Abstract:
A mounting system is provided by which front end loaders of the mid-mount type are rapidly attached and detached from a tractor or other piece of motive equipment. A procedure for latching and unlatching is also provided, as well as mid-mount front end loaders having a quick attach and quick detach mounting system. A universal mounting bracket assembly is included which can be used on either the right side or the left side and can be used with a variety of front end loader models. A clamp secures together a support, a pedestal pin of the support, and the universal mounting bracket assembly in order to achieve the quick connect of the mid-mount loader onto the tractor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to front end loaders and especially to mounting systems by which front end loaders are secured to tractors or other suitable equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to front end loaders of the type which are designed to be mounted well into the length the tractor or other motive equipment. These are so-called mid-mount front end loaders, which typically mount at a location to the rear of the front wheels of the equipment. The front end loader has a latch assembly which mates with a mounting bracket assembly secured to the tractor, motive equipment or the like. Securement components are provided which attach the latch assembly and thus the front end loader to the mounting bracket assembly and thus the tractor and the like. Certain of the securement components are assigned respective storage positions when the front end loader is not in use and not secured to the tractor or the like. These attachment components quickly and easily are reoriented and used to securely attach the front end loader to the tractor or the like. This can be accomplished without requiring separate tools to work the transformation between the storage position and the working position of the loader. 
     Agricultural tractors and other motive type equipment are at times used to perform so-called front end loading tasks which typically involve moving or lifting bulk, heavy and/or oddly shaped items, as well as tasks such as clearing access areas, roads and the like of debris, snow or other obstacles. Typically, it is preferred to avoid having to dedicate a tractor and the like to only front end loader uses. When used herein, the terms tractor or tractor and the like are used to denote equipment which will accept and provide mobility and operability to a front end loader. 
     It is accordingly important that loader attachments be rapidly and readily connected and disconnected to the tractor which is to provide the operational power and transport capabilities to the front end loader. In this way, the tractor can be used for functions other than front end loading during a portion of the day (or other time period) and for front end loading tasks at other times. It is therefore beneficial for a front end loader to be easily attached and detached from the tractor, vehicle or other suitable equipment. 
     Loaders with quick or rapid coupling features are generally known. These devices are not always capable of withstanding heavy use and rough handling. Another disadvantage which is encountered for some of these units is the need to use separate tools during the assembly and disassembly operations, which tools are not a part of the loader system. For some prior loader systems, all components are not readily stored on the units themselves when not attached to the tractor and the like. 
     Front end loaders come in various different sizes and styles, often necessitating quick attachment assemblies which are especially designed in order to accommodate a particular loader make and model. This requires the manufacturing of a variety of assemblies intended for the same purpose but having different size or shape requirements. Such necessitates the manufacture of different assemblies for performing the same function but for different loader makes and models, creating inefficiencies in the use of manufacturing facilities, time, labor and materials. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a front end loader mounting system which allows for a mid-mount front end loader to be attached and detached in a matter of minutes. Such an assembly should also be self-contained, very durable, and not require specific tools to effect the attachment and detachment of the loader. It also would be advantageous to have this type of loader attachment system require a minimum of parts which are specifically designed and made for a particular loader type, size or model. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a mounting system is provided for a mid-mount front end loader. The system includes a universal mounting bracket assembly for securing to a mid-mount location of a tractor or other piece of motive equipment, which universal mounting bracket assembly accepts a latch assembly of any number of a variety of front end loader models and sizes. When attached, pedestal pins from the latch assembly rest within respective pedestals of the mounting bracket assembly, and a clamp component secures the latch assembly and thus the front end loader to the universal mounting bracket assembly and thus the motive equipment. Securement components lock the clamp in place in order to maintain its clamping function so that the latch assembly and mounting bracket assembly remain firmly secured together, even during rugged operation of the front end loader. 
     It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting system for front end loaders, front end loaders employing such a system, and a procedure for rapidly and easily engaging and disengaging the front end loader from a motive piece of equipment such as a tractor. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting system for mid-mount front end loaders, as well as procedures for attaching and detaching the front end loaders from motive equipment, which system and procedures incorporate a universal mounting bracket assembly to thereby reduce the number of components which must be manufactured, assembled and warehoused. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved front end loader mounting system and procedure which allow for mounting and dismounting easily within reasonable manufacturing tolerances without sacrificing versatility and durability. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide improved mid-mount front end loader mounting system apparatus and procedure wherein a plurality of securement components are safely and securely stored on the front end loader when unattached to a tractor and are easily and conveniently transformed into working positions at which attachment is accomplished, this being achieved without requiring any devices or tools separate from the apparatus itself. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from and clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the course of this description, reference will be made to the attached drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mid-mount loader secured to a tractor; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a front end loader and the mounting system in accordance with the invention, shown in a parked orientation, with a tractor being shown schematically moving toward the parked loader; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the lift cylinder retracted for alignment of the loader latch assembly with the mounting bracket assembly on the tractor; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view along the lines of FIG. 2, showing the loader fully installed and parking stands in their storage position; 
     FIG. 4A is a plan view of a detail of a preferred component of the latch assembly; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged, detail view of the assembled attachment components as generally shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the universal mounting bracket assembly according to the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the universal mounting bracket assembly of FIG. 6 in association with mounting kit components by which the universal mounting bracket assembly is secured to a tractor; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a typical relationship of two as-mounted universal mounting bracket assembles in association with tractor securement brackets; 
     FIGS. 9 a ,  9   b ,  9   c  and  9   d  are side elevational views providing examples of tractor mounting kits for different types of tractors; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view, somewhat exploded, of a mid-mount loader frame having latch assemblies according to the invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view, partially exploded, particularly illustrating a preferred clamp assembly; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged, detail side elevational view showing a preferred combination of securement components mounted in storage position onto the illustrated latch assembly; 
     FIG. 13 is a side elevational view similar to FIG.  12  and illustrating positions of various components intermediate of the storage and working positions; and 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13, with the various components being in their respective working positions for full attachment of the loader onto the tractor. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is generally illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows a front end loader generally designed as  21 . Also shown is a front portion of a tractor as an illustration of a suitable piece of motive equipment. A mounting system is generally shown at  23 . Loader  21  is a mid-mount front end loader having a frame assembly  24 , attachment control cylinders  25 , a bucket  26 , a bucket control cylinder  27  and parking stands  28 . It will be noted that the mounting system  23  is rearward of tractor wheels  29 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the front end loader  21  in its parked condition, the parking stands  28  and the bucket  26  resting upon generally level ground. An embodiment of the latch assembly is generally designated at  31 . A mounting bracket assembly is generally designated at  32 . It will be appreciated that in FIG. 2, the tractor is signified by wheel  29 . Included is a pedestal  33 . A second pedestal  34  also is shown. Each pedestal is positioned, sized and shaped to receive, in generally nesting fashion, pedestal pins  35  and  36 , respectively. 
     In FIG. 3, attachment control cylinder or lift cylinder  25  is shown retracted until the respective pedestal pins  35 ,  36  are positioned in general horizontal and lateral alignment with and for entry into respective pedestals  33 ,  34 . In this regard, a guide projection  37  is provided to facilitate proper seating of the pedestal pins within the pedestals. More particularly, the operator will move the motive equipment into the parked front end loader  21  generally and raise lower pedestal pin  35  by adjusting the bucket control cylinder FIG. 1) until pedestal pin  35  is engaged by the guide projection  37 . At that stage, minor adjustment of the lift cylinder  25  can be carried out, if necessary, in order to complete the nesting function. 
     Mounting bracket assembly  32  includes a universal mounting bracket assembly  38 , together with a tractor mounting bracket  39 . Assembly  32  can be considered to be a mounting kit which can be substantially permanently secured to a tractor or other piece of motive equipment. Even if the tractor mounting bracket  39  is specifically designed for a particular tractor, for example, the universal mounting bracket assembly  38  itself need not be modified to accommodate that particular tractor. 
     After the nesting of the pedestal pins into the pedestals is completed, a clamp assembly  41  is secured as described in greater detail herein. During movement of the mounting bracket assembly  32  into the latch assembly  31 , further alignment guidance is preferably provided by an internal guide plate  42  having tapered access ramps  43  opening into a receptor slot  44 , as generally shown in FIG.  4 A. 
     Greater detail of the latch assembly  31  and mounting bracket assembly  32 , as secured together, are found in FIG. 5. A first securement component  45  and a second securement component  46  are shown in place so as to lock down the latch assembly  31  onto the mounting bracket assembly  32 . The primary function of these securement components is to maintain proper placement of the clamp assembly  41  in a manner which will remain secure even during rough use typically associated with equipment and implements of this general type. For ease of operation and convenience, it is preferred that these securement components are easily stored on the front end loader itself when the front end loader is not attached to motive equipment such as a tractor. A particular embodiment is primarily shown herein, but it will understood that other specific structures are possible. 
     In this illustrated embodiment, the first securement component  45  is in the form of an elongated pin which is generally horizontally extending. Illustrated second securement component  46  is generally T-shaped. A generally transverse portion  47  of securement component  46  is shown to be generally parallel to the pin securement component  45 . A longitudinal portion  48  of the securement component  46  connects the transverse portion  47  to clamp member  49  when the loader is attached to the tractor. 
     Further details of the mounting bracket assembly  32  are provided in FIGS. 6,  7 ,  8 ,  9   a ,  9   b ,  9   c  and  9   d . For example, in FIG. 7, assembly components of a typical tractor mounting bracket assembly are shown. The illustrated assembly includes a mounting rail  51 , as well as a front member  52 , a rear member  53 , a bottom member  54  and a top cap  55 . These members provide rigid, stable and secure upwardly extending mounting of the universal bracket assembly  38 , which structure is enhanced by the plurality of gussets such as those shown at  56 ,  57  and  58 . FIG. 8 shows completed construction of a pair of mounting bracket assemblies  32 ,  32   a . It will be appreciated that, in each of the mounting bracket assemblies  32  and  32   a , the universal mounting bracket assembly  38  is identical, irrespective of whether same is positioned on the left or the right. Accordingly, during manufacture of the mounting bracket assembly, identical universal mounting bracket assemblies  38  are manufactured and assembled into any one of a number of attachment assemblies  59 ,  59   a  (FIG.  8 ),  61  (FIG. 9 a ),  62  (FIG. 9 b ),  63  (FIG. 9 c ) or  64  (FIG. 9 d ). 
     Additional details of the latch assemblies  31  and of the loader frame  24  are shown in FIG.  10 . Each latch assembly  31  is rotatably mounted to frame assembly  24  by any suitable structure, included the illustrated rod  65  received within sleeve  66 . A similar pivotal mount can be provided for the lift cylinder  25 , this mounting being generally represented in FIG. 10 by the sleeve  67 . Certain aspects of a preferred embodiment of the first securement component  45  also are shown in FIG.  10 . Included is a so-called quick pin having a shaft  68  and a handle  69 . Also shown in this view as a component of the mounting bracket assembly is a handle wrench  71 , fashioned for reception within projecting shelf member  72  of the latch assembly. Shelf member can take the form of generally parallel projections as shown in FIG. 10 or as a single projection, such as one which is generally C-shaped. 
     FIG. 11 provides specific details of a preferred embodiment of the second securement component, this being particularly efficient and cost effective to manufacture. In this illustrated embodiment, a clamp member or assembly  73  is provided with an internal or engaging surface  74  which is configured and sized so as to engage one of the pedestal pins, with the objective of clamping same between the latch assembly  31  and the mounting bracket assembly  32 . In this illustrated embodiment, clamp  73  clamps lower pedestal pin  36  up against lower pedestal  34 . By virtue of its being securely attached to both the latch assembly  31  and to the mounting bracket assembly  32 , clamp  73  secures together each of latch assembly  31 , mounting bracket assembly  32  and pedestal pin  36 . 
     Turning now to the specific clamp securing arrangements which are shown in this embodiment, the first securement component  45  takes the form of a so-called quick pin, composed of shaft  68  and handle  69  (FIG.  10 ). When the system is in its attached or working position, shaft  68  rests within openings  75  through each support plate  76  and  77 . Shaft  68  also passes through hole  78  of the clamp  73 , two such holes being shown in FIG.  11 . As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 14, the handle  69  of this illustrated quick pin is positioned for engagement with one of the support plates  76 , thereby preventing passage of the shaft  68  through opening  75 . Prevention of any substantial movement of the shaft  68  out of opening  75  is preferably prevented by another component of the assembly, as discussed elsewhere herein. 
     Securement of the clamp  73  to the mounting bracket assembly  32  takes the form, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, of a generally T-shaped securement component. This overall configuration allows for the longitudinal portion  48  of this securement component to remain permanently attached to the mounting bracket assembly  32 . In FIG. 11, this takes the form of a simple hex bolt  79 , which is secured in place in any customary or suitable manner, such as by the illustrated hex nut  81  and washer  82 . 
     The longitudinal portion is permanently secured to the transverse portion in any suitable or customary manner. In the embodiment which is illustrated in FIG. 11, the manner by which the longitudinal portion is secured to the transverse portion is an arrangement which can provide for some limited rotation of the longitudinal portion with respect to the transverse portion, to the extent such might be necessary to facilitate attachment and disattachment action. In FIG. 11, an eye bolt  83  is a primary component of the longitudinal portion of the second securement component  46 . Bolt  79  passes through its eye  84 , which effectively secures this longitudinal portion of the T-shaped assembly to its transverse portion. Continuing further with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, an extension nut  85 , in combination with lock washer  86 , secures the clamp  73  to the mounting bracket assembly  32 . 
     Further details regarding the operation of the specific embodiment that is illustrated in FIG.  10  and FIG. 11 are found in FIGS. 12,  13  and  14 . These figures illustrate generally the sequence of operations by which the respective locations of various components are transformed or used to move from a storage position as shown in FIG. 12 through a working position as shown in FIG.  14 . At the storage positions shown in FIG. 12, the extension nut  85  and the lock washer  86  are positioned along the handle wrench  71  which is stowed on a projecting shelf  72 . The storage position of illustrated quick pin  87  is within storage openings  88 ,  89  (FIG.  14 ). T-shaped securement component comprising transverse bolt  79  and longitudinal eye bolt  83  are shown at rest on the universal mounting bracket assembly  38 , which is not as yet secured to the latch assembly  31 . Clamp  73  is shown still in its storage position on the latch assembly  31 . 
     Reorientation of the various members from this storage position to the working position begins with removal steps. Each of the handle wrench  71 , the quick attach nut or extension nut  85 , and the lock washer  86  are removed from the projecting shelf  72 . In addition, the quick pin  87  and the clamp  73  are removed from their storage positions as shown in FIG. 12 to their working positions as shown in FIG.  13 . More specifically, quick pin  87  is passed through opening  91  at shelf member  72  and through a clamp mounting hole  92  (FIG. 11) of the universal mounting bracket assembly  38  (after same had been moved into general alignment with opening  91 ), thereby permitting continued passage of quick pin  87  through and into an opening (not shown) through the other plate of the latch assembly  31 , this opening being generally similar to opening  91 . This working position of the quick pin  87  is one in which quick pin handle  69  prevents further passage of the quick pin through the opening  91 . With this alignment completed, the clamp  73  readily swings over eye bolt  83 , which passes through hole  93  of the clamp  73 . 
     Next, as generally visible in FIG. 13, the lock washer  86  and extension nut  85  are installed over the eye bolt  83 . This installation is easily facilitated by use of the handle wrench  71  which readily fits through slots  94  of the extension nut, as is generally illustrated in FIG.  13 . Spacing of these holes and slots  94  along the periphery of the extension nut  85  allows the handle wrench to be inserted at multiple locations so that the operator&#39;s hand can easily clear surrounding components when loosening or tightening the extension nut  85 . 
     Thereafter, as evident in FIG. 14, the handle wrench  71  is returned to its storage position. At this location, the handle wrench  71  prevents any substantial outward movement of the quick pin  87  out of the opening  91 . If desired, appropriate measures may be taken to secure handle wrench  71  in its FIG. 14 position, such as by having force fit engagement between the shaft of the handle wrench  71  and the installed quick pin  87 . Alternatively or additionally, threading of one or more components can be provided. 
     It will be appreciated that an important advantage of the present invention is that the front end loader and the latch assembly depending therefrom are not directly attached to the frame of the motive equipment or tractor. Instead, the attachment is to the mounting bracket assembly  32 . When the assembly components are clamped together, a clearance hole permits one to get the quick pin in and out. When it is desired to take the quick pin out and remove the lock, this is readily accomplished. The quick pin is, in effect, a secondary latch. One needs to pull the pin out of its working position before it is possible to have the front end loader removed from the tractor or the like. 
     It will be understand that the embodiments of the present invention which have been described are illustrative of some of the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.