US1824982A - Log rafting device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 29, 1931.

J. M. CHEVALIER LOG RAFTING DEVICE Filed May 1, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR John Maxim alum/4's! M. ATETORNEY Sept. 29, 1931. J. M. Cl lEVALIER 1,324,932

LOG RAFTING DEVICE Filed .May 1, 1929 2 Sheets-sneer. 2

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INVENTOR Jbhn Maxim CZI-Offl/IW'- BY ATTORNEY 7 coupling cables or chains 11..

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED sures J'OHNIM.YGHEVALIER, or TACOMA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOB OEQNE-HAH snow or SEATTLE, WA HINGTON L nar'rnve nnvrcn Application filed ma 1, meg-serial a... 359,502. s the chokers adjacent to thefront end of the This invention relates to log raftingdevices and, more especially. to the manner or means for securingtogether saw logs and the like for towing. s r I.

The main object of the invention is the improvement in devices of this character whereby logs may be rafted andtransported with greater safetyand at less cost than hitherto.

Another object of vide log-rafting equipment whichis adapted to be used for successivetows, which is readily arranged into log-towing relationand arranged to be used in a compact condition for returning the equipment for a new loadof logs.

More specific objects and advantages ofthe invention will appear in the following description. V Y p The invention consists; in thenovel construct1on,adaptationand combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is aperspective view illustrating the frame of a :log' raft embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is'anend elevation of a log raft including the frame shown in Fig. 1; Fig; 3 is a fragmentary; end elevation of the raft frame in course of construction; Fig. 4

.is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on line 4-i41of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 -is a perspective view of a side-stick clamping assembly; Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof a sidestick anchor post ,member;Fig."7 is a perspective view of a clinching clamp ;,Fig. 8:is I

:other side of the raftare secured by means of screwthreaded clamping bolts 28 and nuts 29 between chairs 30 and caps 31, said chairs bea longitudinal vertical secti'onthrough 8.,8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a'transverse vertical section through 9,9 of Fig.8. I

In carrying out my invent'on, I provide a frame comprising two rows ofrlongitud'inally disposed logs 10, which are held in end to end relation in the respective rows ,by means. of

The group? of l0gs"--lO,--here1nafter to be designated as a side-stickfat each side of the raft is connected together by means of companion. cables .12 extending lengthwise of the respective side stick and secured'thereto by means of choker-s13 and 13 1 14 represents a cable, or bridle,'secured to the invention is to pro-' baseplates 24:.

raft and to which a tow line 14 is attached.

Informing a raft, said side sticks are 'first disposed at opposite'sides of a group, or

represented in Fig. -1.v The floorlogs are united by means of cables disposed in pairs,

as 16 16 extending transversely of the raft and connected at their ends to the'side sticks at oppositesides of floor logs 15.

The manner and means for releasably retaining the parts of the raft constituting the .main features of the present'invention are illustrated in" Figs. 2 to8 inclusive.

In forming a raft, the side sticks 10 and floor logs 15 are'interwoven with. the cables 16 andflfi "In attainingsuch interweave, the extremities of each pair of cables are secured to the respectiveside sticks; as will be presently explained, thenpassed in opposite idirectionsfas' at 18 and 18 about said side sticks, the cable leads crossing at 19, to pass above and below the floor logs 15 alternately from one side totheother ofltheraft frame and floor.

The ends of the: cables 16'16. 'at one side of the raft are provided with loops such as 22 (Fig. 3) to engage overapost element 23,

Figs. 3 and 6; extending upwardly from a base plate 24 which'is rigidly secured to one of said side sticks by. means of dowel pins 25 and coupling bolts .26 extending into the respective'side. stickl The ends127 of: said cables 1616 at the ing. secured to the associated side sticks by meansfor' dowel pins 25 and coupling bolts 26 asfexplained above with reference to said 32 represents a upon each orthe caps 31 engaging in grooves 33 of the respectivechairs to preventrelative rotary movement thereof.

The floor logs 15 secured together and to j the side sticks 10,' as above explained, provide a frame; or cradle, within whichare deposited filler logs .35 (Fig. 2) arranged longituditongue Fig. 5) provided nally of the raft and forming the major part of the raft cargo. The logs deposited in the cradle cause the latter to be progressively submerged until the raft is loaded.

After being thus loaded, the load is lashed to the f-rameby means of a'plurality of transverse ropeswor cables such as .36 in Fig. 2. Each lashing comprises a rope extending about and engaging the side sticks 10 within loops 37-, said loops-being adjustable asto position and size to accommodate the raft load; For forming said loops I provide, near each end of a lashing, rope-clainpingde vices comprising a block 38 and a cap piece 39 between which is secured the respective rope ends, through the medium ofa screw bolt 40 and a nut 41 arranged .as shown in Figs. 7

.and 9.

Lashingof the rope to effect the wedging of the filler logsinto secured position, is attained by attaching the ropelead. 36 to a cable extension from a power drum. (not shown) retracting the bolt 40 sufficient. to loosen said lead 36 taking up the rope slack by power and. again securing. the bolt to clamp the rope between cap 89. and block 38.

A block38 moreover is formed intermediate its length with a recess 42to receive the associated cap piece which, to receive. the

rope, is grooved as at 3 and 43 at opposite sides of the bolt 40.

' The block 38 is of a length to extend beyondthc cap pieceat both ends of the latter, see Figs. 7 r and 9, theprotruding'ends of the block being provided with apertures 44 through which one of the companionleads,

, as -15, of the loopis threaded. "Theloop lead ner of its operation will, it is'thought, be unto 45 .is desirably formed to provide offsetting bends 46 thereto to further secure the, loop from being drawn through the clamping rope devices.

- The chairs 30 are formed with 30 eX- tending longitudinally of the frame and procoils .48 ofthecables 16-and 16 49 represent arms extending laterally of fvided with: channels 48 to receive the outer the frame and are provided near their outer ends with grooves 50 to receive. the cables 12. A raft embodying my invention is readily assembled, the parts thereof being readily which are readily disengaged and disassembled at-the destination of the raft;

Themeans for securing the raft in the assembled condition does not mar or otherwise injure the logs being transported:

The construction of the embodimentofthe invention now'preferred by me and the manderstood from the foregoing specification.

WhatIclaim,is,-%

' '1; In alog raft, the combination with a framecomprising side sticks, and cables and -chokers disposed longitudinally of the raft and'oonnecting the component parts of the I respective side sticks together, of a plurality of cables disposed transversely of the raft and connecting the side sticks at opposite sides of the raft, and a load receiving cradle comprising longitudinally arranged logs disposed in interwoven relation with said transverse cables and cooperating with the latter toprovide a floor upon which the raft cargo is loaded, said transversely disposed cables being detachably connected to the side sticks through loops provided at one end of respectivecables, said loops being engageable over post's rigid with one of the side sticks, and having means rov-ided upon the other of said side sticks for clamping the other end of the respective cables thereto.

2. In a log raft, thecombination with a frame comprising side sticks, and cables and chokers disposed longitudinally of the raft :and connecting the component parts of the respective side sticks together, of a plurality of cables disposed transversely of the raft and connecting the side sticks. at opposite sides of the raft, and a load receiving cradle comprising longitudinally arranged logsdisposedin interwoven relation with said transverse cables and cooperating'with the latter to provide a floor. upon which the'raft cargo is loaded, said transversely disposed cables being detachably connected to the side sticks through clamping means secured to said side sticks, said clamping means having integrally-secured pin elements arranged. for embedding engagement in the logs.

3. Ina log raft, incombination, a frame comprising a cradle including longitudinally disposed logs and side sticks adapted to receive the cargo thereon and having transversely disposed cables-interwoven with respect to said logs and side sticks, said cables having means comprising clamps rigidwith the' side sticks for retaining the cables, of transversely arranged cables adapted to be strung over the cargo and looped about the side sticks, and means for clamping said looped cables in adjusted relations with respect to said side sticks, said last named means eing carried by said cables in a manner to retain the same on its respective cable subsequent to release. of therein. V 4. Ina log raft, the combination with a frame includinga cargo receiving cradle the looped lead engaged comprising longitudinally arranged logs and sidefsticks and transversely disposed' cables interwoven with respect-to said logs and side sticks, of means tosecure ends'of SHJd'CflblGS to said side st1cks,.sa1d means comprlsing clamps rigidly securedtoth'e side sticks, said clamps conformed to afford grooved seats for I both an: initial engagement of the cables to said side sticks and thefree end turned thereabout. i

5. The combinationwith a log, andv a cable, 'of means for: adjustably securing" looped leads of said cable passing about said log, said means comprising a block member having laterally spaced apart grooves disposed in the upper face thereof, cable containing apertures projecting through outer end portions of said block in opposing inclinations and communicating at the inner extremities with one of said grooves, of a cap piece having laterally spaced apart grooves cooperating with said first named grooves in the underneath side thereon, said cap piece being adapted to be adjustably bolted to said block member in a manner to engage cables longitudinally disposed in said grooves in a manner to crimp the lead engaged by said apertures in providing cable retaining offset portions to the same while allowing adjustability to the other of said leads.

6. The combination with a log, and a cable, of means for adjustably securing looped leads of said cable passing about said log, said means comprising a block member and a cap piece arranged to be bolted/to said block member, said block member comprising cable receiving laterally spaced-apart grooves and means cooperative with said grooves whereby one of said leads may be securably retained while allowing adjustability to the other.

7. The combination with a log, and a cable, of means for securing said cable to the log, said means comprising a chair having pins projecting into the log for securably retaining said chair to the log, said chair having means including recessesfor receiving the cable.

8. The combination with a log, and a cable, of means for securing said cable to the log, said means comprising a chair rigidly secured to the log and providing recesses for seating engagement of multiple turns of the cable thereon, and a cap piece engageable over said chair and having means cooperative with said chair recesses for clampingthe cable rigidly therein.

9. A cable clamp comprising a block memher having a pair of spaced-apart cable-receiving grooves, a cap member arranged for bolting engagement to said block member for clamping cable leads in respective grooves, and means cooperating with said bolt engagement between the two members for retaining both of said members with respect to one of the clamped leads while afiording release of the other.

Signed at Seattle; Washington, this 13th day of April 1929.

JOHN M. CHEVALIER.

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