Method and apparatus for harvesting trees

Claim 2

Apparatus for delimbing and topping a supported tree comprising, in combination: drive means connected to said apparatus for driving said apparatus along said supported tree; delimber blade means mounted on said apparatus and moveable into and out of engagement with said supported tree to remove all branches from the tree as said apparatus is driven along said tree; top shear knife means mounted on said apparatus and actuatable to remove the top portion of said tree; latching means carried by said apparatus for retaining the top shear knife means in an open position; and means carried by said apparatus for actuating said latching means to release said top shear knife means into engagement with said tree to top said tree upon movement of said apparatus to a predetermined distance along the length of said tree or in response to closing movement of said delimber blade means to a position corresponding to a predetermined diameter of said tree, whichever of these occurs first.

Claim 3

Tree harvesting apparatus comprising, in combination: a mobile vehicle; mast means mounted on said mobile vehicle; grapple means mounted at one end of said mast means and adapted to grasp, sever, and securely hold a standing tree in a position adjacent said mast means; and a delimbing and topping unit mounted for relative movement on said mast means and including drive means connected to said unit for driving said unit along said mast, a pair of delimber blades mounted on said unit and moveable into and out of engagement with the tree held by said grapple means to remove all branches from the tree as said unit is driven along said mast, a pair of top shear knives mounted on said unit and actuatable to remove the top portion of said tree, latching means carried by said apparatus for retaining the top shear knives in an open position, and means carried by said unit for actuating said latching means to release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree upon moveMent of said unit to a predetermined distance along the length of said tree or in response to closing movement of said delimber blades to a position corresponding to a predetermined diameter of said tree, whichever of these occurs first.

Claim 4

Tree harvesting apparatus comprising, in combination: a mobile vehicle; mast means mounted on said mobile vehicle; grapple means mounted at one end of said mast means and adapted to grasp, sever, and securely hold a standing tree in a position adjacent said mast means; and a delimbing and topping unit mounted for relative movement on said mast means and including drive means connected to said unit for driving said unit along said mast, a pair of delimber blades mounted on said unit and moveable into and out of engagement with the tree held by said grapple means to remove all branches from the tree as said unit is driven along said mast, a pair of top shear knives mounted on said unit and actuatable to remove the top portion of said tree, latching means carried by said apparatus for retaining the top shear knives in an open position, and means carried by said unit for actuating said latching means to release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree upon moveMent of said unit to a predetermined distance along the length of said tree or in response to closing movement of said delimber blades to a position corresponding to a predetermined diameter of said tree, whichever of these occurs first.

Claim 5

Tree harvesting apparatus comprising, in combination: a mobile vehicle; mast means mounted on said mobile vehicle and oriented in a substantially horizontal direction; felling grapple means pivotally mounted at one end of said mast means and adapted to grasp, sever, and pivot a standing tree to a substantially horizontal position overlying said mast means; transfer grapple means fixed to said mast means adjacent said felling grapple means and adapted to receive a tree from said felling grapple means and securely hold the tree in a substantially horizontal position overlying said mast means; a delimbing and topping unit mounted for relative movement on said mast means and including drive means connected to said unit for driving said unit along said mast, a pair of delimber blades mounted on said unit and moveable into and out of engagement with the tree held by said transfer grapple means to remove all branches from the tree as said unit is driven along said mast, a pair of top shear knives mounted on said unit and actuatable to remove the top portion of said tree, latching means carried by said apparatus for retaining the top shear knives in an open position, and means carried by said unit for actuating said latching means to release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree upon movement of said unit to a predetermined desired distance along the length of said tree or in response to closing movement of said delimber blades to a position corresponding to a predetermined desired diameter of said tree, whichever of these occurs first; and collection means attached to said mast means and adapted to receive a number of delimbed and topped trees to be transported with said tree harvesting apparatus.

Claim 6

Tree harvesting apparatus comprising, in combination: a mobile vehicle; mast means mounted on said mobile vehicle and oriented in a substantially horizontal direction; felling grapple means pivotally mounted at one end of said mast means and adapted to grasp, sever, and pivot a standing tree to a substantially horizontal position overlying said mast means; transfer grapple means fixed to said mast means adjacent said felling grapple means and adapted to receive a tree from said felling grapple means and securely hold the tree in a substantially horizontal position overlying said mast means; a delimbing and topping unit mounted for relative movement on said mast means and including drive means connected to said unit for driving said unit along said mast, a pair of delimber blades mounted on said unit and moveable into and out of engagement with the tree held by said transfer grapple means to remove all branches from the tree as said unit is driven along said mast, a pair of top shear knives mounted on said unit and actuatable to remove the top portion of said tree, latching means carried by said apparatus for retaining the top shear knives in an open position, and means carried by said unit for actuating said latching means to release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree upon movement of said unit to a predetermined desired distance along the length of said tree or in response to closing movement of said delimber blades to a position corresponding to a predetermined desired diameter of said tree, whichever of these occurs first; and collection means attached to said mast means and adapted to receive a number of delimbed and topped trees to be transported with said tree harvesting apparatus.

Claim 7

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said delimbing and topping unit further includes spring biasing means mounted on said unit for normally spring biasing said delimber blade into engagement with said tree.

Claim 8

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spring biasing means for each of said delimber blades comprises, in combination: a cylindrical housing mounted on said unit; a delimber blade mounting shaft keyed to one of said delimber blades for rotation therewith, said shaft mounted for rotation at one end to said unit and at the other end to said cylindrical housing; a first clutch plate positioned within said cylindrical housing and attached to said shaft for rotation therewith; a second clutch plate positioned within said cylindrical housing adjacent to said first clutch plate; said first and second clutch plates having mating grooves therein forming an annular inclined plane therebetween; a plurality of spherical balls positioned between said first and second clutch plates in the grooves therebetween; said balls combining with said grooves to translate axial movement of said second clutch relative to said cylindrical housing into rotational movement of said first clutch plate relative to said cylindrical housing; a coil spring positioned within said cylindrical housing and attached at one end to said second clutch plate; and spring actuating means positioned within said cylindrical housing and keyed to said cylindrical housing for axial movement only within said cylindrical housing, said spring actuating means attached to said coil spring and adapted to be moved axially within said cylindrical housing to compress said coil spring toward said second clutch plate to thereby cause axial movement of said second clutch plate relative to said cylindrical housing and rotational movement of the first clutch plate, delimber blade shaft, and delimber blade relative to said cylindrical housing.

Claim 9

TreE harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said delimbing and topping unit further includes a counter-balance plate integral with each of said delimber blades and rotatable therewith, at least one of said counter-balance plates having a lost motion slot formed therein.

Claim 10

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means carried by said unit to actuate said latching means includes a pin restrained for movement within the lost motion slot in one of said counter-balance plates and a rod connected at one end to said pin and at the other end to said latching means for movement with said counter-balance plate to actuate said latching means and release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree in response to closing movement of said delimber blades to a position corresponding to a predetermined desired diameter of said tree.

Claim 11

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said delimbing and topping unit further includes a counter-balance plate integral with each of said delimber blades and rotatable therewith, at least one of said counter-balance plates having a lost motion slot formed therein.

Claim 12

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means carried by said unit to actuate said latching means includes a pin restrained for movement within the lost motion slot in one of said counter-balance plates and a rod connected at one end to said pin and at the other end to said latching means for movement with said counter-balance plate to actuate said latching means and release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree in response to closing movement of said delimber blades to a position corresponding to a predetermined desired diameter of said tree.

Claim 13

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further including a first cam means positioned on said mast means at a distance from said transfer grapple means corresponding to a predetermined desired length of said tree.

Claim 14

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means carried by said unit to actuate said latching means further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted at one end to said unit, a first cam follower attached to the free end of said lever arm and adapted to engage and follow said first cam means as said unit passes over the location of said first cam means on said mast means, and a connecting arm connected at one end to said lever arm near the free end thereof and at the other end to said latching means for movement with said lever arm as said first cam follower engages and follows said first cam means to actuate said latching means and release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree at a predetermined desired length of said tree.

Claim 15

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 7 further including a first cam means positioned on said mast means at a distance from said transfer grapple means corresponding to a predetermined desired length of said tree.

Claim 16

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means carried by said unit to actuate said latching means further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted at one end to said unit, a first cam follower attached to the free end of said lever arm and adapted to engage and follow said first cam means as said unit passes over the location of said first cam means on said mast means, and a connecting arm connected at one end to said lever arm near the free end thereof and at the other end to said latching means for movement with said lever arm as said first cam follower engages and follows said first cam means to actuate said latching means and release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree at a predetermined desired length of said tree.

Claim 17

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further including a first cam means positioned on said mast means at a distance from said transfer grapple means corresponding to a predetermined dEsired length of said tree.

Claim 18

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means carried by said unit to actuate said latching means further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted at one end to said unit, a first cam follower attached to the free end of said lever arm and adapted to engage and follow said first cam means as said unit passes over the location of said first cam means on said mast means, and a connecting arm connected at one end to said lever arm near the free end thereof and at the other end to said latching means for movement with said lever arm as said first cam follower engages and follows said first cam means to actuate said latching means and release said top shear knives into engagement with said tree to top said tree at a predetermined desired length of said tree.

Claim 19

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further including a second cam means positioned on said mast means near said transfer grapple means.

Claim 20

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said delimbing and topping unit further includes opening means carried by said unit and engageable by said second cam means to move said top shear knives to an open position for re-engagement by said latching means and to overcome the force of said spring biasing means on said delimber blades to move said delimber arms to an open position upon movement of said unit along said mast means to the location of said second cam means on said mast means near said transfer grapple means.

Claim 21

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said opening means includes a circular actuating plate rotatably mounted to said unit, a second cam follower attached to said actuating plate and adapted to engage and follow said second cam means and rotate said actuating plate upon engagement with said second cam means, a pair of cables each wrapped around a portion of the circumference of said actuating plate and attached at one end thereto, said cables each being attached at their other end to said counter-balance plates for rotating said counter-balance plates and delimber arms to an open position upon engagement of said second cam follower and said second cam means, a top shear opening bar attached to said top shear knives at one end and having a lost motion slot therein at its other end, and a pin positioned for movement within said lost motion slot in top shear opening bar and attached to said actuating plate for rotation therewith, said top shear opening bar opening said top shear knives upon engagement of said second cam follower with said second cam means.

Claim 22

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said delimbing and topping unit further includes a pair of mating timing gears carried by said top shear knives to provide uniform opening and closing movement of said top shear knives.

Claim 23

Tree harvesting apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said delimbing and topping unit further includes opening means carried by said unit for moving said top shear knives and said delimber blades to an open position upon movement of said unit on said mast means to a position near said transfer grapple means.