Apparatus and method of felling and bunching trees
First Claim
1. An improved apparatus for felling and bunching trees, said apparatus being mountable by attaching means fixed with an hydraulic cylinder to the forward end of a power train having an auxiliary hydraulic power system, and comprising:
- a. an horizontally articulated upright structure having upper and lower parts pivotally joined end-to-end, said upper part being adapted to pivot rearwardly and forwardly on said lower part;
b. hydraulic cylinder means connected between said upper and lower parts of the horizontally articulated upright structure and to said auxiliary hydraulic power system for actuating said pivoting;
c. tree gripper assembly means fixed to and extending forwardly of said upper part of the horizontally articulated upright structure for gripping and releasing trees, and, in cooperation with the aforesaid upright structure bending trees rearwardly;
d. stump gripper and chain saw and sheath assembly fixed to and extending forwardly of said lower part of the horizontally articulated upright structure for anchoring said improved apparatus to a tree and cutting said tree rearwardly as it is so bent;
e. a connecting assembly mounted on said lower part of the horizontally articulated upright structure and comprising parallel uprights adapted to support an upper horizontal support bar and a lower horizontal support bar for said lower horizontal support bar to be pivotally engaged by said attaching means fixed to said power train, and for said upper horizontal support bar to be pivotally engaged by said hydraulic cylinder fixed to said power train.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Upper and lower parts of an upright structure are horizontally articulated, and the structure pivoted to a power train below the point of articulation. The axes of pivot and articulation are parallel, the upright structure being pivotable as a whole and in part past the vertical both forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the power train. The upper part comprises a tree trunk gripper longitudinally spaced from and between a pair of trunk stabilizers, and the lower part comprises a stump gripper spaced below a chain saw and sheath which are pivoted to initially engage the forward part of a tree and cut rearwardly, the cut being opened by pivoting the upper part rearwardly around the axis of articulation. All relatively movable parts are actuated by hydraulic apparatus mounted on the upright structure and connected to an auxiliary hydraulic power system of the power train. Bunching is accomplished by releasing the stump gripper from the stump of the severed tree, proceeding to a bunching area, pivoting the severed tree to a horizontal position thereover and releasing it from the trunk gripper. An hydraulic metering device triggered by a relative movement between the chain saw and its sheath permits a rapid initial engaging swing of both to be slowed to a cutting swing of the saw. The same relative movement tightens a spring connected therebetween for returning the chain saw to its sheath.
36 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An improved apparatus for felling and bunching trees, said apparatus being mountable by attaching means fixed with an hydraulic cylinder to the forward end of a power train having an auxiliary hydraulic power system, and comprising:
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a. an horizontally articulated upright structure having upper and lower parts pivotally joined end-to-end, said upper part being adapted to pivot rearwardly and forwardly on said lower part; b. hydraulic cylinder means connected between said upper and lower parts of the horizontally articulated upright structure and to said auxiliary hydraulic power system for actuating said pivoting; c. tree gripper assembly means fixed to and extending forwardly of said upper part of the horizontally articulated upright structure for gripping and releasing trees, and, in cooperation with the aforesaid upright structure bending trees rearwardly; d. stump gripper and chain saw and sheath assembly fixed to and extending forwardly of said lower part of the horizontally articulated upright structure for anchoring said improved apparatus to a tree and cutting said tree rearwardly as it is so bent; e. a connecting assembly mounted on said lower part of the horizontally articulated upright structure and comprising parallel uprights adapted to support an upper horizontal support bar and a lower horizontal support bar for said lower horizontal support bar to be pivotally engaged by said attaching means fixed to said power train, and for said upper horizontal support bar to be pivotally engaged by said hydraulic cylinder fixed to said power train. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of felling and bunching trees by means of an apparatus fixed to the forward end of a power train comprising the steps of:
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a. gripping a tree in vertically spaced stump and tree grippers having an horizontal articulation therebetween; b. stressing said tree rearward toward said power train with an hydraulic cylinder connected across said articulation; c. cutting said tree from front to rear toward said said power train and just below said articulation and above said stump gripper, thereby opening a cut made by said chain saw and eliminating binding in said cut; and d. releasing said stump gripper and swinging said cut tree horizontal around said connecting assembly and carrying said cut tree held in said tree gripper and stabilizers to a bunching area and releasing tree gripper therefrom allowing said cut tree to fall from said stabilizers.
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Specification