A DEVICE FOR QUICK CONNECTION OF HYDRAULIC TUBINGS

Abstract: In the process of soil excavating work or like work with the use of excavators and loaders, it is becoming more usual to use different hydraulically functioning implements. It is often necessary to exchange these implements several times during a working day, necessitating the driver to connect and disconnect the hydraulic hoses involved manually, which can be a time-consuming task and one which is encumbered with the risk of oil spilling from the hoses and generally soiling the clothing of the workman involved, tools and the surrounding ground. The hydraulic hoses that hang loosely from the removed implement are easily damaged and foreign particles and contaminating particles are able to enter the unprotected fittings. With the intention of providing better protection and to simplify connection of hydraulic hose couplings (8, 9) to different implements having hydraulic functions when using an implement quick-coupling arrangement (1) fitted to an excavator, digger or like machine, the couplings have been positioned in a protected place in the quick-coupling arrangement (1) itself and the connection is arranged so that when the movable part (6) of the quick-coupling moves in an implement coupling or implement uncoupling direction, the hydraulic couplings which are operative in powering movement of the implement will be connected or disconnected at the same time.

Description: A DEVICE FOR QUICK CONNECTION OF HYDRAULIC TUBINGS . Technical Field The present invention relates to a guick-coupling arrangement for effecting connection of an implement to an excavating machine, digger or like machine while also affection of the implement to a power system at the same time . Background Art In the process of soil excavating work or like work with the use of excavators and loaders, it iε becoming more usual to use different hydraulically functioning implements, such as slope shovels, special-duty shov¬ els, percussion hammers and pallet handling forks. It is often necessary to exchange these implements sever¬ al times during a working day, necessitating the driver to connect and disconnect the hydraulic hoses involved manually, which can be a time-consuming task and one which is encumbered with the serious risk of oil spilling from the hoses and generally soiling the clothing of the workman involved, tools and the sur- rounding ground. The hydraulic hoses that hang loosely from the removed implement are easily damaged and foreign particles and contaminating particles are able to enter the unprotected fittings. When the implement concerned is next fitted to the machine, these impuri- ties will be drawn into the hydraulic system of the machine and may cause serious damage to the hydraulic system, which is often very sensitive, resulting in unnecessary damage and operational breakdowns. The majority of present-day excavators are often fitted with a shovel guick-coupling arrangement which in¬ cludes a mechanical or a hydraulic locking means. In order to enable a power or drive system to be connected automatically to a working implement fitted to an excavator, digger or like machine, hydraulic quick-coupling devices are often used for coupling and connecting the implements directly from the driving cabin during the excavation work. In order to enable an implement to be coupled guickly and readily to the excavator while, at the same time, connecting a power fluid supply to the implement, that part of the ma¬ chine which is pivotally connected to the digging arm and the shovel or implement link is provided with one or more connecting and coupling parts, for instance female-type hydraulic couplings. The implement to be coupled to this part is provided with corresponding male-type hydraulic couplings. Subseguent to having fitted the implement, for instance to one side of said part and having rotated the implement so as to couple the other side of the implement firmly to the other side of said part, the male and female hydraulic coupling elements are brought together simultaneously, such as to hold the coupling elements together by the connection of the implement to said excavator part and the locking of said implement to said implement to said part. Coupling of an implement to an excavator need not be dependent on hydraulic functions, but may be accomplished purely mechanically. Disclosure of the Invention With the intention of providing better protection for hydraulic hose couplings and to simplify the connec- tion of such couplings to different implements having hydraulic functions with the aid of an implement quick-coupling fitted to an excavator, digger or like machine, the couplings have been positioned in a pro¬ tected place in the quick-coupling arrangement itself and the connection is arranged so that when the quick- coupling moves in an implement coupling or implement uncoupling direction, the hydraulic couplings which are operative in powering movement of the implement will be connected or disconnected at the same time. Thus, a driver is able to connect or disconnect an implement directly from the driving cabin of an exca¬ vating machine and the hydraulic system will be con¬ nected or disconnected at the same time as the quick- coupling is used to connect or disconnect the imple¬ ment. Brief Description of the Drawing Fig. 1 is in accordance with the invention a side viewofthe upper part ofan implement, forinstance a digging shovel having a hydraulic connection on the roof of the shovel, and a digging arm which is connected to a digging shovel. Figure 2 illustrates in accordance with the invention a shovel quick-coupling which incorporates hose couplings. Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention The illustrated implement quick-coupling arrangement for excavating machines in accordance with the inven¬ tion includes a hydraulic connection and is manoeu- vered hydraulically. However, the illustrated quick- coupling arrangement l may be manoeuvered manually or electromagnetically. When an implement, such as a bucket or shovel, is to be coupled to an excavator that is provided with a digging arm 12, a fixed semi¬ circular recess 2 on the quick-coupling device 1 of the excavator is brought into abutment with a trans¬ verse forward bolt 3 on the shovel attachment. A piston-cylinder device 4 is then activated so that the coupling will be aligned with the other transverse rearward bolt 5 of the shovel attachment. When the coupling is correctly aligned, a movable semi-circular recess provided on a locking mechanism 6 in the cou¬ pling is moved towards the second transverse bolt 5 with the aid of at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder device 7 or at least one mechanical lever, so that the quick-coupling having the recess 2 on the lock mecha¬ nism 6 can then be fully connected with the bolt 5 and therewith affix the shovel or bucket to the shovel attachment. The quick-coupling arrangement includes one or more hydraulic hose couplings, wherein a female part of one hydraulic hose coupling is fixedly mounted on a movable part which accompanies the movement of the locking mechanism 6 in the quick-coupling arrange¬ ment. Hydraulic quick-couplings 8 may be placed on both sides of the hydraulic piston-cylinder device 7 within the quick-coupling so as to be protected to the best possible extent. Corresponding hose coupling parts or implement (shovel) coupling parts, male parts 9, are mounted firmly on the implement, e.g. the bucket or shovel, with the aid of an attachment 11 such that the coup¬ ling parts will take positions that are suitable for receiving the female part 8 when the quick-coupling arrangement 1 is firmly locked to the bucket or shov¬ el. Aε the locking mechanism 6 of the quick-coupling 1 arrangement is activated so as to hold the bucket or shovel firmly, female parts 8 are, at the same time, moved in parallel over male parts 9 and are automati- cally locked in a fully inserted position by locking mechanisms 10 incorporated in the female couplings. Coupling of the implement and coupling of the hydrau¬ lics are thus effected at one and the same time. When the bucket, shovel or other relevant implement is to be disconnected, the locking mechanism 6 of the quick- coupling arrangement is activated in the opposite direction and, at the same time, the locking mechanism 10 of the female part 8 is released and the female part moved from its coupled position, therewith disen- gaging the implement and the hydraulic coupling simul¬ taneously. As a result of enabling the implement and the hydrau¬ lic system to be coupled simultaneously, the implement need not be provided with actual hydraulic hoses but can be connected directly to a power cylinder or the like while the hydraulic connections in the shovel quick-coupling arrangement obtain a small movement area and are well protected from above and from the side of the actual implement coupling. When the locking mechanism moves in a straight line so as to grip and accurately fixate the rear implement bolt, the hydrau¬ lic hose couplings will move forwards under power and will accompany said movement in parallel, therewith achieving extremely good alignment and guiding of the couplings towards the couplings on the implement, therewith connecting the implement hydraulically to the excavator in a reliable and safe fashion.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An arrangement for quickly coupling an implement to an excavator, digger or like machine while simul- taneously connecting a power system, for instance a hydraulic system, to the implement, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that a coupling arrangement (1) operating means (6) which functions to lock and hold the implement carries at least one working fluid coup- ling means (8) , wherein as the operating means (6) locks and holds said implement, the coupling means (8) is connected at the same time with a coupling means (9) mounted on the implement, so as to connect said working fluid with said implement. 2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the working fluid coupling means (8) comprises a female part in a hose coupling firmly connected to the movable operating means having the form of a locking mechanism (6); and in that the implement-mounted coupling means (9) is a male-coup¬ ling which is connected firmly to said implement, for instance a digging bucket or shovel. 3. An arrangement according to Claim 1, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d by means (7) for connecting the implement to or disconnecting the implement from the excavator while, at the same time, connecting an operating fluid source to or disconnecting an operat- ing fluid source from the implement. 4. An arrangement according to Claim 3, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the implement connecting and disconnecting means with simultaneous connection of operating fluid to the implement is comprised of at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder device or mechani¬ cal lever connected to the locking mechanism (6) and carrying the operating fluid coupling means (8).

Inventors: SONERUD JOHN TEODOR, SONERUD, JOHN, TEODOR
Applicants: SONERUD JOHN TEODOR, SONERUD, JOHN, TEODOR
Application year: 1992
Main classification: E02F3
IPC codes: E02F3