Scrap and timber grapples
Several tines meet at the centre and close around the load.
Where a grab
squeezes between two jaws, the grapple wraps around — that is what lets it
pick up loose material.
Other names for this family: scrap grapple, forestry grapple, timber grapple, grapple bucket, crocodile bucket, crocodile grapple, clamshell bucket, log grab, multi-purpose grapple.
- Family
- Sorting and gripping
- Classes (t)
- 1.5 to 100 t
- Coupler
- We calculate it with you for your machine
- Power source
- Hydraulic — flow and pressure: we calculate it with you for your machine
- Rotation
- Depending on the model
What they are for
Right: the grapple bucket digs, loads and grips with the same tool.
What sets them apart:
they close on a volume, without trying to separate the elements that make it up.
Computer-generated image.
the thumb closes the bucket over the debris, like a hand.
It digs, loads and grabs with the same tool.
Photo:
Win Henderson (FEMA), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, resized, face blurred, brand removed.
The grapple takes what is in a heap:
scrap in bulk, logs,
branches, unsorted rubble.
Its claws penetrate the mass and close on a
volume, without trying to separate the elements.
The grapple bucket is a useful variant:
a classic bucket topped by a grab.
It digs, loads and grips — three functions on a single tool.
On a single
machine, it avoids a tool change and a place on the lorry.
Grapple or sorting grab? The grapple takes bulk fast.
The
grab separates heterogeneous materials to build up distinct skips.
On a mixed demolition site, it is the grab; on timber or
scrap in a heap, it is the grapple.
See the sorting grab.
| Type | Carrier class | Detail recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Crocodile grapple bucket | 1.5 to 5 t | Forged teeth |
| Grapple bucket | 3 to 45 t | Two independent claws |
| Grapple bucket, wide range | 2 to 50 t | Handling and rock armour |
| Forestry timber grapple | 2 to 35 t | Capacity 160 to 570 L, opening 1,000 to 1,500 mm |
These ranges are commercial product lines, not compatibilities
machine by machine. The same model announced as “2 to 50 tonnes” comes
in several sizes:
the range describes the family, not the tool you
will receive.
That is precisely what the study establishes.
On which machine?
They exist for machines from 1,5 to 68 t.
For example, on a 2 to 5 t mini-excavator, the weight is generally from 126 to 460 kg.
They fit on any quick coupler, or directly on the pins.
What the tool does
They are used to sort and grip scrap metal or timber.
For example, on a 2 to 5 t mini-excavator: maximum opening from 463 to 850 mm.
Depending on the model, they turn hydraulically; a rotating version through 360° also exists.
What is needed on the hydraulic side
They need one hydraulic function for clamping, a second for rotation, and a free return to tank.
It generally needs from 30 to 200 l/min, at a pressure from 220 to 350 bar, depending on the size of the machine.
On a mini-excavator, the flow and the pressure: we calculate them with you for your machine.
Figures taken from 15 models on the market.
Your study sets the exact value for your machine.
Have your machine checked.
Give us your excavator model, the material to be taken and the diameter of the largest
pieces.
If you load lorries in series, say so:
the rotation
becomes decisive.
- Your machine Its make and its tonnage.
- The auxiliary circuit Its flow in l/min, its pressure in bar, single- or double-acting.
- The coupler in place Its system and its class.
- The work The use, and the material.
Without these details, the study still begins: we will ask you for them.
Or call 01 84 16 55 49 · our lines are open 7 days a week, from 7h to 22h.
Written study within 3 working days, once the file is complete.
The claws work by closing:
the auxiliary hydraulic line is not an option here. Synthetic image.
What determines the choice
- 01 — The material to be taken Scrap, timber, rubble or rock armour impose neither the same number of claws, nor the same profile, nor the same grade of steel.
-
02 — The opening
It must accept the real diameter of the largest pieces.
Openings recorded go from 1,000 to 1,500 mm on forestry grapples. -
03 — The number of claws
Two independent claws squeeze hard on long pieces.
A larger number of claws holds fine bulk better. -
04 — The rotation
It makes it possible to orient the load before setting it down.
On loading lorries in series, it changes the output — and it calls for a second hydraulic function.
What is checked before ordering
- The number of hydraulic functions One for the squeezing, a second for the rotation if it is chosen.
-
The free return to tank
Essential as soon as a rotation motor is involved.
The section is checked. -
The weight in relation to the loading reach
Loading is often done at the end of the arm, above a skip.
That is where the load chart counts. -
Use in lifting, if it is envisaged
Gripping is not lifting.
If the load has to be slung or moved at height, the lifting regulations apply. See the lifting rules. - The interface Coupler type and size, or pin dimensions.
- Family
- Sorting and gripping
- Compatibility
- The seven criteria in detail →