Attachment coupler
AssigneeGreat Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsEthan Linden, James Allen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupler for releasably coupling an attachment to a heavy-equipment machine. The coupler comprises a frame, and a plurality of connection elements extending from the frame, with the connection elements configured to engage with the attachment. The coupler additionally comprises a locking pin configured to extend simultaneously through the frame and the attachment. The coupler further comprises a locking element configured to selectively engage with the locking pin to securely couple the coupler to the attachment. The coupler further comprises an actuator configured to shift the locking element between an unlocked position and a locked position.
Claims20
A coupler for releasably coupling an attachment to a heavy-equipment machine, said coupler comprising:
- a frame comprising a pair of spaced apart sides and a bottom plate extending between said sides, wherein said frame further comprises a support plate extending from said bottom plate and between said sides;
- a plurality of connection elements extending exteriorly from each of said sides said frame and configured to engage with the attachment;
- a locking pin configured to extend simultaneously through said frame and the attachment, wherein said locking pin is removable from said frame and the attachment;
- an elongated locking element extending between said sides of said frame and configured to selectively engage with said locking pin to securely couple said coupler to the attachment;
- an actuator configured to shift said locking element between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein said actuator is rigidly secured to said bottom plate of said frame and abuts said support plate, and wherein a rod extends from said actuator to said locking element;
- and
- a pair of biasing elements extending from said support plate to said locking element, with one biasing element positioned on each side of the actuator, configured to bias said locking element into engagement with said locking pin.
A method of coupling an attachment to a heavy-equipment machine, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a coupler comprising a frame including a pair of spaced apart sides, a bottom plate extending between the sides, and a support plate extending from the bottom plate and between said sides, wherein the coupler further comprises a plurality of connection elements extending exteriorly from each of the sides of the frame, a locking pin, a locking element, and an actuator,
- wherein the locking element is elongated and extends between the sides of the frame, and
- wherein the actuator is rigidly secured to the bottom plate of the frame and abuts the support plate, and wherein a rod extends from the actuator to the locking element, wherein the coupler further includes a pair of biasing elements extending from the support plate to the locking element, with one biasing element positioned on each side of the actuator, configured to bias said locking element into engagement with said locking pin;
- (b) shifting the locking element, against the biasing elements, to an unlocked position;
- (c) engaging the frame with the attachment, wherein during said engaging of step (c), (i) the connection elements are engaged with the attachment, and (ii) the frame is positioned over the locking pin;
- and
- (d) removably inserting the locking pin through the frame and the attachment;
- (e) shifting the locking element to a locked position, wherein after the locking element has been shifted to the locked position in step (e), the locking element is engaged with the locking pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.