Lavalley Industries, LLC

Roger LaValley

Jason LaValley

Marvin N Larson

Daniel Larson

Jesse J Kilde

Matthew Justin Michel

Christopher G Kay

Rodney Wurgler

Michael Burgess

Lawrence D Kilpo

An attachment is described that is configured for attachment to an arm of a piece of heavy construction equipment. The attachment is configured to rotate a section of pipe during break out (i.e. disconnection or disassembly) from another section of pipe and/or make up (i.e. connection or assembly) with another section of pipe. The attachment is configured to break the joint or torque the joint to a predetermined torque value, unthread or thread pipe, and lift the pipe under the power of the heavy construction equipment.

Attachment for making up or breaking out pipe

A gripping assembly with gripping members, as part of a grapple attachment, used to grasp and manipulate elongated objects, for example pipe, is described. Due to the gripping action of the gripping members and tilt control capabilities of the grapple attachment, total positive control of the pipe is maintained, even if the gripping assembly picks up pipe off center. The grapple attachment is able to be used on all pipe surface types, including pipe surfaces that are dirty, snow or ice covered. The gripping members are configured to prevent damage to the pipe and to adjacent pipes, and will not crush the pipe.

Gripping assembly and gripping members for a grapple attachment

A gripping assembly with gripping members, as part of a grapple attachment, used to grasp and manipulate elongated objects, for example pipe, is described. Due to the gripping action of the gripping members and tilt control capabilities of the grapple attachment, total positive control of the pipe is maintained, even if the gripping assembly picks up pipe off center. The gripping members are used at least in pairs and are mounted on a common main beam structure so that they are separated from each other. The gripping members are interchangeable with other gripping members to permit the grapple attachment to grasp different sized objects, thereby providing modularity to the grapple attachment. In one embodiment, the gripping members include a support member having a main beam structure opening extending laterally therethrough that is configured to receive a main beam structure of the gripping assembly.

A grapple attachment for use with a drill pipe having a diameter, that may include first and second gripping members disposed on a rigid lateral member tiltable up to 40 degrees from the horizontal and preferably continuously rotatable, wherein each of the first and second gripping members has a first and second claw and a bracket having a concave contact surface, each claw having a concave gripping surface, wherein the surface of the bracket and the gripping surfaces of the first and second claws come in contact with the drill pipe when the gripping member is in the closed position.

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Bemidji, MN, United States of America

Roger LaValley