Farm implement

• US 7,726,052 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel M. Zettel
• Original Assignee: Daniel M. Zettel
• Inventors: Zettel, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/171,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 172/439, 172245-253, 37403-407, 374/68, 374/44, 379/03, 414/723, 414/724, 414/681, 414/912
• US Class Current: 37/405
• 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 tined implement coupled to front arms of a front end loader includes a hitch quick-coupler mechanism, a body, at least one tine and a plurality of arm coupling brackets. The body is coupled to the quick-coupler mechanism and defines a plurality of apertures each having tine bearing surfaces. The at least one tine is coupled to the body and positioned within one of the tine bearing surfaces. The plurality of arm coupling brackets are coupled to the quick-coupler mechanism. The brackets are rotatably coupled to the front arms of the front end loader.

Claims

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

a hitch quick-coupler mechanism;

a body coupled to the quick-coupler mechanism, said body defining a plurality of apertures;

a plurality of bushings disposed within the apertures and each having a tapering tine bearing surface;

at least one tine having a tapering exterior surface, said at least one tine removably coupled to the body and positioned within one of said tapering tine bearing surfaces of said bushings with said tapering exterior surface engaged with said tapering tine bearing surface; 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 implement according to claim 1 wherein said body comprises a plurality of coupling flanges disposed between the body and the quick-coupler mechanism.

3. The implement 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 implement 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. An implement 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.

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

7. The implement according to claim 6 further comprising an upper hook displaced relative to, but disposed between said pair of lower hooks.

8. A tined implement assembly attached to front arms of a front-end loader, said tined implement assembly comprising:

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

a plurality of tines selectively and removably positioned within the plurality of tine accepting bearing surfaces,

wherein the body defines a pair of lower coupling mechanisms and an upper coupling mechanism each configured to couple the body to the arms of the front-end loader, the front arms each comprise top and bottom linkages, said upper and lower coupling mechanisms being rotatably coupled to the top and bottom linkages and further comprising a pivot link coupled to the top and bottom linkages to define a four-bar linkage.

9. The tined implement assembly according to claim 8 wherein the body comprises a pair of laterally spaced supports and a cross support extending there between.

10. The tined implement assembly according to claim 8 wherein the tine accepting bearing surface is a tapered surface.

11. The tined implement assembly according to claim 8 further comprising a quick-coupler mechanism coupled to upper and lower coupling mechanism.

12. The tined implement assembly according to claim 8 further comprising a first actuator coupled to the lower linkage and a second actuator coupled to the upper linkage.

13. 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, said method 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 and removably attaching at least one tine to the body and within the tapered tine bearing apertures.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising attaching a three-point quick-hitch apparatus to a plurality of brackets on the body.

15. The method according to claim 14 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.

16. The method according to claim 13 wherein attaching a body is axially aligning openings in flanges on the body with respective openings in the lower arms and control link arms.

17. The method according to claim 16 further including disposing pins within the aligned openings to maintain the body in pivotal attachment with said loader arms.