Patent ID: 7648305

Claim:
A coupler, comprising: first and second spaced-apart, substantially parallel upper side plates; first and second spaced-apart, substantially parallel lower side plates, the first lower side plate fixed to and extending downwardly from the first upper side plate and the second lower side plate fixed to and extending downwardly from the second upper side plate; a first pin-receiving aperture formed in a forward end of the first lower side plate and a second pin-receiving aperture formed in a forward end of the second lower side plate in transverse alignment with the first pin-receiving aperture; a third pin-receiving aperture formed in a rearward end of the first lower side plate and a fourth pin-receiving aperture formed in a rearward end of the second lower side plate in transverse alignment with the third pin-receiving aperture; a first mounting pin mounted between forward ends of the first and second upper side plates; a second mounting pin mounted between rearward ends of the first and second upper side plates; a safety lock pivotally mounted between the first and second lower side plates for pivotal movement of the safety lock between an unlocked position in which the safety lock is rearward of the first and second pin-receiving apertures and does not contact a first implement pin receivable within the first and second pin-receiving apertures, and a locked position in which the safety lock extends forwardly into the first and second pin-receiving apertures to contact and retain the first implement pin within the first and second pin-receiving apertures; a latching hook pivotally mounted between the first and second lower side plates for pivotal movement of the latching hook between an unlatched position in which the latching hook is forward of the third and fourth pin-receiving apertures and does not contact a second implement pin receivable within the third and fourth pin-receiving apertures, and a latched position in which the latching hook extends rearwardly into the third and fourth pin-receiving apertures to retain the second implement pin within the third and fourth pin-receiving apertures; a power cylinder pivotally coupled between the latching hook and the safety lock at opposing cylinder ends, the power cylinder selectably actuatable to pivotally move the latching hook between the unlatched and latched positions; a first link having one end pivotally mounted between the first and second lower side plates and an opposite end pivotally coupled to the power cylinder; a second link pivotally coupled to the power cylinder and pivotally coupled to the safety lock; and a third pin extending through the first and second links and pivotally coupling the opposite end of the first link to the power cylinder and pivotally coupling the power cylinder to the second link; wherein actuation of the power cylinder to pivotally move the latching hook into the latched position pivotally moves the first link and the second link to pivotally move the safety lock into the locked position.