US883115A - Loading apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

Y PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908..` T. S. MILLER 6r, J. H. DICKINSON,

LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 2a. 190e.

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No. 883,115.- PATBNTED MALLA, 190s. 'l

T. s. MILLER & J. H. DILKINSON.

LOADING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1906.

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LOADING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED Imm 2s. 1906.

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` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, AND JOSEPH H. DIGKINSON, OF MONTCLAIR. NEW JERSEY.

' LOADING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, THoMAs SPENCER MILLER and JOSEPH H. DICKINsoN, citizensv of the United States, and residents of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, and Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, respectively, have invented certain novel and useful Improvements in Loading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention pertains to loading apparatus and has particular application to certain novel and useful improvements in the class of apparatus referred to, adapted particularly to logging, although it is to be understood that it may be used for any purposes where it may be found convenient.

In carrying out our invention it is our intention to provide a loading apparatus adapted particularly for loading logs onto cars.

To the accomplishment of this and other ends of a similar nature our invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein by way of illustration we have delineated one embodiment of our invention, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an apparatus embracing our im rovements and showing the manner of emp oying the same in lifting logs; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of such apparatus. Fig. 3 is a view of the modified form of apparatus.

In logging operations it is usually the custom to convey logs from a distant point to a lace adjacent to a railroad and then such ogs are loaded upon cars. One means of loading the logs upon the cars is to secure a cable to a tree, commonly known as a head tree, located at the side of the track, pass said cable diagonally across the track and secure the opposite end to a suitable support. On this cable a supporting block is suspended and there is employed in connection with the a paratus suitable gripping mechanism for tige logs. The hoisting rope to which the tongs or gripping mechanism is secured is operated and the logs elevated thereby to a point over the cars and also onto the latter.

It is our purpose to provide a movable platform designed to travel along the track and to be established in a stationary position straddling the track whereby the logging or flat cars may pass therebeneath, and we provide such platform with a suitable support such as a tower, s ar or the like, designed to takethe place of t e ordinary head spar which, as has been heretofore stated, is located to one side of the track. To this supporting tower or spar, if desired, we may secure the main skidding cable, and provide bearings for the guy ropes of the same. Furthermore, this supporting spar upon the platform will, it will be noted, be located directly over the trackI and not to one side, as has been the custom. And this spar carries the su porting cable for the loading apparatus. It 1s desired that the loading block carried by the supporting cable be sustained in a position directly above and approximately in line over the center of the track and it is our further intention to provide means for attaining this end.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates a frame which is preferably designed to be moved along the track from place to place by being carried upon the cars, or upon other traction means, and through the means of jacks or legs a is jacked above the track, such legs resting upon the ends of the ties so that the cars may pass beneath,v Carried by this frame A is a tower or support B, in the present instance shown as pivoted at its base portion, as at 5, but, if desired, the tower may be permanently mounted upon the support;

that is to say, maintained at all times in its elevated position. When pivoted, however, such tower may be lowered or swung from an approximately vertical position to a position horizontal of the track and carried' by the cars from one place to another. Upon the frame A is also mounted an engine designated as an entirety by the letter O, said engine being of any well known type, such as the Lidgerwood engine, and embraces in its construction a plurality of drums for operating various ropes of the skidder. As this engine is a well known construction it need not be described here in detail but the engine is simply illustrated conventionally. A second engine O also of any suitable construction, is mounted upon the frame, preferably adjacent to the tower and is intended to operate the loading device.

D is the main skidding cable which extends from the tower to a suitable tail tree at a distant point and it is along this cable that the logs are brought to a position adjacent to the track.

l d, d designate suitable guys or heel block extensions or main cable extensions for holding the main cable. is a heel block rope employed in the operation of raising and lowering the main cable.

The supporting cable of the loading device, which is indicated at 6, is secured, as at 7, to the tower or spar and is connected at its opposite end 8 with a suitable coupling plate 9, such plate forming practically a link between the cable and the diverging guy ropes 10 and 11, which ropes extend to opposite sides of the track and are looped or otherwise secured to stumps or other anchoring devices 12, 12, the arrangement being such that a car or cars may pass easily between the guy ropes and beneath the block. Suspended in the present instance from the plate 9 is a pulley block or pilot sheave 13 designed to receive the loading rope 14 which carries at its free end the gripping tongs 15 and also passes over a suitable sheave 16 preferably carried by the tower, such loading rope then extending down through the tower 'to the drum 17 of the enine C. g By the construction just mentioned it will be seen that the loading block 13 is maintained in its desired position above the track and preferably approximately over the center of the track.

1f desired, we may make use of the construction shown in Fig. 3. In such iigure the load-supporting cable 6a extends from the head tower to a stump at one side of the track and a deflecting stay rope 10EL is connected to the cable and tends to maintain the loading block in proper position approximately above the center of the track. An additional stay rope 112L may also be used in connection with this construction to hold the -loading block or carriage against movement.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of our improvement will be readily apparent. The logs are carried from the woods by the cableway skidder, or other suitable means, to a point adjacent to the track and the hoisting rope 14 carrying the tongs 15 is fastened to the log in the manner shown in Fig. 1. rlhe engine is then started and the log is lifted or elevated to a position above the cars and then lowered thereon. By this simple arrangement of a portable head spar supporting a cable extending approximately parallel with the track, guys coupled to said cable and straddling the track, and a sheave or pulley block suspended at a point approximately above the center of the track, and the hoisting rope and tongs operated from the platform or frame, the logs may be quickly and readily loaded upon the cars. In addition,

an apparatus may be moved from place to i place much more readily and in better position than it has heretofore been possible to do with the methods employed.

In the drawings, the track is indicated by E and the tower is shown in its elevated or operative position with the frame straddling t e track.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. The combination with a support erected above the track, of a cable connected to said support and extending parallel with and above the track, a sheave suspended from said cable and a hoisting ropepassing over said sheave.

2. The combination, with a support erected above the track, of a cable connected to said support, guy ropes coupled to said cable and extending to opposite sides of said track, a sheave suspended above the track, a hoisting rope passing over said sheave and an engine for operating said rope.

3. The combination with a frame, a support erected thereon, a cable connected to said support, guy ropes coupled to said cable, a sheave suspended at the point of coupling of the cable and guy ropes, a hoisting rope passing over said sheave, log gripping means connected to said hoisting rope and means for `operating, the hoisting rope.

4. The combination, with a frame, of a support erected thereon, a cable connected to said support, diverging guys coupled to said cable, a hoisting rope, an engine for operating said rope and means for suspending said rope adjacent to the point of coupling of the cable and the guy ropes.

5. The combination of a frame adapted to straddle a railway track and to permit the passage of cars therebeneath upon the track, a pivoted support carried by the frame, a cable connected to said support and extendinlgl above the track, rope suspending means, a oisting rope, and an engine for actuating said hoisting rope.

6. The combination of a frame adapted to straddle a track, a cable extending in line with and above said track at a point between the rails thereof, means for holding said cable in such position, a hoisting rope and an engine for operating said rope.

7. The combination of a portable frame, a pivoted tower or spar carried thereby, a loadsupporting cable connected to the tower, means for staying the cable at the opposite end, a hoisting rope in suspended engagement with the cable, and an engine for operating said hoisting rope.

8. The combination of a portable frame adapted to permit the passage of cars upon a track therebeneath, a spar or tower mounted upon said frame and adapted to swing from an approximately vertical to an approximately horizontal position, a main cable supported by the tower, and 'a load-supporting l approximately parallel with and above the cable also supported by the tower. Center of the track.

9. The combination with a ortable frame In testimony whereof we have signed our or platform adapted to stradfile a track in a names in the presence of two subscribing 15 5 manner to permit the passage of oars beneath witnesses.

the latiorm, of a vertical` swinging tower A carried by the platform and a cable way in supported engagement with said tower.

10. In a loading apparatus the oombina- Witnesses: 10 tion of a load-supporting cable7 and means R. B. CAVANAGH,

Jfor maintaining said oable in a line extending Jos. J. PIERANDO.

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