US 12,338,112 B2
Mast and grapple combination
Jason Linley, Fort St John (CA)
Filed by Jason Linley, Fort St John (CA)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/675,308.
Claims priority of application No. 3109696 (CA), filed on Feb. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0274818 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B66F 9/18 (2006.01); B66F 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC B66F 9/08 (2013.01) [B66F 9/18 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mast and grapple combination, comprising:
a mast having a first end and a second end;
a carriage that travels along the mast from the first end toward the second end;
a grapple carried by the carriage, the grapple having jaws which open and close, the grapple being mounted for rotation about a transverse axis relative to the carriage,
a jaw drive mechanism controlling the jaws, such that the jaws are movable to an open position to receive a pile and a closed position to grip the pile; and
a jaw orientation drive mechanism, to rotate the jaws about the transverse axis thereby changing the orientation of the jaws and, consequently, the orientation of the pile gripped by the jaws relative to the mast, wherein an extendible and retractable centralizer arm is positioned within a space enclosed by the jaws, a centralizer arm drive mechanism selectively extends and retracts the centralizer arm, such that the centralizer arm is extended to press the pile against the jaws, thereby centralizing the pile within the space enclosed by the jaws.