J. I. Case Company

Gary L Cochran

Maurice M Klee

Gary D Stromberg

James E Dawson

Charles D Wilson

Ralph C Lanphere

Herman J Maurer

Donald J Parquet

Robert T Peterson

Robert M Anderson

Dean O Baum

Donald G Shelton

Edward L Coyle

Ronald D Seeley

An improved coupling assembly enabling a bucket to be selectively coupled to and uncoupled from a front-end loader with lifting and tilting means. A female coupling structure is integral with the bucket. A back plate of the female coupling structure bears against a front plate of a male coupling structure with no gap between such plates. An upper flange on the front plate bears upwardly against an upper flange on the back plate. Means are provided to latch the male coupling structure releasably to the female coupling structure. Vertical play between the male coupling structure and the female coupling structure is limited precisely to a specified gap between and adjustable member on the male coupling structure and a fixed block on the female coupling structure.

Implement-coupling assembly for material-handling apparatus

A movable cab structure and operator's compartment for a front end loader which permits complete access to all parts of the front end loader for easy servicing, repair or replacement work. In one embodiment, each base frame side member of the front end loader includes an elongated rail, a stop, and a bracket having a roller mounted thereon. Each side wall of the operator's compartment also includes an elongated rail and a roller which is mounted to the side wall by a bracket. As the operator's compartment is moved forwardly, the rails on the compartment side walls engage the rollers on the base frame side members while the rollers on the compartment side walls engage the underside of the rails on the base frame side members. The operator's compartment may then be easily moved forwardly to an extreme position until the rollers on the compartment side walls engage stops on the base frame side members. In a second embodiment, the cab structure is movable longitudinally on the side walls of the operator's compartment to an out-of-the-way position. Each compartment side wall includes a roller on its forward end for engaging an inwardly turned lip extending along the length of the cab structure. Each side of the cab structure includes a rear roller which rides along the upper end of a respective compartment side wall. In yet another embodiment of the invention, each base frame side member includes an upstanding flange member which forms a rail wherein the entire operator's compartment is capable of longitudinal movement. Rollers are uniquely arranged with respect to the rail to provide a simple effective mechanism that permits the operator's compartment to be moved forwardly.

Operator compartment assembly

An operator restraint system for a front end loader which requires an operator to rotate a pair of opposed restraint arms in front of him when he is seated before the loader may be operated. Each restraint arm is pivotally mounted to a cab surrounding the operator. A park latch cable is attached to each pivotal restraint arm and the cable is additionally attached to other components including a parking brake assembly and loader control lock. The restraint arms are biased to normally assume a generally vertical inoperative position which prevents operation of the loader. After the operator is seated, he rotates the restraint arms to an operative position in front of him wherein the arms are securely stationed and cannot be rotated back to their generally vertical inoperative position until the operator releases them. The loader is incapable of being operated until the restraint arms are locked into position for securing the operator in his seat.

Operator restraint system

A quick coupler assembly for attaching a material handling bucket or the like to the free ends of lift arms extending from a loader. The quick coupler assembly includes an elongated cross member having hitch brackets on its opposite ends. Each hitch bracket includes an end which is received against the underside of an upper attachment member on the rear wall of the bucket near the top edge thereof. The opposite end of the hitch bracket is configured for engagement against a lower inclined ramp extending along the bottom rear edge of the bucket. The coupler assembly further includes an over-center locking mechanism consisting of a pivotal handle and link connected to a shaft with a wedge on the lower end of the shaft. The shaft and wedge are slidably movable in response to over-center movement of the handle and link such that the wedge moves downwardly and passes through openings in a lower hitch bracket attachment member and the lower inclined bucket ramp for locking the quick coupler assembly to the bucket. After the operator has located the bucket in a hanging position on the quick coupler assembly, the assembly is rotated rearwardly such that an end of the handle is pushed against a stop member. As a result, the handle and link are pushed over center thereby forcing the wedge downwardly through the openings in the attaching members between the hitch bracket and bucket for securely attaching the bucket to the coupler assembly.

Quick coupler assembly

A quick coupler assembly for attaching a material handling bucket or the like to the free ends of lift arms extending from a loader. The quick coupler assembly includes an elongated cross member having hitch brackets on its opposite ends. Each hitch bracket includes an end which is received within a socket coupling member on the rear wall of the bucket near the top edge thereof. The opposite end of the hitch bracket is configured for engagement within a lower coupling member on the bucket rear wall. The coupler assembly further includes an attaching lever which is rotatably secured to the backside of the cross member substantially at its mid-portion. The lower end of the attaching lever is movable into engagement within a coupling member on the rear wall of the bucket. The upper end of the attaching lever includes a slidable or rotatable locking bracket assembly which is selectively moved into locking engagement with a locking member on the bucket rear wall. A tilt cylinder preloads the bucket against the quick coupler assembly such that the only force required from the operator is a simple manual movement of the locking bucket assembly into a position for final coupling.

Skid steer loader

A modular machine including several removable components which are structurally interconnected in a manner to result in a rigid unit which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to service or repair. The modular machine includes as its basic components a base frame assembly, an operator's control station, and a cab assembly. The base frame assembly comprises an open frame construction including opposed rectangular end members and opposed hollow rectangular side members. Ground-engaging wheels are mounted to the side members by using a unitized axle assembly including a hub and sprocket which extends into the interior of a side member. A fluid motor is mounted to the inner wall of each side member for driving the ground-engaging wheels connected to that side member. The operator's control station includes a front wall portion and rearwardly extending side wall portions. A generally U-shaped frame extends downwardly from the front and side wall portions for engagement within a complementary cavity formed by stepped inner walls on the side members of the base frame assembly. The cab assembly consists of an operator's seat attached to a box-like frame with the box-like frame being pivotally attached to the operator's control station. The cab assembly may be conveniently removed from the operator's control station or rotated to an out-of-the-way position thereby permitting complete access to the interior of the operator's control station. The base frame assembly, operator's control station and cab assembly may be conveniently disassembled to permit complete access to all parts of the machine for easy servicing, repair or replacement.

Modular loader frame structure

A valve to provide a controlled loss of hydraulic fluid from a closed loop hydrostatic transmission. A method of converting a bleed-off valve from one sensitive only to loop pressure to one sensitive to both loop pressure and charging line pressure. A pressure sensitive surface in flow communication with charging line pressure is used to position the valve to shut off flow in the event that charging line pressure is lost. In the event that charging line pressure and loop pressure are normal the valve provides a controlled bleed of hydraulic fluid. Finally, in the event that loop pressure becomes unacceptably high, flow is shut off.

Hydrostatic transmission bleed-off valve

A fluid pump control for a tractor having a fluid pump controlled by an operator's handle connected to the pump by force-responsive members which do not transmit the pump vibration to the handle. The control is for a tractor transmission driven through a variable displacement pump which inherently develops vibrations. The handle is a pivotally mounted lever and the connections between the handle and the pump are four cables, and two intervening compression springs, all for transmitting the force on the lever to the pump while avoiding transmitting the pump vibrations back to the lever. The springs also are arranged with the cables to automatically return the pump to a neutral position when the operator releases hand force on the lever.

Fluid pump control system for a tractor

A hand control system for a tractor having several controllable units such as hydraulic and brake units. A tubular member is rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis and it connects to one of the units for actuating the same, and a member is pivotally mounted on the tubular member and has a handle thereon which connects to a linkage extending partly through the tubular member and connects to another of the units for operating same. The tubular member can be rotated to actuate its connected unit, without requiring actuation of the handle, and, conversely, the handle can be actuated to move its linkage and actuate its connected unit, without moving the tubular member and its unit. Also, another tractor unit, such as a brake, is connected into the system such that when the one member is pivoted upwardly on the tubular member the handle is placed in an inoperative position and the brake is automatically operated, as desired.

Hand control system for a tractor

A reverse linkage loader bucket arm with an enclosed cylinder assembly and wherein a loader bucket is pivotally mounted on the arm and the cylinder assembly induces the pivotal action. The lift or support arm for the bucket is hollow along its longitudinal axis and the cylinder assembly is mounted within the hollow arm and projects through an open end thereof to pivotally connect with the bucket and the point of pivotal connection is to the side of the pivotal connection of the arm in the bucket away from the bucket. The cylinder fluid lines are also disposed within the hollow boom or lift arm, and thus the cylinder assembly and the lines or hoses are enclosed and thereby protected and arranged for reverse linkage connection relative to the arm and the bucket.

Growing community of inventors

Burlington, IA, United States of America

Gary L Cochran