MASTERHITCH EXCAVATOR BUCKET COUPLING SYSTEM

Abstract: An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system as illustrated, consisting of a hitch body (4) which is locked onto the bucket or accessory (5). This is carried out by means of the locking of a half tube section (8) and the end plate (7) against and between the tubular chassis section of the bucket (1), and the locking plate (6). Two locking pins (9) are powered through the two holes in the locking plate (6) to lock the hitch body to the bucket. Subsequent different buckets can be easily fitted to the same excavator by unlocking the hitch from the bucket and then locking the hitch on to the new bucket.

Description: MASTERHITCH EXCAVATOR BUCKET COUPLING SYSTB4 This invention relates to a coupling system for attaching different digging buckets and accessories on to an excavator. On all excavators there is a requirement to attach different sizes and shapes of digging buckets and other attachments. - Usually only one of these is attached to the machine at any time. The traditional method of attaching these excavator buckets is by removing the main two connecting pins ("Bucket pins"), and re-positioning the arm of the excavator in line with the new attachment or bucket, and re-fitting and securing these bucket pins. Depending upon the nature of the work that the excavator is involved with, this changing process could be carried out up to 10 times in any one day. This process is awkward, time consuming and often results in damage to that part of the excavator and bucket. In addition, buckets manufactured to fit one make and size of excavator will not usually fit any others (this is due to different bucket pin sizes and widths and geometry of the bucket rotation mechanism). With a "Bucket coupling system", once this has been fitted to the excavator, all sizes of bucket can be fitted to all makes of excavator, (provided that it is in the same weight class). This is of considerable assistance and saves stocking many different sizes and type of buckets. There is therefore a requirement for a quick and easy method of changing excavator buckets, or 'bucket hitch'. Other types of coupling systems have been designed and produced in the past, in an attempt to find a solution to this problem. The MASTERHITCH excavator ^ucket coupling system as described is a simple, quick and easy method of attaching and removing different buckets to the same excavator. The MASTERHITCH works by having the mam top chassis member of the bucket or attachment made in the form of a tubular section. There is a back plate welded to this tube, forming the back of the bucket. There is a slot of fixed dimensions cut into the back plate in the centre of the bucket and adjacent to the tube. The hitch part attached to the excavator has a fixed length of steel tube, cut in half down its length fixed to it. It is mounted between two hook sections, which locate in to the fixed slot in the back plate of the bucket. This half steel tube is rotated around the steel tubular section of the bucket until the hitch lays flat on the back plate of the bucket. At this time, a steel end plate with two locking pins mounted therein, comes in to line with another steel locking plate mounted on the back plate. This has two locking holes drilled in it. The two locking pins are activated, which lock in to this locking plate. The hitch which is totally sealed is permanently secured to the bucket until such time as the locking pins are withdrawn. This invention provides a secure fastening between the h ιtch and the bucket (or any other attachment) of an excavator, whereby a half tube section of trie hitch is rotated around the tubular section which forms the main chassis of an excavator bucket until the end plate on the hitch comes into line with the locking plate mounted on the back plate of the bucket. At this time the two locking pins in th hitch are powered out through the two locking holes in the locking plate. This rotating and locking action ams the hitch between the tubular section of the bucket and the locking plate mounted on the bucket. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig: 1 shows a typical bucket with the hitch half hooked on. F g: 2 is a cross section through the hitch and bucket i the locked position showing the key parts. Fig: 3 is a plan view of the two locking pins showing the hydraulic ram and the moving, guide, end and locking plates in the unlocked position. Fig: 4 is a plan view cf the two locking pins showing the hydraulic ram and the moving, guide, end and locking plates in the locked position. With reference to the drawings, the bucket or attachment to be mounted on the excavator consist-*--; of a main tubular chassis section 1. To this there is fixed the back plate 2. To attach the hitch to the bucket, the hitch body 4 is lined up with the bucket or attachment. To facilitate this, two "wings" are fixed to either side of the rectangular hole at an angle of 45°. The hook section 3 of the hitch is hooked in to the rectangular hole cut into the back plate of the bucket. The hitch is then rotated until the end plate 7 lines up with the locking plate 6 (which is fixed to the bucket or attachment). The two locking pins 9, linked together by the moving plate ,15, guided by the two guide plates 11 are then powered hydraulically by the hydraulic ram 12 from the excavator's hydraulics until they pass fully through the locking plate 6, guided by the tapers on the ends of the pins. " (he hitch It. then secui elv edged between tine tubular '-iiassis. <= '* tιon of the Uι< ket aικi I tie locking p^Lat l r additional * αlety a L king bαi K- lnserted through the locking bar hole 14. and p^ans the full width oi te hi t'Ji With 1 hi locking bar in place even • lo.il. j t e hvdt auL it_* be ope i a ted accidentally, the locking pins could not be withdrawn. Meet ronic -~.wit.ch nfci p the itch body en es anv movement ol ■ --ithei the locking pins or 1 he moving plate 15. This operates .-. warning light and a l' _,?'--ι iirb_. e 1 h*- 1 f.ab oT the e* cavαtoi . to \ <-t to 111*= attention f the oρeι atoi the Fact t.ut the locking pins .tie being withdrawn ' r at - idenL-tliy rn delibei ately ) . (here i * - an integral tested lilting I wok built into the hitch body. To remove or change the bucket oi Attachment, the locking bar ι*_ i oved and the locking pins die hvdraulic-ally withdrawn. The hitch can be i oiled of 1 t e bucket. A d moved to the new bucket or attachment an 1 he above P ' i oces . repeated.

Claims: CUMMS 1. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, where the hitch part, incorporating a steel tube cut in half down its length, locates over the main tubular chassis of the bucket. Two hook sections of the hitch locate into a rectangular hole of fixed dimensions on the bucket. The hitch is locked into place by rotating the hitch around the tubular chassis until the end plate of the hitch lines up with the locking plate fixed to the bucket or attachment. Two locking pins are then powered through holes in the end plate and locking plate. This wedges the hitch between the locking plate and the tubular chassis. 2. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where the hitch is guided on to the bucket by two tapered curved hooks which locate into a slot in the bucket. 3. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where the locking pins are powered hydraulically by a self contained hydraulic ram, fed from the hydraulics of the excavator. 4. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where the locking pins are prevented from accidental withdrawal by a locking bar inserted manually. 5. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where the whole mechanism is totally sealed against all ingress of dirt, water and the like. 6. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where the hitch has an ' ntegral tested hook for the attachment of lifting chains and slings. 7. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where there are two guiding "Wings" fixed to the tubular section of the bucket to enable simple location of the hooks on the hitch body into the rectangular hole in the bucket. 8. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as clairrted in claim 1, where location and sideways movement of the hitch body against the bucket is prevented by the extension of the hitch body on either side of the locking plate. 9. An excavator bucket and attachment coupling system, as claimed in claim 1, where an electronic switch senses the movement of the locking pins and moving plate, and sends an electric signal to the instruments mounted in the cab of the excavator.

Inventors: EDELEANU HUGH ROBERT, EDELEANU, HUGH, ROBERT
Applicants: EDELEANU HUGH ROBERT, EDELEANU, HUGH, ROBERT
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E02F3
IPC codes: E02F3