TECHNICAL FIELD
The present application relates generally to hydraulically operable quick couplers for securing working implements or attachments to an excavator boom or arm.
BACKGROUND
Excavators are equipped with booms or arms to which a variety of working implements or attachments may be secured to perform different tasks. In order to make attaching and detaching these implements to the excavator booms or arms as simple and speedy as possible, various quick coupler systems have been designed. Some of these use a spring-applied, hydraulically released wedging system for effecting a secure connection between the attachment and the boom. Further, it is desirable to have these quick coupler systems operate reliably and intentionally in order to prevent the attachments from accidentally becoming detached and possibly causing harm to people or equipment located in the vicinity of the tool being used.
Thus, it is desired that a quick coupler system be provided that includes primary and secondary lock systems constructed with relatively simple, inexpensive components which are easy to assemble.
SUMMARY
According to a first aspect, the disclosed quick coupler includes a compact arrangement wherein major components of a spring-applied, hydraulically released wedging lock include primary and secondary lock components comprising first and second wedge members of the primary lock and at least one latching pawl of the secondary lock all directly connected to a transverse cross shaft.
According to a second aspect, the hydraulic actuator of the aforementioned quick coupler is coupled directly to the at least one latching pawl which is pivotally mounted to the cross shaft, the first and second wedge members are supported for fore-and aft movement within guide slots provided in opposite side members of the quick coupler, a first spring arrangement is coupled for biasing the wedge members forwardly in the guide slots and to maintain the wedge members in wedged engagement with wedge-shaped recesses provided in rear edges of a work attachment mounting bracket when the quick coupler is coupled to the bracket, a second spring arrangement is coupled for biasing the at least one latching pawl to a position for effecting the secondary lock, the hydraulic cylinder being coupled directly to the at least one latching pawl and being retracted for releasing the quick coupler from the working attachment bracket, with initial retraction resulting in the at least on latching pawl of the secondary lock being pivoted about the cross shaft to an unlocked position wherein the cross shaft is located along a line of action of the hydraulic cylinder and with further retraction resulting in the cross shaft being shifted rearwardly so as to move the wedge members rearwardly from wedged engagement with the attachment mounting bracket.
According to a third aspect, the compact arrangement of the primary and secondary lock components set forth above are entirely located within approximately a rear half of the quick coupler.
These and other aspects of the quick coupler will become apparent from a reading of the following description together with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The detailed description of the drawings refers to the accompanying figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a work implement embodied as an excavator bucket and showing a quick coupler attached to a mounting bracket of the excavator bucket;
FIG. 2 is a right rear perspective view of the quick coupler shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top view of the quick coupler shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a top rear perspective view of the quick-coupler shown in FIG. 1, but with an L-shaped cover plate removed exposing a hydraulically operated latch mechanism.
FIG. 5 is a right rear perspective view of the bottom of the quick coupler shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the hydraulically operated latch mechanism together with the mounting structure for the barrel of the hydraulic cylinder.
FIG. 7 is a right bottom perspective of the quick-coupler shown in FIG. 1, but with the right side plate and right wedge member removed so as to expose the hydraulic cylinder for placing the primary and secondary locks in unlocked positions.
FIG. 8 is a schematic electro-hydraulic control circuit for effecting operation of the latch operating hydraulic cylinder of the quick coupler.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
At least one example embodiment of the subject matter of this disclosure is understood by referring to FIGS. 1 through 6 of the drawings.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a working implement embodied here as an excavator bucket 10 having an upper central region provided with a mounting bracket 12 including right and left transversely spaced, fore-and-aft extending, vertical mounting plates 14R and 14L having forward ends respectively provided with forwardly opening, transversely aligned, generally C-shaped recesses 16, having upper edges respectively provided with upwardly opening, transversely aligned wedge-shaped recesses 18 (only the wedge-shaped recess 18 of the plate 14R being visible) located intermediate front and rear ends of the mounting plates 14R and 14L and having rearwardly opening, transversely aligned wedge-shaped recesses 20 respectively provided in rear edges of the mounting plates (only the wedge-shaped recess 20 of the plate 14R being visible).
A quick coupler 30 is shown mounted to the bucket mounting bracket 12 in a fully-engaged position. Referring now also to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the quick-coupler 30 includes right and left vertical side plates 32R and 34L respectively positioned along inner surfaces of the bracket plates 14R and 14L, with forward ends of the side plates 32R and 32L being respectively provided with cylindrical sleeves 34 and 36 that are axially aligned along a first transverse coupling axis C1 having outer regions extending outwardly from the side plates and seated in the C-shaped recesses 16, with the sleeves 34 and 36 being adapted for receiving a coupling pin for securing the bucket 10 to the end of an excavator arm or boom (not shown), as is well known. The vertical side plates 32R and 32L are respectively provided with cylindrical sleeves 38 and 40 located at intermediate locations between opposite ends of the side plates and having respective outer ends joined to downwardly converging, wedge-shaped portions 42 and 44, the sleeves and wedge-shaped portions being transversely aligned with each other along a second coupling axis C2 and with the wedge-shaped portions respectively being seated in the wedge-shaped recesses 18 and together with the cylindrical sleeves being adapted for receiving a mounting pin for mounting one end of a hydraulic bucket tilt cylinder (not shown) to the quick coupler 30, as is well known. Identical, fore-and-aft extending, rectangular guide slots 46 are respectively provided in each of the side plates 32R and 32L at locations spaced rearward of the coupling axis C2, with the guide slots being in parallel relationship to, and below, a plane containing the coupling axes C1 and C2, noting that only the guide slot 46 provided in the right side plate 32R is visible. Projecting outwardly through the guide slots 46 are forwardly converging right and left wedge sections 48R and 48L, which form part of a primary lock arrangement described in more detail below, with the wedge sections being respectively seated in the wedge-shaped recesses 20 provided in the rear edges of the mounting bracket plates 14R and 14L.
Referring now also to FIGS. 4-6, it can be seen that the wedge sections 48R and 48L form part of a compact, spring-applied, hydraulically released latch mechanism 50 which, with the exception of right and left end regions of the wedge sections 48R and 48L, are located between the side plates 32R and 32L in a rear half of the quick coupler 30. Specifically, the wedge sections 48R and 48L form out-turned portions of parallel right and left, right angular wedge members 52R and 52L having respective forward ends received on opposite ends of a cross shaft 54 extending parallel to the first and second coupling axes C1 and C2. As can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, respective forward ends of fore-and-aft extending spring guide rods 56 and 58 are fixed integrally with rear sides of the right-angular wedge members 52R and 52L, with the rods 56 and 58 being respectively in axial alignment circular openings 60 and 62 provided in an interior upright plate 64 fixed to rear end regions of the side plates 32R and 32L and having respective tabs fitted into notches provided in rear ends of the opposite side plates 32R and 32L and in a central rear end location of a transverse plate 66 bent into a shape to conform to, and being fixed between, rear end and bottom regions of the side plates 32R and 32L. An L-shaped plate 72 is located between the side plates 32R and 32L and includes horizontal and vertical legs 69 and 70, respectively defining an upper rear corner of the coupler 30. The rods 56 and 58 are respectively axially aligned with circular holes 68 and 70 provided in an upright rear portion 71 of an L-shaped plate 72 (FIGS. 1 and 2) releasably fixed across the interior upright plate 64. Coil compression springs 74 and 76 are respectively received on the spring guide rods 56 and 58 and are compressed between the interior upright plate 64 and the wedge members 52R and 52L so as to bias the latter forwardly, noting that when the quick coupler is disconnected from the bucket 10 or other working attachment, the wedge sections 48R and 48L are biased to a fully forward position, as can be seen in each of FIGS. 2-5, wherein they are respectively engaged with forward ends of the slots 46. However, when the wedge sections 48R and 48L are in a locking position, as shown in FIG. 1, they are positioned rearwardly of the forward ends of the slots 46, with the springs 74 and 76 exerting a biasing force wedgingly engaging the wedge sections with the wedge-shaped recesses 20 provided in the rear edges of the vertical side plates 14R and 14L of the bucket mounting bracket 12 with sufficient force to keep the quick coupler cylindrical sleeves 34 and 36 seated within the mounting bracket recesses 16 and the quick coupler wedge-shaped sections 42 and 44 seated in bracket wedge shaped recesses 18.
Located on the cross shaft 54 at respective locations spaced inward of the wedge members 52R and 52L are fore-and-aft extending latches or pawls 78 and 80 in the form of vertical plates having forward middle sections pivotally mounted on the cross shaft 54. As can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, a horizontal spring mounting rod 82 has opposite end regions respectively received in axially aligned, transverse holes provided in the latches 78 and 80 at locations spaced upwardly and to the rear from the cross shaft 54, as viewed in FIG. 7, the rod being held in place by circlips 84 received in respective grooves provided in the rod adjacent opposite outer sides of the latches. A further groove 86 is provided in the rod 82 midway between the latches 78 and 80. A horizontal, U-shaped, spring mounting bracket 88 has opposite, fore-and-aft extending legs 90R and 90L respectively overlying, and having forward ends coupled to, the wedge members 52R and 52L by fasteners 92 which serve also to couple the bracket and wedge members to opposite end regions of the cross shaft 54. Rear ends of the legs 90R and 90L are joined by a transverse connecting portion 94 containing a spring end mounting hole 96 located in fore-and-aft alignment with the annular groove 86 provided in the rod 82. A coil tension spring 98 has front and rear ends respectively formed into front and rear hooks respectively engaged with the annular rod groove 86 and with the hole 96 in the leg connecting portion 94, with the spring being under tension for continuously biasing the latches 78 and 80 downward and respectively into parallel, fore-and-aft extending guide slots 100 and 102 provided in the transverse plate 66. As can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, respective roll pins 104 and 106 project crosswise through lower regions of the latches 78 and 80 and engage an upper surface of the transverse plate 66 in bridging relationship to the slots 100 and 102 so as to serve as downstops for limiting downward pivoting movement of the latches 78 and 80. The latches 78 and 80 form part of a secondary lock arrangement and, when positioned for retaining the quick coupler 30 in locked engagement with the bucket mounting bracket 12, have respective lower rear vertical surfaces 108 and 110 (see FIG. 5) respectively positioned in engagement with rear end surfaces 112 and 114 respectively of the guide slots 100 and 102. A fore-and-aft extending, single-acting hydraulic cylinder 116 includes a piston rod 118 having a cross tube 120 joined to its forward end and received on a connecting pin 122 extending between the latches 78 and 80 and having opposite ends projecting through axially aligned holes provided in the latches at locations which are spaced down and to the rear from the cross shaft 54 when the piston rod 118 is fully extended, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The connecting pin 122 is kept in place by a pair of circlips 123 (only the right one being shown) provided in grooves in the pin respectively located adjacent outer surfaces of the latches 78 and 80 and thus secures the latches for being pivoted about the cross shaft 54 by extending or retracting the piston rod 118. As can best be seen in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, the hydraulic cylinder 116 includes a barrel 124 having a rear end received in a cylindrical cup 126 located between a pair of fore-and-aft extending, upright mounting plates 128R and 128L having lower edges fixed to the transverse plate 66, with the cup 126 being provided with diametrically opposite, transversely projecting mounting pins 130 respectively received in rearwardly opening, U-shaped notches 132 provided in respective vertical rear edges of the plates 128R and 128L. The notches 132 are closed by the L-shaped plate 72 which is fixed in engagement with inner side locations adjacent rear and top edges of the plates 128R and 128L. Thus, the cup 126 is mounted for permitting the hydraulic cylinder 116 when extending or contracting to pivot vertically about a horizontal, transverse axis defined by the pins 130. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be seen that the hydraulic cylinder 116 is provided with a hydraulic fluid coupling 134 located in a forward underside region of the cylinder barrel 124. A fore-and-aft elongated, keyhole shaped slot 136 is provided in the transverse plate 66 at a centered location beneath the hydraulic cylinder 116 for providing access for coupling a fluid supply/return line to the fluid coupling 134.
The operation of the latch mechanism 50 will now be described. Assuming the quick coupler 30 to be secured to the bucket 10, as shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic cylinder 116 will be in a non-pressurized state, with the coil compression springs 74 and 76 being compressed between the upright plate 64 and the rear sides of the wedge members 52R and 52L so as to resiliently resist rearward movement of the wedge sections 48R and 48L respectively from the wedge shaped recesses 20 provided in the rear ends of the upright plates 14R and 14L of the bucket mounting bracket 12 and thereby act to effect a primary lock between the quick coupler 30 and the bucket mounting bracket 12. At the same time, the coil tension spring 98 will resiliently urge the latches 78 and 80 downwardly about the axis of the cross shaft 54 with the respective vertical rear surfaces 108 and 110 of the latches being held in engagement with the rear end surfaces 112 and 114 of the guide slots 102 and 104 to effect a secondary lock between the quick coupler and bucket mounting bracket. The secondary lock, which is effected by the tension spring 98, comes into play in the event that the primary retention force exerted on the wedge sections 48R and 48L by the coil compression springs 74 and 76 is somehow lost.
The hydraulic cylinder 116 is normally in a depressurized float condition, but is selectively pressurized to either effect release of the quick coupler latch mechanism 50 from the mounting bracket 12 of the bucket 10 or to place the latch mechanism 10 in a condition permitting the quick coupler 30 to be attached to the mounting bracket 12 of the bucket or to a similar mounting bracket of another work attachment. Accordingly, if it is desired that the bucket 10 be detached from the quick coupler 30, an operator seated in the cab of the excavator will actuate the hydraulic cylinder 116 by effecting the routing of pressure fluid to the cylinder 116 for causing it to retract and withdraw the wedge elements 48R and 48L from the wedge-shaped recesses 20. Actuation of the cylinder 116 is initiated by operation of a rocker switch 232 followed by operation of a joystick 234, each shown in FIG. 8 and described in further detail below. Because the latches 78 and 80 are then seated, or near to being seated, against the rear ends of the slots 100 and 102, initial rearward movement of the piston rod 118 will cause a rearward and upward force to be exerted on the latches 78 and 80 that overcomes the biasing force exerted by the coil tension spring 98 and causes the vertical surfaces 108 and 110 to slide upward along the end surfaces 112 and 114 of the slots 100 and 102, with the cylinder barrel 124 pivoting upwardly about the mounting pins 128 of the cup 126. When the hydraulic cylinder 116 has pivoted upward an amount sufficient to be centered along a line of centers passing through the cross shaft 54, connecting pin 122 and the pivot axis defined by the mounting pins 128, the bottom ends of the latches 82 and 84 will move out of the slots 100 and 102 so as to permit the entire latch assembly including the cross shaft 54, wedge members 52R and 52L and latch members 78 and 80 to move rearwardly against the biasing force of the coil compression springs 74 and 76, thus resulting in the wedge sections 48R and 48L being withdrawn from the wedge shaped recesses 20. At this time, the spring guide rods 56 and 58 will project rearwardly through the holes 68 and 70 in the upright portion of the L-shaped plate 72.
Removal of the quick coupler 30 can then be completed by rocking the quick coupler upwardly about the axis C1 so as to remove the wedge-shaped sections 42 and 44 of the sleeves 38 and 40 from the bucket bracket recesses 18, and then by shifting the quick coupler forwardly to remove the sleeves 34 and 36 from the C-shaped bucket recesses 16, noting that pressure fluid can be released from the hydraulic cylinder 116 as soon as the wedge sections 48R and 48L are clear of the rear end of the bracket 12. The quick coupler 30, which is carried at the end of an excavator boom or arm, can then be used for securing a different implement or tool to the excavator arm or boom, with the only requirement being that the particular implement or tool be equipped with a mounting bracket like the mounting bracket 12 and that the hydraulic cylinder 116 be pressurized to move the latching pawls 78 and 80 and the wedge members 52R and 52L to their respective upwardly pivoted and rearward positions, with the wedge members then being out of the way for permitting the quick coupler 30 to be properly positioned relative to the mounting bracket of a work attachment being coupled to the quick coupler for first permitting the coupler sleeves 34 and 36 to be placed in the C-shaped recesses in the forward end of the mounting bracket and then for the coupler to be pivoted downwardly about the axis C1 to place the wedge shaped sections 42 and 44 to into the upwardly opening, complimentary shaped recesses 18. The hydraulic cylinder 116 is then depressurized so as to permit the wedge-shaped members 52R and 52L to be shifted forwardly into wedged engagement with complimentary shaped recesses located in the rear edges of the attachment bracket by the coil compression springs 74 and 76.
Referring now to FIG. 8, there is schematically shown an electro-hydraulic control circuit 136 for selectively actuating the hydraulic cylinder 116 for effecting disengagement of the quick coupler 30 from the excavator bucket 10 or any other implement attached to an excavator boom or arm using the coupler. The control circuit 136 includes a source of fluid pressure represented by a fixed displacement pump 138 having an inlet connected to a sump 140 and an outlet connected to a solenoid operated, three-way, two-position direction control valve 142, which, in turn, is coupled to the fluid coupling 134 of the hydraulic cylinder 116. The valve 142 includes a solenoid 144 and a biasing spring 146 respectively at opposite ends of the valve. The solenoid 142 is normally deactivated, with the spring 146 acting to yieldably hold the valve 142 in a normal first position wherein the outlet of the pump 138 is connected to a blocked valve port and wherein the cylinder fluid coupling 134 is connected in fluid communication with the sump 140. A pressure relief valve 148 is provided for routing the output of the pump 138 to the sump 140 when the control valve 142 is in this deactivated condition.
An electronic control unit (ECU) 150 is connected for receiving manually induced signals from the rocker switch 232 and the joystick 234. The rocker switch 232 serves as an initiating control switch and is coupled for sending a initiating control signal to the ECU 150 by an initiating control signal lead 152 in response to the rocker switch being rocked from an illustrated OFF position to an ON position. The joystick 234 is associated with an electrical position sensing device 156 which senses the position of the joystick 234 and is coupled to the ECU by a primary control signal lead 158 over which the control device 154 sends a primary control signal only in response to the joystick being moved to a pre-selected position, such as a leftward position L from an illustrated neutral position N, for example, after the rocker switch 232 has been rocked to its ON position. The ECU 150 is configured for sending a valve control signal over a valve control signal lead 160 coupled between the ECU 150 and the solenoid 144 of the direction control valve 142 only in response to the joystick 234 being manipulated for causing the primary control signal to be sent to the ECU 150 after the initiating control signal has been received by the ECU 150 as a result of the rocker switch 232 being rocked to its ON position. Thus, by requiring both the rocker switch 232 and the joystick 234 to be operated with the joystick operation following that of the rocker switch, unintentional actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 116, and, hence, unintentional unlatching of the quick coupler 30 from the attached bucket 10 is prevented or greatly minimized. Upon the solenoid 144 being energized by receiving the primary control signal, the direction control valve 142 will shift rightward so as to couple the output of the pump 138 to the hydraulic cylinder 116 causing it to retract and unlatch the quick coupler 30 from the bucket 10, as previously described. When the ECU 150 sends the primary control signal for energizing the solenoid 144, a timing circuit of the ECU 150 is initiated and when a pre-set time sufficient for the hydraulic actuator 116 to become fully retracted has elapsed, the timing circuit will time out and the ECU will send a notification signal over a notification signal lead 162 to energize a notification device 164, such as a light and/or horn so that the operator is alerted that the quick coupler 30 has been detached from the bucket 10 and that the rocker switch 232 needs to be reset to its normally OFF position. At the same time, the valve control signal will be terminated to de-energize the solenoid 144 so that the valve 142 returns to its normal position disconnecting the pump from the fluid coupling 134 leading to the working chamber of the barrel 124 of the hydraulic cylinder 116 while coupling the barrel to the sump 140 so as to permit the piston rod 118 to be extended under the biasing force of the springs 74 and 76.
While the above describes an example embodiment of the present disclosure, this description should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, there are several variations and modifications which may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
Patent Grant
9970177
