Abstract:
The present invention provides a powered attachment system for coupling a plow or other implement to a vehicle. A plow lift cylinder extends to push the coupler up into position, aligning spring-loaded upper pins. Further, the spring-loaded pins automatically engage when the coupler holes are aligned with those of the push beam.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This invention is the subject of provisional application Ser. No. 60/087,071 filed May 28, 1998 and entitled POWERED QUICK ATTACH SNOW PLOW. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a powered attachment system for coupling a snowplow or other implement to a vehicle. A lift cylinder extends to push the coupler up into position, aligning spring-loaded upper pins. Further, the spring-loaded pins automatically engage when the coupler holes are aligned with those of the push beam. 
     The preferred embodiment uses a hydraulic cylinder to move the coupler into position. However, a spring mechanism could alternatively be used. There are also alternative means of automatically engaging the upper pins (e.g. hydraulically, springs, mechanically). 
     An object of the invention is to provide a quick attachment system using two hitch points where: 
     (a) the first hitch connection containing a guide to align and connect the implement hitch point to the corresponding hitch point on the receiver, 
     (b) a second hitch connection where the implement hitch point and the corresponding receiver hitch point are aligned by means of rotational, translational, or a combination motion of the implement and by the connection of the first hitch point. 
     Preferably, a hydraulic cylinder provides motion to the implement to align the second hitch point. Alternatively, a spring means could provide motion to the implement to align the second hitch point. Any of various means can automatically couple the hitch point when aligned including spring-loaded pins, and latches. 
     In a specific, preferred embodiment, a snowplow attachment system for quickly attaching a snowplow and snowplow frame to a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a vehicle mounted frame attachment which is essentially permanently secured to the vehicle frame. The vehicle mounted frame has a pair of lug plates joined by a transverse push beam or frame member, each push pin receiver lug plate has an arcuate hook slot and a latch pin aperture. The snowplow frame having a subframe and a vertically extending lift/light tower pivotally connected at its lower end by a horizontal pivot to the trailing end of the subframe. A hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly is pivotally connected at its ends to (1) an upper end of the vertically extending lift/lift tower and (2) a point on the subframe spaced forwardly of the horizontal pivot. A hydraulic pump on one of the subframes and vertically extending lift/light tower and connected to the hydraulic piston and cylinder. An electrical motor drives the hydraulic pump. A transverse attachment bar engages the arcuate slot and is guided to the hook portion of the arcuate slot, and a spring-bias latch pin member is released to engage the latch pin apertures, respectively. An electrical switch on the vertically extending lift tower engages the hydraulic pump motor and operates the hydraulic piston and cylinder to rotate the vertically extending lift/light tower about the horizontal pivot and cause the transverse attachment bar to enter the hook slot of the pair of lug plates, and a pair of trip mechanisms for actuating the spring-bias latch pins to cause the latch points to enter said latch pin apertures when the transverse attachment bar has engaged the hook portion of the slot. 
     Reference is made to Capra et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,694 (incorporated herein by reference) for a full exposition of the plow and its operation. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, advantage and features of the invention will become more clear when considered with the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein; 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a snow plow system incorporating the invention, 
     FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of the section of FIG. 1 containing the toggle switch and latching mechanism, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the latching mechanism from a different perspective, 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a modification, 
     FIG. 4 shows the coupler spring pin in a latched position, 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the mounting of a snowplow to a vehicle according to the invention, and 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the removal of a snowplow from a vehicle according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the following list sets out the component part number and description of the component part: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Com- 
                   
                   
               
               
                 ponent 
               
               
                 Part 
                   
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                  1 
                   
                 Blade Half Right 
               
               
                  2 
                   
                 Blade Half Left 
               
               
                  3 
                   
                 Center Section, RT3 V-Blade (all models) 
               
               
                  4 
                   
                 T-Frame, RT3 V-Blade (all models) 
               
               
                  5 
                   
                 Cutting Edge, 7′6″ V-Blade ⅝″ Holes 
               
               
                  5 
                   
                 Cutting Edge, 8′2″ V-Blade ⅝″ Holes 
               
               
                  5 
                   
                 Cutting Edge, 9′2″ V-Blade ⅝″ Holes 
               
               
                  6 
                   
                 Carriage Bolt Set 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Includes: 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (10) Carriage Bolts ⅝″ - 11 × 2″ Grade #5 ZN 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (10) ⅝″ Hardened Washers 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (10) ⅝″ Lock Nuts 
               
               
                  7 
                   
                 Bumper Stop, w/Mounting Hardware 
               
               
                  7 
                   
                 A Self-Tapping Bolt, ⅜″ - 16 × 2″ Hex Washer 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Head ZN 
               
               
                  9 
                   
                 Spring Yoke, RT3 V-Blade 
               
               
                 10-44-45 
                   
                 Plow Shoe Assembly 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Includes: 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (1) Plow Shoe (1″ Shaft) 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (1) {fraction (7/16)}″ Quick Pln 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (20) 1″ Flat Washers 
               
               
                 10-44-45 
                   
                 Plow Shoe, Cast Iron (Center Shoe) 
               
               
                   
                 5 
                 Includes: 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (1) Plow Shoe (1″ Shaft), Cast Iron 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (1) {fraction (7/16)}″ Quick Pin 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (20) 1″ Flat Washers 
               
               
                 11 
                   
                 Snow Catcher w/Mounting Hardware 
               
               
                 12 
                   
                 Horizontal Hinge Pin Kit, RT3 V-Blade (all models) 
               
               
                 13 
                   
                 Center Hinge Pin, RT3 V-Blade (all models) 
               
               
                 14 
                   
                 Hydraulic Pump - Power Unit Barnes 
               
               
                 14 
                 A 
                 Hydraulic Pump Filler Cap 
               
               
                 14 
                 B 
                 Hydraulic Pump Motor - Barnes 
               
               
                 14 
                 C 
                 Hydraulic Pump Solenoid 
               
               
                 14 
                 D 
                 Hydraulic Pump Solenoid Ground Cable 
               
               
                 14 
                 E 
                 Battery cable, 66″ 
               
               
                 14 
                 H 
                 Ground/Power Cable 60″ (Vehicle Side) 
               
               
                 14 
                 J 
                 Ground/Power Cable 36″ (Plow Side) 
               
               
                 14 
                 K 
                 Ground/Power Cable Dust Cap/Plug 
               
               
                 14 
                 L 
                 Hydraulic Reservoir Drain plug 
               
               
                 15 
                   
                 Hydraulic Valve Assembly with SmartHitch 
               
               
                 15 
                 A 
                 Hydraulic Lift/Angle Valve 
               
               
                 15 
                 B 
                 Hydraulic Valve Coil 
               
               
                 15 
                 C 
                 Hydraulic Relief Valve 
               
               
                 15 
                 D 
                 Hydraulic Check Valve 
               
               
                 15 
                 E 
                 Hydraulic Valve Screen Cartridge 
               
               
                 15 
                 F 
                 Hydraulic Valve Ground Strap 
               
               
                 15 
                 G 
                 Hydraulic Valve, SmartHitch Attach 
               
               
                 15 
                 H 
                 Hydraulic Valve, Flow Control Cartridge 
               
               
                 16 
                   
                 SmartHitch Toggle Switch Kit (Includes Switch and 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Jumpers) 
               
               
                 17 
                   
                 Hydraulic Cylinder, Angle 
               
               
                 18 
                 A 
                 Hydraulic Hose ¼″ × 12″ , ¼″ MNPT × ¼″ MNPT) 
               
               
                 18 
                 B 
                 Hydraulic Hose ¼″ × 15½″ ,(¼″ MNPT 
               
               
                   
                   
                 × ¼″ MNPT) 
               
               
                 18 
                 C 
                 Hydraulic Hose ¼″ × 15″ (¼″ ORB × ¼″ MNPT 
               
               
                 22 
                   
                 Hydraulic Hose ⅜″ × 40″ (¼″ MNPT × ⅜″ MNPT) 
               
               
                 25 
                   
                 Hydraulic Cylinder, RT3 Lift 
               
               
                 32 
                   
                 Hydraulic Swivel Fitting, 90 Deg. (¼″ ORS × 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ¼″ FPS) 
               
               
                 33 
                   
                 Trip/Return Spring 
               
               
                 37 
                   
                 Blade Guide Set 
               
               
                 37 
                 A 
                 Blade Guide Tip 
               
               
                 38 
                   
                 Auxiliary Headlight Set, Low Profile Plastic 
               
               
                 38 
                 A 
                 Turn Signal Cover, Low Profile Plastic 
               
               
                 38 
                 L 
                 Auxiliary Headlight, Left, Low Profile Plastic 
               
               
                 38 
                 R 
                 Auxiliary Headlight, Right, Low Profile Plastic 
               
               
                 39 
                   
                 Auxiliary Light Harness Assembly 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Includes: 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Toggle Switch 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Connectors 
               
               
                 39 
                 A 
                 Light and Control Harness 116″ (Vehicle Side) 
               
               
                 39 
                 B 
                 Light and Control Harness 48″ (Plow Side) 
               
               
                 40 
                 A 
                 Switch Box Control, V-Blade 
               
               
                 40 
                 B 
                 Joystick Control, V-Blade 
               
               
                 41 
                   
                 Rocker Switch - Lift 
               
               
                 42 
                   
                 Rocker Switch - Angle 
               
               
                 44 
                   
                 Quick Pin - {fraction (7/16)}″ 
               
               
                 46 
                   
                 Hydraulic Fitting, 90 Deg. (⅛″ MNPT × ¼″ FNPT) 
               
               
                 47 
                   
                 Eye Bolt, ½″ 
               
               
                 55 
                   
                 Hex Head Cap Screw, ⅝″ - 11 × 4½″ GR5 ZN 
               
               
                 60 
                   
                 Pivot Pin, Kit (Includes Cotter Pins and Washers) 
               
               
                 60 
                 A 
                 Pivot Pin 
               
               
                 60 
                 B 
                 {fraction (3/16)}″ Cotter Pin 
               
               
                 61 
                   
                 Coupler Assembly 
               
               
                 62 
                   
                 Push Beam Assembly, RT 3 
               
               
                 62 
                 A 
                 Push Beam Support Plat RH (Passenger Side) 
               
               
                 62 
                 B 
                 Push Beam Support Plate LH (Driver Side) 
               
               
                 64 
                   
                 Coupler Spring Pin Kit 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Includes: 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Coupler Spring Pin 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Rolled Pin 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Coupler Spring Pin Spring 
               
               
                 64 
                 A 
                 Coupler Spring Pin 
               
               
                 64 
                 B 
                 Rolled Pin ({fraction (5/16)}″ × 26½″ ) 
               
               
                 64 
                 C 
                 Coupler Spring Pin Spring 
               
               
                 67 
                   
                 Spring, SmartHitch Torsion Spring 
               
               
                 71 
                   
                 Washer, ⅜″ Split Lock 
               
               
                 72 
                   
                 Washer, ⅜″ Fender 
               
               
                 73 
                   
                 Light Bracket Assembly 
               
               
                 73 
                 A 
                 Hydraulic Enclosure Cover 
               
               
                 73 
                 B 
                 Rubber Grommet 
               
               
                 73 
                 C 
                 Thumb Screw, 10 - 24 × ½″ 
               
               
                 75 
                 A 
                 Angle Bracket RH (Passenger Side) 
               
               
                 75 
                 B 
                 Angle Bracket LH (Driver Side) 
               
               
                 80 
                   
                 Control Harness Mounting Bracket 
               
               
                 85 
                   
                 Hairpin Cotter, #16 
               
               
                 86 
                   
                 Clevis Pin, ⅝″ × 3½″ 
               
               
                 96 
                   
                 Hex Head Cap Screw, ⅝″ - 11 × 5½″ GRS ZN 
               
               
                 97 
                   
                 Nut, Self-Locking ⅝″ - 11 ZN 
               
               
                 101  
                   
                 Power Ground Cable Mounting Bracket 
               
               
                 102  
                   
                 Rubber Split Grommet, 1⅛″ 
               
               
                 104  
                   
                 Weather Cap for Light &amp; Control Harness (Vehicle Side) 
               
               
                 106  
                   
                 Weather Cap for Light &amp; Control Harness (Plow Side) 
               
               
                 108  
                   
                 Headlight Adapter Kit 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Referring now to FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 , the lower end of L-shaped light tower upright member  200  (only one side described) has a side plate  201  fixedly spaced therefrom to define a latching slot with diverging guide ends  202 ,  203 , which guides the push beam pin receiver  204  and latch hook  204  into the slot  206  formed thereby. The L-shaped tower upright member  200  is pivoted on the end of plow frame assembly  207  by pivot pin  60  and this pivotal movement is driven by hydraulic lift cylinder  25  (FIG. 1) in a manner to be described later in connection with FIGS.  5 A- 6 B. Coupler spring pin  64 A has a cocking pin  64 B and a coaxial coupler spring pin spring  64 C for loading and biasing the coupler spring pin  64 A to latching position. Coupler spring pin mounting bracket  208  has a notch  209  for releasably receiving end of cocking pin  64 B. A toggle switch  16  is mounted in hole  16 H and connected in circuit with the hydraulic lift rocker switch  41  in switch box  40 A. (Rocker switches  42  control the operation of the plow blades  1  and  2  (FIG.  1 )). Torsion spring  67  is mounted in latching slot  206  so that it blocks the holes in the lower end of L-shaped member  200  with which coupler spring pin  64 A is axially aligned to thereby block the coupler spring pin spring  64 C from moving the end of coupling spring pin  64 A through hole  220  push beam pin receiver  204  when in alignment as shown in FIG.  4 . Spring  64 C is compressed between the outside wall of housing  208  and pin  64 B in the locked position. 
     The mounting and removal of a snow plow on a vehicle equipped with the push beam assembly  62  is illustrated in FIGS.  5 A- 6 B. Referring to FIG. 5A, the vehicle is lined up with the snowplow and the vehicle driven straight in until the lower pin LP contacts the arcuate lower pin LP guide slot AGS in the push beam pin receiver  204  and latch hook  205 . The electrical plugs EP are connected to the complementary electrical plug on the vehicle. This connects plow controls switches  40 A to the hydraulic control system and toggle switch  16 , when actuated, to control the operation of hydraulic lift cylinder  25 . At this time, the spring pins  60 A are turned by handle  64 H ½ turn clockwise to disengage cocking pins  64 B from notches  209  and allow the end of coupler spring pins  64 A to bear on torsion spring  67  which is blocking the movement of the pin into latching position. Also, at this time, the toggle switch  16  is actuated. Then the raise button rocker switch  41  is pressed until the push beam spring receiver  204  engages torsion spring  67  and unblocks coupler spring pin  64 A allowing them to snap into the latch hole LH in the push beam receiver  204  as shown in FIG.  5 B. It will be appreciated that for safety both the left and right side coupler spring pins must be fully engaged to avoid personal injury and property damage. The toggle switch  16  is turned down to the raise plow position. To remove the snow plow from the vehicle, the plow is lowered with both wings or blades retracted to the Vee position and resting on the ground. Toggle switch  16  is moved to the top position and the raise button ( 42 ) control operated until the coupler tower  61  moves toward the vehicle and releases tension on the spring pins  64 A. The handles  64 H are used to pull the coupler spring pins outward and rotate to the open position into locking notches  209 . The toggle switch  16  is moved to the down position. Then the raise button (switch  42 ) is actuated until the coupler tower  61  completely lowers the plow in the position shown in FIG. 6B, the electrical plugs are disconnected (and dust plugs installed). The vehicle is now free of the plow and can be backed away slowly. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, an angle member  215  is positioned fixedly so that it limits rotation of coupler  61  toward the vehicle when it contacts the bottom of pin receiver  204  preventing possible overtravel and damage to the front of the vehicle. Angle member  215  also forces vertical alignment of latch hole  220  for the spring load pin in the event pin receiver  204  is too low compared to coupler  61  to improve the ease of attachment. 
     While the invention has been described in relation to preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that other embodiments, adaptations and modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.