US3576266A

US3576266A - Adjustable skidder arch

Info

Publication number: US3576266A
Application number: US759646A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allan J Widley
Original assignee: Massey Ferguson Inc
Current assignee: Massey Ferguson Inc
Priority date: 1968-09-13
Filing date: 1968-09-13
Publication date: 1971-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1988-04-27
Also published as: GB1283056A; ZA694476B; FR2018039A1; ES370378A1

Abstract

A log skidder has an arch slideably mounted on an arcuate butt plate and includes means for fastening the arch to the butt plate in one of several selected positions to enable movement of the arch between raised and lowered operative positions.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Allan J. Widley Markham, Ontario, Canada 759,646

Sept. 13, 1968 Apr. 27, 197 1 Massey-Ferguson, Inc.

Des Moines, Iowa App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee ADJUSTABLE SKIDDER ARCH 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 214/855, 212/7, 214/523 Int. Cl B60p 1/00 Field of Search 214/523, 85.5,147,147(G),94;254/139.1;2l2/8, 7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,388,830 8/1921 Broady 212/8 1,388,831 8/1921 Broady..... 212/8 v 2,541,970 2/1951 Pospisil 212/8 2,827,715 3/1958 Wagner (254/139.l) F ORElGN PATENTS 578,427 6/ 1946 Great Britain 212/8 582,030 1 H1946 Great Britain 254/139.1

Primary Examiner-Albert .1. Makay Attorney-Gerhardt, Greenlee & Farris ABSTRACT: A log skidder has an arch slideably mounted on an arcuate butt plate and includes means for fastening the arch to the butt plate in one of several selected positions to enable movement of the arch between raised and lowered operative positions.

- PATENTEDAPRZ'IIQYI 3576266,-

7 SHEEI1UF3 INVENTOR.

ALLA/V J W/LDEY BY PATENTED APR27 ISTI SHEET 2 BF 3 INVENTOR.

ALLA/V J. WILDEY ATTORNEYS PATENTEUAPRZYIBYI 6576266 SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR.

AL LA/V J WILDEY ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE SKIIIDIDEIR ARCH This invention relates generally to log skidders and more particularly to an adjustable arch for a log skidder.

Log skidders are conventionally provided with fixed position arches having fair-lead rollers which elevate the winch cable to facilitate winching logs to a position against butt plate prior to skidding. The normal mode of winching is to orient the skidder so that the logs may be winched longitudinally of the skidder. However, in hilly terrain or in locations of extremely limited maneuverability, it is necessary that the logs be winched laterally of the skidder. This operation tends to tip over the skidder inasmuch as the distance of cable elevation, timesthe force required to winch creates a substantial moment tending to tip the vehicle about its inboard tires. In such situations,'it would be desireable to lower the arch so that the total tipping moment is decreased. In response to this problem, skidders have been designed with rebuildable arches that may be disassembled and reassembled with inverted or different structural members to lower the arch to a more advantageous position for lateral winching.

It is also desirable to elevate the arch when obstacles require further elevation of the winch cable. Such a situation could occur in rugged terrain where the logs may be winched longitudinally, but must be elevated above rises, tree stumps or rocks.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an adjustable skidder arch which may be moved between raised and a lower operative positions to accommodate winding of logs both laterally of the vehicle and longitudinally of the vehicle in rugged terrain.

In accordance with this invention, a log skidder is provided with a frame, a winch mounted on the frame, a logging arch, means mounting the arch on the frame for sliding movement between raised and lowered operative positions, and means for securing the arch to the frame in a selected position.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the follow ing detailed desc'tiption of a preferred embodiment, as shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away side elevation of the rear section of a skidder embodying an adjustable arch according to this invention, showing adjustability of the arch from intermediate to raised and lowered positions;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation, looking in the direction of lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 and further illustrates the adjustability of the arch;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the arch, adjustment from raised to intermediate position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the arch, illustrating adjustment from lowered to intermediate position.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 2 of the drawings, the rear section of a skidder T0 is provided with a frame ll2 which mounts a pair of drive wheels 14 having rubber tires l6. Frame 12 further mounts an arcuate butt plate 18 which extends between a pair of spaced, wing-shaped, curved fenders 20 which partially cover the tires 16.

Adjacent each fender 20, a butt plate 118 is provided with identical-spaced

upper apertures

22, 24, 26, and 28, and identical-spaced

lower apertures

30, 32, 34, and 36. The butt plate 18 slidably supports a pair of spaced elongated arcuate plates 38 which mount a logging arch 46. Each plate 38 is provided with identical upper and

lower apertures

42 and 44, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the arch 40 is movable between an intermediate operative position A, shown in solid lines, and respective raised and lowered operative positions B and C, shown in phantom lines. In the intermediate position A,

apertures

42 and 26 and

apertures

44 and 32 are aligned and bolts 46 extend therethrough to rigidly

secure plates

38 and 18 together to rigidly mount the arch 40 to frame 12. Of course, it is readily apparent that the mere removal of bolts 46 easily releases the arch 40 for removal from the skidder for repair or replacement.

The arch further includes support arms 48 which extend upwardly and inwardly from plates 38 and mount a fair-lead assembly 50 comprising a support frame 52, a main roller 54 and a pair of side rollers 56. The arch 40 further includes a transverse rearwardly angled butt plate 58 mounted on arms 48 and on spaced supports 59. Butt plate 38 coacts with butt plate 18 to provide a continuous protective shield against which logs may butt. The skidder frame 12 mounts a winch 60 which is driven by the vehicle engine (not shown) through a drive train 62. The winch includes an elongated cable 64 which extends over the main fair-lead roller 54 and is extensible to a position remote from the skidder for the choking of logs (not shown). The skidder frame l2 further mounts a towing hitch 66 having a hitch pin 67. Referring now to FIG. 2, the hitch 66 is accessible through an aperture 68 in butt plate 18 and through an open slot 70 in butt plate 58. The pin 67 may be reached through slot 70' in butt plate 58 and the open area above butt plate 18. In the arch-lowered position C, the pin 67 is accessible through a rectangular slot 70" and the hitch 66 itself is usable through a similar rectangular slot 70' Y The adjustability of the arch will now be detailed, with references to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. When it is desired to move the arch 40 out of the intermediate position A, shown in FIG. 1, the winch cable 64 is positioned as shown in FIG. 3, with the cable taken from the winch and looped through slot 70, around the webbing 71 above and through slot 70" so that the cable lies in a notch 72. The cable is then tensioned, whereupon the choking collet 74 engages butt plate 58, and bolts 46 are removed.

Assuming that the arch 46 is to be moved to the lowered position C, shown in FIG. I, the winch 60 is operated to play out cable 64 to slide plates 38 downwardly on plate B between guiding fenders 20 until abutments 76 on the bottom edges of plates 38 engage abutments 78 mounted on butt plate 18 beneath apertures 36, as shown in FIG. 3. In this position,

apertures

42 and 28 and

apertures

44 and 36 will align so that bolts 46 may be inserted therethrough to secure the arch in its lowered position. Cable 64 may again be threaded over roller 54 and winching may be resumed.

Similarly, if it is desired to move the arch 40 to the raised position B, shown in FIG. 1, a similar procedure is repeated. The winch 60 is operated to slide plates 38 up on butt plate 18 as guided by fenders 20, until abutments 80 on the upper edges of plates 38 engage abutments 82 mounted on the upper edge of butt plate l8 above apertures 22,as shown in FIG. 3. In this position,

apertures

42 and 22 and

apertures

44 and 30 will be aligned so that bolts 46 may be inserted to secure the arch 40 to the butt plate 18.

Adjustment of arch 40 from extreme positions B and C to position A will now be described. Presume now that the arch is in the lowered position C and it is desired to move the arch back to intermediate position A. The cable 64 is again attached to the arch 40, and bolts 46 are again removed. As shown in FIG. 5, the'uppermost bolt 46 is then placed in aperture 24 and winch 60 is operated to move the arch 40 so that abutment 86 engages the uppennost bolt In this position,

apertures

42 and 26 and

apertures

44 and 32 will again be aligned, whereupon the lowermost bolt 46 may be inserted and the uppermost bolt may be removed from aperture 24 and placed through

apertures

42 and 26 to again secure the arch 40 to the butt plate 18.

Similarly, if the arch 40 is in raised position B and it is desired to move the arch to intermediate position A, the cable 64 is similarly attached to the arch 4t), and the bolts 46 are again removed. As shown in FIG. 4, the lowermost bolt 46 is inserted within aperture 34 and the winch is operated so as to lower arch 40 until abutment 76 engages the lowermost bolt 46. In this position apertures 42 and 26 and

apertures

44 and 32 will again be aligned, whereupon the upper bolt 46 may be inserted through the aligned apertures and the lower bolt 46 removed and inserted through the aligned apertures to secure arch 46 to the butt plate 18. Following each of the arch position changes the winch 66 may be operated so as to relax cable 64 so that collet 74 may be removed and the cable again can be threaded over roller 54 for winching operations.

ln the above manner, it is readily seen that adjustment of arch 40 between the raised, intermediate and lowered operative positions is facilitated by the mere removal of four bolts and operation of the winch. This enables adjustment of the arch by one man at the stump or in the field, and with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

lt is readily apparent that many modifications could be made to the disclosed invention. The bolts 46 could be replaced by other fastening means, the

apertures

22, 24. 26, etc., could be replaced by elongated slots or other fastening means, the arcuate butt plates could take different form, or a different mechanical linkage could be used to permit a similar quick and efficient adjustment of arch 40 between its various positions. These and further modifications of the subject invention are contemplated within the scope of the following claims.

l claim:

1. In a log skidder having a frame, a winch mounted on the frame, and a logging arch, the improvement comprising: means mounting the arch on the frame for sliding movement between raised and lowered positions including an arcuate plate mounted on the frame and a mating plate mounted on the arch engaging the frame plate, and means for securing the arch to the frame in a selected position.

2. The log skidder of claim 1 wherein the winch includes a cable, and the arch includes means for attaching the cable to the arch; whereby the winch is operable to move the arch between positions.

3. The log skidder of claim 1, wherein: the mounting means include a plurality of apertures formed in the frame and arch plates, an arch aperture being aligned with a frame aperture in each arch position, fastening means insertable within the aligned apertures to secure the arch to the frame in various positions, and abutment means for locating the arch in each position to align the apertures.

4. The log skidder of claim 3, wherein: the abutment means include one of the fastening means mounted in a plate aperture located adjacent an aperture corresponding to a selected arch position, and an abutment mounted on the arch, the said one fastening means abutting the arch abutment upon movement of the arch to the selected position, thereby aligning an arch aperture with a frame aperture to facilitate insertion of the fastening means.

5. The log skidder of claim 1, wherein: the mounting means include locating means for locating the arch in raised and lowered positions.

6. The log skidder of claim 5, wherein: the mounting means include means for guiding the sliding movement of the arch between raised and lowered positions.

7. The log skidder of claim 6, including rear fenders and wherein the guiding means include guide surfaces formed on the fenders, the arch plate sliding between said guide surfaces.

8. The log skidder of claim 5, wherein: the locating means include cooperating pairs of abutments mounted on the arch and on the frame for limiting movement of the arch to raised and lowered positions.

PO-IOSO (5/59) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent; No. 266 Dated April 27, 1971 Inventor) Allan J. Wildey It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' On the cover page of the above mentioned patent, the inventor's me.

is misspelled. Please correct the inventor's name from Allan J. Widley to Allan J. Wildey.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of August 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FI..ETCI-IER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Gomissioner of Patents

Claims

2. The log skidder of claim 1 wherein the winch includes a cable, and the arch includes means for attaching the cable to the arch, whereby the winch is operable to move the arch between positions.