Releasable locking mechanism for a liftarm of a machine

A machine having a body, comprising:

• a liftarm pivotally mounted to the body;
• a lift cylinder having a housing pivotally mounted to the body of the machine and an extendable rod connected to the liftarm, the lift cylinder operatively associated with the liftarm for moving the liftarm between raised and lowered positions;
• and
• a releasable locking mechanism including a lockbar and a release lever, the lockbar having first and second end portions with the second end portion pivotally connected to the liftarm for movement between an inoperative position wherein the first end portion is releasably connected to the liftarm and an operative position wherein the first end portion is in bearing engagement with the housing of the lift cylinder to prevent retraction of the rod, the release lever pivotally connected to the housing of the lift cylinder and being movable between a rest position and a working position, the release lever being forced against the lockbar when the release lever is in the working position for moving the lockbar out of bearing engagement with the housing of the lift cylinder.

A method of locking a lift cylinder having a body and an extendable rod in an extended position in order to hold a lift arm of a machine in a raised position and releasing the locking of the lift cylinder in order to bring the lift arm to a lowered position, comprising the steps of:

• providing a lockbar with first and second end portions and a release lever with a notched end portion;
• pivotally connecting the second end portion of the lockbar to the lift arm;
• pivotally connecting the release lever to the body of the lift cylinder;
• moving the lockbar from an inoperative position wherein the first end portion is releasably connected to the liftarm to an operative position wherein the first end portion is in bearing engagement with the body of the lift cylinder to prevent retraction of the rod;
• and
• moving the release lever from a rest position adjacent and substantially parallel with the lift cylinder to a working position wherein the notched end portion is forced against an attachment mountable on the first end portion of the lockbar to lift the lockbar out of bearing engagement with the body of the lift cylinder.