Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention concerns rigging for logging
operations and particularly a butt hook ~or receiving the
ferrule equipped leading end of a log engaging choker line.
A choker line or cable is typically passPd about an
end segment of a felled log for purposes of transporting
same to a site whereat the logs collected are loaded for
travel to a mill or storage area, The log encompassing
end of the line is fitted with a ferrule for removable
securement within a choker hook with the line pas~ing about
the log, back through the choker hook and thence upwardly
to a butt hook. ~he butt hook may travel off the ground
as in a high lead logging operation, or in the case of log
skiddin~, may be pulled over the terrain. The choker line
is also ferrule equipped at the butt hook attaching end
enabling convenient removal for line replacement or
reversal as is often necessary by reason of kinked or
damaged cables.
In logging operations butt hooks are subjected to
severe impacts particularly when in an unloaded or slacked
condition during dragging back to the log pick up site.
Random bouncing o~ the butt hook can cause unseatin~ of
the choker ferrule therein with resultant choker los-c.
U. S. Patent 3,464,093 was directed toward overcoming
this problem and envisioned the use of flexible projec-
tions to confine the ferrule against all but intentional
removal.
Ideally a ferrule should be positively locked in
placa within a butt hook yet readily removable for choker
line reve~sal or replacement. ~o such butt hook ha~ been
hereto~ore available which entirely qatis~ie3 these
requirement~. Further, known butt hooks for high lead
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logging have not been interchangeable with butt hooks
used in a log s~idding operation.
m e present invention is embodied within a butt hook
receiving a choker ferrule in a positlvely locked manner
as opposed to known one piece cast butt hooks. The present
butt hook includes a main body portion of elongate config-
uration having a cavity for lateral insertion and removal
of the choker attached ferrule. A sleeve encompas~es sa~d
hook body to retain the ferrule in place yet permits fer-
rule and hence choker detachment in an expeditious mannerupon sleeve repositioning. Said sleeve is held against
movement relative the hook body by attachment means shown
and described as a shackle while sleeve movement in an
opposite direction is prevented by contact with the hook
body. The base portion o~ the hook body has a radially
dlrected slot for reception of that segment of the cable
adjacent the ferrule.
A modified form of the invention $ncludes the fore-
going structure and additionally the main body of the hook
~s provided with locking means preventing accidental
ferrule rele~sing mo~ement of the sleeve in an axial
direction during hook u~e.
The butt hook embod~ing the present invention may be
advantageously used in different types of logging opera-
tions, for exa~ple, high lead logging or log skidding
opcrations and in both instances serves to removably
attach the leadin~ end of a choker line with a winchline
or winchline suspended components. As above noted, butt
heoks are subjected to severe impacts against trees, logs,
stumps" etc.; during use with the choker ferrule held
therein being subject to dislodgment particularly during
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return of a rapidly moving, unloaded butt hook to the log
pick up site. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to pro-
vide a butt hook which positively locks the ferrule in
place therewithin yet permits a worker, at the log pick up
site, to remove same and the choker line with no or a min-
imum of tools ~or choker replacement or reversal as oftimes
becomes necessary by reason of kinked cable segment~.
m e present invention i8 embodied within a butt hook
for reception of a choker line ferrule, said butt hook
sqrving to couple the log engaged choker l$ne to a winch
retrieved line, said butt hook comprising, a main body
defining a laterally opening cavity for reception of the
choker ltne ferrule, said main body also defining a radially
directed opening at one end for lateral passage of that por-
tion of the chok~r line adjacent the ferrule, a sleeve on
said main body and adapted for limited axial movement
therealong to open and close said cavity, shackle means
re~ovably attached to the remaining ~nd of said main body
and adapted to receive the winch retrieved line, said
shackle means having alig~ed ends proximate a sleeve end
and normally preventing cavity opening movemen$ of said
sl~eve in one direction, said main body restricting sleeve
: movem~nt in an opposite direction, and said sleeve axially
po~itionable upon removal of sa~d shackle means from said
body to provide ingress and egress of the ferrule.
In the accompanying drawings: :
Figure 1 i~ an eleYational view of the present butt
:~ hook in use suspended from a winchline of logging rigging,
Figure 2 i5 an elevational view of the butt hook on
a~ reduced scale with the sleeve thereGf broken away along
a sleeve radial plane ~or purposes o illustrat~on;
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Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the butt
hook rotated th~ough 90 degrees and with fra~ments of the
sleeve and main bo~y broken away for purposes of illu~tra-
tion;
Figure 4 is a plan view of a log skidding operation
utilizing the present butt hook;
Figure S is a side elevational view of the upper end
of the pre~ent butt hook provided with a shackle adapted
for use in a log skidding ope.ration;
~igure 6 is an elevational ~iew of a modified form
of butt hoo~ including sleeve locking means in place on
the main body of the butt hoo~.
With continuing attention to the accompanying drawings,
the reference numeral 1 indicates the in-haul winchline of
logging rigging which includes a line 2 reversed about a
block (not shown) or return and attachment to in-haul line
1 and ~pecifically mainline swivels thereon indicated at 3.
Each main lina 5wivel 3 and its butt hook swivel indicated
at 4 are interconnected by a bu~t chain 5 while a second
section of chain 6 extends ~rom the butt swivel for butt
hook attachment. The unseen right hand ends of lines 1
and 2 are wound about a powered drum or drums of a yaxder.
me foregoin~ is inkended to describe a typical high lead
logging operation with which the present hook is usable
but not rastrictively so.
The present butt hook i~ indicated ~enerally at 10
shown carrying one end of a conventional chokex line 11
typically fitted with a ferrule in place within the butt
hook. The remaining end of the choker line passes about
a log end with a second end mounted fexrule being inserted
within a choker hook at 12. Such choker hooks are config-
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ured so as to retain the ferrule while pexmitting passage
~f the choker lin~ as the line is snugged about the log
during log retrieval.
With particular attention to Figures 2 and 3, a main
body 13 of the butt hook is of elongate configuration
terminating upwardly in a projection 14 apertured at 14A
for the reception of a shackle bolt 15.
A cavity at 16 i5 formed within the lower portion of
main body 13 with internal body wall surfaces defining
the laterally directed cavity. Said ca~ity i~ of a height
and width to receive a ferrule 17 secured to the leading
end of choker line 11. A lowermost portion 13A o~ the
main body defines a laterally directed opening 18 which
terminates inwardly in coaxial relationship with cavity
16~ As best shown in Figure 2, an internal rounded
shoulder 19 is formed on a radius complementary to that
radius of a ferrule end indicated at 17A. Accordingly,
ferrule 17 is supported against all cable exerted loads.
Cavity 16 is formed so as to locate ferrule 17 concentric
with the ma~or axis of the main body,
Disposed on main body 13 is a sleeve 20 having an
inner wall surface 20A the sleeve being in sliding con-
tact with the exterior of the main body. An end 20~ of
~he sleeve contacts the lowermo~t portion 13A of the main
body to restrict sleeve movement in one direction.
A shackle at 21 constituting attachment means is
attached to projection 14 by shackl~ ~o~t 15 with shackle
end~ 21A-21~ serving to confine sleeve 20 against axial
movement in the remaining direction. Bolt 15 is in
threaded engagement with shackle end 21B so as to be
retained against shackle separation. If so de~iredf
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shackle bolt 15 may xeceive a self-locking nut i~ which
instance threading of shackle end 21B is dispensed with.
In either case shackle bolt 15 may be easily removed, such
an operation reql~iring at most a wrench and, in the first
described arrangement, being manually removable if finger
tightened.
For reten*ion o choker line 11 and its ferrule 17
substantially concentric with main body 13, a spacer 22
is confined intermediate the ferrule end internal sleeve
surface 20A.
With attention now to Figure 4, a typical log skidding
operation is disclosed in plan view wherein a winchline 25
is powered by a tractor mounted winch 25 the latter having
an elevated airlead so as to customarily elevate the
forwardmost ends of the logs being skidded ground obstruc-
tion avoidance. A ferrule 27 on the winchline end serves
as a stop against which the shackle of a butt hook and
~uccessive butt ho~ks may he retained during log skidding.
Choker lines are indicated at 30 terminating outwardly in
attachment with choker hooks 31 in the above described
manner~ The present butt hook is indicated generally at :
10' and corresponds to the butt hook earlier described
but which prefera~ly includes a somewhat modified shackle
33 as besk shown in Figure 5. Remaining butt hook parts
are identified with like prime reference numerals. For
purposes of avoiding damage to winchline 25, the shackle
33 is formed with a bail 34 of oval cross section pro-
vidin~ an increased surface 34A. The foregoing is advan-
~ageous in a log skidding operation by reason, of the fsct
that the winchline passing through the butt hook shscXles
is subjected to fraying by severe loads axerted in opposite
directions wlthin a short distance. The increased surface
area 3AA of the shackle is de~irable by reason of such
loads being borne by a lar~er surface area than ~ould
occur with a conventional shackleO
A modified foxm of butt hook is shown in Figure 6 and
includes a main body 35 having an upward projection 36
for reception of a shackle attaching bolt 37 passing
through shackle ends 38 to receive a nut 39. Main body
35 defines a ferrule receiving cavity 40 of the size and
lQ configuration earlier described in the first form of the
invention. A ferrule 41 is retained within cavi~y 40 by
a ~leeve 42 of reduced length attached for limited sliding
movement along main body 35. Remaining butt hook structure
is as earlier set forth with differences noted as follows~
Locking means indica~ed at 43 comprises a key secured
within a main body recess 44 as by set screws 45. Sleeve
42 includes a lengthwise extending keyway or channel 46 of
a sectional area adequate to slidably receive key 43 when
aligned tharewith. During a logging operation sleeve 42
gravitates toward the lowermost end 35A of the main body
to confine ~errule 41 within cavity 4~. Inadvertent
al~ gnment of sleeve channel 46 with key 43 coincident with
sleeve upward movement is vir~ually non-existent to pre-
clude accidental choker line separation. In this form of
the invention, the shackle need not be removed fox ferrule
removal. Only upon aligrlment of channel 46 with key 43
and careful en~agement of the ~leeve with 3aid insert
can cavity 40 be opened for ferrule release.
Use of the pre~ent butt hook is believed obvious from
the fore~oing description.
