Tree harvester

Claim 2

A tree harvester comprising: a base; a buck shear mounted on said base for bucking a tree into sections; upwardly facing means for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear; an articulating boom having inner and outer arms mounted on said base; means on said outer arm for grasping a tree; downwardly facing means mounted on said boom for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear when the boom is retracted; means for extending said boom and operating said grasping means to engage a tree and for retracting the boom to retracted posiTion in which the tree is engaged by said upwardly and downwardly facing means; said upwardly and downwardly facing means together with said grasping means aligning the tree for movement through the buck shear; and means for feeding the tree through said buck shear.

Claim 3

The tree harvester of claim 1 wherein the grasping means delimbs the tree as it is moved therethrough.

Claim 4

The tree harvester of claim 1 in combination with means for swinging said grasping means in a vertical plane, a fell shear supported from the boom in one position to fell a tree and in another position after the tree has been felled in which the shear does not engage the tree as the grasping means and felled tree are swung in a vertical plane.

Claim 5

The tree harvester of claim 1 in combination with: means for swinging said grasping means in a vertical plane; a fell shear; support means including a lost motion connection supporting said fell shear from the boom; said support means and said fell shear being in an out-of-the-way position when the lost motion connection is in extended position to permit the tree to be swung in a vertical plane by the grasping means after the tree has been felled with the lost motion connection in retracted position.

Claim 6

The tree harvester of claim 1 in combination with means for swinging said grasping means in a vertical plane: a fell shear; spaced supports extending upwardly from said fell shear; and a lost motion connection between the spaced supports and boom with the plane of the supports extending perpendicular to the plane of the boom permitting the tree to be felled with the lost motion connection in retracted position and the tree to be swung in a vertical plane between the supports by the grasping means without interference from the fell shear when the boom is raised and the lost motion connection extended.

Claim 7

A tree harvester comprising: a mobile base; a buck shear mounted on said base for bucking a tree into sections; upwardly facing roller means for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear; an articulating boom having inner and outer arms mounted on said base; means on the free end of said outer arm for grasping a tree, said grasping means mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane; downwardly facing roller means mounted on said inner arm for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear when the boom is retracted; means driving at least one of said roller means to move a tree through said buck shear; power means for extending said boom and operating said grasping means to engage a tree and swing it in a vertical plane and for retracting the boom to retracted position in which the tree is engaged by said upwardly and downwardly facing roller means; and said roller means and said grasping means aligning the tree for movement through the buck shear.

Claim 8

A tree harvester comprising: a mobile base; a buck shear mounted on said base for bucking a tree into sections; upwardly facing roller means for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear; an articulating boom having inner and outer arms mounted on said base; means on the free end of said outer arm for grasping a tree, said grasping means mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane; downwardly facing roller means mounted on said inner arm for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear when the boom is retracted; means driving at least one of said roller means to move a tree through said buck shear; power means for extending said boom and operating said grasping means to engage a tree and swing it in a vertical plane and for retracting the boom to retracted position in which the tree is engaged by said upwardly and downwardly facing roller means; and said roller means and said grasping means aligning the tree for movement through the buck shear.

Claim 9

A tree harvester comprising: a base; a boom mounted on said base; means mounted on said boom for swinging movement in a vertical plane for grasping a tree; power means for swinging said grasping means; a fell shear; means supporting the fell shear from the boom in a position to fell a tree and in another position after the tree has been felled in which the shear does not engage the tree as the grasping means and felled shear are swung in a vertical plane; and said supporting means positioning the shear vertically below the butt end of the felled tree after the tree has been felled and the boom has been raised.

Claim 10

A tree harvester comprising: a base; a boom mounted on said base; means mounted on said boom for swinging movement in a vertical plane for grasping a tree; power means for swinging said grasping means; a fell shear; means supporting the fell shear from the boom in a position to fell a tree and in another position after the tree has been felled in which the shear does not engage the tree as the grasping means and felled shear are swung in a vertical plane; and said supporting means positioning the shear vertically below the butt end of the felled tree after the tree has been felled and the boom has been raised.

Claim 11

The tree harvester of claim 7 wherein a crowder is carried by the boom and urges the fell shear toward a tree in response to positioning of the grasping means in a position to grasp the tree.

Claim 12

The tree harvester of claim 7 wherein the grasping means provides means for delimbing a tree and is provided by an anvil and a pair of crank arms pivoted to opposite sides of the anvil and urged toward tree-grasping position by a fluid motor means pivoted between the arms, and means for moving a tree through the grasping means.

Claim 13

A tree harvester comprising: a base; a boom mounted on said base; means mounted on said boom for swinging movement in a vertical plane for grasping a tree; power means for swinging said grasping means; a fell shear; means supporting the fell shear from the boom in a position to fell a tree and in another position after the tree has been felled in which the shear does not engage the tree as the grasping means and felled tree are swung in a vertical plane; and said support means including a lost motion connection providing for the change in position of the shear relative to the boom.

Claim 14

A tree harvester comprising: a base; a boom mounted on said base; means mounted on said boom for swinging movement in a vertical plane for grasping a tree; power means for swinging said grasping means; a fell shear; means supporting the fell shear from the boom in a position to fell a tree and in another position after the tree has been felled in which the shear does not engage the tree as the grasping means and felled tree are swung in a vertical plane; and said support means including a lost motion connection providing for the change in position of the shear relative to the boom.

Claim 15

The tree harvester of claim 10 wherein the support means includes spaced supports and said lost motion connection is between the shear and boom with the plane of the supports extending perpendicular to the plane of the boom permitting the tree to be felled with the lost motion connection in retracted position and the tree to be swung in a vertical plane between the supports by the grasping means without interference from the fell shear when the boom is raised and the lost motion connection extended.

Claim 16

The tree harvester of claim 10 wherein the support means includes spaced supports hinged to the boom to permit movement of the supports relative to the shear in the same plane and said lost motion connection is between the shear and boom with the plane of the supports extending perpendicular to the plane of the boom permitting the tree to be felled with the lost motion connection in retracted position and the tree to be swung in a vertical plane between the supports by the grasping means without interference from the fell shear when the boom is raised and the lost motion connection extended. 13 A tree harvester comprising, a base, a boom mounted on said base, means mounted on said boom for swinging movement in a vertical plane for grasping a tree, power means for swinging said grasping means, a fell shear, means supporting the fell shear from the boom in a position to fell a tree and in another position after the tree has been felled in which the shear does not engage the tree as the grasping means and felled tree are swung in a vertical plane, wherein the fell shear includes an anvil and a shear blade with the cutting edge beveled, and an upright plate on the anvil positioned to engage the tree to resist cocking of the shear relative to the tree due to the forces acting on the beveled blade.

Claim 17

A tree harvester comprising: a mobile base; a buck shear mounted on said base for bucking a tree into sections; upwardly facing roller means for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear; an articulating boom having inner and outer arms mounted on said base; means on the free end of said outer arm for grasping a tree; said grasping means mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane; downwardly facing roller means mounted on said inner arm for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear when the boom is retracted; means driving at least one of said roller means to move a tree through said buck shear; a fell shear; support means for the fell shear including space supports and a lost motion connection between the shear and boom with the plane of the supports extending perpendicular to the plane of the boom permitting the tree to be felled with the lost motion connection in retracted position and the tree to be swung in a vertical plane between the supports by the grasping means without interference from the fell shear when the boom is raised and the lost motion connection extended; power means for extending said boom and operating said grasping means to engage a tree and after the tree has been felled for retracting the boom to retracted position in which the tree is engaged by said upwardly and said downwardly facing roller means; and said roller means and said grasping means aligning the tree for movement throuGh the buck shear.

Claim 18

A tree harvester comprising: a mobile base; a buck shear mounted on said base for bucking a tree into sections; upwardly facing roller means for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear; an articulating boom having inner and outer arms mounted on said base; means on the free end of said outer arm for grasping a tree; said grasping means mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane; downwardly facing roller means mounted on said inner arm for engaging a tree moving through said buck shear when the boom is retracted; means driving at least one of said roller means to move a tree through said buck shear; a fell shear; support means for the fell shear including space supports and a lost motion connection between the shear and boom with the plane of the supports extending perpendicular to the plane of the boom permitting the tree to be felled with the lost motion connection in retracted position and the tree to be swung in a vertical plane between the supports by the grasping means without interference from the fell shear when the boom is raised and the lost motion connection extended; power means for extending said boom and operating said grasping means to engage a tree and after the tree has been felled for retracting the boom to retracted position in which the tree is engaged by said upwardly and said downwardly facing roller means; and said roller means and said grasping means aligning the tree for movement throuGh the buck shear.