Multiple tree harvester and method for harvesting trees

Claim 2

A multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a support frame, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being shiftable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree holding position; power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, and power operated tree severing means located generally below said arms for severing said trees which are to be accumulated.

Claim 3

A multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a support frame, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being shiftable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree holding position; power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, and power operated tree severing means located generally below said arms for severing said trees which are to be accumulated.

Claim 4

A multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a support frame, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being shiftable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree holding position; power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, and power operated tree severing means located generally below said arms for severing said trees which are to be accumulated.

Claim 5

The harvester set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means includes a hydraulically operated cylinder unit for each of said pairs of arms, and control means for individually and selectively operating each of said hydraulically operated cylinder units.

Claim 6

The harvester set forth in claim 1 wherein the power means for one of said pairs of arms is operative to hold its arms in said closed position to thereby hold a first tree, said power means for said other set of arms then being operative to open its arms to said tree receiving position and shift its arms to embrace and clamp a second tree against said one pair of arms, and then said power means for said one pair of arms is operative to shift its arms in a generally sideways position from between said first and second trees and to its said open position, whereby said power means for said other pair of arms can cause the latter to clamPingly engage both of said trees.

Claim 7

The harvester set forth in claim 2 wherein the power means for one of said pairs of arms is operative to hold its arms in said closed position to thereby hold a first tree, said power means for said other set of arms then being operative to open its arms to said tree receiving position and shift its arms to embrace and clamp a second tree against said one pair of arms, and then said power means for said one pair of arms is operative to shift its arms in a generally sideways position from between said first and second trees and to its said open position, whereby said power means for said other pair of arms can cause the latter to clampingly engage both of said trees.

Claim 8

The harvester set forth in claim 1 including an arm carrying carriage movably mounted on said support frame, one of said pairs of arms being pivotally mounted on said carriage, said power means for said one of said pairs of arms being connected between said support frame and said carriage to move the latter along with said one pair of arms, the arms of said one of said pairs of arms being generally of U-shape when viewed in plan and having laterally extending free ends and also having a cam surface, said cam surfaces abuttable against stop means on said support frame when said carriage is moved to an arm open position whereby the arm free ends move generally laterally apart from one another.

Claim 9

A mobile self-propelled multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a chassis, a power operated boom pivotally mounted on said chassis and having a free end for vertical and horizontal swinging relative to said chassis, a support frame pivotally mounted on said free end, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being movable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree position; power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, and power operated tree severing means located on and adjacent the lower end of said support frame for severing trees.

Claim 10

A mobile self-propelled multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a chassis, a power operated boom pivotally mounted on said chassis and having a free end for vertical and horizontal swinging relative to said chassis, a support frame pivotally mounted on said free end, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being movable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree position; power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, and power operated tree severing means located on and adjacent the lower end of said support frame for severing trees.

Claim 11

The harvester set forth in claim 6 further characterized in that said power means includes a hydraulically operated cylinder unit for each of said pairs of arms, and control means for individually and selectively operating each of said hydraulically operated cylinder units.

Claim 12

The harvester set forth in claim 6 wherein the power means for one of said pairs of arms is operative to hold its arms in said closed position to thereby hold a first tree, said power means for said other set of arms then being operative to open its arms to said tree receiving position and move its arms to embrace and clamp a second tree against said one pair of arms, and then said power means for said one pair of arms is operative to move its arms in a generally sideways position from between said first and second trees and to its said open position, whereby said power means for said other pair of arms can cause the latter to clampingly engage both of said trees.

Claim 13

The mobile tree harvester as described in claim 6 including a processing tower and a log storage means mounted on said chassis, said power operated boom being swingable to deliver said accumulated trees to said processing tower.

Claim 14

The mobile tree harvester as described in claim 8 including a processing tower and a log storage means mounted on said chassis, said power operated boom being swingable to deliver said accumulated trees to said processing tower.

Claim 15

The harvester set forth in claim 5 including an arm carrying carriage movably mounted on said support frame, one of said pairs of arms being movably mounted on said carriage, said power means for said one of saiD pairs of arms being connected between said support frame and said carriage to move the latter along with said one pair of arms, the arms of said one of said pairs of arms being generally of U-shape when viewed in plan and having laterally extending free ends and also having a cam surface, said cam surfaces abuttable against stop means on said support frame when said carriage is moved to an arm open position whereby the arm free ends move generally laterally apart from one another.

Claim 16

The mobile tree harvester as described in claim 11 including a processing tower and a log storage means mounted on said chassis, said power operated boom being swingable to deliver said accumulated trees to said processing tower.

Claim 17

A mobile self-propelled multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a chassis, a power operated boom pivotally mounted on said chassis and having a free end for vertical and horizontal swinging relative to said chassis, a support frame pivotally mounted on said free end, a primary individually of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being movable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree holding position; a double acting hydraulically operated cylinder unit attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, flow control means for individuall and selectively operating each of said cylinder units, and power operated tree severing means located on and adjacent the lower end of said support frame for severing trees; said cylinder unit for one of said pairs of arms being operative to hold its arms in said closed position to thereby hold a first tree, said cylinder unit for said other set of arms then being operative to open its arms to said tree receiving position and move its arms to embrace and clamp a second tree against said one pair of arms, and then said cylinder unit for said one pair of arms being operative to move its arms in generally laterally opposite directions from between said first and second trees and to its said open position, whereby said cylinder unit for said other pair of arms can cause the latter to clampingly engage both of said trees.

Claim 18

A mobile self-propelled multiple tree harvester for cutting and accumulating trees, one at a time, said harvester having a chassis, a power operated boom pivotally mounted on said chassis and having a free end for vertical and horizontal swinging relative to said chassis, a support frame pivotally mounted on said free end, a primary individually of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being movable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree holding position; a double acting hydraulically operated cylinder unit attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position, flow control means for individuall and selectively operating each of said cylinder units, and power operated tree severing means located on and adjacent the lower end of said support frame for severing trees; said cylinder unit for one of said pairs of arms being operative to hold its arms in said closed position to thereby hold a first tree, said cylinder unit for said other set of arms then being operative to open its arms to said tree receiving position and move its arms to embrace and clamp a second tree against said one pair of arms, and then said cylinder unit for said one pair of arms being operative to move its arms in generally laterally opposite directions from between said first and second trees and to its said open position, whereby said cylinder unit for said other pair of arms can cause the latter to clampingly engage both of said trees.

Claim 19

The mobile tree harvester as described in claim 13 including a processing tower and a log storage means mounted on said chassis, said power operated boom being swingable to deliver said accumulated trees to said processing tower.

Claim 20

Mechanism for a multiple tree harvester and for accumulating trees, one at a time, said mechanism including a support frame, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being movable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed tree holding position; and power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position.

Claim 21

Mechanism for a multiple tree harvester and for accumulating trees, one at a time, said mechanism including a support frame, a primary pair of arms and a secondary pair of arms movably mounted on said support frame for cooperating to gather a plurality of trees, one at a time, said pairs of arms being vertically spaced on said support and from one another; said pairs of arms being movable between an open, tree receiving position and a closed tree holding position; and power means attached to each of said pairs of arms and for selectively moving each of said pairs of arms between their open tree receiving position and their closed, tree holding position.

Claim 22

The mechanism set forth in claim 15 further characterized in that said power means includes a hydraulically operated cylinder unit for each of said pairs of arms, and control means for individually and selectively operating each of said hydraulically operated cylinder units.

Claim 23

The mechanism of claim 15 including power operated tree severing means located on and adjacent the lower end of said support frame for severing said trees which are to be accumulated.

Claim 24

The mechanism of claim 16 including power operated tree severing means located on and adjacent the lower end of said support frame for severing said trees which arE to be accumulated.