Coupling assembly and method of hydraulically coupling to a tool
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorPeter Lauterslager
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of coupling a tool to a work machine including inserting a front lug of a coupling assembly into a front recess on the tool, inserting a rear lug of the coupling assembly into a rear recess on the tool, moving a retaining member of the coupler assembly to a retaining position relative to the tool to releasably mount the tool to the work machine, while simultaneously preventing movement of a hydraulic coupling manifold on the coupling assembly from moving; and moving the hydraulic coupling manifold to a coupling position with a hydraulic power transmission coupling on the tool to hydraulically couple the tool to the work machine in response to the retaining member reaching the retaining position.
Claims10
A coupling assembly comprising:
- a mount attachable to a work machine and configured to receive a tool in a mounted position of the tool;
- a retaining body movable in translation relative to the mount along a translation axis between a retaining position for retaining the tool to the mount and a release position for releasing the tool from the mount;
- a first actuator and a second actuator independently operable to move the retaining body between the retaining and release positions;
- a hydraulic coupling manifold movable in translation relative to the mount along the translation axis between a coupling position that hydraulically couples the tool to the work machine and a decoupling position wherein the tool is hydraulically decoupled from the work machine, wherein the hydraulic coupling manifold uses the first and second actuators as guides for moving along the translation axis;
- and
- a control valve configured to prevent movement of the retaining body from the retaining position to the release position unless the hydraulic coupling manifold is in the decoupling position.
A coupling assembly for releasably mounting, and hydraulically coupling, a tool to a work machine, comprising:
- mounting means attachable to the work machine for receiving the tool in a mounted position of the tool;
- retaining means that is movable in translation relative to the mounting means along a translation axis between a retaining position for retaining the tool to the mounting means and a release position for releasing the tool from the mounting means;
- actuating means for moving the retaining means between the retaining and release positions;
- coupling means movable in translation relative to the mounting means along the translation axis between a coupling position for hydraulically coupling the tool to the work machine and a decoupling position for hydraulically decoupling the tool from the work machine, wherein the coupling means uses the actuating means as guides for moving along the translation axis, and
- control means for preventing movement of the retaining means from the retaining position to the release position unless the coupling means is in the decoupling position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.