US4416311A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tree harvester
Assignee: MURDOCH LOGGING INDUSTRIES PTY Ltd
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Filing: 1980-12-01
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Granted: 1983-11-22
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Expires: 2000-12-01
Abstract
Abstract A tree harvester of the type having a grapple assembly, shear assembly and de-limbing assembly where the grapple assembly and the de-limbing assembly are mounted on respective telescopically slidable carriers. Cables connect the de-limbing assembling (or grapple assembly) to the grapple carrier (or de-limbing carrier) to move the de-limbing assembly (or grapple assembly) along its carrier at substantially the same velocity as the relative velocity between the two carriers. The grapple assembly and de-limbing assembly may delimb two tree trunks in a single operation, both tree trunks being severed by the shear assembly into logs of substantially uniform length.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew Gemmell-Murdoch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:09
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G23/00; A01G23/02; A01G23/08; A01G23/083; A01G23/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A tree harvester comprising: a de-limbing carrier: a grapple carrier slidably mouonted on said de-limbing carrier for longitudinal movement relative to said de-limbing carrier; a grapple assembly mounted on said grapple carrier for releasably gripping a tree trunk; a shear assembly for severing the tree trunk; a de-limbing assembly, movably mounted on said de-limbing carrier, for engaging releasably about the tree trunk; and moving means connected to said grapple assembly and said de-limbing assembly for simultaneously moving said grapple assembly relative to said de-limbing assembly in a direction away from, or towards, each other, said moving means including a first means for longitudinally moving said grapple carrier and grapple assembly in a first direction relative to said de-limbing carrier and a second means interconnecting said de-limbing assembly and said grapple carrier to move said de-limbing carrier as said first means moves said grapple carrier in the first direction relative to said de-limbing carrier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A tree harvester comprising: a de-limbing carrier: a grapple carrier slidably mouonted on said de-limbing carrier for longitudinal movement relative to said de-limbing carrier; a grapple assembly mounted on said grapple carrier for releasably gripping a tree trunk; a shear assembly for severing the tree trunk; a de-limbing assembly, movably mounted on said de-limbing carrier, for engaging releasably about the tree trunk; and moving means connected to said grapple assembly and said de-limbing assembly for simultaneously moving said grapple assembly relative to said de-limbing assembly in a direction away from, or towards, each other, said moving means including a first means for longitudinally moving said grapple carrier and grapple assembly in a first direction relative to said de-limbing carrier and a second means interconnecting said de-limbing assembly and said grapple carrier to move said de-limbing carrier as said first means moves said grapple carrier in the first direction relative to said de-limbing carrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second means moves the de-limbing assembly along the de-limbing carrier at substantially the same relative velocity as said relative velocity between the grapple carrier and the de-limbing carrier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said shear assembly is mounted on said grapple carrier on an opposite side of said grapple assembly to said de-limbing assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, the grapple carrier includes: at least one tubular member slidably mounted on said de-limbing carrier; and a tilting member pivotally mounted on said tubular member for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis, said grapple assembly being mounted on the tilting member; and a tiling ram connected to said tilting member to pivotally move said tilting member relative to said tubular member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 4 wherein the grapple carrier further includes: a swinging frame pivotally mounted on said tilting member for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to said horizontal axis, said grapple assembly being mounted on the swinging frame; and a swinging ram connected to said swinging frame to swing the swinging frame relative to the tilting frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
97 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the grapple assembly includes: a pair of pivotally mounted grapple arms; a rear grapple on each grapple arm; a triangular bell crank pivotally mounted on each grapple arm; a front grapple pivotally mounted on each bell crank; a first hydraulic ram interconnecting the grapple arms to move the rear grapples between an open position and a closed position; and a second hydraulic ram on each grapple arm connected to a respective bell crank to move the front grapples between an opened position and a closed position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the de-limbing carrier includes: at least one tubular member connected to support said grapple carrier; and a pair of longitudinal rails along the tubular member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 7, wherein the de-limbing assembly includes: a body mounted on rollers on said longitudinal rails; at least one pair of de-limbing blades pivotally movable on the body between an opened position to receive a tree trunk and a closed position to de-limb the tree trunk; and at least one hydraulic ram connected to said de-limbing blades to open and close the de-limbing blades.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
81 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 8, wherein: the body comprises a set of parallel, spaced plates each with a central upright between a pair of curved wings, the body being arranged to receive a pair of tree trunks substantially side by side; and the de-limbing blades are mounted on two pairs of de-limbing arms, each de-limbing arm being pivotally mounted between an adjacent pair of plates, the de-limbing assembly being arranged to simultaneously de-limb a pair of tree trunks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
107 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second means includes: a first cable and a pulley connected at one end of said de-limbing carrier, said first cable being connected at one end to one end of the de-limbing assembly, passing around said pulley and being connected at its other end to the grapple carrier; and a second cable and a second pulley connected at another end of said de-limbing carrier, said second cable being connected at one end to the other end of the de-limbing assembly, passing around said second pulley and being connected at its other end to the grapple carrier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said harvester further comprises: a chassis; a standard on said chassis, the de-limbing carrier being mounted on said standard on the chassis of the tree harvester for pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis and about a transverse axis; and at least one hydraulic ram interconnecting the chassis and the de-limbing carrier for pivotal movement about the said axes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
A tree harvester as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said harvester further comprises: a chassis; a turret mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on said chassis of said tree harvester; a boom having one end pivotally mounted to the turret for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; a hydraulic ram interconnecting the turret and the boom to raise or lower the boom, the de-limbing carrier being pivotally mounted at the other end of the boom; and a hydraulic ram interconnecting the de-limbing carrier and the boom to pivotally move the de-limbing carrier relative to the 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) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |