Granted Patent B2

US 8,117,773 · App. 12/603,109 · Granted Feb 21, 2012

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A loader coupler comprising:

a body comprising a front region, a rear region, an upper region, a lower region, and left and right lateral sides, a tilt actuator pin-on location, and left and right arm pin-on locations;

left and right laterally spaced-apart inner rib mounts provided on the body and adapted to mate respectively with left and right ribs of a first type of attachment receiver structure;

left and right inner locking regions defined by the body and vertically aligned with the left and right inner rib mounts, respectively;

left and right laterally spaced-apart outer rib mounts provided on the body and adapted to mate respectively with left and right ribs of a second type of attachment receiver structure;

left and right outer locking regions defined by the body and vertically aligned with the left and right outer rib mounts, respectively;

a lock system connected to said body, said lock system comprising:

a first actuator comprising both left and right first lock plungers that each move in response to fluid pressure in said first actuator between locked and unlocked positions along a first plunger axis;

a second actuator comprising both left and right second lock plungers that each move in response to fluid pressure in said second actuator between locked and unlocked positions along a second plunger axis that is parallel and spaced-apart from said first plunger axis;

wherein:

said left and right first lock plungers extend into said left and right inner locking regions when located in their locked positions;

said left and right first lock plungers are at least partially withdrawn from said left and right inner locking regions when located in their unlocked positions;

said left and right second lock plungers extend into said left and right outer locking regions when located in their locked positions; and,

said left and right second lock plungers are at least partially withdrawn from said left and right outer locking regions when located in their unlocked positions.

2. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said left and right first lock plungers are movable independently relative to said left and right second lock plungers.

3. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said left and right first lock plungers are movable in unison with said left and right second lock plungers.

4. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:

said left outer locking region is defined between first and second vertical ribs of a left portion of said body, and said left outer rib mount extends between said first and second vertical ribs of said left portion of said body;

said right outer locking region is defined between first and second vertical ribs of a right portion of said body, and said right outer rib mount extends between said first and second vertical ribs of said right portion of said body.

5. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 4 , wherein:

said left inner locking region is defined between said second vertical rib and a third vertical rib of said left portion of said body, and said left inner rib mount extends between said second and third vertical ribs of said left portion of said body;

said right inner locking region is defined between said second vertical rib and a third vertical rib of said right portion of said body, and said right inner rib mount extends between said second and third vertical ribs of said right portion of said body.

6. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 5 , wherein:

said left and right first lock plungers extend between said second and third ribs of said left and right portions of said body, respectively, when in their locked positions; and,

said left and right second lock plungers extend between said first and second ribs of said left and right portions of said body, respectively, when in their locked positions.

7. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising a face plate connected to said front region of said body, said face plate connected to and extending between said second vertical rib of said left portion of said body and said second vertical rib of said right portion of body.

8. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said face plate comprises left and right inner lock channel openings that open respectively through said face plate and into said left and right inner locking regions.

9. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said face plate comprises left and right inner stop surfaces located adjacent said left and right inner lock channel openings and adapted to be abutted by left and right stops of an associated first type of attachment receiver structure.

10. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said face plate comprises left and right outer stop surfaces located adjacent said left and right outer locking regions and adapted to be abutted by left and right stops of an associated second type of attachment receiver structure.

11. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 5 , wherein:

said left arm pin-on location is located between the first and second vertical ribs of the left portion of the body, aligned with and spaced from said left outer rib mount; and,

said right arm pin-on location is located between the first and second vertical ribs of the right portion of the body, aligned with and spaced from said right outer rib mount.

12. The loader coupler as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said tilt actuator pin-on location is located between a fourth vertical rib of the left portion and a fourth vertical rib of the right portion, said tilt actuator pin-on location located centrally between the left and right arm pin-on locations.

Assignments (13)