Patent US3782567A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3782567A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combined boom, grapple and bunk assembly
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-05-21
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1991-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A tree-handling apparatus including components therefor adapting a vehicle for skidding trees by grasping a group of such trees on the ground and lifting the grasped end to facilitate dragging the trees endwise. The vehicle is a mobile self-propelled articulated type having a boom, grapple and bunk assembly pivotally mounted thereon adjacent the trailing end thereof for movement about a substantially vertical axis. The boom, grapple and bunk assembly includes a C-shaped boom pivotally mounted on a base for movement about a horizontal axis, such base in turn being pivotally attached to the vehicle for movement about a vertical axis. The boom includes a primary boom member and a secondary boom member pivotally interconnected with power means for moving one relative to the other and for pivoting the main boom member about its pivotal mounting. A pair of bunks are attached to the boom, one of which engages the underside of a group of trees grasped by a grapple suspended from the secondary boom and which provides a counteracting couple tending to prevent pivoting of the primary boom member during skidding of the trees resulting from forces applied to the tree to drag the same, the trees being tightly grasped by the grapple. The other bunk engages the grapple adjacent the tip thereof to provide reactionary forces on the grapple counteracting forces applied to the grapple by the trees during dragging thereof, the dragging forces being transmitted to the vehicle through the attachment of the grapple to the boom and engagement of the grapple with the abutment on the vehicle. The grapple is constructed such that the bite of the jaw may be selectively varied in a grapple jaw-closed position thereby facilitating tightly grasping a wide variation in the size of the bundle of trees.
Inventors
- 👤 D Hamilton
- 👤 A Likas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:22
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/40; B60P3/41; B60P1/00; B60P1/48; B60P1/483
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A tree-handling vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a self-propelled mobile vehicle; b. a bumper comprising a vertically disposed rigid blade member secured to the vehicle, and located at the trailing end thereof, for engaging and abutting against the butt end of a plurality of trees lying in stacked relation on the ground; c. a combined boom and grapple assembly secured to said vehicle adjacent said trailing end, and including a boom assembly pivotally mounted for movement about a horizontal axis, a grapple assembly pivotally connected to and suspended from said boom, said boom being movable to a first position to locate the grapple beyond the vehicle for embracing said stacked plurality of trees adjacent the butt end thereof and to a second position raising said grasped butt ends off the ground and means for pivoting said boom; and d. abutment means, on said vehicle, engaging said grapple at a position spaced from the pivotal connection thereof to the boom at least during the skidding of trees grasped by said grapple.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A tree-handling vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a self-propelled mobile vehicle; b. a bumper comprising a vertically disposed rigid blade member secured to the vehicle, and located at the trailing end thereof, for engaging and abutting against the butt end of a plurality of trees lying in stacked relation on the ground; c. a combined boom and grapple assembly secured to said vehicle adjacent said trailing end, and including a boom assembly pivotally mounted for movement about a horizontal axis, a grapple assembly pivotally connected to and suspended from said boom, said boom being movable to a first position to locate the grapple beyond the vehicle for embracing said stacked plurality of trees adjacent the butt end thereof and to a second position raising said grasped butt ends off the ground and means for pivoting said boom; and d. abutment means, on said vehicle, engaging said grapple at a position spaced from the pivotal connection thereof to the boom at least during the skidding of trees grasped by said grapple.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1 including a load-engaging abutment secured to said boom and disposed at a position forwardly, with reference to direction of travel of the vehicle during skidding of one or more trees grasped by the grapple, of the pivotal connection of the boom to said vehicle permitting movement about said horizontal axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said abutment means has an upper surface, engageable with the load, extending in a direction generally parallel to the said horizontal pivot axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said surface is concave providing a cradle for said load.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said blade member is pivotally mounted on said vehicle for movement about an axis extending transverse of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 5, including a resilient stop limiting the lowermost position of said blade member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1, including means pivotally mounting said boom and grapple assembly on the vehicle for movement about a substantially vertical axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 7, including means selectively restraining pivotal movement of said boom and grapple about said vertical axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said boom member is arcuate having one portion pivotally connected to a base for movement about a horizontal axis and a further portion contiguous with the first portion and movable, by pivoting said boom, to each of a vertical position and a horizontal position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
141 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said grapple comprises a frame, a first rigid jaw member and a second rigid jaw member each secured to said frame with the connections of said members to said frame being disposed in selected spaced relation, at least one of said jaw members being arcuate and concave in a direction facing the other jaw member, and at least one of which is movable toward and away from the other to form a jaw respectively which is closed and opened by such movement, and in a closed position, has a selected bite area and a further pair of rigid jaw members pivotally secured to respective ones of said first and second members and means to move said further pair of jaw members selectively to vary said bite area when said jaw is closed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
120 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said grapple comprises a frame, a pair of arms each pivotally secured to said frame to form a grapple having a jaw, means for moving said pair of arms relative to one another selectively to open and close said grapple jaw, and a flexible member anchored at opposed ends to said frame and arm assembly, at least one of said opposed ends being connected to an extendible and retractable assembly, said flexible member being slidably engageable intermediate the ends thereof with each of said arms and engaging respective ones of the arms at a selected position located between the free end of such arm and the connection thereof to the frame.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 1, including means pivotally mounting the boom and grapple assembly for movement about a vertical axis comprising a pair of plates in face-to-face relation and adapted to be secured respectively to the vehicle and boom base and pin means pivotally interconnecting the same.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 9, including a secondary boom member pivotally connected to the arcuate boom member adjacent the free end of the latter and power means for pivoting said secondary boom member relative to the arcuate boom member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 13 wherein said arcuate boom member and secondary boom member are together C-shaped in side elevational view.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
264 words
A vehicle for handling trees or the like comprising, in combination: a. a self-propelled mobile vehicle; b. an operator''s station on said vehicle; c. a boom pivotally mounted on said vehicle for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; d. grapple means pivotally attached to said boom in spaced relation with respect to the pivotal connection of the boom to the vehicle; e. means pivoting said boom to a first position locating the grapple suspended therefrom beyond the vehicle to grasp a load, adjacent one end thereof, supported on a surface and to a second position raising said one end of the load off said supporting surface; f. a fiRst load abutment means secured to said boom and located in spaced relation with respect to the pivotal connection of the boom to the vehicle at a position engaging said load forwardly, with reference to the direction of travel of said vehicle during skidding of said load, of the pivotal connection of said boom to the vehicle; and g. a second abutment means on said vehicle located rearwardly of and vertically above the lowermost free terminal end of the grapple in the boom second position, and having a forwardly facing surface engageable with said grapple adjacent the free terminal end thereof during skidding of a load, said surface providing a reaction for forces acting on the grapple which tend to remove the trees from the grapple during skidding by forward movement of the vehicle, each of said first and second abutments having an upper surface engageable with said load providing a bunk for supporting said load.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
264 words
A vehicle for handling trees or the like comprising, in combination: a. a self-propelled mobile vehicle; b. an operator''s station on said vehicle; c. a boom pivotally mounted on said vehicle for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; d. grapple means pivotally attached to said boom in spaced relation with respect to the pivotal connection of the boom to the vehicle; e. means pivoting said boom to a first position locating the grapple suspended therefrom beyond the vehicle to grasp a load, adjacent one end thereof, supported on a surface and to a second position raising said one end of the load off said supporting surface; f. a fiRst load abutment means secured to said boom and located in spaced relation with respect to the pivotal connection of the boom to the vehicle at a position engaging said load forwardly, with reference to the direction of travel of said vehicle during skidding of said load, of the pivotal connection of said boom to the vehicle; and g. a second abutment means on said vehicle located rearwardly of and vertically above the lowermost free terminal end of the grapple in the boom second position, and having a forwardly facing surface engageable with said grapple adjacent the free terminal end thereof during skidding of a load, said surface providing a reaction for forces acting on the grapple which tend to remove the trees from the grapple during skidding by forward movement of the vehicle, each of said first and second abutments having an upper surface engageable with said load providing a bunk for supporting said load.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 15 wherein the first and second abutments are spaced apart from one another at a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the grapple adjacent the lowermost terminal end thereof, taken in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the grapple jaws are movable whereby the first and second abutments engage the grapple respectively on rearward and forward movement of the vehicle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 16 wherein each said abutment means comprises a member having a concave upper surface extending in a direction generally parallel to said horizontal axis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 17 wherein said grapple includes means selectively varying the bite size when the grapple is in a jaw-closed position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
A tree-handling vehicle as defined in claim 17 wherein said first and second abutments and said boom and grapple comprise a boom, grapple and bunk assembly and means mounting such assembly on said vehicle for movement about a substantially vertical axis.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
235 words
A self-loading, self-unloading tree skidder comprising: a. a mobile self-propelled vehicle; and b. a combined boom, grapple and bunk assembly pivotally mounted on said vehicle for movement about a substantially vertical axis, said boom, grapple and bunk assembly comprising: i. a base member pivotally mounted on said vehicle for movement about said vertical axis; ii. an articulated boom pivotally mounted on said base member for movement about a substantially horizontal axis; iii. a grapple pivotally suspended from said boom adjacent the free end thereof and freely movable to remain in substantially a vertical plane during movement of said boom about its pivotal connection to said base member; iv. a laterally extending bunk on said boom adjacent the pivotal connection thereof to said base member and having an upper surface for supporting one end of a load of trees grasped by said grapple; and v. means for pivotally moving said boom from one position to another wherein, in one position, the grapple is located rearwardly beyond the vehicle for picking up a load of trees lying on the ground and, in another position wherein said grapple is located between the ends of the vehicle at which position the load of trees grasped by the grapple is supported on said bunk and at least during skidding of the load by forward movement of the vehicle, the grapple is in engagement with a forward face of the bunk.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
235 words
A self-loading, self-unloading tree skidder comprising: a. a mobile self-propelled vehicle; and b. a combined boom, grapple and bunk assembly pivotally mounted on said vehicle for movement about a substantially vertical axis, said boom, grapple and bunk assembly comprising: i. a base member pivotally mounted on said vehicle for movement about said vertical axis; ii. an articulated boom pivotally mounted on said base member for movement about a substantially horizontal axis; iii. a grapple pivotally suspended from said boom adjacent the free end thereof and freely movable to remain in substantially a vertical plane during movement of said boom about its pivotal connection to said base member; iv. a laterally extending bunk on said boom adjacent the pivotal connection thereof to said base member and having an upper surface for supporting one end of a load of trees grasped by said grapple; and v. means for pivotally moving said boom from one position to another wherein, in one position, the grapple is located rearwardly beyond the vehicle for picking up a load of trees lying on the ground and, in another position wherein said grapple is located between the ends of the vehicle at which position the load of trees grasped by the grapple is supported on said bunk and at least during skidding of the load by forward movement of the vehicle, the grapple is in engagement with a forward face of the bunk.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tree skidder as defined in claim 20, including means selectively restraining pivotal movement of said boom, grapple and bunk assembly about said vertical axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
A tree skidder as defined in claim 20, including a further laterally extending bunk member secured to said boom at a position forwardly of the pivotal connection of the boom to base member in a vehicle-loaded state.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
58 words
A tree skidder as defined in claim 22 wherein said pair of laterally extending bunks on said boom are spaced apart relative to one another a distance slightly greater than the thicKness of the grapple taken in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the grapple jaw members during opening and closing of the grapple jaw.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A tree skidder as defined in claim 23 wherein the most rearwardly one of said bunks is located adjacent the pivotal connection of the boom to said base member.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
167 words
A self-loading, self-unloading tree skidder comprising a vehicle adapted to be propelled along the ground, an articulated boom pivotally mounted on said vehicle near one end thereof for movement about each of a vertical and horizontal axis, power means connected between said vehicle and said boom selectively to effect movement of said boom wherein, in a first position, the free end of said boom is located between the ends of said vehicle, and in a second position wherein the free end of said boom is located beyond said one end of said vehicle, a log grapple suspended from said boom adjacent the free end thereof and freely pivoted to remain in a substantially vertical plane during movement of the boom from its one said first and said second positions to the other, and a laterally extending bunk on said boom adjacent the pivotal connection thereof to said vehicle for supporting a load grasped by said grapple and engaging said grapple in the first position of said boom.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
167 words
A self-loading, self-unloading tree skidder comprising a vehicle adapted to be propelled along the ground, an articulated boom pivotally mounted on said vehicle near one end thereof for movement about each of a vertical and horizontal axis, power means connected between said vehicle and said boom selectively to effect movement of said boom wherein, in a first position, the free end of said boom is located between the ends of said vehicle, and in a second position wherein the free end of said boom is located beyond said one end of said vehicle, a log grapple suspended from said boom adjacent the free end thereof and freely pivoted to remain in a substantially vertical plane during movement of the boom from its one said first and said second positions to the other, and a laterally extending bunk on said boom adjacent the pivotal connection thereof to said vehicle for supporting a load grasped by said grapple and engaging said grapple in the first position of said boom.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of loading a log skidder for skidding the load comprising: a. grasping a group of trees adjacent the butt end thereof with a grapple; b. pivoting a boom having said grapple suspended from the free end thereof to raise the grasped butt end of the trees vertically off the ground and simultaneously therewith moving said vehicle, relative thereto, rearwardly to place a bunk on said vehicle under the butt ends of the trees at a position rearwardly of the lower end of the grapple; c. lowering the load to place the same on the bunk with the tip end of the grapple adjacent such bunk and forwardly thereof and d. maintaining a grip on the load with said grapple while moving the vehicle in a forward direction to skid the load of trees, the lower end of said grapple abutting the bunk during skidding of the trees, transmitting forces imposed on said grapple during skidding into the bunk structure.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of loading a log skidder for skidding the load comprising: a. grasping a group of trees adjacent the butt end thereof with a grapple; b. pivoting a boom having said grapple suspended from the free end thereof to raise the grasped butt end of the trees vertically off the ground and simultaneously therewith moving said vehicle, relative thereto, rearwardly to place a bunk on said vehicle under the butt ends of the trees at a position rearwardly of the lower end of the grapple; c. lowering the load to place the same on the bunk with the tip end of the grapple adjacent such bunk and forwardly thereof and d. maintaining a grip on the load with said grapple while moving the vehicle in a forward direction to skid the load of trees, the lower end of said grapple abutting the bunk during skidding of the trees, transmitting forces imposed on said grapple during skidding into the bunk structure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |