Improvements to couplers

Abstract

A coupler to secure a work attachment to a work vehicle is disclosed. The work attachment includes a first pin and a second pin, while the coupler body has a first engagement portion which is configured to accept the first pin and a second engagement portion configured to accept the second pin. The coupler body has a guide and a slider configured to slide along the guide. The body of the slider includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion. The coupler has a trigger located on the coupler body such that the trigger is released by contact with the second pin, and a first actuator that is activated by release of the trigger. When the trigger is released, the first actuator moves the slider along the guide into an engaged position where the first locking portion engages and retains the first pin in the first engagement portion of the coupler body and the second locking portion engages and retains the second pin in the second engagement portion of the coupler body at the same time.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A coupler configured to secure a work attachment to a work vehicle, the work attachment comprising a first pin and a second pin, the coupler comprising:
 a coupler body, comprising:
 a first engagement portion that is configured to accept the first pin, 
 a second engagement portion configured to accept the second pin, and 
 a guide; 
   a slider configured to slide along the guide, wherein a body of the slider comprises a first locking portion and a second locking portion;   a trigger located on the coupler body such that the trigger is released by contact with the second pin; and   a first actuator that is activated by release of the trigger, wherein   when the trigger is released, the first actuator can move the slider along the guide into an engaged position where the first locking portion engages and retains the first pin in the first engagement portion of the coupler body, and the second locking portion engages and retains the second pin in the second engagement portion of the coupler body, at the same time.   
     
     
         22 . The coupler of  claim 21 , wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are located at fixed positions on the coupler body and are spaced apart by a fixed distance. 
     
     
         23 . The coupler of  claim 22 , wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are located at fixed positions on the slider body spaced apart by the fixed distance. 
     
     
         24 . The coupler of  claim 23 , wherein the fixed distance corresponds to a separation between the first pin and the second pin of the work attachment. 
     
     
         25 . The coupler of  claim 24 , wherein the first engagement portion comprises a first fixed jaw. 
     
     
         26 . The coupler of  claim 25 , wherein the second engagement portion comprises a second fixed jaw. 
     
     
         27 . The coupler of  claim 21 , wherein the first locking portion of the slider comprises an end of the slider that enters into the space created by the first fixed jaw of the coupler body. 
     
     
         28 . The coupler of  claim 27 , wherein the second locking portion of the slider comprises a third fixed jaw. 
     
     
         29 . The coupler of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a locking mechanism configured to hold the slider in a disengaged position, in which the first pin is not retained in the first engagement portion and the second pin is not retained in the second engagement portion, until the trigger is released.   
     
     
         30 . The coupler of  claim 29 , wherein the trigger is configured to operate the locking mechanism so that when the trigger is released, it releases the slider, allowing the slider to be moved by the first actuator into the engaged position. 
     
     
         31 . The coupler of  claim 29 , wherein the slider is moved to the disengaged position manually. 
     
     
         32 . The coupler of  claim 29  including a second actuator which, when activated, is configured to move the slider from the engaged position to the disengaged position. 
     
     
         33 . The coupler of  claim 21 , wherein the first actuator comprises a coil spring. 
     
     
         34 . The coupler of  claim 33 , wherein activation of the second actuator to move the slide into the disengaged position comprises resetting the trigger. 
     
     
         35 . The coupler of  claim 33 , wherein the second actuator comprises a hydraulically operated actuator. 
     
     
         36 . A method of securing a work attachment to a work vehicle using a coupler, comprising:
 locating a first pin on the work attachment in a first engagement portion of a coupler body;   inserting a second pin into a second engagement portion of the coupler body so that the second pin contacts and releases a trigger; and   activating a first actuator to move a slider along a guide into an engaged position where a first locking portion engages and retains the first pin in the first engagement portion of the coupler body, and a second locking portion engages and retains the second pin in the second engagement portion of the coupler body, at the same time.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 releasing the work attachment from the coupler by moving the slider with respect to the coupler body into a disengaged position in which the first pin is not retained in the first engagement portion and the second pin is not retained in the second engagement portion.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the slider is moved manually. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the slider is moved by action of a second actuator. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the moving of the slider into the disengaged position comprises resetting the trigger.