Implement connecting coupler mechanism

Claim 2

A coupling mechanism for connecting a motor grader to and disconnecting it from an implement, comprising a grader assembly including a bolster plate frame and means for mounting said bolster plate frame to the chassis of said motor grader, a moveable grader coupling frame supported on said bolster plate frame, said grader coupling frame extending in a generally vertical direction and having upper grader coupling means, power means, supported on said bolster plate frame and connected to said moveable grader coupling frame, guide means for guiding said upper grader coupling means part of said moveable grader coupling frame in two directions, outward from and upward with respect to said bolster plate frame when said implement is being connected and downward with respect to and inward toward said bolster plate frame when said implement is being disconnected, and moveable grader latching means carried by said moveable grader coupling frame at a position spaced from said upper grader coupling means, and an implement assembly mounted on said implement, said implement assembly including an implement frame having upper implement coupling means complementary to the upper grader coupling means and implement latching means complementary to the grader latching means.

Claim 3

The coupling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the grader assembly is a demountable, self-contained unit, adapted to be mounted on a bolster plate fixedly mounted on the grader chassis.

Claim 4

The coupling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the grader coupling frame has a top beam and the upper grader coupling means includes two, spaced prongs mounted on and projecting upwardly from said beam.

Claim 5

The coupling mechanism of claim 3 wherein the upper implement coupling means includes sockets and means associated with said sockets for selectively varying the vertical distance of said sockets from said implement latching means.

Claim 6

The coupling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the grader coupling frame has a bottom beam and the implement frame includes a toe plate projecting from said implement frame beneath the said bottom beam when the grader coupling frame and implement coupling frame are coupled.

Claim 7

The coupling mechanism of claim 5 wherein means are associated with said toe plate for selectively varying the vertical distance of the toe plate with respect to the bottom beam.

Claim 8

The coupling mechanism of claim 3 wherein the said power means includes at least one hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly one end of which is pivotally mounted at a lower part of said bolster plate frame and the other end of which is pivotally mounted on said top beam.

Claim 9

The coupling mechanism of claim 7 wherein the said guide means comprise two pairs of links, an upper pair and a lower pair, the links of said upper pair being longer than the links of said lower pair, one end of each of said links being pivotally mounted on said bolster plate frame and the other end, on said moveable grader coupling frame, the pivot axes of the links on the coupling frame being spaced apart vertically farther than the axes of the links on the bolster plate frame.

Claim 10

The coupling mechanism of claim 8 wherein the pivot axis of the ends of the lower pair of links on the bolster plate frame is forward of the pivot axis of the ends of the upper pair of links on the bolster plate frame.

Claim 11

The coupling mechanism of claim 9 wherein the links of the said two pairs of links are high vertically compared with their width laterally.

Claim 12

The coupling mechanism of claim 8 wherein the length of the longer of the links is less than the vertical spacing of the pivot axes on the grader coupling frame.

Claim 13

A coupling mechanism for connecting a motor grader to and disconnecting it from an implement, comprising a grader assembly including a bolster plate frame and means for fixedly mounting said bolster plate frame on a bolster plate fixedly mounted to the chassis of said motor grader, said bolster plate frame having a back plate, spaced parallel side rails and spaced clevis ears on the lower part of said back plate positioned laterally between the said side plates; a moveable grader coupling frame supported on said bolster plate frame, said grader coupling frame being generally rectangular in front elevation, having heavy top and bottom generally horizontal cross beams, said grader coupling frame extending in a generally vertical direction; clevis ears oppositely disposed from the bolster frame clevis ears carried by said top beam; two, spaced, cone-shaped coupling prongs mounted on said top beam with their smaller ends projecting upwardly therefrom; hydraulic cylinder-piston assemblies pivotally connected to and extending between said oppositely disposed clevis ears; upper and lower pairs of links pivotally mounted at one end on the bolster plate frame side rails and at their other end on said grader coupling frame, the upper of said pairs of links being longer than the lower of said pairs and the vertical spacing of the pivot points of said links on the grader coupling frame being greater than the vertical spacing of the pivot points of said links on the said bolster frame side rails, said upper links being shorter than the vertical spacing of the pivot points of the links on the said bolster frame side rails; and a latching mechanism carried by the grader coupling frame and comprising a latch pin, journaled for reciprocating movement, and means for reciprocating said pin; and an implement assembly mounted on said implement, said implement assembly including an implement frame having coupling prong receiving sockets with openings of a diameter larger than the smaller ends of the conical prongs of the grader coupling frame but smaller than the diameter of a projecting portion of the conical prongs closer to the top beam of the grader coupling frame, said sockets being positioned vertically and laterally to receive said prongs; a latch plate having a hole therein of size and position to receive the latch pin of the grader coupling frame and a toe plate along a lower part of the implement frame positioned to project closely beneath the bottom cross beam of the grader coupling frame when the implement and grader frames are coupled.

Claim 14

A coupling mechanism for connecting a motor grader to and disconnecting it from an implement, comprising a grader assembly including a bolster plate frame and means for fixedly mounting said bolster plate frame on a bolster plate fixedly mounted to the chassis of said motor grader, said bolster plate frame having a back plate, spaced parallel side rails and spaced clevis ears on the lower part of said back plate positioned laterally between the said side plates; a moveable grader coupling frame supported on said bolster plate frame, said grader coupling frame being generally rectangular in front elevation, having heavy top and bottom generally horizontal cross beams, said grader coupling frame extending in a generally vertical direction; clevis ears oppositely disposed from the bolster frame clevis ears carried by said top beam; two, spaced, cone-shaped coupling prongs mounted on said top beam with their smaller ends projecting upwardly therefrom; hydraulic cylinder-piston assemblies pivotally connected to and extending between said oppositely disposed clevis ears; upper and lower pairs of links pivotally mounted at one end on the bolster plate frame side rails and at their other end on said grader coupling frame, the upper of said pairs of links being longer than the lower of said pairs and the vertical spacing of the pivot points of said links on the grader coupling frame being greater than the vertical spacing of the pivot points of said links on the said bolster frame side rails, said upper links being shorter than the vertical spacing of the pivot points of the links on the said bolster frame side rails; and a latching mechanism carried by the grader coupling frame and comprising a latch pin, journaled for reciprocating movement, and means for reciprocating said pin; and an implement assembly mounted on said implement, said implement assembly including an implement frame having coupling prong receiving sockets with openings of a diameter larger than the smaller ends of the conical prongs of the grader coupling frame but smaller than the diameter of a projecting portion of the conical prongs closer to the top beam of the grader coupling frame, said sockets being positioned vertically and laterally to receive said prongs; a latch plate having a hole therein of size and position to receive the latch pin of the grader coupling frame and a toe plate along a lower part of the implement frame positioned to project closely beneath the bottom cross beam of the grader coupling frame when the implement and grader frames are coupled.

Claim 15

The coupling mechanism of claim 12 wherein the prong receiving sockets are removably mounted on the implement frame and adapted to accomodate shims between the implement frame and prong receiving sockets, and the toe plate is removably mounted on the implement frame and adapted to accomodate shims between the toe plate and the implement frame.

Claim 16

The coupling mechanism of claim 12 wherein the said bolster frame side rails are made up of parallel plates secured to said back plate, the grader coupling frame has side rails including spaced parallel side plates, and the bolster plate side rails are narrower than the grader coupling frame side rails.

Claim 17

The coupling mechanism of claim 12 wherein the lower part of said bolster frame back plate is bent forwardly and the pivot points of the lower pair of links on the bolster frame side rails are forward of the pivot points of the upper pair of links on the bolster frame side rails.