US3294435A

US3294435A - Hydraulically actuated grapple

Info

Publication number: US3294435A
Application number: US458017A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elwood R Johnson; Downing Merritt
Original assignee: ERIE STRAYER CO
Current assignee: ERIE STRAYER CO
Priority date: 1965-05-24
Filing date: 1965-05-24
Publication date: 1966-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-27

Description

1966 E. R. JOHNSON ETAVL 9 HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED GRAPPIJE Filed May 24, 1965 M? l3 l0 FIG. I

2 l9 0 l6 v 24 m L & |5

|2 INVENTORS FIG. 2 w P M H ELWOOD R. JOHNSON 1 BY MERRITT DOWNING MJJMM United States Patent 3,294,435 HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED GRAPPLE Elwood R. Johnson, Erie, and Merritt Downing, Fairview, Pa, assignors to Eric Strayer Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 458,017 7 Claims. (Cl. 29488) This invention relates to grapples and, more particularly, to hydraulic-electric operated grapples.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved hydraulicelectric grapple.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grapple having an oil tank built thereinto and having jaws swingably mounted to the oil tank and connected to a support member by means of links with hydraulically actuated cylinders connected between the oil tank and the support and a pump and motor supported on the oil tank for supplying oil under pressure to the cylinders.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grapple which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient in operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a grapple according to the invention; and I FIG. 2 is a view of the hydraulic circuit for operating the grapple.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, the grapple is shown at 10 having jaws 27 which are four in number in the example shown and which are swingably supported to an oil tank 13 by means of pins 28. The pins 28 extend through cars 29 which are integrally attached to the oil tank through openings in the ends of the jaws 27 which are remote from points 30.

The oil tank 13 has a flat top with frame which supports the motor 11 and pump 12. The cylinders 14 are attached at their lower ends to the top of the oil tank. The cylinders have pistons therein with piston rods which are connected at their upper ends to the upper support 25. The spaced links 26 are each made of two parts which are arranged parallel to each other and attached to each other by means of truss members 31. The upper ends of the links 26 are pivotally connected to the upper support by means of pins 32 which pass through the ears 33 and through the spacers 34 which are located between the upper ends of the links.

The hydraulic circuit is made up of the two pistons supported in the cylinders 14. The cylinders are double acting and their lower ends are connected as shown in FIG. 2 to the four-way valve 35. The four-way valve 35 may be pushed to one position by an electrically actuated solenoid 16 which will direct hydraulic fluid from the tank 13 through a filter 23 and into the pump 12. The pump 12 will direct the fluid to the check valve 18 to the space in the cylinders 14- above the hydraulic pistons, causing the jaws 27 to close. The cylinders will remain in the position they are in when the valve is moved to the neutral position.

When the solenoid 15 is actuated, the flow of oil from the valve 35 will be reversed and it will cause the pistons to be extended in the cylinders. The pressure relief control 17 with a gauge is provided to regulate the maximum pressure of the system. A solenoid valve 24 is provided in parallel with the pressure relief control to add greater flexibility of the control and to relieve the pump 12 from working under full pressure in the neutral position as shown.

A suitable orifice 19 and check valve 20 are provided in the circuit so that the jaws will open slower but close faster. The check valve will stop the oil from passing from the space above the cylinders but the oil can still flow through the orifice 19 so that the cylinders will open slower. This feature is well known in other hydraulic circuits.

The jaws are opened and closed by cylinders 14. Fluid is supplied for opening and closing by valve 35.

A regenerative circuit made up of the valve 35 which removes oil from above the piston and replaces below it in cylinders 14 would normally open the grab too fast. Therefore, fiow control 19 is provided which reduces the rate of flow of fluid to the bottom parts of the cylinders 14. Thus, the grab will open in less time than its closing time, yet not as fast as it would but for flow control 19.

A suitable accumulator 21 is provided and a vent 22 for the oil tank. The upper support 25 has a suspension eye 36 thereon which may be attached to a suitable hoist line on a crane or the like.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that when oil is driven in one direction to the space below the pistons in the cylinders by the pump 12, the pistons will be extended and the bucket will be opened. When oil is driven into the space above the pistons, they will retract and the jaws will close.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A grapple comprising an oil tank,

spaced jaws swingably attcahed to said oil tank and having a point spaced from said oil tank,

an upper support,

spaced links having an upper and a lower end,

the upper end of each said spaced link being swingably connected to said upper support,

the lower end of each said spaced link being swingably attached to a said spaced jaw between said oil tank and said point,

spaced hydraulic cylinders,

each said hydraulic cylinder being attached to said oil tank,

a piston in each said hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod attached thereto,

each said piston rod being attached to said upper support,

a pump supported on said oil tank between said links and said upper support,

motor means connected to said pump,

and hydraulic pipe means connecting said pump to said oil tank and to said hydraulic cylinders. 2. The grapple recited in claim 1 wherein valve means is provided in said hydraulic pipe means, said valve means comprises a reversing valve having a neutral position,

means to move actuating means on said reversing valve to a first position to move said pistons in a first direction to open said jaws,

and means to move actuating means on said reversing valve to a second position to close said jaws.

3. The grapple recited in claim 1 wherein means is attached to said support for attaching a hoist and two said link members are attached to each side of line thereto. said rectangular support at spaced positions thereon.

4. The grapple recited in claim 1 wherein The p e recited in claim} 1 wherein four said jaws are provided, at least two said aws are provided,

id v il k h fo r sides, 5 said oil tank has sides to accommodate said jaws,

one end of each jaw is swingably connected to a said of each sa1( 1 Jaw 15 swmgably connected to a side f Said oil tank said side of said 011 tank,

Said upper Support is rectangular sa1d upper support is 1n the shape of -a regular polygon,

one end of each said link is connected to a side of said upper support, and another end of each said link is connected to an one end of each said link is connected to a side of said upper support,

and another end of each said link is connected to an i di pal-t f a id j intermediate part of said jaw.

5. The grapple recited in claim 4 wherein References Cited y the Examine! a each said link is made of two spaced link members, 15 UNITED STATES PATENTS truss means connecting said link members, 2,501,594 1 5 Billings 7 1 7 each said link being connected to a'said jaw and to said 2,877,575 3/1959 St dt 294, 88 X upper support at a position spaced from the other.

6. The grapple recited in claim 5 wherein GERALD FORLENZA: Pfimmy Examine"- said upper support is rectangular, G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A GRAPPLE COMPRISING AN OIL TANK, SPACED JAWS SWINGABLY ATTACHED TO SAID OIL TANK AND HAVING A POINT SPACED FROM SAID OL TANK, AN UPPER SUPPORT, SPACED LINKS HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER END, THE UPPER END OF EACH OF SAID SPACED LINK BEING SWINGABLY CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER SUPPORT, THE LOWER END OF EACH SAID SPACED LINK BEING SWINGABLY ATTACHED TO A SAID SPACED JAW BETWEEN SAID OIL TANK AND SAID POINT, SPACED HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS, EACH SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER BEING ATTACHED TO SAID OIL TANK, A PISTON IN EACH SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER HAVING A PISTON ROD ATTACHED THERETO, EACH SAID PISTON ROD BEING ATTACHED TO SAID UPPER SUPPORT, A PUMP SUPPORTED ON SAID OIL TANK BETWEEN SAID LINKS AND SAID UPPER SUPPORT, MOTOR MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PUMP, AND HYDRAULIC PIPE MEANS CONNECTING SAID PUMP TO SAID OIL TANK AND TO SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS.