Log loading contest
United States Patent [191 [451 Apr. 1, 1975 McBain [73] Assignee: Amarklndustries,1nc., Portland,  
 Oreg.  
 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 398,206  
 [52] US. Cl. 273/1 R, 35/8 R, 272/1 R, 273/130 R [51] Int. Cl. A631 9/00 [58] Field of Search 273/1 R, l E, 1 M, 130 R, 273/130 AB, 130 AC, 86 R; 272/1 B; 46/39,  
 3,721,440 3/1973 Burns 273/1 R Primary Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert L. Harrington [57] ABSTRACT A game for testing the skill of operators of log handling equipment which includes an articulated boom with 10g handling grapple positioned relative to two spaced grid areas. The grid areas are in a diamond arrangement with the squares of the grid areas being checkered, e.g., black and white sets of alternating squares, and one set of squares, e.g., the black squares, being designated as log holding squares and the other set being off limit squares. At the outset, the log holding squares of one grid are provided with log sections and the object of the game is to move the log sections from the log holding squares of one grid area to the log holding squares of the other grid area in the shortest possible time.  
 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures LOG LOADING CONTEST HISTORY AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a game for testing the skill of operators of log handling equipment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a game which tests the skills of log handling operators and to provide a contest whereby operators are able to measure their skills against one another. A further object of the invention is to provide a means for displaying the handling capability of log handling equipment and to attract the attention of potential customers and to promote and advertise such log handling equipment.  
  Very briefly, the preferred emobdiment of the present invention comprises the use of a truck mounted articulated boom with log handling grapple thereon operated by hydraulic controls. The grapple is positioned relative to two grid areas spaced equal distance from the grapple and each grid area being checkered. It will be understood that the checkered squares can be any two sets of differently designated squares as by color arranged in an alternating pattern. Hereafter such alternating squares are referred to as log holding squares and off limit squares. Whereas the two grid areas are similarly oriented, i.e., with the four sides of one being parallel to the four sides of the other, the location of the log holding squares for the one grid area is positioned to coincide with the off limit squares in the other grid area. The object of the game is to move log sections from the log holding squares of the one grid area to the log holding squares of the other grid area in the shortest time or perhaps further require a replacement of the log sections back to the log holding squares of the first grid area, thereby completing a full cycle so that the log sections are placed ready for the next contestant.  
  The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description and drawings wherein:  
  FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating the equipment and selective positions thereof for a contest in accordance with the present invention; and  
  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a log handling machine for use in the contest of FIG. 1.  
  Referring to FIG. 2, the log handling machine includes a vehicle provided with a mounting platform 12 and stabilizers 14. A log handling articulated boom 16 mounted on the platform 12 carries a grapple 18 which grapple and boom are equiped with conventional moving parts and hydraulic controls therefor. The grapple 18 can thus be maneuvered forward and back, up and down or in a side to side swinging arc. Furthermore, the grapple can be rotated about a vertical pivot and its jaws 19 can be opened and closed.  
  Referring now to FIG. 1, spaced on one side of the boom 16 is a starting grid area 20 which is separated into a checkerboard pattern of log holding squares 22 and off limit squares 24. Positioned on the other side of the boom 16 is a second grid area 26 which is also in checkerboard pattern with log holding squares 28 and off limit squares 30. The starting position for the grapple is identified at 32 and a timers table is identified at 36. Log sections about eighteen inches in diameter and two feet in length are positioned on each log holding square 22 of grid area 20 in an upright position.  
  In operation, an operator is positioned at the operators position 34 which contains the appropriate controls for the various movements of the boom sections and grapple. Upon getting a start signal from the timer at the timers table 36, the operator moves the grapple 18 to first grid area 20 and picks up one of the log sections. He then moves that log section to grid area 26 where he places the log section within one of the log holding squares 28. The operator then repeats the operation moving one at a time each log section of grid area 20 to the log holding squares of grid area 26. When all of the log sections have been moved, the operator reverses the process and moves the log sections back to the log holding squares 22 of grid area 20. Upon replacing all of the log sections back on grid area 20, he moves the grapple back to the starting position and signals the timer.  
  It is to be noted that in moving a log section from any log holding square 22 of the grid area 20 to any log holding square 28 of grid area 26, he is not able to merely swing the boom without further manipulation in order to place the log section in a designated log holding square 28. This is due to the mismatch of locations of the log holding squares in the respective grid areas, relative to the reach of the boom intentionally done to require both linear and swinging movement of the boom and thus optimum maneuvering of the grapple. It is preferred that the operators time be measured from the instant the grapple is moved from the centrally located starting position until the log sections are moved first from grid area 20 to grid area 26, then back to grid area 20 and stopping only when the grapple is returned to the starting position. The cycle is started by the timer who signals the operator to begin. The timer then notes the time until the operator signals completion, e.g., raising his hands from the controls. Penalties for misplacement of any log section is imposed by adding seconds to the noted time. The next operator then attempts to improve on this time.  
  Having thus described a specific embodiment of the invention, others skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous variations and modifications without departing from the intended scope of the invention as established by the claims appended hereto.  
 What I claim is:  
  l. A game for testing the skill of log loading operators comprising; a log loading machine having an articulated boom, a grapple carried by the boom, controls for maneuvering the grapple and boom to pick up and move log sections within the reach of the boom, and a control station from which an operator manipulates said controls; two grid areas located within the reach of the boom, each grid area having certain inner areas designated as log holding areas and other inner areas designated as off limit areas and said designated log holding areas of one grid area being mismatched with the designated log holding area of the other grid area relative to the reach of the boom to require both linear and swinging movement of the grapple in moving log sections from one grid area to the other grid area; and timing means for timing successive operators in their operation of the log loading machine used for the movement of log sections from the designated&#39;holding areas of one grid area to the designated holding areas of the other grid area.  
  2. A game for testing the skill of log loading operators which comprises; maneuvering a log loading machine having a grapple carried by an articulated boom to move log sections from various ones of designated tors in accomplishing said movement of log sections, and comparing the times of said operators to determine the operator accomplishing such performance in the fastest time.