US4606694A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Load skidding vehicle
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
•
Filing: 1983-01-05
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Granted: 1986-08-19
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Expires: 2003-01-05
Abstract
Abstract Load skidding vehicles commonly include a grapple assembly (42) which under load conditions can pivot rearwardly about its support point (52) resulting in disproportionate loading of the rear wheels and consequently instability of the vehicle. A connecting member (62) is pivotally attached between the grapple (42) and a hydraulic cylinder (74) which is attached to the skidder (2). Operation of the hydraulic cylinder (74) causes the grapple (42) to rotate about its support pivot (52). The hydraulic cylinder (74) may be locked causing the grapple (42) to be locked in relation to the boom assembly (26). During load hauling operations this mechanism is used to lock the load in a position near the vehicle resulting in increased stability. The mechanism is also of use in positioning the grapple assembly (42) with respect to the load prior to grasping it.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas C. Meisel, Jr.
- 👤 Lyle E. York
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:51
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66C; B66C23/00; B66C23/54; B66C1/00; B66C1/10; B66C1/42; B66C1/58; B66C1/585; E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/28; E02F3/30; E02F3/32; E02F3/36; E02F3/40; E02F3/413; E02F3/4135; E02F3/42; E02F3/425; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A log skidding vehicle (2), comprising: a chassis (16) having a forward and a rearward end; a support assembly (29) mounted on and extending rearwardly from said chassis (16); log engaging means (42) for holding one portion of a log above the ground with another portion of the log remaining in contact with the ground during forward movement of said chassis (16), said log engaging means (42) being pivotally connected to said support assembly (29) about a substantially horizontal axis and being freely laterally pivotable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chassis (16); and means (62,70,74,86) for controllably pivoting said log engaging means (42) about said substantially horizontal axis both toward and away from said chassis (16).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
A log skidding vehicle (2), comprising: a chassis (16) having a forward and a rearward end; a support assembly (29) mounted on and extending rearwardly from said chassis (16); log engaging means (42) for holding one portion of a log above the ground with another portion of the log remaining in contact with the ground during forward movement of said chassis (16), said log engaging means (42) being pivotally connected to said support assembly (29) about a substantially horizontal axis and being freely laterally pivotable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chassis (16); and means (62,70,74,86) for controllably pivoting said log engaging means (42) about said substantially horizontal axis both toward and away from said chassis (16).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
153 words
A skidder vehicle (2) for lifting one portion of a log and dragging another portion of the log, said skidder vehicle (20) comprising: a chassis (16); a support assembly (29) mounted on and extending from said chassis (16); log engaging means (42) for grasping said one log portion, said log engaging means (42) being pivotably attached to said support assembly (29) about a pivot axis (52) and being freely laterally pivotable about a swivel axis parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis; at least one hydraulic manipulating cylinder (30,46) for selectively positioning said support assembly (29) relative to said chassis (16), said one manipulating cylinder (30,46) being directly connected at one end (36,50) to said chassis (16) and at the other end (32,48) to said support assembly (29); and means (62,70,74,86) for pivotally positioning said log engaging means (42) to any pivotal location about said pivot axis (52) relative to said support assembly (29).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
153 words
A skidder vehicle (2) for lifting one portion of a log and dragging another portion of the log, said skidder vehicle (20) comprising: a chassis (16); a support assembly (29) mounted on and extending from said chassis (16); log engaging means (42) for grasping said one log portion, said log engaging means (42) being pivotably attached to said support assembly (29) about a pivot axis (52) and being freely laterally pivotable about a swivel axis parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis; at least one hydraulic manipulating cylinder (30,46) for selectively positioning said support assembly (29) relative to said chassis (16), said one manipulating cylinder (30,46) being directly connected at one end (36,50) to said chassis (16) and at the other end (32,48) to said support assembly (29); and means (62,70,74,86) for pivotally positioning said log engaging means (42) to any pivotal location about said pivot axis (52) relative to said support assembly (29).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 2 having a front end (4) and a rear end (6) wherein said support assembly (29) is connected to and projects rearwardly from said rear end (6).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 2 wherein said pivot axis (52) is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (2).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 2 wherein said log engaging means (42) includes a grapple (42).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 2 wherein said pivotal positioning means (62,70,74,86) further includes a connecting member (62) having opposite ends (64,66) pivotally attached at a first end (64) to said log engaging means (42), and means (70,74) for displacing a second end (66) of said connecting member (62) with respect to said chassis (16).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 5 wherein said displacing means (70,74) includes a fluid motor (74) having a first end (76) and a second end (78) pivotally attached to said chassis (16).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 7 wherein said displacing means (70,74) includes an equalizing link (70) pivotally attached to said connecting member (62) and separately pivotally attached both to said first end (76) of said fluid motor (74) and to said support assembly (29).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 6 including a vertical extender (58) for pivotally connecting said connecting member (62) to said log engaging means (42) at a pivot point (60), said extender (58) being laterally pivotably attached to said log engaging means (42) such that said pivot point (60) is spaced a vertical distance above said pivot axis (52).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 2 wherein said pivotal positioning means (62,70,74,86) includes a controllable fluid cylinder (86) having a first end (90) and a second end (88), said first end (90) being connected to said log engaging means (42) and said second end (88) being connected to said support assembly (29).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 2 wherein all of said manipulating cylinders (30,46) are connected at one end (36,50) to said chassis (16) and at the other end (32,48) to said support assembly (29).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
119 words
A skidder vehicle (2), comprising: a chassis (16); an arch (24) pivotally connected to said chassis (16); at least one arch manipulating cylinder (30) pivotally mounted at a first end (32) to said arch (24) and at a second end (36) to said chassis (16); a grapple assembly (42) pivotally connected to said arch (24) about a pivot axis (52) perpendicular to the chassis' longitudinal axis and being freely laterally pivotable about an axis parallel to the chassis' longitudinal axis; and means (86) connected at one end (88) to said grapple assembly (42) and connected at a second end (90) to said arch (24) for pivotally positioning said grapple assembly (42) at any location about said pivot axis (52).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
119 words
A skidder vehicle (2), comprising: a chassis (16); an arch (24) pivotally connected to said chassis (16); at least one arch manipulating cylinder (30) pivotally mounted at a first end (32) to said arch (24) and at a second end (36) to said chassis (16); a grapple assembly (42) pivotally connected to said arch (24) about a pivot axis (52) perpendicular to the chassis' longitudinal axis and being freely laterally pivotable about an axis parallel to the chassis' longitudinal axis; and means (86) connected at one end (88) to said grapple assembly (42) and connected at a second end (90) to said arch (24) for pivotally positioning said grapple assembly (42) at any location about said pivot axis (52).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The skidder vehicle (2) of claim 12 wherein said pivotal positioning means (86) is directly connected to said grapple assembly (42).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
In a skidding vehicle (2) having a chassis (16), a support assembly (29) mounted on and extending from said chassis (16), and log engaging means (42) for grasping a log being pivotally connected to said support assembly (29) about a pivot axis (52) perpendicular to the chassis' longitudinal axis and being freely laterally pivotable about an axis parallel to the chassis' longitudinal axis, the improvement comprising: means (74,86) for pivoting said log engaging means (42) to any desired pivotal position about said pivot axis (52).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
In a skidding vehicle (2) having a chassis (16), a support assembly (29) mounted on and extending from said chassis (16), and log engaging means (42) for grasping a log being pivotally connected to said support assembly (29) about a pivot axis (52) perpendicular to the chassis' longitudinal axis and being freely laterally pivotable about an axis parallel to the chassis' longitudinal axis, the improvement comprising: means (74,86) for pivoting said log engaging means (42) to any desired pivotal position about said pivot axis (52).
Claim 19
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for transporting a log with log engaging means (42) which is pivotally connected about a pivot axis (52) to a support assembly (29) extending rearwardly from and being pivotally mounted to a vehicle chassis (16) which constitutes a portion of a vehicle (2), said method comprising: pivoting the log engaging means (42) about the pivot axis (52) to any desired position to facilitate alignment thereof with the log; grasping the log with said log engaging means (42); actuating at least one hydraulic manipulating cylinder (30,46) to elevate one end of the log above the ground with said log engaging means (42) while permitting the other end of the log to rest on the ground; pivoting the log engaging means (42) and the grasped log in either direction toward or away from the chassis (16) about the pivot axis (52) to a desired arcuate position; permitting free lateral pivoting of the log engaging means (42) about an axis parallel to the chassis' longitudinal axis; and moving said vehicle chassis (16) in a forwardly direction.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for transporting a log with log engaging means (42) which is pivotally connected about a pivot axis (52) to a support assembly (29) extending rearwardly from and being pivotally mounted to a vehicle chassis (16) which constitutes a portion of a vehicle (2), said method comprising: pivoting the log engaging means (42) about the pivot axis (52) to any desired position to facilitate alignment thereof with the log; grasping the log with said log engaging means (42); actuating at least one hydraulic manipulating cylinder (30,46) to elevate one end of the log above the ground with said log engaging means (42) while permitting the other end of the log to rest on the ground; pivoting the log engaging means (42) and the grasped log in either direction toward or away from the chassis (16) about the pivot axis (52) to a desired arcuate position; permitting free lateral pivoting of the log engaging means (42) about an axis parallel to the chassis' longitudinal axis; and moving said vehicle chassis (16) in a forwardly direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 15, said pivoting comprising: supplying pressurized fluid to a fluid jack (74,86) one end (76,88) of which is connected to the log engaging means (42) to pivot the log engaging means (42) in the desired direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said vehicle (2) has a rear (18) and a front (12) ground engaging portion respectively disposed adjacent and remote from said log engaging means (42), said log engaging means (42) being pivoted in the direction which maintains engagement between the ground and all the ground engaging portions (12,18) during movement of the vehicle chassis (16).
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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) | 1989-08-18 | 1990-02-17 | 1990-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-18 | 1994-02-17 | 1994-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-18 | 1998-02-17 | 1998-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |