Farm Implement

• US 20090013565A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel M. Zettel
• Original Assignee: Daniel M. Zettel
• Inventors: Zettel, Daniel M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 37/455
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/062 the connection comprising a rigid interface frame on the tractor
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 87/0076 Front loaders
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 87/127 Apparatus for handling, loading or unrolling round bales
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3609 of the quick acting type, e.g. controlled from the operator seat quick-acting couplers to connect booms or arms to tractors E02F3/627; quick-acting couplers for machines mounted on tractor A01B59/06; couplings of the quick-acting type per se F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3686 using adapters, i.e. additional element to mount between the coupler and the tool

Abstract

A mounting apparatus for mounting a three-point implement to a front arm loader is disclosed. The apparatus has a bracket disposed between the front arms of the front arm loader and a tined implement.

Claims

1. A tined implement coupled to front arms of a front-end loader, comprising:

a hitch quick-coupler mechanism;

a body coupled to the quick-coupler mechanism, said body defining a plurality of apertures each having tine bearing surfaces;

at least one tine coupled to one of said tine bearing surfaces; and

a plurality of arm coupling brackets coupled to the quick-coupler mechanism, said brackets being rotatably coupled to the front arms of the front-end loader.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said body comprises a plurality of coupling flanges disposed between the body and the quick-coupler mechanism.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the front arms comprise top and bottom linkages, said arm coupling brackets coupled to the top and bottom linkages to form a four-bar linkage.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the arm coupling brackets extend generally perpendicular to a rear surface of said body, each flange having a pair of openings adapted for pivotal attachment to the front arms of the front-end loader.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of bushings disposed within the apertures, and wherein said tine bearing surfaces are tapered.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an upper bracket extending laterally from the body, said upper bracket being adapted to be coupled to a center hitch point of said quick-coupler mechanism.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said quick-coupler mechanism comprises a pair of lower hooks each having a releasable locking mechanism.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising an upper hook displaced relative to, but disposed between said pair of lower hooks.

9. A mounting apparatus for attaching a tined implement to front arms of a front arm loader, said apparatus comprising:

a generally planar body defining a plurality of tine accepting bearing surfaces;

a plurality of tines selectively positioned within the plurality of tine accepting bearing surfaces;

the body defining a pair of lower coupling mechanisms and an upper coupling mechanism each configured to couple the body to the arms of the front arm loader.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the body comprises a pair of laterally spaced supports and a cross support extending there between.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the tine accepting bearing surface is a tapered surface.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a quick-coupler mechanism coupled to upper and lower coupling mechanism.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the front arms each comprise top and bottom linkages, said upper and lower coupling mechanisms being rotatably coupled to the top and bottom linkages to form a four-bar linkage.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a first actuator coupled to the lower linkage and a second actuator coupled to the upper linkage.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a pivot link coupled to the top and bottom arms to define a four-bar linkage.

16. A method of attaching a tined hitch implement to a front end of a front-end loader, the front end having a pair of front loader arms and a pair of control link arms, comprising the steps of:

attaching a body for pivotal movement to said control link arms and said front loader arms, said body defining a plurality of tapered tine bearing apertures; and

selectively attaching at least one tine to the tapered tine bearing apertures.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising attaching a three-point quick-hitch apparatus to a plurality of brackets on the body.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein attaching said three-point hitch apparatus to said body is coupling said three-point hitch apparatus to a plurality of hooks disposed on said body.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein attaching a body is axially aligning openings in flanges on the body with respective openings in the lower arms and control link arms.

20. The method according to claim 19 further including disposing pins within the aligned openings to maintain the body in pivotal attachment with said loader arms.