Grapple assembly

Claim 2

A load carrying member comprising a support, power means mounted on said support, said power means comprising a fluid pressure actuated cylinder, said cylinder including an actuable rod extendable and retractable with respect to said support, said rod including means to be attached to a detached load and when each rod is retracted said cylinder forcing said load and said support toward each other in a first direction, a compression carrying load stabilizing membeR, means to mount said compression carrying load stabilizing member relative to said support to permit movement of an outer end of said compression carrying member in direction transverse to the first direction, said means to be attached to a load extending outwardly beyond said compression carrying member, and means to actuate said cylinder to retract said rod to force a load attached to said rod toward said support until said load engages the outer end of said compression carrying member, said compression carrying member having first portions thereof adapted to be engaged by a load moved inwardly by said cylinder, said first portions contacting said load in spaced locations with respect to the means to attach to the load to stabilize said load, and said compression carrying member having second portions at a second end thereof which are pressed against and supported on said support under compressive forces from said cylinder, said compressive forces acting through an attached load to urge the compression carrying member against said support.

Claim 3

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said compression carrying member comprises a sleeve surrounding said fluid pressure actuated cylinder.

Claim 4

The combination specified in claim 2 wherein said means to mount said compression carrying member relative to said support comprises cooperating groove and rim means, said groove being of size to permit movement of said rim therein when said sleeve is not supported in compression.

Claim 5

The combination specified in claim 3 wherein said first portions of said compression carrying member comprises a load engaging member mounted at the outer end of said sleeve, and means on said load engaging member for mounting said load engaging member on said sleeve and permitting angular movement with respect thereto.

Claim 6

The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said means to mount said compression carrying member relative to the support includes rotor means rotatably mounted with respect to said support, power means to rotate said rotor means, said cooperating groove and rim means being on said rotor means and sleeve respectively.

Claim 7

A load carrying member comprising a support, power means mounted on said support, said power means comprising a hydraulic cylinder including a rod extendable and retractable with respect to said support and having means thereon to mechanically attach to a detached load and to force said load and said support toward each other in a first direction when the rod is retracted under pressure, a compression carrying sleeve assembly having an outer end, means to captively mount said compression carrying sleeve assembly relative to said support to permit movement of an outer end of said sleeve assembly in direction transverse to the first direction, a support mounted on the interior of said sleeve assembly to slidably receive and guide said rod, said means to attach to a load extending outwardly beyond said sleeve assembly, and means to actuate said cylinder to move said means to attach toward said support to force a load attached thereto toward said support until said load engages the outer end of said sleeve assembly, said sleeve assembly having outer end portions thereof adapted to be engaged by a load moved toward the support by said power means, said outer end portions contacting said load in spaced locations with respect to the means to attach to the load to stabilize said load, and said compression carrying member having second portions at a second end thereof which are pressed against and supported on said support under compressive forces from said power means, said compressive forces acting through an attached load to urge the compression carrying member against said support.

Claim 8

A load carrying member comprising a support, power means mounted on said support, said power means comprising a hydraulic cylinder including a rod extendable and retractable with respect to said support and having means thereon to mechanically attach to a detached load and to force said load and said support toward each other in a first direction when the rod is retracted under pressure, a compression carrying sleeve assembly having an outer end, means to captively mount said compression carrying sleeve assembly relative to said support to permit movement of an outer end of said sleeve assembly in direction transverse to the first direction, a support mounted on the interior of said sleeve assembly to slidably receive and guide said rod, said means to attach to a load extending outwardly beyond said sleeve assembly, and means to actuate said cylinder to move said means to attach toward said support to force a load attached thereto toward said support until said load engages the outer end of said sleeve assembly, said sleeve assembly having outer end portions thereof adapted to be engaged by a load moved toward the support by said power means, said outer end portions contacting said load in spaced locations with respect to the means to attach to the load to stabilize said load, and said compression carrying member having second portions at a second end thereof which are pressed against and supported on said support under compressive forces from said power means, said compressive forces acting through an attached load to urge the compression carrying member against said support.

Claim 9

The combination as specified in claim 6 wherein said support includes an articulated boom comprising at least two boom members mounted for movement about a first axis relative to each other and about a second axis at right angles to said first axis, and power means to control mOvements of said boom.

Claim 10

A load carrying member comprising a support, a compression carrying link member having first and second end portions, means to captively attach said first end portion of said link member on said support to permit movement of said second end portion of said link member transverse to said support when said link member is not under compression load, power means comprising a force applying fluid pressure actuated cylinder attached to said support and having powered extendable and retractable means for physically engaging a load to be lifted, said extendable and retractable means extending outwardly beyond the second end portion of the link member and being extendable and retractable under power toward and away from said support, means at said second end portion of said link member having spaced surface portions on opposite sides of said extendable and retractable means, said spaced surface portions engaging surface portions of a load member to be lifted when said load member is engaged by said extendable and retractable means and is moved toward said link member by said power means, thereby to transfer compression force from said power means through said load member and through said link member to said support, said link member and said support being pressed together and engaging each other in spaced locations to thereby be stable under compression loading from said power means to prevent relative movement between said support and said link member when said load is supported through the link member by force from the power means.

Claim 11

A load carrying member comprising a support, a compression carrying link member having first and second end portions, means to captively attach said first end portion of said link member on said support to permit movement of said second end portion of said link member transverse to said support when said link member is not under compression load, power means comprising a force applying fluid pressure actuated cylinder attached to said support and having powered extendable and retractable means for physically engaging a load to be lifted, said extendable and retractable means extending outwardly beyond the second end portion of the link member and being extendable and retractable under power toward and away from said support, means at said second end portion of said link member having spaced surface portions on opposite sides of said extendable and retractable means, said spaced surface portions engaging surface portions of a load member to be lifted when said load member is engaged by said extendable and retractable means and is moved toward said link member by said power means, thereby to transfer compression force from said power means through said load member and through said link member to said support, said link member and said support being pressed together and engaging each other in spaced locations to thereby be stable under compression loading from said power means to prevent relative movement between said support and said link member when said load is supported through the link member by force from the power means.

Claim 12

The load carrying member of claim 8 wherein said link comprises a tubular sleeve, one end of said sleeve abutting on a mating surface of said support when under compression.

Claim 13

The load carrying device of claim 8 and resilient means on said link member positioned to be engaged by a movable portion of said cylinder when said cylinder is retracted and no load is being supported thereby.

Claim 14

In combination with an articulated boom assembly comprising a plurality of boom sections pivoted together and having power means for controlling said boom for pivoting movement to handle a load, a grapple member at an outer end of said boom, means to mount said grapple to said boom for movement about a universal connection, power means for controlling movement of said grapple about said connection, a base connected to said universal connection, a rotor rotatably mounted on said base, about a rotor axis power means to control rotation of said rotor, a compression carrying member, means to mount said compression carrying member for limited movement on said rotor so that the outer end thereof may move transversely to the axis of the rotor, and power means on said rotor extendable in axial direction of said rotor to engage a load to be supported and retractable to force said load toward said rotor, first against said compression carrying member, and subsequently to clamp said compression carrying member between the load and said rotor to form a rigid load unit under compressive force.

Claim 15

In combination with an articulated boom assembly comprising a plurality of boom sections pivoted together and having power means for controlling said boom for pivoting movement to handle a load, a grapple member at an outer end of said boom, means to mount said grapple to said boom for movement about a universal connection, power means for controlling movement of said grapple about said connection, a base connected to said universal connection, a rotor rotatably mounted on said base, about a rotor axis power means to control rotation of said rotor, a compression carrying member, means to mount said compression carrying member for limited movement on said rotor so that the outer end thereof may move transversely to the axis of the rotor, and power means on said rotor extendable in axial direction of said rotor to engage a load to be supported and retractable to force said load toward said rotor, first against said compression carrying member, and subsequently to clamp said compression carrying member between the load and said rotor to form a rigid load unit under compressive force.

Claim 16

The device of claim 11 wherein said power means comprises a fluid pressure actuated cylinder.

Claim 17

The device of claim 12 wherein said compression carrying member comprises a sleeve, and a ring mounted on the outer end of said sleeve for limited movement with respect to said sleeve when there is no compressive force on said sleeve, said ring having means to engage said load to be supported.

Claim 18

A load carrying member comprising a support, power means mounted on said support, said power means including means movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to said support to mechanically attach to a detached load and to force said load and said support toward each other in a first direction, a compression carrying load stabilizing member having spaced wall portion at an outer end thereof, means to captively mount said compression carrying load stabilizing member relative to said support to permit movement of said outer end of said compression carrying mEmber in direction transverse to the first direction, said means to attach to a load being positioned between said spaced wall portion and extending outwardly beyond said compression carrying member, guide means mounted between said wall portions to guide the position of said means to attach to a load in relation to said compression carrying member, and means to actuate said power means to move said means to attach to a load inwardly toward said support to force a load attached thereto toward said support until said load engages the outer end of said compression carrying member, said spaced wall portions at the outer end of said compression carrying member being engaged by a load moved inwardly by said power means, said spaced wall portions contacting said load in spaced locations with respect to the means to attach to the load to stabilize said load, and said compression carrying member having second portions at a second end thereof which are pressed against and supported on said support under compressive forces, said compressive forces being provided by said power means acting through an attached load to urge the compression carrying member against said support.

Claim 19

A load carrying member comprising a support, power means mounted on said support, said power means including means movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to said support to mechanically attach to a detached load and to force said load and said support toward each other in a first direction, a compression carrying load stabilizing member having spaced wall portion at an outer end thereof, means to captively mount said compression carrying load stabilizing member relative to said support to permit movement of said outer end of said compression carrying mEmber in direction transverse to the first direction, said means to attach to a load being positioned between said spaced wall portion and extending outwardly beyond said compression carrying member, guide means mounted between said wall portions to guide the position of said means to attach to a load in relation to said compression carrying member, and means to actuate said power means to move said means to attach to a load inwardly toward said support to force a load attached thereto toward said support until said load engages the outer end of said compression carrying member, said spaced wall portions at the outer end of said compression carrying member being engaged by a load moved inwardly by said power means, said spaced wall portions contacting said load in spaced locations with respect to the means to attach to the load to stabilize said load, and said compression carrying member having second portions at a second end thereof which are pressed against and supported on said support under compressive forces, said compressive forces being provided by said power means acting through an attached load to urge the compression carrying member against said support.