US3595284A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tree harvesting method and apparatus
Assignee: A D C O Mfg CO Inc
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Filing: 1968-10-21
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Granted: 1971-07-27
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Expires: 1988-10-21
Abstract
Abstract An improved self-propelled, four-wheel tree harvester is disclosed having an improved delimber assembly mounted on its forward end, and having a gripping feedworks suspended beneath its chassis and between its wheels for pulling a felled tree through the delimber assembly. The harvester operates to shear off a standing tree at ground level in one shearing stroke. After the tree falls, the harvester straddles the trunk, grips the trunk with the feedworks and positions its delimbers about the trunk. Thereafter, the feedworks draws the felled tree through the delimber in one substantially continuous cycle of travel.
Inventors
- 👤 Adrian L Landers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:10
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G23/00; A01G23/02; A01G23/08; A01G23/083; A01G23/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
650 words
Apparatus for delimbing a fallen tree or the like, comprising drawing means for drawing said fallen tree longitudinally and generally horizontally along the surface of the earth, and cutting means for positioning on said tree at a location spaced a fixed distance forward of said drawing means and adapted for continuing close encircling engagement with the trunk of said tree as said tree is drawn progressively therethrough by said drawing means, said cutting means including a right-hand cutting means adapted to substantially closely encircle at least one-half of the circumference of said trunk of said tree at a first preselected fixed spacing forward along said tree from said drawing means, and a left-hand cutting means adapted to substantially closely encircle at least one-half of the circumference of said trunk of said tree at a second preselected fixed spacing forward along said tree from said drawing means and different from said first spacing, said right-hand and left-hand cutting means including first and second gripping arms pivotally interconnected for arcuate movement to and from each other, a first chain of knife members suspended slackly between the free traveling ends of said first and second gripping arms and adapted to be wrapped substantially closely about at least onehalf of the circumference of the trunk of said tree by said first and second gripping arms, third and fourth gripping arms pivotally interconnected for arcuate movement to and from each other, a second chain of knife members suspended slackly between the free traveling ends of said third and fourth gripping arms and adapted to be wrapped substantially closely about at least the other half of the circumference of said trunk by said third and fourth gripping arms, first actuating and positioning means for urging said first and second gripping arms together about one side of said trunk and for progressively urging said first chain of knives into increasing encirclement of said trunk as said tree is drawn longitudinally and shearingly along said knives by said drawing means, and second actuating and positioning means for urging said third and fourth gripping arms together about the other side of said trunk and for progressively urging said second chain of knives into increasing encirclement of said trunk as said tree is drawn longitudinally and shearingly along said knives by said drawing means, said knife members in said first and second chains each being provided with a cutting edge along one side wherein said cutting edges in each of said chains are arranged tangentially to the trunk of said tree and forwardly from said drawing means to shear off limbs projecting from said tree, said right-hand and left-hand cutting means further including a right-hand mounting means, first pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said first gripping arm to one end of said right-hand mounting means at a first pivot location thereon, second pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said second gripping arm to said one end of said right-hand mounting means at a second pivot location thereon spaced from said first pivot location on said right-hand mounting means, a left-hand mounting means, third pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said third gripping arm to one end of said left-hand mounting means at a first pivot location thereon, fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said fourth gripping arm to said one end of said left-hand mounting means at a second pivot location thereon spaced from said first pivot location on said left-hand mounting means, first guide member fixedly attached to the center knife in said first chain of knife members and longitudinally movable between said first and second pivot means and transversely of said first chain of knife members, and second guide member fixedly attached to the center knife in said second chain of knife members and longitudinally movable between said third and fourth pivot means and tranSversely of said second chain of knife members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
650 words
Apparatus for delimbing a fallen tree or the like, comprising drawing means for drawing said fallen tree longitudinally and generally horizontally along the surface of the earth, and cutting means for positioning on said tree at a location spaced a fixed distance forward of said drawing means and adapted for continuing close encircling engagement with the trunk of said tree as said tree is drawn progressively therethrough by said drawing means, said cutting means including a right-hand cutting means adapted to substantially closely encircle at least one-half of the circumference of said trunk of said tree at a first preselected fixed spacing forward along said tree from said drawing means, and a left-hand cutting means adapted to substantially closely encircle at least one-half of the circumference of said trunk of said tree at a second preselected fixed spacing forward along said tree from said drawing means and different from said first spacing, said right-hand and left-hand cutting means including first and second gripping arms pivotally interconnected for arcuate movement to and from each other, a first chain of knife members suspended slackly between the free traveling ends of said first and second gripping arms and adapted to be wrapped substantially closely about at least onehalf of the circumference of the trunk of said tree by said first and second gripping arms, third and fourth gripping arms pivotally interconnected for arcuate movement to and from each other, a second chain of knife members suspended slackly between the free traveling ends of said third and fourth gripping arms and adapted to be wrapped substantially closely about at least the other half of the circumference of said trunk by said third and fourth gripping arms, first actuating and positioning means for urging said first and second gripping arms together about one side of said trunk and for progressively urging said first chain of knives into increasing encirclement of said trunk as said tree is drawn longitudinally and shearingly along said knives by said drawing means, and second actuating and positioning means for urging said third and fourth gripping arms together about the other side of said trunk and for progressively urging said second chain of knives into increasing encirclement of said trunk as said tree is drawn longitudinally and shearingly along said knives by said drawing means, said knife members in said first and second chains each being provided with a cutting edge along one side wherein said cutting edges in each of said chains are arranged tangentially to the trunk of said tree and forwardly from said drawing means to shear off limbs projecting from said tree, said right-hand and left-hand cutting means further including a right-hand mounting means, first pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said first gripping arm to one end of said right-hand mounting means at a first pivot location thereon, second pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said second gripping arm to said one end of said right-hand mounting means at a second pivot location thereon spaced from said first pivot location on said right-hand mounting means, a left-hand mounting means, third pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said third gripping arm to one end of said left-hand mounting means at a first pivot location thereon, fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting one end of said fourth gripping arm to said one end of said left-hand mounting means at a second pivot location thereon spaced from said first pivot location on said left-hand mounting means, first guide member fixedly attached to the center knife in said first chain of knife members and longitudinally movable between said first and second pivot means and transversely of said first chain of knife members, and second guide member fixedly attached to the center knife in said second chain of knife members and longitudinally movable between said third and fourth pivot means and tranSversely of said second chain of knife members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
111 words
The apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said first guide member is also movable generally diametrically of said trunk of said tree in a manner functionally related to the magnitude of the diameter of said trunk adjacent said first chain of knife members and to the magnitude of the arcuate angle between said first and second gripping arms, and wherein said second guide member is also movable generally diametrically of said trunk of said tree in a manner functionally related to the magnitude of the diameter of said truck adjacent said second chain of knife members and to the magnitude of the arcuate angle between said third and fourth gripping arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
The apparatus described in claim 2, wherein said apparatus further comprises a right-hand support arm assembly having said right-hand mounting means hingedly connected at one end for horizontal arcuate movement about said one end of said right-hand support arm assembly to and from the right-hand side of the trunk of said tree, and a left-hand support arm assembly having said left-hand mounting means hingedly connected at one end for horizontal arcuate movement about said one end of said left-hand side of said trunk of said tree.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus described in claim 3, wherein said first and second pivot means are generally vertically spaced apart from each other and wherein said third and fourth pivot means are generally vertically spaced apart from each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
100 words
The apparatus described in claim 4, wherein said apparatus further comprises right-hand horizontal positioning means interconnected with said right-hand mounting means and said right-hand support arm assembly for driving said right-hand mounting means and said first and second gripping arms horizontally and arcuately as a unit about the end of said right-hand support arm assembly, and left-hand horizontal positioning means interconnected with said left-hand mounting means and said left-hand support arm assembly for driving said left-hand mounting means and said third and fourth gripping arms horizontally and arcuately as a unit about the end of said left-hand support arm assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus described in claim 5, wherein said center knife mounted on said first guide member is narrower in width than the other knife members in said first chain of knife members, and wherein said center knife mounted on said second guide member is narrower in width than the other knife members in said second chain of knife members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
The apparatus described in claim 6, wherein the two knives adjacent to and on opposite sides of said center knife mounted on said first guide member are each narrower in width than the other knife members in said first chain of knife members, and wherein the two knives adjacent to and on opposite sides of said center knife mounted on said second guide member are each narrower in width than the other knife members in said second chain of knife members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus described in claim 7, wherein said apparatus further includes right-hand vertical positioning means interconnected with said right-hand mounting means for pivotally driving said first and second gripping arms respectively about said first and second pivot means, and left-hand vertical positioning means interconnected with said left-hand mounting means for pivotally driving said third and fourth gripping arms respectively about said third and fourth pivot means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus described in claim 8, wherein said right-hand vertical positioning means comprises a first right-hand hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected at one end with said right-hand mounting means and containing a first right-hand piston rod having its free traveling end interconnected with said first and second gripping arms, and wherein said left-hand vertical positioning means comprises a first left-hand hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected at one end with said left-hand mounting means aNd containing a first left-hand piston rod having its free traveling end interconnected with said third and fourth gripping arms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
120 words
The apparatus described in claim 9, wherein said right-hand mounting means comprises a right-hand outer sleeve member hingedly interconnected with the end of said right-hand support arm assembly, and a right-hand inner sleeve member slidably disposed in said right-hand outer sleeve member and having said first and second gripping arms pivotally mounted at one end on said first and second pivot means; and wherein said left-hand mounting means also comprises a left-hand outer sleeve member hingedly interconnected with the end of said left-hand support arm assembly, and a left-hand inner sleeve member slidably disposed in said left-hand outer sleeve member and having said third and fourth gripping arms pivotally mounted at one end on said third and fourth pivot means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
A tree harvester including delimbing means having articulately coupled knife blades for circumferentially engaging the trunk of a felled tree, said delimbing means including first and second assemblies each carrying said knife blades and arranged to engage a tree trunk at longitudinally offset locations, each knife blade assembly covering an arc of at least 180* about a tree trunk and each assembly including a pair of curvilinear gripping arms, said gripping arms respectively being coupled to the ends of said articulately coupled knife blades and pivotally mounted on a housing, said knife blade assemblies being independently supported by the pivotal coupling to the ends of the gripping arms for engaging a tree trunk independently of said gripping arms during a delimbing operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
122 words
A tree harvester including delimbing means having articulately coupled knife blades for circumferentially engaging the trunk of a felled tree, said delimbing means including first and second assemblies each carrying said knife blades and arranged to engage a tree trunk at longitudinally offset locations, each knife blade assembly covering an arc of at least 180* about a tree trunk and each assembly including a pair of curvilinear gripping arms, said gripping arms respectively being coupled to the ends of said articulately coupled knife blades and pivotally mounted on a housing, said knife blade assemblies being independently supported by the pivotal coupling to the ends of the gripping arms for engaging a tree trunk independently of said gripping arms during a delimbing operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 11 and further including a guide arm slidably mounted in said housing and attached to a centrally located knife blade.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said housing includes reciprocally mounted members, said arms being pivotally mounted on one of said members, and means for moving said members relative to one another.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 11 and further including a movable vehicle, and arm means pivotally coupling said first and second assemblies to said vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said articulately coupled knife blades include hinges between each knife blade, said hinges being sized to space the cutting edge of the knife blades from the bark of the tree.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said knife blades have forward cutting edges and rearward recesses to receive said hinges and thereby provide a nearly continuous cutting surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said knife blades have perpendicularly disposed stop arms to engage forward surfaces of said gripping arms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 11 and further including means respectively coupled to each of said gripping arms for applying force to said arms.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said gripping arms are respectively comprised of pivoted arm means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said force applying means are mounted on said housing, a fixed frame slidably supporting said housing, and power means for moving said housing relative to said fixed frame.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
237 words
A tree harvester comprising a movable vehicle having a frame support mounted on forward and rearward sets of wheels, delimbing means mounted on said frame, said delimbing means including first and second support arm means pivotally coupled to said frame and spaced from one another between the front set of wheels, first and second hinge blocks respectively pivotally coupled to said first and second support arm means, means for moving said support arm means between upper and lower positions relative to said frame whereby in said lower position the arm means may be disposed on opposite sides of a felled tree, first and second housing means respectively pivotally mounted on said first and seCond hinge blocks on axes to permit rotation of the housing means in a direction transverse to the pivotal movement of the support arm means, said housing means respectively having a reciprocally mounted member, means for reciprocally moving said member relative to the housing means, a pair of curvilinear gripping arms having ends pivotally coupled to said reciprocally mounted member and arranged to permit rotation of the gripping arms in a direction transverse to the pivotal movement of the housing, articulately coupled knife blade assemblies coupled to the other ends of said gripping arms, each knife blade assembly covering an arc of at least 180*, said delimbing means being constructed and arranged so that said knife blades engage a felled tree at offset locations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
237 words
A tree harvester comprising a movable vehicle having a frame support mounted on forward and rearward sets of wheels, delimbing means mounted on said frame, said delimbing means including first and second support arm means pivotally coupled to said frame and spaced from one another between the front set of wheels, first and second hinge blocks respectively pivotally coupled to said first and second support arm means, means for moving said support arm means between upper and lower positions relative to said frame whereby in said lower position the arm means may be disposed on opposite sides of a felled tree, first and second housing means respectively pivotally mounted on said first and seCond hinge blocks on axes to permit rotation of the housing means in a direction transverse to the pivotal movement of the support arm means, said housing means respectively having a reciprocally mounted member, means for reciprocally moving said member relative to the housing means, a pair of curvilinear gripping arms having ends pivotally coupled to said reciprocally mounted member and arranged to permit rotation of the gripping arms in a direction transverse to the pivotal movement of the housing, articulately coupled knife blade assemblies coupled to the other ends of said gripping arms, each knife blade assembly covering an arc of at least 180*, said delimbing means being constructed and arranged so that said knife blades engage a felled tree at offset locations.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-26 | 1975-01-25 | 1975-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-26 | 1979-01-25 | 1979-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-26 | 1983-01-25 | 1983-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |