Tree trimming apparatus

Claim 2

A tree trimming apparatus comprising in combination, an elevated support assembly including a support arm, an elongate cutter bar assembly including a cutter bar disposed in upright fashion below said support arm, multiple cutter blades slidably mounted on said cutter bar, a connector plate on each of said blades and imparting reciprocal motion to the blades, a power source and transmission for driving said cutter bar assembly, said transmission imparting reciprocal motion to the blades by means of the connector plate on each of said blades, elongate means coupling said cutter bar assembly to said support arm in a suspended manner, said cutter bar assembly additionally including attachment means located so as to receive one end of said elongate means at a point laterally offset from the cutter assembly center of gravity to cause said cutter bar assembly to be suspended inclined somewhat off the vertical for tree trimming along an inclined course, and stabilizing means on said cutter bar assembly.

Claim 3

The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said power source and said transmission are mounted on said cutter bar assembly.

Claim 4

The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said stabilizing means is a handlebar having a pair of handgrips, said handlebar asymmetrically mounted on said cutter bar assembly to permit an operator to avoid heavy contact with the tree bing trimmed, a mounting plate on said cutter bar assembly supporting said handlebar in an axially adjustable manner.

Claim 5

The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said attachment means is a plate carried by said cutter bar, said plate having at least one aperture therein offset from center of gravity of the cutter bar assembly, said elongate means terminating in attachment to said plate at the aperture therein to cause the cutter bar assembly to be supported in an uprightly inclined manner by said elongate means.

Claim 6

The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said elevated support assembly includes a back pack structure for wearby an operator, said support arm extending upwardly and thence extending forwardly from said back pack structure and terminating forwardly of the operator and thereat receiving one end of said elongate means.

Claim 7

A tree trimming apparatus comprising, an elevated support assembly including a back pack type structure for wear by an operator, a support arm carried by said back pack structure and extending upwardly therefrom and thence forwardly to project over and fowardly of the operator, elongate means suspended from said arm, a cutter bar assembly carried in upright fashion by said elongate means, attachment means receiving one end of said elongate means at a point laterally offset from the cutter bar assembly so as to cause the cutter bar assembly to be suspended slightly off the vertical for trimming along an inclined course, said cutter bar assembly including a cutter bar, multiple blades slidably carried by said cutter bar, a power source and transmission in driving engagement with said cutter bar assembly, brackets mounting said power source and transmission on said cutter bar, connector plates one each on said blades and driven by said transmission to impart reciprocal motion to said blade, said connector plates being of angular configuration, and stabilizing means for stabilizing the cutter bar assembly against displacement during a tree trimming operation.

Claim 8

A tree trimming apparatus comprising, an elevated support assembly including a back pack type structure for wear by an operator, a support arm carried by said back pack structure and extending upwardly therefrom and thence forwardly to project over and fowardly of the operator, elongate means suspended from said arm, a cutter bar assembly carried in upright fashion by said elongate means, attachment means receiving one end of said elongate means at a point laterally offset from the cutter bar assembly so as to cause the cutter bar assembly to be suspended slightly off the vertical for trimming along an inclined course, said cutter bar assembly including a cutter bar, multiple blades slidably carried by said cutter bar, a power source and transmission in driving engagement with said cutter bar assembly, brackets mounting said power source and transmission on said cutter bar, connector plates one each on said blades and driven by said transmission to impart reciprocal motion to said blade, said connector plates being of angular configuration, and stabilizing means for stabilizing the cutter bar assembly against displacement during a tree trimming operation.

Claim 9

The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 6 wherein the forwardly projecting position of said arm is canted to extend over one side of the operator's torso.

Claim 10

The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 6 wherein said attachment means is a plate defining multiple apertures for attachment of said elongated means, said apertures offset different distances from the cutter bar assembly center of gravity whereby the cutter bar assembly may be positioned at selected upright positions.

Claim 11

The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said power source is an engine in place on said elevated support assembly, said transmission including a housing, said cutter bar assembly including bracket means for mounting the transmission housing to the cutter bar assembly, a flexible drive line coupling said engine and said transmission.

Claim 12

The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 9 wherein said elevated support assembly includes a back pack having a frame, said support arm carried by and extending upwardly from the frame and thence terminating forwardly of said back pack when worn by an operator, said elongate means terminating at one end in attachment to said support arm.

Claim 13

The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 10 wherein said stabilizing means is a handlebar having end mounted handgrips for grasping by the operator to resist loads encountered during a trimming operation, said handlebar mounted intermediate its ends in an asymmetrical manner to said cutter bar assembly.

Claim 14

The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein each connector plate is of angular configuration.