Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: WEDGE COUPLER LUG ATTACHMENTS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention generally relates to an improved design for wedge
coupler lug
attachments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] When switching attachments (implements), such as buckets, on the work
arm of a
primary mover, such as a backhoe, excavator or loader, with a quick coupler
the current
process is very difficult if the attachment is not on level ground or
perfectly aligned with
the machine. The coupler on the work arm needs to be maneuvered on to hooks on
the
attachment which can only be done when the hooks are aligned and the
attachment is on
level ground. The profile of existing hooks requires the attachment to be
curled away
from the operator which requires precise operation of the work arm and it is
difficult for
the operator to visually confirm the hook on the attachment is fully engaged
with the
coupler. The nature of the hooks combined with the curling away from the
operator
movement required by the profile of the hooks, makes the process of coupling
and
uncoupling the implement very difficult and unsafe as the operators visibility
of the
attachment can be hindered by curling the attachment away from their position.
[0003] There is a need for a lug profile that improves the coupling process
for attaching
implements to prime movers.
[0004] In the prior art the focus at attempting to solve the problem has been
on the
coupler that attaches to the work arm.
[0005] US Patent No. 8469623 relates to a coupler and how the coupler is
retained on the
attachment. The coupler is maneuvered on to front facing hooks on the
attachment which
can only be done when the hooks are aligned and the attachment is on level
ground. The
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profile of the hooks requires the attachment to be curled away from the
operator which
requires precise operation of the work arm and it is difficult for the
operator to visually
confirm the hook on the attachment is fully engaged with the coupler.
[0006] US Patent No. 7654019 shows a mounting bracket on the attachment having
front
hooks. The profile of the mounting bracket requires the attachment to be
curled away
from the operator.
[0007] US Patent Publication No. 2007/0201973 provides a set of pins on the
coupler
system that are used to retain the attachment by activating a cylinder in the
locking pin.
Pin Grabber style couplers that grab OEM bucket pins engage in a similar
fashion as the
coupler grabs the bucket pins but there has never been a wedge lock lug
profile where the
coupler grabs the bucket lug for the coupling process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides an improved design of wedge hook lugs
that when
installed on an attachment allow the attachment to be coupled/uncoupled by
curling the
work arm of the primary mover towards the machine with the work arm off the
ground.
This facilitates picking up attachments that have fallen over or are on uneven
ground. The
operator can visually confirm the hook is fully engaged from the cab which
improves
safety.
[0009] The wedge hook lugs according to the present invention can be installed
on
various attachments and works with known wedge couplers on the work arms of
primary
movers.
[0010] In one embodiment the present invention provides wedge hook lugs for
attachment
to an implement to permit connection of a wedge coupler on the work arm of a
primary
mover such as a back hoe, excavator or loader. The wedge hook lugs comprise a
pair of
lugs each lug having a rear facing hook section, a saddle section and a wedge
bar receiver
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section. The rear facing hook section and saddle section are configured and
adapted to
accommodate bosses on the wedge coupler on the work arm that transfer the
digging
force from a powerlink of the primary mover to the attachment. The wedge bar
receiver
section is configured and adapted, in combination with the rear facing hook
section, to
retain the attachment to the wedge coupler by engagement of a wedge bar on the
wedge
coupler with both lugs across the width of the pair of wedge hook lugs mounted
on the
attachment.
[0011] Further features of the invention will be described or will become
apparent in the
course of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, the
preferred
embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with
reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic plan drawing of one embodiment of a wedge
coupler on
the work arm of a primary mover such as a back hoe, excavator or loader
attached to an
attachment (bucket in the drawing) by means of wedge hook lugs according to
the present
invention.
[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the attachment (bucket) of
Figure 1
having a pair of wedge hook lugs according to the present invention.
[0015] Figure 3 is schematic side plan view of the attachment of Figure 2
[0016] Similar references are used in different figures to denote similar
components
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Referring to the drawings, an embodiment in Figure 1 a wedge coupler 1
on the
work arm 2 of a primary mover such as a back hoe, excavator or loader (not
shown) is
attached to an attachment 3 (bucket in the drawing) by means of wedge hook
lugs 4
according to the present invention.
[0018] In the embodiment shown in the Figures the wedge hook lugs 4 of the
present
invention comprise a pair of lugs 5, 6 each lug 5,6 having a rear facing hook
section 7, a
saddle section 8 to accommodate bosses 9 on the wedge coupler 1 on the work
arm 2 that
transfer the digging force from the powerlink of the primary mover to the
attachment 3
and a wedge bar receiver section 10 to receive the wedge bar 11 on the wedge
coupler 1
that retains the attachment by engaging with both lugs 5,6 across the width of
the pair of
wedge hook lugs 4. The term "rear" is intended to refer to a direction away
from the
operator of the primary mover.
[0019] In order to attach a quick wedge coupler on the end of a work arm to an
attachment, such as a bucket as shown in the drawings, having the wedge hook
lugs
according to the present invention, the quick wedge coupler is inserted
between the pair
of wedge hook lugs 4 just in front of the rear facing hook section 7. The
operator curls
and lifts the work arm in towards the operator to engage the lifting the
bucket off the
ground. As the work arm curls in, the bosses on the wedge coupler aligns with
the saddle
section 8 on the each of the pair of lugs 5,6.
[0020] The saddle section 8 on each lug 5,6 is a machine position for the
bosses on the
wedge coupler that transfer the excavator power link forces to the bucket
through the lugs
5,6.
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[0021] The wedge bar receiver section 10 on each lug 5,6 is a machined surface
that the
wedge coupler wedge bar 11 engages completely to retain the bucket on the
wedge
coupler. The wedge coupler wedge bar can be engaged manually or hydraulically.
[0022] The surfaces on the rear facing hook section, saddle section and wedge
bar
receiver section are all machined to work together in such a way that the
wedge coupler
on the work arm remains in contact with all three surfaces at the same time.
[0023] While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in
connection with a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that such
embodiment is by
way of example and is not limiting as is evident from the foregoing
description, certain
aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details
illustrated in the
drawings. Other modifications and applications, or equivalents, will occur to
those skilled
in the art. For example the wedge bar could also go through the lugs by
retracting and
extending pins in the wedge coupler, the rear facing hook section can have
different
profiles depending on the configuration of the wedge coupler and the lug
spacing on the
attachment can be different widths so long as the wedge coupler is engaged
with both
lugs.
[0024] The terms "having", "comprising" and "including" and similar terms as
used in
the foregoing specification are used in the sense of "optional" or "may
include" and not
as "required". Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and
applications of
the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in
the art after
considering the specification and attached drawings. All such changes,
modifications,
variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit
and scope
of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited
only by the
claims that follow. The scope of the disclosure is not intended to be limited
to the
embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with
the
claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to
mean "one and
only one" unless specifically so stated , but rather one or more. All
structural and
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functional equivalents to the elements of the embodiment described throughout
the
disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill
in the art
are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed
by the
claims.
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