Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupling for work attachments, especially for working vehicles, said coupling on the working vehicle comprising two mutually fixedly connected wedge-shaped members, two locking bars and two levers for cooperation with corresponding coupling means on the work attachment.
In working vehicles to which various work attachments, e.g., ploughs, gripper forks, digging and loading buckets, etc., are to be coupled, it is important that the coupling between the working vehicle and the attachment be resistant to great meachnical stresses, so that deformation of the attachment does not prevent its release from and recoupling to the working vehicle.
Summary of the Invention
According to the present invention, these requirements are partly met by means of an arrangement on the working vehicle comprising two wedge-shaped members which are fixedly joined to each other by means of a pipe arranged between their facing sides, in which pipe two locking bars can, by means of two levers, be moved inside and outside of the sides of the members facing away from the pipe, and partly by means of two coupling members arranged on the attachment, said coupling members having wedge-shaped interior cavities complementary to the wedge shaped, members, the side surfaces of said coupling members being provided with orifices for cooperation with the locking bars when the latter project beyond the free sides of the wedge-shaped members.
Brief Introduction to the Drawings
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coupling portion of a working vehicle; and
FIGS. 2 and 3 show in perspective the coupling portions of an attachment to be coupled to said vehicle.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment
FIG. 1 shows a coupling arrangement on the working vehicle, including two members 1, 2, each having two converging sides 3, 4 forming a wedge shape. Members 1, 2 are fixedly joined by means of a pipe 5 arranged between their facing sides in which pipe two locking bars 6 and 7 are slidably mounted. Two levers 8, 9 are pivotably arranged on pipe 5. Through openings 10, 11 in pipe 5, levers 8, 9 can engage respective recesses 12, 13 in locking bars 6, 7 so that the latter can be slidably moved inside of and outside of the outwardly facing sides of the wedge-shaped members.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show two coupling members 15, 16 whose interior shapes are substantially complementary to the outer shapes of members 1, 2, the inner wedge shape of coupling members 15, 16 formed by converging sides 17, 18 corresponding precisely to the outer wedge shape of members 1, 2 formed by converging sides 3, 4. An orifice 19 is provided in one side wall of each of coupling members 15, 16. The position of orifices 19 has the same dimensional relationship to the inner wedge shape of coupling members 15, 16 as locking bars 6, 7 have in relation to the outer wedge shape of members 1, 2. Recesses 20 which are at least as large as the outer dimension of the pipe 5 connecting members 1, 2 are arranged in the walls of the coupling means opposite to those in which holes 19 are located.
A coupling according to the invention is effected by inserting the coupling arrangement on the working vehicle shown in FIG. 1 under coupling members 15, 16 on the attachment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, whereafter members 1, 2 are raised and, because of their wedge shape, easily fitted into coupling members 15, 16. When members 1, 2 are completely inserted, their outer wedge shape cooperates with the interior wedge shape of the coupling members, so that a play-free mutual connection is achieved. In this position, locking bars 6, 7 can be slidingly moved by means of levers 8, 9, so that they project out of members 1, 2 and into holes 19 in the outer sides of coupling members 15, 16.
The connection is strong, and by means of the locking bars 6, 7 working within the free side surfaces of members 1, 2 defined by the edge surfaces, the dimensional relationships for the locking bar positions in coupling members 15, 16 remain unaltered even if the work attachment is subjected to deformation.