Tree harvester

Claim 2

A tree harvesting machine including: clamping means for gripping an upright tree adjacent its base; cutting means for severing the tree at its base below said clamping means; a prime mover for selectively moving said machine; articulating means for shifting the tree from an upright position to a substantially horizontal position about an axis of rotation normal to the longitudinal axis of the tree and located above said clamping means when the tree is in its upright position, said articulating means including a support bed pivoted to said prime mover at its upper end for rotation about said axis of rotation normal to the longitudinal centerline of said prime mover to maintain substantially vertical alignment between said tree and said longitudinal centerline of said prime mover, said support bed mounting said cutting means at its lower end and mounting said clamping means above said cutting means; and traversing means for moving said tree longitudinally of itself and said support bed after said tree has been felled, said traversing means including a plurality of gripping members selectively and drivingly engagable with said tree trunk, and power means for rotating said gripping members to selectively move said tree trunk.

Claim 3

The tree harvesting machine of claim 1 further including shifting means for selectively varying the distance between said clamping means and said cutting means.

Claim 4

The tree harvesting machine of claim 1 further including forcing means for exerting an upward force on the tree while said cutting means is severing the tree.

Claim 5

A tree harvesting machine including: clamping means for gripping an upright tree adjacent its base; cutting means for severing the tree at its base below said clamping a prime mover for selectively moving said machine; articulating means for shifting the tree from an upright position to a substantially horizontal position about an axis of rotation normal to the longitudinal axis of the tree and located above said clamping means when the tree is in its upright position, said articulating means including a support bed pivoted to said prime mover at its upper end for rotation about said axis of rotation normal to the longitudinal centerline of said prime mover to maintain substantially vertical alignment between said tree and said longitudinal centerline of said prime mover, said support bed mounting said cutting means at its lower end and mounting said clamping means above said cutting means; delimbing means engagable with a tree on said bed to delimb same; and, traversing means for moving said tree across said bed, said delimbing means fixed relative to said bed and delimbing said tree as said traversing means moves said tree across said bed.

Claim 6

A tree harvesting machine including: clamping means for gripping an upright tree adjacent its base; cutting means for severing the tree at its base below said clamping a prime mover for selectively moving said machine; articulating means for shifting the tree from an upright position to a substantially horizontal position about an axis of rotation normal to the longitudinal axis of the tree and located above said clamping means when the tree is in its upright position, said articulating means including a support bed pivoted to said prime mover at its upper end for rotation about said axis of rotation normal to the longitudinal centerline of said prime mover to maintain substantially vertical alignment between said tree and said longitudinal centerline of said prime mover, said support bed mounting said cutting means at its lower end and mounting said clamping means above said cutting means; delimbing means engagable with a tree on said bed to delimb same; and, traversing means for moving said tree across said bed, said delimbing means fixed relative to said bed and delimbing said tree as said traversing means moves said tree across said bed.

Claim 7

The tree harvesting machine of claim 4 further including topper means for selectively severing the tree adjacent said delimbing means.

Claim 8

The tree harvesting machine as set forth in claim 1 further including measuring means for measuring the amount of movement of said tree longitudinally of itself by said traversing means with respect to a fixed position on said machine.

Claim 9

The tree harvesting machine as set forth in claim 1 further including outrigger means for leveling said machine.

Claim 10

The tree harvesting machine of claim 6 wherein said fixed position is aligned with said cutting means and further including control means operatively connecting said traversing means, said measuring means and said cutting means to selectively stop the traversing of said tree in response to a prescribed amount of movement of said tree past said fixed position to activate said cutting means while the tree is so stopped to sever same in a prescribed length and to again activate said traversing mechanism to move said tree longitudinally of itself.

Claim 11

A compact tree harvesting machine for cutting trees substantially longer than said machine including: a motor vehicle movable along its longitudinal axis and having a lengTh substantially shorter than said tree to be harvested; a bed support frame mounted on said motor vehicle longitudinally fixed relative to said motor vehicle, and extending above said motor vehicle; a support bed pivotally mounted on said support frame about a single generally horizontal pivot axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle, spaced above said motor vehicle at the front end thereof, fixed longitudinally with respect to said motor vehicle and vertically aligned with a point immediately forward of the support area of said motor vehicle for movement of said bed from a generally vertical plane immediately forward of said motor vehicle to a generally horizontal plane above said motor vehicle; the remote end of said bed opposite said pivot axis being adjacent the ground when said bed is in the substantially vertical plane; and, pivot means for selectively pivoting said bed about said pivot axis.

Claim 12

A compact tree harvesting machine for cutting trees substantially longer than said machine including: a motor vehicle movable along its longitudinal axis and having a lengTh substantially shorter than said tree to be harvested; a bed support frame mounted on said motor vehicle longitudinally fixed relative to said motor vehicle, and extending above said motor vehicle; a support bed pivotally mounted on said support frame about a single generally horizontal pivot axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle, spaced above said motor vehicle at the front end thereof, fixed longitudinally with respect to said motor vehicle and vertically aligned with a point immediately forward of the support area of said motor vehicle for movement of said bed from a generally vertical plane immediately forward of said motor vehicle to a generally horizontal plane above said motor vehicle; the remote end of said bed opposite said pivot axis being adjacent the ground when said bed is in the substantially vertical plane; and, pivot means for selectively pivoting said bed about said pivot axis.

Claim 13

The tree harvesting machine of claim 9 wherein said support bed is constructed and arranged to shift the effective center of mass of said machine forward as said bed is shifted from a substantially vertical plane to a substantially horizontal plane; and further including traversing means for selectively holding and moving said tree longitudinally of itself across said support bed.

Claim 14

The compact tree harvesting machine of claim 10 further including clamping means carried by said support bed adjacent said remote end for holding a tree adjacent its base onto said bed so that as said bed is pivoted and said tree is pivoted rearwardly over said motor vehicle substantially in vertical alignment with said longitudinal axis of said vehicle, the center of mass of said machine will be shifted forwardly to offset the rearwardly shifting center of mass of said tree to maintain the combination tree-machine center of mass located over said motor vehicle.

Claim 15

The compact tree harvesting machine of claim 11 further including cutting means carried by said remote end of said bed for selectively severing said tree.

Claim 16

The compact tree harvesting machine of claim 10 further including outrigger means for selectively leveling said motor vehicle.

Claim 17

The compact tree harvesting machine of claim 11 further including outrigger means for selectively urging the front end of said motor vehicle and thus said bed upwardly to exert an upward force on said tree through said clamping mechanism.

Claim 18

The compact tree harvesting machine of claim 10 further including means for enlarging the effective support area of said machine.

Claim 19

The tree harvesting machine of claim 15 further including means for holding said tree onto said support bed and exerting an upward force on said tree before said tree is felled; cutting means for severing said tree adjacent the ground while said force is exerted thereon to fell said tree; and, traversing means for selectively moving said felled tree longitudinally of itself across said support bed.

Claim 20

The compact tree harvesting machine of claim 16 further including delimbing means for selectively delimbing said tree as said tree is moved by said traversing means.

Claim 21

The tree harvesting machine of claim 1 wherein said cutting means includes a housing, positioning means connecting said housing to said support bed for selectively varying the position of said housing relative to said bed, a pair of opposed cutting members pivotally mounted within said housing and movable out of said housing toward each other in a plane generally normal to the tree trunk, and drive means for selectively and simultaneously moving said cutting members toward each other to sever the tree trunk.

Claim 22

The tree harvesting machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein said cutting members each include a tool bar, pivotally mounted-within said housing and a chain-type saw movably carried along the periphery of said tool bar, said saw having spaced projecting teeth thereon, and said drive Means pivoting said saws toward each other until said teeth of one saw overlap the teeth of said other saw; said cutting means further including motor means for synchronously driving said saws to prevent interference of said overlapping teeth on said saws.

Claim 23

The tree harvesting machine of claim 18 wherein each of said cutting members includes a shear blade defining a cutting edge therealong, said shear blade cutting edges lying in a parallel abutting relationship when said cutting members are fully pivoted toward each other, said drive means exerting an inwardly directed force on each of said cutting members generally centered through the area of contact between said shear blade and said tree trunk.

Claim 24

The tree harvesting machine of claim 1 wherein said traversing means further includes a pair of support frames pivoted to opposite sides of said support bed and longitudinally spaced therealong for pivotal movement over said bed and said tree thereon along paths generally normal to the centerline of said support bed, each of said frames rotatably mounting one of said gripping members thereon for rotation about an axis generally normal to said tree and said power means including a drive motor drivingly connected to said gripping members for rotating said gripping members about their axes, said traversing means further including positioning means for selectively pivoting said frames about their axes.

Claim 25

The tree harvesting machine of claim 21 wherein said positioning means further includes accumulator means for constantly urging said support frames and said gripping members toward said tree trunk while allowing relative movement of said support frames toward and away from said tree trunk.

Claim 26

The tree harvesting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said delimbing means includes a plurality of movable delimbing blades selectively engagable with the tree, said delimbing means carried by said prime mover and positioned to engage said tree when said support bed is in its substantially horizontal pivotal position.

Claim 27

The tree harvesting machine of claim 10 further including delimbing means mounted on the rear end of said support frame for receiving said tree therein when said support bed is pivoted to said substantially horizontal plane and for delimbing said tree as said traversing means moves said tree.

Claim 28

The tree harvesting machine of claim 24 wherein said delimbing means includes a plurality of delimbing blades movable toward said tree in a plane substantially normal thereto when said tree is substantially horizontal and positioning means for selectively moving said blades toward and away from said tree.

Claim 29

In a tree harvesting machine including a motor vehicle base, a support frame on said base and a support bed means pivotally mounted on the forward end of said support frame for selectively gripping and supporting a tree and for moving a thusly gripped and supported tree from a substantially vertical position forwardly of said vehicle to a substantially horizontal position above said vehicle, the improvement comprising: delimbing means mounted on the rear end of said support frame, and constructed and arranged to receive said tree therein when said support bed means moves said tree thereon to said substantially horizontal position, said delimbing means spaced a fixed prescribed distance from the pivot axis of said support bed means and including: a housing mounted on said support frame and defining an upwardly facing arcuate opening therethrough adapted to receive the trunk of said tree therein when said tree is in its substantially horizontal position; a fixed delimbing blade carried by said housing and defining an upwardly projecting arcuate cutting edge, said cutting edge facing rearwardly of said machine, projecting into said opening a prescribed distance, and centered on the lower side of said opening in vertical alignment with said tree so that the trunk of said tree rests thereon when said tree is in said substantially horizOntal position; a pair of movable delimber blades movably mounted in said housing on opposite sides of said fixed blade, in a plane substantially perpendicular to the centerline of said tree in its substantially horizontal position, each of said movable blades defining an inwardly facing arcuate cutting edge facing rearwardly of said machine to co-operate with said cutting edge on said fixed blade to delimb a tree; guide means mounted on said housing and operatively associated with said movable blades to cause said movable blades to project into said opening as said blades move on said guide means along a linear path; and, positioning means for selectively moving said movable blades toward and away from each other along said guide means to cause said cutting edges of said movable blades to selectively engage the trunk of said tree and for maintaining substantially constant force on said movable blades toward the trunk of said tree while allowing limited movement of said movable blades with respect to the centerline of said tree; and, traversing means for selectively moving said tree through said delimbing means to cause said blades to delimb said tree.

Claim 30

In a tree harvesting machine including a motor vehicle base, a support frame on said base and a support bed means pivotally mounted on the forward end of said support frame for selectively gripping and supporting a tree and for moving a thusly gripped and supported tree from a substantially vertical position forwardly of said vehicle to a substantially horizontal position above said vehicle, the improvement comprising: delimbing means mounted on the rear end of said support frame, and constructed and arranged to receive said tree therein when said support bed means moves said tree thereon to said substantially horizontal position, said delimbing means spaced a fixed prescribed distance from the pivot axis of said support bed means and including: a housing mounted on said support frame and defining an upwardly facing arcuate opening therethrough adapted to receive the trunk of said tree therein when said tree is in its substantially horizontal position; a fixed delimbing blade carried by said housing and defining an upwardly projecting arcuate cutting edge, said cutting edge facing rearwardly of said machine, projecting into said opening a prescribed distance, and centered on the lower side of said opening in vertical alignment with said tree so that the trunk of said tree rests thereon when said tree is in said substantially horizOntal position; a pair of movable delimber blades movably mounted in said housing on opposite sides of said fixed blade, in a plane substantially perpendicular to the centerline of said tree in its substantially horizontal position, each of said movable blades defining an inwardly facing arcuate cutting edge facing rearwardly of said machine to co-operate with said cutting edge on said fixed blade to delimb a tree; guide means mounted on said housing and operatively associated with said movable blades to cause said movable blades to project into said opening as said blades move on said guide means along a linear path; and, positioning means for selectively moving said movable blades toward and away from each other along said guide means to cause said cutting edges of said movable blades to selectively engage the trunk of said tree and for maintaining substantially constant force on said movable blades toward the trunk of said tree while allowing limited movement of said movable blades with respect to the centerline of said tree; and, traversing means for selectively moving said tree through said delimbing means to cause said blades to delimb said tree.

Claim 31

In a tree harvesting machine including a motor vehicle base, a support frame on said base, and a support bed means pivotally mounted on the forward end of said support frame for supporting a tree and movable from a substantially vertical position forwardly of said vehicle to a substantially horizontal position above said vehicle, the improvement comprising: traversing means operatively associated with said support bed means for selectively gripping a tree on said bed means and for selectively moving said tree longitudinally of it self across said support bed means along a prescribed path, said traversing means including: idler support means rotatably mounted on said support bed means and arranged to engage the trunk of a tree to be supported on said bed means and comprising teeth means for projecting into said tree to prevent movement of said tree laterally of said support bed as said tree is moved longitudinally of itself; a first drive unit pivotally mounted on one side of said support bed for movement toward and away from the tree on said support bed through a plane substantially normal to said bed, said first drive unit comprising a first frame, first teeth means rotatably carried by said first frame for driving engaging said tree, first drive means for selectively rotating said first teeth means to drive said tree longitudinally of itself across said bed, and first positioning means for selectively pivoting said first frame toward and away from said support bed to cause said first teeth means to engage said tree; and, a second drive unit pivotally mounted on that side of said support bed opposite the side on which said first drive unit is mounted and displaced longitudinally on said support bed from said first drive unit for movement toward and away from the tree on said support bed through a plane substantially normal to said bed, said second drive unit comprising a second frame, second teeth means rotatably carried by said second frame for driving engaging said tree, second drive means for selectively rotating said second teeth means to drive said tree longitudinally of itself across said bed, and second positioning means for selectively pivoting said second frame toward and away from said support bed to cause said second teeth means to engage said tree, said idler support means and said first and second drive units being constructed and arranged to movably support said tree between said teeth means thereof.

Claim 32

In a tree harvesting machine including a motor vehicle base, a support frame on said base, and a support bed means pivotally mounted on the forward end of said support frame for supporting a tree and movable from a substantially vertical position forwardly of said vehicle to a substantially horizontal position above said vehicle, the improvement comprising: traversing means operatively associated with said support bed means for selectively gripping a tree on said bed means and for selectively moving said tree longitudinally of it self across said support bed means along a prescribed path, said traversing means including: idler support means rotatably mounted on said support bed means and arranged to engage the trunk of a tree to be supported on said bed means and comprising teeth means for projecting into said tree to prevent movement of said tree laterally of said support bed as said tree is moved longitudinally of itself; a first drive unit pivotally mounted on one side of said support bed for movement toward and away from the tree on said support bed through a plane substantially normal to said bed, said first drive unit comprising a first frame, first teeth means rotatably carried by said first frame for driving engaging said tree, first drive means for selectively rotating said first teeth means to drive said tree longitudinally of itself across said bed, and first positioning means for selectively pivoting said first frame toward and away from said support bed to cause said first teeth means to engage said tree; and, a second drive unit pivotally mounted on that side of said support bed opposite the side on which said first drive unit is mounted and displaced longitudinally on said support bed from said first drive unit for movement toward and away from the tree on said support bed through a plane substantially normal to said bed, said second drive unit comprising a second frame, second teeth means rotatably carried by said second frame for driving engaging said tree, second drive means for selectively rotating said second teeth means to drive said tree longitudinally of itself across said bed, and second positioning means for selectively pivoting said second frame toward and away from said support bed to cause said second teeth means to engage said tree, said idler support means and said first and second drive units being constructed and arranged to movably support said tree between said teeth means thereof.

Claim 33

In a tree harvesting machine as set forth in claim 27 wherein said traversing means further includes forcing control means operatively associated with said first and second positioning means for causing said first and second positioning means to exert a substantially constant force on said tree through said teeth means while allowing limited pivotal mOvement of said frames toward and away from said bed.

Claim 34

A compact tree harvester as set forth in claim 10 wherein said motor vehicle includes: a main support frame; a first ground engaging means movably carried by said support frame on one side thereof; a second ground engaging means movably carried by said support frame on the opposite side thereof; driving means operatively connected to said first and second ground engaging means for independently moving each of said means to propel said motor vehicle; and steering means operatively associated with said driving means for independently and variably controlling the speed and direction of movement of said first and second ground engaging means to steer said vehicle. second switch means mounted on the remote end of the bed for causing said pivot means to pivot the remote end of said bed toward vertical alignment with the near end of said bed upon activation of said second switch means by contact with a standing tree; and, third switch means mounted on the near end of said bed for disabling said second switch means upon activation of said second switch means by contact with the standing tree to cause said bed to align with the standing tree.

Claim 35

The machine of claim 9 further including clamping means for fixing a tree with respect to said bed and forcing means for exerting an upward force on the front end of said motor vehicle to lift said bed when said bed is in a generally vertical plane and exert an upward force on said tree.

Claim 36

The machine of claim 9 further including alignment control means comprising: first switch means for causing said pivot means to move said bed to a pivotal position so that the remote end of said bed is adjacent the ground and located forwardly of the near end of said bed;