SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ATTACHING AND DETACHING A LOADER ATTACHMENT IMPLEMENT
A manual locking subassembly for a loader system of a utility vehicle includes an actuator manually operable from an operator cab of the vehicle and a mechanical linkage extending from the actuator and affixed to a loader attachment carrier rotatable about an axis. Manipulation of the actuator in a first direction moves a linkage member of the mechanical linkage from a first position in which a loader attachment implement is uniformly movable with the attachment carrier to a second position in which the loader attachment implement is non-uniformly movable with the loader attachment carrier.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/234,607, filed Sep. 29, 2015, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUNDThe present disclosure relates to a locking mechanism that selectively locks a loader attachment implement to a loader system.
SUMMARYA utility vehicle, e.g., a tractor, is often configured for selective attachment to a number of hydraulically actuated loader attachment implements. These independent loader attachment implements may take the form of, for example, a bucket, a hay bale fork, a grapple, a blade, or the like in order to perform a specific task desired by the operator of the utility vehicle. As part of the attachment/detachment process, a locking mechanism is manipulated by the operator to secure or unsecure the loader attachment implement to the tractor.
In one aspect, the disclosure provides a loader system for a utility vehicle. The utility vehicle includes a cab configured to seat an operator for control of the utility vehicle. The loader system includes a loader attachment implement and a loader attachment carrier to selectively couple the loader attachment implement to the utility vehicle. The loader system also includes a locking subassembly having an actuator positioned adjacent the cab and manually operable from the cab and a pin portion adjacent the loader attachment implement and movable in a first direction in response to actuation of the actuator between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the pin portion is in a locked position, the loader attachment implement uniformly moves with the loader attachment carrier, and when the pin portion is in an unlocked position, the loader attachment implement is non-uniformly movable with the loader attachment carrier.
In another aspect, the disclosure provides a manual locking subassembly for a loader system of a utility vehicle includes an actuator manually operable from an operator cab of the vehicle and a mechanical linkage extending from the actuator and affixed to a loader attachment carrier rotatable about an axis. Manipulation of the actuator in a first direction moves a linkage member of the mechanical linkage from a first position in which a loader attachment implement is uniformly movable with the attachment carrier to a second position in which the loader attachment implement is non-uniformly movable with the loader attachment carrier.
Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
A cab area 30 provides an operator control of the utility vehicle 10. The illustrated cab 30 includes a chair 34, a steering wheel 38, and a plurality of controls. The operator is generally positioned in the chair 34 while steering the utility vehicle 10 via the steering wheel 38 and operating the plurality of controls. In other embodiments, the steering wheel 38 may comprise a plurality of levers to control the direction of movement of the utility vehicle 10 through the prime mover 18 and/or the transmission 22. The plurality of controls are also coupled to other components on the utility vehicle 10, e.g., a hydraulic system, an auxiliary drive shaft, etc. and may be in the form of electrical switches, mechanical actuators, or a combination thereof.
With further reference to
The fixed frame members 42 are each attached to a side of the utility vehicle 10 and in some embodiments may be a single integral component extending between both sides of the utility vehicle 10.
The illustrated frame members 46 are each selectively attachable to a respective fixed frame member 42. An actuator, e.g., a lever (not shown), may provide a locking mechanism between the detachable frame members 46 and the fixed frame members 42. The loader system 14 is therefore connected to the utility vehicle 10 by the connection between the frame members 42, 46. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame members 42, 46 are located between the wheels 26, e.g., front and back wheels and adjacent the cab 30. In particular, the operator positioned in the chair 34 of the cab 30 can, during vehicle operation, contact a portion of the detachable frame members 46, as will be described in detail below. In other embodiments, the frame members 42, 46 may be one integral member fixedly attached to the utility vehicle 10.
With continued reference to
The attachment carriers 54 are secured to an associated arm 70 about a second pivot axis 78. Additionally, carrier hydraulic cylinders 82 extend from each arm 70 to a respective attachment carrier 54 and are operable by the hydraulic system of the utility vehicle 10 to rotate the attachment carriers 54 about the second pivot axis 78.
With reference to
The illustrated loader attachment implement 58 is illustrated as a bucket. In other embodiments, however, the loader attachment implement 58 may be a sweep cleaner, hay bale fork, hay bale hugger, grapple, scraper, pallet fork, debris blower, blade, snow pusher, or the like for performing a specific task. With reference to
With reference to
Referring also to
The actuator 126 is positionable in a locked position (
The actuator 126 is attached to a mechanical linkage 134 in the form of a flexible sheathed cable assembly. The sheathed cable 134 is exteriorly routed along one of the arms 70 of the loader boom 50 (
With reference to
Once unlocked, the first attachment implement 58 can be disconnected from the attachment carrier 54. The operator positions the first attachment implement 58 on the ground and then manipulates the attachment carrier 54 about the second pivot axis 78 to disengage the protrusion 114 from the opening 90. Thereafter, the attachment carrier 54 is rotatable relative to the first attachment implement 58 via engagement between the engagement pins 86 and the hooks 110 about a third pivot axis 152. The operator manipulates the loader boom 50 about the first axis 62 to detach the engagement pins 86 from the hooks 110.
To attach a second attachment implement 58, the operator aligns the engagement pins 86 with the hooks 110 of the second implement 58 by at least one of steering the utility vehicle 10 via the steering wheel 38, actuating the boom hydraulic cylinders 66 to rotate the loader boom 50 about the first pivot axis 62, and actuating the carrier hydraulic cylinders 82 to rotate the attachment carrier 54 about the second pivot axis 78. Once the pins 86 are coupled to the hooks 110, the second loader attachment implement 58 is rotatable relative to the attachment carrier 54 about the engagement pins 86. The operator then manipulates the attachment carrier 54 about the second pivot axis 78 such that the openings 90 rotate over the protrusions 114. In this position, the aperture 118 aligns with the pin portion 142 and the lower aperture 102 of the housing 94.
If no attachment implement 58 is to be first disconnected, step 158 may be performed in stages with steps 150, 154 between the stages. For example, the engagement pins 86 may first engage the hooks 110, steps 150, 154 may be performed, and then the protrusions 114 may be received within the openings 90.
The locking mechanism 122 is then operable to lock the second loader attachment implement 58 to the attachment carrier 54 for uniform co-rotational movement, e.g., an amount of rotational movement of the attachment carriers 54 is directly transferred to the second loader attachment implement 58. The operator releases the actuator 126 (step 162), which returns in the second axial direction 136 toward the threaded fitting 124 in response to the biasing member 130 (
With reference to
The loader boom 250 is attached to the detachable frame members 246 and is movable about a first pivot axis 262 by boom hydraulic cylinders 266. The illustrated loader boom 250 defines two arms 270 each associated with a respective detachable frame member 246, with a support member 274 connecting the arms 270. The attachment carriers 254 are secured to an associated arm 270 and are movable about a second pivot axis 278 by carrier hydraulic cylinders 282.
With reference to
Protrusions 314 extend from a rear face 316 of the loader attachment implement 258 and include a first (e.g., generally vertically oriented) aperture 318a and a second (e.g., generally horizontally oriented) aperture 318b transverse to aperture 318a. Each protrusion 314 is associated with a single attachment carrier 254. In one embodiment, the loader attachment implement 258 may only include one protrusion 314 associated with a single attachment carrier 254. In another embodiment, the (or each) protrusion 314 may only include one vertical (similar to the protrusion 114) or one horizontal aperture. In further embodiments, the protrusion 314 may include an aperture 318 oriented at an oblique angle relative to the illustrated apertures 318a, 318b. With reference back to the previous embodiment (
With reference to
The actuator 326 is positionable in a locked position (
The actuator 326 is coupled to a mechanical linkage 334 in the form of a flexible sheathed cable assembly. In other embodiments, a more rigid linkage system may be utilized. The sheathed cable 334 is exteriorly routed along one of the arms 270 (
With reference to
To attach a second attachment implement 258, the operator aligns the engagement portions 286 with the hooks 310 of a second implement 258 (step 358). Once the engagement portions 286 are coupled to the hooks 310, the second loader attachment implement 258 is rotatable relative to the attachment carrier 254 about the engagement portions 286. The operator then manipulates the attachment carrier 254 about the second pivot axis 278 such that the openings 290 rotate over the protrusions 314. In this position, the aperture 318b aligns with the pin portion 342.
The locking mechanism 322 is then operable to lock the second loader attachment implement 258 to the attachment carrier 254 for uniform co-rotational movement, e.g., an amount of rotational movement of the attachment carriers 254 is directly transferred to the second loader attachment implement 258. The operator rotates the actuator 326 (step 360) in the second rotational direction 341 to align the notch 378 with the bracket 390, and then releases the actuator 326 (step 362). The actuator 326 returns in the second axial direction 336 until the notch 378 contacts the bracket 390. The pin portion 342 in response extends through the aperture 318b under the force of the biasing member 330. In other embodiments, the locking mechanism 322 may be oriented such that the pin portion 342 selectively engages the aperture 318a.
Alternatively or in combination with the method 346, a locking pin 376, e.g., a wire lock pin, clevis pin, etc., may be received within the aperture 318a to provide a locking means between the attachment carriers 254 and the loader implement 258. In particular, the locking pin 376 may be associated with both protrusions 314 received through the aperture 318a. In other embodiments, the locking pin 376 may be utilized with one of protrusions 314 (i.e., the protrusion 314 not associated with the locking mechanism 322).
In further embodiments, an indicating mechanism can be coupled to the locking mechanism 322 indicating the unlocked position (
Claims
1. A loader system for a utility vehicle, the utility vehicle including a cab configured to seat an operator for control of the utility vehicle, the loader system comprising:
- a loader attachment implement;
- a loader attachment carrier to selectively couple the loader attachment implement to the utility vehicle; and
- a locking subassembly including an actuator positioned adjacent the cab, wherein the actuator is manually operable from the cab, and a pin portion adjacent the loader attachment implement and movable in a first direction in response to actuation of the actuator between a locked position and an unlocked position;
- wherein when the pin portion is in a locked position, the loader attachment implement uniformly moves with the loader attachment carrier, and when the pin portion is in an unlocked position, the loader attachment implement is non-uniformly movable with the loader attachment carrier.
2. The loader system of claim 1, wherein the loader attachment implement includes a protrusion with a first aperture extending through the protrusion, the protrusion configured to receive a portion of the pin portion.
3. The loader system of claim 2, wherein the loader attachment carrier includes an opening configured to receive the protrusion of the loader attachment implement.
4. The loader system of claim 1, wherein the pin portion is biased into the locked position by a biasing member.
5. The loader system of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a flexible cable assembly coupling the actuator and the pin portion.
6. The loader system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is moveable in a second direction to maintain the pin portion in the locked position.
7. The loader system of claim 6, wherein the actuator is rotationally moveable.
8. The loader system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is axially movable in the first direction to move the pin portion between the locked and unlocked positions.
9. The loader system of claim 1, wherein the loader attachment carrier moves the loader attachment implement about an axis and the pin portion linearly translates parallel to the axis.
10. The loader system of claim 9, wherein the pin portion outwardly extends from the loader attachment carrier.
11. A manual locking subassembly for a loader system of a utility vehicle, the manual locking subassembly comprising:
- an actuator manually operable from an operator cab of the vehicle; and
- a mechanical linkage extending from the actuator and affixed to a loader attachment carrier, the loader attachment carrier rotatable about an axis, wherein manipulation of the actuator in a first direction moves a linkage member of the mechanical linkage from a first position in which a loader attachment implement is uniformly movable with the attachment carrier to a second position in which the loader attachment implement is non-uniformly movable with the loader attachment carrier.
12. The loader system of claim 11, wherein the actuator is biased into the first position by a biasing member.
13. The loader system of claim 12, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring coupled to the loader attachment carrier.
14. The loader system of claim 11, wherein the actuator is moveable in a second direction to inhibit movement of the mechanical linkage.
15. The loader system of claim 14, wherein the actuator is rotationally moveable.
16. The loader system of claim 11, wherein the actuator is axially movable in the first direction to move the linkage member between the first position and the second position.
17. The loader system of claim 11, wherein the linkage member is an inner cable, a portion of which, linearly translates parallel to the axis.
18. The loader system of claim 11, further comprising a pin portion coupled to the linkage member, the pin portion engaging a portion of the loader attachment implement when the linkage member is in the first position.
19. The loader system of claim 18, wherein the linkage member and the pin portion linearly translate parallel to the axis.
20. The loader system of claim 11, wherein the mechanical linkage is a flexible sheathed cable assembly and the linkage member is an inner cable body.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 21, 2016
Publication Date: Mar 30, 2017
Inventor: Daniel Esqueda (Monterrey)
Application Number: 15/216,376