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US3556180A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for processing felled trees

Assignee: Beloit Corp
•
Filing: 1968-08-30
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Granted: 1971-01-19
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Expires: 1988-08-30
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Abstract

Abstract A grapple and delimbing head travel in opposite directions. The grapple feeds or advances a felled tree in the direction of a shear mechanism and the delimbing head moves in an opposite direction to remove the branches from the tree.

Inventors

  • 👤 James F Jones

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 04:32
CPC Classifications
B; B27; B27M; B27M1/00; A; A01; A01G; A01G23/00; A01G23/02; A01G23/095; A01G23/097; B23; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/04; B23Q7/041; B23Q7/042

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 295 words
Apparatus for processing felled trees comprising an elongated base means including a pair of spaced parallel rails forming a track, a shear mechanism located adjacent one end of said base means, a tree advancing mechanism mounted for reciprocal movement on said track in a first direction from an intermediate position toward said shear mechanism, said tree advancing mechanism including a pair of grapple jaws each pivotal about a horizontal axis, a delimbing mechanism mounted for reciprocal movement from said intermediate position in a second direction away from said shear mechanism, said delimbing mechanism including a pair of delimbing blades each pivotal about a horizontal axis, a first cylinder fixedly located alongside one of said rails having a piston rod connected to said tree advancing mechanism for propelling said tree advancing mechanism toward said shear mechanism from said intermediate position when said piston rod is extended and returning said tree advancing mechanism to said intermediate position when its piston rod is retracted, a second cylinder fixedly located alongside the other of said rails having a piston rod connected to said delimbing mechanism for propelling said delimbing mechanism in said second direction when its piston rod is extended and returning said delimbing mechanism to said intermediate position when its piston rod is retracted, and means for selectively introducing fluid under pressure into the remote ends of said cylinders to simultaneously extend both of said piston rods and to introduce fluid under pressure into the other or nearer ends of said cylinders to simultaneously retract said piston rods whereby when said piston rods are extended said mechanisms are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to perform a combined feeding and delimbing operation and when said piston rods are retracted said mechanism are simultaneously returned to their said intermediate position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 295 words
Apparatus for processing felled trees comprising an elongated base means including a pair of spaced parallel rails forming a track, a shear mechanism located adjacent one end of said base means, a tree advancing mechanism mounted for reciprocal movement on said track in a first direction from an intermediate position toward said shear mechanism, said tree advancing mechanism including a pair of grapple jaws each pivotal about a horizontal axis, a delimbing mechanism mounted for reciprocal movement from said intermediate position in a second direction away from said shear mechanism, said delimbing mechanism including a pair of delimbing blades each pivotal about a horizontal axis, a first cylinder fixedly located alongside one of said rails having a piston rod connected to said tree advancing mechanism for propelling said tree advancing mechanism toward said shear mechanism from said intermediate position when said piston rod is extended and returning said tree advancing mechanism to said intermediate position when its piston rod is retracted, a second cylinder fixedly located alongside the other of said rails having a piston rod connected to said delimbing mechanism for propelling said delimbing mechanism in said second direction when its piston rod is extended and returning said delimbing mechanism to said intermediate position when its piston rod is retracted, and means for selectively introducing fluid under pressure into the remote ends of said cylinders to simultaneously extend both of said piston rods and to introduce fluid under pressure into the other or nearer ends of said cylinders to simultaneously retract said piston rods whereby when said piston rods are extended said mechanisms are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to perform a combined feeding and delimbing operation and when said piston rods are retracted said mechanism are simultaneously returned to their said intermediate position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said last-mentioned means includes a two-position valve for directing fluid under pressure into said remote ends of said cylinders when in one position and into said other ends when in its second position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3385333A Cited
US3443611A Cited
US3398774A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1974-01-18 1974-07-20 1975-01-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1978-01-18 1978-07-20 1979-01-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1982-01-18 1982-07-20 1983-01-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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