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US 4,398,745 AGranted
Three point hitch lower link claw
AssigneeInternational Harvester Company
InventorsJoseph A. Azzarello, Carlos T. San Luis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A claw hitch for a lower link of a three point tractor linkage comprising a self-locking mechanism with over-center spring biased lever lockingly engageable with a ball of an implement coupling rod.
Claims11
A vehicle claw hitch for self-locking of an associated coupling rod of another vehicle and comprising:
- a coupling hook having a jaw adapted to snugly receive the coupling rod;
- a lock mechanism releasably holding the coupling rod and said jaw in a locking engagement;
- said hook comprising a lock mechanism housing;
- said housing comprising latch and handle openings;
- said lock mechanism comprising a one-piece lever pivotally connected with said housing and movable between locked and unlocked positions;
- said lever having a latch end reciprocably movable through said latch opening and reactively engageable with the coupling rod in a locked position;
- spring means mounted on said housing and connected with said lever for over center spring biasing of and forcing said lever to be retained in both locked and unlocked positions by urging said lever to rotate in opposite directions;
- and
- said housing including blocking means reactively and abuttingly engageable with said lever in the locked and unlocked positions thereby preventing its rotation in opposite directions.
6 more elements
A claw hitch for a three point linkage on a tractor and comprising:
- a coupling hook having a jaw adapted to receive an associated ball being unitary with an implement coupling rod;
- a lock mechanism for self-locking of the ball in said jaw;
- said hook comprising a lock mechanism housing;
- said lock mechanism comprising a one-piece lever pivotally connected with said housing;
- said lever having a handle end protruding through and outwardly of said housing and the latch end movable within and outwardly away from said housing;
- said latch end comprising a convex camber portion with a groove lockingly engageable with the ball in a locked position and permitting said ball to limitedly rotate in any direction;
- spring means connected with said housing and said lever for over center spring biasing of and forcing said lever to remain in both locked and unlocked positions by being placed in such a way so as to apply its force to opposite sides of said lever pivot axis;
- and
- said housing including a stop bridge abutting said lever in the locked position and a bridge wall corner block abutting said lever in the unlocked position.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.