US1525197A - Log grapple - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3,1925. 525,197

R. A. RANGER LOG GRAPPLE Original Filed June 9, 1922 2 Sheets-Shut 1 Feb. 3, 1925. 1,525,197 R. A. RANGER v LOG GRAPPLE Original Filed June 9, 1922 2 sh ts-sheet 2 nQento l Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

um ran 5 TA ra s BOY A.

BANGER,OF CHAR LEVOIX, MICHIGAN.

LOG GRAPBLE.

Application'filed June 9, 1922, Seria1 No. 567,211. Renewed December 27, 1924.

To aZZZ-w/zom it may concerns 'Beit known that 1,1301 A. RANGER, a citizen of the "United States, residing at Charlevoi-X, county of Charlevoix, State ofMichigan,'l1ave invented certain new anduseful Improvement in Log-Grapples, and de- -lare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it pertains to make and use the same, :reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this speeification.

This invention relates to apparatus for salvaging sunken logs, and has for 'itsobject an improved arrangement of parts whereby the logs may be easily sought out by the points of the grappling hooks, as they lie more orless irregularly on the bottom of a lake or river, often partly buried in sand or mud, and whereby when grappled they may be most easily dislodged and raised. My improved device hasparticular reference to uniformity of action of the grappling members, regardless of the character of the bottom, whether hard, soft sand, mud, or weedy.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a grapple-being towed'from scow, with one of its pronged arms just engaging a log partly buried in sand,

Figure 2 is a similar view, on a somewhat larger scale, showing both-arms of the grap ple engaging the log, which is being started f-ronrits buried position in the sand,

Figure'3 is a perspective of my improved grapple.

'Fign re 4 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 44: of Fig. 1.

Figure'5 is a similar detail, taken along the/line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Except in relatively shallow and very clear water, grappling for sunken logs is a more or less blind groping for the "logs, whose presence in a given'locality is generally known, because oft-he ki iowle'd gethat lumbering operations have in former years been in progress along that particular-stream or lake. But the eXact-positioningof the individual logs. whether each lies loosely on the stream or lake bottom, and the size of each, is a matter of surmise until each is raised to the surface after being grappled. Furthermore, a section of bottoinwhich is relatively clear and hard and free of weeds may, and frequently does, adjoin a soft and muddy portion, in which ordinary grappling tongs would sink so deeply as to be of little or no use for their intended purpose, even though 0 oeratingweil on another kind of bottom. i-nd provision must be made,- as to the operation of ,the parts of the grapple relatively toone another, so that a log, when grappled, may be firmly seized and held, whatever its size be, while it is being raised to the surface.

To this end,'I have devised the apparatus herein disclosed and claimed, whichis peculiarly adapted to accommodate itself'to the irregularities in the character and contour Off the bottom overwhichit is being towed, and which, when a log has been encountered, can be relied uponto hold it against slippage. It consists of a-pairof tongs A and 'B pivotally joined near theircenters, as at 0, each being provided at itslower end with an inturned point or-hook designed to sink into the wood when the 'log is grappled. \Vith the upper-end of the arm A is loosely con nected, as'by the link or swivel D,the lazy tongs link E, while to the upper. end of the arm B is similarly connected the lower end of' the linkF. The upper end-of the link E is -pivotally-conneoted with the center portion of the linlrF by pivot G, andthe upper end of the link E has attached to it the cable -H,by whichthe grapple is suspended from the scow J. To the lower end of the arm Bis attached the lower end of the rope or cable '='K, by whichzthe .arm B is held in raised o-rnon-grapplingposition as the device'is being drawn along the lake or'river bottom.

Thegrappling arm portion of the device thusfar described would, of course, sink-to the bottom,.and, in the case of a mud bottom,- sink thereinto, and in the case of a hard bottom would fall over on its side'in such a position as to be of-little or nouse, were it not for the connection with it of the float member L,-preferably constructed of watertight pipe, or filled with abuoya-nt packing, which is rather loosely pivoted at its slightly opened forward end, as at V, to the upper end o'f'the arm A,-witlrits bowed or circular portio-irlying genera lly abovethe rearward or lower end of-the arm A, with which the center of the curved portion'is loosely connected by the chain M. This member L is so designed as -to-its shapeand'its buoyancy relatively to the hooks or grappling arms, that, as the device is towed along the bottom, it assumed a position midway be tween such a degree of buoyancy that it would float on the surface and such an absence thereof, that it would sink to the bottom. And since the loose pivot and the link connections between the float and the grappling hooks are situated on the former at substantially opposite points in its curved outline, when viewed from above or beneath, the log-grappling members are suspended substantially beneath this semi-buoyant ring, thus sustaining the hooks near the bottom, so that while the rearward arm A can seize with its point the imbedded or partly embedded log, it still keeps the grapple from sinking too far relatively to the bottom so that its weight, when it strikes a stone or similar obstruction, would make it jump completely over an adjacent log, or tall over onto one side in such position; and yet the loose character of the support afforded by the chain M insures the positioning of the hooks because of their own weight in most effective operating position relatively to the bottom that is being dragged, and the looseness of the float members connection with this chain connection and its pivoting enables it to rock or sway from one side to an other as regards horizontal positioning, according to the incline of the bottom being traversed or to obstructions which it en counters, without efl'ecting any substantial change in the desired upright positioning of the loggrappling hooks.

In operation, as soon as a log has been caught by the point of the arm A, which can be sensed by the increased pull upon the cable H, the operator in charge of the rope K lowers the same, so that the arm B can respond to the increased pull on the cable H, due to the lazy-tongs action of the links E and F, and when the log has thus been firmly gripped by both hooks, it can be drawn to the surface; extra hook points, as N, may, if desired, be added to the inner or log-engaging surface of one of the arms as A. It should be observed that by the arrangement of the arms I have shown, a log, which when grappled, may be pried or drawn away from its more or less embedded position in the sand by what may be described as a rolling or canthook action. This, with a minimum of effort, permits a strong leverage of a twisting character to be applied for overcoming the suctional resistance to its dislodgment.

What I claim is:

1. In a grapple, in combination with an annular float and protective member adapted to maintain a substantially horizontal position, a pair of pivotally associated grapple arms adapted to be held by manual pull upon a connected rope member in open position and in a substantially vertical plane beneath said annular float member, lazy tong members for drawing said grapple arms together contemporaneously with the cessation of manual pull upon said rope, and loose connecting means between said grapple arms and said annular float member, whereby the irregular upward and downward movement of said grapple arms due to their striking against unexpected obstructions is communicated in only slight degree to said annular float member.

2. In combination with a pair of pivotally united and normally opened grapple arms, link members at their upper ends for drawing the arms into engaging position about a log, and a circular horizontally disposed float member having a loose connection with said grapple arms, the vertical plane of which'extends substantially centrally thereof, whereby they are semi-buoyantly sustained in position for limited vertical movement independently of the float according to the objects encountered.

3. A grapple, having in combination with a relatively buoyant annular float member, a pair of normally open grapple arms supported from oppositely disposed portions of the periphery of said float member in a substantially vertical plane, the connection between said parts being flexible, thereby minimizing the obstacle-induced movements of said grapple arms communicated to said float member, and manually controlled means for regulating the drawing together of said grapple arms.

4. In combination with ahorizontally positioned relatively buoyant ring, a pair of pivotally related grappling members loosely suspended from oppositely disposed points on said ring in away to transmit to said ring in a modified degree only the irregular movements of said grappling members, and supporting and hoisting ropes operatively connected with said grappling members.

5. The combination, with a pair of pivot ally connected grappling arms, of. a relatively buoyant annular member, and means flexibly connecting said grappling arms With peripherally opposite portions thereof, whereby the grappling arms are loosely supported in a substantially vertical plane, regardless of the temporary displacement of either member from its intended position, due to striking of external obstacles.

In testimony whereof, I sign this speciiication in the presence of two witnesses.

ROY A. RANGER. Vitnesses IVILLIAM IVALLACE, GLENN F. BEARD.

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