Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
2121 96I
8~IDER FOR CO~r.~11LI_ CHOKER ROPE TO
WINCH~INE
BACKGROUND OF THB lNV ~ lON
a) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an improved
slider for connecting a choker assembly including a choker
lo rope, to a winchline, and more particularly to a logging
winchline.
b) Brief descriPtion of the Prior art
Known in the art, there is U.S. patent
n 2,537,326 granted on January 9, 1951 to F.M. BRAWAND.
This patent describes a log arch hook comprising a plurality
of parallel crossbars. Each of the crossbars has at least
one socket therein opening toward an adjacent crossbar and
20 a slot extending through the side wall and part of the
bottom of the socket. Also, the log arch hook comprises a
plurality of chain links each connecting a corner of one
crossbar to the adjacent corner of the next crossbar. Those
chain links are lying in planes normal to the crossbars and
25 project beyond the front and rear surfaces thereof. In
operation, the crossbars are maintained above a supporting
surface by the outer peripheries of the chain links.
Also known in the art, there is U.S. patent
30 n 2,490,218 granted on december 6, 1949 to W.B. KIRBY et
al.. This patent describes a butt hook and link assembly
for use on a hauling cable having a ferrule secured to one
end. This butt hook and link assembly comprises, an
integrally formed butt hook that includes side portions and
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is configured to define a longitudinally elongated closed
loop with a ferrule socket at one end thereof. The butt hook
also has therein a longitudinal slot adjoining and extending
along one side of the ferrule socket. This ferrule socket is
5 partially open on the side of the socket opposite the slot
and adjacent the loop for the passage of the ferrule into
and from the socket. The slot is of a transverse width less
than that of the ferrule and large enough to let the cable
pass. The butt hook also comprises an elongated closed link
10 extending through the closed loop of the butt hook.
Further know in the art, there are the following
patents which describe different butt hooks or choker
assemblies:
Canadian patents nos.:
265,391 of N.A. DAMERON and R. RHODES, granted on
November 2, 1926;
284,319 of J.F. DRAPER, granted on October 30, 1928;
U.S. ~atents nos.:
1,720,069 of G.A. YEATON, granted on July 9, 1929;
2,135,994 of O.A. WIRKKALA, granted on November 8,
1938;
2,233,083 of D.G. M~c KENZIE, granted on February 25,
1941;
2,759,234 of F.M. BRAWAND, granted on August 21,
1956;
3,237,259 of P.J. MARAS, granted on March 1, 1966;
4,055,365 of J.D. KUCHERRY, granted on October 25,
1977;
4,188,141 of R.C. STOOT, granted on February 12,
1980;
4,~53,792 of A.F. SWORD, granted on March 31, 1987;
One drawback with the butt hooks or choker assem-
35 blied described in the above mentioned patents, is that theydo not provide a slider of simple structure for connecting
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to a winchline, a choker assembly including a choker rope
provided with a ferrule. More particularly, they do not
provide a slider of simple structure which can easily
conform to the bearing surface of a hauling equipment, and
5 that while preventing overbending of the choker rope.
Another drawback of the existing sliders for
connecting choker assemblies to a winchline is that they cut
the winchline while conforming to a hauling drum. Because
of such a cutting, the winchline's knot have to be replaced
10 approximately 2 to 4 times a day.
A further drawback of the existing sliders is that
they cut the choker ropes of choker assemblies, and
consequently the choker ropes have to be replaced
approximately every week or two (during this time, one
15 choker rope ferrule is used for approximately two or three
days, and thereafter another choker rope ferrule is used for
two or three days).
In this connection, it is worth noting that during
hauling operations, the sliders rub against each other.
20 Consequently, the choker rope ferrules are usually cut after
only a few days and cannot be easily removed from the
slider. Indeed, to remove the ferrule which is cut, the
inside slider edge have to be ground down to allow the
ferrule to exit. Moreover, the second ferrule can be mounted
25 on the slider only when the extremity of the choker rope
which is of about 2 inches long, and stays in the slider
when the choker is cut, has been removed.
Also, during long operations, the sliders stretch,
thereby making it difficult to pass the ferrules through the
30 openings of the sliders. Consequently, the sliders have to
be replaced and thrown out.
Finally, the use of the existing sliders causes
considerable time losses and premature cuts of the choker
ropes near the ferrules.
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OBJECT8 AND 8UMNARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a slider for connecting a choker rope to a
5 winchline, which is so devised that it can easily conform to
the bearing surface of any kind of hauling equipment,
whatever be the shape of this surface.
It is also an object of the present invention to
provide a slider for connecting a choker rope to a winch-
10 line, which is devised to prevent an overbending of thechoker rope, and thus to reduce the strain applied on it and
on the ferrule used to connect it to the slider.
In accordance with the present invention, the
above objects are achieved with a slider for connecting a
15 choker assembly to a winchline. This choker assembly
includes a choker rope having an end provided with a
ferrule. Preferably, the choker rope is provided with only
one ferrule at each end.
The slider comprises a first winchline-receiving
20 link in the form of a first elongated closed loop defining
a first elongated opening for receiving the winchline. The
first link also has a longitudinal axis and a pair of
opposite ends on the axis, one of the ends is substantially
larger in section than the other one and has a curved bottom
25 wall. This first link also has top and bottom surfaces, and
a substantially trapezoidal configuration when seen in side
elevational view. The trapezoidal configuration has the
bottom surface as a first base which is adjacent to said
pair of opposite ends, and the top surface as a second base
30 which is adjacent to the end which is larger in section and
extends therefrom to a predetermined distance of the same.
The slider also comprises a second choker-rope
receiving link in the form of a second elongated loop
defining a second opening. This second link is provided with
35 a longitudinal U-shaped slot leading from the second opening
out of the second link through an end thereof. This U-shaped
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slot is sized for receiving the choker rope and has a first
extremity within the second opening which defines a seat for
the ferrule. The U-shaped slot has opposite side walls sized
and shaped to prevent angular displacement of the choker
rope within the slot with respect to the ferrule. At least
one of the walls may have an aperture for receiving a
ferrule locking pin to prevent the ferrule from exiting the
second link. The two opposite side walls and a bottom wall
of the U-shaped slot have edges that are slightly rounded.
10 These rounded edges prevent premature cuts of the choker
ropes.
The slider also comprises a third connection link
in the form of a third closed loop defining a third opening.
This third link passes through the first and second openings
and connects the first and second links together.
In operation, the slider is able to conform to any
bearing surface while preventing overbending of the choker
rope adjacent to the ferrule.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
20 also provided a combination including a winchline, at least
one choker rope having an end provided with a ferrule, and
at least one slider as described hereinabove, for connecting
each choker rope to the winchline.
BRI~F DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to impart full understanding of the
manner in which the above and other objects of the invention
are achieved, a non-restrictive description of a preferred
embodiment thereof will be given hereinafter, with reference
30 to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a slider
according to the invention for connecting a choker rope to
a winchline.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the slider
of Figure 1, showing the assembled relationship of a choker
rope therewith.
A
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Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the slider
of Figure 1, showing the assembled relationship of a choker
rope therewith.
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the slider
5 and choker rope shown in Fig. 2, taken along line IV-IV.
Figure S is a perspective view of a plurality of
sliders according to the present invention, mounted onto a
single winchline and conforming to the surface of a hauling
10 drum.
DE8CRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The slider according to the invention as shown in
15 the accompanying drawings is intended to be used for
connecting the end of a choker rope 22 provided with a
ferrule 18 to a winchline 46 (shown in Figure 5).
The slider 3 comprises a first winchline-receiving
link 4 in the form of an elongated first closed loop
20 defining a first elongated opening 6 for receiving the
winchline 46. This link 4, has a top and a bottom surfaces,
respectively numbered 34 and 40. This,link 4 also has a pair
of opposite ends 24 and 26. The end 24 is substantially
larger in section than the end 26 and has a curved bottom
25 wall 38.
As can be seen, the first link 4 has a nearly
trapezoidal configuration. This trapezoidal configuration
has a first base consisting of the bottom surface 40 of the
link which is adjacent to the apex-shaped end 26 and to end
30 24, and a second base consisting of the top surface 34 which
is only adjacent to the end 24.
The slider 3 also comprises a second choker-rope
receiving link 12 in the form of a second elongated loop
defining a second opening 28. The second link 12 is provided
35 with a longitudinal U-shaped slot 14 leading from the second
opening 28 out of the second link 12 through an end thereof.
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The slot 14 is sized for receiving the choker rope 22 and
has a first extremity within the second opening 28 which
defines a seat 30 for the ferrule 18. This seat 30 is
clearly shown in Figure 1. The U-shaped slot 14 also has
5 opposite side walls 16 and 32, which are sized and shaped to
prevent angular displacement of the choker rope 2 2 within
the slot 14 with respect to the ferrule 18. These opposite
side walls, 16 and 32, have edges that are slightly rounded.
The U-shaped slot 14 further has a bottom wall 36 having
10 edges that are slightly rounded. These rounded edges are
very important to the slider 3, because they prevent
premature cuts of the choker ropes. A first aperture 20 made
through the wall 32 and a second aperture 21 made through
wall 16 and aligned with the first aperture 20 are provided
15 for receiving a ferrule locking pin 44 (shown in Figure 2)
in order to prevent the ferrule 18 from exiting the second
link 12.
It is worth mentioning that one aperture only
could be made through one of the walls 16 or 32, for
20 receiving the aforesaid ferrule locking pin 44.
The slider 3 further comprises a third connection
link 8 in the form of a third closed loop defining a third
opening 10. The third connection link 8 passes through the
first and second openings, respectively 6 and 28, and
25 connects the first link 4 and the second link 12 together.
Preferably, the slider 3 can be used in logging
operations. During those logging operations, a great number
of larger and smaller logs have to be removed from their
cutting sites. In that event, it is of common practise to
30 use some choker ropes of the same length (14 or 16 feet) to
wrap around several smaller logs and other choker ropes to
wrap around larger logs. It is therefore very convenient to
have a plurality of sliders slidably mounted onto a single
winchline, each slider being connected to a corresponding
35 choker rope of the same length.
In operation, as shown in Figure 5, a plurality of
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sliders 3 are mounted onto the winchline 46 and kept thereon
by means of a locking knot 50 made in the winchline when the
winchline 46 is pulled, each of the sliders 3 has its top
surface 40 adjacent to the bottom surface 34 of each other
5 slider. In that way, the sliders are able to orientate
themselves with respect to the direction of pulling (shown
with an arrow 52), and thus to reduce the strains on the
winchline 46 and on the choker ropes 22. Thanks to their
shape, the sliders 3 are also able to conform to a bearing
10 surface of a hauling drum 48 while preventing overbending of
the corresponding choker ropes 22 ad~acent to the ferrules
18.
Preferably, the dimensions of the slider are as
follows:
1) the first winchline-receiving link 4 may have
a thickness of 0.63 inches and a width of 2.25 inches, its
first elongated opening having a length of 2 inches and a
width of 1 inch;
2) the second choker-rope receiving link 12 may
20 have a thickness of 0.63 inches, the U-shaped slot 14 having
a length of 0.75 inches, the separation between the edges of
the two opposite walls, 16 and 32, being 0.63 inches and the
aperture 20 having a diameter of 0.32 inches;
3) the third connection link 8 may have a
25 thickness of 0.5 or 0.6 inches, a length of 2.5 inches and
a width of 1.75 inches, the third opening 10 having a length
of 1.5 inches and a width of 0.75 inches. It is important to
point out that, the third connection link 8 must have a
thickness greater than 0.6 inches, so that, in operation, it
30 is unable to change place with the winchline (if the
winchline has the diameter of as low as 0.5 inches).
As can be appreciated, there are varioùs advan-
tages to the slider according to the invention. In addition
of being of a simple construction and thus easily manufac-
35 turable form metal, preferably by casting, the slideraccording to the invention is extremely effective even when
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heavy loads are pulled. It also prevents a premature wear
of a choker rope and of a winchline by reducing the strains
thereon and by conforming to any bearing surface.
Furthermore, in use, the slider according to the
5 invention does not cut the winchline on which it is mounted
because of its ability to conform to a surface of a drum.
Also, the slider does not cut the choker rope because its U-
shaped slot and the two opposite side walls have rounded
edges. Consequently, when the slider is being used, the
10 winchline's knot does not have to be redone for more than
one day.
Also, the choker ropes are not prematurely cut,
because of the adaptability of the slider to each choker
rope, and consequently, the last can be used for up to six
15 weeks before it cuts near the ferrule. This adaptability is
not found in the patents mentioned hereinbefore. Moreover,
the aforementioned problem of rubbing between the sliders
becomes non existent.
It is of great importance to use choker ropes only
20 having one ferrule at each extremity thereof. In that way,
when the choker rope is worn near the first ferrule, one may
switch the extremities and use the second ferrule for the
same amount of time as the first.
It is worth mentioning that it is of common
25 practise to mount a second ferrule on the choker rope at a
close distance from the choker rope's ferruled end. In that
event, the choker rope is cut in front of this second
ferrule and has to be changed in a matter of only few days.
Thus, the slider according to the present inven-
30 tion, in addition to eliminating time losses due to changingof the choker ropes, is particularly well designed to
prevent premature cutting of the choker rope near its
ferruled end.
Although the present invention has been explained
35 hereinabove by way of a preferred embodiment thereof, it
should be pointed out that any modifications to this
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preferred embodiment within the scope of the appended claims
is not deemed to alter or change the nature and scope of the
present invention.
