Coupling for earth moving tools etc.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a quick release and attachment assembly for earthmoving or excavating machines or the like. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     There are many types of earthmoving and excavation equipment where the operating tool, e.g. a bucket, blade or ripper pick, must be released from the machine for maintenance or replacement by a different tool. One example is an excavator, which may be operated with buckets of differing widths and/or cubic capacities. 
     The task of releasing the operating tools from a machine, and attaching a replacement tool thereto, is difficult and time-consuming, particularly in the field. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly which allows an operating tool to be quickly released from, or attached to, a machine. 
     It is a preferred object to provide an assembly which, when the tool is attached, safely locks the tool in position. 
     It is a further preferred object to provide an assembly which can be operated without the operator having to leave his operating station on the machine. 
     Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. 
     In one aspect, the present invention resides in a quick release and attachment assembly for an earthmoving or excavating machine or the like, comprising: 
     a first attachment means including a base, at least two opposed stop members fixed on the base, and locating means on the base adjacent at least one of the stop members; and 
     a second attachment means including an attachment head adapted to engage the locating means, a fixed stop engagement means on the attachment head adapted to engage one of the stop members, a movable stop engagement means on the attachment head movable between a first position engaging the second of the stop members and a second position released from the second stop member, and means to move the movable stop engagement means; 
     one of the attachment means being connectable to the earthmoving or excavating machine and the other attachment means being connectable to an operating tool for the machine. 
     Preferably the base of the first attachment means is bolted, welded or otherwise fastened to or formed integrally of, the operating tool, e.g. a bucket, blade or ripper pick, while the attachment head of the second attachment means is pivotally mounted on the boom or the lifting arm (or arms) of the earthmoving or excavating machine. 
     Preferably the locating means includes a pair of laterally spaced, parallel side plates fixed on the base, the attachment head being received and located between the side plates. 
     The first stop member may include a transverse bar, rod, block or beam fixed between the side plates and may be spaced above the base to enable a portion of fixed stop engagement means to be engaged between the first stop member and the base. 
     The second stop member may include a hook or jaw welded to the base having a nose or tooth directed towards the first stop member. 
     The attachment head may include a housing having a pair of spaced side walls interconnected by a base plate. Mounting lugs may be provided on the side walls to receive pivot pins which pivotally connect the housing to the boom or lifting arm(s). 
     The fixed stop engagement means may include a pair of aligned tapered slots formed at one end of the side walls of the housing, the slots engaging the transverse bar or beam. Preferably, lateral flanges are provided along the sides of the slots to increase the load bearing area between the slots and the bar or beam. 
     The movable stop engagement means may include a movable jaw slidably mounted on guides or tracks, or pivotally mounted on a pin, on the base plate of the housing, and a hydraulic ram or mechanical screw may be employed to move the movable jaw into, or out of, engagement with the fixed hook or jaw. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     To enable the invention to be fully understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the attachment head adjacent a bucket scoop prior to attachment; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional side view showing the attachment head attached to the bucket; and 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional end view taken on line 3--3 on FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The bucket scoop has a substantially planar rear wall 11. 
     A pair of parallel side plates 12 are welded to the rear wall 11 and are provided with suitable bracing gussets 13. 
     A V-section beam 14 extends transversely to the rear wall 11, spaced a small distance above the wall, and is welded at its ends to the side plates 12 adjacent the front end of the plates. The walls 15, 16 of the beam 14 are rearwardly convergent to an apex 17. Triangular bracing flanges 18 are provided at spaced intervals along the beam 18. A fixed jaw 19 is welded centrally to the rear wall 11 of the bucket scoop 10 and is terminated by a forwardly directed tooth 20 to define vertical- and inclined abutment faces 21, 22. 
     The attachment head 23 is mounted on the distal end of the boom 24 (only a portion of which is shown) of an excavating machine. 
     The head 23 has a base plate 25 dimensioned to fit between the side plates 12 on the bucket scoop 10. A pair of vertical side walls 26 are welded on the base plate 25 and are provided with lugs 27 having bushes 28, in which are journalled suitable pivot pins 29 on the boom 24. A rear wall 30 interconnects the side walls 26 and base plate 25. 
     Aligned slots 31, 32 (having outwardly divergent walls) are formed centrally in the base plate 25 and rear wall 30 to receive the fixed jaw 19. 
     Aligned V-shaped slots 33, dimensioned to receive the transverse beam 14, are provided at the front ends of the side walls 26 and lateral flanges 34, 35 extend inwardly along the sides of the slots 33 to provide additional load bearing surfaces between the sides of the slots 33 and the beam 14. 
     A pair of parallel guides 36 are welded to the rearward portion of the base plate 25 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head 23. Each guide 36 has an inwardly directed horizontal flange 37 which is slidably received in a respective groove 38 along the side faces of a movable jaw 39. The movable jaw 39 has a vertical front face 40 and rearwardly inclined upper face 41 which corresponds to the abutment faces 21, 22 respectively on the fixed jaw 19. 
     A hydraulic ram 42 has its cylinder 43 pivotally connected to a pair of vertical support posts 44 (welded to the base plate 25) by a pivot pin 45. The free end of the piston rod 46 has a reduced diameter to form a peripheral abutment face. The reduced diameter portion is received in a bore (not shown) in the movable jaw 39 and is secured therein by a removable locking pin 47. The abutment face bears against the front face of the movable jaw 39 when the piston rod 46 is extended from the cylinder 43. 
     The ram 42 is connected to the hydraulic system (not shown) of the excavating machine by suitable hydraulic hoses 48 which pass through a removable cover 49 secured to the side walls 26 of the head by fasteners (not shown). 
     The operation of the attachment will now be described. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the head 23 is released from the bucket scoop 10 and the ram 42 is retracted so that the movable jaw 39 is adjacent the rear end of the cylinder 43. The operator moves the boom 24 so that the side walls 12 and side walls 26 are aligned and the forward ends of the side walls 26 are rearward of the apex 17 of the transverse beam 14. He lowers the boom 24 and head 23 until the forward end of the base plate 25 engages the rear wall 11 of the bucket scoop 10 and then moves the head 23 forwardly until the transverse beam 14 is engaged in the aligned slots 33. He then lowers the rearward end of the head 23 so that the fixed jaw 20 is received in the slots 32 (in the base plate 25) and 32 (in the rear wall 30). 
     The ram 42 is extended to move the movable jaw 39 along the guides 36 until the front and upper faces 40, 41 on the movable jaw 39 engage the abutment faces 21, 22 respectively on the fixed jaw 19. 
     The bucket scoop 10 is now securely connected to the boom 24 of the excavating machine and may be used in the known manner. 
     To release the bucket scoop, the operation is reversed and a different tool, e.g. a ripper pick, may be connected to the boom 24. 
     The attachment or release of the tool from the machine can be carried out very quickly and the operator can control the whole operation without leaving his station on the machine. Experiments have shown that a tool may be attached to, or released from, a machine over 100 times faster than with present attachment and release devices. 
     While the embodiment has only referred to a bucket scoop 10 on an excavating machine, the applications for the present invention are almost infinite. For example, alternative applications include quick-release hitches for vehicles, e.g. tractors and cane wagons or ploughs, articulated vehicle turntables or railway couplings, and quick release couplings or latches for load carrying frames or bodies. 
     In a modified form (not shown) of the present invention, the transverse beam 14 may be replaced by fixed jaws similar to the fixed jaw 19 but with rearwardly directed teeth 20. Alternatively, the transverse beam 14 may be replaced by a transverse rod or box-section beam, while the hydraulic ram 42 may be replaced by a mechanical screw means to advance and retract the movable jaw 39. 
     Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.