GB2191169A

GB2191169A - Mounting attachments on material handling vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2191169A
Application number: GB08713073A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony David Coe
Original assignee: CASE EUROP Ltd J I
Current assignee: CASE EUROP Ltd J I
Priority date: 1986-06-07
Filing date: 1987-06-04
Publication date: 1987-12-09
Also published as: GB8713073D0; GB8613876D0

Abstract

A tractor front loader has interchangeable working attachments 15 secured by a quick hitch mechanism to a rectangular channel section frame 12 pivotably mounted on one or a parallel pair of interconnected booms 10 pivotably mounted on the tractor and to one or a pair of tip rams 11 respectively about pivots 13, 14 which are vertically spaced. The frame has two laterally-spaced pins 19 secured to its lower part and engageable by respective inverted hooks 16 secured to the lower rear portion of the attachment, and latching devices for releasably locking its upper part to the upper rear portion of the attachment. The devices comprise two spring-loaded pins 21 with inclined end faces engageable automatically in, and disengageable by a hand lever 24 from, associated holes 20 in lugs 17 secured to the upper rear portion of the attachment. The pins have inclined end faces 22 which enable them to be guided by ramps on the lugs into the holes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Material-handling vehicle This invention relates to a material-handling vehicle required to operate with different working attachments.

The invention is applicable both to excavators having a single boom on which a working attachment can be mounted, and to tractor front loaders and socalled "skid-steer" loaders having two parallel booms on which such an attachment can be mounted. In either case, first power-operated means are arranged to pivot the boom or booms relative to the vehicle, and second power-operated means are adapted to pivot the attachment relative to the boom or booms.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for enabling different working attachments to be quickly mounted on and dismounted from the boom or booms.

According to the invention, a material-handling vehicle has at least one boom on which a working attachment can be mounted, first power-operated means arranged to pivot the boom or booms relative to the vehicle, and second power-operated means adapted to pivot the attachment relative to the boom or booms, and also has means for enabling different attachments to be quickly mounted on and dismounted from the boom or booms comprising a frame pivotably connectible at vertical Iy-spaced points to the boom or booms and the second power-operated means, two laterally-spaced inverted hooks secured to the lower rear portion of each attachment and en gageable with respective pins secured to the lower part of the frame, and latching meansforreleaseably locking the upper part ofthe frame to the upper rear portion of each attachment.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings ofwhich:- Figure lisa rearelevation of a frame adapted to be connected to the conventional booms and dump rams of a tractor front loader; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a loader bucket and a section on the line 2-2 in Figure 1 of the frame posi tionedin readiness to mountthe bucketthereon; Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Figure 1 showing a plan view of one of two pins provided to lockthe buckettotheframe; and Figure4is a view in the direction of the arrow4in Figure 2 of one of two upper lugs on the bucket.

Referring nowtothe drawings,atractorfrontloa- derconventionally includes two parallel interconnected booms 10 pivotally mounted on the tractor, first power-operated means comprising two hydraulic lift rams (not shown) pivotallyconnected between the tractor and the booms 10 for pivoting the booms relative to the tractor, and second poweroperated means comprising two hydraulic dump rams 11 pivotally connected at one end to the booms 10. Normally a working attachment such as a bucket, manure fork orfork-lift device is pivotally connected atvertically-spaced points on its rear portion directly to the booms 10 and the other end of the dump rams 11.We provide a rectangular frame indicated generally at 12 comprising a channel member 30 to which there are welded vertical webs 31, said frame being pivotally connected at vertically-spaced points to the booms 10 and to said other end ofthedump rams 11.

More specifically, the frame 12 is connected by two laterally-spaced co-axial pivot pins 13 disposed near its respective side edges and somewhat above the mid-point of its height to the front ends of the re spective booms 10, and by two laterally-spaced co- axial pivot pins 14 disposed somewhat inboard of its respective side edges and near its lower edge to said other end ofthe dump rams 11. Each working attachment, shown as a bucket 15, has welded to its lower rear portion two laterally-spaced inverted hooks 16 and welded to its upper rear portion two laterallyspaced lugs 17 with ramps 18.The hooks 16are adapted to pass through respective apertures 28 in the frame 12 and to be engaged by respective coaxial pins 19 welded to the frame 12 near its respective side edges and near its lower edge, and the lugs 17 are adapted to pass through respective apertures 29 in theframe 12 to enable holes 20 in said lugs to be engaged by respective spring-loaded co-axial locking pins 21 with inclined end faces 22 slideably disposed in the frame 12 somewhat inboard of its respective side edges and near its upper edge.One of the locking pins 21 is pivotally connected directly to a slot 23 in a hand lever 24 pivotably mounted at32 on the frame 12, and the other locking pin 21 is pivotally connected to the lever 24 by means of a link25.The channel member 30 includes an upperflange 26 which shields the locking pins 21 and their actuating hand lever 24 and link25from dirtwhich may spill overthe upper edge ofthe bucket 15 orotherworking attachment, and the lever 24 projects through a slot 27 in the flange 26. Guide plates (not shown) which diverge both backwardly and downwardly are welded to the respective sides of each bucket 15 or other working attachment and are adapted to contact the side edges of the frame 12.

In operation, the tractor front loader without a working attachment and with the frame 12 pivoted rearwardly is driven up to the rear of a required working attachment, shown as a bucket 15, which is resting on the ground, the booms 10 being so positioned that the pins 19 welded to the frame 12 are belowthe level of the hooks 16 on the bucket 15 or other attachment as shown in Figure 2. The guide plates on the bucket or other attachment contact the side edges of the frame 12 to facilitate accurate positioning of the pins 19 below the hooks 16. The booms 10 are raised slightlyto engagethe pins 19 in the hooks 16, andthe frame 12 is then caused to pivotforwardly by app ropriate retraction ofthe dump rams 11 so that its upper part approaches the upper rear portion of the bucket 15 or other attachment and the inclined end faces 22 of the locking pins 21 engage the ramps 18 on the lugs 17 whereby the locking pins 21 are retracted against the action oftheir springs until they become aligned with the holes 20 in the lugs 17 and are automatically caused by their springs to enter said holes and lock the bucket 15 or other attachment to the frame 12.When it is desired to release the bucket 15 or other attachment it is lowered to ground level, the hand lever 24 is actuated to withdraw the locking pins 21 from the holes 20 in the lugs 17,theframe 12 is caused to pivot rearwardly by appropriate extension ofthe dump rams lithe booms 10 are lowered slightly to release the pins 19 welded to the frame 12 from the hooks 16, and the tractor is reversed away from the bucket 15 or other attachment.

The embodiment ofthe invention hereinbeforede- scribed has the advantages that the working attachment is automatically self-locking to the frame 12; the hooks 16 are disposed at a location visible to the driver two facilitate mounting of the attachment on the tractor; the locking pins 21 are well clear of dirt on the ground besides being shielded from dirtfrom above; and the attachment is not displaced forwardly of the position it would occupy if itwere connected directly to the booms 10 and dump rams 11 in conventional fashion, as a result of which its loadcarrying capacity is not reduced.

In a modification, a single, central dump ram 11 is employed.

Claims

1. A material-handling vehicle having at least one boom on which a working attachment can be mounted, first power-operated means arranged to pivot the boom or booms relative to the vehicle, and second power-operated means adapted to pivot the attachment relative to the boom or booms, and also having meansfor enabling different attachments to be quickly mounted on and dismounted from the boom or booms comprising a frame pivotablycon- nectible at vertically-spaced points to the boom or boomsandthesecond power-operatedmeans,two laterally-spaced inverted hooks secured to the lower rear portion of each attachment and engageable with respective pins secured to the lower part ofthe frame, and latching means for releasably locking the upperpartoftheframeto the upper rear portion of each attachment.

2. A materiai-handiing vehicle according to claim 1,wherein the latching means automatically lockthe attachment to the frame and comprise at least one spring-loaded pin with an inclined end face engageable in an associated hole in a ramped lug secured to the upper rear portion of each attachment.

3. A material-handling vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the latching means are unlocked manually by a hand lever arranged to withdraw the pin or pins from the associated hole or holes.

4. A material-handling vehicle constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein before described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.