US2622744A - Skyline carriage - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1952 E. o. NAUD 2,622,744

SKYLINE CARRIAGE Filed July 17, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR ERNEST O- NAUD Dec. 23, 1952 E. O. NAUD SKYLINE CARRIAGE Filed July 17 1950 an \I/ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR ERNEST O- NAUD ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKYLINE CARRIAGE Application July 17, 1950, Serial No. 174,253

(Cl. 2l2109) 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in skyline carriages, which are particularly adapted for use in the logging industry where it is desired to transport logs for a greater distance than a single span or skyline.

The objects of the invention are to provide a carriage capable of passing skyline hangers or supports without danger of derailment; to provide automatic latching of the load to the carriage when raised to a desired height; to automatically release the load when the carriage reaches the point of delivery; to provide means whereby lighter cables may be used than in present conventional logging methods, and further to automatically hold the carriage station ary at each end of its set run.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention, part in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a modified form of the load hook.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of load release adapted to release the load before the carriage is brought to rest against its cable stops.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing one of the load supports.

Figure 7 is a plan view, part in section, showing the trip wedge and engaging rollers.

In the drawings like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral l indicates generally a skyline supported from hangers 2 which in turn are supported from spar trees left standing on one or both sides of the clearing through which logs felled are to be transported to a point of delivery. The clearing is obviously as straight as can be conveniently made, so as to keep the skyline reasonably straight as it leads to and from each hanger 2.

Movably mounted upon the skyline l is a 05- riage generally indicated by the numeral 5. The carriage 5 is formed with two spaced side plates 6 and 'l and an inverted channel shaped hook B which is connected to the side plate 1 and extendsover the top of the carriage and down towards the top edge of the side plate 6, defi a slot or opening H]. A pair of track sheaves l2 are journalled upon pins M which are supported in the sides l5 and it of the hood 8 and these sheaves ride upon the skyline l as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A pin ll extends outwardly from the wall It of the hood 8 and a keeper I3 having a depending tongue I9 is rockingly mounted on the pin I! and is fitted at its upper end with an arm 28. A pair of opposed springs 2! are anchored at their outer ends to the hood 8 and at their inner ends to the free end of the arm 26 to normally hold the tongue [9 of the keeper 13 in a vertical position bridging the opening Ill to prevent the carriage from jumping off the skyline through accidental dropping of the carriage supported load or from any other cause. Rockingly mounted on the pins I4 are keepers 22, each having a tongue 23 which also bridges the opening it asabove described. The keepers 22 are normally held in erect position as shown by springs 25 anchored to the pin ll.

A main line sheave 2'! is journalled substantially in the centre of the carriage and a complementary idler sheave 28 is journalled close thereto. runs which serves to hoist a load to the carriage and also to draw the carriage and its load along the skyline I in one direction. Secured to the carriage end of the main line 29 is a heavy weight 36 having a shackle 31 at its lower end to which any desired type of butt hook may be secured. The weight is a circular elongated body in the form of a plurality of superposed truncated cones 33 and is adapted to pass through a pair of mated members 34 each having steps 35 which coincide with the bases of the truncated cones 33 and act as dogs to support the weight and its load when said members are closed upon the weight. The members 3d are mounted on horizontally movable shafts 31 which are carried in apertured lugs 38. A spring 39 is fitted to each of the shafts 31 to urge the members 34 towards each other.

Connected with the shafts 37 by rocking levers M are spring projected bumpers 42 and 43, both of which are mounted for horizontal movement and extend beyond the end of the carriage 5. The inner ends of the bumpers 42 and 43 are condt sether by a pair of push rods 44 having a rocking lever 45 interposed between them to Over these two sheaves a main line 29- cause the bumpers to move simultaneously and in opposite directions.

Disposed at each end of the carriage 5 is a latching member 41 which is adapted to be engaged by a pivotally mounted latch 48 having a hand line 49 and carried by a stop block 50. Two stop blocks 50 (one only shown in Figure 1) are adjustably fitted at appropriate positions on the skyline I. These blocks are of any desired construction and support a sheave 5| for supporting the hauling line 52, which latter is connected to the end of the carriage remote from the point of attachment of the main line.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the numeral 60 indicates a base portion of the carriage 5, the main line 29 is fitted with a load carrying weight 62 which is surmounted by a single cone 63 and has fitted to its lower end a load carrying shackle 65. Reciprocatory load latching members 66 are slidably mounted in the base portion 66 for movement in opposite directions to each other to selectively hold the weight and its 1oad in raised position as shown, or to release them when the carriage abuts one of the stop blocks 55], at the end of the carriage run on the skyline, with one of its bumpers as shown in Figure 1.

In the modification shown in Figures 4 to 7 inelusive, the load carrying weight is indicated by the numeral 10 and is connected to the main line 29. The load carrying weight I is provided with an inverted shoulder portion 12 below which a fall line 13 depends. The side plates 6 and I of the carriage are slotted upwardly on opposite sides of the load carrying weight as at 15 and mounted upon hinge lugs 15 adjacent the lower end of said slots are vertical arms 11. The arms 11 extend to a point somewhat below the level of the skyline I where they pass through the carriage and are tensioned by springs 78 to resiliently maintain said arms in vertical position. A bracket 19 extends inwardly from each of the arms T! and is fitted with a roller 8|, which roller is adapted to come to rest under the shoulder portion '12. Mounted upon the upper or free end of each of the arms 1! are freely rotatable wheels 83, these wheels are slightly spaced apart as shown in Figure 4.

Demountably connected to the skyline I, preferably in close proximity to the stop block 55, is a trigger 85 which is fitted with a cable clamp 85. The trigger is preferably diamond shaped in plan as shown in Figure '7 so as to thrust the wheels apart as they ride along the sides of the trigger.

When the load carrying weight, as shown in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive, is used, the bumpers 42 and 43 and their linkage will not be necessary as the load will be automatically released as the carriage passes a trigger 85, causing the rollers 8| of the brackets 79 to pull away from under the shoulder 12 of the weight 10.

It is intended in using this carriage to depart from the usual logging methods by using the main line to raise the load and haul the carriage back into the woods to the set being immediately logged and to use the so-called haul back line to draw the load and carriage to the point of delivery, so that when transporting logs down hi1 to tide water the power to transport the load will be light and the cable or line necessary to move it will be considerably less than that normally employed.

The hauling line 52 and the main line 29 are wound upon separate drums of a donkey engine in the usual way and are controlled thereby.

In operation, the carriage is drawn by the main line 29 to the set or area being logged and as it reaches the adjustable stop block 50 its bumper 43 engages said stop and the latching member 41 becomes engaged by the adjacent pivoted latch 48. The bumper movement causes the mated members 34 to separate and the latching engagement holds the carriage against movement, the Weight 39 being freed from support by the members 34 will draw the end of the main line 29 downwardly as its drum is released for rotation, so that a load may be attached to the butt hook or other device connected to the shackle 3|. As the load is attached and the main line is drawn in to raise said load, the truncated cones will pass upwards between the mated members 34 and become latched against downward movement as shown in Figure 1, then when a pull is exerted upon the pivoted latch line 49 the carriage may be withdrawn from the adjacent stop block 50. The main line is then paid out and the hauling line 52 is wound upon its drum to draw the carriage and its load to the point of delivery, where the contact between the bumper and the then adjacent stop will allow the main line to be paid out further and the load to be lowered.

The operation of the device as shown in Figures 4 to '7 inclusive is as follows. The carriage 5 is hauled to the set or the point where it is to be loaded and on reaching this spot and passing the trigger 85, the carriage is held against returning while the weight 10 and its load line 73 are lowered to pick up a new load. As the new load is attached to the line 13, the main line 29 is held against endwise movement and the hauling line 52 is hauled in, first to move the carriage 5 past the trigger and then to cause the weight 10 and the load line 13 to be lifted upwardly towards the carriage. As the weight passes upwards between the rollers 8|, the weight and its load become suspended ready for transit to the point of discharge, the line 29 is then allowed to run as the line 52 is wound in to move the carriage and its load through to the trigger at the discharge end. The weight is again released so that the load may be lowered to the ground.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A skyline carriage comprising a frame having side members, a pair of track sheaves mounted in the frame and adapted to run upon a skyline, a load sheave mounted in the frame, a load cable extending from a source of haulage over said load sheave and downwardly through the carriage, a hauling line attached to said frame, said load cable having a weight and a hook adjacent its free end, said weight being adapted to be contained within the frame when the hook is raised, a swing arm fulcrumed in each side member of the frame, each of said arms being pivoted adjacent the lower edge of the frame, and having a part resiliently urged towards the vertical portion of the load cable, said weight being adapted to spread said parts of the arms, which arms engage the weight as said weight is retracted into the carriage and engage said weight to hold the hook in close proximity to the underside of the carriage, and means suspended from the skyline to cause said arms to separate to release the weight and allow the hook and load cable to descend.

2. A skyline carriage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arm parts engaging the weight are rollers and the weight is provided with a shoulder against which the rollers rest when the weight is in raised position.

3. A skyline carriage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means upon the skyline is a horizontal member substantially pointed at each end, with said pointed ends supported in substantial alignment with the skyline.

4. A skyline carriage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper end of each of the arms is fitted at its upper end with a wheel and the means suspended from the skyline is a horizontal diamond shaped trigger the sides of :which are normally mounted in the path of said wheels whereby the arms are spread apart to release the weight and hook as the carriage is drawn past the diamond shaped trigger.

ERNEST O. NAUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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