US3812892A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tree harvester and method
Assignee: Timberjack Inc
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Filing: 1972-06-09
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Granted: 1974-05-28
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Expires: 1992-06-09
Abstract
Abstract An improved tree harvester delimbs a tree as it is being felled. The tree harvester includes a vehicle having a felling boom assembly with a gripper assembly which securely grips a lower end portion of the trunk of a standing tree and a shear assembly which is actuated to sever the trunk of the tree adjacent to the ground. The felling boom assembly is then operated to swing the trunk of the tree from the standing position along an arcuate path extending over the vehicle. As the trunk of the tree moves along the arcuate path, it is delimbed by a delimber assembly which is disposed on the outer end of a delimber boom. The delimber assembly is moved along the trunk of the tree by pivoting a section of the delimbing boom relative to the vehicle as the tree moves from the standing position toward a fallen position. The delimber assembly advantageously includes a drive wheel which engages the trunk of the tree and is rotated by a motor to at least assist in moving the delimber assembly along the trunk of the tree as the tree is felled from the standing position.
Inventors
- 👤 B Duffty
- 👤 S Jasinski
- 👤 L Wenstrup
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:10
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G23/00; A01G23/02; A01G23/08; A01G23/083; A01G23/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for felling and delimbing a tree comprising shear means for severing the trunk of a standing tree, means for effecting a feLling of the tree from a standing position to a fallen position, and delimber means cooperating with said means for effecting felling and operable to delimb the tree in a unitary substantially continuous operational step as it moves from the standing position toward the fallen position, said delimber means including delimber head means for removing branches from the trunk of a tree as said delimber head means is moved along the trunk of the tree, and delimbing boom means for moving said delimber head means along the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for felling and delimbing a tree comprising shear means for severing the trunk of a standing tree, means for effecting a feLling of the tree from a standing position to a fallen position, and delimber means cooperating with said means for effecting felling and operable to delimb the tree in a unitary substantially continuous operational step as it moves from the standing position toward the fallen position, said delimber means including delimber head means for removing branches from the trunk of a tree as said delimber head means is moved along the trunk of the tree, and delimbing boom means for moving said delimber head means along the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said delimbing boom means includes a base, a boom section having a first end portion pivotally connected with said base, said delimber head means being disposed at a second end portion of said boom section, and means for pivoting said boom section relative to said base to move said delimber head means along the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
134 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including gripper means for gripping the trunk of a standing tree, a vehicle connected with said gripper means and with said delimber means, said delimbing boom means supporting said delimber head means for movement relative to the vehicle; and means for moving said delimbing boom means and delimber head means relative to the vehicle and the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing positon toward the fallen position, said gripper means including a gripper assembly which grips the trunk of the tree as said delimbing head means moves along the trunk of the tree and gripper boom means for supporting said gripper assembly for movement relative to the vehicle as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for moving said delimbing boom means and delimber head means relative to the vehicle and trunk of the tree includes wheel means mounted on said delimbing boom means for drivingly engaging the trunk of a tree, and motor means for rotating said wheel means to move said delimber head means along the trunk of a tree.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further including bunk means connected with said vehicle for receiving delimbed tree trunks, and transfer means for transferring a delimbed tree trunk from said gripper means to said bunk means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said transfer means includes means for moving a delimbed tree trunk longitudinally out of engagement with said gripper means and sidewardly into said bunk means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for felling and delimbing a tree comprising gripper means for gripping the trunk of a standing tree; shear means for severing the trunk of a standing tree; means for effecting a felling of the tree from a standing position to a fallen position; delimber means including delimber head means for removing branches from the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing toward the fallen position; a vehicle connected with said gripper means and said delimber means, said gripper means including means for supporting the trunk of the tree for movement along a generally arcuate path extending over the vehicle as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position; and means for moving said delimber head means along the trunk of the tree from a first position adjacent said gripper means and the butt end portion of the tree trunk to a second position spaced from said gripper means and adjacent to the top end portion of the tree trunk as the tree trunk moves along the arcuate path.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for felling and delimbing a tree comprising gripper means for gripping the trunk of a standing tree; shear means for severing the trunk of a standing tree; means for effecting a felling of the tree from a standing position to a fallen position; delimber means including delimber head means for removing branches from the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing toward the fallen position; a vehicle connected with said gripper means and said delimber means, said gripper means including means for supporting the trunk of the tree for movement along a generally arcuate path extending over the vehicle as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position; and means for moving said delimber head means along the trunk of the tree from a first position adjacent said gripper means and the butt end portion of the tree trunk to a second position spaced from said gripper means and adjacent to the top end portion of the tree trunk as the tree trunk moves along the arcuate path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for moving said delimber head means along the trunk of a tree includes a delimbing boom section having an inner end portion pivotally connected with said vehicle and an outer end portion connected with said delimber head means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as set foRth in claim 7 wherein said delimbing boom section is disposed over said vehicle when said delimber head means is in the first position and is disposed outwardly of said vehicle when said delimber head means is in the second position.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for delimbing trees comprising a vehicle, means for moving the trunk of a tree from a substantially standing position to a substantially felled positon along a first arcuate path extending over said vehicle, a delimbing boom connected with the vehicle, means for moving said delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle, and delimber means connected with said delimbing boom for delimbing a tree during movement of the trunk of the tree from said standing position to said felled position along the first arcuate path and movement of said delimbing boom along the second arcuate path.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for delimbing trees comprising a vehicle, means for moving the trunk of a tree from a substantially standing position to a substantially felled positon along a first arcuate path extending over said vehicle, a delimbing boom connected with the vehicle, means for moving said delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle, and delimber means connected with said delimbing boom for delimbing a tree during movement of the trunk of the tree from said standing position to said felled position along the first arcuate path and movement of said delimbing boom along the second arcuate path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for moving the trunk of a tree along a first arcuate path includes gripper means for grippingly engaging the butt end portion of the trunk of a tree during delimbing of the tree by said delimbing means.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for delimbing trees comprising a vehicle, means for moving the trunk of a tree along a first arcuate path extending over said vehicle, a delimbing boom connected with the vehicle, means for moving said delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle, and delimber means connected with said delimbing boom for delimbing a tree during movement of the trunk of the tree along the first arcuate path and movement of said delimbing boom along the second arcuate path, said delimber means including rotatable wheel means for drivingly engaging the trunk of a tree and motor means for rotating said wheel means to move said delimber means along the trunk of a tree, and means for mounting said wheel means and motor means on an outer end portion of said delimbing boom.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for delimbing trees comprising a vehicle, means for moving the trunk of a tree along a first arcuate path extending over said vehicle, a delimbing boom connected with the vehicle, means for moving said delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle, and delimber means connected with said delimbing boom for delimbing a tree during movement of the trunk of the tree along the first arcuate path and movement of said delimbing boom along the second arcuate path, said delimber means including rotatable wheel means for drivingly engaging the trunk of a tree and motor means for rotating said wheel means to move said delimber means along the trunk of a tree, and means for mounting said wheel means and motor means on an outer end portion of said delimbing boom.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for delimbing trees comprising a vehicle, means for moving the trunk of a tree along a first arcuate path extending over said vehicle, a delimbing boom connected with the vehicle, means for moving said delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle, and delimber means connected with said delimbing boom for delimbing a tree during movement of the trunk of the tree along the first arcuate path and movement of said delimbing boom along the second arcuate path, said vehicle being an articulated vehicle having relatively movable front and rear body sections, said delimbing boom including a base section connected to said front and rear body sections of said articulated vehicle and a boom section pivotally connected to said base section.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for delimbing trees comprising a vehicle, means for moving the trunk of a tree along a first arcuate path extending over said vehicle, a delimbing boom connected with the vehicle, means for moving said delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle, and delimber means connected with said delimbing boom for delimbing a tree during movement of the trunk of the tree along the first arcuate path and movement of said delimbing boom along the second arcuate path, said vehicle being an articulated vehicle having relatively movable front and rear body sections, said delimbing boom including a base section connected to said front and rear body sections of said articulated vehicle and a boom section pivotally connected to said base section.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of felling and delimbing a tree comprising the steps of gripping the trunk of the standing tree with a gripper assembly disposed on a first boom, engaging the trunk of the tree with a delimber assembly disposed on a second boom, severing the trunk of the tree, pivoting the first boom to enable the tree to move from the standing position toward the fallen position with its trunk gripped by the gripper assembly, pivoting the second boom to enable the delimber assembly to move along the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position, and delimbing the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of felling and delimbing a tree comprising the steps of gripping the trunk of the standing tree with a gripper assembly disposed on a first boom, engaging the trunk of the tree with a delimber assembly disposed on a second boom, severing the trunk of the tree, pivoting the first boom to enable the tree to move from the standing position toward the fallen position with its trunk gripped by the gripper assembly, pivoting the second boom to enable the delimber assembly to move along the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position, and delimbing the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of felling and delimbing a tree comprising the steps of severing the trunk of a standing tree, felling the tree from a standing position to a fallen position, engaging the trunk of the tree with a rotatable wheel connected to a delimber assembly, and moving the delimber assembly along the trunk of the tree by driving the wheel with a motor to rotate the wheel relative to the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of felling and delimbing a tree comprising the steps of severing the trunk of a standing tree, felling the tree from a standing position to a fallen position, engaging the trunk of the tree with a rotatable wheel connected to a delimber assembly, and moving the delimber assembly along the trunk of the tree by driving the wheel with a motor to rotate the wheel relative to the trunk of the tree as the tree moves from the standing position toward the fallen position.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of delimbing trees comprising the steps of moving the trunk of a tree from a substantially standing position to a sUbstantially felled position along a first arcuate path extending over a vehicle, moving a delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle while the trunk of the tree is moving along the first arcuate path, and delimbing the trunk of the tree with a delimber assembly disposed on the delimbing boom as the delimbing boom moves along the second arcuate path.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of delimbing trees comprising the steps of moving the trunk of a tree from a substantially standing position to a sUbstantially felled position along a first arcuate path extending over a vehicle, moving a delimbing boom along a second arcuate path extending over the vehicle while the trunk of the tree is moving along the first arcuate path, and delimbing the trunk of the tree with a delimber assembly disposed on the delimbing boom as the delimbing boom moves along the second arcuate path.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as set forth in claim 16 further including the steps of gripping the trunk of the tree with a gripper assembly disposed on a second boom during said step of delimbing the trunk of the tree, and moving the gripper assembly with the trunk of the tree as it moves along the second arcuate path by pivoting the second boom relative to the delimbing boom.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-27 | 1977-11-26 | 1978-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-27 | 1981-11-26 | 1982-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-27 | 1985-11-26 | 1986-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |