US3822756A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiple implement coupling structure
Assignee: WE MARTIN Co
•
Filing: 1972-03-17
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Granted: 1974-07-09
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Expires: 1992-03-17
Abstract
Abstract Each of a plurality of implements may be precisely aligned and rigidly coupled with the same traction unit through the intermediary of coacting cam surfaces and power operated latching means. The aligning and coupling as well as decoupling operations are controlled from the operator''s station on the traction unit. Separate coacting cam surfaces on each of the implements cooperate with complementary cam surfaces on the traction unit to effect both horizontal and vertical alignment as a function of driving the traction unit into engagement with the selected implement. Immediately following this alignment procedure, by driving, which auotmatically effects three dimensional adjustment between the implement and traction unit, the power operated latch is actuated to rigidly couple the implement and traction units into an integrated unit. One purpose of the very precise alignment is to facilitate a concomitant hydraulic coupling between the traction unit and implement while another advantage, relying more on the rigidity of the coupling, is to provide that functionally unitary frame structure characterizing certain conventional earth moving equipment such as scrapers and patrol graders.
Inventors
- 👤 W Martin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:59
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/627; B; B62; B62D; B62D53/00; B62D53/04; B62D53/08; E02F3/64; E02F3/6454; E02F3/65; E02F3/653; E02F3/96
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
In a traction and implement unit pair adapted to be rigidly intercoupled at a location in which the elevation of the traction unit differs from the elevation of the implement unit, comprising; coacting coupling means mounted on each said unit pair for defining a unique relative position between the intercoupled portions of said units and rigidly securing the same in said position; said coupling means including a first telescopic coupling pair rigid with one of said units and a second telescopic coupling pair carried by the other of saId units; cam means rigid with at least one of said telescopic coupling pair on one of said units for inducing upward or downward relative movement and for inducing lateral relative movement between said units as a function of initial positioning of said coupling pair and relative telescoping movement therebetween; and means for latching said units together in said unique relative position independently of the direction of relative movement therebetween and independently of concurrent movement of the uncoupled units in said position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
In a traction and implement unit pair adapted to be rigidly intercoupled at a location in which the elevation of the traction unit differs from the elevation of the implement unit, comprising; coacting coupling means mounted on each said unit pair for defining a unique relative position between the intercoupled portions of said units and rigidly securing the same in said position; said coupling means including a first telescopic coupling pair rigid with one of said units and a second telescopic coupling pair carried by the other of saId units; cam means rigid with at least one of said telescopic coupling pair on one of said units for inducing upward or downward relative movement and for inducing lateral relative movement between said units as a function of initial positioning of said coupling pair and relative telescoping movement therebetween; and means for latching said units together in said unique relative position independently of the direction of relative movement therebetween and independently of concurrent movement of the uncoupled units in said position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 1 wherein said coacting coupling means includes power means mounted on one of said units.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 2 wherein said coupling means include stop means for determining the third dimension of said unique relative position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 3 wherein said second telescopic coupling pair is rigid with said other of said units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 4 wherein said first and second telescopic coupling pairs comprise tongue and socket connectors and said cam means comprise a plurality of exterior cam surfaces on each said tongue connector and a like plurality of complementary interior cam surfaces on each said socket connector.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 5 including a latching recess in one of said tongue and socket connectors and means mounting said latching means on the other of said tongue and socket connectors for movement into and out of latching engagement with said recess.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 5 including power operated decoupling means mounted on one of said units for movement into and out of decoupling engagement with the telescopic coupling means carried on the other of said units.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 5 wherein said stop means are defined by said cam means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 5 wherein said tongue connectors on one of said units include latch engaging surfaces proximate to and spaced from said exterior cam surfaces; means mounting said power operated latching means on the other of said units for movement from a first position spaced along one of said dimensions from the open end of said socket connector to a second position substantially aligned with one of said interior cam surfaces and a third position blocking removal of said tongue connectors whereby power operated movement of said latching means from said first to said second position effects a coarse adjustment of said units in said one dimension and movement to said third position latches said units together by a blocking engagement with said latch engaging surfaces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 1 including coacting fluid coupling means mounted on each said unit pair.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 10 wherein the coacting fluid coupling means on each said unit includes a plurality of plug connectors; and the longitudinal axes of each said plug connector on one of said units being substantially coaxial with corresponding plug connectors on the other of said units when said units are coupled in said unique relative position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 11 wherein each said plug connector includes a normally closed valve blocking fluid flow therethrough; and valve actuating means on each said fluid coupling means for opening said valves and intercommunicating said plug connectors as a function of abutting movement thereof along a common axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 1 including a pair of fluid coupling connectors on each said unit pair, each connector having a plurality of fluid conduits arranged in a geometrically congruent array; and mounting means mounting one of said fluid coupling connectors for movement relative to said cam means and relative to the other connector for respective coaxial alignment of the respectIve fluid conduits in said unique relative position of said units.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
The traction and implement unit pair of claim 13 including valve means normally blocking flow through said fluid conduits; said mounting means including a rigid mounting of one said fluid coupling connector on one of said units and an adjustable mounting of the other said fluid coupling connector on the other said unit; control means for moving said other fluid coupling connector into engagement with said one fluid coupling connector; and valve actuation means responsive to movement of said other fluid coupling connector into engagement with said one fluid coupling connector for opening said valves and intercommunicating the coaxially aligned fluid conduits.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
In combination with traction and implement units; a coacting coupling pair mounted on each said unit for defining a unique coupled position between adjacent portions of said units, at least one of said coupling pair including cam means for producing upward or downward relative movement and lateral relative movement between said adjacent portions of said units as a function of initial positioning of said coupling means; power means for inducing the relative camming movement; and means for latching said units together in said unique position independently of the direction of relative movement therebetween and independently of codirectional movement of the uncoupled units in said position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
105 words
In combination with traction and implement units; a coacting coupling pair mounted on each said unit for defining a unique coupled position between adjacent portions of said units, at least one of said coupling pair including cam means for producing upward or downward relative movement and lateral relative movement between said adjacent portions of said units as a function of initial positioning of said coupling means; power means for inducing the relative camming movement; and means for latching said units together in said unique position independently of the direction of relative movement therebetween and independently of codirectional movement of the uncoupled units in said position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of claim 15 wherein said power means comprises the prime mover of said traction unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination of claim 15 wherein said power means comprises a power operated cam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
74 words
The combination of claim 15 including service conduit means mounted on said adjacent portions of said units; said service conduit means including a service connector coupling mounted on said adjacent portions of each said unit; a like plurality of fluid conduits terminating in a like geometrical array in each said service connector coupling; and corresponding ones of said fluid conduits being positioned for substantial coaxial alignment in the unique coupled position of said units.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination of claim 18 including valve means for blocking fluid flow of the terminal ends of said conduits; and means mounting one of said service connectors for reciprocal coaxial movement of the terminal ends of said fluid conduits.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 19 including valve operating means for opening said valve means as a function of said coaxial movement of the terminal ends of said conduits in the coupled position of said units.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
109 words
In combination with traction and implement units; coacting coupling means mounted on each said unit for defining a substantially unique coupled position between adjacent portions of said units; said coupling means including coacting cam means rigid with each said unit for inducing upward or downward movement and for inducing lateral movement between said adjacent portions of said units as a function of initial positioning of said coacting cam means and driving engagement therebetween; and power operated latching means for securing adjacent portions of said units in said coupled position independently of the direction of relative movement therebetween and independently of codirectional movement of the uncoupled units in said position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
109 words
In combination with traction and implement units; coacting coupling means mounted on each said unit for defining a substantially unique coupled position between adjacent portions of said units; said coupling means including coacting cam means rigid with each said unit for inducing upward or downward movement and for inducing lateral movement between said adjacent portions of said units as a function of initial positioning of said coacting cam means and driving engagement therebetween; and power operated latching means for securing adjacent portions of said units in said coupled position independently of the direction of relative movement therebetween and independently of codirectional movement of the uncoupled units in said position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination of claim 21 including service connection means mounted on said adjacent portions of said units for movement into coaxial alignment as a function of said driving engagement.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 22 including selectively operable means mounted on said traction unit for coupling said service connector means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 23 wherein one of said service connector means is mounted for movement relative to the cam means coaxially toward and away from the other service connector means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of claim 21 including power operated decoupling means for forcibly separating said coacting coupling means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination of claim 21 wherein said coacting coupling means include tongue and socket connectors.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 26 wherein said tongue and socket connectors, each, include a plurality of distinct coacting cam faces.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination of claim 26 wherein said tongue and socket connectors are generally rectangular in cross-section and, each, include four distinct cam surfaces.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination of claim 28 wherein said power operated latching means is mounted for movement into latching engagement with a latching recess extending through at least one of said four distinct cam surfaces.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination of claim 28 wherein said power operated latching means is mounted for movement into latching engagement with said tongue connectors at a position spaced from said four distinct cam surfaces.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
74 words
The combination of claim 28 wherein said tongue connectors comprise a spaced pair of tongues extending outwardly from a cross support on one of said units and tapered toward the distal ends thereof; and said socket connectors comprise a pair of spaced complementary shaped sockets; and said power operated latching means comprising a single power operated latch mounted for movement into and out of latching engagement with a central portion of said cross support.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
62 words
The combination of claim 21 wherein said coacting cam means include a single, truncated tongue on one of said units and four aligning flairs on the other of said units; said truncated tongue including four flat faces tapered distally thereof; and each said aligning flair being positioned for camming engagement with intersecting pairs of said four flat faces adjacent the intersections thereof.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of claim 26 wherein said tongue and socket connectors, each, include continuous coacting cam faces.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination of claim 21 wherein said power operated latching means comprise a plurality of power operated dome-shaped cam elements mounted for movement on one of said units into and out of latching engagement with a like plurality of complementary shaped recesses on the coacting coupling structure of the other unit.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination of claim 21 wherein said coupling means include stop means for limiting the approaching movement of said units generally along the longitudinal axis of said traction unit.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of rigidly intercoupling an off-road traction unit at a first elevation with an earth working implement unit at a higher elevation, comprising; manuevering said traction unit into initial engagement with said implement unit, driving the traction unit toward the implement unit and concomitantly imparting three dimensional relative movement between adjacent portions thereof including moving the implement unit portion downwardly relative to the traction unit portion; terminating said three dimensional relative movement; and latching said units together to form a rigid integrated earth mover.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of rigidly intercoupling an off-road traction unit at a first elevation with an earth working implement unit at a higher elevation, comprising; manuevering said traction unit into initial engagement with said implement unit, driving the traction unit toward the implement unit and concomitantly imparting three dimensional relative movement between adjacent portions thereof including moving the implement unit portion downwardly relative to the traction unit portion; terminating said three dimensional relative movement; and latching said units together to form a rigid integrated earth mover.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 36 including adjusting the end of said implement in at least one of said three dimensions prior to imparting said three dimensional relative movement between adjacent portions of the units.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-08 | 1978-01-07 | 1978-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-08 | 1982-01-07 | 1982-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-08 | 1986-01-07 | 1986-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |