Swath cutting and gripping tree delimber
First Claim
1. Apparatus for removing limbs of standing trees to maintain a power line right-of-way free of tree limb interference comprisinga self-propelled vehicle having power operated ground stabilizing means,a telescoping boom,means mounting one end of the boom on said vehicle for horizontal swinging movement about an upright axis and for vertical pivoting movement,a limb cutting assembly on the opposite free end of said boom, said assembly includinga mounting structure,means mounting said mounting structure on said boom for movements about a longitudinal axis with respect to said boom,a power operated cutter having a convex cutting periphery,means mounting said cutter on said mounting structure for movement between a retracted inoperable position and an extended operative position wherein said convex cutting periphery extends longitudinally outwardly from said mounting structure and is exposed both longitudinally outwardly and transversely outwardly so as to enable the same to be moved with a transverse swath cutting action by virtue of the movements of the boom, andlimb gripping means carried by said mounting structure for movement from an inoperative position disposed longitudinally inwardly of said cutter so as to permit the swath cutting action thereof and an operative position disposed longitudinally outwardly of said cutter when the latter is in its retracted position so as to grippingly engage a limb or a group of limbs and hold the same in a position to be cut in response to the movement of the cutter from its retracted position into its extended position.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for removing limbs of standing trees to maintain a power line right-of-way free of tree limb interference comprising a self-propelled vehicle having power operated ground stabilizing support leg assemblies, a telescoping boom mounted on said vehicle for horizontal swinging movement about an upright axis and for vertical pivoting movement and a limb cutting assembly on the opposite free end of the boom. The limb cutting assembly includes a mounting structure mounted on the boom for movements about a longitudinal axis with respect to the boom, a power operated cutter having a convex cutting periphery mounted on the mounting structure for movement between a retracted inoperable position and an extended operative position wherein convex cutting periphery extends longitudinally outwardly from the mounting structure and is exposed both longitudinally outwardly and transversely outwardly so as to enable the same to be moved with a transverse swath cutting action by virtue of the movements of the boom, and limb gripping arms carried by the mounting structure for movement from an inoperative position disposed longitudinally inwardly of the cutter so as to permit the swath cutting action thereof and an operative position disposed longitudinally outwardly of the cutter when the latter is in its retracted position so as to grippingly engage a limb or a group of limbs and hold the same in a position to be cut in response to the movement of the cutter from its retracted position into its extended position.
31 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for removing limbs of standing trees to maintain a power line right-of-way free of tree limb interference comprising
a self-propelled vehicle having power operated ground stabilizing means, a telescoping boom, means mounting one end of the boom on said vehicle for horizontal swinging movement about an upright axis and for vertical pivoting movement, a limb cutting assembly on the opposite free end of said boom, said assembly including a mounting structure, means mounting said mounting structure on said boom for movements about a longitudinal axis with respect to said boom, a power operated cutter having a convex cutting periphery, means mounting said cutter on said mounting structure for movement between a retracted inoperable position and an extended operative position wherein said convex cutting periphery extends longitudinally outwardly from said mounting structure and is exposed both longitudinally outwardly and transversely outwardly so as to enable the same to be moved with a transverse swath cutting action by virtue of the movements of the boom, and limb gripping means carried by said mounting structure for movement from an inoperative position disposed longitudinally inwardly of said cutter so as to permit the swath cutting action thereof and an operative position disposed longitudinally outwardly of said cutter when the latter is in its retracted position so as to grippingly engage a limb or a group of limbs and hold the same in a position to be cut in response to the movement of the cutter from its retracted position into its extended position.
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21. A limb cutting assembly comprising a power operated cutter having a convex cutting periphery,
means mounting said cutter on said mounting structure for movement between a retracted inoperable position and an extended operative position wherein said convex cutting periphery extends longitudinally outwardly from said mounting structure and is exposed both longitudinally outwardly and transversely outwardly so as to enable the same to be moved with a transverse swath during action, and limb gripping means carried by said mounting structure for movement from an inoperative position disposed longitudinally inwardly of said cutter so as to permit the swath cutting action thereof and operative position disposed longitudinally outwardly of said cutter when the latter is in its retracted position so as to grippingly engage a limb or a group of limbs and hold the same in a position to be cut in response to the movement of the cutter from its retracted position into its extended position.
Specification