The present application relates to excavator bucket coupler systems and, in particular to a reversible bucket coupler device capable of reversing the orientation of a bucket with respect to an excavator.
Current excavator couplers and coupler arrangements, such as, for example, the X-Change coupler system by Bobcat, do not allow an operator of an excavator to reverse the orientation of the bucket with respect to the front of the excavator. Thus, the standard orientation of the bucket with respect to the cutting edge, i.e., bucket teeth, of the bucket is to face the cab of the excavator. It would be most advantageous to be able to orient a bucket used with excavators in a reverse direction because it would provide the ability to complete tasks in a more efficient, clean and safe manner, as well as providing much needed flexibility in the way excavation projects can be performed.
The present invention provides a reversible bucket coupler device and method of use for reversing the orientation of a bucket used with an excavator so that the teeth of the bucket is facing away from the cab of the excavator.
In an aspect of the invention, there is provided a reversible bucket coupler device for reversing the orientation of a bucket with respect to an excavator so that bucket teeth are facing away from the excavator. The reversible bucket coupler device is manufactured from steel plate and comprises a first side excavator panel and a second side excavator panel, in which each excavator panel has at one end a hook-like excavator coupler and a pin hole near the other end; a first side bucket panel and a second side bucket panel, in which each bucket panel has at one end an L-shaped bucket coupler and a pin hole near the other end; and a plurality of transverse attachment and support panels. One end of the plurality of transverse attachment and support panels is welded to the first side excavator and bucket panels at a plurality of areas and the other end of the plurality of transverse attachment and support panels is welded to the second side excavator and bucket panels at the same plurality of areas.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of using the reversible bucket coupler device described above in order to reverse the orientation of a bucket with respect to an excavator so that the bucket teeth are facing away from the excavator. The method comprises attaching the L-shaped bucket couplers between two flanges having a curved portion on one end and a pin hole near the other end, in which each of the two flanges are located at an end of a bucket that is opposite an end where bucket teeth of the bucket are located; and attaching the two hook-like excavator couplers to an excavator by placing the excavator couplers around an excavator joint located on the excavator.
A fuller understanding of the invention can be gained from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, which illustrate some, but not the only and exclusive, examples of embodiments of the invention and, as such, the figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:
The present invention provides a reversible bucket coupler device and method of use for reversing the orientation of a bucket with respect to an excavator so that bucket teeth of the bucket are facing away from the excavator.
As in shown in
The first side excavator panel 22 is positioned in front of the first side bucket panel 26 and the end opposite the first side excavator coupler 20 overlaps part of the first side bucket panel 26. The second side excavator panel 23 is positioned in front of the second side bucket panel 27 and the end opposite the second side excavator coupler 20′ overlaps part of the second side bucket panel 27. The first side excavator panel 22 and the first side bucket panel 26 are welded together, and the second side excavator panel 23 and the second side bucket panel 27 are welded together. One end of the five transverse attachment and support panels 32a, b, c, d, e are welded to the first side excavator 22 and bucket panels 26 and at the other end of the five transverse attachment and support panels 32a, b, c, d, e are welded to the second side excavator 23 and bucket panels 27. Each of the five attachment and transverse support panels 32a, b, c, d, e is located in a different area of the reversible bucket coupler 10 to allow optimal attachment of the first side panels 22, 26 to the second side panels 23, 27 as well as providing optimal strength to the device 10.
As shown in
The hook-like excavator couplers 20, 20′are configured to attach to an excavator 46 by placing the excavator couplers 20, 20′ around an excavator joint 44 located on an excavator (best shown in
In use, an operator of an excavator first installs the reversible bucket coupler device onto a bucket by positioning the L-shaped bucket couplers of the coupler device between the curved portions of the two flanges located on the bucket end opposite the bucket teeth. The bucket couplers then are secured to the bucket by placing a bucket pin through the flange pin holes and the bucket pin holes. The operator then installs the coupler device onto an excavator by placing the excavator couplers around an excavator joint located on the excavator. The two excavator couplers then are secured to the excavator by placing a pin through the excavator pin holes and pin holes located on the excavator.
While specific embodiments have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular embodiments disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the device and method described herein, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/053,824, filed Jul. 20, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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