Patent US3706385A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3706385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Aerial logging system
Assignee: Bohemia Lumber Co Inc
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Filing: 1970-11-25
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Granted: 1972-12-19
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Expires: 1990-11-25
Abstract
Abstract An aerial logging system for logging inclined terrain wherein a static lift balloon is anchored to a carriage engaged on a skyline which may be extended from an uphill point to a yarder drum at the landing. The skyline thus becomes inverted, having an apex at the point where the lift of the balloon is applied. A main line is used to haul the carriage downhill and the lifting force of the balloon moves the carriage uphill as the carriage seeks a natural apex along the skyline, a braking force being applied to the main line to control the speed of the carriage as it returns uphill. The lifting line and chokers are depended from the carriage.
Inventors
- 👤 Fay H Stewart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:24
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66C; B66C21/00; B66C2700/00; B66C2700/01; B66C2700/011
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
249 words
A logging system for logging on inclined terrain which is adapted to lift a load bearing carriage means and propel said carriage means solely by means of a lighter-than-air vehicle in the upwardly inclined direction along a guiding skyline extending over said terrain in the general direction of incline, comprising in combination, lighter-than-air vehicle means for providing a vertical lifting force, a skyline extending over said terrain in the general direction of incline and having the ends thereof at spaced, fixed locations, means connected to one of the ends of the skyline for selectively controlling the slack in said skyline, carriage means engaging said skyline and adapted for free movement therealong, tethering cable means connected between said vehicle means and said carriage means, the vertical lifting force of the vehicle means applied to the carriage means and the skyline by said tethering cable means forming an apex in the skyline at the position of the carriage means, load line means depending from said carriage means adapted for connecting a load to the carriage means, means for moving said carriage means along the skyline in a downhill direction in opposition to the lifting force of the vehicle means, and braking control means acting in opposition to the lifting force of the vehicle means for controlling the speed of tHe carriage means in an uphill direction, whereby the elevation of the carriage means and its position along said skyline may be selectively controlled for picking up and landing loads connected thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
249 words
A logging system for logging on inclined terrain which is adapted to lift a load bearing carriage means and propel said carriage means solely by means of a lighter-than-air vehicle in the upwardly inclined direction along a guiding skyline extending over said terrain in the general direction of incline, comprising in combination, lighter-than-air vehicle means for providing a vertical lifting force, a skyline extending over said terrain in the general direction of incline and having the ends thereof at spaced, fixed locations, means connected to one of the ends of the skyline for selectively controlling the slack in said skyline, carriage means engaging said skyline and adapted for free movement therealong, tethering cable means connected between said vehicle means and said carriage means, the vertical lifting force of the vehicle means applied to the carriage means and the skyline by said tethering cable means forming an apex in the skyline at the position of the carriage means, load line means depending from said carriage means adapted for connecting a load to the carriage means, means for moving said carriage means along the skyline in a downhill direction in opposition to the lifting force of the vehicle means, and braking control means acting in opposition to the lifting force of the vehicle means for controlling the speed of tHe carriage means in an uphill direction, whereby the elevation of the carriage means and its position along said skyline may be selectively controlled for picking up and landing loads connected thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said skyline is anchored at one end and including; yarder drum means connected to the other end of said skyline, said means for controlling slack in the skyline comprising means for selectively controlling the rotation of said yarder drum to either haul in or pay out said skyline.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
The logging system according to claim 1 wherein said means for moving the carriage in a downhill direction comprises; cable means connected at one end to the downhill side of said carriage, yarder drum means connected to the other end of said cable means for selectively hauling in on said cable means, and means for guiding said cable to apply a pulling force on the carriage in the downhill direction when said cable means in hauled in.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The logging system according to claim 3 wherein said braking control means is applied to said yarder drum to control the speed at which the cable means is paid out.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
82 words
The logging system according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving the carriage in a downhill direction comprises; cable means connected at one end to the said carriage for exerting a downhill pull thereon, second yarder drum means connected to the other end of said cable means for selectively hauling in on said cable means, and means for guiding said cable means to apply a pulling force on the carriage in the downhill direction when said cable means is hauled in.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The logging system according to claim 5 wherein said braking control means is applied to said second yarder drum to control the speed at which the cable means is paid out.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
The logging system according to claim 1 adapted for downhill logging wherein; said means for moving the carriage in a downhill direction comprises a main line connected to said carriage and yarder drum means for selectively hauling in and paying out the main line, said braking control means being applied to control the paying out of the main line, said yarder drum means being located on the downhill end of the skyline, whereby logs may be picked up at an uphill location and transported downhill by hauling in on the main line and landed in an area adjacent said yarder drum means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The logging system according to claim 6 adapted for downhill logging wherein; said first and second yarder drum means are located on the downhill end of the skyline, whereby logs may be picked up at an uphill location and transported downhill by hauling in on the main line and landed in an area adjacent said yarder drum means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of logging inclined terrain comprising the steps of: applying the vertical lift of a lighter-than-air vehicle to a freely movable carriage mounted on a normally slack skyline to provide the sole means for propelling the carriage in the uphill direction, selectively applying a pulling force to the carriage to move it along the skyline in the downhill direction and a braking force to control the speed of the carriage in the uphill direction against the lifting force of the vehicle, and simultaneously controlling the slack in the skyline to control the elevation of the carriage, whereby a load may be connected to the carriage at one point along the skyline, lifted, transported and landed at a second point.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of logging inclined terrain comprising the steps of: applying the vertical lift of a lighter-than-air vehicle to a freely movable carriage mounted on a normally slack skyline to provide the sole means for propelling the carriage in the uphill direction, selectively applying a pulling force to the carriage to move it along the skyline in the downhill direction and a braking force to control the speed of the carriage in the uphill direction against the lifting force of the vehicle, and simultaneously controlling the slack in the skyline to control the elevation of the carriage, whereby a load may be connected to the carriage at one point along the skyline, lifted, transported and landed at a second point.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 9 including the step of initially anchoring said skyline at an uphill location and utilizing the movement of the carriage in the downhill direction to transport logs from an uphill point to a landing area at a lower elevation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method according to claim 10 including the step of passing said skyline through a plurality of releaseable corner blocks in an arc on the terrain above the landing area, whereby said corner blocks may be successively released to permit succEssive areas to be logged in an arc across the terrain above the landing point.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-19 | 1976-06-19 | 1976-12-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-19 | 1980-06-19 | 1980-12-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-19 | 1984-06-19 | 1984-12-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |