US 5,467,542 AGranted

Coupling assembly and actuating mechanism therefor

OwnerFritiof Huldeninventor

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Abstract

An assembly for coupling a maneuvering member to a working implement generally consisting of a first coupling component mountable on the working tool, a second coupling component mountable on the maneuvering member and cooperative with the first coupling component for selectively coupling the coupling components together, the first coupling component having an annular undercut portion providing an outwardly facing, beveled gripping surface, the second coupling component having a fixed gripping member and a moveable gripping member displaced relative to the fixed gripping member along a line of travel, the gripping members having arcuate undercut portions providing inwardly facing, beveled gripping surfaces engageable with the outwardly facing, beveled gripping surface of the second coupling component, means for selectively displacing the moveable gripping member relative to the fixed gripping member along the line of travel into a fully coupled condition of the coupling components and a fully uncoupled condition of the coupling components, latch means for restricting the displacement of the moveable gripping member relative to the fixed gripping member into a partially uncoupled condition insufficient to permit removal of said second coupling component from the first coupling component yet sufficient to permit a rotational displacement of the coupling members relative to each other and means for selectively displacing the latch means.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An assembly for coupling a maneuvering member to a working implement comprising:

a first coupling component mountable on said working implement;
a second coupling component mountable on said maneuvering member and cooperative with said first coupling component for selectively coupling said first coupling component to said second coupling component;
said first coupling component having an annular undercut portion and a gripping surface;
said second coupling component having first and second gripping members, each provided with a protruding portion receivable within said annular undercut portion and a gripping surface engageable with the gripping surface of said first coupling component in gripping relation therewith when said gripping members are displaced relative to each other along a line of travel;
means for selectively displacing said gripping members relative to each other along said line of travel into a fully coupled condition of said coupling components wherein the protruding portions of said gripper members are received within said annular undercut portion of said first coupling component and the gripping surfaces of said gripping members firmly engage the gripping surface of said first coupling component, and into a fully uncoupled condition of said coupling components wherein the protruding portions of said gripper members are disposed without said annular undercut portion of said first coupling component;
means for restricting the displacement of said gripping members into a partially uncoupled condition between said fully coupled and fully uncoupled conditions and sufficient to disengage said gripping surfaces to allow rotational displacement of one coupling component relative to the other coupling component about the axis of said annular undercut portion, for reorientating said working tool relative to said maneuvering member;
and
means for selectively disabling said restricting means.

5 more elements

An assembly for coupling a maneuvering member to a working implement comprising:

a first coupling component mountable on said working implement;
a second coupling component mountable on said maneuvering member and cooperative with said first coupling component for selectively coupling said first coupling component to said second coupling component;
said first coupling component having an annular undercut portion providing an outwardly facing, beveled gripping surface;
said second coupling component having a fixed gripping member and a moveable gripping member displaceable relative to said fixed gripping member along a line of travel, said gripping members having arcuate undercut portions providing inwardly facing, beveled gripping surfaces engageable with said outwardly facing beveled gripping surface of said first coupling component for coupling said components together;
means for selectively displacing said moveable gripping member relative to said fixed gripping member along said line of travel into a fully coupled condition of said coupling components with said gripping surfaces firmly engaged, and into a fully uncoupled condition of said coupling components with said gripping surfaces sufficiently displaced apart to permit said second coupling component to be totally removed from said first coupling component;
latch means for restricting the displacement of said moveable gripping member relative to said fixed gripping member into a partially uncoupled condition between said fully coupled and fully uncoupled condition, insufficient to permit the removal of said second coupling component from said first coupling component yet sufficient to permit rotational displacement of said coupling components relative to each other and about an axis of said annular undercut portion;
and
means for selectively disabling said latch means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.