Caterpillar Tractor Co.

John R Muntjanoff

Ivan R Lamport

Eugene M Poplawski

Charles E Lanchantin, Jr

Kenneth W Timmons

Roger L Schluter

Dennis M Day

Dampened fully pivotal hanger for a grapple

A self adjusting actuator system (32/32') has an actuator housing (40), a telescoping piston (52) defining therewith head and rod end chambers (58,60), and a compression spring (66) disposed for biasing the piston (52) in a preselected direction against an external force. A control system supplies fluid selectively to either of the chambers (58,60) and includes control device (33/33') for selectively permitting egress of fluid from the rod end chamber (60) to permit the piston (52) to move in the preselected direction in response to a change in the external force. Such system is particularly useful in a log grapple (10).

Self adjusting actuator system

PCT No. PCT/US79/00584 Sec. 371 Date Aug. 9, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Aug. 9, 1979 PCT Filed PCT Pub No. WO 81/00396 Pub Date Feb. 19, 1981 A compact grapple head (10) for use in apparatus such as a logging vehicle (11). The grapple head has a reduced overall height and utilizes four pivot connections (17,26,27 and 31) in controlling the tongs (13 and 18) thereof. The arrangement of the pivot connections relative to the tongs, an extensible device (22) and an interconnecting (28) provides an improved load-handling capability both as to maximum and minimum loads. Each of the extensible device (22) and link (28) is connected between the tongs with one of the pivotal connections (26) connecting both of the extensible device (22) and link (28) to one of the tongs (13) and a second pivotal connection (27) connecting both the extensible device and the other of the tongs (18) to the frame (12).

Grapple head arrangement

A grapple tong system has first and second hydraulic lines for closing and raising the grapple tongs, respectively. A hydraulic system is provided for automatically, controllably passing fluid from the second to the first line in response to a preselected pressure in the first line and a higher pressure in the second line for automatically, controllably urging the grapples to a closed position.

Automatic grapple control system

A load skidding vehicle including a vehicle frame and front and rear wheels on the frame. A grapple mechanism is mounted on the frame and includes a grapple outside of the periphery of the frame for partially lifting a load to be skidded across the ground. A force applying member is carried by the frame for applying a force having a substantial downward component to a load grasped by the grapple at a point spaced from the point of engagement of the load with the grapple and remote from the frame to thereby provide a reactive force tending to equalize the weight distribution on the wheels of the vehicle.

Load skidding vehicle with weight transferring grapple

A movable arch supporting a grapple unit at one end of a logging vehicle, the movable arch including a pair of links of different lengths being pivotably connected in spaced apart relation to a vehicle and a support beam, one end of the support beam extending rearwardly from the vehicle for connection with the grapple unit, a hydraulic jack being interconnected between the vehicle and one of the links.

Movable arch structure for skidder vehicle

A push-pull rod assembly is provided with a housing for the push rod and a seal formed in a capsule readily fixable to a fitting associated with the housing. In one embodiment the housing is formed with a flared end while the fitting, which has a threaded outer surface, is formed with an interior bore therethrough and an axially intersecting cone shaped bore adapted to engage the outer flared surface of the housing. The bore sealing capsule carries an elastomeric seal to sealingly surround a push rod extending outwardly of the housing while the capsule is threadably engaged with the fitting. The capsule is formed with a frustoconical projection axially centered at the base of an interior threaded socket to engage the interior of the flared end of the housing. In the second embodiment the push rod is specially coated with an inert synthetic resin having a low coefficient of friction. The sealing means which is contained in a capsule threadably engaged on a fitting fixedly associated with the push rod housing includes an elastomeric member or the like and a metallic scraper to remove dirt and ice from the specially surfaced push rod.

Push-pull cable and rod assembly with seal

A control mechanism for regulating operation of a rotatable winch drum through a power train including a brake which is normally engaged by hydraulic pressure to secure the winch drum against rotation and a normally disengaged clutch which is selectively engaged by hydraulic pressure for driving the winch drum in a reeling-in mode, the control mechanism including a control lever which is movable for selectively communicating hydraulic fluid to the brake and clutch, first and second biasing means being associated with the control lever to provide for adjustment of the lever at different rates of modulation.

Variably biased control mechanism

An apparatus for filling and removing liquid ballast from a tire comprises a fluid circuit including a pressurized air tank and a liquid storage tank each operatively connected to an adapter releasably attached to the rim of a tire in lieu of its conventional valve stem. During removal of the liquid ballast, pressurized air is communicated through the adapter to pressurize a closed chamber of the tire to pump the liquid ballast to the storage tank. Upon refilling of the tire, pressurized air is communicated to the storage tank to pump liquid back into the tire.

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Aurora, IL, United States of America

John R Muntjanoff