Patent ID: 8112914

Claim:
A coupler having a top half for attaching to an end of an excavator arm of an excavator and a bottom half for attaching to an accessory; wherein: the bottom half comprises: a first jaw having an opening pointing generally towards the front end of the coupler and a second jaw having an opening pointing generally downwards with respect to the coupler; a first latching mechanism associated with the first jaw; and a second latching mechanism associated with the second jaw, the second latching mechanism being powered for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first latching mechanism has an arm extending therefrom and towards the second latching mechanism, whereby the second latching mechanism can hold the first latching mechanism in an open position when it is in its own open position; and the coupler further comprising: a blocking mechanism that is independent of the first latching mechanism, and being for selectively blocking the second latching mechanism in its latching position, the blocking mechanism being operable between a blocking position and an unblocking position by a separate drive means, or by the influence of gravity, operation by the influence of gravity comprising attaining a blocking position when the top side of the coupler is pointing generally upwards and an unblocking position when the bottom side of the coupler is pointing generally upwards.