Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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QUICK-ATTACH MECHANISM FOR ATTACHING
A BLADE TO AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE
Your Pedtloners, ALAN D. BAILEY, a ciitizen of the United States and a
resident
of the State of Iowa, whose post office address is 24160 Kelley's Beach Drive,
Spirit
Lake, Iowa 51360; and RANDY J. KEMPF, a cifizen of the United States and a
resident of the State of Indiana, whose post office address is 2060 Ridgemere
Place,
Greenwood, Indiana 46143, pray that Letters Patent may be granted to them for
the
invention set forth in the following specifitation:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a quick-attach system for an off-road vehide, such
as
an ATV, UTV or the like, and more particularly to a quick-attach system for an
off-road
vehicle such as an ATV or UTV to enable a blade and push tube assembly to be
quickly and easily connected to or detached from a mounting plate previously
secured
to the underside of the vehicle.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Off-road vehicles such as ATVs and UTVs frequently have a blade assembly
removably attached thereto to enable dirt or snow to be piowed, The blade
assembly
normally indudes a pair of rearwardly extending push tubes which extend
beneath the
vehiGe and which are pivotally connected to a mounting bracket secured to the
underskie of the vehiole. Normally, the rearward ends of the push tubes have a
plate
secured thereto which has one or more mounting holes therein which must
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with mounting holes in the mounting bracket to enable the push tubes to be
pivotally
secured to the nwunting bracket. Presently, the attachment of the push tubes
to the
mounting bracket and the disconnection therefrom is time-consuming and is
difficuft
due to the requirement that the pin holes in the plates of the push tubes and
the
mounting bracket must be precisely aligned in order to insert a pin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A quick-attach system is described which enables the rearward ends of the
push tubes of blade assemblies to be quickly and easily attached to and
detached
from a mounting bracket secured to the undenrAde of a off-road vehicie such as
an
ATV or UTV. The quick-attach system of this invention may be either
retrofitted onto
existing push tubes of blade systems or may be Incorporated into the rearward
ends of
push tubes at the time of manufacturing the same.
In the system disdosed herein, a mounting bracket is secured to the underside
of the vehicle and has a pair of laterally spaced and horizontaliy extending
mounfing
pins positioned below the bottom surface of the mounting plate. A quick-attach
assembly is provided on the rearward end of each of the push tubes and
includes an
upwardly presented recess which is adapted to receive the associated mounting
pin
on the mounting bracket. A ramp communicates with the recess to facilitate the
movement of the quick-attach mechanism upwardly into mating engagement with
the
mounting pin. A iocking latch or lever is pivotally mounted on the quick-
attach
mechanism and includes a forwardly extending nose portion which is positioning
over
the mounting pin when the mounting pin is received in the recess. The design
of the
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nose, recess and ramp is such that upward movement of the quick-attach
mechanism
with respect to the mounting pin during the attechment process enables the
mounting
pin to slightly move the latching lever from its latched position to i#s
unlatched posi#ion
so that the mounting pin may be received in the recess. As soon as the
mounting pin
is received in the recess, the spring-Ioaided locking lever or latch moves to
its locked
position. Each of the quick-attach mechanisms may be disconnected from the
associated mounting pin by moving the latch to its unlocked position which
permits the
quick-attach mechanism to be moved downwardly with respect to the mounting pin
to
disconnect the quick-attach mechanism from the mounting pin.
It is therefore a principal object of the Invention to provide an improved
quick-
attach mechanism for quickly and easily attaching and detaching the rearward
ends of
push tubes of a blade assembly to a mounting bracket previously secured to the
underside of the vehicle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a quick-attach assembly which
enables mounting pins to be received thereby without manual movement of the
associated locking or latching levers.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a quick-attach mechanism
which is secured to the rearward ends of push tubes and which includes
structure
thereon which aids in aligning the quick-attach mechanism with the associated
mounting pin.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a quick-attach system of
the
type described which may be mounted on previously manufactured push tubes or
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which may be incorporated into the rearward ends of the push tubes at the time
of
manufacture thereof.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an off-road vehicle having a blade
attached
thereto;
Fig. 2 is a partial rear perspective view of the push tubes of the blade of
Fig. 1
with the rearward ends of the push tubes having been retrofitted with quick-
attach
assemblies;
Fig. 3 is partial rear perspective view of the right-hand quick-attach
mechanism
of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the mechanism of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a partial rear perspective view illustrating the left-hand quick-
attach
assembly of Fig. 2 being secured to a mounting pin extending below a mounting
plate
secured to the underside of the vehicle;
Fig. 6 is a side view illustrating the manner in which the quick-attach
assembly
is secured to the mounting pin which is positioned below the mounting plate
which is
shown in sectiora;
Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 except that the broken lines illustrate the
movement of the iocking lever being opened or unlocked to permit the quick-
attach
assembly to be disconnected from the mounting pin;
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Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of a quick-attach assembiy which is
incorporated into the rearward end of the push tube at the time of
manufacturing the
same;
Fig. 9 is a side view illustrating the locking lever in its locked position
with
respect to the mounting pin; and
Fig. 10 is a rear perspective view of a typical mounting bracket which is
secured
to the underside of the vehide.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The numeral 10 refers generally to an off-road vehicie such as an ATV or UTV,
which may be two-wheel drive or four-wheei drive. ATV 10 inciudes a fonn-ani
end 12,
a rearward end 14, a right side 16, and a left side 18. The numeral 20 refers
generally
to a blade assembly which is secured to the ATV. The blade assembly 20 also
includes means for pivoting the blade 22 of the blade assembly 20 about a
vertical
axis and includes conventional means for raising and lowering the blade 22
with
respect to the vehicle 10.
The conven#ional blade assembly 20 normally includes a pair of rearwardly
extending push tubes which will be identified as a right push tube 24 and a
left push
tube 26. In the oonventbnal blade assembiies, the push tubes are pivotally
secured to
the frame of the ATV or to the rear hitGh of the ATV through suitabie
connections.
Normally, a plate 28 is secured to and extends between the push tubes 24 and
26 for
strengthening purposes. In the conventionai blade assemblies such as
distributed by
the assignee of this invention, the rearward ends of the push tubes 24 and 26
have
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mounting plates 30 and 32 secured thereto by welding or the like. The
conventionai
mounting plates for push tubes 24 and 26 are illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5,
6 and 7
which have been retrofitted with the quick-attach mechanisms of this invention
while
Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate modified moundng plates which incorporate the quick-
attach
mechanisms of this Invention. The convenhonai push tubes are also iiiustrated
in U.S.
Patent Nos. 6,843,002 and 6,957,505. The conventional mounting plates normally
have a bolt or pin opening 34 (Fig. 4) formed therein to enable the reannrarcd
ends of
the push tubes to be pivotally connected, about a horizontai axis, to a
mounting plate
secured to the underside of the vehicle 10 by means of pins or bolts. The
mounting
plates usually have an opening 35 fomned therein.
With respect to Figs. 2-7, the mounting plates 30 and 32 on push tubes 24 and
26 are retrofitted with quick-attach assemblies or mechanisms 36 and 36',
respectiveiy. Inasmuch as mechanisms 36 and 36' are identical, only mechanism
36
wiii be described in detail with "'" indicating identicaf structure on
mechanism 36'.
Mechanism 36 inciudes a plate 38 which is sandwiched or positioned between
ciamping members 40 and 42 which are bolted to mounting plate 30 by bolts 44
and
46, as illustrated in Fig. 4. As seen, bolts 44 and 46 extend through openings
45 and
47 formed in member 42, through openings 34 and 35 in plate 30 and through
openings 47 and 48 formed in member 40. Bolts 49 and 50 extend through
openings
52 and 54 In clamping member 40, through openings 56 and 58 in plate 38, and
through openings 60 and 62 in clamping member 36. Nuts 64 and 66 are
threadably
mounted on bolts 49 and 50, respectively.
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The upper end of plate 38 has a pin or bolt receiving recess 68 formed
therein.
The upper end of plate 38 also has an inclined ramp surface 70 formed therein,
the
lower end of which communicates with recess 68, as seen in Fig. 4. The lower
rearward end of plate 38 has a notch or slot 72 fomied therein which receives
one end
of spring 74 therein. The numeral 76 refers to a latch or locking lever which
is
positioned between the rearward ends of clamping members 40 and 42 and which
is
pivotally secun;d thereto by means of pivot pin 78 which extends through
opening 80
formed in member 40, opening 82 formed in latch 76, and through opening 84 in
member 42. Pin 78 may be a clevis pin or the like maintained in place by one
or more
cotter pins. Latch 76 has a notch or slot 86 formed therein which receives the
other
end of spring 74 therein with the spring 74 being positioned between the
members 40
and 42. Latch 76 indudes a hook or nose portion 88 at its upper end which
extends
forwardly therefrom. Latch 76 is also provided with a serrated finger-iike
protnasion 90
extending rearwardly from the lower end thereof (Fig. 4). Latch 76 is normally
urged to
its solid line latching or locked position by spring 74, as illustrated in
Fig. 7, and is
movable to its broken line unlocked position, also shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 10
illustrates a
mounting plate 92 which Is secured to the underside of the vehicle 10 by any
convention means forwardly of the rearward end thereof.
When installed, plate 92 will be generally horizontally disposed. For purposes
of description, plate 92 will be described as having a forward end 94,
rearward end 96,
right side 98 and left side 100. A pair or ears or brackets 102 and 104 are
welded to
the bottom surface of plate 92 adjacent the rearward end 96 at the right side
of the
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plate 92. A horizontally disposed pin 106 extends therebetween which is spaced
below the bottom surface of plate 92, Pin 106 may be a clevis pin or the like
maintained in the ears 102 and 104 by one or more cotter pins. A. pair of ears
or
brackets 108 and 110 are welded to the bottom surface of plate 92 adjacent the
rearward end 96 at the left side of the plate 92 and have a horizontally
disposed pin
112 extending therebetween which is spaced below the bottom surface of plate
92.
Pin 112 may be a cievis pin or the like maintained in the ears 108 and 110 by
one or
more cotter pins. Although Fig. 10 illustrates a pair of spaced-apart pins 106
and 112,
a-singie rod could extend across the underside of plate 92 with the quick-
attach
assemblies being secured to the ends of the single rod or to other ioca#ions
on the rod
as long as mounting pin portions are provided.
As stated, Figs. 2-7 illustrate the quick-attach mechanism being retrofitted
onto
previously manufactured push tubes 24 and 26 having the plates 30 and 32
secured
thereto. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the manner in which a quick-attach mechanism
may
be Incorporated into a plate 30A at the time of manufacture. The upper
rearward end
of plate 30A has a recess 114 formed therein which corresponds to the recess
68
previously described. The upper rearward end of plate 30A also has an inclined
surface or ramp 116 formed therein which corresponds to inciined surface or
ramp 70.
A latch 118 has a pair of ears 120 welded to the opposite sides thereof with
the ears
120 being pivotally secured to the plate 30A by pin 122. Pin 122 may be a
cievis pin
or the like maintained in position by one or more cotter pins. Although the
drawings
illustrate that the ear 120 Is welded to latch 118, members 118 and 20 could
be cast
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as a single part. Spring 124 is positioned between plate 30A and latch 118, as
seen in
Fig. 9. to yieldably urge the iatch 118 to its latched or locked position
illustrated in Figs.
8 and 9 so that the nose 126 of latch 118 Is positioned over the pin 106, as
seen in
Fig. 9, to maintain the quick-attach mechanism of Figs. 8 an d9 on the
mounting plate
92. The other push tube will have the same type of quick-attach mechanism
(Figs. 8
and 9) as that just described.
With respect to the retrofd embodiment of Figs. 2-7, the quick-attach and
detach
procedure wili now be described. Assuming that the blade structure 20 is
disconnected from the vehicde and that the mounting plate of Fig, 10 has been
previously secured to the underside of the vehicle 10, the vehicle 10 driven
so that the
push tubes 24 and 26 are positioned beneath the vehicle and the rearward ends
thereof are positioned below the plate 92 near the rearward end thereof. The
driver
then dismounts from the vehicle and manually lifts the rearward end of push
tube 24.
The push tube 24 is maneuvered with respect to the mounting plate 92 so that
the
mounting pin 106 is received between the inciuded ramp surface 70 at the end
of the
nose portion 88 of latch 76, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Continued upward
movement of
the quick-attach mechanism 36 and the push tube 24 causes the pin 106 to move,
open or unlatch the latch 30, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, so that the
pin 106 is
received within recess 68. As soon as the pin 106 Gears the nose portion 88,
the
spring 74 automatically causes the nose portion $8 to move over the pin 106
thereby
locking the quick-attach mechanism 36 onto the pin 106. The same procedure Is
then
repeated with the quick-attach mechanism 36'. When installed, the quick-attach
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mechanisms pivotally connect the rearward end of the push tubes to the vehide
to
enable the blade 22 to be vertically moved with respect to the vehicle. If a
power lift
apparatus is employed for raising and lowering the blade 22, that apparatus
will then
be connected.
When it is desired to remove the blade structure 20 from the vehicle, the
latch
76 is unlatched by simply pressing downwardly on the protrusion 90 so that the
latch
76 is moved to the broken line position illustrated in Fig. 7, thereby
permitting the
quick-attach mechanism 36 to be moved downwardly and released with respect to
the
pin 76. This procedure is then repeated with the quick-attach mechanism 38'.
The standard quick-attach mechanisms of Figs. 8 and 9 function in the same
manner as the retrofitted quick-attach mechanisms of Figs. 2-7.
Aithough a blade structure is shown and described, the forward ends of the
push tubes may possibly be secured to other structures such as materials
handling
devices as well as a mower deck or the like.
Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated
objectives,
