Patent GB-1449913-A (GB)
Title: Connection of implements to vehicles
IPC: B62D49/00
Filed: 1973-09-28
Abstract: 1449913 Quick hitch JEAN WALTERSCHEID GmbH 28 Sept 1973 [29 Sept 1972 20 Feb 1973] 45417/73 Heading A1P A quick hitch and p.t.o. coupling consists of a plate 16 having a hook 20 engageable with a shaped roller 5 mounted between a pair of parallel arms 10, the roller 5 having a horizontal axis of rotation and the arms 10 being pivoted about a horizontal shaft 8, and braced by a horizontal cross member 28, so as to be swingable from the rearwardly extending inclined position shown in Fig. 3 to the vertical closed position shown in Fig. 5. The arms 10 are fixed by means of the shaft 8 to a pair of vertical bars 2 fixed to a tractor. A pair of hooks 11 are fixed to the bars 2 by a shaft 37 about which the hooks 11 may pivot. The hooks 11 cooperate with slots 21 in the plate 16 when the hitch is closed. The hooks 11 are locked in the closed position by locking members 14 slidably connected to the hooks 11 by brackets 32. The hooks 11 are released from the locked and closed position by pulling a handle 13 which passes at 39 through two angularly offset slots 33 and 34 in the bracket 32 and locking member 14 respectively. This action causes the locking members 14 to slide towards the shaft 37 out of the slots 21, the handle 13 then engages the top of slot 33 and lifts the hooks 11 out of closing engagement with the plate 16. In the closed position the hooks 11 simultaneously engage the cross member 28. The plate 16 is provided with a hole 22 through which one half 24 of a quick release p.t.o. coupling protrudes. Part 43 of the p.t.o. shaft 23 is mounted in a bearing 44 to 50 which may float in a constrained radial manner to accommodate mating of the quick release coupling 7 and 24 on closing the hitch. Hitching implement is achieved by lifting the handle 13 allowing the arms 10 to fall backwards, reversing the tractor so that the roller 5 contacts and rolls up the plate 16 until engaging the hook 20 when the diabolo configuration centres the plate 16. Continued reversing of the tractor causes the roller 5 to lift the plate 16 into the closed position with hooks 11 engaging slots 21, and guide means 25 to 27 further centering the plate 16. Unhitching implements is achieved by lifting the handle 13 and driving the tractor away. In an alternative embodiment the arms 10 are cranked and slots (52) Fig. 6 (not shown) are provided into which the cross bar (31) of a conventional power lift may enter so that the coupling action may be power operated. In a further embodiment the plate (61) Figs. 7 to 9 (not shown) is provided with horizontal bars (65 and 66) extending beyond the sides of the plate (61) which engage in hooks (72) where they are locked in position by locking members (73) remotely releasable by a linkage means (75 to 78). The arms (55) of this embodiment may be power operated by means of a chain link (60) connection from a lever (57) splined onto the shaft (54) to the power lift arms (59). The vertical bars 2 may be perforated Fig. 11 (not shown) to allow a variety of positions for the shaft 8. The hook 20 may consist of a triangular flange (83) Fig. 10 (not shown) and the roller (87) may have an extended centre part of reduced uniform diameter.