Material or article handling – Vertically swinging load support – Grab
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-09-11
Underwood, Donald W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Vertically swinging load support
Grab
C037S406000, C414S912000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287072
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a grapple removably attachable to a vehicle which has implement fittings to which civil engineering implements are removably attachable, the grapple having a low walled, forwardly converging lifting bed.
Workers needing to move, lift, and carry oddly shaped objects—such as a bolder—in existing civil engineering implements which can be attached to a vehicle have a long outstanding problem. The existing implements have dimensions and configurations which do not match the dimensions and forms of oddly shaped objects. Thus it is difficult to precisely move an oddly shaped object without disturbing adjacent objects, it is difficult to lift an oddly shaped object without disturbing adjacent objects, and oddly shaped objects can move around in the implement when being carried. The invention shown here is based on the discovery that a grapple with a low walled, forwardly converging lifting bed solves this long outstanding problem.
Various grapple configurations are shown in prior art, for example by Ogawa in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,866, by Jankowski in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,628, by Labounty in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,356, by Towensend in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,408, by Kaczmarczyk in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,205, and by Hawkins in U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,332. None of these are adapted to move, lift, and carry oddly shaped objects with precision. The precision grapple shown here is not suggested in any prior art or any combinations of prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One form of this invention—which, in use, is removably attached to a vehicle, the vehicle having implement fittings to which civil engineering implements are removably attachable—comprises a low walled, forwardly converging lifting bed and a prong which is attached to the lifting bed and which is moved relative to the lifting bed by an actuator attached between the prong and the lifting bed.
Alternate forms and objects of the invention will be comprehended in the drawings and description, which will make other alternate forms and objects obvious hereafter to persons skilled in the art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3307277 (1967-03-01), Kondracki
patent: 4283866 (1981-08-01), Ogawa
patent: 4285628 (1981-08-01), Jankowski
patent: 4519739 (1985-05-01), Risch
patent: 4845867 (1989-07-01), Albrecht
patent: 4896444 (1990-01-01), Sieber et al.
patent: 4907356 (1990-03-01), Labounty
patent: 5553408 (1996-09-01), Townsend
patent: 5639205 (1997-06-01), Kaczmarczyk
patent: 5678332 (1997-10-01), Hawkins
patent: 5927933 (1999-07-01), Tucker
Moyer Don
Underwood Donald W.
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