Quick hitch assembly

Excavating – Combined or convertible – Having quick-connect coupling

Patent

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Details

37403, 37903, 414723, E02F 396

Patent

active

057324883

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

THIS INVENTION relates to a hydraulically activated quick hitch assembly for coupling implements to heavy machinery.


BACKGROUND ART

Implements conventionally fitted to heavy machinery include those suitable for loading, working or carrying loads such as a bucket, dipper bucket, fork lift unit, hydraulic shovel, grader or drill unit. Conventionally, the implements are fitted to the heavy machinery by manually inserting large caste steel pins through holes in plates formed on the implements and in the operating arms of the machinery. This is a time consuming and tedious process. The operator must also alight from the controls or employ the services of an assistant.
To rectify this, quick hitch assemblies have been proposed. These assemblies normally enable the connection of the implement to the heavy machinery to be effected automatically by the operator, that is, without the need to alight from the controls of the machinery. None, however, is completely satisfactory for one reason or another. For instance, one common type of quick hitch system requires significant modification of the bucket to enable the quick hitch system to be fitted. Once modified, the bucket cannot then be used by any other front end loader which does not have the same quick fit assembly. More importantly however, modification of the bucket in the first place is a long and costly exercise.
Another quick hitch assembly which has been proposed has a hydraulically activated hook. A significant disadvantage of this hitch is that if the hydraulic pressure drops and/or there is a break in one of the hydraulic lines, the implement may become detached.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal quick hitch assembly. which overcomes or at least minimizes the disadvantages of existing quick hitch assemblies, and provides a useful alternative to the public.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a quick hitch assembly mountable to a hydraulic arm for hitching an implement having at least one pair of outwardly extending parallel connector brackets, said assembly comprising:
1) at least two parallel load transmitting plates on a common shaft which are dimensioned to locate parallel to at least one of said bracket pairs;
2) one or more hook elements fop hooking onto said implement;
3) at least one hydraulically activated ram with link pin displaceable between one or more of said brackets and one or more of said plates to form a positive lock between said implement and said assembly.
The quick hitch assembly may be used to hitch any type of implement having at least one pair of extending parallel connector brackets.
Such implements include but are not limited to multi-purpose buckets, general purpose buckets, fork lifts, graders, hydraulic shovels, rippers or drill units. The quick hitch assembly can be mounted to the hydraulic arm of any type of heavy machinery suitable for operating such implements and includes excavators, back-hoes, bull-dozers, front-end loaders, tractors, graders, and hydraulic shovels.
When the quick hitch assembly is mounted onto a hydraulic arm it can hook onto or pick up the implement by means of the one or more hook elements. When the load transmitting plates are in the desired relative positions with respect to the connector brackets, the link pin or pins can be hydraulically driven home to produce a positive lock therewith between the plate(s) and bracket(s). There is thus no need for the operator to alight from the vehicle or to employ the services of an assistant. The vehicle may be driven up to the implement and the complete hitching can be effected in a matter of minutes. Once hitched, the assembly will stay in place even if there is a leak in the hydraulic system. This may occur if a hydraulic hose is damaged during use. The leak must be repaired before the implement can be released.
The implement is released from the assembly by hydraulically withdrawing the link pins and disengaging the hook elements.
Implements commonly

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patent: 5529419 (1996-06-01), Gebauer
patent: 5546683 (1996-08-01), Clark
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patent: 5584644 (1996-12-01), Droegemueller

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