Semi-automatic coupling apparatus
First Claim
1. A coupling apparatus comprising, in combination,first throat means for receiving a first crossbar of an attachment,second throat means for receiving a second crossbar of the attachment,wedge means disposed for linear translation between a first, open position in which said second crossbar may be translated into and out of said second throat means and a second, closed position in which said second crossbar is retained in said second throat means, said wedge means including a surface for engaging said second crossbar and seating said second crossbar in said second throat when said wedge means is in said second position,means for translating said wedge means toward said second position,latch means for maintaining said wedge means in said first position,pawl means disposed in said second throat means for translating said latch means when translated by said second crossbar to release said wedge means.
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Abstract
A semi-automatic coupling apparatus is installed at the terminus of a backhoe dipper stick, crane boom or similar device and facilitates connection and disconnection of various earth working and material handling attachments. The coupler includes first, forward facing throats which engage a forward crossbar on an attachment such as a bucket and second, downward facing throats which engage a rear crossbar. A latching mechanism includes a pawl actuated by advance of the rear crossbar into the rear throats. The pawl releases a spring biased wedge member which retains the rear crossbar in the rear throat. A reset linkage may be manually activated to retract the wedge and permit release of the bucket from the coupler. An alternate embodiment of the coupler includes a remotely activated hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder which is coupled to the spring biased wedge member.
57 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A coupling apparatus comprising, in combination,
first throat means for receiving a first crossbar of an attachment, second throat means for receiving a second crossbar of the attachment, wedge means disposed for linear translation between a first, open position in which said second crossbar may be translated into and out of said second throat means and a second, closed position in which said second crossbar is retained in said second throat means, said wedge means including a surface for engaging said second crossbar and seating said second crossbar in said second throat when said wedge means is in said second position, means for translating said wedge means toward said second position, latch means for maintaining said wedge means in said first position, pawl means disposed in said second throat means for translating said latch means when translated by said second crossbar to release said wedge means.
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9. A coupling apparatus comprising, in combination,
first throat means for engaging a first crossbar, second throat means for engaging a second crossbar parallel to and spaced from said first crossbar, wedge means disposed for linear translation between a first position in which said second crossbar may be translated into and out of said second throat means and a second position in which said second crossbar is retained in said second throat means, said wedge means including a surface for engaging said second crossbar and seating said second crossbar in said second throat when said wedge means is in said second position, means for translating said wedge means toward said first position, and compression spring means for biasing said wedge means toward said second position.
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14. A coupler apparatus for disposition on a material handling device comprising, in combination,
a pair of spaced apart wall members defining a first pair of throats for receiving a first crossbar of an attachment and a second pair of throats for receiving a second crossbar of the attachment, wedge means disposed for linear translation between a first, open position in which said second crossbar may be translated into and out of said second pair of throats and a second, closed position in which said second crossbar is retained in said second pair of throats, said wedge including an oblique surface for engaging said second crossbar and seating said second crossbar in said second throat when said wedge means is in said second position, spring means for biasing said wedge means toward said second position, latch means for maintaining said wedge means in said first position, pawl means disposed between said second pair of throats and in operable relationship with said latch means for translating said latch means when translated by said second crossbar to release said wedge means from said first position.
Specification