FULLY AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR EXCAVATOR ARM
First Claim
1. A coupler having a top half for attaching to an end of an excavator arm of an excavator and a bottom half for attaching to an accessory;
- wherein;
the bottom half comprises;
a first jaw having an opening pointing generally towards the front end of the coupler and a second jaw having an opening pointing generally downwards with respect to the coupler;
a first latching mechanism associated with the first jaw; and
a second latching mechanism associated with the second jaw, the second latching mechanism being powered for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first latching mechanism has an arm extending therefrom and towards the second latching mechanism, whereby the second latching mechanism can hold the first latching mechanism in an open position when it is in its own open position; and
the coupler further comprising;
a blocking mechanism that is independent of the first latching mechanism, and being for selectively blocking the second latching mechanism in its latching position, the blocking mechanism being operable between a blocking position and an unblocking position by a separate drive means, or by the influence of gravity, operation by the influence of gravity comprising attaining a blocking position when the top side of the coupler is pointing generally upwards and an unblocking position when the bottom side of the coupler is pointing generally upwards.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A 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 being associated with a blocking mechanism that is remotely movable between a blocking position and non blocking position, and the other latch being independent of the blocking mechanism, but being also remotely moveable between a latching position and a non-latching position, wherein the powered latch, in its non-latching position, can maintain both the blocking mechanism in its non blocking position and the other latch in its non-latching position, irrespective of the orientation of the coupler.
34 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A coupler having a top half for attaching to an end of an excavator arm of an excavator and a bottom half for attaching to an accessory;
- wherein;
the bottom half comprises; a first jaw having an opening pointing generally towards the front end of the coupler and a second jaw having an opening pointing generally downwards with respect to the coupler; a first latching mechanism associated with the first jaw; and a second latching mechanism associated with the second jaw, the second latching mechanism being powered for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first latching mechanism has an arm extending therefrom and towards the second latching mechanism, whereby the second latching mechanism can hold the first latching mechanism in an open position when it is in its own open position; and the coupler further comprising; a blocking mechanism that is independent of the first latching mechanism, and being for selectively blocking the second latching mechanism in its latching position, the blocking mechanism being operable between a blocking position and an unblocking position by a separate drive means, or by the influence of gravity, operation by the influence of gravity comprising attaining a blocking position when the top side of the coupler is pointing generally upwards and an unblocking position when the bottom side of the coupler is pointing generally upwards. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 34, 43)
- wherein;
- 22. A 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 being associated with a blocking mechanism that is remotely movable between a blocking position and non blocking position, and the other latch being independent of the blocking mechanism, but being also remotely moveable between a latching position and a non-latching position, wherein the powered latch, in its non-latching position, can maintain both the blocking mechanism in its non blocking position and the other latch in its non-latching position, irrespective of the orientation of the coupler.
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35. A method of coupling an accessory to a coupler, 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 being associated with a blocking mechanism that is remotely movable between a blocking position and non blocking position, and the other latch being independent of the blocking mechanism, but being also remotely moveable between a latching position and a non-latching position; b) opening the jaw with the powered latch; b) providing an accessory with two attachment pins thereon sized and spaced to fit into the two jaws of the coupler; c) powering the excavator arm to manipulate the coupler to locate a first attachment pin of the accessory into the jaw associated with the other latch; d) powering the excavator arm to curl the coupler relative to the accessory to locate the second attachment pin into the opened jaw; and e) powering the powered latch to engage the powered latch against the second attachment pin to secure it within that now closed jaw. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method of decoupling an accessory from a coupler, 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 being associated with a blocking mechanism that is remotely movable between a blocking position and non blocking position, and the other latch being independent of the blocking mechanism, but being also remotely moveable between a latching position and a non-latching position; b) providing an accessory with two attachment pins thereon fitted into the two jaws of the coupler; c) rotating the coupler and accessory into a crowd position for at least partially inverting the coupler; d) opening the jaw having the powered latch; e) powering the excavator arm to manipulate the coupler back from its crowd position to position the accessory on hard standing, such as the ground; and
continuing to power the excavator arm to guide the coupler off the accessory, the two latches now being open.
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38. A coupler having a top half for attaching to an end of an excavator arm of an excavator and a bottom half for attaching to an accessory;
- wherein;
the bottom half comprises; a first jaw having an opening pointing generally towards a front end of the coupler and a second jaw having an opening pointing generally downwards with respect to the coupler; a first latching mechanism associated with the first jaw; and a second latching mechanism associated with the second jaw, the second latching mechanism being powered for movement between an open position and a closed position; wherein the first latching mechanism has an arm extending therefrom and towards the second latching mechanism, whereby the second latching mechanism can hold the first latching mechanism in an open position when it is in its own fully open position, and whereby while the first latching mechanism in a latching position for the first jaw the second latching mechanism is blocked from moving from its latching position into its fully open position by the end of the arm. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
- wherein;
Specification