Jib-mounted suspension device for a timber harvester

Claim 1

A suspension device for suspensing a feller processor from the end of a loader jib, comprising: universal joint means supported from the end of the loader jib; an axle having a proximal end depending from the universal joint means so as to hang freely from the loader jib, and having a distal end; a sleeve disposed on the axle spaced apart from the proximal end; a bearing supporting the sleeve from the distal end of the axle; a turning motor secured to the sleeve and operative to rotate the axle relative to the sleeve; a suspension frame secured to the sleeve at an acute angle relative to the axle and having a lower end depending downwardly therefrom; means at the lower end of the suspension frame for pivotable attachment of a feller processor which has a center of gravity spaced beyond the pivotable attachment; and operating means associated with the suspension frame and the feller processor and operative to pivot the attached feller processor either to a substantially horizontal position where the center of gravity of the feller processor is below the pivotable attachment and is approximately in line with the pivotable attachment and the swivel joint means or to a substantially vertical position where the attached feller processor is positioned to receive a tree to be cut and said center of gravity is horizontally spaced from the pivotable attachment and from the suspension frame on the side thereof opposite the turning motor; thereby causing the weight of the attached feller processor acting through the suspension frame to position the freely-hanging axle and sleeve at an acute angle to horizontal in both the horizontal and vertical positions of the feller processor, so that rotation of the axle by the turning motor causes the suspension frame and the attached feller processor to turn on substantially a vertical axis about the universal joint means while imparting only axial loading on the bearing.