Quick attach implement coupler

An apparatus for connecting an implement with a downturned bracket and extendable locking pins to a vehicle, comprising:

• (a) an upright brace having two vertical members and a connecting horizontal member, the vertical members being adapted for attachment to a vehicle;
• (b) a frame pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis to the vertical members beneath the horizontal member;
• (c) an actuator connecting the brace and the frame such that the frame may be pivoted about the horizontal axis;
• (d) a support pivotally mounted on the frame about a vertical axis and having an upturned flange adapted to engage beneath a downturned bracket of an implement, the support having portions defining pinholes located beneath the flange to receive locking pins extending from the implement to connect the implement to the apparatus, wherein a connected implement will be raised and lowered as the actuator pivots the frame about the horizontal axis;
• (e) a plurality of mounting brackets having upper and lower portions and rigidly connected to a vehicle, each mounting bracket having a frontwardly opening slot in the lower portion of the bracket and a through hole in the upper portion of the bracket;
• (f) fixed pins extending from the vertical members and adapted to engage within the slots of the mounting brackets;
• and
• (g) spring loaded pins mounted on the vertical members above the fixed pins and adapted to engage in the through holes in the mounting brackets, to detachably connect the coupling apparatus to the vehicle.

A coupling mechanism for attaching an implement to a vehicle-mounted coupler having an upturned flange and two spaced pinholes beneath the flange, comprising:

• (a) a downturned J-shaped bracket having a vertical portion and an opposed portion, the opposed portion being approximately as deep as the upward extension of the flange on the coupler;
• (b) vertical plates connected on either side of the J-shaped bracket and adapted to connect the coupling mechanism to an implement and having portions defining pinholes spaced beneath the J-shaped bracket;
• and
• (c) spring-loaded locking pins located on each vertical plate so that the pins may travel freely in the pinholes, said pins providing means for engaging and being depressed by beveled surfaces of the coupler when the coupler is moved into engagement with the implement coupling mechanism, and to engage within the locking holes of the coupler when the coupler is fully engaged with the implement.

An apparatus for coupling an implement to a vehicle with an end, comprising:

• (a) at least one bracket connected to the end of the vehicle;
• (b) a coupler adapted for detachable attachment to the bracket, the coupler including an upright brace having two vertical members joined by a horizontal member, a frame pivotally mounted to the vertical members about a horizontal axis, an actuator connecting the brace and the frame such that the frame may be pivoted about the horizontal axis by the actuator, a support pivotally mounted to the frame about a vertical axis and having an upturned flange, and portions on the support defining pinholes located beneath the flange;
• and
• (c) an implement coupling mechanism attached to the implement and having a downturned J-shaped bracket with a vertical portion and a spaced opposed portion, vertical plates connected on either side of the J-shaped bracket and attached to the implement and having portions defining pinholes spaced beneath the J-shaped bracket such that when the downturned J-shaped bracket is engaged upon the upturned flange of the coupler the pinholes on the vertical plates align with the pinholes in the support, and spring-loaded locking pins located on each vertical plate so that the pins may travel freely in the pinholes of the vertical plates, said pins providing means for engaging and being depressed by the support when the support is moved into engagement with the implement coupling mechanism and for engaging within the locking holes of the support when the support is fully engaged with the implement coupling mechanism, wherein the implement coupling mechanism is mounted to the implement to permit rapid attachment of the implement to the vehicle by engagement of the upturned flange of the coupler with the downturned bracket of the implement coupling mechanism by the elevation of the support so that the flange and bracket engage and so the spring-loaded pins of the coupling mechanism engage with the pin holes in the support.

An apparatus for coupling an implement to a vehicle with an end, comprising:

• (a) at least one bracket connected to the end of the vhecile;
• (b) a coupler adapted for attachment to the bracket, the coupler including an upright brace having two vertical members joined by a horizontal member, a frame pivotally mounted to the vertical members about a horizontal axis, an actuator connecting the brace and the frame such that the frame may be pivoted about the horizontal axis by the actuator, a support pivotally mounted to the frame about a vertical axis and having an upturned flange, and portions on the support defining pinholes located beneath the flange;
• and
• (c) an implement coupling mechanism attached to the implement and having a downturned J-shaped bracket with a vertical portion and a spaced opposed portion, vertical plates connected on either side of the J-shaped bracket and attached to the implement and having portions defining pinholes spaced beneath the J-shaped bracket such that when the downturned J-shaped bracket is engaged upon the upturned flange of the coupler the pinholes on the vertical plates align with the pinholes in the support, and spring-loaded locking pins located on each vertical plate so that the pins may travel freely in the pinholes of the vertical plates to engage within the locking holes of the support, wherein the implement coupling mechanism is mounted to the implement to permit rapid attachment of the implement to the vehicle by engagement of the upturned flange of the coupler with the downturned bracket of the implement coupling mechanism by the elevation of the support so that the flange and bracket engage and so the spring-loaded pins of the coupling mechanism engage with the pin holes in the support;
• (d) a plurality of mounting brackets having upper and lower portions and rigidly connected to the end of a vehicle, each mounting bracket having a frontwardly opening slot in the lower portion of the bracket and a through hole in the upper portion of the bracket;
• (e) fixed pins extending from the vertical members and adapted to engage within the slots of the mounting brackets;
• and
• (f) spring loaded pins mounted on the vertical members above the fixed pins and adapted to engage in the through holes in the mounting brackets, to detachably connect the coupling apparatus to the vehicle.