CA1323058C - Releasable skidding grapple - Google Patents
Releasable skidding grappleInfo
- Publication number
- CA1323058C CA1323058C CA 613717 CA613717A CA1323058C CA 1323058 C CA1323058 C CA 1323058C CA 613717 CA613717 CA 613717 CA 613717 A CA613717 A CA 613717A CA 1323058 C CA1323058 C CA 1323058C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- coupling
- coupling member
- cable
- hydraulic
- grapple
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G23/00—Forestry
- A01G23/003—Collecting felled trees
- A01G23/006—Log skidders
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- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Ecology (AREA)
- Forests & Forestry (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Load-Engaging Elements For Cranes (AREA)
Abstract
"RELEASABLE SKIDDING GRAPPLE"
ABSTRACT
A hydraulic grapple for a logging skidder which can be converted to a cable skidding device for purposes of laying the load, and which can be fully hydraulically integrated through a separable coupling device having two mating parts which when integrated together provide full hydraulic operations. The coupling device has a first coupling member pivotally mounted to the skidder arch and a second axial member to which the grapple tongs are connected through a pivoting bracket. A cable is anchored to the second coupling member and passes through the first coupling member. Releasable locking device is provided for locking the second coupling member to the first coupling member and elongated mechanical drive shaft is mounted for axial rotation in the second coupling member engageable by drive means associated with the first coupling member for driving a hydraulic pump on the second coupling member which in turn operates the hydraulically operated tongs.
ABSTRACT
A hydraulic grapple for a logging skidder which can be converted to a cable skidding device for purposes of laying the load, and which can be fully hydraulically integrated through a separable coupling device having two mating parts which when integrated together provide full hydraulic operations. The coupling device has a first coupling member pivotally mounted to the skidder arch and a second axial member to which the grapple tongs are connected through a pivoting bracket. A cable is anchored to the second coupling member and passes through the first coupling member. Releasable locking device is provided for locking the second coupling member to the first coupling member and elongated mechanical drive shaft is mounted for axial rotation in the second coupling member engageable by drive means associated with the first coupling member for driving a hydraulic pump on the second coupling member which in turn operates the hydraulically operated tongs.
Description
~ 3 ~;~ 3 G !.-, ~
The present invention relates to grapples and more particularly to grapples for log skidders.
There are two types of skidders which are presently used in the logging industry. Cable skidders are by far the most popular. On the other hand grapple skidders offer many advantages over cable skidders. For instance grapple skidders allow rapid loading and unloading, and contrary to cable skidders the operator can remain in his cab during all such operations.
One reason for this apparent contradiction is that most logging in Eastern Canada and in parts of Southern United States is practiced over rough and wet terrain. With a cable skidder it is possible to release the load to allow the skidders to maneuver over an obstacle and then to winch the load back to the skidder once the skidder is pass the obstacle. Grapples on skidders do not provide such flexibility.
A grapple for a skidder, having the advantage of dropping a load and advancing, was developed by Norman Johnson in Canadian Patent 878,195 issued August 24, 1971 and an improved version in U.S. Patent 3,830,507 issued on August 20, 1974. The Johnson grapple includes grapple tongs operated by cables and winches which allow a load to be dropped and then winched over an obstacle. The grapple tongs are held tight on the load by a special cable locking device. In a paper (88-7549) entitled "A
Case Study of Skidding with the Johnson Grapple", presented to the American Society of Agricultural Engineers at its International Winter Meeting in Chicago on December 13-16, 1988, Mr. Robert s. Rummer compared 1 3 2 3 [) . 8 the Johnson Grapple with a conventional hydraulic grapple and concluded that it was not an alternative to a hydraulic grapple skidder but should be compared to a cable skidder.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a hydraulic grapple skidder with the advantages of a cable skidder with the ability to drop a load and then winch it over an obstacle, once the skidder has passed the obstacle.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a separable hydraulic grapple adapted to be utilized on a skidder or for other purposes, such as log yarding, hoisting or adapted to other devices such as clamshell buckets. In fact within the present specification, the term grapple is meant to include such devices.
A construction in accordance with the present lnvention comprises a hydraulic grapple assembly including mounting means for mounting the assembly to a grapple assembly support frame. At least a pair of jaws are each pivoted at one end to a jaw pivot means and a universal coupling means mechanically connects the jaw pivot means to the assembly mounting means to provide universal pivoting movement to the jaw pivoting means relative to the assembly mounting means. The device is characterised in that the universal coupling means includes a longitudinal axis and is separable axially and includes a first member mounted about a first lateral axis to the assembly mounting means and a second member connected to the jaw pivoting means about a second lateral axis. The first and second coupling members have . .;. : .
- . , 1 32305~
complementary mating male and female conical surfaces. A
cable means passes axially through the first coupling member and is anchored to the second coupling member.
Means are provided for locking the second coupling member in an inseparable manner with said first member. Means are also provided for releasing the locking means to allow the second member to be separated from the first member as the cable means is paid out. Means are provided on the assembly support means for reeling in or paying out the cable means. Means are provided on the first coupling means for rotating the second coupling means about the longitudinal axis, when the first and second coupling members are integrated together, in order to positively rotate the jaw pivoting means connected to the second means. Hydraulic motor means on the second coupling means are provided for positively pivoting the jaws relative to the jaw pivoting means, and hydraulic drive means on the first coupling means are adapted to engage cooperating drive means on the second coupling means for driving the hydraulic motor means on the second coupling means when the first and second coupling means are locked together axially.
More specifically the coupling device allows the hydraulic grapple to be laid down with a load and to remain locked onto the logs while paying out the cable means in order to advance the skidder over an obstacle and causing part of the coupling device and the hydraulic grapple to be drawn back to the skidder by winching the cable until the second coupling member is integrated with the coupling device portion remaining at the arch of the skidder. When the coupling members are integrated ~ ~ ~ ' J ) ~
together the hydraulic grapple operates with complete positive hydraulic control as with any other conventional hydraulic grapple. It is only when the coupling members are separated that the grapple assumes the advantages of a cable skidder. The coupling device is in two parts with the lower member having a cone shaped male portion adapted to be received in a female conical seat of the first member. A hydraulic pump is mounted on the second member which is driven by a mechanical drive extending through the coupling device, and which is driven by a hydraulic motor on the first coupling member. When the coupling device is separated, the drive is disengaged from the hydraulic motor on the first member and the hydraulic pump mounted on the second member i9 locked thereby maintaining pressure in the hydraulic grapple and thus keeping the tongs tightly secured on the load.
Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a skidder in dotted lines with the elements of the invention shown in full lines;
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the coupling device in accordance with the present invention in operating position;
Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in cross-section of the coupling device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is an axial cross-section through the coupling device shown in Fig. 3;
3 !a s ~ , Fig. 5 is a radial cross-section taken along line S-S of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a radial cross-section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 is a radial cross-section taken along line 7-7 of fig. 4;
Fig. 8 is a radial cross-section taken along line 8-8 of Fig.4.
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a skidder 10 in dotted lines having an arch fairlead 12. A hydraulic grapple having a mounting bracket 14 is mounted to the arch fairlead 12. The hydraulic grapple includes a coupler 16, a pivot bracket 18, connected to the coupler 16, and a pair of tongs 20 and 22 mounted to the pivot bracket 18.
A winch 24 on which a cable 26 is wrapped can be located on the skidder 10 as shown in Fig. 1.
The arch fairlead 12 includes a boom 28 to which is mounted a mounting plate 33. The mounting 'bracket 14 includes a mounting plate 32 which is matched to the mounting plate 33. A pair of parallel bracket arms 34 and 36 extend at right angles from the mounting plate 32. Referring to Fig. 2 the cable 26 is guided through an opening in the mounting plates 32 and 33 by rollers represented by roller 38. The coupler 16 is privotally mounted to the mounting bracket by means of pivot shafts 40 on either side of the coupling device 16 which in turn is journalled in the arms 34 and 36.
As seen in Fig. 2 the coupling device 16 is made up of a first coupling member 42 and a second coupling member 44 which operate as an integrated unit, 1 3230'-'~
as will be described, but can be separated with the second coupler member 44 being connected to the cable 26 which passes through the first coupling member 42.
Referring now to Figs. 2 through 5 the first coupling member 42 will now be described. On the top portion of housing 64 there is provided a hydraulic motor 46 to which a drive gear 52 is mounted. As seen in Fig. 5 drive gear 52 is one of three planetary gears 52, 54 and 56 which mesh with an annular sun gear 50. Annular sun gear 50 includes spaced apart gear teeth 74. These gear teeth 74 can be radial spaced apart cogs of the type found on audio cassette tapes. The purpose of these gear teeth will be described later. The planetary gears 52, 54, 56, and the sun gear 50 are mounted in a sandwich formed by bearing plates 60 and 62 which mount the sun gear by means of thrust bearing 57 and 58.
The housing 64 includes an axial bore 66 which merges with a female conical seat 68 (Figs. 3 and 4).
Roller bearings 70 are provided in the housing surrounding the axial bore 66 for receiving a drive mechanism, which will be described later.
The first coupling member 42 also includes a second housing 80 which is bolted to the first housing 64 by means of mounting bolt 72. The housing 80 includes a bracket 78 on which hydraulic motor 76 has been mounted.
The hydraulic motor 76 drives a gear 82 which in turn meshes with a planetary gear 84 which engages, with two other planetary gears 86 and 88, a ring gear 90 mounted to the second coupling member 44. This arrangemen-t can best be seen in Fig. 6.
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The second coupling member 44 includes a male, cone shaped housing 92 adapted to be received in the female cone shaped seat 68. An annular collar 94 is mounted on the periphery of the housing 92 and is adapted for rotary movement relative to the housing 92. The annular collar 94 is provided with an annular groove 95 of V-shaped cross section. The second coupling member 44 also includes a second housing member 98 which is bolted to the first housing member 92 and which traps the collar 94. The second housing 98 terminates in a peripheral lower flange 98a.
The housings 92 and 98 are provided with a central bore 100 which is axially aligned with the axial bore 66 of the first coupling member 42. A cylindrical shaft 102 is rotatably mounted in the bore 100 and is adapted to extend through the bore 66. The end of the cylindrical shaft 102 is provided with gear teeth 104 of the type found on the drive shaft of an audio-cassette deck. The purpose of this arrangement is to allow the gear teeth 104 to easily mesh with the gear teeth 74 on the sun gear 50, when the second coupling member 44 is being inserted into the first coupling member 42. The cylindrical drive shaft 102 also fits within the annular bearings 70 and 96.
At the other end of the drive shaft 102 is provided with a gear 106 which engages a gear 108 on the hydraulic pump 114. The hydraulic pump 114 and the gear 108 are set in mounting block 118 at the base of the second housing 98, between the two arms 110 and 112 which extend therefrom. A pivot shaft 116 extends between the arms 110 and 112 and projects beyond these arms in order 1 3~3'35'3 to mount the pivot bracket 18 of the grapple device. The shaft 116 also serves to anchor the cable 26 as shown in Fig. 4.
A locking device for locking the second coupling member 44 to the first coupling member 42 will now be described in relation to Figs. 3, 4 and 7. The locking device of this embodiment includes, within the second housing 80, an annular ring 120, adapted for rotation, on which is mounted a plurality of radially sliding teeth 122. Each of the teeth 122 has, as shf~wn in Fig. 7, a pin 124 which passes through a respective slot 125 defined in the annular ring 120. A spring biased uni-directional hydraulic cylinder 125 is mounted to bracket 128 which in turn is mounted to the second housing 80. The other end of the cylinder 126 is connected to the ring 120 and provides for a short rotary angular movement of the ring 120, thereby moving the pins counter clockwise in a circumferential locus causing the teeth 122 to retract outwardly radially. The teeth 122 are normally biased radially inwardly by means of the spring on the hydraulic cylinder 126. The teeth 122 are tapered as shown in Fig. 4 to allow easy entry of the male conical housing 92 whereby the teeth will engage in the groove 95 once the collar is aligned therewith. The collar 94 will not rotate once engaged by the teeth 122.
However housing 92 and 98 are journalled for rotation in collar 94.
In normal operation the coupling device 16 is integrated as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In such a manner the rotation of gear 52 by means of the hydraulic motor 46 will cause the drive shaft 102 to rotate g 1 323I~J-i~
gear 108 on hydraulic pump 114 which will provide the necessary hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinders operating the tongs 20 and 22. Hydraulic motor 76 with drive gears 82 and planetary gear 84, will drive the ring gear 90 fixed to the second coupling member housing 92/
will cause relative rotary movement of the housing 92 and housing 98 relative to the first coupling member 42 and to the collar 94 in order to rotate, through at least 180, the base 98 of the coupling device 16 including the arms 110 and 112 which will rotate the pivot bracket 18 and thus the plane of the grapple tongs 20 and 22. Thus, positive hydraulic manipulation of the grapple, including the grapple tongs, is provided when the two coupling members 42 and 44 are integrated together as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
If it is required to drop the load for purposes of crossing an obstacle such as a particularly rough section of terrain or creek, the operator on the skidder 10 will command the control which will radially retract the teeth 122 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The teeth 122 will be retracted by means of the hydraulic cylinder 126 releasing the second coupling member 44, allowing it to be withdrawn from the first coupling member 42 subject to the paying out of the cable 26 from the winch 24. Once the second coupling member 44 is separated from the first coupling member 42, the drive shaft 102 is completely disengaged from the sun gear 50 and, thus, hydraulic pump 114 will remain lnactive maintaining the pressure by means of appropriate hydraulic circuitry in the hydraulic conduits extending from the pump 108 to the hydraulic cylinders operating 1 32~05~
the tongs 20 and 22. Thus, if the tongs 20 and 22 are tightly secured to a load of logs, the pressure in the conduits will be maintained keeping the tongs 20 and 22 tightly secured on the logs even when the coupling members 42 and 44 are separated.
When the first and second coupling members 42 and 44 are separated, as shown in Fig. 2, the grapple is for all intents and purposes operating as a cable skidder. The skidder 10 can then advance to a firmer terrain while paying out the cable 26. Once the skidder 10 has advanced to a better terrain the cable 26 is then reeled in by the winch 24 causing the grapple and the second coupling member 44 to be drawn back to the first coupling member 42 as shown in Fig. 2. The cone shaped housing 92 when drawn by the cable 26 will easily find the female cone seat 68 in the first coupling member 42. A fairlead roller 48 is strategically mounted to the top of the first coupling member 42 such that when the cable 26 is being reeled in, the lever action of the cable 26 against the roller 48 causes the first coupling member 42 to pivot above the pivot shaft 40 so that the axis of the first coupling member is coincident with the axis of the cable 26 and, thus, the axis of the second coupling member 44.
The cable 26 will cause the second coupling member 44 to enter the first coupling member 42 and will bring it home to a point where the spring biased teeth 122 will engage in the groove 95 in the collar 94.
At that point the cone shaped housing 92 will be home and the planetary gears 84, 86 and 88 will be meshed with the ring gear 90 on the housing 92. Likewise, the cassette 1 3~305`~
like gear arrangement, including gear teeth 104 on the end of the drive shaft 102, will engage the gears 74 in the annular sun gear 50. The coupling device is now in a completely integrated position and the hydraulic operations can be resumed.
The present invention relates to grapples and more particularly to grapples for log skidders.
There are two types of skidders which are presently used in the logging industry. Cable skidders are by far the most popular. On the other hand grapple skidders offer many advantages over cable skidders. For instance grapple skidders allow rapid loading and unloading, and contrary to cable skidders the operator can remain in his cab during all such operations.
One reason for this apparent contradiction is that most logging in Eastern Canada and in parts of Southern United States is practiced over rough and wet terrain. With a cable skidder it is possible to release the load to allow the skidders to maneuver over an obstacle and then to winch the load back to the skidder once the skidder is pass the obstacle. Grapples on skidders do not provide such flexibility.
A grapple for a skidder, having the advantage of dropping a load and advancing, was developed by Norman Johnson in Canadian Patent 878,195 issued August 24, 1971 and an improved version in U.S. Patent 3,830,507 issued on August 20, 1974. The Johnson grapple includes grapple tongs operated by cables and winches which allow a load to be dropped and then winched over an obstacle. The grapple tongs are held tight on the load by a special cable locking device. In a paper (88-7549) entitled "A
Case Study of Skidding with the Johnson Grapple", presented to the American Society of Agricultural Engineers at its International Winter Meeting in Chicago on December 13-16, 1988, Mr. Robert s. Rummer compared 1 3 2 3 [) . 8 the Johnson Grapple with a conventional hydraulic grapple and concluded that it was not an alternative to a hydraulic grapple skidder but should be compared to a cable skidder.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a hydraulic grapple skidder with the advantages of a cable skidder with the ability to drop a load and then winch it over an obstacle, once the skidder has passed the obstacle.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a separable hydraulic grapple adapted to be utilized on a skidder or for other purposes, such as log yarding, hoisting or adapted to other devices such as clamshell buckets. In fact within the present specification, the term grapple is meant to include such devices.
A construction in accordance with the present lnvention comprises a hydraulic grapple assembly including mounting means for mounting the assembly to a grapple assembly support frame. At least a pair of jaws are each pivoted at one end to a jaw pivot means and a universal coupling means mechanically connects the jaw pivot means to the assembly mounting means to provide universal pivoting movement to the jaw pivoting means relative to the assembly mounting means. The device is characterised in that the universal coupling means includes a longitudinal axis and is separable axially and includes a first member mounted about a first lateral axis to the assembly mounting means and a second member connected to the jaw pivoting means about a second lateral axis. The first and second coupling members have . .;. : .
- . , 1 32305~
complementary mating male and female conical surfaces. A
cable means passes axially through the first coupling member and is anchored to the second coupling member.
Means are provided for locking the second coupling member in an inseparable manner with said first member. Means are also provided for releasing the locking means to allow the second member to be separated from the first member as the cable means is paid out. Means are provided on the assembly support means for reeling in or paying out the cable means. Means are provided on the first coupling means for rotating the second coupling means about the longitudinal axis, when the first and second coupling members are integrated together, in order to positively rotate the jaw pivoting means connected to the second means. Hydraulic motor means on the second coupling means are provided for positively pivoting the jaws relative to the jaw pivoting means, and hydraulic drive means on the first coupling means are adapted to engage cooperating drive means on the second coupling means for driving the hydraulic motor means on the second coupling means when the first and second coupling means are locked together axially.
More specifically the coupling device allows the hydraulic grapple to be laid down with a load and to remain locked onto the logs while paying out the cable means in order to advance the skidder over an obstacle and causing part of the coupling device and the hydraulic grapple to be drawn back to the skidder by winching the cable until the second coupling member is integrated with the coupling device portion remaining at the arch of the skidder. When the coupling members are integrated ~ ~ ~ ' J ) ~
together the hydraulic grapple operates with complete positive hydraulic control as with any other conventional hydraulic grapple. It is only when the coupling members are separated that the grapple assumes the advantages of a cable skidder. The coupling device is in two parts with the lower member having a cone shaped male portion adapted to be received in a female conical seat of the first member. A hydraulic pump is mounted on the second member which is driven by a mechanical drive extending through the coupling device, and which is driven by a hydraulic motor on the first coupling member. When the coupling device is separated, the drive is disengaged from the hydraulic motor on the first member and the hydraulic pump mounted on the second member i9 locked thereby maintaining pressure in the hydraulic grapple and thus keeping the tongs tightly secured on the load.
Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a skidder in dotted lines with the elements of the invention shown in full lines;
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the coupling device in accordance with the present invention in operating position;
Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in cross-section of the coupling device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is an axial cross-section through the coupling device shown in Fig. 3;
3 !a s ~ , Fig. 5 is a radial cross-section taken along line S-S of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a radial cross-section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 is a radial cross-section taken along line 7-7 of fig. 4;
Fig. 8 is a radial cross-section taken along line 8-8 of Fig.4.
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a skidder 10 in dotted lines having an arch fairlead 12. A hydraulic grapple having a mounting bracket 14 is mounted to the arch fairlead 12. The hydraulic grapple includes a coupler 16, a pivot bracket 18, connected to the coupler 16, and a pair of tongs 20 and 22 mounted to the pivot bracket 18.
A winch 24 on which a cable 26 is wrapped can be located on the skidder 10 as shown in Fig. 1.
The arch fairlead 12 includes a boom 28 to which is mounted a mounting plate 33. The mounting 'bracket 14 includes a mounting plate 32 which is matched to the mounting plate 33. A pair of parallel bracket arms 34 and 36 extend at right angles from the mounting plate 32. Referring to Fig. 2 the cable 26 is guided through an opening in the mounting plates 32 and 33 by rollers represented by roller 38. The coupler 16 is privotally mounted to the mounting bracket by means of pivot shafts 40 on either side of the coupling device 16 which in turn is journalled in the arms 34 and 36.
As seen in Fig. 2 the coupling device 16 is made up of a first coupling member 42 and a second coupling member 44 which operate as an integrated unit, 1 3230'-'~
as will be described, but can be separated with the second coupler member 44 being connected to the cable 26 which passes through the first coupling member 42.
Referring now to Figs. 2 through 5 the first coupling member 42 will now be described. On the top portion of housing 64 there is provided a hydraulic motor 46 to which a drive gear 52 is mounted. As seen in Fig. 5 drive gear 52 is one of three planetary gears 52, 54 and 56 which mesh with an annular sun gear 50. Annular sun gear 50 includes spaced apart gear teeth 74. These gear teeth 74 can be radial spaced apart cogs of the type found on audio cassette tapes. The purpose of these gear teeth will be described later. The planetary gears 52, 54, 56, and the sun gear 50 are mounted in a sandwich formed by bearing plates 60 and 62 which mount the sun gear by means of thrust bearing 57 and 58.
The housing 64 includes an axial bore 66 which merges with a female conical seat 68 (Figs. 3 and 4).
Roller bearings 70 are provided in the housing surrounding the axial bore 66 for receiving a drive mechanism, which will be described later.
The first coupling member 42 also includes a second housing 80 which is bolted to the first housing 64 by means of mounting bolt 72. The housing 80 includes a bracket 78 on which hydraulic motor 76 has been mounted.
The hydraulic motor 76 drives a gear 82 which in turn meshes with a planetary gear 84 which engages, with two other planetary gears 86 and 88, a ring gear 90 mounted to the second coupling member 44. This arrangemen-t can best be seen in Fig. 6.
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The second coupling member 44 includes a male, cone shaped housing 92 adapted to be received in the female cone shaped seat 68. An annular collar 94 is mounted on the periphery of the housing 92 and is adapted for rotary movement relative to the housing 92. The annular collar 94 is provided with an annular groove 95 of V-shaped cross section. The second coupling member 44 also includes a second housing member 98 which is bolted to the first housing member 92 and which traps the collar 94. The second housing 98 terminates in a peripheral lower flange 98a.
The housings 92 and 98 are provided with a central bore 100 which is axially aligned with the axial bore 66 of the first coupling member 42. A cylindrical shaft 102 is rotatably mounted in the bore 100 and is adapted to extend through the bore 66. The end of the cylindrical shaft 102 is provided with gear teeth 104 of the type found on the drive shaft of an audio-cassette deck. The purpose of this arrangement is to allow the gear teeth 104 to easily mesh with the gear teeth 74 on the sun gear 50, when the second coupling member 44 is being inserted into the first coupling member 42. The cylindrical drive shaft 102 also fits within the annular bearings 70 and 96.
At the other end of the drive shaft 102 is provided with a gear 106 which engages a gear 108 on the hydraulic pump 114. The hydraulic pump 114 and the gear 108 are set in mounting block 118 at the base of the second housing 98, between the two arms 110 and 112 which extend therefrom. A pivot shaft 116 extends between the arms 110 and 112 and projects beyond these arms in order 1 3~3'35'3 to mount the pivot bracket 18 of the grapple device. The shaft 116 also serves to anchor the cable 26 as shown in Fig. 4.
A locking device for locking the second coupling member 44 to the first coupling member 42 will now be described in relation to Figs. 3, 4 and 7. The locking device of this embodiment includes, within the second housing 80, an annular ring 120, adapted for rotation, on which is mounted a plurality of radially sliding teeth 122. Each of the teeth 122 has, as shf~wn in Fig. 7, a pin 124 which passes through a respective slot 125 defined in the annular ring 120. A spring biased uni-directional hydraulic cylinder 125 is mounted to bracket 128 which in turn is mounted to the second housing 80. The other end of the cylinder 126 is connected to the ring 120 and provides for a short rotary angular movement of the ring 120, thereby moving the pins counter clockwise in a circumferential locus causing the teeth 122 to retract outwardly radially. The teeth 122 are normally biased radially inwardly by means of the spring on the hydraulic cylinder 126. The teeth 122 are tapered as shown in Fig. 4 to allow easy entry of the male conical housing 92 whereby the teeth will engage in the groove 95 once the collar is aligned therewith. The collar 94 will not rotate once engaged by the teeth 122.
However housing 92 and 98 are journalled for rotation in collar 94.
In normal operation the coupling device 16 is integrated as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In such a manner the rotation of gear 52 by means of the hydraulic motor 46 will cause the drive shaft 102 to rotate g 1 323I~J-i~
gear 108 on hydraulic pump 114 which will provide the necessary hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinders operating the tongs 20 and 22. Hydraulic motor 76 with drive gears 82 and planetary gear 84, will drive the ring gear 90 fixed to the second coupling member housing 92/
will cause relative rotary movement of the housing 92 and housing 98 relative to the first coupling member 42 and to the collar 94 in order to rotate, through at least 180, the base 98 of the coupling device 16 including the arms 110 and 112 which will rotate the pivot bracket 18 and thus the plane of the grapple tongs 20 and 22. Thus, positive hydraulic manipulation of the grapple, including the grapple tongs, is provided when the two coupling members 42 and 44 are integrated together as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
If it is required to drop the load for purposes of crossing an obstacle such as a particularly rough section of terrain or creek, the operator on the skidder 10 will command the control which will radially retract the teeth 122 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The teeth 122 will be retracted by means of the hydraulic cylinder 126 releasing the second coupling member 44, allowing it to be withdrawn from the first coupling member 42 subject to the paying out of the cable 26 from the winch 24. Once the second coupling member 44 is separated from the first coupling member 42, the drive shaft 102 is completely disengaged from the sun gear 50 and, thus, hydraulic pump 114 will remain lnactive maintaining the pressure by means of appropriate hydraulic circuitry in the hydraulic conduits extending from the pump 108 to the hydraulic cylinders operating 1 32~05~
the tongs 20 and 22. Thus, if the tongs 20 and 22 are tightly secured to a load of logs, the pressure in the conduits will be maintained keeping the tongs 20 and 22 tightly secured on the logs even when the coupling members 42 and 44 are separated.
When the first and second coupling members 42 and 44 are separated, as shown in Fig. 2, the grapple is for all intents and purposes operating as a cable skidder. The skidder 10 can then advance to a firmer terrain while paying out the cable 26. Once the skidder 10 has advanced to a better terrain the cable 26 is then reeled in by the winch 24 causing the grapple and the second coupling member 44 to be drawn back to the first coupling member 42 as shown in Fig. 2. The cone shaped housing 92 when drawn by the cable 26 will easily find the female cone seat 68 in the first coupling member 42. A fairlead roller 48 is strategically mounted to the top of the first coupling member 42 such that when the cable 26 is being reeled in, the lever action of the cable 26 against the roller 48 causes the first coupling member 42 to pivot above the pivot shaft 40 so that the axis of the first coupling member is coincident with the axis of the cable 26 and, thus, the axis of the second coupling member 44.
The cable 26 will cause the second coupling member 44 to enter the first coupling member 42 and will bring it home to a point where the spring biased teeth 122 will engage in the groove 95 in the collar 94.
At that point the cone shaped housing 92 will be home and the planetary gears 84, 86 and 88 will be meshed with the ring gear 90 on the housing 92. Likewise, the cassette 1 3~305`~
like gear arrangement, including gear teeth 104 on the end of the drive shaft 102, will engage the gears 74 in the annular sun gear 50. The coupling device is now in a completely integrated position and the hydraulic operations can be resumed.
Claims (6)
1. A hydraulic grapple assembly comprises mounting means for mounting the assembly to a grapple assembly support frame, at least a pair of jaws each pivoted at one end to a jaw pivot means and a universal coupler mechanically connecting the jaw pivot means to the assembly mounting means to provide universal pivoting movement to the jaw pivoting means relative to the assembly mounting means, characterized in that the universal coupling means includes a longitudinal axis and is separable axially including a first member pivotally mounted about a first lateral axis to the assembly mounting means and a second member pivotally connected to the jaw pivoting means about a second lateral axis, and wherein the first and second coupling means have cooperating male and female conical surfaces and cable means passes axially through the first coupling means and is anchored to the second coupling member; means are provided for locking the second coupling member in an inseparable manner with the first coupling member; means are provided for releasing the locking means to allow the second member to be separated from the first member as the cable means is paid out, and means are provided on the asembly support means for reeling in or paying out the cable means; means are provided on the first coupling means for rotating the second coupling means about the longitudinal axis in order to positively rotate the jaw pivoting means connected to the second means, and hydraulic motor means are provided on the second coupling means for positively pivoting the jaws relative to the jaw pivoting means and hydraulic drive means on the first coupling means are adapted to engage cooperating drive means in the second coupling means for driving the hydraulic motor means on the second coupling means when the first and second coupling means are integrated together axially.
2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the jaws or tongs are on a logging skidding grapple and the support means is mounted on a logging skidder with a winch mounted on the skidder for paying out and reeling in the cable means.
3. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the first coupling means includes a housing having a female conical seat adapted to receive a complementary male conical housing of the second coupling means and a hydraulic drive means of the second coupling means includes an elongated cylindrical shaft extending axially and journalled in the second coupling means through an axial bore provided therein and projects beyond the conical male housing and is adapted to pass through an aligned axial bore in the first coupling means and gear means are provided at the end of the cylindrical drive shaft adapted to be engaged by cooperating gear means driven by a hydraulic motor means on the first coupling means and a hydraulic pump is provided at the base of the second coupling means to be driven by the hydraulic shaft when engaged by the gears of the hydraulic motor on the first coupling means.
4. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein a ring gear is provided on the periphery of the second coupling means adapted to be engaged by gear means driven by a hydraulic motor provided on the first coupling means such that once said gear means engages said ring gear on said second coupling member the second coupling member is caused to rotate relative to the first member so as to provide angular rotation of the pivot bracket of the grapple means.
5. An assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the cylindrical drive shaft includes an axial bore through which the cable means passes and the cable means is anchored to the base of the second coupling member and a fairlead roller is provided on the upper portion of the first coupling member over which the cable means passes and the fairlead roller being spaced from the lateral pivot axis of the first coupling member such that when the cable means is being reeled in to draw the second coupling member towards the first coupling member the cable means acts against the fairlead roller to cause the first coupling member to pivot and align itself axially with the cable means and the incoming second coupling means.
6. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the locking means includes a ring member rotatable about the periphery of the housing of the first coupling member, a collar mounted on the second coupling member and adapted for rotation relative to the second coupling housing, the collar including a circumferential groove in the periphery thereof, the ring mounting a plurality of radially slidable teeth adapted to engage the locking groove on the collar of the second coupling means and hydraulically actuated means on the ring member for sliding the teeth in a radial manner from a locking position to a release position.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 613717 CA1323058C (en) | 1989-09-27 | 1989-09-27 | Releasable skidding grapple |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 613717 CA1323058C (en) | 1989-09-27 | 1989-09-27 | Releasable skidding grapple |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1323058C true CA1323058C (en) | 1993-10-12 |
Family
ID=4140726
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 613717 Expired - Fee Related CA1323058C (en) | 1989-09-27 | 1989-09-27 | Releasable skidding grapple |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1323058C (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN115303955A (en) * | 2022-08-23 | 2022-11-08 | 浙江浙起机械有限公司 | Large-tonnage grab bucket bridge crane |
-
1989
- 1989-09-27 CA CA 613717 patent/CA1323058C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN115303955A (en) * | 2022-08-23 | 2022-11-08 | 浙江浙起机械有限公司 | Large-tonnage grab bucket bridge crane |
| CN115303955B (en) * | 2022-08-23 | 2024-03-29 | 浙江浙起机械有限公司 | Large-tonnage grab bridge crane |
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