Patent Publication Number: US-8109709-B1

Title: Removable grapple apparatus for a loader bucket

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates to loader attachments and more particularly pertains to a new removable grapple apparatus for a loader bucket that permits the use of a grapple with virtually any bucket and allows for removal of the grapple when the grapple is not needed. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Grapple apparatus have been integrated into loader buckets by manufactures to provide grapple functionality to the bucket. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of the foregoing, the present disclosure describes a new removable grapple apparatus for a loader bucket that permits the use of a grapple with virtually any bucket, even if not manufactured with a grapple structure, and also allows for removal of the grapple when the grapple is not needed. 
     The present disclosure relates to a removable grapple apparatus for a loader bucket. The grapple apparatus may comprise a grapple assembly that includes at least one grapple arm having an inboard end and an outboard end, and a grapple fork mounted on the at least one grapple arm toward the outboard end thereof. A mounting assembly is configured to removably mount the grapple assembly to the loader bucket when the mounting assembly is mounted on the bucket. The grapple assembly is pivotally mounted on the mounting assembly to permit pivot movement of the grapple assembly with respect to the mounting assembly. A grapple movement assembly is configured to pivotally move the grapple assembly with respect to the mounting assembly. The mounting assembly comprises at least one mount structure including an arm mount mounted on the grapple arm and a base mount configured for mounting on the bucket. The arm mount and the base mount being releasably coupleable together. 
     In another aspect, a grapple system is disclosed that comprises a loader bucket having a perimeter wall defining an opening, and the perimeter wall includes an upper wall portion terminating at a forward edge. The system also includes a grapple apparatus mounted on the loader bucket, and comprises a grapple assembly with at least one grapple arm having an inboard end and an outboard end. A grapple fork is mounted on the at least one grapple arm toward the outboard end thereof. The grapple apparatus includes a mounting assembly mounted on the perimeter wall of the bucket. The grapple assembly is pivotally mounted on the mounting assembly to permit pivot movement of the grapple assembly with respect to the mounting assembly. The grapple apparatus also includes a grapple movement assembly configured to pivotally move the grapple assembly with respect to the mounting assembly. The mounting assembly comprises at least one mount structure including an arm mount mounted on the grapple arm and a base mount configured for mounting on the bucket, The arm mount and the base mount are releasably coupleable together. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the more important elements of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional elements of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment or implementation in greater detail, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and implementations and is thus capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     The advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are disclosed in the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is given to the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a new removable grapple apparatus for a loader bucket according to the present disclosure shown mounted on a loader bucket. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of the grapple apparatus, according to an illustrative embodiment, mounted on a bucket. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of the mounting assembly, according to an illustrative embodiment, mounted on the bucket. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the grapple assembly dismounted from the mounting assembly and bucket, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of the mounting assembly shown in a dismounted condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new removable grapple apparatus for a loader bucket embodying the principles and concepts of the disclosed subject matter will be described. 
     In one aspect of the disclosure, a removable grapple apparatus  10  for a loader bucket  1  will be described. In another aspect, a bucket and grapple system that includes the combination of the bucket  1  and the grapple apparatus  10  is disclosed. A suitable loader bucket  1  for use with the apparatus  10  (or inclusion in the system) may have a perimeter wall  2  defining an opening  3 . The perimeter wall may include a plurality of wall portions that form a continuous or substantially continuous perimeter about an interior space of the bucket, with the opening providing access to the interior space. The opening may occupy the entire front, and a portion of the top of the bucket, so that the opening generally lies in a plane that is inclined rearwardly from the vertical. The perimeter wall  2  may include an upper wall portion  4  that terminates at a forward boundary or edge  5 , and may have a lip  6  that extends from the forward edge  5  of the upper wall portion in an upward and/or rearward direction from the forward edge. 
     Generally, the grapple apparatus  10  may include a grapple assembly  12 , a mounting assembly  14  for removably mounting the grapple assembly on the bucket  1 , and a grapple movement assembly  16  for moving the grapple assembly  12  with respect to the mounting assembly and the bucket when the apparatus is mounted on the bucket. 
     In greater detail, the grapple assembly  12  of the grapple apparatus  10  may be movable with respect to the bucket when the apparatus is mounted on the bucket to help move objects into the interior of the bucket and also to hold objects in the interior of the bucket during transport of the bucket by, for example, a loader on which the bucket is mounted. The grapple assembly  12  may comprise at least one grapple arm  18 , and may include a pair of grapple arms  18 ,  20 . Each of the grapple arms may have an inboard end  22  and an outboard end  24 . Each of the grapple arms  18 ,  20  may comprise an inboard arm portion  26  and an outboard arm portion  28 . The inboard arm portion  26  may be located toward the inboard end  22  of the grapple arm, and the outboard arm portion may be located toward the outboard end  24  of the grapple arm. in some embodiments, the inboard arm portion  22  may be elongated along a first axis and the outboard arm portion  24  may be elongated along a second axis. The second axis may be oriented at a non-zero angle to the first axis, and the angle may measure between approximately 75 degrees and approximately 150 degrees. 
     The grapple assembly  12  may also include an outboard actuator mount  30  mounted on one of the inboard  26  and outboard  28  arm portions of the grapple arm, and in some of the most preferred embodiments is mounted on the outboard arm portion  28 . The outboard actuator mount  30  may extend away from the axis of the elongated outboard arm portion, and may extend away from the bucket when the apparatus is mounted on the bucket. 
     The grapple assembly may further include a grapple fork  32  that is mounted on at least one of the grapple arms  18 ,  20 , and may be mounted on and join the pair of grapple arms together. The grapple fork  32  may be mounted on the outboard arm portions  28  of the grapple arms  18 ,  20 , and may be located toward the outboard ends  22 . In some embodiments, the grapple fork  32  may comprise a joiner bar  34  mounted on the outboard arm portions  28  of the pair of grapple arms, and the joiner bar  34  may extend generally transversely to the grapple arms. The grapple fork  32  may further comprise at least one prong  36  mounted on the joiner bar, and may include a plurality of the prongs. The prongs  36  may extend forwardly from the joiner bar  34 , and may each have a base end and a free end. The width of each of the prongs may taper smaller toward the free end of the prong for added gripping ability. 
     The mounting assembly  14  may be configured to removably mount the grapple assembly  12  to the loader bucket  1  when the mounting assembly is mounted on the bucket. The grapple assembly  12  may be pivotally mounted on the mounting assembly  14  to thereby permit pivot movement of the grapple assembly  12  with respect to the mounting assembly (and the bucket when the mounting assembly  14  is mounted on the bucket). The mounting assembly  14  may comprise at least one mount structure  40 , and may include a pair of the mount structures  40 ,  42  for mounting on the bucket. In some embodiments, the pair of mount structures are not connected to each other than by the grapple assembly  12  and the bucket when mounted on the bucket. 
     Each of the mount structures  40 ,  42  may comprise an arm mount  44  that is mounted on the grapple arm  18  and a base mount  46  configured for mounting on the bucket  1 . The arm mount  44  and the base mount  46  may be releasably coupled together, and one of the arm  44  and base  46  mounts may form a pocket  50  for removably receiving a portion of the other one of the arm and base mounts. In the illustrative embodiments, the base mount is depicted as forming the pocket  50  that receives a portion of the arm mount, but another or opposite configuration could be utilized. 
     The arm mount  44  of the mount structure is pivotally mounted on one of the grapple arms  18 , and may be mounted on the inboard arm portion of the grapple arm, such as at the inboard end  22 . In some embodiments, the arm mount  44  may comprise an insertion portion  52  that is configured for insertion into the pocket  50  formed by the base mount  46 . The insertion portion  52  of the arm mount may be elongated in shape, with an insertion end  54  and a mount end  56 . The arm mount  44  may further include a protrusion element  64  mounted on the insertion portion  54  and extending from the surface of the insertion portion. 
     The arm mount  44  may also include a coupling portion  58  that is mounted on the insertion portion  52 , and may be located toward the mount end  56  of the insertion portion. The coupling portion  58  may include a pair of spaced ears  60 ,  61  extending from the sides of the insertion portion  52 . The inboard arm portion  26  of the grapple arm may be pivotally mounted on the coupling portion  58  by a pin  62  that extends between the spaced ears  60 ,  61 . The arm mount  44  may also comprise an inboard actuator mount  48  that is mounted on the coupling portion  58 , and may including portions of the spaced ears  60 ,  61  of the coupling portion. 
     The base mount  46  defines the pocket  50  so that the pocket is located on the bucket when the base mount is mounted on the bucket. The pocket  50  may be oriented such that it opens in a forward direction with respect to the bucket when mounted, such that the pocket may receive the insertion portion  52  of the arm mount when the grapple assembly is to be mounted on the bucket. The pocket  50  may be positioned adjacent to, and in some preferred embodiments on, the upper wall portion  4  of the bucket. This mounting location permits adjustment of the location and orientation of the pocket  50  by adjusting the height and pivot orientation of the bucket, which is advantageous in the mounting and dismounting of the grapple assembly on the mounting assembly. 
     The base mount  46  may comprise a pocket-forming structure  66  which defines the pocket, and may also define a guide channel  68 . The guide channel  68  may be oriented in alignment with the opening of the pocket  50  for receiving the insertion portion  52  of the arm mount  44 . The pocket forming structure  66  may have a forward end  70  and a rearward end  72 , with the pocket  50  being located toward the rearward end  71  of the pocket forming structure  66 . In some embodiments, the pocket forming structure  66  may include a pair of spaced side walls  72 ,  73  which define the sides of the pocket  50 , and may also define the sides of the guide channel  68 . The pocket-forming structure  66  may further include a base wall  74  that extends between the side walls  72 ,  73 . The base  74  and side  72 ,  73  walls may extend from the rearward end  71  to the forward end  70 . The pocket-forming structure  66  may also include a top wall  76  that extends from the rearward end  71  of the pocket-forming structure  66  toward the forward end  70 , but in some embodiments the top wall  76  does not extend completely to the forward end  70  so that the side and base walls form the guide channel  68  forward of the opening of the pocket  50  and that opens upwardly. The pocket-forming structure  66  may further include a rear wall  78  that extends between the top  76 , side  72 ,  73  and base  74  walls to create a blind end at the rear of the pocket  50 . 
     The mount structures  40   42  may each further include a retaining member  80  that is removably mounted on the pocket-forming structure  66  and functions to hold the insertion portion  52  in the pocket  50  when mounted on the pocket-forming structure. The retaining member  80  may comprise a pin that is removably inserted through apertures in the side walls  72 ,  73  of the structure  66 . The apertures through which the pin  80  is inserted are suitably spaced from the base wall  74  such that the insertion portion  52  is able to be positioned below the pin  80 , but the position provides insufficient clearance for the protrusion element  64  to move under the pin  80 . By this positioning, the insertion portion  52  is able to fit in the guide channel  68  while the pin  80  is inserted, but the insertion portion is unable to slip out of the channel as the protrusion element is unable to move past the retaining pin  80 . In some embodiments. the apertures for the retaining pin  80 , the protrusion element  64 , and the rear wall  78  are configured so that the rear wall and the retaining element block forward and rearward movement of the insertion portion  52  in the channel  68 . 
     The grapple movement assembly  16  may be configured to move the grapple assembly  12  with respect to the mounting assembly  14 . The grapple movement assembly  16  may be mounted on the grapple assembly and the movement assembly, and in some embodiments the grapple movement assembly is mounted on the inboard actuator mount  48  on the arm mount  44  and the outboard actuator mount  30  on the outboard arm portion, although other mounting arrangements may be employed. The grapple movement assembly  16  may move the inboard  48  and outboard  30  actuator mounts toward and away from each other to cause pivoting of the grapple assembly with respect to the mounting assembly. The grapple movement assembly  16  may comprise at least one telescopic actuator  38  having ends mounted on the mounts  30 ,  48 , and may comprise a hydraulic ram and cylinder arrangement that is hydraulically powered by the hydraulic accessory system of the loader on which the bucket  1  is mounted. Other actuating technologies may be employed, such as, for example, a linear actuator. 
     In use, the grapple assembly  12  of the grapple apparatus  10  may be moved by use of the on-board hydraulic accessory control system of the loader by virtue of a releasably connection between hydraulic hoses of the grapple movement assembly  16  and supply hoses of the loader. The grapple assembly may be moved or pivoted between an open position in which the grapple fork  32  is moved away and upwardly from the opening  3  of the bucket, and a closed position in which the grapple fork extends across or in front of or even into the opening of the bucket  1 . To remove the grapple apparatus from the bucket  1 , the bucket may be tipped forwardly so that the grapple fork  32  and outboard arm portions  28  of the arms  18 ,  20  rest upon the ground surface. The retaining pin  80  may be removed from the apertures in the pocket-forming structure  66 , and the bucket with the base mount  46  may be moved rearwardly with respect to the grapple assembly to withdraw the insertion portion  52  of the arm mount  44  from the pocket  50  of the pocket-forming structure  66 , thereby releasing the grapple assembly from the bucket, and the bucket  1  may be used without the grapple assembly. 
     To reattach the grapple assembly to the bucket, the grapple assembly may be positioned as described above with the grapple fork resting on the ground surface. The bucket  1  may be tipped and raised (or lowered) into the proper orientation for the insertion portion to move into the channel, and then the bucket may be moved forwardly toward the grapple assembly by moving the loader forwardly. As the bucket moves forwardly, the operator may view the insertion portion and the pocket and make needed adjustments in the position and orientation of the bucket, and thus the pocket-forming structure. The guide channels of the pocket-forming structures may be aligned with the insertion portions  52  of the arm mounts  44 , so that the forward movement moves the insertion end  54  of the insertion portion into and along the guide channel  68  until the insertion end reaches the opening of the pocket  50  and enters the pocket, with the rear wall  78  of the pocket-forming structure forming a limit to the extent that the insertion portion  52  is insertable into the pocket. The retaining pin  80  may be inserted into the apertures in the pocket-forming structure  66  to interact with the protrusion element  64  to prevent withdrawal of the insertion portion  52  from the pocket  50 . 
     Advantageously, the grapple apparatus  10  may be implemented on a conventional loader bucket without the bucket having to be manufactured or produced together with the grapple apparatus. The grapple apparatus may thus be used on wide variety of bucket sizes, designs, configurations, by simply attaching the base mount  46  to the bucket, such as by mounting on an upper wall portion of the bucket. The grapple assembly is then easily mounted on and dismounted from the base mount and the bucket as needed. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the claims.