Coupler With Improved Jaw Configuration

Abstract

An excavator coupler that is either attached to, or for attachment to, an excavator arm of a digger for connecting an attachment, such as a bucket, to the excavator arm of the digger, the attachment having at least one bucket or coupler pin, wherein the coupler comprises a jaw for engaging that pin, the jaw comprising an interior space for the pin, and lips that partially occlude the interior space so as to provide a profile for the jaw that has a widened interior relative to either the gap between the lips or the opening of the jaw, if narrower, one lip being provided on an upper wall of the jaw and the other lip being provided on a lower wall of the jaw.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to GB 0525379.4, filed Dec. 13, 2005 and GB 0617394.2 filed Sep. 4, 2006 and expressly incorporated by reference. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING”

[0003] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates to a jaw of a coupler for coupling attachments, such as buckets, to the excavator arm of a digger.

[0006] 2. Description of Related Art

[0007] Attachments used to be, and still sometimes are, attached directly to the excavator arm of diggers by using bucket (or coupler) pins, hereinafter called “pins”. They extend through holes both in the end of the excavator arm and in the attachments. The pins link them together such that they are relatively pivotable by manipulation of the arm.

[0008] The insertion of those pins through the holes has always proved to b...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0060] Referring first of all to FIG. 1, the excavator digger 10 has a rear excavator arm 12. The arm 12 has a coupler 14 of the present invention attached thereto by way of pins, as known in the art. The coupler 14 attaches a bucket 16 to the excavator arm 12 of the digger 10 again by way of pins, as known in the art. The excavator arm 12, the bucket 16 and the digger 10 are all shown in dotted lines since only the coupler is of interest in the present case.

[0061] Instead of a bucket 16, some alternative excavator attachment might be secured to the excavator arm 12 of the digger 10 by the coupler 14.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the coupler 14 comprises a top portion 18, a bottom portion 20, and two ends 22, 24. In normal use, the front end 24 is the one that is shown to the right in FIG. 3 and the rear end 22 is the one that is shown to the left in FIG. 3. The front end 24 is therefore the end that would usually point towards the digger when the digger operator is attempting ...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to GB 0525379.4, filed Dec. 13, 2005 and GB 0617394.2 filed Sep. 4, 2006 and expressly incorporated by reference. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING”

[0003] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates to a jaw of a coupler for coupling attachments, such as buckets, to the excavator arm of a digger.

[0006] 2. Description of Related Art

[0007] Attachments used to be, and still sometimes are, attached directly to the excavator arm of diggers by using bucket (or coupler) pins, hereinafter called “pins”. They extend through holes both in the end of the excavator arm and in the attachments. The pins link them together such that they are relatively pivotable by manipulation of the arm.

[0008] The insertion of those pins through the holes has always proved to b...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0060] Referring first of all to FIG. 1, the excavator digger 10 has a rear excavator arm 12. The arm 12 has a coupler 14 of the present invention attached thereto by way of pins, as known in the art. The coupler 14 attaches a bucket 16 to the excavator arm 12 of the digger 10 again by way of pins, as known in the art. The excavator arm 12, the bucket 16 and the digger 10 are all shown in dotted lines since only the coupler is of interest in the present case.

[0061] Instead of a bucket 16, some alternative excavator attachment might be secured to the excavator arm 12 of the digger 10 by the coupler 14.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the coupler 14 comprises a top portion 18, a bottom portion 20, and two ends 22, 24. In normal use, the front end 24 is the one that is shown to the right in FIG. 3 and the rear end 22 is the one that is shown to the left in FIG. 3. The front end 24 is therefore the end that would usually point towards the digger when the digger operator is attempting ...

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