement assembly comprising a mounting arm and an implement, said
mounting arm having a first end mounted to said implement, a pair of first
pins extending
outwardly from opposite sides of said mounting arm, and a pair of second pins
extending
outwardly from opposite sides of said mounting arm, said first pair of pins
being located
between an end opposite said implement receiving end and a center of gravity
of said
implement assembly.
2. The assembly of Claim 1 further including at least one cylinder
extending between
said boom and said link member.
3. The assembly of Claim 1 further including means for locking said
mounting arm to
said link member.
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4. The assembly of Claim 3 wherein said means for locking comprises a bolt
arrangement.
5. The assembly of Claim 3 wherein said boom includes a boom hydraulic
cylinder for
lifting and lowering said boom.
6. The assembly of Claim 3 further including a mounting arm hydraulic
cylinder
mounted on said mounting arm for operating an implement.
7. The assembly of Claim 3 wherein said base member comprises a base wall
and first
and second side walls to thereby define a channel therein, said mounting arm
fitting within
said channel.
8. A method for securing an implement to a vehicle having a boom comprising
the
step of supplying an assembly for securing an implement, said assembly
comprising:
a boom having a boom proximal end and a boom distal end;
a link member having a link proximal end and a link distal end, said link
proximal
end being pivotably connected to said boom proximate said boom distal end;
a first set of recesses formed in first and second sides of said link member,
said first
set of recesses being located intermediate said link member proximal end and
said link
member distal end, a second set of recesses being formed in said link member
proximate
said link member distal end, said second recesses each having an elongated
configuration
with a longitudinal axis extending parallel to a link member longitudinal
axis, an opening
to each of said second elongated recesses, said opening being at an end of a
respective
axis, said recesses being distant from said link member distal end;
an implement assembly comprising a mounting arm and an implement, said
mounting arm having a first end mounted to said implement, a pair of first
pins extending
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outwardly from opposite sides of said mounting arm, and a pair of second pins
extending
outwardly from opposite sides of said mounting arm, said first pair of pins
being located
between an end opposite said implement receiving end and a center of gravity
of said
implement assembly;
placing said implement assembly on a substrate;
manipulating said link member such that said first set of pins enters said
second
oblong recess;
raising said arm while maintaining said link member in a vertical position
whereby
said second set of pins will enter said first recess; and
locking said second set of pins in said first recess.
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Description

CA 02546034 2006-05-10
QUICK ATTACH COUPLING DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a quick attach coupling device and more
particularly,
relates to a quick attach coupling device suitable for use with heavy
equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Heavy equipment is typically used in various types of demolition and
construction
and loading; such equipment can include tractors, backhoes, excavators,
loaders, and the
like. Often, the heavy equipment is designed to be employed with different
types of
implements.
Typically, the piece of heavy equipment will include a boom extending from a
portion thereof, the boom having a distal end at which end an arm is attached.
The arm
pivots relative to the boom and the distal end of the arm is normally designed
to be secured
to an implement. The implement can be any which is utilized such as a shovel,
a bucket,
grapples, magnets, etc. Normally, hydraulic cylinders are utilized for raising
and lowering
the boom and for moving the implement relative to the arm.
To most operators of such heavy equipment, it is most desirable that various
implements be conveniently and reliably coupled to the arm. This then, allows
a single
piece of heavy equipment to be employed with any one of the implements and
also allows
for adjustment of the arm's length depending on the kind of implement used.
Generally, the
changing of an implement is a major task which is time consuming, difficult,
and dangerous.
The known arrangements are particularly a frustration for smaller pieces of
heavy equipment
which frequently have to change tasks during a single operating shift.
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CA 02546034 2006-05-10
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupling assembly for
securing
implements to a piece of heavy equipment allowing adjustment of the arm's
length
depending on the kind of implement used.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for
quickly
changing implements on heavy equipment having a boom, in order to make it more
versatile.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
assembly for
securing an implement, the assembly comprising a boom having a boom proximal
end and a
boom distal end, a link member having a link proximal end and a link distal
end, the link
proximal end being pivotably connected to the boom proximate the boom distal
end, a first
recess formed in a first side of the arm, the recess being located
intermediate the arm
proximal end and the arm distal end, a second recess being formed in the link
member
proximate the link member distal end, the second recess having an elongated
configuration
with a longitudinal axis extending parallel to a link member longitudinal
axis, an opening to
the second elongated recess, the opening being at an end of the recess distant
from the link
member distal end, an implement assembly comprising a mounting arm and an
implement,
the mounting arm having a first end mounted to the implement, a pair of first
pins extending
outwardly from opposite sides of the mounting arm, and a pair of second pins
extending
outwardly from opposite sides of the mounting arm, the first pair of pins
being located
between the implement receiving end and a center of gravity of the implement
assembly.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for
securing an
implement to a vehicle having a boom comprising the step of supplying an
assembly for
securing an implement, the assembly comprising the assembly of Claim 1 further
including
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CA 02546034 2006-05-10
locking means for securing at least one of the pair of pins within a
respective recess, a link
member having a link proximal end and a link distal end, the link proximal end
being
pivotably connected to the arm proximate the arm distal end, a first recess
formed in a first
side of the arm, the recess being located intermediate the arm proximal end
and the arm
distal end, a second recess being formed in the link member proximate the link
member
distal end, the second recess having an elongated configuration with a
longitudinal axis
extending parallel to a link member longitudinal axis, an opening to the
second elongated
recess, the opening being at an end of the recess distant from the link member
distal end, an
implement assembly comprising a mounting arm, the mounting arm having a
mounting arm
distal end mounted to an implement, a pair of first pins extending outwardly
from opposite
sides of the mounting arm, and a second set of pins extending outwardly from
opposite sides
of the mounting arm, the first set of pins being located between the implement
receiving end
and a center of gravity of the implement assembly, placing the implement
assembly on a
substrate, manipulating the link member such that the second set of pins
enters the second
oblong recess, raising the arm while maintaining the link member in a vertical
position
whereby the first set of pins will enter the first recess, and locking the
first set of pins in
position while in the first recess.
As used herein, the term "heavy equipment" is not tended to limit the type of
vehicle
or machine with which the present invention can be used. Rather, it is
inclusive of all types
of construction, demolition and loading equipment in which an implement
situated at the
end of a boom is utilized.
The assembly of the present invention comprises a link member and an implement
assembly which includes a mounting arm. The mounting arm carries first and
second sets of
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CA 02546034 2006-05-10
pins which are designed to fit into the first and second recesses of the link
member.
When assembled, various means are provided for locking the mounting arm and
link
member in position. Such means can be either automatic or manual.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a piece of heavy equipment utilizing the
quick
connect/disconnect assembly of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of a pair of implement assemblies
which may
be used with the present invention;
Figures 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D illustrate the sequence of operation for connecting
the
implement assembly to the link member;
Figure 4 is a partial cross section view illustrating locking of the implement
assembly
in place; and
Figures 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate alternative locking arrangements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters
thereto, there
is illustrated in Figure 1 a heavy equipment vehicle which, in the illustrated
embodiment,
comprises a tractor generally designated by reference numeral 10.
Tractor 10 has a boom 12 secured thereto in a conventional manner. The other
major
components include a link member 14, a mounting arm 16, and a shovel 18 which
is one of
the implements which may be used. Together, mounting arm 16 and shovel 18
constitute an
implement assembly.
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CA 02546034 2006-05-10
As is known in the art, a hydraulic cylinder 20 is utilized for raising and
lowering
_
boom 12 which is pivotably connected at its proximal end to tractor 10.
At boom distal end 22, boom 12 is connected to link member 14 at link member
proximal end 24. Link member 14 is pivotably connected at boom distal end 22.
A
hydraulic cylinder 28 extends between a mid point on boom 12 and link member
14 at link
member proximal 24.
Link member 14 includes a first U-shaped recess 30 formed at one side of link
member 14. At link member distal end 26, there is provided a further U-shaped
elongated
recess 32 which has an entry 34 on the side of link member 14 opposed to that
in which
U-shaped recess 30 is formed. Mounting arm 16 of the implement assembly has a
mounting
arm proximal end 38 and a mounting arm distal end 40. A hydraulic cylinder is
mounted on
mounting arm 16 and connected to shovel 18 to permit manipulation thereof
Mounting arm 16 also includes a first set of pins 44 extending outwardly from
first
and second side walls and second set of pins 46 which also extend outwardly
from the side
walls, but closer to said mounting arm proximal end 38.
As shown in Figure 2, a different implement comprising a grapple 48 is also
provided
with a mounting arm 50 of a configuration similar to mounting arm 16. Thus,
there are
provided a first set of pins 52 and a second set of pins 54.
Referring to Figures 3A to 3D, the installation procedure is illustrated. As
shown by
the arrows, cylinder 28 is operated so as to move link member 14 into a
position whereby
first set of pins 52 enter entry 34 to U-shaped recess 32. Boom 12 is then
lifted to cause
pins 54 to enter recess 30. Subsquently, a bolt 58 and a plate 60 may be
attached to secure
mounting arm 16 into position.
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CA 02546034 2013-02-14
Figures 5A, 513 and 5C illustrate alternate means of securing link member 14
with
mounting arm 16. The arrangement illustrated in Figure 5A illustrates a bolt
58 passing
through mounting arm 16 to secure the same.
In Figure 58, a member 333 forming a portion of mounting arm 16 extends
through
an opening in link member 14. A bolt 111 extends through a threaded member 222
to
retain the same in position.
In Figure 5C, a cylinder 111' is activated to place member 222' within the
recess of
portion 333.
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Representative Drawing