Patent ID: 7168907
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: E02F

Abstract:
1. In a combination of a tractor a loader releasably mounted on said vehicle, said loader including a pair of lift arms disposed on opposite sides of said tractor and having rear ends respectively pivotally attached to upper ends of a pair of masts, a pair of hydraulic lift cylinders respectively being coupled between each arm and mast at opposite sides of said tractor, a pair of loader support frames respectively fixed to opposite sides of said tractor and respectively including a pair of upright support members, said pair of upright support members respectively including a pair of transversely extending pivot-defining elements and respectively including a pair of transversely extending latching elements, said pair of masts respectively including a pair of downwardly opening receptacles received on said pair of pivot-defining elements of said upright support members and including a pair of latch hooks mounted for pivoting between closed and open positions, said latch hooks being in said latched positions and including latch element receptacles receiving said pair of latching elements, and a pair of biasing arrangements respectively associated with said pair of latch hooks and resiliently resisting movement of said pair of latch hooks from said closed positions, the improvement comprising: each of said pair of biasing arrangements being coupled to an associated one of said pair of latch hooks so as to define an over center relationship relative to a pivot axis of said one of said pair of latch hooks, whereby movement of said one of said latch hooks toward said open position from said closed position will result in said biasing arrangement going over center so as to resiliently retain said latch hook in said open position.