Grapple carriage

The combination of a carriage and grapple for picking up and transporting logs along a path of a skyline, comprising:

• a plurality of carriage rollers for rotatably mounting the carriage to the skyline;
• a first hydraulic pump including a first rotatable member that rotates to generate hydraulic pressure as the carriage rolls along the skyline;
• at least one accumulator hydraulically connected to the first hydraulic pump to receive hydraulic pressure and store that pressure;
• a first alternator including a second rotatable member that rotates to generate electricity as the carriage rolls along the skyline;
• a battery electrically connected to the first alternator to store electricity generated by the first alternator;
• a grapple that can be closed and opened to grasp and release at least one log;
• a hydraulic ram mounted to selectively open and close the grapple, the hydraulic ram being hydraulically connected to the at least one accumulator or being electrically connected to the battery, and
• a third rotatable member that is rotated by a skidline as the skidline operates to raises and lower the grapple, wherein the third rotatable member drives a second hydraulic pump or a second alternator or both.

A method of operating a logging system, not necessarily in the order recited, comprising:

• providing a yarder comprising a first winch and a second winch positioned near a landing;
• attaching a skyline to the yarder at a first end and to a securing support at a second end;
• providing a carriage for rolling on the skyline;
• providing a grapple suspended below the carriage, the grapple being adjustable between open and closed positions by the operation of a hydraulic grapple ram;
• providing a hydraulic pump in the carriage for generating hydraulic pressure;
• providing a skidline connected to the second winch at a first end and to the carriage at a second end, wherein the skidline is directed through the carriage and provides power for the hydraulic pump as it passes through the carriage;
• providing at least one accumulator hydraulically interconnected with the hydraulic pump to receive and store hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump;
• providing a grapple position control ram hydraulically interconnected with the at least one accumulator to selectively close the grapple to grasp one or more logs;
• providing a grapple position control valve disposed between the at least one accumulator and the grapple position control ram;
• and
• when the grapple is positioned over one or more logs to be picked up, opening the grapple position control valve to send hydraulic pressure to the grapple position control ram to close the grapple on the one or more logs.