Abstract: A skyline log conveying system having a skyline for extending between two elevated supports, one at or above a landing at which logs are deposited and another at a lower position at least as low as an area from which logs are to be moved. A carriage is rollably mounted to the skyline. A grapple is suspended from the carriage, the grapple having closed and opened positions for grasping and releasing logs. A hydraulic pump is mounted to the carriage. A rotatable member is driven by the skyline with the rolling of the carriage on the skyline for driving the hydraulic pump to generate hydraulic pressure. At least one accumulator is in hydraulic communication with the hydraulic pump, the at least one accumulator capable of storing pressure when hydraulic pressure is transmitted to it by the hydraulic pump. A hydraulic ram is hydraulically interconnected with the at least one accumulator and mounted to the grapple to selectively close the grapple to facilitate the grasping of logs.

Abstract: A system includes a first cable support, a second cable support, a first cable and a second cable. The first cable is moveably mounted between the first cable support and the second cable support. The system also includes a supporting structure supported by the first cable and by the second cable, wherein the supporting structure is connected to the first moveable cable to move with the first moveable cable.

Abstract: A blondin cableway installation, comprises a pair of carrying cables extending between the two ends of the installation; a carriage provided with a lifting tackle and supported movably on the carrying cables; a lifting cable for operating the lifting tackle, extending between the two ends of the installation; an outward haulage cable for conveying the carriage along the pair of carrying cables, said outward haulage cable being connected via tackle to the carriage so as to have a pair of outward haulage sections which extend between the carriage and each end of the installation; and a plurality of cradles arranged along the pair of carrying cables and suspended from them in a stationary manner and designed to support the lifting cable and outward haulage cable, each of the cradles comprising, on each side, a pair of support rollers able to receive by means of gravity, alternately, the outward haulage cable or the lifting cable, and a corresponding pair of retaining rollers able to bias the lifting cable and ha

Abstract: A logging system including a yarder, a skyline, a towline, a carriage riding on the skyline, and a grapple depending from the carriage for grabbing logs and carrying them back to a landing. The carriage and grapple are moved along the skyline for positioning the grapple above a log(s). A remote control device for controlling the slackening and tightening of the skyline and towline, as well as the turning and opening and closing of the grapple. The towline is attached to the grapple, so that when the operator signals the tightening of the towline, the grapple closes around the log.

Abstract: The present invention involves a carriage of the type commonly used in skyline logging operations. The invention facilitates moving logs along a suspended skyline by means of a hoisting system built into the carriage comprised of a radio controlled electronics system, an internal combustion power plant, proportional controlled hydraulically driven skidline sheave, a skidline clamp and skyline clamp. A novel method of pump control keeps the internal combination engine operating within its power band. The volume output of the pump is controlled by engine RPM to adjust the pump's load on the engine. Combined operation of the various controls on the carriage, in conjunction with the controlled operations of the yarder winch at the end of the skyline result in a system well suited for efficient logging operation. The choker/setter (ground crew) and the yarder are able to remotely control the carriage operation as a team.

Abstract: A method for installing conduits on a mountain is provided. The method includes placing at least one cable longitudinally across a ridge of the mountain and installing the at least one cable on a front side and a back side of the mountain. The front and back sides of the mountain are bounded by the ridge, and the at least one cable crosses over the ridge. The cable is positioned along both the front side and the back side of the mountain. At least one conduit is moored to the at least one cable on the front side of the mountain, and at least one cable is anchored on the back side of the mountain.

Abstract: A method for installing conduits on a mountain is provided. The method includes placing at least one cable longitudinally across a ridge of the mountain and installing the at least one cable on a front side and a back side of the mountain. The front and back sides of the mountain are bounded by the ridge, and the at least one cable crosses over the ridge. The cable is positioned along both the front side and the back side of the mountain. At least one conduit is moored to the at least one cable on the front side of the mountain, and at least one cable is anchored on the back side of the mountain.

Abstract: A skyline operates on a mountain side from an upper tail-block that is positionable along a transverse cable extending between two elevated anchor points. A balloon is attached to the upper tail-block to assist in supporting the weight of the skyline cable, and also the weight of the drop line carriage mounted on the skyline.

Abstract: A cable crane system includes a main cable stretched between two points, a transverse trolley traveling along the main cable, a traction cable for driving the trolley, a bucket hung by a hanging cable, a transverse winch for driving the traction cable for driving the trolley between a transportation start position to a transportation end position, a vertical winch for retracting and extracting the hanging cable for lifting the bucket up and down, and driving means for the transverse and vertical winches.

Abstract: An all-electric radio controlled slack pulling, braking and battery recharging system for logging operations on a moutainside is disclosed. Independent battery powered slack pulling and radio and brake electrical systems are provided, together with alternators which recharge the storage batteries of the electrical system in response to movement of alternator driving sheaves along a skyline in either direction. The drop or skidline is pulled through a carriage by a electric slack puller motor connected through a torque multiplier with a line pulling sheave. Skyline and drop or skidline brakes are applied by low pressure hydraulics boosted by spring pressure and are released by higher hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: An arcuate jack is arranged to be secured to a spar for supporting a skyline over it. A carriage assembly comprises a main carriage arranged to travel on the skyline and a secondary carriage supported on the main carriage for movement between leading and trailing ends of such main carriage. A brake is operative between the main and secondary carriages to control movement of the secondary carriage on the main carriage. The secondary carriage supports a drop line for connection to a load, and a mainline is connected to the secondary carriage for pulling the carrige assembly along the skyling. A guide for the mainline is provided on the spar and is disposed below the jack in an arrangement whereby the pull on the carriage assembly from the mainline is substantially tangent to the arcuate contour of the jack at its entrance end.

Abstract: A cable clamp includes a box-like housing with opposite sidewalls, an open top and opposite end openings. A clamping mechanism within the housing includes a pair of laterally and longitudinally movable, laterally spaced inner clamping blocks with replaceable wear plates on their inner faces defining a cable passage therebetween so that a cable can pass freely longitudinally through the housing. A pair of outer wedging blocks back up the inner blocks and are laterally but not longitudinally movable within the housing. The outer blocks are spaced inwardly from the sidewalls of the housing to define wedging spaces. Longitudinally double-tapered outer faces of the inner blocks mate with complementary inner faces of the outer blocks. The outer faces of the outer blocks are vertically tapered to receive correspondingly tapered wedging surfaces of activating wedges movable vertically within the wedging spaces to drive the outer and inner blocks laterally toward the cable, causing the wear plates to grip it.

Abstract: A continuous, single line, traction driven cable transportation system, intended for logging applications but not limited thereto. The system is open, such that line can be added to it at any time, whether during rigging, or during operation. Thus, theoretically, there is no limit to the system's longitudinal or lateral distance capabilities. The carriage maintains a fixed position during lateral yarding phases of operation and the system may be tightened or loosened at will.Two modifications of the system described above; a noncontinuous, single line, traction driven cable transportation system. The modified systems contain a skidding winch on which only a fixed amount of skidding line is wound, thereby limiting the lateral skidding distance capability of the system.

Abstract: A self-locking log skidding carriage for skidding logs uphill along a skyline to a powered skidding machine. The carriage includes two freely rotatable sheaves, a first for engaging a taut skyline, and a second for rotatable engagement with a dragline commonly utilized for skidding and hauling logs from one point to another. A locking wheel is positioned between the two sheaves and is actuated by members positioned on the skyline and dragline. The first actuator member on the skyline operates the locking wheel of the carriage in response to gravitational movement of the carriage down the skyline. As the carriage engages the first actuating member, the locking wheel is moved to lock the carriage to the first actuating member and to release the dragline from a previously locked position. The dragline is then free to be pulled outward from the carriage in substantially any direction to be secured to a log or group of logs. The skidding machine may then be operated to retract the dragline over the second sheave.