IES64137B2 - Connector for use in connecting an attachment to boom of a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector 3 for use in connecting an attachment, for example an excavator bucket 100, to the boom, 200, 201 of a vehicle includes two jaws for engaging the two pins of the attachment. The jaws are relatively movable and as a result the connector can be used with different attachments having different pin spacings.

Description

CONNECTOR FOR USE IN CONNECTING AN ATTACHMENT TO THE BOOM OF A VEHICLE Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector for use in connecting an attachment to the boom of vehicle.

Prior Art GB 2,205,299 B in the name William John Balemi describes a connector comprising a body in the form of a substantial frame made of metal. First connection means are provided in the upper part of the connector body to enable the connector body to be mounted on a carrying device, such as the boom of a vehicle. The first connection means consists of a pair of spaced apart apertures. A second connection means is provided in the lower part of the connector body to enable an implement, such as a digging attachment, to be connected to the body. The second connection means take the form of a forward and a rear recess in the connector body. A closure member is provided which partly closes the entrance to the rear recess. The closure member takes the form of a hook which is pivotally mounted on the body. A S*413? - 2 piston and cylinder assembly is provided to pivot the closure member in one direction. Biasing means is provided to pivot the closure member in the opposite direction. Two constructions are described in the Balemi specification. In the first construction the piston and cylinder are operable to pivot the closure member to the open position against the action of a compression spring. In the second construction the piston and cylinder are operative to pivot the closure member to the closed position against the action of a tensile spring.

A disadvantage of the Balemi connector is that it can be used only with an attachment having pins which are the same distance apart as the front and rear recesses provided in the lower part of the connector body for the purpose of receiving the pins of the attachment.

Object and Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a universal connector, that is to say a connector which may be used with any one of a number of different attachments, particularly different models of excavator bucket having a different pin spacing.

The present invention provides a connector including two jaws for engaging the two pins of an attachment, characterized in that the jaws are capable of translational movement relative to one another and in that jaw movement means are provided for effecting such movement.

In use, the connector of the invention is lowered into a position above an excavator bucket, the jaw movement means is operated so that the two jaws are moved towards one another, the connector is moved into position so that a first jaw engages a first pin of the excavator bucket and so that the second jaw is aligned with the second pin of the excavator bucket, the jaw movement means are then operated so that the second jaw is moved away from the first jaw and first pin into engagement with the second pin. In this manner an excavator bucket can be picked up irrespective of the pin separation.

Preferably the jaw movement means comprises a hydraulic ram. - 3 Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one construction of apparatus according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded right hand side elevation showing the end of a boom, a connector according to the invention, and an excavator bucket; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the connector according to the invention; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the two pins of an excavator bucket engaged in the connector; Figure 4 is a plan view of the connector; Figure 5 is a rear end elevation of the connector; Figures 6 and 7 each illustrate details of the connector; and Figure 8 is a schematic exploded perspective view of certain parts of the connector assembly.

Detailed Description of Preferred Construction Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an excavator bucket 100 resting on the ground 101, the lower end of a boom arm 200 and associated linkage 201 of an excavator vehicle (not shown), and the connector according to the invention which is generally designated.!, and serves to connect the excavator bucket 100 to the boom arm 200 and linkage 201.

The connector 1 consists of a base plate 2, a right hand upright plate 3, a left hand upright plate 4 (not shown in Figure 1), a pair of front hollow bushes 5 on the two upright plates 3, 4 to receive a pin - 4 of the boom arm 200, a pair of rear hollow bushes 6 on the two upright plates 3, 4 to receive a pin of the linkage 201, a right hand downward plate 7 shown partly cut away in Figure 1, a left hand downward plate 8, a right hand front jaw 9, a left hand front jaw 10 (not shown in Figure 1), a mounting 11, a double acting hydraulic ram 12 mounted on the mounting 11, a right hand track member 13 on the inside face of the right hand downward plate 7, a left hand track member 14 (not shown in Figure 1) on the inside face of the left hand downward plate 8, a slide member or carriage 15 movable along the lower face of the base plate 2 under the influence of the hydraulic ram 12, the carriage 15 being constrained to this motion by the inwardly projecting track members 13, 14, a right hand rear jaw 16 mounted on the carriage 15, a left hand rear jaw 17 (not shown in Figure 1) mounted on the carriage 15, and a hydraulic hose 18.

In order to connect the excavator bucket 100 to the excavator vehicle by means of the connector 1, the first step is to mount the connector 1 on the boom arm 200 and linkage 201 of the excavator vehicle by means of front bushes 5 and rear bushes 6 and to connect the hydraulic hoses 18 to the excavator vehicle hydraulic system. The hydraulic ram 12 is contracted to bring the rear jaws 16, 17 towards the front jaws 9, 10. The boom arm 200 and linkage 201 are then moved so that the connector 1 is lowered into position above the excavator bucket 100, and the connector 1 is manoeuvered until the front jaws 9, 10 engage the front pin 101 on the excavator bucket 101. The front jaws 9, 10 are then kept in engagement with the front pin 101, and the connector 1 is further manoeuvered until the hydraulic ram 12 and rear jaws 16, 17 of the connector are lined up with the rear pin 102 of the excavator bucket 100. The hydraulic ram 12 is then extended until the rear jaws 16, 17 of the connector 1 engage the rear pin 102 of the excavator bucket 100. The excavator bucket 100 is now connected to the excavator vehicle and is ready for use.

Disconnecting the excavator bucket 100 from the excavator vehicle is essentially the reverse of connecting. The first step is to contract the hydraulic ram 12 so that the rear jaws 16, 17 of the connector 1 are disengaged from the rear pin 102 of the excavator bucket 100. In like manner the other steps are carried out in the - 5 reverse manner and order to the steps required for connection.

It will be appreciated that the connector 1 according to the invention offers many advantages. The connector 1 of the invention is simple to construct. The connector 1 of the invention is simple to use. In contrast with the Balemi connector, the connector 1 of the invention can be used for different excavator bucket pin separations, and therefore for different models of excavator bucket. The area of contact between the jaws 9, 10 and 16, 17 of the connector 1 and the pins 101, 102 of the excavator bucket 100 is large, ensuring a firm grip.

An added safety feature is provided in the form of a locking mechanism for locking the rear jaws 16, 17 of the connector 1 to the rear pin 102 of the excavator bucket 100. This feature has been omitted from Figure 1, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, but may be seen in several of the other Figures, especially in Figures 3 and 6 which illustrate the operation of the locking mechanism, which may comprise a supplementary rear jaw or a pair of such jaws.

Referring to Figures 3 and 6, the locking mechanism as illustrated comprises a pair of supplementary rear jaws 19 and 20 mounted on the carriage 15 so as to be pivotally movable about a transverse pivotal axis. The right hand side supplementary rear jaw 19 is shown in Figures 3 and 6, but the left hand side supplementary jaw is not shown. As the hydraulic ram 12 is extended during the operation of connecting the excavator bucket 100, one edge 19a, 19b of the supplementary rear jaws 19, 20 come into contact with the rear pin 102 of the excavator bucket, and this causes the supplementary rear jaws 19, 20 to pivot from the open position shown in dashed lines in Figures 3 and 6 to the locked position shown in full lines in Figures 3 and 6. As best seen in Figure 3, in the locked position the rear jaws 16, 17 and supplementary rear jaws 19, 20 almost completely surround the rear pin 102, ensuring that disengagement does not take place.

Unlocking is the reverse of locking. As the hydraulic ram 12 is contracted during the operation of disconnecting the excavator bucket 100, the other edge 19b, 20b of the supplementary rear jaws 19, 20 - 6 bears against the rear pin 102, and the supplementary rear jaws 19, 20 pivot in the opposite direction. The supplementary jaws 19, 20 are held in the open or closed position by respective stops 21, 22, but the power of the hydraulic ram is sufficient to overcome the stops.

Figure 8 shows the base plate 2, right hand downward plate 7, left hand downward plate 8, hydraulic ram 12, a ram mounting 23, right hand track member 13, right hand rear jaw 16, left hand rear jaw 17, right hand supplementary rear jaw 19, left hand supplementary rear jaw 20, pivotal mounting pin 24 extending through the supplementary rear jaws 19, 20. and journalled in journals 25, 26 provided in the rear jaws 16, 17 respectively. The rear jaws 19, 20 also include stops for preventing motion of the supplementary jaws from the open position (stops 27, 29) and from the closed position (stops 28, 30). The stops are mounted in recesses in the rear jaws 16, 17 and are biassed by plungers (not shown) so as to project proud of the inward facing surface of the rear jaws and thus prevent movement of the supplementary jaws 19, 20, but when sufficient force is exerted the stops 27, 28, 29, 30 move against the bias back into the recesses.

In a modification (not shown) the supplementary rear jaws are locked in position by means of an additional double acting hydraulic ram activated after rear jaws 16, 17 of the connector engage the rear pin 102 of the excavator bucket 100.

Claims (5)

1. A connector including two jaws for engaging the two pins of an attachment, characterised in that the jaws are capable of translational movement relative to one another and in that jaw movement means are provided for effecting such movement.

2. A connector according to claim 1 in which the jaws movement means is a hydraulic ram.

3. A connector according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which one jaw is fixed and the other jaw is movable.

4. A connector according to any preceding claim provided with a locking mechanism for locking at least one jaw to a pin of the attachment.

5. A connector substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.