EP4653619A1

EP4653619A1 - Coupling device for construction machinery and its saddle

Info

Publication number: EP4653619A1
Application number: EP25177891.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gregorio Giorgi
Original assignee: Tm Benne Srl
Current assignee: Tm Benne Srl
Priority date: 2024-05-22
Filing date: 2025-05-21
Publication date: 2025-11-26

Abstract

A coupling device for a construction machinery comprises a main body (2) provided with connecting means (4), said connecting means (4) being configured to connect the main body (2) to a construction machinery (M), a housing (6) configured to receive a pin (34, 36) of a work equipment (E), a lever (8) to which first holding means (10) are associated, and a mobile group (14) to which second holding means (12) are associated, wherein the mobile group (14) comprises a guide (16) and at least one supporting element (18), the coupling device (1) being configured to be moved between a resting position wherein the supporting element (18) is fully contained in the main body (2) and a coupling position wherein an end (18a) of the supporting element (18) juts out from the main body (2), wherein at least a first end (8e) of the lever (8) is always positioned in the guide (16).

Description

This invention relates to a coupling device for a construction machinery and to the related saddle.
To this day, the movement of more or less heavy objects, goods and materials is carried out using appropriate machinery, depending on the type of object to be moved. Such machinery is called machinery for moving goods or materials or earth moving machinery. The latter comprise for example bulldozers, excavators, scrapers, loading shovels, cranes, compacting rollers and backhoe loaders.
In general, construction machinery comprises one or more arms to which work equipment is coupled, such as buckets, demolition hammers, rippers, milling cutters and the like.
One of the problems most felt in the sector is linked to the interchangeability of the work equipment on construction machinery. In fact, for economic reasons the same construction machinery tends to be used with different equipment, rather than making dedicated machinery for specific uses.
Moreover, the interchangeability of the work equipment requires particular features such as quickness, ergonomics and safety.
The quickness of a change of equipment and successful coupling at the first attempt greatly depends on the skill of the operator; if coupling is not successful and the equipment moves or falls, adopting an incorrect position, it must be repositioned and that requires the intervention and supervision of an operator on the ground.
Coupling devices are configured to couple a work equipment in the "backward pick-up" way, when the equipment moves the material towards the machinery, and in the "forward pick-up" way, when the equipment moves the material away from the machinery.
Prior art coupling devices cannot simultaneously provide the required qualities, that is to say, quickness, ergonomics and safety.
Therefore, the aim of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.
The invention, as characterized in the claims, achieves the aim thanks to an inner guide present in the coupling device.
The main advantage obtained by means of this invention is the fact that it is possible to efficiently, safely, quickly and ergonomically perform the change of work equipment in a construction machinery.
Moreover, the invention allows coupling of the equipment both for forward pick-up and backward pick-up.
Furthermore, the invention is simple to use, being compact.
Moreover, the invention allows an operator to view the status of the work equipment at all times.
Plus, the invention allows semi-automatic coupling of the equipment.
Further advantages and features of this invention will be more apparent in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an example, non-limiting embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective side view of a first component of the invention in the resting position;
Figure 2 is a perspective side view of the invention of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a cross-section of the invention of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a cross-section of the invention in a first transient condition;
Figure 5 is a cross-section of the invention in the coupling position;
Figures 6 to 9 are side views of the invention in use;
Figure 10 is a perspective side view of a detail of the invention in the coupling position;
Figure 11 is a side view of the invention in a second transient condition;
Figure 12 is a top plan view of a second component of the invention;
Figure 13 is a section according to the plane BB of the invention of Figure 12.

As shown by the figures, the invention relates to a coupling device 1 for a construction machinery M. That machinery M may be for example a machinery for moving goods or materials or an earth moving machinery, for example a bulldozer, an excavator, a scraper, a loading shovel, a crane, a compacting roller or a backhoe loader.
As can be seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the device 1 comprises a main body 2 provided with connecting means 4, configured to connect the main body 2 to the construction machinery M.
The connecting means 4 may for example comprise one or more protuberances, such as those shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, configured to be coupled to an arm of the construction machinery M, or an interlocking system or threaded connecting means.
The coupling device 1 comprises at least one housing 6 configured to receive a pin 34, 36 of a work equipment E. That work equipment E may for example be a bucket, a demolition hammer, a ripper or a milling cutter.
By way of example and without limiting the scope of this invention, the accompanying figures show a coupling device 1 which comprises a housing 6 made by means of respective circular openings made in the main body 2.
The coupling device 1 also comprises a lever 8, to which first holding means 10 are associated, and a mobile group 14 to which second holding means 12 are associated.
The first holding means 10 and the second holding means 12 may, by way of example and without limiting the scope of this invention, comprise one or more springs.
The mobile group 14 comprises a guide 16 and at least one supporting element 18.
The coupling device 1 is configured to be moved between a resting position wherein the supporting element 18 is fully contained in the main body 2 and a coupling position wherein an end 18a of the supporting element 18 juts out from the main body 2. In all of the steps of the movement at least one end 8e of the lever 8 is always positioned in the guide 16.
In the resting position, shown in Figures 1 and 3, the lever 8 of the coupling device 1 protrudes from the main body 2 parallel to it, and the first holding means 10 hold the lever 8 in that position. The first end 8e of the lever 8 helps to keep the mobile group 14 still.
The resting position is the position in which the coupling device 1 is resting and, therefore, does not couple any work equipment. In contrast, the coupling position represents the operating condition of the coupling device 1 which, therefore, has securely coupled the work equipment.
The passage from the resting position to the coupling position takes place thanks to at least one pair of pins 34, 36 of a work equipment E. Initially, one of the pins 34, 36 is inserted into the housing 6, as shown in Figure 6. Then, the work equipment E is made to rotate until the other of the pins 36, 34 is in contact with the lever 8 of the coupling device 1.
At this point, as shown in Figure 4, the other of the pins 36, 34 pushes the lever nearby a second end 8d of the lever 8, opposite to the first end 8e, overcoming the force applied on it by the first holding means 10. Consequently, the first end 8e of the lever 8 is conveyed along the guide 16 of the mobile group 14, as can be seen in Figure 5. In this way, the mobile group 14 is moved, thanks to the thrust of the second holding means 12, in such a way that it slides inside the main body 2. The sliding of the mobile group 14 causes simultaneous sliding of the supporting element 18 which, when the movement has finished, juts out from the main body 2, locking the other 36, 34 of the pins. The coupling position is shown in Figures 7 and 8. The fact that the first end 8e of the lever is kept in the guide gives the coupling device 1 a high level of safety.
In order to improve the safety of the device 1, other things may be done.
For example, the lever 8 may comprise a first arm 8a, which ends with the first end 8e, and a second arm 8b, which ends with a second end 8d, opposite to the first end 8e, which are not aligned with each other, as shown in the accompanying figures. The fact that the two arms 8a and 8b are not aligned with each other facilitates the work of the first holding means 10 which, in the resting position, tend to keep the lever 8 in a dead centre position. This avoids accidental triggering of the movement of the mobile group 14.
In contrast, as soon as a pin 34, 36 makes contact with the lever 8, the first holding means 10 help to guide the lever 8 towards its coupling position and to fix it in that position. In this way, the coupling position and opposition to the opposite movement of the supporting element 18 is strengthened, even when lifting heavy loads.
That improves the overall safety of the invention, both in the resting position and in the coupling position.
The first end 8e of the lever 8 may comprise at least one transverse protuberance 20, visible in cross-section in Figure 5. In this case, the guide 16 comprises at least one recess 22 complementary to the transverse protuberance 20. Consequently, the guide 16 may comprise a number of recesses 22 equal to the number of transverse protuberances 20. The recesses 22 are preferably made in the opposite direction to the movement of the supporting element 18. The transverse protuberances 20 locked in the recesses 22 give a further level of safety to the coupling position, since that interlocking opposes the opposite movement of the supporting element 18, even when lifting heavy loads.
Moreover, that makes the coupling device 1 semi-automatic: the movement from the resting position to the coupling position takes place automatically, at the moment when the pins 34, 36 are engaged, whilst the return to the resting position must be performed manually by a specialized operator, for example using a lever L, as shown in Figure 11.
The mobile group 14 may comprise at least one mobile indicator 24, configured to protrude from the main body 2 in the resting position and consequently to be visible to an operator, and configured to be fully contained in the main body 2 in the coupling position, and consequently to not be visible to the operator. In the accompanying figures, the mobile indicator 24 is visible to the operator in the resting position thanks to the presence of an opening made in the main body 2.
In more detail, that mobile indicator 24 is fixed to the mobile group 14, made up of the guide 16 and the supporting element 18 and, consequently, is configured to move together with the mobile group 14. The presence of the mobile indicator 24 is a further degree of safety of the invention, since it allows the operator to receive immediate visual feedback on the position of the coupling device 1.
The mobile indicator 24 may comprise a slot and may be connected to the mobile group 14 by means of a sliding hook, capable of at least partly sliding in the slot, so that the mobile indicator 24 is fully contained in the main body 2 only when the coupling device 1 is in the coupling position and not in an intermediate step.
By way of example and without limiting the scope of this invention, the accompanying figures show a coupling device 1 comprising two supporting elements 18.
As shown in Figure 10, the end 18a of each supporting element 18, configured to protrude from the main body 2 in the coupling position, may comprise an inclined surface 26. That allows improved interlocking with one of the pins 34, 36 of the equipment. The surface 26 may for example be inclined by an angle of between 2° and 45°, preferably between 10° and 20°.
Moreover, the end 18a of the supporting element 18 may comprise a flat surface 27, positioned nearby the end 18a and adjacent to the inclined surface 26. That gives the coupling device 1 a further safety element. In fact, resting the pin 34, 36 on the inclined surface 26 tends to move the supporting element 18 towards the inside of the main body 2. In contrast, the presence of the flat surface 27 limits that risk.
The inclined surface 26 and the flat surface 27 may for example be made by milling.
Preferably the pins 34, 36 and the supporting element 18 have a circular cross-section, so as to maximize the contact surface at the moment of coupling.
Furthermore, the housing 6 may comprise at least one safety hook 28. That hook 28 forms an indentation 29 in the housing 6, which is useful at the moment when one of the pins 34, 36 is correctly inserted into the housing 6, but the coupling mechanism is not activated correctly by the other pin 36, 34. In this case, shown in detail in Figure 9, the work equipment E does not fall because it is supported by the safety hook 28.
When the coupling mechanism is not correctly activated, the safety hook 28 is configured to support the work equipment E even when an arm of the machinery M deviates from an axis perpendicular to the ground. The angle of deviation may be any acute angle, in any case not less than 30°.
The main body 2 may fully contain the mobile group 14. In this case, to allow inspection and assembly, the main body 2 comprises a lid 40.
Moreover, the main body 2 may comprise a lubricator 42 configured to selectively lubricate the mobile group 14 and the lever 8. The lubricator 42 may be positioned inside a guard.
This invention also relates to a saddle 30 for work equipment E of construction machinery M, shown in Figures 12 and 13, which comprises connecting means 32, configured to connect the saddle 30 with a work equipment E, and at least two pins 34, 36 configured to be coupled to the coupling device 1. The connecting means 32 may for example be interlocking systems or threaded systems.
The saddle 30 allows any type of work equipment E to be coupled with the coupling device 1. That gives the invention great flexibility and versatility, meaning that it can be applied even to existing work equipment E.
Moreover, the saddle 30 may be made symmetrical. That allows coupling of the work equipment E both for forward pick-up and backward pick-up, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.
At least one of the pins 34, 36 of the saddle 30 may comprise an inclined surface 38 that is complementary to the one of the corresponding supporting element 18 of the coupling device 1.
Moreover, an end 34a, 36a of at least one of the pins 34, 36 may comprise a flat surface 39 nearby the end 34a, 36a itself, adjacent to the inclined surface 38.
In this way, the coupling device 1 allows efficient and effective coupling.

Claims

Coupling device for construction machinery comprising a main body (2) provided with connecting means (4), said connecting means (4) being configured to connect the main body (2) to a construction machinery (M), the device (1) being characterized by comprising at least one housing (6) configured to receive a pin (34, 36) of a work equipment (E), a lever (8) to which first holding means (10) are associated, and a mobile group (14) to which second holding means (12) are associated, wherein the mobile group (14) comprises a guide (16) and at least one supporting element (18), the coupling device (1) being configured to be moved between a resting position, wherein the supporting element (18) is fully contained in the main body (2), and a coupling position wherein an end (18a) of the supporting element (18) juts out from the main body (2), wherein at least a first end (8e) of the lever (8) is always positioned in the guide (16).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever (8) comprises a first arm (8a) and a second arm (8b) not aligned with each other.
Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the end (8e) of the lever (8) comprises at least one transverse protuberance (20) and in that the guide (16) comprises at least one recess (22) complementary to the transverse protuberance (20).
Device according to any one of the claims from 1 to 3, characterized in that the mobile group (14) comprises at least one mobile indicator (24), configured to protrude from the main body (2) in the resting position and to be fully contained in the main body (2) in the coupling position.
Device according to any one of the claims from 1 to 4, characterized in that the end (18a) of the supporting element (18) comprises an inclined surface (26).
Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the end (18a) of the supporting element (18) comprises a flat surface (27), positioned nearby the end (18a) and adjacent to the inclined surface (26).
Device according to any one of the claims from 1 to 6, characterized in that the housing (6) comprises a safety hook (28).
Saddle for work equipment comprising connecting means (32), configured to connect the saddle (30) with a work equipment (E), the saddle (30) being characterized by comprising at least two pins (34, 36) configured to be coupled to a coupling device (1) according to any one of the claims from 1 to 7.
Saddle according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one of the pins (34, 36) comprises an inclined surface (38) that is complementary to the one of the corresponding supporting element (18) of the coupling device (1).
Saddle according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that an end (34a, 36a) of at least one of the pins (34, 36) comprises a flat surface (39) nearby the end (34a, 36a) itself, adjacent to the inclined surface (38).