Tree harvesting method and apparatus

Claim 2

A tree harvester comprising: a self-propelled vehicle adapted to fell a standing tree and to thereafter straddLe such tree, delimbing means forwardly mounted on said vehicle for circumferentially engaging the trunk of such fallen tree, gripping means centrally suspended beneath said vehicle for straddling and gripping such fallen tree and for pulling such fallen tree through said delimbing means, said gripping means including a first flight assembly arranged generally longitudinally of and below said vehicle, a second flight assembly arranged generally longitudinally of and below said vehicle and in a spaced and side-by-side relationship to said first flight assembly, and vertical control means for raising and lowering said first and second flight assemblies, lateral control means for selectively varying the spacing between said first and second flight assemblies, and tilting means for arcuately moving said first and second flight assemblies about first and second, spaced pivot axes located in a longitudinal direction with respect to said vehicle.

Claim 3

The tree harvester described in claim 1, wherein said gripping means further includes a first engaging means interconnected with said first flight assembly for continuous movement in a generally clockwise direction, a second engaging means interconnected with second flight assembly for continuous movement in a generally counterclockwise direction, and a plurality of gripping members arranged in a spaced-apart manner on said first and second engaging means.

Claim 4

The tree harvester described in claim 2, wherein said gripping means further includes a first hydraulic driving motor means interconnected to drive said first engaging means, and a second hydraulic driving motor means interconnected to drive said second engaging means.

Claim 5

The tree harvester described in claim 3, wherein said vehicle comprises a chassis adapted to suspend said gripping means and having a pair of front wheel struts spaced apart to clear a straddled fallen tree, a pair of front wheels interconnected to said front wheel struts to raise the front wheel struts to raise the front end of said vehicle above said straddled fallen tree, a rear wheel support strut interconnected at the rear end of said chassis, and a pair of rear wheels interconnected with the ends of said rear wheel strut to raise the rear end of said vehicle above said straddled fallen tree.

Claim 6

The tree harvester described in claim 4, wherein said vehicle further comprise steering means for rotating said rear wheels pivotally at the ends of said rear wheel strut.

Claim 7

The tree harvester described in claim 5, wherein said rear wheel strut has an inverted and generally U-shaped configuration.

Claim 8

The tree harvester described in claim 6, wherein said rear wheel strut is pivotally connected to said chassis.

Claim 9

A tree harvester for felling and delimbing a tree comprising: a movable vehicle, a frame pivotally mounted on said vehicle for positioning between a lower tree-cutting position and an upper storage position, said frame including horizontally spaced frame members for reciprocally supporting a tree-engaging shear blade, and an end gate pivotally mounted on one of said frame members and connectable to said other frame member, means for delimbing a felled tree including first and second articulately coupled knife blade assemblies pivotally mounted on said vehicle for positioning between an upper storage position and a lower tree-delimbing position, said assemblies in said lower position having longitudinally offset locations and respectively covering an arc of at least 180* so as to circumferentially engage the trunk of a felled tree, and gripping means disposed on said vehicle for gripping the trunk of a felled tree and pulling a tree trunk through said delimbing means.

Claim 10

A tree harvester for felling and delimbing a tree comprising: a movable vehicle, a frame pivotally mounted on said vehicle for positioning between a lower tree-cutting position and an upper storage position, said frame including horizontally spaced frame members for reciprocally supporting a tree-engaging shear blade, and an end gate pivotally mounted on one of said frame members and connectable to said other frame member, means for delimbing a felled tree including first and second articulately coupled knife blade assemblies pivotally mounted on said vehicle for positioning between an upper storage position and a lower tree-delimbing position, said assemblies in said lower position having longitudinally offset locations and respectively covering an arc of at least 180* so as to circumferentially engage the trunk of a felled tree, and gripping means disposed on said vehicle for gripping the trunk of a felled tree and pulling a tree trunk through said delimbing means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a linkage mechanism couples said frame to said vehicle and includes means for pivotally moving said frame from a horizontal to a vertical position where said sheAr blade can top a felled, delimbed tree trunk.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said linkage means includes link members and arm members pivotally coupling the link members to said frame, said frame being pivotally coupled to said link members and power means interconnected between said link members and said frame members.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 and further including means for manipulating said knife assemblies between a plane parallel to the length of said vehicle and a transverse plane.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said end gate has a notching knife blade arranged offset with respect to said shear blade, whereby said shear blade can cut through a tree trunk above said knife blade.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said vehicle has a frame support mounted on forward and rearward sets of wheels and said frame and delimbing means are mounted between said forward set of wheels, said rearward set of wheels being pivotally mounted for steering the vehicle.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 8 and wherein said gripping means further includes a first flight feeding assembly and a second flight-feeding assembly disposed opposite one another on said vehicle, means for raising and lowering said assemblies relative to said vehicle, each of said flight assemblies having complementary arranged channel-shapped surfaces for adapting to different tree diameters, and means for moving said channel surfaces in a longitudinal direction relative to said vehicle.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15 and further including the steps of positioning the shearing blade in a vertical position and cutting off the top of such felled tree.

Claim 20

A tree harvester comprising: a vehicle having four wheels and a frame, said wheels suspending said frame relative to ground level so that said frame is adapted to be disposed above a felled tree and the forward and rearward wheels are respectively adapted to be disposed to either side of a felled tree, thereby defining a working area between the wheels, the frame and a ground level, means contained on said vehicle for self-propelling said vehicle, means coupled to said frame for felling a standing tree, said felling means being manipulatable between a position for felling a tree and a position clearing said working area, delimbing means mounted on said frame for selectively circumferentially engaging the trunk of a felled tree, spaced apart separate gripping means dependently suspended from said frame intermediate of its length, said gripping means defining a lower opening permitting positioning of said gripping means on opposite sides of a felled tree trunk, said gripping means being engageable with a felled tree trunk and movable for supporting such a felled tree trunk above the ground level a sufficient distance for operation of said delimbing means, and means for operating said gripping means to move a felled tree trunk relative to said frame.

Claim 21

A tree harvester comprising: a vehicle having four wheels and a frame, said wheels suspending said frame relative to ground level so that said frame is adapted to be disposed above a felled tree and the forward and rearward wheels are respectively adapted to be disposed to either side of a felled tree, thereby defining a working area between the wheels, the frame and a ground level, means contained on said vehicle for self-propelling said vehicle, means coupled to said frame for felling a standing tree, said felling means being manipulatable between a position for felling a tree and a position clearing said working area, delimbing means mounted on said frame for selectively circumferentially engaging the trunk of a felled tree, spaced apart separate gripping means dependently suspended from said frame intermediate of its length, said gripping means defining a lower opening permitting positioning of said gripping means on opposite sides of a felled tree trunk, said gripping means being engageable with a felled tree trunk and movable for supporting such a felled tree trunk above the ground level a sufficient distance for operation of said delimbing means, and means for operating said gripping means to move a felled tree trunk relative to said frame.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said frame has a support member mounted for vertical reciprocation relative to said frame, means for reciprocating said support member, link means for pivotally coupling said gripping means to said support member for movement of said gripping means toward and away from one another, and means for moving said link means to move said gripping means relative to one another.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said delimbing means comprises separate delimbing devices each covering at least one-half of a tree trunk, said delimbing devices being movably mounted for movement between a tree-engaging position and an open position.