Patent Publication Number: US-2007098538-A1

Title: Mount apparatus and method for attaching three-point hitch implements to front arms of a front-end loader

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/732,467, filed on Nov. 1, 2005. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD  
      The present disclosure relates generally to a mount apparatus for three-point hitch implements, and more particularly to mount apparatus for attaching three-point hitch implements to front loader arms of a front-end loader.  
     BACKGROUND  
      The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.  
      Typically, three-point hitch implements, such as landscape rakes, augers and various blades are arranged to be pulled behind a tractor by attaching the implements to a rear end of a tractor via a three-point hitch. To facilitate attaching the implements to the three-point hitch, commonly a quick-hitch apparatus is attached to a pair of outer or draft links and an upper center link of the three-point hitch. The quick-hitch apparatus has hooks adapted for quick attachment to three-point hitch attachment locations on the implement. Though the implements are generally effective when being pulled behind the tractor, the degree of freedom for maneuvering the implements can be limited. As such, the implements may not be able to access some tight or otherwise difficult to reach areas, such as ditches, or the tractor may get stuck while attempting to maneuver the implement to the desired location.  
     SUMMARY  
      To overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, a mounting apparatus for attaching a three-point hitching implement to the front arms of a front-end loader are provided. The mounting apparatus has a bracket disposed between the front arms of the front arm loader and the quick-coupler mechanism. In this regard, the bracket provides four mounting points for rotational coupling to a pair of control link arms and lower arms. Three mounting locations are provided for coupling the quick-coupler to the bracket.  
      In one embodiment, a mounting apparatus is provided which has an upper hook and a pair of lower hooks. The upper and lower hooks are adapted for direct attachment to a three-point hitch implement. These hooks are coupled to a generally planar body which is coupled to a quick attach face plate having a pair of flanges extending laterally from the body. Each flange defines a pair of openings adapted for pivotal attachments to a front arm of a front arm loader. The front arms each have top and bottom arms. The brackets are rotationally coupled to the top and bottom arms to form a four-bar linkage.  
      Further disclosed is a method for attaching a three-point hitch implement to a pair of control link arms and front loader arms of a front-end loader. A quick attach face plate is attached to the control link arms via a pair of generally parallel flanges. A three-point quick-hitch apparatus is removably coupled to the quick attach face plate. A three-point hitch implement is then coupled to upper and lower hooks of the three-point quick-hitch apparatus.  
      Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS  
      Some of the objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent in view of the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments and best mode, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mount apparatus according to one presently preferred embodiment shown attached to a pair of front loader arms of a front-end loader;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view similar to  FIG. 1  with a quick-hitch apparatus attached to the mount apparatus to facilitate attaching three-point implements to the front loader arms;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view similar to  FIG. 2  with a wheeled cart having three-point hitch attachment points attached to the front loader arms via the quick-hitch apparatus and mount apparatus;  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  represent exploded front and rear perspective views of the mount apparatus with quick-hitch apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  represent perspective views of a mount apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention; and  
       FIGS. 7 and 8  represent rear perspective views of the mount apparatus shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.  
      Referring in more detail to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a mount apparatus  10  constructed according to one embodiment attached to front loader arms of a transporting vehicle, represented here as a front loader arm assembly of a front-end loader  14 , for example, to facilitate attaching three-point implements to the front loader arms. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a quick-hitch apparatus  16  can be attached to the mount apparatus  10  to further facilitate attaching the desired three-point hitch implement to the loader arm assembly  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the three-point implement is represented, by way of example and without limitations, as a wheeled cart  18  having three-point hitch attachment points, including an upper center hitch point  20  and a pair of lower laterally spaced hitch points  22 , arranged per known engineering standards for attachment to a standard three-point hitch. It should be recognized that any desired three-point hitch implement, such as a landscape rake, auger, or various blades, for example, could be attached to the front loader arm assembly  12  via the mount apparatus  10 . It should also be recognized that the implements could be attached directly to the mount apparatus  10  without incorporating the quick-hitch apparatus  16 . As such, the mount apparatus  10  provides a quick, economical and relatively easy mechanism in which to attach three-point implements to the front loader arm assembly  12 , rather than to the rear end of the front-end loader  14 . As such, with the implement attached to the loader arm assembly  12 , the implement can be outstretched an increased distance and lowered to increased depths, thereby providing increased flexibility for maneuvering the implement, thus, enhancing the overall usefulness of the implement.  
      The front-end loader arm assembly  12  is represented here, for example, as having a pair of lower arms  24  movable upwardly and downwardly via a pair of actuators (not shown), and a pair of upper control link arms  28  movable fore and aft via another pair of actuators  30 . The lower arms  24  have free ends  32  with through openings adjacent thereto for pivotal attachment via pins  34  to a standard bucket (not shown), for example, which is commonly provided as original equipment on the front-end loader  14 . The upper control link arms  28  have free ends  36  with through openings adjacent thereto for pivotal attachment of the bucket via pins  38  thereto. The upper control link arms  28  have opposite ends  40  attached to the actuators  30 , and also arranged for operable attachment to the lower arms  24  via a pair of pivot links  42 . Accordingly, the lower arms  24  provide upward and downward movement of the implement, while the upper control link arms  28  provide tilting or pivoting movement of the implement.  
      As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the upper control link arms  28 , lower control link arms  24 , pivot link arms  42 , and quick attach face plate assembly  62  of the mount apparatus  10  define a four-bar linkage, which allows for the controlled movement of the quick-hitch apparatus  16 . In this regard, actuation of the upper actuator  30  and lower actuator allow for vertical, horizontal and rotational movement of the quick-hitch apparatus  16  with respect to the front-end loader  14 .  
      The quick-hitch apparatus  16  can be of any type attachable to a three-point hitch, such as those readily available from Case New Holland under part number B91368, for example. The quick-hitch apparatus  16  has a rear surface  44  with three-point hitch attachment points, including an upper center hitch point and a pair of lower laterally spaced hitch points, as described above for the cart  18 . An opposite front surface  46  of the quick-hitch apparatus  16  has three hooks ( FIG. 2 ) arranged directly opposite the three-point attachment points. Accordingly, there is an upper central hook  48  and a pair of laterally spaced lower hooks  50 , wherein the lower hooks  50  preferably have releasable locking mechanisms  52  to facilitate maintaining the implement attached thereto, while in use.  
      The mount apparatus  10  has a generally planar body  54 , represented here, for example, as having a generally inverted u-shaped, with laterally spaced upright supports  56  ( FIG. 1 ) attached to one another at an upper portion thereof via a cross support  58  extending between the upright supports  56 . The body  54  has front and rear surfaces  60 ,  61 , respectively, facing opposite directions from one another with a quick attach face plate assembly  62  extending laterally outwardly from the rear surfaces  61  of the upright supports  56 .  
      The quick attach face plate assembly  62  is arranged generally adjacent opposite sides of the body  54  and is arranged for close communication with the lower arms  24  and the upper control link arms  28 . The quick attach face plate assembly  62 , represented here, by way of example and without limitations, has a pair of parallel plates spaced from one another to define a pair of laterally spaced pockets  64  ( FIG. 5 ). The pockets  64  are spaced from one another for close receipt of the lower arms  24  and the upper control link arms  28  therein. Each plate has a pair of through openings  33  and  35  arranged for axial alignment with respective ones of the through openings in the lower arms  24  and upper control link arms  28 , such that the pins  34 ,  38  can be disposed through the aligned openings to pivotally attach the mount apparatus  10  to the loader arm assembly  12 . Disposed within the pockets  64  is coupling mechanism  65 . Coupling mechanism  65  has a selectively retractable or engagable pin  80 . Pin  80 , which is actuated by movement of lever arm  82 , is configured to engage slot  84  defined within a lower flange  86  formed in the planar body  54 .  
      Additional lateral rigidity can be provided to the mount apparatus  10 , such as by incorporating a stabilizer between the quick attach face plate assembly  62 . The stabilizer is represented here as a tubular cross beam  66  through the quick attach face plate assembly  62  generally midway between the through openings, for example. An upper bracket  68  extends laterally outwardly from the front surface  60  of the cross support  58 , shown here, for example, as being centered equidistantly between the upright supports  56 . The upper bracket  68  has a through opening  69  to facilitate attachment to the center hitch point  20  of the three-point hitch implement (not shown), or the quick-hitch apparatus  16 , as desired. The upper bracket  68  can be attached to the body  54  with the use of fasteners, or, as represented here, by a weld joint, for example.  
      A pair of lower brackets  70  extends laterally outwardly from the front surface  60  of the body  54  with a separate one of the lower brackets  70  extending from opposite ones of the upright supports  56 . The lower brackets  70  are spaced a predetermined distance beneath the upper bracket  68  and have through openings  71  to facilitate attachment to the lower hitch points  22  of the three-point hitch implement, or the quick-hitch apparatus  16 , as desired.  
      In use, the mount apparatus  10  is attached to the loader arm assembly  12  by axially aligning the openings in the quick attach face plate assembly  62  with the respective openings in the lower arms  24  and the control link arms  28 . The pins  34 ,  38  are then disposed therein to maintain the quick attach face plate assembly  62  in pivotally attached relation to the loader arm assembly  12 . The apparatus  10  is then coupled to the quick attach face plate assembly  62 . In this regard, a coupling surface  73  is disposed within a hook surface  75  defined in the planar body  54 . Lever arms  82  are engaged so as to allow engagement of the pins  80  in the slots  84 , thus locking the apparatus  10  to the quick attach face plate assembly  62 . Upon being attached to the loader arm assembly  12 , the desired implement can be attached directly to the mount apparatus  10  by aligning the upper center hitch point  20  and the pair of lower laterally spaced hitch points  22  of the implement with the through opening  69  in the upper bracket  68  and the through openings  71  in the lower brackets  70 , respectively. Pins or carriage bolts can then be used to secure the implement directly to the mount apparatus  10 , or the quick-hitch apparatus  16  can be attached to the mount apparatus  10 , thereby allowing the desired implement to be quickly attached to the arm assembly  12  of the front-end loader  14 .  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  represent front and rear perspective exploded views of the relationship of the mount apparatus  10  coupled to the lower arm assembly  12 . Generally, the mount apparatus  10  functions as a coupling mechanism between the upper and lower hooks  48  and  50 , the lower arms  24 , and the control link arms  28 . Further, by functioning as an element of a four-bar linkage, the apparatus  10  allows for manipulations of a device held by the central and lower hooks  48  and  50 . By varying the location of the through openings  33  and  35  within respect to each other, adjustments of the movement and connection angle of the implement can be made. As such, it is envisioned, a plurality of holes  33  that represent mounting locations for the lower arm can be defined in the bracket. Similarly, a plurality of holes  35  can be defined in the quick attach face plate assembly  62  for facilitating coupling of the mount apparatus  10  to the control link arms  28 .  
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  represent an alternate mount apparatus  72  according to one embodiment of the present teachings. Coupled directly to the planar body  54  are the central and lower hooks  48  and  50  disposed on the front surface  60 . Further coupled to a rear surface  61  is the quick attach face plate assembly  62 . The general planar body  54  can be formed of a single stamped piece of sheet metal or can be formed of a plurality of metal components which are welded or fastened together.  
      The central hook  48  is coupled to the planar body  54  by a coupling bracket  74 . The coupling bracket  74 , which is welded or bolted to the planar body  54 , has a plurality of vertically displaced holes  76 , which allow for adjustment of the center hook  48  with respect to the lower hooks  50 .  
      As described above, the lower hooks  50  can also have an associated locking mechanism  52 . It is envisioned the locking mechanism  52  can additionally have an automatic or manual actuator  78  which functions to engage or disengage the locking mechanism  52 . As described above, pins  34  and  38  are used to couple the controlling arms  28  and free ends  32  of the lower arms  24  to the quick attach face plate assembly  62 . Engagement of the actuator  30  or the actuator of the lower arm  24  will cause the rotation or vertical translation of the alternate mount apparatus  72  and associated implement.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the mounting apparatus  72  couples the central and lower hooks  48  and  50  directly to the controlling arms  28  and the lower arms  24  utilizing pins  34  and  38 . As described above, the quick attach face plate assembly  62  of the mounting apparatus  72  by functioning as an element of a four-bar linkage. This allows for vertical, horizontal and rotational manipulations of a device held by the central and lower hooks  48  and  50 . The direct coupling of the central and lower hooks  48  and  50  to the planar body  54  allow for a quick coupling of the mounting apparatus  72  to both loader arm assembly and to a three point implement.  
      The embodiments of the mount apparatus  10  and  72  and associated transporting vehicle  14  discussed above are intended to be illustrative of presently preferred embodiments, and not limiting. Various modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention is defined, at least in part, by the claims that follow.