Patent ID: 8291999

Claim:
A mounting arrangement for coupling an implement to a mobile machine, the machine having a longitudinally extending mainframe having a rear frame portion and a front frame portion, the rear frame portion being supported on a plurality of rear ground-engaging members, the front frame portion extending forwardly from the rear frame portion and being at least partially supported on at least one front ground engaging member, the mounting arrangement comprising a rigid drawbar assembly having a rearward end and a forward end, the drawbar assembly including a generally V-shaped drawbar and a yoke, the drawbar having a narrowed end and a broadened end, the narrowed end being disposed toward the forward end of the drawbar assembly, the yoke being disposed across and secured with the broadened end to prevent relative movement between the yoke and the drawbar at the broadened end, the narrowed end of the drawbar being adapted to be universally coupled to the front frame portion proximal to the at least one front ground engaging member, the rearward end of the drawbar assembly being adapted to be coupled to the front frame portion a distance from the at least one front ground engaging member, a mounting bracket pivotably coupled relative to the drawbar assembly and defining an articulation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the drawbar assembly, the mounting bracket including first and second bracket connections spaced from said articulation axis, the mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to the implement to pivotably couple the implement relative to the drawbar assembly, first and second idler links, each idler link having first and second ends, the first end of each idler link being pivotably coupled to the drawbar assembly, first and second power links, each power link having first and second ends, the first ends of the power links being pivotably coupled to the mounting bracket at the first and second spaced bracket connections, and first and second hydraulic actuators having first and second sections adapted to telescope between extended and retracted positions, the first section of each hydraulic actuator being coupled to the drawbar assembly, and the second section of the first hydraulic actuator being pivotably coupled to the second end of the first power link and the second end of the first idler link, the second section of the second hydraulic actuator being pivotably coupled to the second end of the second power link and the second end of the second idler link.