SE1950075A1 - A tool bracket and a tool implement comprising such a tool bracket - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a tool bracket (1) for connecting a hydraulic tool to a crane arm, the tool bracket (1) comprising two bracket pins (2,3) arranged in parallel at a distance from each other, said bracket pins (2,3) being arranged to be connected to a tool coupler (10) that comprises fasteners that are arranged to mate with said bracket pins (2,3), wherein the tool bracket (1) further comprises a quick coupling unit (4) comprising at least two hydraulic couplings (5). Further, the tool bracket (1) comprises a bracket plate (6) which extends between the bracket pins (2,3) and is fixedly attached to said bracket pins (2,3) and is arranged to be part of a hydraulic tool or to be rigidly attached to a hydraulic tool, wherein the quick coupling unit (4) is arranged on said bracket plate.

Description

A TOOL BRACKET AND A TOOL IMPLEMENT COMPRISING SUCH A TOOL BRACKET TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to tool bracket for attaching a hydraulic tool to a crane arm. Theinvention also relates to a tool implement including such a tool bracket. The invention also specifically relates to a tiltrotator including such a tool bracket.BACKGROUND ln construction work, forest keeping and the like it is common practice to utilise a workvehicle, such as an excavator, with a crane arm having an outer end for connecting ahydraulic tool such as a tiltrotator, compactor, hydraulic hammer, grapple or the like. Thework vehicle typically comprises a hydraulic pump and a tank for providing hydraulic fluidto the tool. Hydraulic hoses are arranged along the crane arm and hydraulic couplingsare arranged at the outer end of the crane arm.

Often, it is desired to use different tool implements for performing different but relatedworking operations. There is therefore a need for an operator to change tool implement ina quick manner, preferably without outside assistance. As a consequence, it has becomeconventional to arrange a quick coupling on a coupler on the outer end of the crane armand a mating quick coupling on a tool or tool bracket such that the operator may switchtools and have them provided with hydraulics without leaving the cab of the work vehicle.

US 5 465 513 A discloses an arrangement for quickly coupling a working implement to aheavy-duty machine and simultaneously connecting hydraulic power to the implement. ln WO 2012/0128404 A1 a similar arrangement is disclosed, in which the male parts ofthe hydraulic coupling are firmly arranged on the tool implement. The mechanical quickcoupling includes a bracket part with two parallel pins, which are to be gripped byengagement portions on an opposed coupler part. The hydraulic coupling arrangementon the bracket part is arranged to extend from one of said parallel bars.

This is advantageous as the pins define the position of the interaction of coupling suchthat the arranging of the hydraulic coupling arrangement in a fixed position relative to thepins guarantees correct positioning of the hydraulic coupling arrangement so as to guarantee correct coupling.

However, in some cases, heavy use of a tool implement has been known to lead todisplacement of the hydraulic coupling arrangement, which in turn leads to that the hydraulic couplings will not be correctly connected or not connected at all. Further, theconstruction in itself is not desigend to cope with high mechanical effort, and in addition itis difficult to achieve a satisfactory precision with said construction. lt would be advantageous to achieve an arrangement that overcomes, or at leasta||eviates at least one of said drawbacks of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION lt is an object of the invention to provide a tool bracket for attaching a hydraulic tool to acrane arm, which has a precise position of a coupling device, and which at the same timehas a robust construction that guarantees a problem free utilisation over long period of time.

According to a first aspect the invention relates to a tool bracket for connecting ahydraulic tool to a crane arm, the tool bracket comprising two bracket pins arranged inparallel at a distance from each other, said bracket pins being arranged to be connectedto a tool coupler that comprises fasteners that are arranged to mate with said bracketpins, wherein the tool bracket further comprises a quick coupling unit comprising at leasttwo hydraulic couplings. Further, the tool bracket comprises a bracket plate whichextends between the bracket pins and is fixedly attached to said bracket pins and isarranged to be part of a hydraulic tool or to be rigidly attached to a hydraulic tool, whereinthe quick coupling unit is arranged on said bracket plate.

An advantage of the inventive arrangement is that bracket plate provides the possibility ofattaching the quick coupling unit in a precise and mechanically advantageous manner.This provides for a construction that will stand over time. ln specific embodiments of the invention the quick coupling unit is detachable from thebracket plate, the tool bracket comprising an attachment device for attaching said quickcoupling unit to the bracket plate. An advantage of this specific embodiment is that theuser of a tool implements may at anytime upgrade a tool bracket comprising such anattachment device by arranging a therefore adapted quick coupling unit to said attachingdevice of the tool bracket.

The attachment device may be comprised of screw holes mating with correspondingrecesses of the quick coupling unit for attaching and correctly positioning said quickcoupling unit on said tool bracket, preferably by means of screws or bolts. ln specific embodiments of the invention the tool bracket comprises a leg or legs forholding the quick coupling unit, and wherein said leg or legs are arranged as anintegrated part of the bracket plate. This is an embodiment with particularly goodmechanical properties in combination with a precise positioning of the quick coupling unit. ln specific embodiments of the invention the quick coupling unit comprises passages forreceiving and attaching the at least two hydraulic couplings. This allows for the individualhydraulic couplings to be attached and connected to hydraulic conduits of the tool of thetool bracket at location.

At a front side of the quick coupling unit, which front side in operation faces a the quickcoupling unit of a tool coupler, the passages may be provided with abutment surfacesadapted to interact with shoulders on the least two hydraulic couplings, so as provide astop for movement in an axial direction of the hydraulic couplings, away from the quickcoupling unit of the tool coupler.

According to a second aspect the invention relates to a tool implement that comprises atool bracket as defined above.

According to a third aspect the invention relates to a tiltrotator, which in addition tocomprising a tool bracket at an upper side also comprises a tool coupler for attachment of a tool implement at a lower side.

Other embodiments and advantages will be apparent from the detailed description andthe appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Below, specific embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to theappended drawings, of which; Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a work vehicle with a crane arm and a hydraulic toolarranged to said crane arm via a tool bracket; Fig. 2 is a partly cut perspective view a first embodiment of a tool bracket partlyconnected to a tool coupler; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tool coupler, a cylinder lock unit and a tool bracket; Fig. 4 is a cut perspective view of a tool bracket and a disconnected coupling unit of atool coupler; Fig. 5 Fig. e Fig. 7 Fig. s Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 is a cut perspective view of a tool bracket and an interconnected coupling unitof a tool coupler; is a perspective view of a tiltrotator comprising a tool bracket and a tool coupler,to which a tool implement is connected; is a perspective view of a tiltrotator comprising a tool bracket and a tool coupler; is a perspective view of a tool bracket with a hydraulic coupling unit in accordance with the invention; is a cut perspective view of a cylinder lock unit of a tool coupler, with anintegrated hydraulic coupling unit; is a cut perspective view of a tool bracket with a hydraulic coupling unitaccording to the prior art; is a perspective view of a tool bracket according to a second embodimentarranged on a tiltrotator; and is a perspective view of the tool bracket and tiltrotator of fig. 11 with detached hydraulic coupling unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SHOWN EI\/|BOD|I\/IENTS Fig. 1 shows a work vehicle 100 with a crane arm 101, to which a tool 102 is connected. ln the shown embodiment the tool 102 is a compactor, but it may be any hydraulic tool adapted to be coupled to a crane arm, such as a tiltrotator, compactor, hydraulic hammer, grapple or the like.

The crane arm 101 is provided with a tool coupler 10 at its outer end for connecting the hydraulic tool 102. The hydraulic tool 102 comprises a bracket 1 for attachment to said tool coupler 10. ln the shown embodiment a tiltrotator 30 however is arranged between the crane arm 101 and the hydraulic tool 102. The tiltrotator 30 also includes a bracket such that it may be arranged to the coupler 10 on the crane arm 101.

Further, the tiltrotator 30 is provided with a tool coupler, for connection to the hydraulic tool 102 at its lower end. Thus, the bracket may be arranged either directly on the outer end of the crane arm 101 and/or at the lower end of a tiltrotator 30. This will be further described below with reference to Figs. 6-7. ln Fig. 10 a prior art tool bracket 51 is shown in a cut perspective view. The prior art toolbracket 51 comprises a first and a second bracket pin 52 and 53 arranged in parallel at adistance from each other. The bracket pins 52 and 53 are connected to each other by aframe comprising two mantle portions 56 extending orthogonally with respect to thebracket pins 52 and 53. One of the mantle portions 56 has been cut away for visibilityreasons. The frame is arranged to be attached to a tool. A quick coupling unit 54comprising hydraulic couplings 55 is attached to the second bracket pin 53 via legs 57.The legs 57 are welded to the second bracket pin 53 and to the quick coupling unit 54.The attachment of the quick coupling unit 54 to the second bracket pin 53 assures thatthe quick coupling unit 54 is located at a well-defined position with respect of theconnection and has, to a certain extent, become a standard in the art. The well-definedposition makes sure that the connection of the quick coupling unit 54 to a tool couplerwith a mating quick coupling unit will be made possible for provision of hydraulic fluid to atool comprising said tool bracket. However, the construction has its flaws in that it is notvery rigid and in that is difficult to correctly position the quick coupling unit 54 by awelding operation, which is normally made by hand.

The invention involves an improved attachment of a quick coupling unit. ln Fig. 3 a tool coupler 10, a cylinder lock unit 20 and a tool bracket 1 are shown asseparate parts. The cylinder lock unit 20 comprises two lock pins 21 which in operationare arranged to be received in through holes 17 in a base 11 that that constitutes thelower portion of the tool coupler 10. ln a conventional manner the tool bracket 1 comprises a first and a second bracket pin 2and 3, respectively, arranged in parallel at a distance from each other. The tool bracket 1is arranged to be connected to a tool coupler 10, which is typically arranged on the freeend of a crane arm, or below a tiltrotator. The tool coupler 10 comprises an upper toolcoupler end 16 with attachment portions 18 for connection to a crane arm or the like. lnthe shown embodiment the attachment portions 18 are comprised of through holesadapted to receive holding pins of the crane arm.

At the lower end of the tool coupler 10, i.e. at the base 11, the tool coupler 10 comprises a first engagement portion 12 and a second engagement portion 13 that are arranged to engage with the first and second bracket pins 2 and 3 of a tool bracket 1, respectively, soas to securely lock the tool bracket 1 to the tool coupler 10.

The cylinder lock unit 20, which is also separately shown in a cut perspective view in Fig.9, comprises the quick coupling unit 14 of the coupler 10, which comprises through ho|es22 for receiving hydraulic couplings 15.

The tool bracket 1 has a quick coupling unit 4 that comprises at least two hydrauliccouplings 5. ln the shown embodiment the quick coupling unit 4 comprises five hydrauliccouplings. The tool bracket 1 comprises a bracket plate 6 which extends between thebracket pins 2 and 3 and is fixedly connected to said bracket pins 2 and 3 and isarranged to be part of a hydraulic tool implement or to be rigidly attached to a hydraulictool implement. ln the shown embodiment the tool bracket 1 is a separate part intendedto be attached to an upper portion of a tool implement, such as a tiltrotator, a digger,bucket, pallet loader or the like.

The shown tool bracket 1 further comprises a lubrication connector 9 for connection to aconnectable lubrication dispenser 19 (Shown in Fig. 2) arranged on the tool coupler 10.This connection assures that lubrication fluid is provided to the tool attached to the toolbracket.

The act of attaching the tool bracket 1 to the tool coupler 10 is performed by manoeuvringthe tool coupler 10 so as to firstly engage the first engagement portion 12 of the toolcoupler 10 with the first bracket pin 2 of the tool bracket 1. At this step the connectablelubrication dispenser 19 will be positioned above, but not in contact with, the lubricationconnector 9. ln a second step, the second engagement portion 13 is lowered so as toarrive at a position in contact with the second bracket pin 3. ln this step, contact andconnection is achieved between the connectable lubrication dispenser 19 and thelubrication connector 9 as the second engagement portion 13 is lowered. ln a subsequent step the cylinder lock unit 20 is manoeuvred such that the two lock pins21 will protrude through the through ho|es 17 of the tool coupler 10 and pass under thesecond bracket pin 3 to securely lock the tool bracket 1 to the tool coupler 10. Preferably,the hydraulic connection between the quick coupling units 4 and 14 is accomplishedsimultaneously as the two lock pins 21 are secured beneath the second bracket pin 3. ln Fig. 2 the tool coupler 10 is shown with both the first and the second engagementportions 12 and 13, respectively, positioned in contact with the first and the secondbracket pin 2 and 3, respectively. The two lock pins 21 of the cylinder lock unit 20 arepositioned in an unlocked position and the quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler 10 ishence in a disconnected position with respect to the quick coupling unit 4 of the toolbracket 1.

Hydraulic conduits 23 are provided and attached to a back end of each hydraulic coupling15 of the quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler 10. The hydraulic conduits 23 aretypically connected to hydraulic pressures source on the work vehicle. Preferabiy, thehydraulic conduits 23 are hydraulic hoses arranged along the crane arm to said hydraulicpressures source. Likewise, corresponding hydraulic conduits (not shown) are connectedto the back end of each hydraulic coupling 5 of the quick coupling unit 4 of the toolbracket 1 and connected to the tool comprising said tool bracket.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the two lock pins 21 of the cylinder lock unit 20 of theshown embodiment will make sure that the quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler 10will move transversely in and out of connection with the quick coupling unit 4 of the toolbracket 1 as the cylinder lock unit 20 is translated between a locking position and arelease position. The quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler comprises at least twohydraulic couplings 15 for connection to corresponding hydraulic couplings 5 of the quickcoupling unit 4 of the tool bracket 1. ln the shown embodiment the quick coupling unit 14of the tool coupler 10 is arranged in connection with the cylinder lock unit 20 such thatsaid quick coupling unit 14 will be positioned into a connected position in a movementrelated to the locking achieved by the positioning of the two lock pins 21 below thesecond bracket pin 3.

The connection between the hydraulic couplings 15 of the tool coupler 10 to the hydrauliccouplings 5 of the tool bracket 1 demands a high precision and a construction that isadapted to cope with relatively high forces. Specifically, the tool coupler and tool bracketmay be used in relatively harsh conditions, in which they may be exposed to dynamicforces of varying types. Further, the quick coupling units 4 and 14 need to be arranged tocope with the forces provided by the pressurized hydraulic fluid. Specifically, in aconnected position, the pressurized hydraulic fluid will act to separate the hydrauliccouplings 5 and 15 from each other. Therefore, the quick coupling units 4 and 14 and thecorresponding hydraulic couplings 5 and 15 need to be arranged in a manner that copeswith the forces acting during operation and during exposure to ambient operatingconditions. ln the current invention the tool bracket 1 includes a bracket plate 6. Further, the quickcoupling unit 4 of the tool bracket 1 is arranged on the bracket plate 6 of said tool bracket1. This is advantageous as it provides a robust structure with a well-defined position ofsaid quick coupling unit 4. The quick coupling unit 4 is attached to the bracket plate 6 viaa leg or two or more legs 7, which are formed as an integrated part of the bracket plate 6.ln the shown embodiment two legs 7 are provided.

A main reason for the increased robustness of the arrangement is that the positioning ofthe quick coupling unit 4 may be guaranteed with an improved robustness andmechanical strength. Namely, as mentioned above, in existing quick couplingarrangements the quick coupling unit 4 of the tool bracket 1 has been arranged on one ofthe bracket pins in order to guarantee its position with respect to the bracket pins 2 and 3.The quick coupling unit 4 is often welded to the second bracket pin 3. Such aconstruction is difficult to achieve with desired accuracy, both in terms of precision and interms of mechanical strength. ln one embodiment the attachment device, e.g. the leg or legs 7 and the quick couplingunit 4, are machined in the same machining apparatus as the rest of the tool bracket 1,and specifically attachments for the bracket pins 2 and 3. The bracket pins are separatelyproduced and attached to a frame of the tool bracket, preferably by welding, subsequentto machining process. The leg or legs 7 may be arranged as an integrated part of thebracket plate 6. Preferably, the leg or legs 7 are machined or casted as an integrated partof the bracket plate 6. Further, the bracket plate 6 may be machined or casted as anintegrated part of the tool bracket 1 including the mantle portions 8. Even if separatemachining apparatuses or processes are utilised for the production of the tool bracket,the position of the bracket pins, or their attachment points, may be used as a referencewhen the bracket plate 6 and specifically the attachment device or leg or legs 7 definingthe position of the quick coupling unit 4 is machined.

The quick coupling unit 4 may be formed as a plate with recesses or passages 24 forholding the individual hydraulic couplings 5. See below with reference to Fig. 8. The quickcoupling unit 4 may include abutment surfaces to interact with shoulders on the hydrauliccouplings 5 to make sure they are held in place in a first axial direction. At an oppositeside of the coupling unit 4 a circlip 31 may be arranged to secure each hydraulic coupling5. The circlip 31 is preferably arranged at the side of the coupling unit 4 extending awayfrom the quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler 10, wherein the shoulder-abutmentinteraction of the coupling unit 4 and hydraulic couplings 5 are provided on the sidefacing the quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler 10. This is advantageous as theforces are more important in this direction, both during the actual interconnection, butmore importantly due to the force provided by the pressurised hydraulic fluid in thecouplings. ln figs. 11-12 an alternative embodiment of the tool bracket 1 is shown, in which the quickcoupling unit 4 is detachable from the bracket plate 6. ln this embodiment, the toolbracket comprises arranged on a tiltrotator 30 and comprises an attachment device 32 for attaching said quick coupling unit 4 to the bracket plate 6. Specifically, the attachmentdevice comprises screw holes 34 through the bracket plate 6 mating with correspondingrecesses of an attachment portion 33 of the quick coupling unit 4 for attaching andcorrectly positioning said quick coupling unit 4 on the bracket plate 6 of the tool bracket 1.Screws 35 are arranged to be screwed through said recesses of said attachment portion33. Further, in the shown embodiment, the attachment device 32 includes a recessedportion 36 adapted to receive the attachment portion 33 of the quick coupling unit 4.

An advantage of this arrangement is that the attachment device 32, specifically the screwholes 34, may be machined to the bracket plate 6 of the tool bracket with great precision.The attachment device 32, e.g. the screw holes, is advantageously machined in the samemachining apparatus as the rest of the tool bracket 1, and specifically the bracket pins 2and 3, or the attachments for said bracket pins, if they are separately produced andattached to a frame of the tool bracket.

This embodiment allows for a user to easily upgrade his tool bracket by arranging a quickcoupling unit 4 to the therefore provided attachment device 32 on the bracket plate 6. ln Figs. 6-7, a tiltrotator 30 is illustrated. The tiltrotator 30 comprises a tool bracket 1 at itsupper end, which tool bracket 1 is coupled to a tool coupler 10 via bracket pins 2' and 3'at its upper end, said coupler 10 in turn being arranged at a crane arm ore the like, notshown. At its lower end the tiltrotator 30 comprises a tool coupler 10, which in fig. 6 isconnected to a tool implement 102, in the form of a compactor, said tool implement 102comprising a tool bracket 1. ln Fig. 7, the tiltrotator 30 is illustrated without a coupled tool implement. lnstead a toolbracket 1 without an accompanying tool is attached to the coupler 10 of the tiltrotator 30. ln Fig. 8, a tool bracket 1 is shown in a perspective view. From this view it is apparentthat the quick coupling unit 4 of the tool bracket 1 comprises a front side 25 arranged toface the quick coupling unit 14 of the coupler 10 in operation, see e.g. Fig. 2. Further, thequick coupling unit 4 comprises passages 24 for receiving and attaching the at least twohydraulic couplings 5. ln the shown embodiment the quick coupling unit 4 comprises fivepassages 24, four passages for receiving and attaching hydraulic couplings 5, and onepassage for receiving and attaching an additional connector.

The front side 25 is provided with abutment surfaces 26 adapted to interact withshoulders 28 on the hydraulic couplings 5 to provide stops for movement of the hydrauliccouplings 5 in an axial direction thereof, away from the quick coupling unit 14 of the tool coupler 10. ln the shown embodiment, the abutment surfaces 26 are formed as circularledges or recesses around the periphery of each passage 24.

The bracket plate 6 is advantageously provided with strengthening ribs 27 that extendalong the bracket plate 6 between the mantle portions 8 in parallel with the bracket pins 2and 3. The legs 7 of the tool bracket 1 are in the shown embodiment extending from onesuch strengthening rib 27. ln an alternative, not shown, embodiment the quick couplingunit 4 is attached to the bracket plate 6 via one leg only, either in connection with astrengthening rib 27 or directly on the bracket plate 6. ln the shown embodiment two legs 7 are provided to hold the quick coupling unit 4, whichlegs 7 are separated from each other by a void 29 between the quick coupling unit 4 andthe bracket plate 6. The void provides a passage for hydraulic conduits, which in aspecific embodiment are arranged to pass through said void, to provide a protectedconduit passage. As indicated above, the quick coupling unit 4 is attached to the bracketplate 6 via one, two or more legs 7, or the bracket plate 6 is provided with and attachmentdevice such as a clamp or screw holes, for attaching the quick coupling unit 4.

Above, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. Theinvention is however not limited to these embodiments. lt is obvious to a person skilled in the art that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (8)

11 CLA|I\/IS

1. _ A tool bracket (1) for connecting a hydraulic tool (30,102) to a crane arm (101), the tool bracket (1) comprising two bracket pins (2,3) arranged in parallel at a distancefrom each other, said bracket pins (2,3) being arranged to be connected to a toolcoupler (10) that comprises fasteners that are arranged to mate with said bracket pins(2,3), wherein the tool bracket (1) further comprises a quick coupling unit (4)comprising at least two hydraulic couplings (5), characterised in that the tool bracket(1) comprises a bracket plate (6) which extends between the bracket pins (2,3) and isfixedly attached to said bracket pins (2,3) and is arranged to be part of a hydraulictool or to be rigidly attached to a hydraulic tool, wherein the quick coupling unit (4) isarranged on said bracket plate (6).

2. _ The tool bracket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the quick coupling unit (4) is detachable from the bracket plate (6), the tool bracket comprising an attachmentdevice (32) for attaching said quick coupling unit (4) to the bracket plate (6).

3. _ The tool bracket (1) according to claim 2, wherein the attachment device (32) comprises screw holes (34) mating with corresponding recesses of the quick couplingunit (4) for attaching and correctly positioning said quick coupling unit (4) on said toolbracket (1) by means of bolts or screws (35).

4. _ The tool bracket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tool bracket (1) comprises a leg or legs (7) for holding the quick coupling unit (4), and wherein said leg or legs (7) arearranged as an integrated part of the bracket plate (6).

5. _ The tool bracket (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the quick coupling unit (4) comprises passages (24) for receiving and attaching the at least twohydraulic couplings (5).

6. _ The tool bracket (1) according to claim 5, wherein the passages (24), at a front side (25) of the quick coupling unit (4) which front side (25) in operation faces the quickcoupling unit (14) of a tool coupler (10), are provided with abutment surfaces (26)adapted to interact with shoulders (28) on the least two hydraulic couplings (5), toprovide stops for movement of the hydraulic couplings (5) in an axial direction thereof,away from the quick coupling unit (14) of the tool coupler (10).

7. _ A tool implement characterised in that it comprises a tool bracket (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims. 12

8. A tiltrotator (30), characterised in that it comprises a tool bracket (1) according toanyone of the claims 1-6 at an upper side and that it also comprises a tool coupler(10) for attachment of a tool implement at a lower side.