Patent ID: 8622645

Claim:
A coupler for an excavator, the coupler comprising: a main body having first and second spaced-apart recesses for receiving respective pins of an excavator attachment; a first latching member comprising a first body, said first latching member being pivotably coupled to said main body and being movable into and out of a latching state in which it is capable of retaining a respective attachment pin in said first recess; a second latching member comprising a second body, said second latching member being pivotably coupled to said main body and being movable into and out of a latching state in which it is capable of retaining a respective attachment pin in said second recess; at least one actuator coupled to said main body and configured to selectively actuate said first latching member into and out of said latching state and actuate said second latching member into and out of said latching state; and a blocking member comprising a body having a free end, said blocking member being movable into and out of a blocking state in which said blocking member lies in the path of the second latching member to prevent the second latching member from leaving its latching state by engagement with said free end, said blocking member being movable into and out of said blocking state under the influence of gravity, wherein said blocking member is pivotably coupled to the body at a pivot point having a pivot axis that is fixed with respect to said body, and wherein said coupler is operable in a first mode of use in which said second latching member is in said latching state, said blocking member is in said blocking state and hangs substantially vertically from said pivot point under the influence of gravity, and wherein said pivot point is positioned and said blocking member is dimensioned to define a gap between said free end of said blocking member and said second latching member and such that said blocking member is located above and does not engage with said second latching member in said first mode of operation, and wherein said second latching member is pivotably coupled to said coupler at a pivot point that is located beyond said second recess with respect to said first recess and spaced apart from the mouth of said second recess in a direction substantially parallel with a notional axis joining said first and second recesses.