GB1562775A - Coupling for tool supports especially for working vehicles - Google Patents

Description

(54) A COUPLING FOR TOOL SUPPORTS, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING VEHICLES (71) We, AGERGARDS MASKINER AB, a Swedish body corporate of Gjuterigatan 2, S-652 21 Karlstad, Sweden, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a coupling for tool supports, for example, for working vehicles.

In working vehicles to which various working tools, for example ploughs, gripper forks, digging buckets and loading buckets etc. are to be coupled, it is important that the coupling between the working vehicle and the working tools can resist great mechanical stresses. Even though the working tool has been deformed it should still be possible to release the tool from and recouple the tool to the working vehicle.

According to the present invention there is provided a coupling for tool supports comprising two spaced support members, each support member having first and second spaced side surfaces and a bore extending through the member from the first side surface to the second side surface, the two support members being connected together by an elongate, rigid tube which extends between the facing first side surfaces of said members in alignment with said bores, two locking bars arranged in the tube, each locking bar being movable within the tube and within the bore of a respective support member between a locking position in which the bar projects beyond the second side surface of the respective support member away from the tube and an unlocked position in which the bar is withdrawn into the bore and the tube such that it does not project beyond the second side surface of the respective support member, and two locking levers arranged externally of the tube and each engaged with a respective one of said locking bars, each locking lever being movable so as to effect movement of the respective locking bar between its locking and unlocked positions.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing: FIGURE 1 shows the arrangement on the working vehicle including two spaced support members 1, 2, each having two converging sides 3, 4 forming a wedge shape.

The support members 1, 2 are connected together by an elongate rigid tube 5 arranged between their facing side surfaces. A bore 14 extends through each support member from the side surface thereof facing the tube 5 to the outer side surface thereof facing away from the tube 5. The tube 5 extends in alignment with the bores 14, and two locking bars 6 and 7 are movably arranged in the tube 5. Two locking levers 8, 9 are pivotably arranged on the tube 5. Through openings 10, 11 in the tube 5, the levers 8, 9 engage in a recess 13, 12 in a respective locking bar 6, 7. Each locking bar 6, 7 is movable within the tube 5 by the respective lever 8, 9 between an unlocked position (not shown) and a locking position illustrated in Figure 1.In the unlocked position the bar 6, 7 is withdrawn into the bore 14 and the tube 5 such that it does not project beyond the outer side surface of the respective support member 1, 2. In the locking position, the bar 6, 7 projects beyond the outer side surface of the respective support member 1, 2 away from the tube 5.

FIGURES 2 and 3 show two coupling members 15, 16 whose inner shape substantially corresponds to the outer shape of the support members 1, 2. However, the inner wedge shape of the coupling members 15, 16 formed by converging sides 17, 18 corresponds exactly to the outer wedge shape of the support members 1, 2 formed by the converging sides 3, 4. A bore 19 is arranged in one side wall of the coupling members 15, 16. The position of the bore 19 has the same dimensional relationship to the inner wedge shape of the coupling member 15, 16 as the bore 14 has in relation to the outer wedge shape of the support member 1, 2. Recesses 20 which are at least as large as the outer dimension of the tube 5 connecting the members 1, 2 are arranged in the walls of the coupling members facing away from the bores 19.

A coupling according to the invention is used in such a manner that the arrangement on the working vehicle as shown in Figure 1 is led in under the coupling members 15, 16 on the working tool as shown in Figures 2 and 3, after which the members 1, 2 are lifted and, by means of their wedge shape, easily inserted into the coupling members 15, 16. When the members 1, 2 are completely inserted the outer wedge shape of the support members cooperates with the inner wedge shape of the coupling members so that a play-free mutual connection is achieved. In this position the locking bars 6, 7 can be moved by the levers 8, 9 so that they project out of the members 1, 2 and into the bores 19 in the outer sides of the coupling members 15, 16.

The connection is strong, and as, in the unlocked position, the locking bars 6, 7 do not project beyond the outer side surfaces of the support members 1, 2, the dimensional relationships for the locking bar positions in the coupling members 15, 16 remain unaltered even if the working tool is subjected to deformation.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A coupling for tool supports comprising two spaced support members, each support member having first and second spaced side surfaces and a bore extending through the member from the first side surface to the second side surface, the two support members being connected together by an elongate, rigid tube which extends between the facing first side surfaces of said members in alignment with said bores, two locking bars arranged in the tube, each locking bar being movable within the tube and within the bore of a respective support member between a locking position in which the bar projects beyond the second side surface of the respective support member away from the tube and an unlocked position in which the bar is withdrawn into the bore and the tube such that it does not project beyond the second side surface of the respective support member, and two locking levers arranged externally of the tube and each engaged with a respective one of said locking bars, each locking lever being movable so as to effect movement of the respective locking bar between its locking and unlocked positions.

2. A coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said locking lever extends through an opening in said tube and engages in a recess in the respective locking bar.

3. A coupling for tool supports as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said coupling is arranged on a working vehicle and is engageable with coupling means arranged on a working tool.

4. A coupling as claimed in claim 3, wherein said coupling means comprises two spaced coupling members each having an inner wedge shaped recess which corresponds to an outer wedge shape of the respective support member, each coupling member having a bore therein which has the same dimensional realtionship to the inner wedge shape of the coupling member as the bore in the respective support member has to the outer wedge shape thereof.

5. A coupling for tool supports substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 15, 16. The position of the bore 19 has the same dimensional relationship to the inner wedge shape of the coupling member 15, 16 as the bore 14 has in relation to the outer wedge shape of the support member 1, 2. Recesses 20 which are at least as large as the outer dimension of the tube 5 connecting the members 1, 2 are arranged in the walls of the coupling members facing away from the bores 19. A coupling according to the invention is used in such a manner that the arrangement on the working vehicle as shown in Figure 1 is led in under the coupling members 15, 16 on the working tool as shown in Figures 2 and 3, after which the members 1, 2 are lifted and, by means of their wedge shape, easily inserted into the coupling members 15, 16. When the members 1, 2 are completely inserted the outer wedge shape of the support members cooperates with the inner wedge shape of the coupling members so that a play-free mutual connection is achieved. In this position the locking bars 6, 7 can be moved by the levers 8, 9 so that they project out of the members 1, 2 and into the bores 19 in the outer sides of the coupling members 15, 16. The connection is strong, and as, in the unlocked position, the locking bars 6, 7 do not project beyond the outer side surfaces of the support members 1, 2, the dimensional relationships for the locking bar positions in the coupling members 15, 16 remain unaltered even if the working tool is subjected to deformation. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A coupling for tool supports comprising two spaced support members, each support member having first and second spaced side surfaces and a bore extending through the member from the first side surface to the second side surface, the two support members being connected together by an elongate, rigid tube which extends between the facing first side surfaces of said members in alignment with said bores, two locking bars arranged in the tube, each locking bar being movable within the tube and within the bore of a respective support member between a locking position in which the bar projects beyond the second side surface of the respective support member away from the tube and an unlocked position in which the bar is withdrawn into the bore and the tube such that it does not project beyond the second side surface of the respective support member, and two locking levers arranged externally of the tube and each engaged with a respective one of said locking bars, each locking lever being movable so as to effect movement of the respective locking bar between its locking and unlocked positions.

2. A coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said locking lever extends through an opening in said tube and engages in a recess in the respective locking bar.

3. A coupling for tool supports as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said coupling is arranged on a working vehicle and is engageable with coupling means arranged on a working tool.

4. A coupling as claimed in claim 3, wherein said coupling means comprises two spaced coupling members each having an inner wedge shaped recess which corresponds to an outer wedge shape of the respective support member, each coupling member having a bore therein which has the same dimensional realtionship to the inner wedge shape of the coupling member as the bore in the respective support member has to the outer wedge shape thereof.

5. A coupling for tool supports substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.