COUPLER
First Claim
1. A coupler for coupling an accessory to an excavator arm of an excavator, the coupler comprising a first portion for attaching the coupler to an excavator arm of an excavator and the coupler having a second portion adapted to receive an accessory with two attachment pins, wherein:
- the second portion has two jaws, one for receiving a first attachment pin of an accessory and the other for receiving a second attachment pin of the accessory;
a first latch is associated with the first jaw for securing the first attachment pin within the first jaw when the first latch is in a latching position;
a second latch is associated with the second jaw for securing the second attachment pin within the second jaw when the second latch is in a latching position;
a third latch is provided that extends between the first and second latches, the third latch, when in a latching position, being adapted to resist movement of the first latch from a latching position into a non-latching position; and
when the third latch is in a non-latching position, the first latch is not resisted from moving between a latching position and a non-latching position by the third latch.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Couplers for attaching an accessory to an excavator arm of an excavator. Couplers having a first side for attaching the coupler to the excavator arm and a second side onto which the accessory will be coupled. The coupler includes a latch for selectively securing and releasing an attachment pin of the accessory in a jaw, groove, hook or slot in the second side of the coupler. The coupler is fully controllable from within the cab of the excavator and it allows improved security in the securement of the accessory to the coupler, i.e. preventing accidental decouplings, but while still allowing intentional decoupling operations to be carried out without undue burden.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. A coupler for coupling an accessory to an excavator arm of an excavator, the coupler comprising a first portion for attaching the coupler to an excavator arm of an excavator and the coupler having a second portion adapted to receive an accessory with two attachment pins, wherein:
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the second portion has two jaws, one for receiving a first attachment pin of an accessory and the other for receiving a second attachment pin of the accessory; a first latch is associated with the first jaw for securing the first attachment pin within the first jaw when the first latch is in a latching position; a second latch is associated with the second jaw for securing the second attachment pin within the second jaw when the second latch is in a latching position; a third latch is provided that extends between the first and second latches, the third latch, when in a latching position, being adapted to resist movement of the first latch from a latching position into a non-latching position; and when the third latch is in a non-latching position, the first latch is not resisted from moving between a latching position and a non-latching position by the third latch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of attaching an accessory to a coupler on an excavator arm of an excavator, the method comprising:
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a) providing an excavator with a powered excavator arm having a coupler on an end thereof, the coupler comprising two jaws and a latch for each jaw, one of the latches being powered for movement between a latching position and a non-latching position, and the other being moveable from a latching position into a non-latching position by fully extending the powered latch beyond a latching position, i.e. while there is no pin within that jaw, into a fully extended position while the coupler is in a normal, in use, orientation; b) providing an accessory with two accessory pins thereon sized and spaced to fit into the two jaws of the coupler; c) powering the powered latch to extend it into the fully extended position to move the other latch into a non-latching position; d) manipulating the coupler to locate a first attachment pin of the accessory into the jaw associated with that other latch; e) curling the accessory and coupler, using the excavator arm, so as to invert the coupler, thereby placing the accessory roughly above the coupler; f) reverse powering the powered latch to retract the powered latch for opening its associated jaw, whereupon the second attachment pin locates into that jaw under the weight of the accessory; g) powering the powered latch to extend it to a latching position for securing the second attachment pin in its jaw; and h) uncurling the coupler, using the excavator arm. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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30. A method of attaching an accessory to a coupler on an excavator arm of an excavator, the method comprising:
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a) providing an excavator with a powered excavator arm having a coupler on an end thereof, the coupler comprising two jaws and a latch for each jaw, each latch being selectively moveable between a latching position and a non-latching position, wherein one of the latches is powered for movement between a latching position and a non-latching position, and the other is selectively resisted from movement from a latching position into a non-latching position by a third latch, wherein that third latch can be moved into a predetermined, non-latch-resisting position upon extending the powered latch beyond a latching position, i.e. while there is no pin within that jaw, into a fully extended position while the coupler is in a normal, in use, orientation, b) providing an accessory with two accessory pins thereon sized and spaced to fit into the two jaws of the coupler; c) powering the powered latch to extend it into the fully extended position for moving the third latch into its predetermined, non-latch-resisting position; d) manipulating the coupler to locate a first attachment pin of the accessory into the jaw associated with the other latch; e) curling the accessory and coupler, using the excavator arm, so as to invert the coupler, thereby placing the accessory roughly above the coupler; f) reverse powering the powered latch to retract the powered latch for opening its associated jaw, whereupon the second attachment pin locates into that jaw under the weight of the accessory; g) powering the powered latch to extend it to a latching position for securing the second attachment pin in its jaw; and h) uncurling the coupler, using the excavator arm.
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31. A method of detaching an accessory from a coupler on an excavator arm of an excavator, the method comprising:
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a) providing an excavator with a powered excavator arm having a coupler on an end thereof and with an accessory coupled thereto, the accessory having two accessory pins thereon located within two jaws of the coupler, and secured into those jaws by respective latches associated with each jaw, wherein one of the latches is powered for movement between a latching position and a non-latching position, and the other latch is moveable from a latching position into a non-latching position, when an attachment pin is not located within the other jaw, by fully extending the powered latch beyond a latching position into a fully extended position while the coupler is in a normal, in use, orientation; b) curling the accessory and coupler, using the excavator arm, so as to invert the coupler, thereby placing the accessory roughly above the coupler; c) reverse powering the powered latch to retract the latch for opening its associated jaw; d) uncurling the coupler and attachment, using the excavator arm, to position the accessory below the coupler whereupon the attachment pin within the opened jaw exits the opened jaw under the weight of the accessory; e) powering the powered latch to extend it into the fully extended position to move the other latch into a non-latching position to open the other jaw; and f) manipulating the coupler relative to the attachment to remove the other attachment pin of the accessory from that other jaw.
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35. A method of detaching an accessory from a coupler on an excavator arm of an excavator, the method comprising:
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a) providing an excavator with a powered excavator arm having a coupler on an end thereof and with an accessory coupled thereto, the accessory having two accessory pins thereon located within two jaws of the coupler, and secured into those jaws by respective latches associated with each jaw, each latch being selectively moveable between a latching position and a non-latching position, wherein one of the latches is powered for movement between a latching position and a non-latching position, and the other latch is selectively resisted from movement from a latching position into a non-latching position by a third latch, wherein that third latch can be moved into a predetermined, non-latch-resisting position upon extending the powered latch beyond a latching position, i.e. while there is no pin within that jaw, into a fully extended position while the coupler is in a normal, in use, orientation; b) curling the accessory and coupler, using the excavator arm, so as to invert the coupler, thereby placing the accessory roughly above the coupler; c) reverse powering the powered latch to retract the latch for opening its associated jaw; d) uncurling the coupler and attachment, using the excavator arm, to position the accessory below the coupler whereupon the attachment pin within the opened jaw exits the opened jaw under the weight of the accessory; e) powering the powered latch to extend it into the fully extended position to move the third latch into its predetermined, non-latch-resisting position; f) moving the other latch into a non-latching position; and g) manipulating the coupler relative to the attachment to remove the other attachment pin of the accessory from that other jaw. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. (canceled)
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38. (canceled)
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39. (canceled)
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40. (canceled)
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41. (canceled)
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42. (canceled)
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43. (canceled)
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44. A coupler for coupling an accessory to an excavator arm of an excavator, the accessory comprising at least one attachment pin for use in the coupling, the coupler comprising a first side for attaching the coupler to an excavator arm of an excavator and the coupler having a second side onto which an accessory would be coupled, the second side comprising a jaw for receiving the attachment pin of the accessory for connecting the accessory to the coupler by the engagement of the jaw with the attachment pin, wherein the jaw further comprises a gravity-operated member having a first state—
- the jaw-open or jaw-unlocked state, and a second state—
the jaw-closed or jaw-locked state, the gravity-operated member at least partially closing the jaw of the coupler when it is in its second state, said second state being achieved by the gravity-operated member when the coupler is in a normal, in-use orientation due to the influence of gravity on the gravity-operated member. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
- the jaw-open or jaw-unlocked state, and a second state—
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74. (canceled)
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75. (canceled)
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75-1. (canceled)
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76. A method of releasing an accessory from a coupler, the accessory comprising at least one attachment pin engaged in a jaw of the coupler and the coupler being attached to an excavator arm of an excavator, wherein the jaw further comprises a gravity-operated member having a first state—
- the jaw-open or jaw-unlocked state, and a second state—
the jaw-closed or jaw-locked state, the gravity-operated member at least partially closing the jaw of the coupler when the coupler is in a normal, in use orientation such as a level orientation due to the influence of gravity on the gravity-operated member, and moving to an open or unlocked state due to the influence of gravity on the gravity-operated member when moved to an at least part inverted orientation that is at least 45°
from a level orientation, comprising the steps of orienting the coupler and accessory to that at least partially inverted orientation to open or unlock the gravity-operated member, and then, to withdraw the attachment pin from the jaw in that orientation, while the weight of the accessory is resting either on the floor or on a stand, using the weight of the accessory on the ground or on the stand to keep the accessory stationary while disengaging the jaw, with its unlocked or open gravity-operated member, from the attachment pin of the accessory by manipulation of the excavator arm and its attached coupler relative to that accessory. - View Dependent Claims (77)
- the jaw-open or jaw-unlocked state, and a second state—
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78. (canceled)
Specification