Loader attachment for handling logs, bales and the like

Abstract

Hydraulically activated, spaced apart, front end loader support arms extend from a tractor. A loader attachment includes a vertically extending frame pivotally attached to the support arms forwardly of the tractor. This vertical frame includes a main horizontal frame support bar pivotally mounted in outer ends of the support arms and a a pair of open vertical guides which extend downwardly from the frame support bar. A horizontal hook support bar extends through the vertical guides and pivotally supports central portions of the two jaw-forming hooks at each end thereof. Upper ends of each of these hooks are pivotally connected to links which are pivotally connected to the frame support bar. A vertical hook support bar lifting strap extends integrally up from the hook support bar and is in sliding relationship with respect to the frame support bar. To load, means is provided to raise the lifting strap with respect to the main frame, thus to cause the jaws to be opened. The support arms are then lowered to encompass a log to be lifted. The lifting strap is allowed to drop by gravity to cause the hooks of the jaws to close on the object to be lifted, and the loader support arms are lifted to raise the log from the ground. To unload, the support arms are lowered, and when the log comes in touch with the ground, the further progess of the loader support arms in downward direction will cause the jaws to be released.

Description

This invention has relation to a loader attachment including a grapple mounted on the front end loader support arms of a tractor.

In the logging industry and elsewhere, very sophisticated single purpose equipment has been developed to handle logs and other cylindrical-like objects such as very large bales. However, many farmers, for example, have need to handle logs and bales from place to place on an occasional basis which makes it economically difficult or impossible to own such equipment. They try to make do by using front sectional books hooks 34 and replacement with other hooks, for example the larger hooks shown at 52 in FIG. 6.

The hook support bar lifting strap 30 is provided with a pulley or sheave 54 rotatably mounted on an upper end thereof. A hook control crank arm 56 is pivotally mounted as at 58 to a support strap 59 extending upwardly from a support arm cross bracket 60 which extends between the front end loader support arms 12,12. The forward end of the hook control arm 56 extends underneath the sheave 54, and a control rod 62 extends from a rear portion of control arm 56 back to a location accessible to the driver of the tractor 10.

OPERATION OF FIRST FORM OF INVENTION

When it is desired to pick up a log such as log 64, control rod 62 will be pulled to cause control arm 56 to raise the pulley and consequently the hook support bar lifting strap 30 and the hook support bar 28, thus moving the center portions of each of the hooks 34 in upward direction causing the hooks to open to position as seen in FIG. 4, for example. With the jaws properly aligned with the log to be lifted, the motors 14,14 will be operated to lower front end loader support arms 12,12 and control rod 62 will be pushed forward to allow the hooks 34 to move underneath the log or into the log to pick it up. This positioning underneath the logs is best seen in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 3; although it is more likely that instead of sliding clear down underneath the log, the points or spikes 66 on each of the hooks 34 will actually enter the log through the bark at some position below the widest portion of the log (somewhat as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3.)

The motors 14,14 will then be activated to raise the loader support arms 12,12, and the tractor will be operated to move the log to its desired new location. When this location is reached, the loader support arms will again be lowered to cause the log to come into contact with the ground, thus releasing the hooks. The control rod 62 will be pulled at the same time thus feeding freeing the hooks from the log. The loader support arms will be raised, and the tractor will be driven away from the log.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a somewhat modified structure of a second form of the invention is illustrated. All of the spring keys of clips 48 and 50 have been removed, the hooks 34 have been removed and have been replaced with larger hooks 52 and the spring clips reinstalled. This is a circumstance with would occur where larger objects such as cylindrical bales 72 are to be handled. These hooks 52 have also been provided with spikes or prongs 66.

Also in FIG. 6, a motor support bracket 68 has been integrally affixed to a central portion of the main horizontal frame support bar 20, and a hydraulic, linear, piston-cylinder motor 70 is connected between an upper portion of motor support bracket 68 and an upper portion of the vertical hook support bar lifting strap 30. The other parts can be identical with those described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 4 and 6 of the invention, and are identically numbered.

OPERATION OF A SECOND FORM OF THE INVENTION

The only difference in operation between the form of the invention as seen in FIG. 6 and the form of the other figures is that in the place of pulling on control rod 62, a hydraulic control valve (not shown) will be activated by the tractor driver to cause the linear motor 70 to contract, thus lifting the hook support bar 28 to cause the hooks to move from the position as seen in full lines in FIG. 6 to the position as seen in dotted lines. Then when the loader support arms 12,12 are lowered over the bale 72 (for example as seen in dotted lines in FIG. 6) the hydraulic motor 70 will be elongated thus allowing the hook arms to move underneath the bale 72 as seen in full lines in FIG. 6; or more likely, to dig into the bale at the position adjacent that shown in dotted lines.

To release the hooks from the bale after the lift has been completed, the loader attachment arms 12,12 will be lowered, thus causing the bale to force the hooks 52 apart, the hydraulic motor will be elongated sufficiently to hold the hooks apart at the position as seen in dotted lines in FIG. 6, and the tractor and loader attachment arms will be moved out of the area of the bale.

Claims

1. A loader attachment for use with a prime mover having parallel, spaced apart, power actuated, front end loader support arms extending outwardly therefrom; said loader attachment including:

a. a main horizontal frame support bar pivotally mounted in with respect to outer ends of said support arms;

b. a pair of vertical guides extending downwardly from the said frame support bar in spaced relation to each other and symmetrically about the center of the frame support bar a horizontal hook support bar situated in vertical alignment below said main horizontal frame support bar and parallel to it;

c. a horizontal hook support bar extending through the vertical guides guide means operably associated with respect to said main frame support bar and said hook support bar to permit relative vertical movement of said frame support bar and said hook support bar with respect to each other while maintaining said hook support bar in the same vertical plane as said frame support bar;

d. two pairs of jaw-forming hooks, each having central portions pivotally supported, one pair of each end of said hook support bar in approximate vertical alignment beneath said frame support bar;

e. a rigid link pivotally connecting an upper, outer end portion of each of said hooks with a vertically aligned portion of respect to said frame support bar;

f. a hook support bar lifting strap integral with and extending upwardly from said hook support bar;

g. said guides guide means being of configuration to permit movement of said hook support bar between a first lower position wherein each of the hooks of each pair of hooks is in closed, adjacent relationship to the other hook of said pair of hooks, and a second upper position wherein said hooks are spaced at a maximum distance away from each other; and

h. means for moving said hook support bar lifting strap to move said hook support bar between said first and said second positions.

2. The loader attachment of claim 1 wherein:

a. said hooks are pivotally attached to opposite ends of said hook support bar by means of hook pivot bosses constituted as reduced outer cylindrical end portions of said horizontal hook support bar, and said hooks are retained on said pivot bosses by quick release springs clips; and

b. said hooks are attached to said links through the instrumentality of hook-link pivot pins, and said pivot pins are retained in position through the instrumentality of quick release spring clips.

3. The loader attachment of claim 1 wherein said hook support bar lifting strap extends upwardly in adjacent relationship to said frame support bar and is slidably mounted with respect to it.

4. The loader attachment of claim 3 wherein said means to move said lifting strap includes a motor support bracket mounted on said support bar, and a linear motor connected between said motor support bracket and an upper portion of said lifting strap.

5. The loader attachment of claim 3 wherein the means for moving said lifting strap includes a hook control crank arm pivotally mounted with respect to the front end loader support arms and having a first end portion extending into contacting lifting relationship to said lifting strap, and means to rotate said crank arm to raise said lifting strap and hook support bar.

6. The loader attachment of claim 5 wherein the means to rotate said crank arm includes a control rod extending from a second end of said crank arm to a location adjacent an operator of the prime mover.