Patent ID: 6857843

Claim:
An assembly mountable on the boom of a machine for selectively performing excavating and grappling functions, comprising: a dipper stick operatively connectable to said boom; a bucket pivotally connected to an end of said dipper stick, having a material receiving opening; means operatively interconnecting said dipper stick and said bucket for curling and uncurling said bucket; an arm member pivotally connected to an underside of said dipper stick, depending freely therefrom, and swingable in a substantially vertical plane and having a length sufficient to be received within said opening of said bucket when said bucket is curled as in performing an excavating function; and a chain connected at one end to said underside of said dipper stick and at another end thereof to said arm member; whereby when said assembly is operated in a grappling mode, objects may be grappled by maneuvering said chain in an extended condition against a side of an object and then curling said bucket to seize said object between said chain and said bucket, and when said assembly is operated in an excavating mode, the free end of said arm member may be received within said bucket opening without interfering with the entry or discharge of material thereinto or therefrom.