Excavator attachment and loading fork for such an excavator attachment

Abstract

Excavator attachment (3) with a quick coupler (5) rotatable about a pivot axis (4) by motor and a loading fork (6) attachable to the quick coupler (5), wherein the loading fork (6) comprises fork tines (23) arranged on a support frame (19), a first coupling element (24) closer to the fork tines (23) and a second coupling element (25) further away from the fork tines (23), and wherein the quick coupler (5) comprises a support housing (26), first receptacles (27) arranged on one side of the support housing (26) with a first lower contact surface (28) fixed to the housing and second receptacles (29) arranged on the other side of the support housing (26) with a second lower contact surface (30) movable relative to the support housing (26) on a locking element (31) movable between a release position and a locking position, characterized by a positioning device (34, 35), which is trained in this way,that the first coupling element (24) of the positioning fork (6) which is closer to the fork tines (23) can only be coupled to the first receptacles (27) of the quick coupler (5) which are provided with the housing-fixed lower contact surface (28).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an excavator attachment with a quick coupler that is rotatable about a pivot axis by a motor and a loading fork that can be coupled to the quick coupler. The invention also relates to a loading fork for such an excavator attachment.

[0002] From SE 2251138 A1, an excavator attachment is known in which a loading fork, typically used for lifting and transporting pallets, with spaced-apart fork tines, is mounted on an excavator via a rotary and swivel drive, also known as a tiltrotator. The tiltrotator includes a support mounted on an excavator arm and a coupling of the excavator, on which a housing is tiltable about a pivot axis arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the excavator arm by means of two actuating cylinders. A quick coupler, designed for the automatic changing of attachments, is rotatably mounted in the tiltable housing about a rotation axis orthogonal to the pivot axis. The loading fork is coupled to the quick coupler via a bolted adapter with two spaced-apart bolt-shaped coupling elements.To couple the two parallel coupling elements, the quick coupler has fork-shaped first receptacles on one side and downward-facing second receptacles on the other, which are equipped with movable locking elements between a release position and a locking position. To couple the loading fork, the quick coupler is first inserted with its fork-shaped first receptacles at the rear into the bolt-shaped coupling element furthest from the fork tines. The quick coupler is then lowered at its front so that the coupling element of the loading fork, which is closer to the fork tines, comes into contact with the downward-facing second receptacles. Finally, the locking mechanism on the second receptacles is closed.However, when lifting loads, the majority of the load acts on the locking elements, which can lead to unwanted wear and operating problems.

[0003] The object of the invention is to create an excavator attachment of the type mentioned above and a loading fork for such an excavator attachment with improved load transfer and increased safety.

[0004] This problem is solved by an excavator attachment having the features of claim 1 and by a loading fork having the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0005] The excavator attachment according to the invention comprises a quick coupler rotatable about a rotary axis by a motor and a loading fork that can be coupled to the quick coupler, wherein the loading fork includes fork tines arranged on a support frame, a first coupling element closer to the fork tines and a second coupling element further away from the fork tines for coupling to the quick coupler, and wherein the quick coupler has a support housing, first receptacles arranged on one side of the support housing with a housing-fixed first lower contact surface and second receptacles arranged on the other side of the support housing with a second lower contact surface movable relative to the support housing on a locking element movable between a release position and a locking position for receiving and holding the coupling elements.The excavator attachment also includes a positioning device designed such that the first coupling element of the loading fork, which is closest to the fork tines, can only be coupled to the fixed lower mounting surface of the quick coupler at the first mounting points. This ensures that the forces acting on the loading fork when lifting a load do not act on the movable locking elements, but are absorbed by the stable and fixed mounting points of the quick coupler. Furthermore, the mounting position of the loading fork on the quick coupler is stabilized, thus preventing the load from wobbling when the quick coupler is rotated.

[0006] In a structurally simple and particularly robust design, the positioning device, which is designed to specify a single defined coupling position of the loading fork on the quick coupler, comprises contact surfaces on the loading fork facing the fork tines and guide surfaces arranged on the quick coupler, which, in the coupling position of the loading fork on the quick coupler, come into contact with the contact surfaces on the loading fork facing the fork tines.

[0007] The contact surfaces on the loading fork facing the fork tines can advantageously be arranged on two parallel side sections of the loading fork's support frame, and the guide surfaces on the quick coupler can be arranged on two guide pins projecting laterally from the quick coupler's support housing. However, the positioning device for specifying the defined coupling position can also be designed in other ways, e.g., by coupling elements with different diameters and correspondingly arranged and adapted receptacles on the quick coupler.

[0008] In a manufacturing-efficient design, the contact surfaces of the loading fork facing the fork tines can be arranged on the front of two fin-shaped projections extending upwards from the side parts of the loading fork's support frame. This also provides good protection for the contact surfaces against damage.

[0009] The contact surfaces of the loading fork facing the fork tines are preferably curved. This allows the guide surfaces provided on the quick coupler to slide along the curved contact surfaces after the quick coupler is coupled to the first coupling element and subsequently lowered, thus achieving precise and good guidance.

[0010] The contact surfaces of the loading fork facing the fork tines are preferably arranged closer to the first coupling element than to the second coupling element. Similarly, the guide surfaces of the quick coupler that come into contact with the contact surfaces facing the fork tines are arranged closer to the first receptacles than to the second receptacles of the quick coupler.

[0011] In an advantageous embodiment with an extended range of applications, the quick coupler's support housing can be rotatably mounted in a housing that can be tilted by means of a rotary drive. The housing can be mounted on a support via laterally projecting bearing journals within two spaced-apart bearing eyes, allowing it to tilt about a pivot axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation. Alternatively, the quick coupler can also be mounted solely on a rotary drive.

[0012] The invention also relates to a loading fork for an excavator attachment described above. The loading fork, equipped with fork tines, is characterized in that it comprises two mutually parallel side parts with contact surfaces facing the fork tines for contact with guide surfaces arranged on the quick coupler in a coupled position of the loading fork on the quick coupler.

[0013] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1. An excavator attachment mounted on an excavator arm and coupling of an excavator, with a quick coupler and a loading fork, in a perspective view; Fig. 2 the in Fig. 1. Excavator attachment shown in a side view; Fig. 3 a partially cropped side view of the in Fig. 1 quick coupler shown with the loading fork in a coupled state; Fig. 4 a partially cropped further side view of the in Fig. 1 quick coupler shown with the loading fork in a coupled state; Fig. 5 a partial view of the in Fig. 1. Excavator attachment shown, viewed obliquely from the front and Fig. 6 a partial view of the in Fig. 1. Excavator attachment shown, viewed obliquely from behind.

[0014] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows an excavator attachment 3 mounted on an excavator stick 1 and a coupling 2 of an excavator with a quick coupler 5 which is rotatable about a rotary axis 4 by motor and a loading fork 6 coupled to the quick coupler 5 in a perspective and a side view.

[0015] In the illustrated embodiment, the quick coupler 5 is arranged on the excavator arm 1 and the coupling 2 via a rotary and swivel unit 7, also referred to as a tiltrotator. The rotary and swivel unit 7 comprises a support 8 mounted on the excavator arm 1 and the coupling 2, on which a housing 9 is pivotably arranged about a pivot axis 12 arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the excavator arm by means of a swivel drive formed here by two hydraulic actuators 10 and 11. Via the coupling 2, which is articulated to the excavator arm 1 by means of connecting joints 13, and a tilting cylinder 14, the support 7 of the rotary and swivel unit 6 can be tilted about a connecting bolt 15 at the lower end of the excavator arm 1 in a manner known per se.In the pivotable housing 9, the quick coupler 5, designed for the automatic changing of attachments, is rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 4, which is orthogonal to the pivot axis 12, and can be rotated 360° about the axis of rotation 4 by a motor 16. The motor 16 drives the quick coupler 5 via a gearbox with a worm gear arranged inside the housing 8 and a drive worm that is rotatable by the motor 16 relative to the housing 9 by 360° about the axis of rotation 4. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 vertically arranged rotary axes 4 can be rotated by motor.

[0016] The housing 9 is pivotably mounted on the carrier 7 via laterally projecting bearing journals 17 within two spaced-apart bearing eyes 18 about the pivot axis 12, which is orthogonal to the axis of rotation 4, and can be tilted relative to the carrier 7 by approximately + / - 45° about the pivot axis 12 via the hydraulic rotary drive formed by the two actuating cylinders 10 and 11. This allows the quick coupler 5 not only to be rotated about the axis of rotation 4, but also to be tilted relative to the carrier 7 about the pivot axis 12, which is orthogonal to the axis of rotation 4, thereby expanding the range of motion and thus increasing the application range.

[0017] The loading fork 6, coupled to the quick coupler 5, comprises a frame-shaped support structure 19 with two parallel side sections 20 and 21 and a front section 22 on which two right-angled fork tines 23 are adjustably arranged. The fork tines 23 have a retaining section located on the front section 22 and a right-angled support section projecting from the front section 22. The fork tines 23 are arranged on the front section 22 such that the distance between them can be changed or adapted to specific requirements. Between the two side sections 20 and 21, a first bolt-shaped coupling element 24, located closer to the fork tines 23, and a second bolt-shaped coupling element 25, located further away from the fork tines 23, are arranged for coupling the loading fork 6 to the quick coupler 5.

[0018] As can be seen from the partially cropped depiction of the Fig. As can be seen from Figure 3, the quick coupler 5, designed for the automatic coupling of the loading fork 6 or another attachment or tool and rotatable about the axis of rotation 4, contains a support housing 26 designed as a welded construction or as a cast part, which is attached to its Fig. 3 first mountings 27 arranged on the left, open on one side towards the side, with a rigid or housing-fixed first lower mounting surface 28 and on the in Fig. The third receptacle 29 on the right-hand side has a second receptacle 29 with a second lower contact surface 30 movable relative to the support housing 26 on a bolt-shaped locking element 31 that is movable between a retracted release position and an extended locking position. The first receptacles 27 on one side of the support housing 26 are claw- or fork-shaped. The second receptacles 29 on the other side of the support housing 26 are bounded by a curved upper contact surface 32 on the support housing 26 and the second lower contact surface 30 on the top of the bolt-shaped locking element 31 in its extended locking position. In the extended locking position, the coupling element 25, which rests against the upper contact surface 32, is engaged by the bolt-shaped locking element 31, so that the bolt-shaped locking element 31 is held in the second receptacle.In the embodiment shown, two bolt-shaped locking elements 31, which can be operated either manually or hydraulically, are provided on the second mountings 29.

[0019] On the laterally open first mountings 27 on the support housing 26 of the quick coupler 5, foldable catch hooks 33 are arranged between a folded-down change and locking position and a folded-up safety position. The catch hooks 33 form a fall arrestor that reliably prevents attachments from falling, even if the locking mechanism of the quick coupler 5 is inadvertently not properly closed despite any visual indicator, warning signal, and counter-check.

[0020] An embodiment of a hydraulically actuated quick coupler is disclosed in DE 10 2022 117 974 A1. Reference is expressly made to this publication regarding the known design and operation of such a hydraulically actuated quick coupler. In contrast to the quick-change system disclosed therein, the quick coupler 5 in the excavator arrangement 3 according to the invention is not directly, but rather rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 4 on the excavator arm 1 and a coupling 2 of an excavator via the rotary and swivel unit 7 or via a pure rotary drive.

[0021] The excavator attachment 3 also includes one in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Positioning device shown in more detail, designed such that the first coupling element 24 of the positioning fork 6, which is closer to the fork tines 23, can only be coupled to the first receptacles 27 of the quick coupler 5, which are provided with the housing-fixed lower contact surface 28. This ensures that the forces acting on the loading fork 6 when lifting a load do not act on the movable bolt-shaped locking elements 31, but are absorbed by the housing-fixed contact surfaces 28 of the receptacles 27 of the quick coupler 5.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the positioning device is formed by contact surfaces 34 facing the fork tine 23 on the loading fork 6 and guide surfaces 35 arranged on the quick coupler 5, which are located in the Fig. In the coupling position shown in Figure 3, the loading fork 6 is attached to the quick coupler 5 to contact the contact surfaces 34 of the loading fork 6 facing the fork tines 23. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact surfaces 34 on the loading fork 6 are arcuate and arranged on the front of two fin-shaped projections 36 extending upwards from the side parts 20 and 21 of the support frame 19. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide surfaces 35 designed to contact the contact surfaces 34 of the loading fork 6 are formed by the outer surfaces of two guide pins 37 projecting laterally from the quick coupler 5.

[0023] As from Fig. As can be seen from Figure 4, the contact surfaces 34 facing the fork tines 23 are located closer to the first coupling element 24 than to the second coupling element 25 on the inside of the fin-shaped projections 36. This means that the distance X of the contact surface 34 from the first coupling element 24 is less than the distance Y of the contact surface 34 from the second coupling element 25. The guide surfaces 35 of the quick coupler 5, which come into contact with the contact surfaces 34 facing the fork tines 34, are also located closer to the first receptacles 27 than to the second receptacles 29. The guide pins 37 are therefore offset in the direction of the first receptacles 27.

[0024] In the enlarged partial view of Fig. Figure 5 shows the loading fork 6 in its coupled state on the quick coupler. The safety catches 33, which act as fall protection and enclose the first bolt-shaped coupling element 24 when coupled, are also visible in this illustration.

[0025] In the rear view of Fig. Figure 6 shows the two bolt-shaped locking elements 31 in their extended locking position. In the extended locking position, the second bolt-shaped coupling element 25 is engaged and thus held by the two locking elements 31. Reference symbol list 1 excavator handle 2 couplings 3 excavator attachments 4 axis of rotation 5 quick couplers 6 loading forks 7 Rotary and swivel unit 8 carriers 9 cases 10 First actuating cylinder 11 Second actuating cylinder 12 swivel axes 13 Connecting joint 14 tilt cylinders 15 connecting bolts 16 engine 17 bearing journals 18 Bearing eye 19 Support frame 20 First side panel 21 Second side panel 22 Front part 23 fork tines 24 First coupling element 25 Second coupling element 26 carrying cases 27 First recording 28 Housing-mounted mounting surface 29 Second recording 30 locking bolts 31 Movable installation area 32 Upper mounting surface 33 Hooks 34 Plant area 35 guide surface 36 Approach 37 guide pins QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] SE 2251138 A1

[0002] DE 10 2022 117 974 A1

[0020]

Claims

[1] Excavator attachment (3) with a quick coupler (5) rotatable about a pivot axis (4) by motor and a loading fork (6) attachable to the quick coupler (5), wherein the loading fork (6) comprises fork tines (23) arranged on a support frame (19), a first coupling element (24) closer to the fork tines (23) and a second coupling element (25) further away from the fork tines (23), and wherein the quick coupler (5) comprises a support housing (26), first receptacles (27) arranged on one side of the support housing (26) with a first lower contact surface (28) fixed to the housing and second receptacles (29) arranged on the other side of the support housing (26) with a second lower contact surface (30) movable relative to the support housing (26) on a locking element (31) movable between a release position and a locking position, characterized bya positioning device (34, 35) which is designed such that the first coupling element (24) of the positioning fork (6) which is closer to the fork tines (23) can be coupled exclusively to the first receptacles (27) of the quick coupler (5) which are provided with the housing-fixed lower contact surface (28). [2] Excavator attachment (3) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the positioning device (34, 35) comprises contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (23) on the loading fork (6) and guide surfaces (35) arranged on the quick coupler (5), which in the coupling position of the loading fork (6) on the quick coupler (5) come into contact with the contact surfaces (34) on the loading fork (6) facing the fork tines (34). [3] Excavator attachment (3) according to claim 2, characterized by, that the contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (23) are arranged on two parallel side parts (20, 21) of the support frame (19) of the loading fork (6) and the guide surfaces (35) are arranged on two guide pins (37) projecting laterally from the support housing (26) of the quick coupler. [4] Excavator attachment (3) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by , that the contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (23) are arranged on the front of two fin-shaped projections (36) extending upwards from the side parts (20, 21) of the support frame (19) of the loading fork (6). [5] Excavator attachment (3) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by , that the contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (23) are curved. [6] Excavator attachment (3) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by, the contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (23) are arranged closer to the first coupling element (24) than to the second coupling element (25). [7] Excavator attachment (3) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by , that the guide surfaces (35) of the quick coupler (5) which come into contact with the contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (34) are arranged closer to the first receptacles (27) than to the second receptacles (29). [8] Excavator attachment (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that the support housing (26) of the quick coupler (5) is rotatably mounted in a housing (9) which can be tilted by means of a swivel drive (10, 11). [9] Excavator attachment (3) according to claim 8, characterized by , that the housing (9) is mounted on a support (7) via laterally projecting bearing pins (17) within two spaced-apart bearing eyes (18) so as to be tiltable about a pivot axis (12) orthogonal to the axis of rotation (4). [10] Loading fork (6) for excavator attachment according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by , that the loading fork (6) equipped with fork tines (23) has two side parts (20, 21) parallel to each other with contact surfaces (34) facing the fork tines (23) for contact with guide surfaces (35) arranged for contact with the quick coupler (5) in a coupled position of the loading fork (6) on the quick coupler (5).

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