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.

1 . An excavator coupler adapted to be attached to an excavator arm of a digger, and to be connected to an attachment, such as a bucket, having at least one pin, wherein the coupler comprises: 
 a front jaw adapted for engaging a pin, the jaw having an opening for the pin, the opening facing generally longitudinally relative to the length of the coupler and the jaw comprising an interior space, and lips that partially occlude the interior space so as to provide a profile for the jaw that has a widened interior relative to the narrower of the gap between the lips and the opening of the jaw, and wherein one lip is provided on an upper wall of the jaw and the other lip is provided on a lower wall of the jaw.    
   
   
       2 . An excavator coupler adapted to be attached to an excavator arm of a digger, and to be connected to an attachment, such as a bucket, having at least one pin, wherein the coupler comprises: 
 a front jaw adapted for engaging a pin, the jaw having an opening for the pin, the opening facing generally longitudinally relative to the length of the coupler and the jaw comprising an interior space, and at least one lip that partially occludes the interior space so as to provide a profile for the jaw that has a widened interior relative to the opening of the jaw, the lip being provided on either an upper wall of the jaw or on a lower wall of the jaw, the front jaw not being associated with a latching means.    
   
   
       3 . An excavator coupler adapted to be attached to an excavator arm of a digger, and to be connected to an attachment, such as a bucket, having at least one pin, wherein the coupler comprises: 
 a front jaw adapted for engaging a pin, the jaw having an opening for the pin, the opening facing generally longitudinally relative to the length of the coupler and the jaw comprising an interior space, and at least one lip that partially occludes the interior space so as to provide a profile for the jaw that has a widened interior relative to the jaw's opening, the lip being provided on an upper wall of the jaw.    
   
   
       4 . An excavator coupler adapted to be attached to an excavator arm of a digger, and to be connected to an attachment, such as a bucket, having at least one pin, wherein the coupler comprises: 
 a front jaw adapted for engaging a pin, the jaw having an opening for the pin, the opening facing generally longitudinally relative to the length of the coupler and the jaw comprising an interior space, and at least one lip that partially occludes the interior space so as to provide a profile for the jaw that has a widened interior relative to the opening of the jaw, the lip being provided on a lower wall of the jaw and a gravity operated latching means associated with the front jaw, the latching means being provided on an upper wall of the jaw and being arranged to operate under the influence of gravity such that it will fall under the influence of gravity from a normal latching position, in which it partially occludes the interior space, into a non-latching position, upon inverting the coupler.    
   
   
       5 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the jaw's interior space has an intermediate portion behind the lips that is widened relative to the gap defined by the opening and also widened relative to a back portion of the interior space.  
   
   
       6 . The coupler of  claim 5 , wherein the back portion of the jaw is radiused in profile.  
   
   
       7 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the front jaw has a solid construction extending across full width of the coupler.  
   
   
       8 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the front jaw is bifurcated.  
   
   
       9 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the depth dimension of the front jaw is oriented in a direction that is inclined from parallel to the longitudinal direction of the coupler.  
   
   
       10 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler is provided with another jaw which is downwardly facing.  
   
   
       11 . The coupler of  claim 10 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw has a latching hook or plate associated with it.  
   
   
       12 . The coupler of  claim 11 , wherein the latching hook or plate is a pivoting latching hook.  
   
   
       13 . The coupler of  claim 11 , additionally comprising a safety pin or a blocking bar for positioning behind or through the hook or plate for locking or blocking it.  
   
   
       14 . The coupler of  claim 10 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw is wider in the longitudinal direction than the depth of the front jaw.  
   
   
       15 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly relative to both a back portion of the jaw and the lips.  
   
   
       16 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly relative to both a back portion of the jaw and a lip of the jaw in both the upper wall and the lower wall of the jaw.  
   
   
       17 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly from each lip, but is not stepped outwardly relative to a back portion of the jaw.  
   
   
       18 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly from a back portion of the jaw in just one of the upper wall and the lower wall of the jaw, and also from each lip.  
   
   
       19 . The coupler of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the intermediate portion, measured in the longitudinal direction of the coupler, is at least twice the height of the tallest lip of the front jaw.  
   
   
       20 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the tallest lip of the jaw has a height of between 8 and 20 mm.  
   
   
       21 . The coupler of  claim 1 , comprising no active latch or catch for the front jaw.  
   
   
       22 . The coupler of  claim 2 , wherein the jaw's interior space has an intermediate portion behind the lip that is widened relative to the gap defined by the opening and also widened relative to a back portion of the interior space.  
   
   
       23 . The coupler of  claim 2 , wherein the coupler is provided with another jaw which is downwardly facing.  
   
   
       24 . The coupler of  claim 23 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw has a latching hook or plate associated with it.  
   
   
       25 . The coupler of  claim 24 , additionally comprising a safety pin or a blockinq bar for lockinq or blockinq the hook or plate.  
   
   
       26 . The coupler of  claim 23 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw is wider in the longitudinal direction than the depth of the front jaw.  
   
   
       27 . The coupler of  claim 2 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly relative to both a back portion of the jaw and the lip.  
   
   
       28 . The coupler of  claim 2 , wherein the lip of the jaw has a height of between 8 and 20 mm.  
   
   
       29 . The coupler of  claim 2 , comprising no active latch or catch for the front jaw.  
   
   
       30 . The coupler of  claim 3 , wherein the jaw's interior space has an intermediate portion behind the lip that is widened relative to the gap defined by the opening and also widened relative to a back portion of the interior space.  
   
   
       31 . The coupler of  claim 3 , wherein the coupler is provided with another jaw which is downwardly facing.  
   
   
       32 . The coupler of  claim 31 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw has a latching hook or plate associated with it.  
   
   
       33 . The coupler of  claim 32 , additionally comprising a safety pin or a blocking bar for locking or blocking the hook or plate.  
   
   
       34 . The coupler of  claim 31 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw is wider in the longitudinal direction than the depth of the front jaw.  
   
   
       35 . The coupler of  claim 3 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly relative to both a back portion of the jaw and the lip.  
   
   
       36 . The coupler of  claim 3 , wherein the lip has a height of between 8 and 20 mm.  
   
   
       37 . The coupler of  claim 4 , wherein the jaw's interior space has an intermediate portion behind the lip that is widened relative to the gap defined by the opening and also widened relative to a back portion of the interior space.  
   
   
       38 . The coupler of  claim 4 , wherein the coupler is provided with another jaw which is downwardly facing.  
   
   
       39 . The coupler of  claim 38 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw has a latching hook or plate associated with it.  
   
   
       40 . The coupler of  claim 39 , additionally comprising a safety pin or a blocking bar for locking or blocking the hook or plate.  
   
   
       41 . The coupler of  claim 38 , wherein the downwardly facing jaw is wider (i.e. longer in the longitudinal direction) than the depth of the front jaw.  
   
   
       42 . The coupler of  claim 4 , wherein the profile of an intermediate portion of the interior space is stepped outwardly relative to both a back portion of the jaw and the lip.  
   
   
       43 . The coupler of  claim 4 , wherein the lip has a height of between 8 and 20 mm.