Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 ' The invention pertains to a clamp for elonyated objects
which may be used on tree processors or mobile tree harvesters
and especially the t~pe referred to as tree length harvestexs ~ ~
having a felling head which shears a tree at the ground and ~ -
holds it upright and then pivots it to a horizontal position
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for delimbing and topping.
A tree length harvester of this type is disclosed in ,~
Canadian Patent 974,148 which issued to the applicant on -~
September 9, 1975. Its operation is in a sequence that permits
tO the felling head to return for a second tree while the cut tree
is~being delimbed and topped. This substantially reduces the
over-all processing time per tree and increases the productivity
of the machineO
In order to cycle the delimber while returning the
~felling head ~or a second tree, it is necessar~ to clamp the
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;~tree. But no clamp has heretofore been devised that functions ; ;~
properly on a tree length harveste~ without interfering with~
~ ~; the~simultaneous processing o~ trees.
-~ One difficulty is that the tree must be trans~erred~
~20 ~; from the felling head to~the clamp. The combined stack height
of the fel}ing head and clamp becomes a factor in permitting
the delimb~r to start out close enough to the butt end of
the tree. When it~fails to get behind all of the limbs, the
the trees must be partially delimbed by hand. To deal with
this problem, the olamp should be as narrow as possible~ The
delimber can then be started very near the upper clamp on
the ~ellin~ head when the tree is laid in its horizontal ~;
delimbing position. l'his, however, requires the clamp to be
very narrow.
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1 Another problem has been the tendancy of the delimbed
and topped tree to hang up ~fter the delimber has cleared.
~hat is, the tree is prevented from rolling laterally into -~
the storage rack after being delimhed and topped. This stops ~
the delimber from being recycled until the tree can be removed. ;
Interruptions such as this cannot be tolerated in such a high
production machine.
A compact tree clamp, especially for a tree length
harvester, has a fixed jaw and a movable jaw closing on the
fixed jaw. The fixed jaw has an arcuate tooth section. The
movable jaw is pivoted at two locations. A first pivot is on
the ixed jaw and allows the movable jaw to be partially folded
or collapsed into spaced frame sections of the fixed jaw.
When collapsed in this ~ashion, the tree is clamped in the
teeth of the fixed jaw and prevented from axial movement
by an arm of the movable jaw pivoted about a second pivot on
the opposite side of the tree axis from the firs-t pivot.
After delimbing and toppin~ the movable j aw is tilted
up about the first pivot while the arm continues to hold the
tree. This raises the butt end of the tree and shifts it
laterally toward the storage rack. The arm is pivoted abou-t
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the second pivot unclamping the tree to roll it into the
storage rack.
In the application on a horizontal tree harvester,
the clamp becomes a functional part of th~ over-all machine
when it is considered that the felling head must transfer the
tree to the clamp before delimbing can proceed and the felling
head returned for a second tree. ~ `
In such a harvester t the tree clamp serves the
unction, not only of securely clamping the tree for delimbing,
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1 but also provides the capability of simultaneous processiny -
which is Eundamental to the high productivity of this type of
harvester.
In the preferred embodiment, the movable jaw will have
its arm pivoted on an axis parallel to the delimber axis. ~-~
The entire movable jaw is also pivoted about a second or main
pivot axis on the opposite side of the delimber axis. The
first cylinder is carried on the movable jaw and is operable
to pivot the arm about its pivot axis. The second cylinder
10 extends between the spaced frame of the fixed jaw and is ;~
operable for pivoting the movable jaw about its main pivot axis.
The arm has an interior arc, which when closed; overlies and
partially encloses the tree. The movable jaw carries the .
pivoted actuating plate in such position that as the teeth
penetrate the tree, which is Eorced down from above by the arm,
the plate is automatically depressed initiating the cycle.
A~ter dellmbing and topping, the movable jaw is
pivoted about its main axis by operating the second cylinder.
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The~actuating plate remains engaged with the tree and in the
~20 ~depreYsed condition since the tree is still clamped by the arm~
of~the movable jaw. The butt end of the tree ls moved upwardly
and laterally with~respect to the delimber axis. At ths
uppermost posltion, the fLrst cylinder is extended to open
the arm of the movable jaw permitting the tree to roll down
into the storage rack. This releases the actuating plate
permitting thé second cylinder to return lowering the movable ~ `
jaw.
It is one advantage of the invention that the tree
has a dual capability. In the one case, the tree is secured
against axial movement between the fixed and movable jaws
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1 while in the other case it is grapsed and pivoted out of the ,
fixed jaw by the movable jaw. Thus a principal advantage o
the inven~ion is a clamp that functions both as an axial tree
clamp and tree ejection device for positive removal of the tree
regardless of the slope on which the machine is operated.
Another advantage for tree length harvesters is that ~;
the clamping jaws form a compact arrangement without increasing
the stack height to the detriment of the delimber operation.
A major advantage in the over-all function of a tree
length harvester is that higher productivity is achieved because
of positive ejection. The delimbed and topped tree is quickly
and positively ejected to make room for the second tree after
each delimbing and topplng cycle.
A further major advantage is the provision of an
automatic sequence control for a tree length harvester in which ~ -
the tree clamp initiates the sequence.
These and other advantages will be readily apparent by
referring to the following more detailed description wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a tree length
20 harvester on which the tree olamp is mounted.
FIGURE lA is a partial view of the harvester deplcting ~ ~ -
the motion of the~felling head;
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view showing the movable jaw -
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closed upon the ~ixed jaw in one position and raised in dot-
dash lines taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l;
FIGURE 3 is a partial plan view in the clamp showing
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the compact or interleaved relationship of the jaws;
FIGURE 4 is a view of the tree clamp on the side from
which the tree is released; and
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1 FIGURE S is a hydropneumatic schematic of a portion .
of the sequence control circuit. . .
FIGURE 1 shows a tree harves-ter 10 having front and .
rear sections 12, 14 articulated at 15. The front section
12 has a trunnion 16 on which is pivoted a tree length processor
or harvester apparatus generally indicated by numeral 11. The
apparatus 17 includes essentially a fell:ing head 18, a delimber :~ :
apparatus 19 a tree clamp 20 and a storage rack 21. For a more : :
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detailed description of sush a harvester, reference is made
to the aforementioned Canadian Patent 974jl48. The f~lling
head 18 is carried on a boom 22 telescoping within a tubular
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: beam 23 which pivots on the trunnion 16. The delimber 19
: includes a carriage 25 which cradles the tree on a bottom
~: delimber knife (not shown)~and has other delimber knives 26
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which enfold about or partially encircle the tree, Topping
knlves, (not shown) are also on this~carriage.: The;carriage
25:is pulled~ along a rail 27 by a cable 28 as the~rail itself :
is~propelled to~the rear on the beam 23 by a~cable and rum
drive~30. :A severed tree:held by the felling head 18 in a
.20 :substantially vertical position is rotated upwardly and rear- ~ -
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wardly by pivoting the felling head on a boom arm 33
actuated by a cylinder 34 (FIG. lA). In the uppermost
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.position the:felling head positions the tree butt end in the -
~opened tree clamp 20. The delimber knives 2~ and the topping
knives of the delimber carriage 25 will also open to receive
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the tree. The clamp 20 must now be closed to permit the
felling head to return for a second tree and the delimber
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carriage to co~mence its cycle. This is the position o~ the
clamp shown in FIGURE 1.
ReEerring now to FIGU~æ 2, the tree clamp 20 includes a
frame 35 secured to the front of the beam 23. A goose neck
portion 37 (FIGURE 4) extends upwardly in offsetting relation-
ship toward the front of the beam so as to posit.ion the tree
clamp behind the delimber carriage 25 in its rearmost position
and as close as possible to the felling head in its raised
position (FIGURE lA). A fixed jaw 38 is formed on the upper
regions of spaced structural plates 40 of the frame 35 extending
transversely over the beam 23. One side o~.the jaw 38 provides ~
an arcuate tooth section 41 adjacent.the deli.mber. The tooth ~;
: seGtion conforms generally to the curve o~ the cradle or bottom ~.
delimber knife of the delimber carriage which will accommodate . ~ ~.
trees up to about 15 inches in diameter or as.small as about 6
inches on the delimber axis as depicted at 43. A plurality of
teeth~42 on the fixed jaw section 41 will penetrate the tree to
hold it securely when cIarnped against axial movement.
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A movable jaw 50 is pivoted at two places. A pin 53 ~ -
~. 20 ; pivotally aarries an arm 51 on one side of the delimber axis
: and pin 54 on the opposite side pivotally connects the entire
:movable jaw between the plates 40. ~he pivoted arm Sl of the
movable jaw is structured of a pair of elements 55 (FIGURE 3) . ::
having interior arcuate sur~aces 56 which overlie the delimbing ;
axis and when folded or closed toward the tree 43, partially
encixcle or surround the butt end of the tree. The elements 55
are spaced closer together than spaced plates 57 of the movable
jaw which in turn are spaced inside of the plates 40 of the
fixed jaw such that the arm 51 of the movable jaw folds inside
the plates 57 which in turn fold inside the plates 40 of the
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1 fixed ja~. The elements 55 are bushed on the pin 53 carried
~etween the plates 57 of the movable ja~l while the plates 57 are
bushed on pin 54 carried bet~7een the plates ~0 o~ the fixed ja~"
establishiny a compact or interleaved arrangement. Between the
plates 40 of the fixed ja~ and pivotally mounted Oll the plates 57
of the movable jaw is an actuator plate 60 which rests above
the tops of the teeth 42 in the lowered posit;on of the movable
jaw being held there by a spring (not shown). The function ~;
of the plate 60 will be described more in detail hereinafter.
Al~o mounted between the plates 40 of the ~ixed jaw is a pair
of cylinders 62, 64. Cylinder 62 is mounted between plates 40 .
below the movable jaw. It is pivoted at its lower end at 65
and at the rod end to a bracket 68 on the bottom of~the movable ~ ~-
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jaw. This is the tilt cylinder. Cylinder 64 is mounted between
the plates 57 o~ the movable jaw and is pivota1ly connected
~at 68 on its lower end and at 69 on the rod end by a pin 70
carried between the elemen~s 55 of the arm 51 of the movable jaw.
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This is the clamp cylinder. The rod of the c~linder 64 is
extended in the full line position shown in FIGURE 2 while
the rod of the cylinder 62 is retracted. In this position the
; ~ arm 51 of the movable jaw will be folded over the tree holding
it firmly in engagement with the teeth 42 on the fixed jaw~
The plate 60 will be depressed below the tops of the teeth of
the fixed jaw by the action of the tree 43 being deposited by
the felling head (FIG. lA) on the fixed jaw with the arm 51
raised as depicted in dot~dash lines in FIG. 2. -
Reerring to FIG. 5, the harvester automatic sequence
control is diagra~ned insofar as it pertains to the clamp
actuation and its effect on the operation of the processor 17.
A source of fluid pressure 72 which in the preferred embodiment
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1 is air pressure, is conllected to a control circuit generally
indicated by the nl~meral 74 whlch controls a hyclraulic circuit
generally shown at 75 Eor operating the tilt and clamp cylinders
62, 6~ in accordance with the processor sequence. The hydraulic
circuit 75 includes valves 76, 77 which are operated by
pneumatic motors 78, 79 to direct hydraulic fluid from the pump 80
and under pressure from the accumulator 81 to either extend or
retract cylinders 62, 64 in the appropriate sequence as determined
by the pneumatic control circuit 74. Hydraulic fluid is exhausted
through valves 76, 77 to a reservoir 82.
The pne~natic control circuit 74 includes a valve 84 ; ;~
which is connected to the pneumatic pressure source 72. At
the point in the cycle where the delimber has returned to the ~-
start position as shown in ~IG. 1 and in readiness to accept a
tree~ the valve 84 is positioned so as to pressurize a portion
of the circuit depicted by dash lines 85, 86 and 87 and valves 88, ~-
89 and 90. In this condition the pne~atic motors 78, 79 will be
vented below the piston through lines 91, 92.
When a tree is loaded on the delimber, the actuating ; ~-~
plate 60 on the movable jaw of the clamp will be depressed by
the butt end of the tree as described be~ore. This will cause
actuation of the valve 84 pressurizing another portion of thq ~ .
circuit as depicted in dot-dash lines 93, 94, 95 pressurizing
the motor 78 causing actuation then of the portion of the
hydraulic circuit including valve 76 which in turn causes the
~lamp cylinder 64 to e~tend pivoting the arm 51 down and firmly
clamping the tree into the fixed jaw. A valve 97 is hydraulically
actuated simultaneously to start the delimber drive ~not shown).
After the delirnber carriage has txaveled beyond the tree
and the topping knives have operated to remove the upper portion
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1 of the tree the carriage will travel to the position of valve ~8
mechanically ~ctuating it to enéxgize another portion of the
circuit depicted by solid lines ~00 and 101. A sequence control
valve 102 is pneumatically actuated at this po.int to pressurlze
lines 103 and 10~ causing actuation of the pneumatic motor 79
which in turn shifts the valve 77 in the hydraulic circuit 75
which controls the tilt cylinder 62 causing it to extend pivoting
the movable jaw about pivot 54 to the position shown by dot-dash
lines in FIG. 2. When this movement is completed and cylinder 62
10 is fully extended, hydraulic pressure will be supplied ai 105 ~ ~
to the valve 90 in the pneumatic circuit causiny it to pressurize -
line 107 operating the pneumatic motor 78 so as to shift the ~ :
:: hydraulic valve 76 causing the cylinder 64 to retract and thus
pivot the arm 51 which has been holding the butt end of the tree
~ whlle the movable ~aw lS in the raised posiiion. This is depicted
: in the dot-dash lines also in FIG. 2.
At~this point it will be noted by referring to FIG. 2
that the movable jaw has tilted upwardly and laterally of
the delimber axis in the direction~of the storage rack 21 (FIG.13. `
~:~Thus~, regardless of the slope the harvester may be operating on :~
the degree of~incline of the movable jaw~in the tilted up position
will~be more than enough to assure:that the delimbed ana topped
: ~tree xolls into:thè rack 21.
While alternate embodlments of m~ invention have been
disclosed, it will be understood that these descriptions are for
purposes of illustration only and that various modi~ications~ and
changes can be made to m~ invention without departing fxom the
spirit and scope of it. Therefore; the limits of my invention
should be determined from the following appended claims. .
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