US1223960A - Grapple. - Google Patents

Description

M. W. GILMARTIN.

GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, I916.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

I VITNESSES INVENTOR M. w. GILMARTIN.

GRAP PLE. APPLICATION HLED JULY 7, I9l6.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR Altar/14w NESSES man. u c.

WITFQD STATE PATENT @FFIQE.

MICHAEL W. GILMARTIN, 0]? DOVER, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE -85 TOWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

GBAPPLE.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

Application filed. July 7, 1916. Serial No. 108,024.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MICHAEL V. G1L- MARTIN, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dover, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grapples; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in grapples for handling and conveying cylindrical bodies such as projectiles, pipes, shafts, rolls of paper, barrels, etc., and is an improvement on the construction disclosed in Patent No. 1,039,727 granted to me October 1st, 1912.

The said patented improvement consists of an inverted U-shape yoke, adapted to straddle the article to be lifted or handled, and provided with one or more latches so located that when the yoke is dropped over the body to be lifted, the latch or latches will engage the said body below its greatest diameter and lock it within the yoke. It is frequently the case however that the articles are standing on end and have to be lifted vertically, and this is particularly true in the case of projectiles, and when the articles are so standing, the yoke must be turned to a horizontal position and then moved horizontally in order to straddle the body. With the yoke thus applied it does not grip the projectile until the weight of the latter falls on the latches, hence it frequently happens that the grapple shifts its position on the projectile so that the latter will not be centrally supported, and will rest or swing in an inclined position, generally with its tapered end or point up, and is liable to work out of the grapple.

The object of this present invention is to provide means for positively gripping the projectile or other article intermediate the latches and adjacent the point of suspension of the yoke which gripping devices acting in conjunction with the two latches, absolutely lock the article against endwise sliding movement in the grapple.

With this object in view my invention consists in the parts and combination of parts as will be more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure '1 is a view in side elevation, showing the yoke carrying a projectile; Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the yoke, the clamping jaws being removed; Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section of the yoke showing the clamping jaws in elevation; Fig. 4 is a View in elevation and Fig. 5 a view in end elevation of the clamping jaws; Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the yoke carrying a projectile and showing a modified form of clamping jaw; Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of this modified form provided with means for supporting the projectile in vertical position; Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the clamping jaws of the yoke shown in Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of another modification.

10 represents the yoke, the upper portion of which is semicylindrical in shape with the lower free ends 11 flared outwardly so as to permit an article of a given size to readily enter the yoke, or rather permit the yoke to pass onto and embrace the article.

In the drawings, I have shown a projectile in connection with the yoke, but it is evident that the device is equally well adapted for handling and transporting cylindrical bodies of any kind, such as pipes, shafts, rolls of paper, barrels, etc., hence reference herein to projectiles is intended to cover and include cylindrical objects of any kind, or articles of other shapes that can be engaged by the latches and clampingjaws.

The locking latches 12 are mounted in the outwardly flaring ends 11 of the yoke 10, and are preferably cam shaped, so that when in their normal positions, their inner or bearing faces will pro ect inwardly sufficiently to prevent the release of an article embraced by the yoke. These latches normally fall and rest in closed position by gravity and are retained within the zone of gravity influence by the set screws 13,

'which are mounted in the sides of the yoke with their free ends resting within slots 1& in the latches 12. These slots and set screws limit the outward or opening movement of the latches, and always maintain the preponderance of weight of the latches in planes intermediate the vertical center of the pivot bolts 15 so that it matters not to what extent the latches may be moved in placing the yoke on the projectile, they will fall into locking position, the instant they pass below the greatest diameter of the projectile. In order to take the whole or a portion of the weight of the projectile off the set screws 13, which are primarily designed to limit the opening movement of the latches, I provide each end of the yoke with a shoulder 16 against which the free ends 17 of the latches rest when they are in their closed position. By means of the shoulders 16 and screws 13, the latches are prevented from passing either up or down beyond the effective point of action, hence are always in a condition to permit the yoke to be passed onto a projectile and then fall and lock the yoke to the projectile.

The yoke is provided centrally with two pairs of oppositely disposed outwardly projecting lugs 18, one lug of each pair being bored as at 19 and counterbored as at 20 to receive the head and portion of the shank, and the others bored and threaded, to receive the threaded end of the bolts 21 on which the clamping jaws 22 are mounted. The top of the yoke immediately between the two sets of lugs 18 is recessed or cut away as shown in Fig. 2, hence by providing one lug of each pair with recessed seats for the head of the bolt 21, and the companion lugs with threaded holes for the threaded ends of the bolts, the latter operate to tie the lugs together and constitute braces which compensate for the metal removed from the top of the yoke.

The clamping jaws 22 are substantially L-shape as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with their longer arms extending over the yoke and overlapping each other, and their shorter arms, which are enlarged at their free ends as shown in Fig. 5, located adjacent the side edges of the yoke and in a position to bear on and grip or clamp a projectile above and below, or at opposite sides of the yoke. The inner overlapping arms of the clamping jaws constitute the attaching means for the hoist hook, hence when the yoke is suspended from the hoist hook, the weight of the yoke and its load is borne directly by the overlapping members of the clamping jaws and consequently turns said jaws on their pivots in a direction to force their enlarged free ends into contact with the projectile and at opposite sides of the yoke. These clamping jaws do not support the projectile within the yoke, as do the latches 12, but simply bear on the projectile at both sides of the yoke so as to compensate for any looseness of the projectile in the yoke and lock it against any endwise or sliding movement.

Instead of employing clamping jaws as above described they may be constructedas shown in Figs. 67 and 8. In the modified construction one jaw 22 is provided with a looped or ring shaped inner end 22 which constitutes the hoist ring of the grapple, and this loop is provided on its periphery with a cam shaped surface 22 against which the free, end of the companion jaw 22 bears, this said jaw 22 being so shaped as to permit the ring 22 to pivot freely on its fulcrum, and be positively actuated thereby to clamp and release the projectile. With this latter construction the ring 22 projects up, or out considerably beyond a line passing through the fulcrum bolts of the jaws, so that if the yoke is applied to a projectile standing on an end, as in Fig. 7, the hoist rope will pull on the ring in a plane outside locked against longitudinal movement hence less care need be exercised in the application of the yoke to the projectiles which results in considerable saving in time, in addition to the absolute security against injury which would result in the event the projectile should slip from the yoke.

In order to lift a projectile standing on end without turning it, I have provided the latches 12 with flexible members 23 which pass through holes in the side ribs 2 1 on the body of the yoke, and terminate at their free ends in loops or hooks 25 for their attachment to cables or chains 26, connected with the main hoist cable 27 These supplemental cables or chains 26, engaging and supporting the yoke near the free ends of its arms, prevent the yoke and projectile from turning to the positions they assume when supported solely on the main hoist cable 27, and as part of the weight falls on the members 23 attached to the latches 12, the latter are pulled or forced inwardly into contact with the projectile, and together with the clamping jaws, lock the projectile against endwise displacement or movement in the yoke.

If desired the yoke may be provided with latches 12 as shown in Fig. 9. In this latter construction the two latches overlap at the center thus closing the yoke below the object carried by the yoke. With such construction, the clamping jaws would of course have a greater throw so as to engage the ob? ject supported on the latches.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the relative arrange ment of parts shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I would have it understood that I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a grapple, the combination of a yoke comprising an inverted U-shaped structure, a latch mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke so as to form a rest and support for said body below its greatest diameter, and a pivoted clamping jaw carried by the yoke and adapted to engage the body suspended within the yoke intermediate the latch and free end of the other arm, the said clamping jaw being connected with the hoist cable so as to be positively actuated thereby.

2. In a grapple, the combination of a yoke comprising an inverted U-shaped structure of a size and shape to conform to the body to be lifted, a latch mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke so as to form a rest and support for said body and two pivoted clamping jaws carried by the yoke approximately midway between the ends of the free ends of the arms of the yoke and adapted to be actuated by the hoist cable to engage the body within the yoke.

2. In a grapple, the combination of a yoke comprising a rigid structure adapted to straddle the object to be lifted and conforming in shape to the part of the object embraced by the yoke, a latch mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke and adapted to engage the object below the greatest diameter of the latter, and two clamping jaws pivoted to the yoke adjacent to and at opposite sides of the suspension point of the yoke the said jaws adapted to engage the object and lock it against endwise movement in the yoke.

4:. In a grapple, the combination of a yoke comprising a rigid structure adapted to straddle the object to be lifted and conforming in shape to the part of the object embraced by the yoke, a latch mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke and adapted to engage the object below the greatest diameter of the latter and two clamping jaws pivoted to the yoke adjacent the suspension point of the latter and adapted to be actuated by the hoist cable to engage the body within the yoke at both sides of the latter.

5. In a grapple, the combination of an inverted U-shaped yoke adapted to straddle the object to be lifted, a latch mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke'and adapted to engage the object below the greatest diameter of the latter and two clamping jaws pivoted to the yoke and adapted to engage the object at both sides of the yoke, one of said clamping jaws terminating in a looped end for the attachment of the hoist cable and the other clamping jaw having its inner end constructed to be engaged and actuated by said loop shaped end.

6. In a grapple, the combination of an inverted U-shaped yoke adapted to straddle the object to be lifted, a latch mounted in the lower end of an arm of said yoke and adapted to engage the object below the greatest diameter of the latch, and two clamping jaws pivoted to the yoke and adapted to engage the object at both sides of the yoke, one of said clamping jaws terminating in a looped end for the attachment of the hoist cable, and provided with a cam surface, and the other clamping jaw having its free end constructed to be actuated by the cam surface on its companion clamping aw.

7. In a grapple, the combination of an I inverted U-shaped yoke, a latch mounted adjacent the free end of each arm of the yoke, a clamping jaw carried by the yoke adjacent the suspension point of the latter, and a hoist cable connected with the latches and clamping jaw whereby the said parts are positively held in contact with the projectile when the latter is suspended.

8. In a grapple, the combination of an inverted U-shaped yoke having a pivoted latch adjacent each free end and a clamp ing jaw adjacent the suspension point of the yoke, and a hoist cable connected directly with said clamping jaw whereby the weight of the yoke and its load are carried by said jaw, and connections between the latches and hoist cable whereby the latches are drawn into contact with the object within the yoke and the yoke supported in a horizontal position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL W. GILMARTIN.

Witnesses:

N. Conrrs LAMMORD, G. F. DOWNEY.

Copies of this; patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

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