Patent ID: 7785057

Claim:
In a grapple attachment for handling round modules covered in a wrapping including a fixed grapple section and a moveable grapple section having an upper rear region mounted to an upper front region of said fixed grapple section for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis between open and closed positions, and a first power actuator arrangement being coupled between said fixed and moveable grapple sections for selectively moving said moveable grapple section between said open and closed positions, the improvement comprising: a powered cutter including a cutter blade arrangement extending parallel to said axis and having a length commensurate with a length of a module adapted for being supported by said grapple attachment in a loaded position with a longitudinal axis of said module disposed parallel to said horizontal axis, with said cutter blade arrangement including a cutting edge and being mounted to said fixed grapple section for movement between a standby position, wherein said cutting edge is located outside a region occupied by said module when said module is supported by said grapple attachment in said loaded position, and a cutting position, wherein said cutting edge is directed substantially vertically relative to a tangent to a surface location of said module and located within said region occupied by said module when supported by said grapple attachment, and a second power actuator arrangement being coupled between said fixed grapple section and said cutter blade arrangement for selectively moving said cutter blade arrangement between said standby and cutting positions.