Tightline logging system

• US 4,005,779 A
• Filed: 02/18/1975
• Issued: 02/01/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cecil L. Andrews
• Original Assignee: Cecil L. Andrews
• Inventors: Andrews, Cecil L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US05/550,298
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 254/139.1, 254/145, 254/184, 254/193, 254/194, 212/76, 212/77, 212/81, 212/87, 212/84, 212/89, 212/91-97, 212/7, 212/119, 212/117, 212/122, 214/3
• US Class Current: 212/87
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 21/04 with cable-ways supported at one end or both ends on bodily movable framework, e.g. framework mounted on rail track

Abstract

A carriage carrying a match block moves away from a slider by gravity along a tightline from a mast of the slider, and is pulled back to the slider with a turn of logs by a mobile mainline unit of a skidder. The tightline then is lower the carriage, and the mainline may be freed from the block to permit the mainline unit to move the logs to a loading station or the turn of logs may be detached from the mainline and the operation repeated.

Claims

1. In a tightline logging system, comprising

a vehicle slider,

a vertical mast mounted on the vehicle slider,

a mast sheave on the upper end of the mast,

a tightline winch on the vehicle slider,

a tightline extending from the winch and over the sheave and outwardly and downwardly to a ground anchor,

a carriage on the tightline movable outwardly from the mast by gravity,

an open block carried by the carriage,

a skidder vehicle having means for detachably coupling said vehicle slider to said skidder vehicle,

a mainline winch mounted on the skidder,

and a mainline extending through the block from the mainline winch and adapted to be secured to a load and pull the carriage and the load toward the mast,

the open block permitting the mainline to be removed laterally therefrom to permit the skidder to haul the load to a position remote from the slider.

2. The tightline logging system of claim 1 including a selectively operable brake on the carriage for holding the carriage against movement toward the mast.

3. The tightline logging system of claim 1 wherein the block normally holds the cable against lateral insertion and removal into and out of the block during use and has an open side permitting lateral insertion and removal of the cable into and out of the block.

4. The tightline logging system of claim 1 including a power source on the slider for driving the tightline winch.

5. The tightline logging system of claim 4 including remote control means for operating the tightline winch.

6. The tightline logging system of claim 5 wherein the remote control means also includes means controlling the mainline winch.

7. The tightline logging system of claim 6 wherein the remote control means includes control means at the working area of a choker setter to permit the choker setter to operate the mainline winch and the tightline winch.

8. In a tightline logging system, comprising

a mast,

a tightline winch,

power means for driving the tightline winch,

a slider vehicle carrying the mast, the tightline winch and the power means,

a tightline extending from the tightline winch and the mast to an anchor,

a carriage movable along the tightline,

open block means carried by the carriage,

a mainline having an outer end portion extending through the open block means, and said open block means permits said mainline to be laterally removed therefrom,

a powered mainline winch connected to one end of the mainline,

and a separate mobile unit supporting the mainline winch and having means for detachably coupling said slider vehicle to said mobile unit.

9. The tightline logging system of claim 8 wherein the mobile unit is a skidder.

10. The tightline logging system of claim 8 including remote control means for operating the tightline winch and the mainline winch.

11. The tightline logging system of claim 8 including remote control means for operating the tightline winch.