Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lZ09~L74
Owe particular advantageous environment for the
invention is in connection with grapples employed with apparatus
for sk~ddi~g logs. Heretofore the grapples have employed
expenslve structurally rigid te~sion/compre~sion links which
require floating tong pivot points and additionally machined
and bushed pun joints. When it i8 considered that the
environment is rugged and primitive, the employment of complicated
and sometimes delicate parts can be a real disadvantage.
The disadvantages of construction and use are both avoided
10 through the practice of the invention.
According to the invention the tong mounting and
actuating apparatus employs a pair of pulley means eaeh rotatably
mounted on the frame of the apparatus, the tongs being operatively
associated with each pulley means and the pulley means being
interconnected by cable means extending between the pulley
means in a general figure eight configuration. Through
thus mechanism, one rotation of one pulley means -- as by a
fluid pressure cylinder -- produces counter rotation of the
other pulley mean9.
Other ob~ect~ and advantages of the ~n~ent~on may
be seen in the details of the ensuing specification.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
_ ; . .
The ~nvent~on i8 described it conjunction with the
accompanying drawing in which --
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of appara~cusembodying teachings of the instant invent on;
FIG. 2 is a top plan Jew of the apparatus of FIG.
; . .
-- 2 --
~12(~917~L;
FIG. 3 is a side ele~rati:onal view of the apparatus
of FIG. l;
FIG. 4 a flew essentially similar to FIG. 1 bug
being partially it section and showirlg the grapple witch it
tongs in differerlt opes~ating modes in dotted lives;
FIG. 5 ls a frost elevational view essentially
similar to that sf FIG. 1 but of anocher version of the
invention;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational
o view of ache grapple arrangement of FIG. 5 as seen along the
line 6-6;
FIG. 7 is a view essentially similar to FIG. 5 buy
showing the tong elements in different operating modes;
FIG. 8 is on enlarged fragmentary view of one of
the pulley means and fragment of the tong and l~kage of the
grapple of FIG. 7 such as would be seen along the sight line
8-8 of FIG, 6, appearing with Figs. 6 and 9; and
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of one
of the pulley means of the embodiment of FIGS. 5-8, appearing
with Figs. 6 and 8.
In che illustration given and with reference
to the first sheet of the dxawing, the numeral lO designates
generally a U-6haped frame which ha ailed to the top wall
11 a swi~rel mechanism 12 Ruitable for co~nect~o~ to a hoist
or the like (jot shown). Ire details of one preferred form
of swi~rel can be ~ee~ on the seetio~al triew of FIG. 4.
The U-shaped frame 10 i6 equipped ~th a pair of
depending walls 13 which are ap~rtured as at 14 and 14'
for the rotatable mounting of shafts lS arid 15', repect~el~.
` . ~2~7~ .
Carried by each shaft 15 and 15' for.ro~atisn relate Jo
the frsme 10 i8 a pulley mesns geraerally designated 16 and
16', respec~cively. The details of the pulley means 16, 16'
cay be better seen in FIG. 4.
The pulley means 16, 16' are interconnected
by cable meats generally deslgnated 17 (see the central portion
of FIG. 1) which are arranged in essentially a figure eight
configuration. As can be best appreciated from a consideration
of FIGS. 2 and 3, an eYen umber of links of cable are employed
o being designated 17a, 17b, to and 17d. ~ese are ~rra~ged in
two pars with the cables in each pair being disposed in
crisscrossed or figure eight fashion as can be best appreci-
ated from a consideration of FOG. 4. Tor example, the cable
link 17a it clamped at one end as at 18 to the pulley means
16 whlle the other end is cIEmped as at 19 to the second
pulley ;~ean6 16' (still refersing to FIG. 4). In like fashion,
the cable link 17'b i8 clamped as at 20 relative go the pulley
means 16 and as at 21 relative to the pulley means 16'.
For thus purpose, the pulley means 16, 16' has
20 an interrupted periphery which can be appreciated from the
perspect$ve vie of the pulley means 116' in the modified
form of the invention presented in FIG. 9. In any event,
the cable links are for illustration shown 88 17a-17d and
are tension mounted ox the pulley means. Thy assures that
motion of one pulley means develops a corresponding motion
of to
To develop motion of one pulley means 8S at 16,
a fluid psessure cylinder 22 i8 pivotally mounted us at 23
(see the central portion of FIG. 1) on the frame 10. The
cylinder unit 22 i8 equipped wlth the usual rod 24 which
n is pivotslly connected as at 2~ to the pulley means
.. -- 4 --
16. Thus, 8 the rod 24 is exte~d~d co ro'cate ache pulley
means 16 cou~ate~gloekwise, ache cable intereonnec~ioll develops
a cloclwise movemen6c it the pulley movement 16~. This cay
be appreci.a~ed best rom a consideration of FIÇ:. 4 and wi h
ref ere~aee 'co 'che two tongs or tines 26 and 26 ' which are
fixed relatl~e go the pulley mean 16, 16', respecti~Jely.
In ~TG. 49 'che solid live showing of ache tongs
26, 26 ' corresponds to chat of FIG. 1. As the rod 24 is
ex~cended further, the tong 26 move co overlapping relacion
0 wlth the tong 26' aTld at Max extension occupies the dotted
line position dew ated 27 it FIG. 4. The same action moves
ache tong 26' 'co the position designated 27~ in FIG. 4 so that
in the "closed" position of the tongs as at 27, 27 ', the
- apparatus iQ able to tightly grip a log as at L which may be
as small as 6'1 or less in diameter . or this purpose each of the
walls 13 us extended downwardly in a general V-shape as at
28, with the wall portions 28 being conne-ted by a stiffening
flange 29.
As ache rot 24 us retracted, c}te tongs move frnm
the 27, 27 ' positionfi through the positions designated 26, 26 '
and ultimately to the "open" posi'cion designated in dotted
lirle and marked 30 and 30' FIG. 4.
f brief, the assembly includes congs pi~rotally
connected at fixed pouts on a grapple heat. A series of
grooves are cast go the ~ppe~ ead of the tongs 26, 26'
a~ou~d the pi-lrot point fox g pulley means. Cables are
wrapped alter~atel~ over or-e tong pulley mears and under
the other. This 8ssure8 that the motlon of one tong develops
a correspo21di~g motlon of toe other, each cable being anchored
. -- 5 --
at both ends with an adjusting device provided at least at one
end 'co assuse union tension. Tlhe invention resulocs l an
as~nbly whlch carries more log capacity, is more flexible
to ~raxia~cior~s in log size, it, it will coop ~chem tigh~c ln
the toad so they won't slip out, and carries with a reduced
heiE;ht o~rer co~ven~ionsl devices curren ly av ilable.
Far thy s embodiment, I prefer to utilize a unitary
elemeslt for each of the pulley means 16, 16' Iong with the gongs
26, 26 . As csn be apprecia~ced from a comparison of FIGS . 3 and 4,
10 thy tong 26' (for example) is integral with the pulley means
16 ', ha g a flange part 31 ' at its upper end . Multiple grooves
Sunnumbered) are provided for the cable links 17a-17d -- see
FIG. 3. These are arranged, as indicated previously relative
to thy eagle links themselves, it pairs of grooves with the
grooves in each pair being offset as can be best appreci
ated from a consideration of FIG. 3.
A somewhat different fonn of pulley means of sheave
is employed in the ~eoond embodiment of the inven~i~n as depicted
in FIGS. 5-9. Where possible in these views, corresponding
20 numerals are employed for corresponding parts but with the addition
of 100 to the s~umeral. Thus, in FIG. 5, the numeral 110
desi nates generally the U-shaped frame which again ls equipped
~i~ch a swivel mounting a at 112. lye pulley means are
p~vo~ally mounted relative go the frame and ase generally
desk atet 116 and 116', being mounted, re~pecti~rely, on
shafts 1~5 and 115'. In FIG. 5~ only two o:E 'che cable li~lk8
are ~deatlfied, these by the numerals 117a (and fib The
cab7e l 117a us equipped with t ferrule 119 at the end
co~ec~ed to 'che pulley moan 116' and ~th a tensinn ad~us~ing
30 device such a threated sleeve and fersule a at 118 at
the other end c the end co~ected to the pulley mean6
7~ .
116. Irl the same fashion ache cabie iink 117b has a ferrule
equipped erld a at 120 connected to the E~ulley meat 116
and the tension adjuster at 121 at the end confected to
the pulley means 116'.
It the FIG, 5 ~howin~ Le piston rod 124 is ~i-vo~ally
oot~nected as at 125 to the pulley means 116' while the cylindes
122 fs pivotally moun~ced on the opposite pull~y.meæ~s 116
as at 123 adjacent the pulley means 116. Age ache tongs
8se designated, now by toe numerals 126 and 126~. In this
10 embodiment however, i~cead of ha~rlng the tongs rigidly
connected to the pulley mean, links are interposed to provide
a motion mulcipl~er. For thus purpose, a motion multipliex
lint and reaction member are inscalled between the head
and ache tongs, the multipller l being integral with the
pulley means and the reaction member pivotal relative to ache
pulley meaDs. These items provide or approx lately but not
exelusively a 2:1 angular motion multiplication between
it and the ~o~g (for each degree the link moves, the tong
move 2 degrees),
As can be best seen in FIG. 7, the left hand motioa
multip~ per link i8 designated 132 relative Jo the left hand
tong -- this being the tong 126 of FIG. 5 but in the wide
open position designated g30 coxresponding to that designated
30 in F G. 4 relative to toe first embodiment. In mDving
fsom the fully open po81t~on 130 through the l't~p-to-tip'~
pogi~lo~ 126 to the fully cloyed posltio~ 127, the motion
multiplier link 132 moves frGm the solid live positlo~ to
the dotted lone p~sitio~ designated 133. Thus l~k also
oan be teen FIG. 9 a well a8 FIG. 6. In FIG. 6~ there
18 a p~otal connection as at 134 between the lower end
of the ~ot~on multiplier link 132 and the tong 126.
~Z~ 9 ~7
The reaetion member or iink for the tong 126 it
des~gns~ed 135 Ed is alto p~votally connected to the left hand
tong (des~gna~ed 130 it FIG. 7) as at 136. At its upper end,
the reaction link 135 i5 pivotal:Ly connected to the opposlte
~haf~ as at 137 which alto carries pulley meaRs 116'. Thus,
the multiplying linkage includes a pair of links or each
tong, one each connected to each of the pulley means 116
and 116' ad~ac~nt the upper end of each link 132, 135 and
p~otally connected to the tong a the lower end as at 134
10 and 136. More particularly) the tion multiplier link
132 it connected to its associated tong (designated 130
on FIG. 7) a spaced distance below the upper end of that
tong. On the other Rand, the reaction link 135 is pivotally
connected at the ~rery upper end of the tong 130.
While in the forego~g specification detailed
de~cr~ption of the in~ent~on has been set down for the purpose
of explanation, many Yaria~ions it toe details hereingi~en
Jay be made by those kited irk the art without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
8 -
