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- Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Grants
- Sprachen: English
- Patent Number: 5,529,419
- Publication Date: June 25, 1996
- Appl. No: 08/280,338
- Application Filed: July 25, 1994
- Assignees: JRB Company, Inc. (Adron, OH)
- Claim: What is claimed is
- Claim: 1. A high visibility coupler for a front end loader, comprising
- Claim: means for mounting a high visibility coupler upon a front end loader;
- Claim: means for receiving an implement upon the coupler; and
- Claim: a lattice type structure including a plurality of substantially parallel outer lift ribs, inner lift ribs, plunger ribs and dumplink ribs, wherein a pair of coupling pins perpendicularly interconnect said outer lift ribs and said inner lift ribs, a cross tube perpendicularly interconnects said plunger ribs and said dumplink ribs, said cross tube receiving at each end a bridge pin to perpendicularly interconnect said inner lift ribs and said plunger ribs, and a cylinder mount plate perpendicularly interconnects said plunger ribs and said dumplink ribs, and wherein said outer lift ribs, said inner lift ribs, said plunger ribs, said dumplink ribs, said cross tube, said bridge pins and said cylinder mount plate define a plurality of visual openings therebetween, such that an operator of the front end loader may see objects to be engaged by the implement, said means for receiving and said means for mounting carried by said lattice type structure.
- Claim: 2. A high visibility coupler according to claim 1, wherein said means for mounting comprises a plurality of mounting bosses integrally disposed on said lattice type structure, said mounting bosses selectively receiving a corresponding number of lift arms extending from the front end loader.
- Claim: 3. A high visibility coupler according to claim 2, wherein said means for receiving comprises said pair of bridge pins and a pair of plunger receiving bosses integrally disposed on said plunger ribs, said bridge pins adapted for receiving a corresponding pair of hooks integral with the implement, and said plunger receiving bosses adapted for selectively receiving protruding eyes integral with the implement.
- Claim: 4. A high visibility coupler according to claim 3, wherein said lattice type structure further comprises
- Claim: a bottom bar that perpendicularly interconnects said outer lift ribs, inner lift ribs, and plunger ribs;
- Claim: a stop roll back bar and a stop dump bar that perpendicularly interconnects said outer lift ribs and said inner lift ribs; and
- Claim: a top plate and a bottom plate that perpendicularly interconnects said inner lift ribs and said plunger ribs.
- Claim: 5. A high visibility coupler according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of visual openings are formed among the structures of
- Claim: said outer and inner lift ribs, said coupling pins and said stop roll back bar;
- Claim: said outer and inner lift ribs, said stop roll back bar and said bottom bar;
- Claim: said plunger ribs, said dumplink ribs, said cross tube and said cylinder mount plate;
- Claim: said plunger ribs, said cylinder mount plate and said bottom bar; and
- Claim: said dumplink ribs, said cross tube and said cylinder mount plate.
- Claim: 6. The coupler according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of skid plates are affixed to the underside of said bottom bar.
- Claim: 7. The coupler according to claim 6, wherein a middle brace is securably connected between the bottom of said cylinder mount plate and the top of said bottom bar.
- Claim: 8. The coupler according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of stop bearing plates are securably connected to said bottom plates.
- Claim: 9. A high visibility coupler for a front end loader, comprising
- Claim: a pair of outer lift ribs each having a first and second outer guide hole and an outer coupling pin hole passing therethrough, the outer lift ribs also having an outer lift rib boss securably attached thereon, with a lift rib round nut below said outer lift rib boss;
- Claim: a pair of inner lift ribs which are substantially parallel with an inner side of said outer lift ribs, each inner lift rib having a first and second inner guide hole passing therethrough that is substantially aligned with said first and second outer guide holes of said outer lift rib, said inner lift ribs having an inner coupling pin hole passing therethrough substantially aligned with said outer coupling pin hole, said inner lift ribs having on their inner sides a coupling pin boss that is aligned with said inner coupling pin hole, said inner lift ribs having a plunger boss inwardly extending from said second guide hole, and an inner lift rib boss substantially aligned with said outer lift rib boss, the outer and inner lift ribs securably connected to each other by a roll back bar at their mid-portion and by a dump stop bar at their bottoms;
- Claim: a pair of plunger ribs, which are substantially parallel with an inner side of said inner lift ribs, each having a plunger rib slot therethrough that is substantially aligned with said first outer and inner guide holes, said plunger ribs having a plunger housing that is substantially aligned with said second outer and inner guide holes and said plunger boss, the top of said plunger ribs having a cross tube hole therethrough which is substantially aligned with said outer and inner coupling pin holes, said plunger ribs being securably connected to their closest respective inner lift ribs by a top plate, a bottom plate, and a bridge pin, said plunger ribs being securably connected to each other by a cross tube, which is securably connected within said cross tube holes at their top ends, and by a cylinder mount plate at their respective mid-portions, said plunger ribs also having a plunger guide hole substantially aligned with said outer and inner lift rib bosses;
- Claim: a bottom bar securably connected to said outer and inner lift ribs and said plunger ribs at their respective bottoms;
- Claim: a pair of coupling pins securably connected through said outer and inner coupling pin holes;
- Claim: a cylinder mount boss securably connected to said cylinder mount plate; and
- Claim: a pair of dumplink ribs which are substantially parallel with an inner side of said plunger ribs, the top ends of said dumplink ribs are securably connected to said cross tube, said dumplink ribs being securably connected to the cylinder mount plate at their bottom ends, said dumplink ribs each having a dumplink boss that is aligned with said plunger rib slot and said first inner and outer lift rib guide holes.
- Claim: 10. The coupler according to claim 9, wherein said high visibility coupler has a plurality of visual openings formed among
- Claim: 11. A high visibility coupler according to claim 10, wherein said outer and inner lift rib bosses and said dumplink bosses selectively receive a corresponding number of lift arms extending from the front end loader.
- Claim: 12. A high visibility coupler according to claim 11, wherein a pair of bridge pins perpendicularly interconnect each said inner lift rib to a corresponding plunger rib, said bridge pins adapted to receive a corresponding pair of hooks integral with an implement, and said plunger receiving bosses selectively receiving protruding eyes integral with the implement.
- Current U.S. Class: 403/24; 37/468; 172/273
- Current International Class: A01B 5100; E02F 900; B66F 1100
- Patent References Cited: 3760883 September 1973 Birk ; 4068959 January 1978 Pemberton ; 4625988 December 1986 Witchey et al. ; 4708579 November 1987 Baird et al. ; 4850789 July 1989 Zimmerman ; 5141385 August 1992 Tibbatts et al. ; 5310275 May 1994 Lovitt ; 5338148 August 1994 Ronnblom
- Primary Examiner: Melius, Terry Lee
- Assistant Examiner: Novosad, Christopher J.
- Attorney, Agent or Firm: Renner, Kenner, Greive, Bobak, Taylor & Weber
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