Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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WINCH AND BUNKS FOR TRANSPORTING LOGS AND THE LIKE
This invention is in the field of transport vehicles such as trucks and
trailers, and in
particular bunks and winches for mounting on vehicle frames to carry logs and
the like.
BACKGROUND
Vehic;lee used for transporting logs typically include a plurality of bunks
attached to the
vehicle frame. Such bunks comprise a horizontal beam fined transverse to the
vehicle
1o frame, and vertical stakes extending up from each end of the beam. United
States Patent
Numbers 3,977,717 to Hassell, 4,269,051 to Skirvin et al., 4,375,893 to
Curtis, and
6,299,395 to Eriksson generally illustrate such bunks.
In the bunks of Skirvin et al, and Hassell the vertical stakes are pivotally
attached to the
IS ends of the beam, while the Eriksson apparatus appears to illustrate the
stakes engaged in
vertically oriented pockets at the beam ends. The logs rest on the horizontal
beam and
are prevented from rolling off the beam by the stakes. Typically a cable or
strap is passed
over the loaded logs and tightened with a winch attached to the front or rear
face of one
or both ends of the horizontal beam of the bunk.
Logs Fine transported in varying lengths. Logs destined for plywood often are
about eight
feet long, while logs destined for lumber typically are about 16 feet long,
and logs
destined for pulp can come in many different lengths. To accommodate these
varied
lengths of logs with the same vehicle the bunks are typically releasably
fastened along the
length of the vehicle frame such that the location of each bunk can be
adjusted. Clamps
may be used to releasably fasten the bunks to the vehicle frame, or other
mechanisms
employed such as that disclosed in the device of Eriksson.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a log bunk and winch that
overcomes
problems in the prior art. In the prior art, winches are fined to either the
front face or the
rear face of the horizontal beam. Where log lengths vary somewhat, as is
especially the
case with logs such as those for pulp where lengths are substantially random,
it may be
that the tethers attached to the winches cannot be properly located to best
secure the load.
Also various types of log toading machines are used for loading logs on the
!og bunks,
and depending on the type used it can be preferred to have the winches located
between a
pair o~f tog bunks being loaded, or on outside faces of the pair, or in some
cases it would
be best to remove them altogether and re-install them when the logs have been
loaded.
In Borne cases when switching from one type of log, or type of log loading
machine, the
operator will even remove the log bunks and reverse them so that the winch is
on the
opposite side as preferred for the new conditions. The present invention
provides
conveniently attainable additional winch and tether locations along the length
of the
vehicle frame such that a proper location may be more readily achieved, and
allows the
winch to be completely removed if that is advantageous.
The present invention provides, in a first embodiment, a beam and winch
apparatus for
attachment to a vehicle frame to form a log bunk. The apparatus comprises a
beam
adapted for attachment to the vehicle frame such that the beam is oriented
substantially
2s horizontally and laterally with respect to the vehicle frame. The beam is
adapted on at
least one end thereof for attachment of a substantially vertical stake. A
winch is
operati~.ve to engage and tighten a tether to maintain a plurality of logs on
the beam when
the be:3rn is attached to the vehicle frame. A winch mount mechanism is
operative to
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releasably attach the winch to an outer portion of the beam such that the
winch is located
forward of the beam, and further operative to releasably attach the winch to
the beam
such that the winch is located rearward of the beam.
The present invention provides, in a second embodiment, a beam and winch
apparatus for
attachment to a vehicle frame to form a log bunk. The apparatus comprises a
beam
adapted for attachment to the vehicle frame such that the beam is oriented
substantially
horizontally and laterally across the vehicle frame. The beam is adapted at
each end
thereof for attachment of a vertical stake. A winch aperture is defined by the
beam
to adfaa~nt to one end of the beam. The winch aperture has a non-circular
cross-section and
is oriented substantially perpendicular to the beam and extends from a first
upright face
of the beam through to an opposite second upright face of the beam. A winch
insert has a
head attached to one end and is adapted to extend through the winch aperture
from the
first face of the beam beyond the second face of the beam. The winch insert
has a cross-
section configured to engage the winch aperture such that rotation of the
winch insert in
the winch aperture is prevented. A winch sleeve is configured to slide over
the winch
insert and engage the outer surface of the winch insert such that rotation of
the winch
sleeve with respect to the winch insert is prevented, and a Iock is operative
to lock the
winch sleeve and winch insert together such that the head of the winch insert
abuts the
first face of the beam and such that an end of the winch sleeve abuts the
second face of
the begun. A winch is attached to the winch sleeve.
The present invention provides, in a third embodiment, a log bunk and winch
apparatus
for attachment to a vehicle frame. The apparatus comprises a beam adapted for
attachment to the vehicle frame such that the beam is oriented substantially
horizontally
and laterally across the vehicle frame. A stake extends upward from each end
of the
beam. A winch is operative to engage and tighten a tether to maintain a
plurality of logs
on the beam when the beam is attached to the vehicle frame. A winch mount
mechanism
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is operative to reteasably attach the winch to an outer portion of the beam
such that the
winch is located forward of the beam and inward from an adjacent stake, and is
further
operative to releasably attach the winch to the beam such that the winch is
located
rearward of the beam and inward from the adjacent stake.
By mounting the winch forward or rearward of the beam, the tethers holding the
logs
down onto the beams can be quickly located in whichever location is more
desirable for
the particular length of logs being hauled. Instead of loosening the beam on
the vehicle
frame: and sliding it to a desired location to locate the winch fixed thereto
properly, the
to winch can be moved either forward or rearward of the beam to provide an
added range of
locations for the tether and winch. The adjustment in location can be made
after the logs
are loaded, a particular advantage when hauling odd lengths of logs, and it
may be found
only after loading that the tether and winch should be relocated.
Various log loading machines can be readily accommodated as well by placing
the winch
on thc: best location, or by removing same altogether during loading,
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
2o While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
embodiments
are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best
understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several
diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of one embodiment of beams of the
invention mounted on a trailer frame;
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Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one beam of Fig. 1 showing the winch
mount mechanism;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another beam of Fig. 1 showing the winch
mounted
rearward of the beam;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another beam of Fig. 1 showing the winch
mounted
forward of the beam.
1o DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS:
Figs. 1 - 4 schematically illustrate a bcam and winch apparatus 1 for
attachment to a
vehicle frame 3 to form a log bunk. The apparatus 1 comprises a beam 5 adapted
for
attachment to the vehicle frame 3 such that the beam is oriented substantially
horizontally
and laterally with respect to the vehicle frame 3. The illustrated beam 5
comprises an
angle iron 7 welded to the bottom of the beam 5 and clamp plates 9 that clamp
the beam
5 to the vehicle frame 3 in a substantially conventional manner such that the
beam can be
located in a desired location along the length of the vehicle frame 3. Other
attachment
mechanisms are known in the art and could be used with satisfactory effect.
The illustrated beam 5 is adapted at each outer end thereof for attachment of
a
substantially vertical stake 11 to form a log bunk. In the illustrated
embodiment a pocket
13 is attached at each outer end of the beam 5 and the vertical stake 11 is
inserted into the
pocket: 13. Alternatively the stake 11 could be attached by other means as are
known in
the art.
Similarly, the beam could be attached as a cantilever welded to the vehicle
fame 3 and
extending outward, one such beam welded to each side of the vehicle frame, and
another
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section welded between the two side-by-side portions of the vehicle frame.
Fig. 5
illustrates a further alternate embodiment of the winch and beam apparatus 101
wherein
the beam 105 extends through holes in the frame 103.
A winch 17 is operative to engage and tighten a tether, such as the strap 19
illustrated in
Fig. 3, to maintain a plurality of logs on the beam 5 when the beam 5 is
attached to the
vehicle frame 3 as illustrated in Fig. 1.
A winch mount mechanism 30 is operative to releasably attach the winch 17 to
an outer
i 0 portion of the beam 5 such that the winch 17 is located forward of the
beam 5 as
illustrated by winch 17F in Fig. 1, and is further operative to releasably
attach the winch
17 to the beam 5 such that the winch 17 is located rearward of the beam 5 as
illustrated
by winch 17R in Fig. 1.
IS The vvinch mount mechanism 30 is configured such that when the winch 17 is
located
forward of the beam 5 as illustrated in Fig. 4, a rear face 21 of the beam is
substantially
unobstructed. Similarly when the winch 17 is located rearward of the beam S
the front
face of the beam 5 is substantially unobstructed. When hauling Iogs, tethers
such as
ropes, straps and the like are frequently drawn over the loaded logs, and the
unobstructed
2o faces of the beam opposite the winch is advantageous in reducing the
occurrence of the
tethers catching and requiring attention to free them.
1n the illustrated embodiment, as best seen in Fig. 2, the winch mount
mechanism 30
comprises a winch aperture 32 defined by the beam 5 adjacent to an end of the
beam, and
25 oriented substantially perpendicular to the beam 5 and extending from a
first face of the
beam through to an opposite second face of the beam 5. A winch insert 34 has a
head 36
attached to one end and extends through the winch aperture 32 from the first
face of the
beam, either the front or rear face, beyond the second face, the other of the
front or rear
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face. The winch insert 34 is adapted to engage the winch aperture 32 such that
rotation of
the winch insert 34 in the winch aperture 32 is prevented. In the illustrates
embodiment a
winch aperture 32 is provided at each end of the beam 5 so that a winch 17 can
be
mounted at either end, or both ends, if desired.
In the illustrated embodiment the winch aperture 32 has a non-circular cross-
section,
illustrated as a substantially square cross-section, and the winch insert 34
also has a
square cross-section configured to engage the winch aperture 32 such that the
winch
insert 34 can slide into the winch aperture 32 and be prevented from rotating.
The square
to cross-section is economical to make, and readily available, although other
cross-sectional
shapes such as rectangular, hexagonal, oval or the like would provide the
required
function.
A lock 40 is operative to lock the winch 17 and winch insert 34 together such
that the
head 36 of the winch insert 34 is maintained abutting the first face of the
beam 5, and
such that rotation of the winch 17 with respect to the winch insert 34 is
prevented.
In the illustrated embodiment the winch 17 is attached to a winch sleeve 42
configured to
slide over the winch insert 34 and engage the outer surface of the winch
insert 34 such
2o that rotation of the winch sleeve 42 with respect to the winch insert 34 is
prevented. The
lock 40 comprises a pin 44 inserted through corresponding holes in the winch
sleeve 42
and winch insert 34. The holes 46 are located such that, when aligned with the
pin 44
inserted, the end of the winch sleeve 42 abuts the second face of the beam 5
and the head
36 of the winch insert 34 abuts the first face of the beam 5. A slight mis-
alignment of the
holes 46 could be designed in such that a tapered pin inserted in the holes
and driven in
would exert a significant tightening force forcing the winch insert 34 and
winch sleeve 42
against the beam 5. Bolts and like known fasteners could be used to provide
the lock 40
as well.
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The head 36 .of the winch insert 34 is substantially flat so that the face of
the beam is
unobstructed when the head 36 of the winch insert 34 is abutting the face. The
illustrated
winch insert 34 comprises a hollow tube, and the head 36 comprises a flange 48
extending outward from a head end of the tube such that the tube is open at
the head end
thereof. Thus dirt or like debris can be readily removed from the open tube of
the winch
insert 34, and also from the winch sleeve 42 which is also open at both ends.
Thus the winch 17 can be attached to the front of the beam, as in winch 17F to
beam 5C,
to as seen in Figs. 1 and 4, or to the rear of the beam, as in winch 17R to
beam 5A, as seen
in Figs. 1 and 3. Figs_ 1 and 2 illustrate the attachment of the winch 17 to
the beam 5B.
By mounting the winch forward or rearward of the beam, the straps 19 can be
quickly
located in whichever location is more desirable for the particular length of
logs being
hauled. Instead of unclamping the beam 5 by loosening the clamp plates 9 and
sliding
the beam 5 forward or rearward, the winch can be moved to provide an added
range of
locations for the strap 19. Further this adjustment in location can be made
after the logs
are loaded, while such an adjustment of the beam 5 with respect to the vehicle
frame 3 is
not possible once the logs are loaded.
2o Fig. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the beam and winch apparatus
201 wherein
the beam 205 includes upwardly bent outer portions 206 and the winch aperture
232 is
defined by a bracket 233 located under the outer portion 206.
The length of the winch insert 34 and winch sleeve 42 could be increased to
provide a
larger variation in winch location, provided corresponding increases are made
to the
strength of the insert and sleeve by providing tubes with thicker walls, or
like
strengthening measure are taken as will be apparent to those skilled in the
art.
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The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact conswction and
operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in
structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within
the scope of
the claimed invention.
