Attachment mounting/demounting device in working machinery

• US 6,132,131 A
• Filed: 10/05/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Japan Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated), Konan Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. (Caterpillar Incorporated), Konan Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Junji, Nakamura, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cottingham, John R.
• Application Number:
  US09/166,541
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 403/322.1, 403/322.3, 403/325, 403/37, 403/38, 403/31, 172/681, 172/753, 37/468
• US Class Current: 403/322.1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3618 with two separating hooks
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3622 with a hook and a locking element acting on a pin
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3663 hydraulically-operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/591 having operating mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/593 Remotely actuated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/599 Spring biased manipulator

Abstract

Disclosed is an attachment mounting/demounting device for working machinery by which a pin of an attachment held in engagement with an engagement groove of the mounting/demounting device can be surely locked and operation for locking and unlocking the pin can be easily performed. The mounting/demounting device comprises a latch capable of switching over between a release posture allowing a first pin to come into and out of a first engagement groove and an engagement posture preventing slip-off of the pin fitted to the engagement groove, a lock piston capable of switching over between a lock posture locking the latch in the engagement posture and an unlock posture releasing the latch from the lock posture, and a biasing spring for always biasing the lock piston toward the lock posture. Pressure oil is supplied to the lock piston for switching it over from the lock posture to the unlock posture in response to the pressure oil being supplied to a mounting/demounting cylinder for switching over the latch from the engagement posture to the release posture.

Claims

1. An attachment mounting/demounting device for working machinery, the device used to mount an attachment to the working machinery in a demountable manner, comprising:

a bracket mounted on the working machinery;

an engagement groove formed in said bracket to be releasably engaged with a pin on the attachment side;

a latch capable of switching over between a release posture allowing said pin to come into and out of said engagement groove and an engagement posture preventing slip-off of said pin fitted to said engagement groove;

a latch actuator for switching over said latch between the release posture and the engagement posture;

a lock member capable of switching over between a lock posture locking said latch, which is in the engagement posture, to hold said latch in the engagement posture and an unlock posture unlocking said latch from the lock posture;

biasing means for always biasing said lock member toward the lock posture; and

posture switching means for switching over said lock member in the lock posture to the unlock posture against said biasing means in response to said latch being switched over from the engagement posture to the release posture.

2. The attachment mounting/demounting device for working machinery according to claim 1, wherein said latch actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder operated to extend and contract upon supply of pressure oil thereto for switching over said latch between the release posture and the lock posture, said lock member comprises a lock piston movable to advance and retract between the lock posture where a piston rod locks said latch, which is in the engagement posture, to hold said latch in the engagement posture and the unlock posture releasing said latch from the lock posture, said biasing means comprises a spring for always biasing said lock piston toward the lock posture, and said posture switching means comprises pressure oil supply means for supplying the pressure oil to said lock piston to switch over said lock piston to the unlock posture against said spring in response to the pressure oil being supplied to said hydraulic cylinder for switching over said latch from the engagement posture to the release posture.

3. The attachment mounting/demounting device for working machinery according to claim 1, wherein said latch is supported by a bracket in a rockable manner to switch over between the engagement posture to the release posture, and a position at which said latch is supported in the rockable manner is set such that when a force tending to disengage said pin from said engagement groove is applied to said pin, said force acts as a force in the direction to hold said latch, which is in the engagement position, in the engagement position.

4. The attachment mounting/demounting device for working machinery according to claim 2, wherein said latch is supported by a bracket in a rockable manner to switch over between the engagement posture to the release posture, and a position at which said latch is supported in the rockable manner is set such that when a force tending to disengage said pin from said engagement groove is applied to said pin, said force acts as a force in the direction to hold said latch, which is in the engagement position, in the engagement position.

5. A lock mounting assembly for securely mounting a work attachment having a pair of spaced apart mounting pins to a work machine, the lock mounting assembly comprising:

a bracket mounted on the work machine having a first engagement groove for receiving a first mounting pin of the pair of mounting pins;

a rocker arm pivotally mounted with respect to the bracket, the rocker arm having a second engagement groove for receiving a second mounting pin of the pair of mounting pins;

a latch pivotally mounted to the bracket, the latch pivoting between an open position opening the first engagement groove and another position substantially closing the first engagement groove;

a mounting/demounting mechanism connected at a first end to the rocker arm and at a second end to the latch; and

a lock mechanism mounted to the bracket that retains the latch in the another position to substantially close the first engagement groove when the work attachment is mounted to the work machine.

6. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the mounting/demounting mechanism comprises:

a cylinder;

a piston mounted in the cylinder to define a chamber on each side of the piston; and

a port provided in the cylinder on each side of the piston for the introduction and exit of a pressurized medium to an appropriate one of the chambers.

7. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the lock mechanism comprises:

a cylinder;

a piston having a rod mounted in the cylinder and having the rod extending from one end;

a spring mounted in the cylinder on a side of the piston opposite to the rod; and

a port provided in the cylinder for introduction and exit of a pressurized medium to a side having the rod.

8. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein the lock mechanism comprises:

a cylinder;

a piston having a rod mounted in the cylinder and having the rod extending from one end;

a spring mounted in the cylinder on a side of the piston opposite to the rod; and

a port provided in the cylinder for introduction and exit of a pressurized medium to a side having the rod.

9. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 8, further comprising means for controlling the provision of the pressurized medium to the ports of the cylinder of the mounting/demounting mechanism and the port of the lock mechanism.

10. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 7, wherein the spring biases the rod to extend from the end of the cylinder.

11. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 9, wherein the spring biases the rod to extend from the end of the cylinder.

12. The lock mounting assembly according to claim 11, wherein the control means controls provision of the pressurized medium to the port on a side of the piston of the mounting/demounting assembly causing expansion of the mounting/demounting assembly and movement of the rocker arm to a mount position where the second engagement groove engages the second mounting pin and moving the latch to the position substantially closing the first engagement groove and locking the first mounting pin therein.

13. The lock mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the control means controls provision of the pressurized medium to the port on a side of the piston of the mounting/demounting assembly causing contraction of the mounting/demounting assembly such that the latch rotates to open the first engagement groove and the bracket rotates to disengage the second engagement groove from the second mounting pin and simultaneously controls provision of the pressurized medium to the rod side of the piston of the lock mechanism causing a retraction of the rod to unlock the latch.