Grapple Bucket Cutting Blade Pivot Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional grapple bucket apparatuses cannot effectively cut long grappled materials, such as lumber, which can lead to transportation issues and require manual cutting with tools like chain-saws, and are unable to log standing trees.
Innovation Solution
A grapple bucket apparatus with a cutting device mounted on the bucket, featuring a cutting blade pivotally supported on the side wall, capable of cutting grappled materials while they are still grasped, and a push-cut receiving frame to support the material during cutting, allowing for efficient cutting of lumber and standing trees.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional grapple bucket apparatus is used to grapple lumber, then the lumber can be grasped and transported, but long lumber cannot be cut and may contact other objects during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting device is integrated with the grapple bucket apparatus, merging the grappling function and cutting function into a single unified system. The cutting blade is mounted on the grapple device itself, allowing the apparatus to both grasp and cut materials without requiring separate equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The grapple bucket apparatus is enhanced with multi-functionality by adding the cutting blade, enabling it to perform both grappling and cutting operations. This universal design allows the same apparatus to handle multiple tasks (grasping, transporting, and cutting lumber) that previously required separate tools.
2Productivity
If manual cutting with chain-saws is used for long lumber, then cutting can be performed, but worker burden increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation where the grapple apparatus automatically cuts the lumber it has already grasped. The cutting blade is activated by the same hydraulic system that controls the grapple members, allowing the machine to perform cutting without requiring separate manual intervention with chain-saws or other cutting tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical cutting process (using chain-saws) is replaced with a hydraulic-powered cutting blade integrated into the grapple apparatus. This substitution eliminates the need for workers to manually operate separate cutting tools, reducing physical burden and increasing efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If the cutting blade is positioned at the outside of the bucket side wall, then cutting access is improved, but the blade may contact the ground during excavation
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting blade is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be pivoted between an extended position (for cutting access) and a retracted position (for protection during excavation). The blade can be dynamically adjusted based on the operational mode - extended when cutting is needed, retracted when excavation is performed to avoid ground contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting blade is positioned in a third dimension relative to the bucket - it can extend outward perpendicular to the bucket side wall when cutting is required, then retract parallel to the bucket surface during excavation. This dimensional flexibility allows the blade to access materials without risking contact with the ground during digging operations.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A material grappled by using a grapple device can be cut in the state that the material is grappled. A cutting device cutting the material grappled by using the grapple member is mounted on one side wall portion of a bucket which is pivotable vertically with respect to an arm swung vertically and is rotatable on an axis in an extension direction of the arm, and the cutting device includes, a cutting blade which is positioned at either the outside or the inside of the side wall of the bucket and is pivotally supported on a base end portion of the open mouth portion of the bucket to be pivoted in a direction along a side wall from a position separated from an opening edge of the bucket to a position along the side wall of the bucket, the cutting blade having a cutting edge on its side edge opposed to an opening edge side of the bucket, and a hydraulic cylinder which is provided on a rear surface portion of the bucket and is connected to an arm protruding from a pivoting base portion of the cutting blade.