Transport carriage

Claim 1

A skyline logging system including a ground anchor, a crane having a vertically extending boom, a high line connected in tension to the anchor and the upper end of the boom, a carriage mounted to move along said high line, a plurality of identical load blocks pivotally mounted on said carriage below said high line and a separate load line means extending from each load block for supporting separate loads, each of said load blocks having an axis of rotation wherein the axes of rotation are coaxial, the carriage including a pair of spaced apart plates, means for securing the plates in relative position with a circular track block and locking means mounted therebetween, said track block being free to rotate about its axis while engaging the high line and not engaging the locking means, means secured to said high line for (1) preventing movement of said carriage away from said crane along said high line, (2) moving the locking means to locking position with respect to the track block and (3) simultaneously unlocking said load blocks, means secured to each load line extending from said load blocks for (1) moving the locking means to locking position with respect to said load line and (2) simultaneously unlocking the track block to rotate, each of said load blocks being circular and secured between a pair of plates, means for holding the pairs of plates associated with said load blocks in relatively stationary position with respect to each other while allowing each load block to rotate about the axis of its circular shape, each pair of plates associated with each load block being pivotally secured to said carriage with the axis of rotation of said pivotal security being substantially perpendicular to the axis of the associated circular shape.