Grapple skidder with self-centering grapple support mechanism

Abstract

A material handling vehicle, especially a log skidder, having articulated front and rear sections and a boom mounted on the rear section which pivotally supports a material handling member such as a grapple adapted to seize the ends of logs to be moved by the skidder. The grapple hangs from the end of the boom on a self-centering mechanism which includes a plurality of first circular discs, a plurality of second circular discs interleaved therewith with the uppermost disc being fixed and interacting between discs, a plurality of spring elements which resist rotation of the grapple in either direction about the grapple turning axis tending to return it to a normally centered position relative to the centerline of the vehicle without operator assistance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.