Pipe positioner boom and head assembly for pipe laying frame

Claim 1

A grapple crane including a mount, an elongated boom including an elongated base section and at least one elongated extension section telescopingly supported from said base section for shifting between extended and retracted positions relative to one end of said base section and defining a free end section of said boom, first motor means operatively connected between said base and said extension section for controllably shifting said extension section relative to said base section, means pivotally supporting the other end of said base section from said mount for oscillation relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said base section, second motor means operatively connected between said base section and said mount for adjustably angularly positioning said base section relative to said mount, a generally horizontal elongated support arm having one end pivotally supported from the free end of said extension section for oscillation relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said arm and extension section, third motor means operatively connected between said extension section and said support arm for limited adjustable angular displacement of said support arm relative to said extension section, an elongated follower guidingly mounted on said support arm for adjustable shifting therealong, fourth motor means operatively connected between said arm and said follower for adjustably shifting the follower along said arm, one end portion of said follower including a first elongated depending jaw supported therefrom facing toward the other end portion of said follower, a second elongated laterally depending jaw pivotally supported at its upper end portion from the other follower end portion for oscillation about an axis extending transversely of said follower and second jaw, and fifth motor means operatively connected between said follower and second jaw operative to adjustably angularly displace said second jaw relative to said follower, the lower end portions of said jaws including article engaging surfaces each facing toward the other jaw, said follower including a pair of opposite side plates between which said support arm is received, upper and lower pairs of longitudinally spaced rollers journaled between said plates and rollingly engaged with the upper and lower surfaces of said support arm, one of said plates including an elongated longitudinally extending slot, said support arm including a laterally outwardly projecting lug slidingly received in said slot, said fourth motor means being operatively connected between the outer end portion of said lug and said follower.