Skidding grapple having winch-line capability

Load-transporting apparatus with grapple mechanism and independent load-hauling line comprising, a vehicle supported for movement over the ground, a boom on said vehicle projecting outwardly from the rear thereof, a saddle mounting the base of the boom on said vehicle accommodating horizontal swinging of the boom to permit swinging of the outer end of the boom laterally of the vehicle, and vertical swinging of the boom to permit raising and lowering of the boom's outer end, grapple mechanism swingably mounted on the boom adjacent its outer end, a fairlead assembly releasably mounted atop said saddle, a winch on said vehicle forward and below said assembly, and a winch-line reeled on said winch and extending through said fairlead assembly for connection to logs or the like independent of said boom and grapple whereby said boom is adapted to serve as a counterweight to a load secured to the free end of said winch-line, said fairlead assembly including a housing having a pair of horizontally spaced-apart rollers with said winch-line passing therebetween, said spacing being sized to pass a winch-line hook between said roller, said fairlead assembly including a generally rectangular housing having an open front and rear and defined by top, bottom and side walls, said bottom wall having bolt openings alignable with bolt holes in said saddle, said saddle including a king-post for accommodating the horizontal and vertical swinging of said boom, said assembly bottom wall bolt openings being forward of said king-post.