Coupling arrangement for coupling a tool to a machine

An apparatus comprising a machine, a tool and a coupling arrangement coupling the tool to the machine, wherein the coupling arrangement comprises:

• a quick coupler comprising a quick coupler body, the quick coupler body having first and second sides;
• a bracket comprising a bracket body and a bracket cavity at least partially formed by the bracket body;
• front and back pin-recess assemblies engageable to couple the quick coupler and bracket together, wherein the back pin-recess assembly comprises first and second back pins of the quick coupler extending laterally outward of the first and second sides of the quick coupler body and along a back pin-recess assembly axis;
• a body-bracket alignment guide mounted to the bracket and comprising at least one body-bracket guide body configured to guide the quick coupler body at least partially into the bracket cavity during coupling of the front and back pin-recess assemblies;
• and
• an axial alignment guide mounted to the quick coupler and comprising first and second axial guide bodies extending about the first and second back pins, the first and second axial guide bodies comprising:
• first and second mounting surfaces spaced laterally outward from the first and second sides of the quick coupler along the back pin-recess assembly axis, the first and second mounting surfaces configured to engage the bracket and restrain relative movement between the quick coupler and bracket along the back pin-recess assembly axis when the back pin-recess assembly is coupled;
• and
• first and second axial ramps tapering laterally outward along the back pin-recess assembly axis away from the first and second sides of the quick coupler to the first and second mounting surfaces, the first and second axial ramps configured for, during coupling of the back pin-recess assembly, guiding the bracket into engagement with the first and second mounting surfaces.

A method of operating a coupling arrangement, the coupling arrangement comprising:

• a quick coupler comprising a quick coupler body, the quick coupler body having first and second sides;
• a bracket comprising a bracket body and a bracket cavity at least partially formed by the bracket body;
• front and back pin-recess assemblies, wherein the back pin-recess assembly comprises first and second back pins of the quick coupler extending laterally outward of the first and second sides of the quick coupler body and along a back pin-recess assembly axis;
• a body-bracket alignment guide mounted to the bracket and comprising at least one body-bracket guide body;
• and
• an axial alignment guide mounted to the quick coupler and comprising first and second axial guide bodies extending about the first and second back pins, the first and second axial guide bodies comprising first and second mounting surfaces spaced laterally outward from the first and second sides of the quick coupler along the back pin-recess assembly axis and first and second axial ramps tapering laterally outward along the back pin-recess assembly axis away from the first and second sides of the quick coupler to the first and second mounting surfaces,
• wherein the method comprises:
• at least partially coupling the front pin-recess assembly;
• and
• coupling the back pin-recess assembly by:
• rotating the quick coupler relative to the bracket such that the quick coupler body is guided by the body-bracket alignment guide at least partially into the bracket cavity;
• rotating the quick coupler relative to the bracket such that the first and second axial ramps guides the bracket into engagement with the first and second mounting surfaces such that the first and second mounting surfaces engage the bracket and restrain relative movement between the quick coupler and bracket along the back pin-recess assembly axis when the back pin-recess assembly is coupled.