ADAPTER FOR COUPLING AN EXCAVATOR WORKING DEVICE TO A QUICK COUPLER

[0001] The invention relates to an adapter for coupling an excavator working device to a quick coupler. The invention also relates to an excavator attachment with such an adapter.

[0002] DE 20 2017 103 198 U1 discloses a quick-change system with an adapter on the tool side and a quick-change coupler on the excavator side for coupling excavator working devices. Such quick-change systems are used for easy and convenient changing of different attachments on construction machines. With such quick-change systems, excavator buckets, grapples, shears, compactors, magnets, hydraulic hammers, or other attachments can be coupled to or uncoupled from an excavator in a few seconds and with a high standard of safety from the driver's cab. They usually comprise a tool-side adapter equipped with two bolt-shaped coupling elements and a quick coupler arranged on the excavator, which has first receptacles on one side for holding a first coupling element and second receptacles on the other side with at least one locking element that can be moved between a release position and a locking position for detachably holding a second coupling element. Generally, adapters configured for connection to the quick coupler are firmly installed on the excavator working devices and must be transported separately to the construction site together with the excavator working devices.

[0003] One aspect of the invention relates to an adapter for coupling an excavator working device to a quick coupler and an excavator attachment with such an adapter, which enable stable and safe transport of the excavator working device on the excavator.

[0004] Useful embodiments and advantageous further developments of the invention are disclosed herein.

[0005] The adapter according to the invention has two side walls parallel to each other and two bolt-shaped coupling elements arranged in the side walls for connection to a quick coupler. Holding receptacles for hanging and holding the adapter on a holding bar are arranged on the side walls, wherein the holding receptacles are open towards an underside of the adapter. By engaging the holding receptacles on the holding bar, the adapter can be attached to a mobile excavator, for example, with or without an excavator working device, and held securely and stably for transport during travel.

[0006] The holding receptacles preferably have an angled configuration with an downwardly open insertion area and a holding area arranged at right angles thereto above a protruding holding lug. This allows the adapter to be easily inserted and held securely.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the holding receptacles can be formed in side parts that are detachably attached to the side walls. This allows the side parts to be replaced as needed and adapted to the respective holding bars or other holders by adjusting the shape and size of the holding receptacles. The holding fixture can thus be quickly and easily adapted to different requirements. Of course, the holding receptacles can also be formed directly in the side walls of the adapter. Conveniently, the side parts can be attached to the side walls by a screw connection or another detachable connection.

[0008] In a configuration particularly suitable for gripping applications, an inclined support plate for attaching an excavator working device configured as a gripper arrangement can be arranged on the front of the two side walls. The two side walls can be connected to each other on the underside by a front cross piece and a rear cross piece spaced apart from it.

[0009] A coupling member support for holding adapter-side coupling members can also be detachably attached to one of the two bolt-shaped coupling elements of the adapter. The coupling members on the adapter side can be used to automatically connect energy connections provided for supplying energy to an excavator working device arranged on the adapter to corresponding energy supply lines on the quick coupler when the adapter is coupled to the quick coupler.

[0010] The invention also relates to an excavator attachment with an excavator working device and an adapter as described above. The excavator working device can be configured as a gripper arrangement with two gripper arms that can be pivoted against each other. However, the adapter is also suitable for other excavator working devices. For example, a pendulum gripper with two folding shovels can also be arranged on the adapter.

[0020] FIGS. 1 to 8 show an excavator attachment 1 with an excavator working device 2 designed here as a gripper arrangement and an adapter 3 for coupling the excavator working device 2 to a quick coupler on the excavator side in various views.

[0021] The adapter 3 comprises two side walls 4 and 5 that are parallel to each other and spaced apart, between which a first bolt-shaped coupling element 6 and a second bolt-shaped coupling element 7 arranged at a predetermined distance therefrom are held for detachable connection to a quick coupler on the excavator side. The bolt-shaped coupling elements 6 and 7 are inserted into corresponding front and rear bores 8 and 9 in the two side walls 5 and 6 of the adapter 3 and fixed there. The two side walls 5 and 6 are connected to each other at the underside by an angled rear plate-shaped cross piece 10 and a front plate-shaped cross piece 11 spaced apart from it. An inclined support plate 12 for attaching the excavator working device 2 is arranged on the front of the two side walls 4 and 5 of the adapter 3.

[0022] First and second holding receptacles 14 and 15, which are open towards an underside 13 of the adapter 3, are provided on the two side walls 5 and 6 of the adapter 3 for hanging and retaining the excavator attachment 1 on a holding bar 16 arranged, for example, at the front of a mobile excavator and shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. By engaging the holding receptacles 14 and 15, which are arranged between the two cross pieces 10 and 11, on the holding bar 16, the adapter 3 with an excavator working device 2 arranged thereon can be hung on, for example, a mobile excavator and held securely and stable for transport during travel.

[0023] In the embodiment shown, the first and second holding receptacles 14 and 15 are formed in first and second side parts 17 and 18, which are fixedly arranged on the side walls 5 and 6. The side parts 17 and 18 are fixed to the side walls 5 and 6 by means of a detachable connection 19, which in this case is designed as a screw connection, and can be detached if necessary. This allows the side parts 17 and 18 to be replaced and adapted to the respective holding bars 16 or other holders by adjusting the shape and size of the holding receptacles 14 and 15. The holding receptacles 14 and 15 have an angled configuration with an downwardly open insertion area 20 and a holding area 21 at right angles thereto arranged above a holding lug 22 projecting in the direction of the support plate 12.

[0024] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, a coupling member support 23 for holding adapter-side coupling members for coupling with quick-change-side coupling members (not shown) is detachably attached to the bolt-shaped coupling element 7 of the adapter 3. When the adapter 3 is coupled to the quick coupler, energy connections provided for supplying energy to an excavator working device 2 arranged on the adapter 3 can be automatically connected to corresponding energy supply lines on the quick coupler via the adapter-side coupling members. This allows the excavator working device 2 to be supplied with hydraulic fluid, electrical energy, or another energy source, for example.

[0025] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the excavator working device 2, which is designed as a gripper arrangement, with a housing 24 and first and second gripper arms 26 and 27 that can be pivoted about rotation axes 25. The two gripper arms 26 and 27 can be pivoted between a folded-in position shown in FIG. 5 and an folded-out position shown in FIG. 6 by means of a drive (not shown). The gripper arrangement can be used to grasp and transport pipes, rods, beams, manhole covers, or similar objects. In a track-laying excavator, the gripper arrangement can be used to grasp the sleepers for transport.

[0026] FIGS. 7 and 8 show the adapter 3 described above with the excavator working device 2 designed as a gripper arrangement in a holding position on a holding bar 16. As can be seen from these figures, the adapter 3 can be hung on a horizontal holding bar 16 either alone or with an excavator working device 2 arranged on it and held there securely and stable even while the excavator is in motion. The adapter with or without excavator working device therefore does not have to be transported separately, but can always be transported together with the excavator. The adapter 3 is not only suitable for the gripper arrangement described above, but can also be used for other excavator working devices.

• • [0027] 1 Excavator attachment
  • [0028] 2 Excavator working device
  • [0029] 3 Adapter
  • [0030] 4 First side wall
  • [0031] 5 Second side wall
  • [0032] 6 First bolt-shaped coupling element
  • [0033] 7 Second bolt-shaped coupling element
  • [0034] 8 Front bore
  • [0035] 9 Rear bore
  • [0036] 10 Rear cross piece
  • [0037] 11 Front cross piece
  • [0038] 12 Support plate
  • [0039] 13 Underside
  • [0040] 14 First holding receptacle
  • [0041] 15 Second holding receptacle
  • [0042] 16 Holding bar
  • [0043] 17 First side part
  • [0044] 18 Second side part
  • [0045] 19 Detachable connection
  • [0046] 20 Insertion area
  • [0047] 21 Holding area
  • [0048] 22 Holding lug
  • [0049] 23 Coupling member support
  • [0050] 24 Housing
  • [0051] 25 Rotation axis
  • [0052] 26 First gripper arm
  • [0053] 27 Second gripper arm