On Dec 30, 2:24*pm, Winston wrote:
Denis G. wrote:

(...)

If you had a skidsteer or a backhoe and wanted a specialized tool,
you'd want a grapple. *I've never seen a manual one, though. *They're
all hydraulically powered.

Armed with your suggestion, I stumbled across patent 3352589

http://www.google.com/patents?id=3TlTAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA2&dq=3352589&sourc...

That is *close* to what I need.

--Winston

Hmmm.... I looked thru some patents too and came up with this:
http://www.google.com/patents/about?...BAJ&dq=6824181
I'm not sure how well it helps you, but maybe it'll give you some
ideas to make something. You'll probably need to erect a tripod or
gantry crane over the hole to pull out the stone.