Abstract:
A pivot coupling system that permits the use of attachable equipment such as material pushers or containment plows with a range of vehicles including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility task vehicle (UTV), lawn and garden tractors, small farm tractors, small trucks, skid-steer loaders, etc.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/353,162 for a PIVOT COUPLING FOR CONTAINMENT PLOWS AND PUSHERS, by M. Guggino et al, filed Jun. 22, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
       [0002]    The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to an improved, simplified coupling that permits the use of material pushers, containment plows (e.g., snow pushers) and similar attachable equipment with a variety of vehicles that can be used to move equipment such as plows/pushers, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility task vehicle (UTV), lawn &amp; garden tractors, small farm tractors, small trucks, skid-steer loaders, etc. 
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Conventional snow pushers and similar containment plows have, for the most part, been designed for use with large vehicles such as loaders, backhoes and similar heavy-duty equipment that have buckets or other standard coupling mechanisms to allow the vehicle to be easily attached to the containment plow. As containment plows are becoming more accepted for plowing, cleaning and maintaining smaller areas, or areas that cannot withstand the weight of heavy equipment (e.g., turf football fields, feed lots, bladder-lined reservoirs, etc.), a need has been recognized to easily fit such containment plows and similar attachable equipment to smaller vehicles. However, an impediment to simply putting a containment plow on the front of an ATV or a UTV, as that such vehicles have different coupling mechanisms, and require customizations in order to work with conventional couplers used on such plow/pushers. Moreover, some vehicles lack or have limited ability to raise and lower a plow attached to the front of the vehicle, let alone adjust the angle of tilt of the plow relative to a surface being plowed. 
         [0004]    Recognizing a need to provide improved connect-ability for containment plows, material pushers and the like, the various embodiments described herein seek to “standardize” the containment plow with a simple pivoting attachment mechanism, and thereby enabling use of such equipment by only altering the vehicle interface in order to fit the same plow, or same plow model to different vehicles. In doing so, customized couplers have been designed to fit a range of different vehicles and the couplers each have a plow interface that is common, including a pivoting connection to allow the plow/pusher to “ride” over surface changes while still providing a tilt-angle limiting feature. The plow interface provides for easy separation of the plow from the coupler by removal of a pivot pin(s). Moreover, the ease of coupling/uncoupling the plow allows for multiple vehicles to be fit with a coupler which allows a plow outfitted with the coupling to be used interchangeably with several vehicles. 
         [0005]    Disclosed in embodiments herein is a material pusher coupling system, comprising: a material pusher having a pair of spaced-apart hinge bosses (knuckles) attached to a rear of the pusher and located along a common axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the material pusher; a vehicle coupler including a pusher interface on one side thereof and a vehicle interface on another side thereof, where the pusher interface includes at least one hinge boss fitting between the spaced apart hinge bosses in a position where a common hinge pin extends through the interior of the spaced-apart hinge bosses and the at least one hinge boss, so as to cause the material pusher and the vehicle coupler to be in a pivoting, hinged connection to one another; and wherein the vehicle interface is suitable for attachment to structural components of the vehicle to which the material pusher is to be attached for use. 
         [0006]    Also disclosed in embodiments herein is an equipment coupling system, comprising: an attachable piece of equipment having a pair of spaced-apart hinge bosses attached to a rear thereof, the hinge bosses being located along a common axis, said axis being parallel with a longitudinal axis of the piece of equipment; a vehicle coupler including an equipment interface on one side thereof and a vehicle interface on another side thereof, where the equipment interface includes at least one hinge boss, fitting between the spaced apart hinge bosses, in a position where a common hinge pin extends through the interior of the spaced-apart hinge bosses and the at least one hinge boss on the vehicle coupler, to cause the piece of equipment and the vehicle coupler to be in a pivoting, hinged connection to one another; and wherein the vehicle interface is suitable for attachment to components of the vehicle to which the piece of equipment is to be attached for use. 
         [0007]    Further disclosed in embodiments herein is an alternative embodiment where pins are employed for the connection of equipment to vehicles, for example, an equipment coupling system, comprising: an attachable piece of equipment having at least one pair of spaced-apart first bosses attached to a rear thereof, each pair of first bosses being located and aligned along a common axis, said axis being parallel with a longitudinal axis of the piece of equipment; a vehicle coupler including an equipment interface on one side thereof and a vehicle interface on another side thereof, where the equipment interface includes at least one pair of second bosses for each of the first bosses on the attachable piece of equipment, wherein for each of said first bosses and associated pair of second bosses a common pin extends through the interior of the first boss and pair of second bosses on the ends thereof to cause the piece of equipment and the vehicle coupler to be connected to one another; and wherein the vehicle interface is suitable for attachment to components of the vehicle to which the piece of equipment is to be attached for use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate components of a material pusher (e.g., a turf pusher) and an associated coupler in accordance with a disclosed embodiment; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary illustration of the pivot coupling system with a “dummy” coupler; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the coupling system; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are illustrative examples of alternative couplers from the vehicle side; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an illustrative example of an alternative coupler from the plow side; and 
           [0013]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are perspective views of an alternative coupling system embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    The various embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to those embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments and equivalents set forth. For a general understanding, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like references have been used throughout to designate identical or similar elements. It is also noted that the drawings may not have been drawn to scale and that certain regions may have been purposely drawn disproportionately so that the features and aspects could be properly depicted. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring to the figures, depicted therein are various embodiment of the disclosed pivoting coupling system. For example, in  FIGS. 1-3 , there is shown a material pusher coupling system  100 . The system includes a piece of equipment such as a material pusher  90  having a pair of spaced-apart hinge bosses  110  (also referred to as hinge knuckles) attached to a rear surface or structure  94  of the pusher and located along a common axis  120 , parallel with the longitudinal axis of the material pusher. Also included is a vehicle coupler  160  including a pusher interface on one side thereof and a vehicle interface on another side thereof, where the pusher interface side includes at least one hinge boss  162  designed to fit in-between the spaced apart hinge bosses in a position where a common hinge pin  180  extends through the interior of the spaced-apart hinge bosses and the at least one hinge boss on the coupler, thereby causing the material pusher and the vehicle coupler to be in a pivoting or hinged connection to one another. And, as illustrated, for example, in  FIG. 5 , the vehicle interface is suitable for attachment to structural components of the vehicle  210  to which the material pusher is to be attached for use. 
         [0016]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2-3, 5 and 7 , the pusher interface or coupler  160  may include an angular limit device(s)  168  in the form of a block, weldment, or possibly even a deformable material, attached to the front of the interface adjacent the hinge boss  162 —in one embodiment the angular limits  168  are attached on and parallel with either side of the boss itself. The angular limit  168  is intended to control the relative amount of pivot (rotation) of the material pusher  90  with respect to the vehicle  210 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , these figures, respectively, illustrate examples of alternative coupling systems  100 , or more particularly vehicle coupler  160  for both Avant Tecno and Steiner tractors. In the case of coupler  160  in  FIG. 6A , the vehicle side is similar to the known adapter plate (e.g., Part No. A2471 from AVANT TECNO USA Inc.) and includes a pair of attachment hooks  610  at the top of plate  612 , and a foot  614  beneath the hooks, the foot having a hole for receiving a locking pin from the Avant machine to lock the adaptor in place. The vehicle coupler  160  for the Steiner vehicle has a vehicle interface similar in design to a Steiner Quick-Hitch™ System, and is illustrated in  FIG. 6B , formed as a generally horizontally-oriented component that includes, on each side thereof a U-shaped receiver  640  on each end of adaptor  642 , and holes  644  through which a locking pin(s)  646  may be placed to lock the adaptor to the tractor (not shown).  FIG. 7  is an example of an alternative coupler  160  that is designed for a Toro tractor, and is shown from the plow or attachment side. 
         [0018]    As will be further appreciated, while the amount of pivot about the hinge pin  180  is limited by the potential contact of the coupler and the plow, the addition of the angular limit devices  168  may be customized for particular couplers to match the capability of the vehicle. For example, a vehicle having the coupler attached directly to its frame or to a limited-lift structure would only have a small amount of permitted pivot range (arrow  190 ), whereas a vehicle (e.g.,  210 ) having the ability to significantly raise/lower a plow, snow blower, bucket, etc., may have a greater pivot range to permit more flexibility in the use of the plow, for example, over uneven surfaces. Thus, the relative amount of pivot (e.g., rotation about axis  120 ) for a particular coupling system is dependent upon or a function of the vehicle&#39;s configuration or capability. 
         [0019]    While in general practice the angular limit  168  would be placed on the coupler interface so that it may be customized to the vehicle as described above, it is contemplated that in an alternative embodiment the rear surface of the material pusher has the angular limit installed to control the relative amount of pivot (rotation) of the material pusher with respect to the vehicle. Also contemplated is the use of an adjustable angular limit device or configuration, where a surface of the limit device can be adjusted, or replaced with a device of different size in order to modify the pivot range. 
         [0020]    As noted, the coupling to a vehicle is completed by insertion of a hinge pin  180  through the middle of the hinge bosses attached to the plow and the coupler, with the hinge pin spanning at least a combined length of the bosses. Preferably the hinge pin outer diameter is just slightly smaller than the diameter of the hinge bosses (e.g., from 0.5″-1.5″ in diameter) and the pin extends slightly beyond the end of the outermost bosses, and also includes through holes in it that enable the use of a washer(s) and a locking mechanism such as a spring-type linch pin  194  to be placed through it in order to retain the hinge pin in place once the coupling is completed. 
         [0021]    Turning now to  FIGS. 8A-8B , depicted therein is an alternative embodiment of the coupling system  100  that employs multiple pins  180  and associated bosses  110  placed at several locations on the rear of the pusher  90  or similar equipment attachment. In the illustrated embodiment, several options are available for attachment and use of the equipment coupling system. For the first option, the spaced-apart first bosses  110   a  on the rear surface  94  of the snow pusher  90  are spread out to provide more stability to the coupling system. The attachment has, for at least several of the first bosses  110   a  a pair of second bosses  110   b  on the face of the coupler that “sandwich” or surround at least a pair of the first bosses  110   a . In this first option, two of either the upper or lower pair of first bosses  110   a  may be pinned to the coupler  160  to provide the hinged coupling in a manner equivalent to the discussion above—but with shorter pins  180 , permitting ease of attachment and detachment. 
         [0022]    In the second option, each of the spaced-apart first bosses  110   a  on the attachable piece of equipment, such as pusher  90 , is located and aligned along a common axis (e.g., axis  120 ), the axis being parallel with a longitudinal axis of the piece of equipment. The vehicle coupler  160 , includes the equipment interface on the equipment-facing or front side thereof in  FIG. 8B , and a vehicle interface on the vehicle-facing or rear side thereof, and the equipment interface includes at least one pair of second bosses  110   b  for several or each of the first bosses  110   a  on the rear of equipment. Moreover, each of the first bosses and associated pair of second bosses has a common-sized pin extending through them to connect the first and second bosses, and to thereby cause the piece of equipment and the vehicle coupler to be connected to one another. In the illustration of  FIG. 8B , if all four pins  180  are employed, the coupler provides for a non-pivoting attachment of the equipment to the vehicle—which may be preferable in certain vehicle and equipment use configurations (e.g., where the vehicle itself includes an adjustable-angle attachment that allows an operator to change or control the angle of the equipment when it is attached for use). As will be appreciated from a review of  FIG. 8A , each of the first bosses  110   a  further includes a reinforcement  98  so as to spread the load applied to the first boss during use over a larger portion or structure of the pusher rear surface  94 . 
         [0023]    It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore anticipated that all such changes and modifications be covered by the instant application.