US3194329A

US3194329A - Hydraulic grab bucket

Info

Publication number: US3194329A
Application number: US375975A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard A Wallers
Original assignee: CALWELD Inc
Current assignee: CALWELD Inc
Priority date: 1964-06-11
Filing date: 1964-06-11
Publication date: 1965-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1982-07-13
Also published as: DE1458619B2; DE1458619A1

Description

July 13, 1965 R. A. wALLERs HYDRAULIC GRAB BUCKET 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 11, 1964 INVENTOK /cwp WMLEPS MMM /m! rrae/vsys.

July 13, 1965 R. A. wALLERs 3,194,329

` HYDRAULIC GRAB BUCKET Filed June 11, 1964 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR /cf/Aeo PVMAL-'es rrae/vsys.

July 13,- 1965 Filed June'll. 1964 R. A. WALLERS HYDRAULIC GRAB BUCKET 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. /cf/HPD Muses www fd/M July 13, 1965 R. A. wALLERs HYDRAULIC GRAB BUCKET 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June l1, 1964 SET@ 6000 R/ T m :7U mw A o 8;@ l@ 6.4 an- Mmmm@ Mm UU P m C .H

INVENTR s .v W fw HW D WY# MB United States Patent O 3,194,32 HYDRAULIC GRAB BUCKET Richard A. Wallers, Balboa island, Calif., assigner to Calweld, inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed lune l1, 1964, Ser. No. 375,975 l@ Claims. (El. l7'5-316) This invention relates to a grab bucket to be utilized in earth drilling operations, and more particularly relates to a grab bucket which is hydraulically actuated whereby earth, rocks or other obstructions may be gripped by jaws on the bucket and the obstructions removed from a drilling hole. The application is a continuation-impart of my copending application, Serial No. 139,430, tiled September 20, 1961, now abandoned.

Heretofore, in the construction field relating to the drilling of Wide diameter bores or holes in the earth for concrete pilings, footings, etc., when a large rock or boulder was encountered in the drilling operation it was necessary to Withdraw the drilling bucket or auger and insert a mechanically actuated grab bucket which had a plurality of jaws that were forced open and held in an open posit-ion by means of a spring-loaded trigger mechanism. When the grab bucket was lowered into the hole and encountered the obstacle the trigger would be tripped releasing the jaws to grab or to clamp upon the object which was obstructing the drilling operation. This spring-loaded type of mechanical grab bucket has proved to be ineective in situations where the drilling hole or borefis filled with a drilling mud substance because as the mechanical spring-actuated grab bucket was inserted in the bore the pressure of the l'luid drilling mud upon the trigger mechanism would trip the trigger and close the jaws prematurely. A slight advance over the art, but still cumbersome apparatus, is the utilization of a hydraulic system mounted upon Vthe drilling rig with a series of hydraulic hoses extending up to a swivel mounted on a hollow kelly thence down the inside of the kelly to ythe grab bucket which is secured at the end of the kelly bar. The constantrrotation of the kelly bar has caused the hydraulic hoses to twist the lines around :the kelly bar on occasions, and also when the swivel at the top of the kelly has become rusted or will not function the hydraulic hoses would snap and they would have to be replaced. Further, this prior apparatus was limited in its use to the length of the particular kelly bar which was being used at that time by kthe drilling rig, whereas in the present invention the hydraulic grab bucket is a self-contained unit including a hydraulic mechanism as a part of the grab bucket and is connected to the jaw portion of the bucket, and the whole assembly may be lowered to any depth necessary to meet the obstacle to be removed, merely by using additional lengths of kellys. Further, the present invention cannot be prematurely activated by any fluid drilling mud or any other liquid subs-tance which may be in the bore, because the jaws are not activated until the obstacle is reached.

An object of this invention is to provide Va grab bucket having a plurality of pivoted jaws which may be used to grip an object impedir-lg progress in the drilling of a hole or bore in the earth.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grab bucket having a plurality of jaws which are hydraulically actuatable to grip and release.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grab bucket having gripping jaws which are hydraulically actuated and where the hydraulic system is an integral part of the grab bucket.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grab bucket which is adapted to be used with a conventional earth drilling rig.

ice

Another object of this invention is to provide a grab bucket which includes a hydraulic pump means and piston ram means linked to a plurality of pivoted clamping or gripping jaws.

The invention consists of the construction, arrangements and combination of various parts of the device wherein the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l .is a side elevational View of a mobile drilling rig utilizing a hydraulic grab bucket;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational cross sectional View ot the grab bucket showing the jaws in open position;

FlGURE 3 is a side elevational View taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the grab bucket showing one of the jaws in a closed or gripping position;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 6 6 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view showing the hydraulic system;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevationalcross sectionalview of a modified hydraulic grab bucket, illustrating hydraulic link arms to activate the jaws;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational cross lsectional View of the modified form illustrated in FIGURE S showing the 'aws in closed position;

FIGURE l0 is a View of one of the jaws and hydraulic actuating means of the modification taken on line 1li-d0 of FIGURE 8;

l lGURE 11 is a top elevational view taken on line ll-ll of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 12 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system to actuate the hydraulic actuator means.

The hydraulic grab bucket generally designated lll is designed to be used in conjunction with a drilling rig generally designated l2., which rig may be or any of thosev of the well known kinds, such as a crane drilling attachment, auger type rigs, or, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 for purposes of illustration only, a mobile truck mounted drilling rig. The rig includes a boom 14 suspended from a truck platform i6, a kelly bar lS suspended from a swivel 29' which in turn is secured to a cable Ztl which isjpassed over the boom I4 and is wound upon a winch 22. The kelly bar iS extends through a rotary 24 suspended from the rear of the truck platform 1.6. The kelly bar IS is equipped with a yoke, not shown, which lits within the rotary 24- and said rotary 24 is driven from a shaft, not shown, which is connected to the motor 26. The hydraulic grab bucket lil is suspended from the end of the kelly bar l and lowered within a Wide diameter hole or bore 28 to the object 29 which is desired to be removed.

The grab bucket 1l) is generally formed of two sections, a hydraulic section generally designated 3@ and a jaw section generally designated 32 collectively referred to as a shell. The hydraulic section 30 includes a tubular cylindrical casing or shell 34 formed with an external annular flange 36 at the lower end of the casing 34. The flange 36 has a number of bolt openings 37 extending therethrough around the flange. The interior of the casing 3d is generally divided into three chambers, a reservoir chamber 3S, a coupling chamber 4t), and a hydraulic pump chamber 42. The chamber 38 is formed between a cap plate i4 welded or otherwise secured to the top of the casing 34 and a similar plate 46 of smaller diameter which is welded or otherwise secured to the interior of the casing 3d. Both the plates 44 and 46 are provided withentrally inenten aligned OpeningsA and a tubular shaft housing 48 extends between the :respective plates 44 and 46, and is secured to both plates. Thus the cham-z her ,3d siuallyforrned by the. Casing 34, Plains 44 and body pQrtiOIl 6i?. which is fittedyvithin the tubular shaftv housing v 4.8 and a bushing 62 :is provided between the Vmain body 60 andthe tubular shaft housing 48. This bushing may be of bronze or any other suitable material.

The upper partofthe 'drive shaft assembly 58 isjformed.

with. a. head norden 64.011. the' bony .60 KGf wider diameter thanI the rnain body 6 9, and the head portion 64 is seated withinltlte annular ring 5.9 and bears against the O ring Y 321W Section 132f'furfher. includes three.'fnairsrffeenrelly 'Y jS6seated in the 4groove 541 O'nitop :of the head portion n4 .there is nfQYdsd-a keltydrive noix 6,;6 which is adapted to regeive theend of the kelly 18. The box 66Vhas: cor-V responding openings68 in opposite Walls70 and 72 of the bnn t9. receive a nnt and boltassembly 74 which extends throughthe 'openings 68 and an opening 7?V inV theV kelly han 18, aligned therwith.,Y

heopposite end. 71 of i an annular .grpove 'Z5 'and the extreme end of the; shaft assemblyV S`8fis` ofa reduced diameter forming a stub 76.

In assembly .the shaft assembly .5s iis inserted in ,the

. .Cylinder 4ffif`9m above the tcp .Pinte 454.150 that the. head 1 portion'64 rests upon a bushing 7 8. within the .annular ring 5,0.. The main portion -60 extends through the cylin- 51h31.1 4.5.' and the vend' '-71 extendsv below the plate .46. i In.

order *to hold the 4shaft assembly 58 -in position so that it cannot` pullout of the cylinder 48,'a atbushing plate 80V is fitted around the main body portion 60. against theV plate '46, A washer plate 82 is then positioned overthe v flatbhushing 80 andV a split Yring assembly 84 is fittedV around the"shaft 5S withii'the. groove 75. The split ring 8.4. consists of twoplates whichV are secured by meansof bolts S6 to the washer plate 82.1v In this manner it will vhre-seen that-the shaft assembly 58 when placed in posi-y fromthe stub shaft 76a flexible coupling 94. The cou-1 pling may be any of a varietyl of ruhbercouplings,y `comi incrcially obtainable.

Suspended within thecharnber. 42,.formed at itsupper.

'end by plate 92, is ahydraulic piston p umpf96 whiclciis secured to the pump plate 92 by means of-a plurality of bolts 9.8..' The shaft` 10,0 of the pump 9.6 .extends through the p latej 92y andi into the flexible lcoupling 94.l They pump rnay be any. of a variety -of hydraulic piston pnmps vwhichV includes an'inlet port'102 and an outlet-v portl'104.

The jaw section 32 includes a'circular plate` 10.6 having a plurality of openings 1.0.8. extendingthrough theplate 10.6 adiacent the exterior circumference ofthe plate.V The; openings 10,58A are aligned with the corresponding openings.y

the body portionGt) includes triangular shaped guide niembersr122. These; guide mem-l bers 122 extend `from the plate v106 down the cylinder118 Y to a point nearrthe Ibottom of the cylinder, and extend radially outward therefrom.` Each pair of guides122- 'are' equally spaced around they perimeter: of lthe* cylinderl118 I S0 that the elnngfated openings. 1Z0-are .btweenjthe reef Yspective pairs.- Further, theiindividual guide member 122 of each pair is parallelvvith'thepotherV of the.pair.

`Centrally looatedivith-in `the:cylii'ider111i"theplate: Y I Y 106 isprovided with va threaded bossl124 which extends' dnwnward into the cylinder 118.-" Threadabbseured to V` 4 's ahydr ulic'rarn casing 126W ich extendsv v .the-besa ..1 dnwnward 1n' cylinder 1.1.5.2;V Theebottci draulic ramV c in'g 126 -isV open anda hydraulic ram 12 is .Slinbly tnnnnisdinftheranif casfns 12261 fdiacent ui' bettcnicf'theram casing' .126. ,there is rcvidnln srOOY df l .13G-10. .keep @hy l draulic iluidfromg flowing between lthe'hydraulic. ramiand portion which' receives a sealing rihg.

.rnnisasina PQSitQnnd `around;the, ilydraulicr-ainasins '126 isa hollow elongated: piston .132 having a closed-lend135iatw its .base .endyandthres kear .entensionsl .extending dially outward trentine-cylinder. thronghr1ierespcnv vslots y120fof the tubular cylinder 118.:

Surrounding'thepiston 'lgfvvithin ,thecasing 11Sg=is Y a compressionsprin-g 138 having one end abutting .against thetear entensions 13.6 and the "other end abutting against 1 ,an end nanMtt-Whinhfis held;withinthewlndr 118 l 'by means of a :pluralityrof bolts .142 spaced AaroundV Ythe `perimeter ofthe cylinder 118. The compression springv .p Y 1,38 .Will constantly. urge the rpiston 132 upward toward. the plate 1M` unless the .spring Nis -overcom'by hydraulic Y pressure tobe described, in which ease the.. piston 132 will i be'forced. from. a position asshov'ln in'FIGURE'Z toa position Vas seenin VFIGURE, where the; spring 138is Compressed;

VYA linking oractuating meansabetween the ear. extensions 13.6. and jaws144 includes a linlfarm; 146havingV 1- Y a bifurcated upper end .oryokellS which receivesfthezl end ofthe ear, extension 136, The :arm extension andv i yoke 148 areheld ytogether by Lapivot pin ltlfwhic'h Vex-1., tends `through theV bifurcatedportion 148 Iand the-arm extension. 1,136., TheV link` arm 146 .extendsdownward between a l.pair :of jawv vgussets 152 .which are pivotally;

secured to; the pair of guide Vrnembers'122'by meansof a pin 154.. These gussets 152,;a`re` generally triangular j shaped and are'pivotallyconnected to theguide membersY f. 12,2 near.v an apexeofvthe trianglef- .The link Varm-1463s. .pivotallygsecur'edbetween th'etvvo jaw Ygusset's. '15,2' by means of pivot pin 1 56twhichpasses Ythrough thejavv. gussets. and linit arm-146 adjacent"` thearcnate base. edge Y cured tothe plate 145,Y

3.7 are formed in the annular flange 36.- Sections'` Y 3.0. and` 3 2 are secured together by means of'- bolts 112 which `passthrough the openings 108 and 37 vand 'held together by means of the nuts-114 on the bolts 112. The

' plate. 10.6.. is. provided with a hydraulic hose 'Vtting 116 which ex nds through the plate 106, as best seen in l'iIGf URES 2 and 4.

V$fe n1red-to the `undersideY ofthe plate106 is an elongated-tubular cylinder'118. This ylinder11$ is welded or Yotherwisesecured to the plate 10,6', and is provided with three .elongated slots 120.' These slots are'equally spaced aroundthe perimeterY vof the cylinder 11.8.: The

- he hydraulic system l-utilzedinzthe.present invention. includesY a hydraulic hose 16() l'extendingironia fitting 161' in the: bottom .ofthe-reservoirichamber 138 to. thef inlet j portY 102 of thepumpV 96.'Y T he thoseY 160 `is provided with. i a four-way coupling ,164 from whichfahose'16.6;extends" to a mechanicllygactuated' valve 71683 irnountedin the;` shell'0r casing 34.-'. This .valve 16148` Iis lproviled withY a1, protective'- annular hoodV 170 which `:issecu red. to the 1 vshell $4. The otheropening inthe coupling'f164receives ahydraulic hose172"`which extends to an antoniatdcheck Y valve 174. From. the outlet VVpnrt 104 .ofthe pump 96 a hydraulichose 1.76extends to the tting ,11.6. anda hose Y 178 is provided which extendsjfrom .the otherside ofthe .Y litting- 116110; atting in.rthe.fhydraulic :ramcasingV 1.26,' v

which communicateswith the interior of thevcasing 1216.

Another `four-Way. coupling .180fis providedpin the-hoseV A176 and ahose-1821extendsV from the; check valve 17,4

to thegcoupling .180,eand. theother'port ofthejpupling s Y Si' 180 is fitted with one end of a hose 184 which extends to the mechanically actuated valve 16S.

It should also be noted that the grab bucket 11i has an opening 190, which extends through the cap 141i into the interior of the casing 118. The Opening is provided so that when the grab bucket is lowered into'a drilling hole 28 which contains drilling iluid, water, mud, etc., the resistance of the device to the substance is lessened by allowing it to flow through the opening 19@ into the casing 118 and out the slots 124) in the casing 118. In this way resistance is lessened as the bucket is lowered into the hole 28. Further, when the hydraulic section 39%) is secured to jaw section 32, the interior of the casing 34 will be water tight.

In view of the fact that when drilling wide diameter holes, the diameters may and usually do vary, this invention may be used in any large diameter hole by changing only the' jaws 144 to increase `or decrease the size of bite to be taken by the jaws 144.

v'In operation, after the grab bucket 1@ has been secured to the kelly bar 1S and lowered into the hole 28, it is allowed to contact the obstacle whi-ch is desired to be removed. At this point, the kelly bar 1d is rotated the desired number of revolutions by means of the rotary 24 engaging the yoke (not shown) which is secured to the kelly bar. It should be noted that the swivel 2u will keep the cable 2i? from rotating with the kelly. As the kelly bar rotates, it in turn will rotate the shaft assembly 58, coupling 94 and shaft 1111i of the hydraulic pump 96. As the pump 96 is rotated, hydraulic fluid 136, which has been placed in chamber 38 through an opening at the top of the chamber capped by plug 18S, is forced through the hose 160 into the inlet port 162 of the pump 96, thence under pressure out the outlet pipe port 104 through the

hoses

176 and 178 into the ram casing 126. As the pressure of the hydraulic fluid builds up, it will urge the ram 128 downward against the end 134 of the piston 132. In this manner the piston 132 will be forced from a closed position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to an open position illustrated in FIGURE 4. As the cylinder moves downward within the casing 118, the link arm 146 is pushed downward and the jaw gussets 152 will pivot about pin 154 causing the jaws 144 to be moved from an open or vertical position to a closed or inwardly angled position gripping the obstacle to be removed.

When the kelly bar 18 has been rotated sufficiently to build up the pressure necessary through the pump 96 yto close the jaws 144, it is stopped and the jaws in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 will remain in that position upon the obstacle to be removed until it is desired to manually open the jaws and release the gripped object.

In order to release the jaws t-o the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, the manually operated valve 16S which is normally in a closed position is :opened so that the fluid within the ram casing 126 is allowed to flow through:

Ihose

178, 176, 184, 166 and 160, into the reservoir i8.` It should be noted tha-t the compression spring 138 will act to force the ram 128 upward into the casing 126, thus forcing the hydraulic fluid lback through the valve 168 to the reservoir.

The positioning of the check valve 174 within the hydraulic system is a safety feature so that should the pressure of the hydraulic uid coming from the pump 96 to the ram casing 126 build up to above a predetermined pressure of pounds per Square inch, .for which the Valve 174 is set, the hydraulic fluid may be allowed to bleed back to the reservoir through hose 182, through the valve 174, hose 172 and hose 160 into the reservoir.

A modied form of hydraulic grab bucket 11i is illustrated in FIGURES 8 to l1. In this modification, the hydraulic actuator means 200 actual-ly replace the link arm 146 and the cylinder 11S. The sections 31B and 52' or shell of the bucket 11i remain in substance the same as is illustrated in FIGURES l through 7; however, the hydraulic system differs to some extent within the section 36 from that illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The operative parts within the section 30' include an internal gear 262 mounted on the stub 76. A smaller gear 264 mounted on a stub shaft 2% meshes with gear 204. The yshaft is journaled in bearings 26S. Intermediate the bearings 26S the shaft 2116 is fitted with a sprocket 219, best seen in FIGURE 11.

The rot-ation of the kelly 18 will rotate the sprocket 21@ which by means of a sprocket chain 212 will revolve the hydraulic piston pump rllhe pump 96 includes inlet and outlet ports 1412' and 1M' and an inlet pipe lati from the reservoir 3S to the pump 96.

The hydraulic actuator means 2G11 includes a pair of hydraulic rams'214- each being suspended from a pin 216 from the plate 106. The pins 216 pass through ring extensions 21S at the closed end `of casing 22d. At the end remote from said closed end a plug 222 is threadably mounted in the casing. The plug has a bore 224 to receive a piston rod 226 to which is attached a piston 228.

At the other end of the rod 22d a fitting 23u is secured. The fitting includes a bore 232 through which a pin 234 extends which pivotally connects the jaw 144 and rod 226.

The jaw 144 is pivotally connected to or carried by the shell or the lower section 32' of the bucket 11i' by pivot pins 154.

The hydraulic system of the modification of FIGURE 8 diiers from the embodiment of FIGURE 2. An input line 249 passes from the pump 9d to the casing 221i to allow iiuid to force the piston 223 down to a position shown in FIGURE 9 to close the jaws 144,. Fluid under the piston will be forced out of outlet line 242 to an accumulator 244 of any of the pressure bladder type commercially available. The accumulator 244,' will retain the fluid until the fluid entering line 241) is evacuated, either to a second accumulator 2511 or to the reservoir 38'; then the pressure within the accumulator 244 will expand the bladder and force fluid into the casing to 'retract the piston 223.

Line 246 is a bypass line for fluid and serves to transport fluid back to the reservoir 38 through line 248 should certain preset limits be exceeded. The valve 163' serves a similar purpose as valve 163 in FIGURE 2.

It has been found that when employing the modified form of hydraulic grab bucket 11i there is less chance of mechanical failure because none of the 4actuat-ing mechanisrn for the jaws 14d are exposed to become clogged by earth. Further, with the modified form, only two jaws are employed; therefore, t-he relative diameter of the bucket 10 can be reduced over the form illustrated in FIGURE 2 and as such it has a somewhat wider application of uses.

While the primary purpose of the present invention is to remove objects .such as rocks, boulders, etc. from a wider diameter hole, it must be recognized that the invention may also be used to clam, loosen and remove earth from a drill-ing operation. When clamming the jaws 144 will be allowed to penetrate the earth, dig `and then close upon the loosened earth so it may be removed from the hole.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, -it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within .the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims.

4I claim:

1. A hydraulic grab bucket adapted for use in an earth bore comprising a shell including sides and top and bottom, :a jam support element depending from said shell bottom, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the shell top and having a portion extending into said shell, power means external of said :shell rotatively coupled with said drive shaft, hydraulic fluid pump means mounted in said shell and operatively connected to said drive shaft whereby said pump may be actuated to move iiuid, a plurality of jaws l ano/1,329'

ment below said shell bottom, linking means intercon nectingV eachiof saidjaws and 'said'pistom -a spring biasing said piston-toward said shell .whereby said jaws will be biased in an open position,` a hydraulic ram engagingl said piston,` .uid conduit means interconnecting `said pumpand said ram, said ram operatively associated with said Ypumpby uid through said conduit means whereby saidrammay be advanced to overcome said spring biasing and said jaws moved to a closed position, Yand valve means in said .conduit means to release said fluid whereby said jaws may return to said open position.

2. A ,hydraulicl grab bucket as deiined in claim 1 Whereinrgsaid power means, said drive shaft and said hydraulic fluid pump allihave a common axis.

3. A hydraulic grab bucket ,asy defined in claim 1 wherein a ilexible Icoupling connects said drive shaft and said hydraulic uid pump means.

Y 4. A hydraulic grab bucket comprising Va she-lil including sides and top and bottom, 'a jaw support element 'secured to said' shell bottom, a drive shaft means rotatably mounted in the top of said shell and having .a portion extending into said shell, said shaft adapted to be rotated.

by power means external of said shell rotatably coupled with said drive shaft, hydraulic pump-means mounted in said'shell, said hydraulic .pump means being `operatively connected to said drivey Vsha-ft means, hydraulic ram meansmounted onV said 'jaw support element, a plurality of jaws pivotally mounted on said jaw Vsupport element whereby said jaws are movable'between Yan open ,positiony and a closed position, fluid Aconduit means connecting said hydraulic pump means and said hydraulic ram means, and-mechanical connection between said hydraulic ram means and said jaws whereby said jaws may be moved. t

5. The combination-of: a Vdrilling rig in'whichfsaid rig comprises Va platformjmotor means on ,saidV plat-` form, a boom mounted on said platform, a kelly bar suspended from said boom and rotary .means on said platform'connected to said motorV means to rotate saidV kelly bar, a hydraulic grab bucket comprising a shell inluding sides Vand top and bottom, `a jawsupport element piston slidablymounte'd within saidiele-ment 'l i below .said sh el1 ,bottom, .linkingjmeans Vintereonnecting each c ffsaidfjaws'landv said pistomaspring vbias/ing"Sai/d1y piston toward Y,said "shell fwhereby said jaws will be biased. Y in an open position, a hydraulic ram engaging said piston, Y fluid conduit .meansintereonnecting said pump `and' saidw ram, said ram operatively.,associated with said pump ljby,

fluid Ythrough said conduit'means wherebyisaid ram'may be advanced to overcomesaid spring biasing Aand said jaws* moved to a closedV positiomfland Y valve `means in sald condultmeans ytogrelease said iiuid.jwhereby'`saidv jaws'mayfreturnto said openposition.

6. -The combination as defined inclaim'S wherein saidV fluid Vconduit meansV includes a ,reseryoirvtormed Vwithin j said shell.;V i. 7. "The-combination asdened in fclaimgiwherein said fluidY conduitgme'ansfis adapted Vto Vcycle iluid ffrom said reservoir through f 's'aid pump. to, ,saidA hydraulic V rar' 'and from said ram whack to said reservoir'.

s. lA jhydrauligryab .bucket,comprisingjai-heisahave shaftmeans rotatably mounted .iulthe shell {and Vvadapted to be rotated by power means external ofgsaid s,l'1'ell,'hy`V draulic pump means mounted viii-said shell, said, hydraulic pump means beingV operatively Vconnected5to,V said drive' Vshaft means, a pluralityV o f'jawsV pivotallycarriedby said Y shell whereby said ,jaws-.are movable b etweenfan open. position anda vclosed position-hydraulic'ram means in-` terconnecting -saidrshella'nd Saidl jaws wherebyy said jaws may be pivotallymoved, and uid conduit means. confV necting said hydraulic pumpzmeasandadhydramc Iam means. i u Y Y. l.

9;@A hydraulicgres-.blandas deemed' inician-s @f iaws inc ludstwq jaws .in` 'face-f wherein said pluralityA to-face relationship.l Y Y, n Y 19.. Ay hydraulic .grab :bucketvvas vrdeiined in;V claim 9 wherein each jaw ris interconnectedfto Ysaidfshell bya t hydraulic ram.,

References-Citedhy theExaminer Y UNITED STATES liaTENrs CHAaLEsE:oooNNnLnrrimafy examiner.

Claims

8. A HYDRAULIC GRAB BUCKET COMPRISING A SHELL, A DRIVE SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE SHELL AND ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED BY POWER MEANS EXTERNAL OF SAID SHELL, HYDRAULIC PUMP MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID SHELL, SAID HYDRAULIC PUMP MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT MEANS, A PLURALITY OF JAWS PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY SAID SHEL WHEREBY SAID JAWS ARE MOVABLE BETWEEN AN OPEN POSITION AND A CLOSED POSITION, HYDRAULIC RAM MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SHELL AND SAID JAWS WHEREBY SAID JAWS MAY BE PIVOTALLY MOVED, AND FLUID CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID HYDRAULIC PUMP MEANS AND SAID HYDRAULIC RAM MEANS.