US3592503A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action
Assignee: US TRUCK CRANES Inc A PA CORP
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Filing: 1969-04-09
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Granted: 1971-07-13
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Expires: 1989-04-09
Abstract
Abstract A grapple mechanism is suspended in a pendulous manner from the free end of a boom. To prevent free swinging, one vane member is associated with the grapple mechanism so as to move therewith. This vane, together with a stationary vane, project into a chamber or compartment containing a liquid having a desired viscosity to provide resistance to the movement of the vane associated with the grapple mechanism and thereby provide the damping action.
Inventors
- 👤 John P Lundberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:56
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66C; B66C3/00; B66C3/14; B66C3/16; B66C3/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
280 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action for minimizing the delay time between the dropping or unloading of one elongated load and the picking up or loading of the next load comprising a grapple mechanism including a head, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted at their upper ends to said head and ram means connected between said head and jaws for actuating said jaws into open and closed positions, lower and upper yoke members, means connecting said yoke members together for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, means forming a chamber between portions of said yoke members for containing liquid having a desired viscosity, a pair of vanes projecting into said chamber, one vane being fixedly connected to said lower yoke member and the other vane fixedly connected to said upper yoke member, means attaching said grapple mechanism to said lower yoke member, and means for connecting said upper yoke member to a boom element for pivotal movement about a second generally horizontal axis above said first generally horizontal axis, said second axis being transverse to said boom element so that said grapple mechanism is free to pivot in the same vertical plane containing said boom element and said first axis extending generally at right angles to said second axis at an elevation therebelow so that said lower yoke member and said grapple mechanism gravitationally depend therefrom, whereby swinging movement of said grapple mechanism about said first axis to either side of the verTical plane containing said boom element is resisted by the resistance provided by said liquid to produce the damping action and thereby reduce as a result of said damping action the delay time between unloading and loading.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
280 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action for minimizing the delay time between the dropping or unloading of one elongated load and the picking up or loading of the next load comprising a grapple mechanism including a head, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted at their upper ends to said head and ram means connected between said head and jaws for actuating said jaws into open and closed positions, lower and upper yoke members, means connecting said yoke members together for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, means forming a chamber between portions of said yoke members for containing liquid having a desired viscosity, a pair of vanes projecting into said chamber, one vane being fixedly connected to said lower yoke member and the other vane fixedly connected to said upper yoke member, means attaching said grapple mechanism to said lower yoke member, and means for connecting said upper yoke member to a boom element for pivotal movement about a second generally horizontal axis above said first generally horizontal axis, said second axis being transverse to said boom element so that said grapple mechanism is free to pivot in the same vertical plane containing said boom element and said first axis extending generally at right angles to said second axis at an elevation therebelow so that said lower yoke member and said grapple mechanism gravitationally depend therefrom, whereby swinging movement of said grapple mechanism about said first axis to either side of the verTical plane containing said boom element is resisted by the resistance provided by said liquid to produce the damping action and thereby reduce as a result of said damping action the delay time between unloading and loading.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which one of said vanes has at least one orifice formed therein through which liquid can pass during relative movement of said vanes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said means pivotally connecting said yoke members together includes a shaft extending through both yoke members, said shaft having a head thereon provided with a flat surface, said upper yoke member having a lug projecting therefrom and overlying said flat surface to prevent said shaft from rotating, one of said vanes being fixedly disposed with respect to said shaft, and said lower yoke member having at its upper end a cylindrical casing fixedly attached thereto, said cylindrical casing having the other of said vanes fixedly disposed thereon, and said chamber being angularly situated between said sleeve and said cylindrical casing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
147 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action comprising a grapple mechanism, a first yoke member extending upwardly from said grapple mechanism and having a cylindrical upper end, a second yoke member attachable to one end of a boom and having a pair of parallel legs laterally spaced for the accommodation therebetween of said cylindrical casing, said legs having aligned apertures therein, a shaft received in said aligned apertures and extending through said cylindrical casing, bearing means interposed between said shaft and said cylindrical casing, means forming a chamber for containing a liquid having a desired viscosity, a first vane fixedly located with respect to said shaft and a second vane fixedly located with respect to said cylindrical casing, said vanes projecting into said chamber, whereby relative movement of said vanes produces said damping action by means of the resistance to movement by the liquid contained in said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
147 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action comprising a grapple mechanism, a first yoke member extending upwardly from said grapple mechanism and having a cylindrical upper end, a second yoke member attachable to one end of a boom and having a pair of parallel legs laterally spaced for the accommodation therebetween of said cylindrical casing, said legs having aligned apertures therein, a shaft received in said aligned apertures and extending through said cylindrical casing, bearing means interposed between said shaft and said cylindrical casing, means forming a chamber for containing a liquid having a desired viscosity, a first vane fixedly located with respect to said shaft and a second vane fixedly located with respect to said cylindrical casing, said vanes projecting into said chamber, whereby relative movement of said vanes produces said damping action by means of the resistance to movement by the liquid contained in said chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which said shaft is formed with a head having at least one flat thereon, and said second yoke member has a lug thereon engageable with said flat so as to prevent rotation of said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which said bearing means includes a sleeve member having a first portion of one diameter and a second portion of a larger diameter, said portion of larger diameter forming one wall of said chamber and said chamber residing angularly between said one diameter portion and the bore of said cylindrical casing, and cap means providing an opposite wall for said chamber, said cap means fitting between said one diameter portion of said sleeve member and the bore of said cylindrical casing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
267 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action comprising a grapple mechanism, lower and upper yoke members, means including a shaft extending through both of said yoke members for connecting said yoke members together for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, said shaft having a head thereon provided with a flat surface, said upper yoke member having a lug projecting therefrom and overlying said flat surface to prevent said shaft from rotating, means forming a chamber between portions of said yoke members for containing liquid having a desired viscosity, a pair of vanes projecting into said chamber, one of said vanes being fixedly disposed with respect to said shaft, and said lower yoke member having at its upper end a cylindrical casing fixedly attached thereto, said cylindrical casing having the other of said vanes fixedly disposed thereon, said chamber being annularly situated between said sleeve and said cylindrical casing, shoulder means at one end of said cylindrical casing, complemental flange means at one end of said sleeve member engaging said shoulder means, Shoulder means at the other end of said cylindrical casing, a cap member received in the shoulder means at said other end for closing said other end of said cylindrical casing, said cap member forming one side of said chamber, means attaching said grapple mechanism to said lower yoke member, and means for connecting said upper yoke member to the boom element so that said lower yoke member and said grapple mechanism gravitationally depend therefrom, whereby swinging movement of said grapple mechanism is resisted by the resistance provided by said liquid to produce the damping action.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
267 words
Swivel-mounted grapple apparatus with damping action comprising a grapple mechanism, lower and upper yoke members, means including a shaft extending through both of said yoke members for connecting said yoke members together for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, said shaft having a head thereon provided with a flat surface, said upper yoke member having a lug projecting therefrom and overlying said flat surface to prevent said shaft from rotating, means forming a chamber between portions of said yoke members for containing liquid having a desired viscosity, a pair of vanes projecting into said chamber, one of said vanes being fixedly disposed with respect to said shaft, and said lower yoke member having at its upper end a cylindrical casing fixedly attached thereto, said cylindrical casing having the other of said vanes fixedly disposed thereon, said chamber being annularly situated between said sleeve and said cylindrical casing, shoulder means at one end of said cylindrical casing, complemental flange means at one end of said sleeve member engaging said shoulder means, Shoulder means at the other end of said cylindrical casing, a cap member received in the shoulder means at said other end for closing said other end of said cylindrical casing, said cap member forming one side of said chamber, means attaching said grapple mechanism to said lower yoke member, and means for connecting said upper yoke member to the boom element so that said lower yoke member and said grapple mechanism gravitationally depend therefrom, whereby swinging movement of said grapple mechanism is resisted by the resistance provided by said liquid to produce the damping action.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3363929A
Cited
US3420548A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |