Quick Changer

Abstract

A quick changer for replacing attachments on construction machinery. [Solution] The quick changer comprises a support having a first receptacle of a first coupling element on one side and a second receptacle of a second coupling element on the other side, and a drive unit (movably disposed on the support to move at least one of the locking elements assigned to the first receptacle between an extended locked position and a retracted released or changed position), and several hydraulic quick couplings are disposed on the drive unit to supply hydraulic oil to the attachment. According to the present invention, only three hydraulic quick couplings arranged adjacent to each other are provided on the drive unit, of which two outer hydraulic quick couplings are on one plane, and the central hydraulic quick coupling between them is offset upward relative to them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a quick changer as described in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such quick changers are used for the easy and convenient replacement of various attachments on construction machinery. With such quick changers, tilt buckets, grapples, shears, compactors, magnets, hydraulic hammers, or other attachments can be connected to or disconnected from the boom of an excavator within seconds in an automated manner from the cab, with a high level of safety standards.

[0003] A general quick changer is known from Patent Document 1. The quick changer includes a support that can be fastened to the boom of an excavator. The support has a locking device movable between a release position and a lock position that secures a first coupling element provided on an attachment, a first receptacle on one side, and a second receptacle on the other side that secures a second coupling element spaced from the first coupling element. A drive device called an H cylinder is also disposed on the support. Through this drive device, two pin-shaped locking elements assigned to the first receptacle are movable between an extended lock position and a retracted release or change position. In the extended lock position of the pin-shaped locking elements, the attachment can be held directly on the quick changer or using an adapter. To release or change the attachment, the pin-shaped locking elements can be retracted via the drive device. Some electrical and hydraulic quick couplings are also disposed on the drive device to supply power to the attachment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] The objective of the present invention is to create a compactly designed quick changer of the type described above, which also enables the easy and automated replacement of various attachments with high safety, even on smaller construction machinery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This objective is achieved by a quick changer having the features of claim 1. Practical embodiments and advantageous variations of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0007] A quick changer according to the present invention for changing attachments on construction machinery comprises a support having a first receptacle for a first coupling element on one side and a second receptacle for a second coupling element on the other side. The quick changer also comprises a drive unit movably positioned on the support to move at least one of the locking elements assigned to the first receptacle between an extended locked position and a retracted released or changed position. Several hydraulic quick couplings are also positioned on the drive unit to supply hydraulic oil to the attachment. To provide a particularly compact design quick changer for smaller construction machinery and thus ensure the supply and control of hydraulics to the connected attachment, only three hydraulic quick couplings positioned adjacent to each other are provided on the drive unit, the two outer hydraulic quick couplings of the three hydraulic quick couplings are on one plane, and the central hydraulic quick coupling between the two outer hydraulic quick couplings is offset upward relative to the three hydraulic quick couplings. Thus, hydraulic control can be performed even in smaller quick changers that have supply lines, return lines, and leak lines within the smallest possible design space.

[0008] In particular, in practical embodiments, the drive unit comprises a movable housing between two side walls of a support having two parallel outer portions and a central portion positioned laterally between the outer portions, the central portion of which contains three hydraulic quick couplings.

[0009] The two outer hydraulic quick couplings are preferably spaced 61 mm apart, and the central hydraulic quick coupling is offset 7 mm upward relative to the two outer hydraulic quick couplings. This allows for optimal placement of the hydraulic quick couplings within a small design space.

[0010] The pressure space for accommodating two parallel hydraulic pistons, each having an outwardly protruding piston rod, can be located in the two outer portions of the drive unit housing. This allows the drive unit housing to be moved hydraulically to move the two pin-shaped locking elements.

[0011] In a further advantageous embodiment, a pin-shaped locking element can be guided to move within two parallel holes in the two side walls of a support, and can be moved by a drive between a retracted release position and an extended locking position for releasing or connecting an attachment.

[0012] The guide plate with a protective flap can be fastened to the rear side of the central portion facing the second receptacle. Thus, the hydraulic quick coupling can be protected from contamination when not in use.

[0013] Hydraulic quick couplings are conveniently designed as coupling sockets for connecting to corresponding quick coupling plugs on adapters or attachments.

[0014] The upper portion, having two parallel side sections, and the cover plate, having a circular connecting section, can be fastened to a support for attachment to a rotary drive or similar device. The upper portion may also have only two parallel side sections with through-openings for fastening pins (not shown) for fastening the quick changer to the excavator boom and the excavator coupling or to the coupling portion of another construction vehicle.

[0015] Further details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings are as follows. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] The quick changer is shown in a top-down perspective view. [Figure 2] The quick changer in Figure 1 is shown in a perspective view from below. [Figure 3] The quick changer shown in Figure 1 is shown in a bottom view. [Figure 4] The quick changer shown in Figure 1 is depicted in a front view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The Quick Changer 1, shown in different diagrams in Figures 1 to 4, is designed to allow for the easy and convenient exchange of various attachments on construction machinery, particularly excavators. With such a Quick Changer, for example, a tilt bucket, grapple, shear, magnet, compactor, hydraulic hammer, or other mechanical or hydraulic attachment can be connected or disconnected within seconds in an automated manner from the operator's cab, for example, on the boom of an excavator, while maintaining a high level of safety standards.

[0018] The quick changer 1 shown in the figure comprises a support 2 designed as a welded or cast component having two spaced-apart side walls 3. The support 2 has a first receptacle 4 opening downward on one side to accommodate and secure a first pin-type coupling element, and a second receptacle 5 opening forward on the other side to accommodate and secure a pin-type coupling element. In the illustrated embodiment, a cover plate 8 having an upper section with two parallel side sections 6, an end cover sheet 7, and a circular connecting section 9 for fastening to a rotary drive or similar is attached to the support 2. The upper section may also have only two parallel side sections with through-openings for fastening pins (not shown) for fastening the quick changer 1 to an excavator boom and excavator coupling or to a connection point of another construction vehicle. With such a quick changer 1, the attachment can be conveniently connected or disconnected in an automated manner from the cab using two pin-type coupling elements arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined distance. The pin-type coupling elements can be mounted on a separate adapter or directly on the attachment.

[0019] In the illustrated embodiment, the quick changer 1 has two first receptacles 4 spaced apart on one side of the support 2 for a first pin-shaped coupling element, and two second receptacles 5 spaced apart on the other side for a second pin-shaped coupling element. The receptacles 4 and 5 are located at the ends of the two side walls 3 of the support 2. The downward-opening first receptacles 4 have a curved lower first contact surface 10 to support the first pin-shaped coupling element. The forward-opening second receptacles 5 have a claw-shaped or fork-shaped second contact surface 11.

[0020] In order to prevent an attachment connected to the quick changer 1 from being accidentally removed from the quick changer 1 in case of a misoperation or malfunction and then, in some cases, falling at the raised position of the quick changer 1, a catch hook (not shown here) is arranged in the front second receptacle 5 and can surround a coupling element that engages with the second receptacle 5. The catch hook is designed such that when it accidentally disengages from the coupling position, the attachment is captured in the catch position by the engagement between the coupling element and the catch hook, thereby being held on the quick changer.

[0021] To lockably fix a pin-shaped coupling element that engages with the first receptacle 4, a locking device visible in the bottom view of FIG. 2 is provided on the quick changer 1. In the illustrated variant, the locking device includes two pin-shaped locking elements 13 arranged on the first receptacle 4, and these locking elements are guided to move within two parallel holes 14 in the two side walls 3 of the support 2 and can be moved between the retracted release position shown in FIG. 1 for releasing or connecting the attachment and the extended locking position by a drive device 12 called an H cylinder. In the extended locking position, the first receptacle 4 that opens downward is closed at the bottom by the locking elements 13, and the locking elements are guided to move within the holes 14 such that the coupling element that engages with the first receptacle 4 is undercut by the pin-shaped locking elements 13.

[0022] The drive unit 12, referred to as an H-cylinder, in the illustrated modification, is designed to move two pin-shaped locking elements 13 as a hydraulic drive unit and comprises a movable housing between two side walls 3 of a support 2 having two parallel outer portions 15 and a central portion 16 positioned laterally between the outer portions 15. A pressure space for accommodating two parallel hydraulic pistons, each having a piston rod 17 projecting outward, can be located in the two outer portions 15 of the drive unit housing. The two pin-shaped locking elements 13 are fastened to the two upper ends of the outer portions 15 shown in Figure 3. The piston rods 17 projecting from the lower ends of the outer portions 15 in Figure 3 are fastened to the support 2 at their free outer ends, and as a result, the H-shaped housing in which the pin-shaped locking elements 13 are located can be moved between a retracted release or change position and an extended lock position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, by applying pressure corresponding to the pressure space located within the two outer portions 15 of the housing. In the locked position, the pin-shaped locking element 13 extends to lockably secure the attachment, undercutting the coupling element 6 that engages with the first receptacle 4.

[0023] As can be particularly seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the hydraulic quick couplings 19A to 19C having hydraulic connection portions 18 are provided in the central portion 16 of the H-shaped housing for releasably connecting to corresponding mating portions on an adapter or attachment. In the illustrated variant, the hydraulic quick couplings 19A to 19C are designed as coupling sockets for connecting to corresponding quick coupling plugs on an adapter or attachment. A guide plate 20 having a protective flap 21 that can be easily seen in FIG. 3 is fastened to the rear side of the central portion 16 facing the second receptacle 5. The hydraulic quick couplings 19A to 19C are protected from dirt when not in use by the protective flap 21 that is biased to the closed position by a spring 22 in the closed position. The protective flap 21 is automatically opened by an operating rod 23 when the housing is in the forward position. When an adapter or attachment is not connected to the quick changer 1, the protective flap 21 is also closed via the operating rod 23 when the housing is moved to the rear position.

[0024] The hydraulic quick couplings 19A to 19C are arranged flush with the quick coupling plugs on the adapter or attachment during connection of the adapter or attachment to the quick changer 1, so that when the two pin-shaped locking elements 13 are moved to the extended locking position by the above-described hydraulic drive device, the hydraulic quick couplings 19A to 19C having corresponding quick coupling plugs are automatically connected.

[0025] As can be seen in Figure 4, only the three adjacent hydraulic quick couplings 19A to 19C are located in the central portion 16 of the H-shaped housing, which has two first and second outer quick couplings 19A and 19B arranged on the same plane, and a central coupling 19C offset upward relative to them. In the illustrated modification, the two outer hydraulic quick couplings are preferably spaced 61 mm apart, and the central hydraulic quick coupling is offset 7 mm upward relative to the two outer hydraulic quick couplings. This allows for optimal placement of the hydraulic quick couplings within a small design space. The two outer hydraulic quick couplings 19A and 19B can be used for the supply and return lines of the hydraulic circuit, and the central hydraulic quick coupling 19C can be used for the leak line of the hydraulic circuit. Hydraulic oil can also be supplied for control or operation to small excavators or attachment tools of the same or smaller.

[0026] To connect an attachment by the quick changer 1, the quick changer 1, which is normally positioned on the boom of the excavator, is first moved so that a second coupling element, which is positioned directly on the adapter or attachment, retracts into a claw-shaped or fork-shaped receptacle 5 on one side of the quick changer 1. The quick changer 1 is then swung together with the locking element 13, which is still pulled out by the second pin-shaped coupling element, so that the first coupling element on the adapter or attachment contacts the contact surface 10 of the upward-opening receptacle 4 on the other side of the quick changer 1. The locking element 13, which is then movably positioned in a guide hole on the support 2 of the quick changer 1, can be hydraulically extended via a drive unit 12, so that the first pin-shaped coupling element is undercut by the two pin-shaped locking elements 13 on the quick changer 1, and thus the attachment is fixed on the quick changer 1. While the locking element 13 is extended by the drive unit 12, the hydraulic quick couplers 19A to 19C are simultaneously coupled to their corresponding parts on the adapter or attachment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 1 Quick Changer 2 Support 3 side wall 4. The first receptacle 5. The second receptacle 6 side part 7 Cover Sheets 8 Cover Plate 9. Connection part 10 First contact surface 11 Second contact surface 12 Drive unit 13. Rock elements 14 holes 15 Outer part 16 Central part 17 Piston Rod 18 Hydraulic connection 19A First outer hydraulic quick coupling 19B Second outer hydraulic quick coupling 19C Central Hydraulic Quick Coupling 20 Guide Plates 21 Protective flap 22 Springs 24 Operating rods

Claims

1. A quick changer (1) for changing attachments on a construction machine, comprising: a support (2) having a first receptacle (4) of a first coupling element on one side and a second receptacle (5) of a second coupling element on the other side; and a drive unit (12) movably disposed on the support (2) to move at least one of the locking elements (13) assigned to the first receptacle (4) between an extended locked position and a retracted released or changed position, wherein several hydraulic units are provided to supply hydraulic oil to the attachment. A quick changer in which quick couplings are arranged on the drive unit (12), wherein only three hydraulic quick couplings (19A, 19B, 19C) arranged adjacent to each other are provided on the drive unit (12), and of the hydraulic quick couplings, two outer hydraulic quick couplings (19A, 19B) are on a single plane, and the central hydraulic quick coupling (19C) located between the two outer hydraulic quick couplings is offset upward relative to the two outer hydraulic quick couplings.

2. The quick changer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the drive device comprises a housing movable between two side walls (3) of the support (2) having two parallel outer portions (15) and a central portion (16) positioned laterally between the outer portions (15), and the three hydraulic quick couplings (19A, 19B, 19C) are arranged in the central portion.

3. The quick changer (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two outer hydraulic quick couplings (19A, 19B) are arranged at a distance of 62 mm, and the central hydraulic quick coupling (19C) is offset 7 mm upward relative to the two outer hydraulic quick couplings (19A, 19B).

4. The quick changer (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a pressure space for accommodating two parallel hydraulic pistons having outwardly protruding piston rods (17) is located in the two outer portions (15) of the housing of the drive unit (12).

5. The quick changer (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that a pin-shaped locking element (13) is movably guided within two parallel holes (14) in the two side walls (3) of the support (2), and can be moved by the drive device (12) between a retracted release position for releasing or connecting the attachment and an extended lock position.

6. The quick changer (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the guide plate (20) having a protective flap (21) is fastened to the rear side of the central portion (16) facing the second receptacle (5).

7. The quick changer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the hydraulic quick coupling (19A, 19B, 19C) is designed as a coupling socket for connection to a corresponding quick coupling plug on an adapter or attachment.

8. A quick changer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a cover plate (8) having an upper portion having two parallel side portions (6) and a circular connecting portion (9) for fastening to a rotary drive device or the same, is fastened to the support (2).

9. The quick changer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the downward-opening first receptacle (4) has a curved lower first contact surface (10) for supporting a first pin-shaped coupling element, and the forward-opening second receptacle (5) has a claw-shaped or fork-shaped second contact surface (11).

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