Remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus and method

• US 5,666,792 A
• Filed: 12/30/1994
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald B. Mullins
• Original Assignee: Donald B. Mullins
• Inventors: Mullins, Donald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHACKELFORD, HEATHER CHUN
• Application Number:
  US08/366,626
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 56/10.2 A, 56/10.2 D, 56/102 F, 56/102 R, 56/DIG. 15, 460/112, 460/113, 111/903, 111/904, 172/2, 172/4.5
• US Class Current: 56/10.20A
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 56/15 Condition responsive

Abstract

A remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, having an apparatus locator system for determining the location of the apparatus and a guidance system for achieving and maintaining the desired direction of travel for the apparatus, relative to the surface of the earth and method for guiding the apparatus.

Claims

1. A remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, comprising:

a wheeled vehicle;

a hydraulic support system and a rotational power supply mounted to said vehicle;

a cutting head for cutting, chipping and clearing brush and trees, said cutting head being mounted to said hydraulic support system and engaged to said rotational power supply;

an apparatus locator means mounted to said vehicle for receiving the remote positioning data and the radio communication signals; and

a guidance means in signal communication with said apparatus locator means, for continuously reading and processing the remote positioning data and the radio communication signals to determine an instantaneous location of the vehicle relative to the surface of the earth and, in response thereto, to guide the vehicle for movement in a desired direction and to assist the vehicle in maintaining travel in the desired direction and returning the vehicle to the desired direction.

2. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 1, wherein the cutting head includes a housing, within which is secured a rotatable horizontal shaft engaged to said rotational power supply, and having a plurality of mounting discs laterally mounted to the horizontal shaft, a plurality of pivotal, U-shaped, throw-out knives mounted to the mounting discs and at least one bumper mounted to the housing to facilitate the cutting, chipping and clearing of brush and trees.

3. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 2, wherein said cutting head is vertically adjustable.

4. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 1, wherein said apparatus locator means comprises at least one first antenna for receiving the remote positioning data and at least one second antenna for receiving the radio communication signals.

5. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 1, wherein the guidance means comprises a data processor mounted to said vehicle to continuously process the remote positioning data and radio communication signals for providing navigational guidance, to guide the apparatus for movement in the desired direction.

6. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 5, wherein the data processor further comprises a central processing unit for continuously processing the remote positioning data and radio communication signals and a display means for visually conveying the remote positioning data and the desired direction to an operator.

7. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals as defined in claim 1, wherein the remote positioning data comprises a plurality of GPS network signals.

8. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals as defined in claim 7, wherein the radio communication signals comprise a plurality of differential correction signals generated from at least one GPS base station.

9. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals as defined in claim 8, wherein the apparatus locator means comprises a first GPS antenna mounted to the vehicle for receiving the plurality of GPS network signals and a second radio communication antenna for receiving the plurality of differential correction signals.

10. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 6, wherein the display means is a video display screen for displaying a current position of the vehicle relative to the surface of the earth and the desired direction of travel for the vehicle.

11. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 1, wherein said apparatus locator means comprises a first radio communication antenna mounted to the vehicle for receiving the remote positioning data transmitted by a geodetic survey system.

12. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 11, wherein said apparatus guidance means comprises a data processor mounted to said vehicle and is in signal communication with said first radio communication antenna for receiving the remote positioning data and radio communication signals.

13. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 12, wherein said data processor comprises a central processing unit to continuously process the remote positioning data and radio communication signals and a video display screen to display a current position of the apparatus relative to the surface of the earth and the desired direction of travel for the apparatus, to guide the apparatus for movement in the desired direction and to assist the vehicle in maintaining travel in the desired direction and returning the vehicle to the desired direction.

16. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 2, wherein the throw-out knives, at revolutions of at least 60 revolutions per minute, outwardly extend a sharpened U-shaped cutting edge to cut, chip and clear trees and brush.

14. A remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, comprising:

a wheeled vehicle;

a hydraulic support system and a rotational power supply mounted to said vehicle;

a vertically adjustable cutting head mounted to said hydraulic support system and said rotational power supply for cutting, chipping and clearing brush and trees, wherein the cutting head includes a housing, within which is secured a rotatable horizontal shaft engaged to said rotational power supply, and having a plurality of mounting discs laterally mounted to the horizontal shaft, a plurality of U-shaped, throw-out knives pivotally mounted on the mounting discs and at least one bumper mounted on the housing to facilitate the cutting, chipping and clearing of brush and trees;

at least one first antenna mounted to said vehicle for receiving the remote positioning data and at least one second antenna mounted to said vehicle for receiving the radio communication signals; and

a data processor means mounted to said vehicle, in signal communication with said at least one first antenna and said at least one second antenna for continuous processing of the remote positioning data and the radio signal communications for determining and displaying a current position of said vehicle, relative to the surface of the earth and also displaying the desired direction of travel for the vehicle and in response thereto, to guide the vehicle in the desired direction and to assist the vehicle in maintaining travel in the desired direction and returning the vehicle to the desired direction.

17. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 14, wherein the throw-out knives, at revolutions of at least 60 revolutions per minute, outwardly extend a sharpened U-shaped cutting edge to cut, chip and clear trees and brush.

18. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 14, further comprising an apparatus locator means including said at least one first antenna for receiving the remote positioning data and said at least one second antenna for receiving the radio communication signals.

19. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 14, wherein the data processor further comprises a central processing unit for continuously processing the remote positioning data and radio communication signals and a display means for visually conveying the remote positioning data and the desired direction to an operator.

20. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 14, wherein the remote positioning data comprises a plurality of GPS network signals.

21. The remotely guided brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, as defined in claim 19, wherein the display means is a video display screen for displaying a current position of the vehicle relative to the surface of the earth and the desired direction of travel for the vehicle.

15. A method of remotely guiding a brush cutting, chipping and clearing apparatus, dependent upon remote positioning data and radio communication signals, comprising the steps of:

receiving by an apparatus locator means, the remote positioning data and radio communication signals;

conveying the remote positioning data and radio communication signals from said apparatus locator means to a guidance means;

inputting into the guidance means, a desired direction of travel as a function of location;

continuously processing and displaying by the guidance means, the desired direction of travel, and the remote positioning data and the radio communication signals transmitted from said apparatus locator means;

instantaneously comparing by the guidance means, the present location of the vehicle to the desired direction of travel;

interpreting, by an operator, the data processed by the guidance means; and

maneuvering of the vehicle through input to the guidance means by the operator based on the interpreter data to guide the vehicle in a desired direction of travel and to maneuver the vehicle in maintaining travel in the desired direction and returning the vehicle to the desired direction of travel.