Quick-connect and quick-release couplings are used in a variety of applications with heavy industrial equipment. The purpose of the coupling is to reduce the mounting/dismounting time of an assembly on the machine. One typical application is with the motor mounts on the engine/transmission assembly of a military vehicle, which often must be removed and reinstalled quickly.
Prior art couplings use spring-energized latching mechanisms and these couplings are connected by inserting the male component into the female receiver. To release the coupling, the latching mechanism must be forced back against the spring tension to allow the components to be separated. However, in many cases there are spatial limitations that inhibit direct access to the coupling, preventing disconnection. In such cases, a remote actuator can be used to release the coupling.
As an alternative, prior art couplings using hydraulics, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,837 issued to Brown et al., are used. The hydraulic coupling can be actuated by the vehicle operator remotely from the location of the coupling. However, the coupling must be hydraulically actuated both for connection and for disconnection. This creates a risk of the coupling disengaging if hydraulic pressure is lost. A similar type of coupling, with the addition of a spring-loaded latching mechanism to function in conjunction with a gas charged accumulator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,871 issued to Woerman.
There is a need for a quick-release coupling suitable for heavy industrial machinery that does not require hydraulics to engage the latching mechanism. Furthermore, the coupling should also allow for remote disconnection, to allow the coupling to be used in areas where a manual disconnection is neither easily achieved nor easily accessible.
It is an object of this invention to provide such a coupling.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds