Work vehicle, method for operating tow apparatus, and method for assembling tow apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10071608-B2
Application number	US-201615039563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 10, 2015
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A tow pin has a main body portion in a columnar shape and a first protrusion protruding outward from an outer circumferential surface of the main body portion. An upper bracket structure has a first through hole in which the main body portion is inserted and restricts passage of the first protrusion. A lower bracket is located under the upper bracket structure at a distance from the upper bracket structure and has a second through hole in which the tow pin can be inserted. The main body portion of the tow pin is inserted in at least the first through hole and the first protrusion is located under the upper bracket structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work vehicle having a tow apparatus, comprising:
a tow pin having a main body portion in a columnar shape and a first protrusion protruding outward from an outer circumferential surface of the main body portion;
an upper bracket structure having a first through hole in which the main body portion is inserted, and restricting passage of the first protrusion; and
a lower bracket located under the upper bracket structure at a distance from the upper bracket structure and having a second through hole in which the tow pin can be inserted,
wherein the main body portion of the tow pin is inserted in at least the first through hole and the first protrusion is located under the upper bracket structure, and
wherein
the first through hole has
a first main body insertion portion having a two-dimensional shape greater than an outer circumferential shape of the columnar shape of the main body portion, and
a first recess portion connected to an outer circumference of the first main body insertion portion and having a two-dimensional shape smaller than an outer circumferential shape of the first protrusion, and

the second through hole has
a second main body insertion portion having a two-dimensional shape greater than the outer circumferential shape of the columnar shape of the main body portion, and
a second recess portion connected to an outer circumference of the second main body insertion portion and having a two-dimensional shape greater than the outer circumferential shape of the first protrusion.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the upper bracket structure has an upper bracket having a third through hole and a plate arranged on the upper bracket and having a fourth through hole,
the third through hole has a third main body insertion portion having a two-dimensional shape greater than the outer circumferential shape of the columnar shape of the main body portion and a third recess portion connected to an outer circumference of the third main body insertion portion and having a two-dimensional shape greater than the outer circumferential shape of the first protrusion,
the fourth through hole has a fourth main body insertion portion having a two-dimensional shape greater than the outer circumferential shape of the columnar shape of the main body portion, a fourth recess portion connected to an outer circumference of the fourth main body insertion portion and having a two-dimensional shape smaller than the outer circumferential shape of the first protrusion, and a fifth recess portion connected to the outer circumference of the fourth main body insertion portion and having a two-dimensional shape greater than the outer circumferential shape of the first protrusion, and
the third main body insertion portion and the fourth main body insertion portion implement the first main body insertion portion as being vertically superimposed on each other, and the third recess portion and the fourth recess portion implement the first recess portion as being vertically superimposed on each other.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the plate has a flat portion having the fourth main body insertion portion and the fourth recess portion and a rotation stop portion connected to the flat portion and protruding upward from the flat portion.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein
the tow pin includes a handle portion arranged in the main body portion,
the handle portion has an extension portion protruding outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body portion, and
the rotation stop portion is located in a trace of rotation of the extension portion when the main body portion of the tow pin is rotated while the main body portion is inserted in the first main body insertion portion and the second main body insertion portion.

5. The work vehicle according claim 2 , wherein
the tow pin has a second protrusion,
the second protrusion protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body portion above the first protrusion and has a protrusion dimension smaller than an outward protrusion dimension of the first protrusion, and
the first recess portion has a two-dimensional shape greater than an outer circumferential shape of the second protrusion.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
an interval in a vertical direction between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is equal to or greater than a thickness in the vertical direction of the upper bracket structure.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
an interval in a vertical direction between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is equal to or greater than a thickness in the vertical direction of the lower bracket.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
the second protrusion is located directly above the first protrusion along a direction of axis of the columnar shape of the main body portion.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
the second through hole has a sixth recess portion connected to the outer circumference of the second main body insertion portion and having a two-dimensional shape smaller than the outer circumferential shape of the first protrusion and greater than the outer circumferential shape of the second protrusion, and
the sixth recess portion is connected to the second recess portion.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein
the second protrusion is arranged in any of the second recess portion and the sixth recess portion while the main body portion of the tow pin is inserted in the second main body insertion portion and the third main body insertion portion.

11. A method for operating a tow apparatus in the work vehicle according to claim 5 , comprising the steps of:
pulling the tow pin upward such that the second protrusion passes through the first recess portion to be located above the upper bracket structure from a state that the main body portion of the tow pin is inserted in the second main body insertion portion and the third main body insertion portion; and
placing and holding the second protrusion on the upper bracket structure by rotating the tow pin with respect to the upper bracket structure such that the second protrusion moves to a position where the second protrusion is not superimposed on the first recess portion when viewed in the direction of axis of the columnar shape of the main body portion after pulling the tow pin upward.

12. The method for operating a tow apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
a gap is created between a lower end of the tow pin and the lower bracket while the second protrusion is placed and held on the upper bracket structure,
the method further comprises the steps of:
rotating the tow pin with respect to the upper bracket structure such that the second protrusion moves to a position where the second protrusion is superimposed on the second through hole when viewed in the direction of axis while the gap is created; and
pulling the tow pin downward such that the second protrusion passes through the first recess portion and moves below the upper bracket structure and the tow pin is inserted in the first through hole and the second through hole after the tow pin is rotated, and
the tow pin is passed through a ring portion of a tow wire by making use of the gap, by pulling the tow pin downward.

13. The method for operating a tow apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the step of pulling the tow pin downward includes the step of pulling the tow pin downward until the first protrusion passes through the second recess portion and is located under th

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Numa Yasutaka

Classifications

• B60D1/28

  for preventing unwanted disengagement, e.g. safety appliances · CPC title

• B60D1/02 Primary

  Bolt or shackle-type couplings · CPC title

• B60D1/58

  Auxiliary devices · CPC title

• B60D1/48

  characterised by the mounting · CPC title

• B60D1/025

  comprising release or locking lever pins · CPC title