WORKING DEVICE WITH COUPLING MEANS FOR OPERATIVELY COUPLING IT TO A VEHICLE

DISPOSITIF DE TRAVAIL AVEC MOYENS PERMETTANT DE L'ACCOUPLER RAPIDEMENT A UN VEHICULE

English Abstract

A working device, with coupling means for operatively coupling
it to a vehicle, which means form a quick coupling, comprises,
on a rear side of a bucket (1), a supporting plate (8) supporting
a first portion of the constructional elements forming the quick
coupling, whereas a respective end portion of the vehicle arms
has a further supporting plate (14), which is driven by a
cylinder-piston unit (21), and supports a further portion of the
quick coupling forming constructional elements.

Claims

8
CLAIMS
1. A working device, with coupling means for operatively
coupling said working device to an operating vehicle, which
coupling means form a quick coupling, characterized in that
on a rear side of said bucket (1) is provided a supporting plate
(8) supporting a first portion of the constructional elements
(13, 11) forming said quick coupling, and that a respective end
portion of the operating vehicle arms (2) supports a further
plate (14), which can be driven by a cylinder-piston unit (21),
which supporting plate (14) supports a further portion of the
constructional elements forming said quick coupling.
2. A working device, according to claim 1, characterized in
that said plate (14) is driven by a driving piston (21) provided
for mechanically locking the bucket (1) by a locking leverage
(50) arranged between said cylinder-piston unit (21) and a
support (22) of supporting columns (16).
3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said
movable plate (14) is supported through bushings (13) by
parallel supporting columns (16).

Description

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WORKING DEVICE WITH COUPLING MEANS FOR
OPERATIVELY COUPLING IT TO A VEHICLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a working device including
coupling means for operatively coupling the working device to
a vehicle.
As it is known in agricultural or construction machines it is
frequently necessary to replace the operating equipment being
used by another tooling to perform works of other types.
Nowadays, for example, the replacement of a working tool by
another working equipment having different technical
characteristics, for example a bucket supported by the free
end portions of the lifting arms of the vehicle, is performed by
mechanical operations, in which the vehicle operator must exit
the vehicle cab for performing manual clutching operations, to
mount and connect, in particular, hydraulic fluid supply and
return tubes, by performing a lot of different manual
operations.
Thus, the need of performing the mentioned manual
operations makes the working tool replacement operation very
complex, and it must be performed by skilled vehicle
operators. Moreover, the above mentioned operations must be
generally performed on the field, for an operating required
time, thereby causing the operating machine to be undesirably

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stopped for a comparatively long period.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is that of allowing
a working device, such as a bucket, a mower or the like to be
easily disassembled, respectively reassembled, on a front side
of lifting and lowering arms of an operating vehicle, in a quick
and safe manner, without using tools and without compelling
the vehicle operator to leave the vehicle.
The above mentioned aim is achieved by a working device
including coupling means for operatively coupling said device
to a vehicle, said coupling means forming a quick coupling,
wherein on a rear side of a bucket is provided a supporting
plate supporting a first portion of the constructional elements
forming said quick coupling and wherein a respective end
portion of said vehicle arms includes a further supporting
plate, which can be driven by a cylinder-piston assembly,
supporting a further portion of said constructional elements
forming said quick coupling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject matter of the present invention will be disclosed in
a more detailed manner hereinafter, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, where:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a working bucket
assembled to the front portion of two arms projecting from an
operating vehicle;

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Figure 2 is a side view showing the bucket with the front end
portion of the supporting arm of the vehicle at the start of the
assembling operation;
Figure 3 is a detail view showing a detail for receiving a female
clutch assembly of a quick coupling, integral with the bucket;
Figure 4 is a side view showing the male clutch assembly of a
quick coupling;
Figure 5 is a front view showing the female clutch assembly
and a male clutch assembly of the quick coupling, during the
assembling operation thereof;
Figure 6 is a detail view showing a detail related to a
clearance recovery device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As is shown in figure 1, an interexchangeable bucket 1 is
mechanically coupled to a front portion 2 of a plurality of arms
included in a lifting and lowering assembly of an operating
vehicle used, for example, in agricultural or constructional
operations.
In figure 1 is shown a loading bucket 1 but it should be
apparent that other devices or apparatus could also be
provided, to be hydraulically operated and which, accordingly,
require a quick coupling for operatively coupling the bucket of
tooling 1 to a hydraulic central unit, of a per se known type, of
the operating vehicle.
Figure 2 shows, in a side view, the bucket 1 including, on a

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rear side thereof, a per se known mechanism 3, having, for
example, a seat 4 and a further seat 5, for providing a
mechanical connection to a top cross element 6 and a bottom
tubular element 7 of the front portion of the operating vehicle
arms. The movable tool comprises a supporting plate 8
projecting from the rear wall of the bucket 1.
Said supporting plate 8 supports the constructional elements
forming a female portion of a quick coupling, generally
indicated by the reference number 9, said constructional
elements being disclosed hereinafter in a more detailed
manner with reference to figure 3.
Figure 3 is a detail view showing the supporting plate 8
projecting from the bucket 1.
Said supporting plate 8 supports the female type elements 11
of the quick coupling 1, two centering bushes 13 for centering
respective pins and two floating support elements 12 coupling
the plate 9 to the supporting plate 8.
As shown in figure 4, the arm 2 comprises, on a side thereof
facing the plate 9, a further plate 14 including the male
elements 15 of the quick coupling, which male elements can
be coupled to the female elements 11; openings 13 for
engaging therein locating pins 10 being moreover herein
provided.
It is also possible to schematically see the clamping points or
elements 25 to clamp respective sliding columns which, in

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figure 5, have been indicated by the reference number 16.
Figure 5 is a front view of the quick coupling before its
connection operation.
It is clearly shown herein the plate 14 therefrom the centering
pins 10 project as well as the male elements 15 of the quick
coupling.
The assembly comprising the plate 14 is slidably supported by
the supporting column 16.
Figure 1 also shows a leverage, generally indicated by the
reference number 20 and which is actuated by a cylinder-
piston unit 21 in turn controllably driven from the operating
vehicle cab.
The leverage 20, as is better shown in figure 5, is actuated or
driven by the cylinder-piston unit 21 and is operatively coupled
to a bracket 22, integral with said supporting columns 16
operatively coupled to said plate 14.
Thus, by operating the piston 21, the plate 14, together with
the male elements 15 and pins 10, may perform a translating
movement (arrow f) toward the plate 9, thereby causing the
components 10, 15 to be coupled to the female components
10, 13 (figure 3) thereby providing a fully assembled quick
coupling.
Figure 6 shows the leverage 20 in an actuated position, that is
in a condition thereof driven by the rod of the cylinder-piston
unit 21.

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The plate 14 together with the pins 10 and component
elements 15 (figure 5) has been driven in the direction
indicated by the arrow (f) in figure 6, and, accordingly, the
female coupling assembly 9 has received the projecting
elements of the male assembly 14, thereby the quick coupling
will be assembled to properly operate.
Figure 6 shows a clearance recovery system, generally
indicated by the reference number 30. This system comprises
screws 31, washers 32, and being urged by inserting therein
the centering pins 10 of the plate 14 in respective bushes 13
of the plate 9, thereby allowing a radial recovery of the mutual
displacements of the two plates, to provide a perfect
assembling.
After having mechanically connected the bucket 1, by
assembling the cavities 4 and 5 with the tubular elements 6
and 7 of the front portion 2 of the vehicle arm, the cylinder-
piston 21 unit is operated to cause the leverage to drive
frontward the plate 14 and elements 15, 10 toward the plate 9,
where is performed the coupling with the individual
constructional elements 13, 11 forming the component
elements of the female quick coupling.
It is herein particularly advantageous the fact that the
movement or driving of the plate 14 is performed by the
cylinder-piston unit 21 already used for providing a mechanical
coupling of a chosen operating tool, for example the bucket 1

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to the front portion 2 of the arms included in the lifting or rising
and lowering assembly of an operating vehicle.
In particular, the movement of the plate 14 and related
components 13, 15, 16 is achieved owing to the provision of
the leverage generally indicated in figure 5 by the reference
number 50.
Advantageously, the translating movement or sliding of the
plate 14 and the components thereof is achieved without
performing any rotary movements, owing to the provision of
the supporting columns 16 sliding in corresponding bushings,
schematically indicated by the reference number 26.
For disassembling the bucket 1, the components of the
assembly 9 and those of the assembly 10 are disengaged,
thereby allowing to easily disassemble the bucket 1 or other
operating means.

Representative Drawing