Abstract: A materials handling apparatus for a tractor comprising a U-shaped frame which is quickly mounted and dismounted. The frame comprises a front frame portion having a pair of side frame portions extending upwardly and rearwardly from the lower opposite sides thereof. Boom arms are pivotally secured to the upper rearward ends of the side frame portions and are raised and lowered relative thereto by hydraulic cylinders which are positioned forwardly of the front wheels of the tractor. Releasable connectors are provided between the U-shaped frame and the tractor to enable the apparatus to be quickly and easily mounted and dismounted.

Abstract: A device for temporarily attaching two vehicles to form a united structure. he device has a rod which extends from the first vehicle into a complimentary grasping means on the second vehicle. The grasping means can be activated to hold the rod firmly so retraction towards the first vehicle will draw the vehicles together.

Abstract: A frame assembly for mounting on a tractor is provided which is designed for quickly and easily attaching different types of implements thereto without the necessity of frame modification or other time-consuming tractor alterations. Advantageously, the frame assembly includes a pair of elongated rails respectively secured to opposed sides of a tractor, along with a bracket assembly secured to the underside of the tractor adjacent the tractor drawbar structure. Each of the alternately mountable implements includes a mounting assembly having a pair of elongated spaced apart channel arms which are operable for slidingly engaging respective mounting rails. In use the implements are stationarily positioned independently of the tractor, and attachment of the implements is simply a matter of driving the tractor forward with the tractor-mounted rails located to slide into engagement with the implement channel arms.

Abstract: A quick coupler assembly for attaching a material handling bucket or the like to the free ends of lift arms extending from a loader. The quick coupler assembly includes an elongated cross member having hitch brackets on its opposite ends. Each hitch bracket includes an end which is received against the underside of an upper attachment member on the rear wall of the bucket near the top edge thereof. The opposite end of the hitch bracket is configured for engagement against a lower inclined ramp extending along the bottom rear edge of the bucket. The coupler assembly further includes an over-center locking mechanism consisting of a pivotal handle and link connected to a shaft with a wedge on the lower end of the shaft. The shaft and wedge are slidably movable in response to over-center movement of the handle and link such that the wedge moves downwardly and passes through openings in a lower hitch bracket attachment member and the lower inclined bucket ramp for locking the quick coupler assembly to the bucket.

Abstract: Arrangement for coupling an implement to a hydraulically operated coupling device on a tractor, said arrangement comprising a male coupling frame attached to the tractor and cooperating with a female coupling frame attached to the implement, the arrangement in coupled position providing a power transmitting union. Power transmission is effected via an upper union where the coupling beams of the female frame straddle the corresponding guide beams of the male frame, and by two lower coupling devices consisting of catch hooks on the male frame and interacting coupling hooks on the female frame. The coupling members are locked and released by a separate spring-loaded latch provided with an indicating lever to which an operating mechanism has been attached.

Abstract: A vehicle, especially an automotive utility vehicle, of the type having a motor driven vehicle unit and a towable complementary unit, such as the type utilized for fire fighting or rescue operations, is provided with an improved arrangement for coupling of the complementary unit to the vehicle unit which can be rapidly coupled to or disconnected, and which will minimize transmission of torsional forces to the vehicle frame when coupling of a vehicle that is out of alignment with the complementary unit. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the arrangement includes a centering device that has conically surfaced members on both the vehicle and complementary unit, an elastic member which enables pivoting of the conically surfaced member of the complementary unit and its draft element during introduction thereof into the centering member of the vehicle, and a securing arrangement for firmly retaining the centering member of the complementary unit in a fully connected, rigidly coupled configuration.

Abstract: An automatic tool holder for tools such as buckets, scoops and the like, for mounting on equipment such as graders, back hoes, excavators, chargers, etc. The tool and tool holder are provided with mating sets of lugs and recesses, one set being disposed on each of the tool and tool holder. The lugs and recesses are offset from each other in three dimensions, for strength and stability and also to permit free disengagement of the tools from the tool holder by relative movement in one direction. A spring-urged locking lever on one of the tool or tool holder snaps behind a corresponding locking abutment on the other of the tool or tool holder, when the lugs are fully engaged in the recesses, to retain the tool in assembled relation. A fluid-actuated jack is selectively operable to swing the lever out of locking position, to release the tool.

Abstract: An automatic latching device for connecting a tractor drawbar to a wagon or implement being towed in which connecting jaws are adapted to be closed around a pin in the tongue of the pulled device. The device actuating the closing includes a tapered pin adapted to force the jaws to close as the jaws are raised from a connecting level near the ground to a pulling level at approximately the drawbar height.

Abstract: A bucket support for swingably and removably supporting a backhoe bucket on a dipper stick which includes a releasable mechanism for releasing and attaching the bucket from the bucket support. The releasable mechanism is made up of a first forwardly facing hook for receiving the front support pin of the bucket and a downwardly facing notch which receives the rear pin on the bucket, and a second hook attached to the bucket support that swings under the rear pin of the bucket when it is supported in the downwardly facing slot notch.

Abstract: A pair of connection devices serve as the upper connection between a traction vehicle such as a skid steer loader and an accessory apparatus such as a backhoe. Each connection device includes an anchor element including an anchor element outer end extending from the traction vehicle towards the accessory apparatus and a channel element including a channel element outer end extending from the traction vehicle and towards the accessory apparatus. The anchor element outer end and the channel element outer end have a selectively engaged position for connecting the accessory apparatus to the traction vehicle. A sleeve member is slidably disposed over and operatively connected to the channel element for movement thereon. The sleeve member has a surface adapted for selective locking contact with at least one of the outer element ends for retaining the element ends in an engaged position.

Abstract: An agricultural implement has a forwardly extending tongue connectible to the drawbar of a towing tractor and includes a fore and aft drive shaft that is disposed above the tongue and adapted to be connected to the PTO output shaft of the tractor by a PTO hookup assembly that includes front and rear universal joints respectively connectible to the implement drive shaft. When the hookup assembly is not connected to the tractor, the front end of the assembly is supported on the implement by a support that includes a support member swingably mounted on the implement tongue for shifting between a folded storage position and an upright operative position. A hook-like retainer member is mounted on the upper end of the support member and is shiftable between a generally upright position, wherein it is capable of receiving the central body portion of the hookup assembly, and a canted position wherein the hookup assembly cannot be withdrawn from the retainer member so that the hookup assembly is locked to the support.

Abstract: A three point linkage for coupling a tractor or similar vehicle to a working tool includes two lower guide members and an upper guide member which is resiliently connected to the lower guide members. A catch hook is located at one end of each of the guide members for coupling to the working tool. The other end of each of the guide members is coupled to the tractor. The upper guide member is longitudinally adjustable and includes an inner guide element telescopically cooperating with a spring loaded outer guide element. A nut, carrying pivotally movable locking jaws, is slidably carried on the outer guide element for fixing the outer guide element relative to the inner guide element. The catch hook of the upper guide member is carried at the opposite end of the outer guide element from the nut.

Abstract: A device for the easy and quick connection of a front mounted implement to a tractor including a hook means adapted to lift the device and spring-loaded pin means to fix the position of the device relative to the hook.

Abstract: A quick coupler device for use on tractor vehicles in which a quick attach plate is connected in place of the usual implement. Implements, equipped with complementary attachment fixtures, attach to the quick attach plate. A spring loaded latch automatically locks the implement to the quick attach plate and a projecting lug on the implement is engageable with a plate to hold the latch in an unlocked position.

Abstract: An agricultural machine has a longitudinal variable drive shaft enclosed by a tubular casing for coupling to a power take-off shaft of a tractor. The drive shaft and power take-off shaft can be aligned and coupled to each other. The agricultural machine is further provided with a hitch bar and a support device is mounted on the hitch bar comprising a strut pivoted on the hitch bar so as to fold upon the bar in its axial direction. The other end of the strut engages and supports the drive shaft and a guide member has one end pivotally connected to the tubular casing and the other end pivotally connected to the strut so as to be slidable therealong.

Abstract: A loader device is described for use on a tractor which has a substantially horizontally disposed tubular member extending laterally from each side thereof adjacent the forward end thereof. The tractor is also provided with a connector element provided at each side thereof rearwardly of the forward end thereof. The loader device comprises a sub-frame having longitudinally extending side frame member. A boom structure is pivotally connected to a tower secured to the side frame members and has a material handling implement connected to the forward end thereof. Each of the side frame members has a forwardly extending slot formed therein adapted to receive the laterally extending tubular members therein at times. A lock element is pivotally secured to each of the side frame members and locks the tubular member in the slot when in its locked position.

Abstract: A ground-working tool is mounted on the forward end of a boom pivotally connected to upstanding standards on a U-shaped frame having a transversely extending member at the forward end from which a support stand depends for engagement with the ground to support the implement independently of the tractor in cooperation with the ground-working tool. Hydraulic cylinders extend between the U-shaped frame and the boom to pivot the boom relative to the frame. A tractor includes oppositely disposed rearwardly mounted support brackets for supportingly engaging the standards while the forward end of the tractor includes a step bracket having vertical and horizontal portions over which an L-shaped stop plate is positioned.

Abstract: A snow plow implement for quick connection to a vehicle. The moldboard of the implement is mounted for yieldable but limited pivotal movement on the forward end of a rigid push frame which includes a pair of rearwardly extending arms. Pivotal jaws and associated fork plates are mounted on the rearward end of each arm. A frame assembly mounted on the front end of the vehicle includes a pair of axially aligned hitch pins. As the vehicle is driven toward the implement, the hitch pins engagingly pivot the jaws to closed positions wherein they cooperate with the associated fork plates to firmly retain the hitch pins and thereby couple the implement to the vehicle. Spring loaded locking pins act automatically to lock the jaws in their closed positions. The coupled implement is raised and lowered about the pivot axis of the hitch pins by a power cylinder which is folded up within a protective arm member when not in use.

Abstract: An attachment for use on loader booms that enables quick changes of working implements. The attachment having an implement carrier frame provided with carrier saddles and slots positioned to carry and locate standard mounting pins in stock implement mounting frames such that the implement is automatically locked to the carrier frame via the means of automatic locking devices of spring loaded pins in receiving apertures.

Abstract: A tractor having a pair of parallel catch arms pivotally mounted on the rear portion of the tractor are engageable with a shield plate mounted on the implement or machine to be coupled to the tractor. The lower ends of the catch arms are pivotally mounted to a supporting bracket on the tractor and are rigidly connected by a catch plate. At least one retaining pawl is pivotally mounted on each catch arm and has a jaw opening engagable with a locking shaft. A locking element actuable by a safety linkage is pivotally mounted on the catch arm and has a curved locking surface extending eccentrically of its pivot mount for lockingly engaging the retaining pawl. The locking element is secured in position by a locking lever and the entire locking mechanism can be released only by actuation of the locking lever and the safety linkage.

Abstract: A tractor includes a downwardly and forwardly opening guide support channel extending across the front end for engagement with the transversely extending portion of a U-shaped frame of an implement which also includes upstanding standards having a boom pivotally connected thereto with a ground-working tool on the outer end. A support stand is connected to the forward end of the U-shaped frame and rearwardly extending feet are provided on the standard for engaging slots on oppositely disposed support brackets carried on the tractor. Hydraulic power cylinders extend between the U-shaped frame and the boom.