US 11,952,738 B2
Attachment coupler
Ethan Linden, Salina, KS (US); and James Allen, Lawrence, KS (US)
Assigned to Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., Salina, KS (US)
Filed by Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., Salina, KS (US)
Filed on Sep. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/479,782.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/080,084, filed on Sep. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0090346 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. E02F 3/36 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 3/3622 (2013.01) [E02F 3/3663 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A coupler for releasably coupling an attachment to a heavy-equipment machine, said coupler comprising:
a frame comprising a pair of spaced apart sides and a bottom plate extending between said sides, wherein said frame further comprises a support plate extending from said bottom plate and between said sides;
a plurality of connection elements extending exteriorly from each of said sides said frame and configured to engage with the attachment;
a locking pin configured to extend simultaneously through said frame and the attachment, wherein said locking pin is removable from said frame and the attachment;
an elongated locking element extending between said sides of said frame and configured to selectively engage with said locking pin to securely couple said coupler to the attachment;
an actuator configured to shift said locking element between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein said actuator is rigidly secured to said bottom plate of said frame and abuts said support plate, and wherein a rod extends from said actuator to said locking element; and
a pair of biasing elements extending from said support plate to said locking element, with one biasing element positioned on each side of the actuator, configured to bias said locking element into engagement with said locking pin.