Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
S3
This invHntion relates to a tre~processing ~pparatus and,
mors particularly, to a tre0-proreesing apparatu~ which grips, delimba
and cuts the top ot ~ell~d troes.
Tree-procassing apparatuse~ of ths above type ar~ well known and
gen0rally inolude, a~ an integral part thereof, their own motorized
equipment a~ w011 a3 the n~ce~ary hydraulic power ~upply ~ar
opqrating the gripping, d~llmblng and topping m3chani~ms. Theas
machin~s aro th~refore expenaive. One trea-proce~ing unit ie known,
which can be adapted to b~ detachably mounted on a conv0ntionsl
ln excavator squlp~nt. This unit, in addition to increa~e the c~pabiliti~s
the 0xcsvator equipment, gr~atly reduc0s th~ cost oP th~ tree-
procs~slng apparatus. The ~bovs unit i8 di~clo~ed in Canadi~n Pstent
Numbur l,D55~3609 i~usd ~ay 29, 1979. It h~, however~ a numb~r o~
drawbacks, 1ncluding a long b~om which requir~ tension cabls~ abo~e ths
boom ~or strengthening tha same. Th~e cables, a~ well as the long
hydraulic lin~ requlred ~or perating the gripping ~nd delimbing Jaw~
located at tha ~ront o~ th~ boom, o~ten get t~ngled in the trees and the
other overh~ud ob~tecles narmally sncount~red on the werking ~ite. The
boo~ guide meAns are also axpo~d and Rub~ect to being ~a~med and d~ag~d
by branch~s cut ~rom th~ tr~as during th~ dellmbing oporation. Further-
moro, th~ unit, whon as20~bled to tho motcrizod equip~ent, is very high
~bovo ground and cannot be movd on a trailor on th~ roade under
overhead brid~es and oth~r obstacles. Finally, tho longitudinally
oP~et gripping and delimbing Jaws whioh aro located on the ~ront end o~
the boom and on ths boom ~upport, sre ~ounted ~o thst they ~an b~ ea~ily
~e~n and oper~ted Prom one side of the boom only, thus reatricting th~
use o~ oxisting ~otoriz~d aquip~ont having th~ operator control station
locat~d on thst 3id~ only.
It i~ therGfor~ tho obj~ct o~ tho pro~ent lnvontian to provido 8
3D tr0~-proccssing un~t which ia relativaly oi~ple in constru~tion, ru~ged
and which do0~ not have the drawback~ oP the known unit~.
The trae-proce~Qing unit in accordanco ~ith tho invention gen~rally
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compri~as ~ tubular m~mber d~tacllably ~ecur0d to th~ raguler boom
3upport of a conuorltional motori~d aquipment, an ~long~ted boom
cxt0nding thrDugh both ~nds oP th~ tubular me~ber~ guida ~aan3 locatad
within the tubular memb~r ~or ~upportillg and guiding said boom thrDugh
the tubular member, a hydraulically~op~rat~d m~an~ mount~d on the
tubular mamb~r and on the frunt end of th0 boom for gripping ~nd
dal$mblng A F~lled tree.
In one ~spect o~ thc pr~ent lnva;~tion, hydr~ulic linHs ~re
providod ~or intorconnecting the hydraullcally-op0rated me~n~ locat~o
on the front 0nd o~ the hoom to the tubular membsr, and maans are
mounted on tha tubular member ~or maintaining the hydraulic lin~s in
a tight condition to prevent tangling of tha hydraulic line~ with tha
equipment snd other obstacloa on th0 working oit~.
In a pre~erred ambodimont o~ the invantion, ~uch m~an~ ~or
maintaining ths hydr~ullc line- ~n a tight condition comprise~ two
parall~l rai1o meunted on the top o~ tho tubul~r member, a carriage
mounted for.longitudin~l ~ovement on ths ralls) a drum rotatably mounted
on the carriag~ and around wh$ch the hydr~ulic lines arc pa~sed, mesna
~or securing one 0nd of the hydraulic linee to the frDnt end of the boom,
and the other end of th0 lineo to the tubular membsr aft0r pas~ing th0
lines around the drum, a sprocket wh0el rotatably mountad on the
carriage and a sprock0t chsin attachQd at one end to the r~ar end o~
the boom, and at itR other end to the tubulsr member after paseing
through th0 sprocket whe~ or moving the carriage in th0 same directlon
as the bocm 80 as to take up any ~laok in the hydraulic line3 due to
movement o~ th0 boom. Guida ~aana are also pre~erably lQcatsd on the
tubular member for guiding ths hydraulic llne~ onto the drum.
In a second aspect of the present inv~nt$on, th0 guide ~aans,
located within the tubular member for ~upporting and guiding thè boom
through the tubular m~mber~ lncluda~ a plurality o~ roll0r bogeya having
rollers partia~ly encircling a portiqn of tha outer ~ur~ace o~ the boom
~or guiding the boo~ through tha tubular m~mber.
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In a pra~0rrad ~mbodiment o~ th~ inventinn, th~ boom i~ oP
rect~ngular cro~Y-~ection and at lea~t ona roller 0ngayes the top and
bottom ~all~ of the bnom at ~ch corner of the boom, and each roller
i8 providad with e Plange engsging the sid~ of the top or bottom
walls o~ th~ boum at e~ch oorner o~ the boom. Each ruller bogey
prsferably compri~s an ~longated bar, a central trsn~ver~s axla
jaurnalled in th~ walls o~ the tubular m~mber, ~ tran~ver~ ~hart
ad~ac~nt each end o~ the bar ~nd a pair o~ rollera rotstably mounted
on each sh~ft, one on each side of the b~r.
In a third aopect of the pre~ent invention, tha tubular member
supporting the boom i~ hingedly mount~d on the boom aupport o~ the
motorized equipment, 90 ~9 to psrmit pivotal o~ tho baom support about
its horizontal axi~ to a po~ition substantially parallel to the boom and
80 r,~duce the height o~ the boom above gruund to a min~mum to permit
transpnrtstion u~ the motorized e~uipment on e trailer under bridges
and other overhead obstaolas.
In a preferred embodi~snt o~ th~ invention~ the ~eans ~or hingsdly
mounting the tubular membsr on ths top end o~ the boom support oomprises a
plate which axtende outwardly ~rom the boom aupport by a pred0termined
digtance, 80 as to permit mov~ent o~ the trunk of 8 trae b~ing prooeesed
along the eide Or the boom 3upport during operation of tho hydraulic~lly-
operatYd means, ~o ae to reduc0 the ov~rall length of the boam requir0d
~or proces~ing normal trees.
In a Pourth aspe~t o~ the preaent inv~ntion, thn hydraulically-
operated means PQr gripplng and delimbing fellad tr8e8 oonsista ot
separate pairs oP jaws piuotally mounted on the tubulsr mamber and un
the ~ront end of the boom. The jaw~ or each palr aro ~ountad in a
longitudinally-oP~30t position and means ara provid~d for interchanging
`' the ralative position o~ tha ~aW8, ~0 that both ~aw~ can be easily
~een trom the operator seatad at the operator control ~tation, whethHr
the control Bt~tion i8 on ona sid3 or on the other aidfl o~ tha boom.
In a preY0rred embodiment of the ln~ention, th~ m~ans ~or
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interchan~ing the po~ition o~ the ~aws includ~s a pair o~ pivntal
connections locat0d on each ~idfl of the tubular m~Mb~r and on the
front end cf` the boom, and m~ans for installing the jaw~ o~ each pair
on one or the othar of the pivotal cannections, dep~nding on which
side o~ the boom support the operator control station i3 loca~e~.
The invention will now ba disclo~d, by way of ~x~mpl~, with
referencs to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figurs 1 illu~trate~ 8 psrspective viow of tho tr~e-proa~3s.i.ng
eppAratu~ in accordanc~ with the invention in a tran~port po~ition;
.lû Fisurea 2 and 3 illustrate side views nf the treH-proces~in~ unit
in accordance with th~ invention at ite two ~xtreme operating positions,
the jaws b~lng in a po3ition such that the operator'~ cabin is located
behind the boom support and the tubular mamber;
. Figure 4, seen on the first sheat oY the drawings, illustrat~s
a perspectiv~ view uf part of the boom support and the plate u~cd for
mounting thH tubular memb0r on said boom ~upport;
Figure S illustrat~s a view taken along line 5-5 o~ Figure 2;
Figur~ 6 illu~trate~ a vi~w taken along lin~ 6-6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 illustratec a view taken along lino 7-7 of Figurs 2;
Figure 8 illustrat~s ~ vi~w taken along line ~-8 of Figure 2;
Figure 9 illustrates a view taken along line 9-9 o~ Figure 2;
Figure 10 illu~trates a 8ide view of the apparatus shown in
Figure 9; and ~ v
Figure 11 illustrate~ a view taken along line 11-11 oP Figure 10.
Referring to Figur~ 1 Q~ the drawings, thers i~ shown an overall
vi0w of a tree-processing unit in acrordanc~ with th~ invention mount~d
on 8 conventional hydraulically-oparated excsvator equipment having a
main base lû mountsd tor mouement, abeut a verticll axis, on a pair of
tracks 12, and a boom ~upport 14 pivotally mounted on the main base
about a horizontal axisO The boom ~wpport i8 op~rat~d by two hydraulic
cylinders 16 fro~ th~ regular hydraulic pow~r ~upply of the ~xcavator
0quipment .
Ro~erring to Figu~ee 2 to 5, the tree-procesaing unit compri~e3
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ol~
a tubul~r member 1~ ~hioh ie eoaured by mean6 o~ bolt~ 2~ to a plate
22, which la itsel~ secur~d to th~ upper end o~ the boam eupport 14 by
any suit~ble means tnot shown~.
In accordance with ons ~eetura o~ the present invention> ths tu-
bular m~mber 18 is oonnect~d to the edlge of plat~ 22 by means of a
hinga 24 which, after removal of thH bNlt~ 20, permits pivotal of
the boDm support to Q aubstontlslly ho.rizontal po~ltion, thua parmitting
the height of th0 proces~ing unit to b~s re~uced to a minimum and
allowing road traneportation on 8 trai:Ler of the procssaing unit
readily a~sembled to the excavator equipmant.
Ref~rring again to Figures 2 and 3 and Figuras 5 and 6, an elon~flted
boom 26 extends through both ends o~ tubular m0mber 1~ and is guided ::
by means of four sets o~ roller bogoys 2a. Each roller bogey co~prlsHs
an elongated bar membsr 3a which ie mDunted on a central transvarse axle
32 ~ournalled on thu lateral walls of the tubular member. A tran~er~e
sha~t 34 i9 mounted adjacent each end of the bar m~mb0r 30 and a pair
Df rollers 36ar~ rotatab~y mountad on each shaft, one on each ~ide of
bar mambar 30. There is a eeparate eet o~ rollcr bogeys engaging the
top and bottom ~allg o~ the boom 26 at eaah end of tubul~r member 18.
The wheels o~ eaah pagey ar~ positioned on their re~paotive ~haft, 80
e~ to engage the corners of the boom and, ln ~cordanc~ with another
~eature o~ ths present invention, have ~langes 3a engaging the walls o~
the boom, ao aa to parti~lly encircle tha boom and positively guida
the boDm bDth horizontally and vertically during its mov0ment through
the tubular m~mber, The central axle 32 oP ~ch upper ~t of roller
bogeys may b~ ad3u~ted by m~an~ of bolta 399 80 ~8 to tightly engage
the boom 26.
The boom is ~ovod within the tubular M~ber 18 by mean~ 01 e
hydraulio motor 40, ha~ing its output ah~t connectad to a ehaf~ -
42 journalled within the tubular mæmb~r 1~ and ca~rying ~ pair of
eprocket wheaia 44. A double sprocket chain 46 i8 po~itionad on th~
top of the boo~ 26 and attached at both end~ of the boom. The ~procket
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chain i~ coupl~d to 8procket wheela 4~ through tWD idl~ sprockat wheels
4~, each mount~d on a shaft 50 journalled on tha insid~ wa71~ o~ the
tubular member. Rotation o~ drive wheel 44, in one diraction or the
other, thus mou~ the boom 26 in ona direction or thfl other within
ths tubular memb~r 18.
Ref0rring again to figur0a 2 and 3 and to ~igur0s 7 a~d n, a palr
ot gripping jaws 52 and 54 ar0 mounted on a tubular Hxtan~ion 56 loc~ta~
at the ~ront end of the boo~ 26 and an identisal pair of jaw8 5B and 60
ara mounted on snothe~ extension 62 locstad at th~ ~ront end of the
tubular member 1~. Th~ ~aw~ 52 and 54 aro longitudlnally o~set and jaw
52 18 pivotslly mounted on e ~ha~t 64 located batween parallal tran~uerse
platas 66 ~nd 6~ extending from the side wall8 ot extsnsinn 56, whereas
jaw 54 18 pivotally mounted on a ahaft 69 betwaen parallel transverse
pla~es 68 ~nd 70. Ths ~aws 52 and 54 are opar~ted by hydraulic
cylindars 72 and 74 re~pactiv~ly interconnecting eaoh jaw to the
opposite ~nds of two parallel tran~vsr~e member~ 76 and 7~ secured acroes
oxtsn~ian 560 The position of the j~w3 52 and 54 ahown in Flgure 2 o~
the drawing3 1Y ror an operator control station locat0d on the le~t- ::
hand side of the boom, in ordc~ to perm~t th0 uperator to see both
jaw~. If the proces~ing unlt i~ inst311ed on an axcav3tor equipment
having an oparator control otation locat~d on th~ right-hand aide of the
boom, tha relativs position o~ the jaws 52 and 54 msy ba interchsnged
in aooordanoa with anoth~r feature of th0 prasent invention. For that
purpos~, an additional shatt 64~ 18 prouid~d betw~en plat~a 6~ and 70
in line with ~haPt 64 and trqn~veroe ~emb0r 78 lo provided with
sYitable mean~ fo:r sttaohlng ~ylinder 72, so as to permlt in~tall~ti~n
of the jaw 52 eithsr betwo~n plate~ 66 and 6~ or b~tween plates 6~ and
70. An additiona:l sh~tt (not ~hown3 lo al80 mounted ln line with shaft
69 between platee 66 and 68 tor installation o~ ~aw 54 between plat~3 ~`
66 and 68. Simile~rly, tr~n~vers0 member 76 ie provided with ~uitable
mean9 ~or attachlrlg cylindar 74 betweon platoc 6~ and G~.
The jaw~ 58 flnd 60 mountsd on thu exten~ion 62 o~ the tubular
.
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member 18 ar~ also longitudinally offset and ~aw 58 i.~ pivotally mounted
on a shaft 80 journalled betw0en parall~l transuerse plats~ 82 and ~4
sxtandlng ~rom the .~ide wall~ o~ the extension 62, whereas th~ jaw 60
i8 journallsd on a shaft betw~0n plates ~4 and 06. Th0 ja~ 5a and
60 are Dp~rated by hydraulic cylind~ 9O and 92, re~pectively
interconnecting each jaw to the opposite ends of two separate pbrall~l
transver~ members 94 and 96 secured acros~ the extenslon 62. Th0
relative positiun of th~ jaws 5~ and'~O may also ba interchangod in th0
~ame manner a~ jaws 52 and 54 of extsneion 56. For that purpoe0~ an
additional eha~t 90a is provided between plate~ 94 and ~6 and an
'~ additional sha~t ~5a (Figur~ 8) between plat~a ~ and a4. Furtharmore,
transverse memb0rs 94 and 96 ar~ provided with m~ans for attaching th~
hydraulic cylinder 90 and ~2 at thHir top po~ition~
Re~srring to Figur0 7, the rront plat~ 7G ot th0 axtenaion 56
is ~urther provided with m0ans ~or topping tha end of a troe. Thi~
msans comprises a cutter 98, which iB pivot~lly mounted on an axl~
lOO secured to plats 70 and which is operated by a hydraulic cyllnd~r
102 0ecured tn another axle 104 extsnding from th~ top portion of
pl~t~ 70~
A cuttiny edg~ 106 ie provided at the low~r ~nd ot plat~ 70
for cooperation with tha cutting edge~ o~ the gripping ~a~s when thsy
are clo~ed about a tre~ to sncirole tha tr~a and delimb it when th0
tren i~ moved relative to ths above ~d~ea.
Th0 hydraullc cylind0rs 72, 74 and 102 locatod on extension 56
are connected tD ths hydraulic pow~r oupply on the 3xcavator equipment
by means of hydraulic lines llO which muet~ba long anough to accommodat0
tull axtension o~ the boom 26. To prcvent tan~ling o~ tho hydraulic
lino~ with the equipment and other obstacles on the worklng sita,
applicant he~ provided, in accordance with another aapect o~ th0
pre~ent inv~ntion, meanY ~or ~aintaining such hydrsulic lines in a
tight condition at all tim~. Thi~ me~na con8i8ta o~ a pa1r o~ rail3
112 secured to the top Or th0 tubulsr ~ember and extending back tor a
..
predetermined di~tance. The rear en~ oP thfl rQils 112 is ~upport,~d
by bracing 114~ A oarriaga 116, a8 shown ln Figwre~ 10, 11 end 12,
ie mount~d on the r~ils 112 and provlcled with wh~els 11~ ~ngaging
the rails. A drum 120 i~ rotatably mounted on oarriage l16 and th~
hydraulio linHs 110 aro partially wourld around e-loh drum. The hydraulio
linHs are attached at on~ end to plate 6~ forming part of e~tenslon
56 ot the boom, and their other 0nd lel attached to tubul.ar m~mb~r 1~.
The hydraulic line~ are al~o g~ided above the raile 110 by ~uido rollers
122. Tha looas in the hydraulic line~ 110, due to movsm~nt ot th~ boom,
i8 takan by mov~ment o~ the carri~ge in the ~ams direction by mean~ o~
a eprocket chain 124, which i3 attached at on~ ~nd to tha ruar end Or
the boom by m~sns of a bucklo 12~, and at it~ other and to the raar end
of the rails 110 by maana oF a buckla 126. Th~ ~prockat chain i~
pas3ed through a ~procket whael 130 which i9 rotatably mounted un the
rear end of carrisge 11~.
In operation, with the trae-processing unit inetalled on the ~nd
o~ the boom su~port 14, thn boom 26 i~ extended by op~ration o~ hydraulic
motor 40. The boom i~ ~ovad over a ~ell~d tres by maneuvering the re-
gular excavator 0quipmsnt ~nd the jaw~ 52 and 54 on th0 ~ront exten~ion
of the boom aro closed by operAtion of the oylind0rs 72 and 74 to grip
the trae. In ord0r tc permit th~ operator to clsarly 93e thH tree a3
it i~ baing gripped by jaws 52 and 54~ the jaw~ on the oparator'~ aide
of the boom muet be located ~urthar away than th~ sthar Jaw. Thus,
the relative poaition o~ ~aws 52 ~nd 54 i~ dep~ndent on whather ~hs
operator control ~tation ia located on tha left or on the right o~ -
the boom~ It i~ tharePore ~n ~3s~ntial ~eature o~ tha prM~ent
inv~ntion to provide m3ans ~or intarchanging the position of th~ ~aws. - :
Once a ~elll3d tree i8 gripped by the ~ront jaws 52 and 54~ the
boom 26 i8 moved backwar~ by op~rating ~otor 40~ As the boom moves
back7 any slack :Ln the hydraulic lin0a i8 teken up, in accurdance with
another fsature Or the pre~ent inv~ntion, by movsmcnt of carriage 116
in the ~am0 dir~otion under the aotion o~ sprocket chain 124. Thi~
pr~v0nts the hydraulic lineR from ge~ting tangled into the 0quipment
and into other ebstacles on the working site. In accordance with
still another Feature nf the p~ssent in~ention, the boom 26 is well
guided both vertically and ~ongitudinally durin~ its movement by meano
of roller bogeys 2~, the ~unction o~ which hae been clearly disclo3ed
previously.
Ths boom i~ moved back until the butt o~ the tree reache~ the ~ew~
58 and 60 located on extenaion 56 o~ the tubular member. Tha motor 40
~8 then ~toppsd And tha ~ewa S~ and 60 cloaed un th0 tree aft~r
adequate maneuvsring oY the regular ~xcava-tor flqUipment to grip the hutt
of th~ tree. The front Jaw~ 52 and 54 are then sllghtly reloasHd and
mDtor 40 re-energized to move the boom Porward. During such ~orward
movement, the tree i9 delimbed by the cutting edgea o~ the jaws 52 and
54 and the cutting edge 106 o~ ths f~ont plat~ 70 of ths extsnsion 56.
Onc~ the boam 26 ha~ reach0d lt8 most torward position~ th~ motor 40
is stopped, jaws 58 and 60 ar0 r01eased slightly anrl ~aw~ 52 and 54
are tightened. ~otor 40 is thHn operata~ to move boom 26 back until
it reaches it~ most b~ckward po~ition. Jaw~ 5B and 60 are tightened
and jaws 52 and ~4 relaased to r~ume dali~bing. This i9 all pos~lble
becau~e the boom 26 i~ mountad on a wids plate 22 ~acured to the upper
end of boom ~upport 14, 80 that the trunk of the tree can move ~reely
alo~g th~ side oP tha boo~ support. This festurs permit~ the use of a boom
which is much shorter than tha one di~cloaad in C~nadian Patent
1,~55,366 mention~d praviowsly, and which do~s not requir0 any
tensioning wire~. When the boom 26 reache~ the top of the tr0e, motor
40 i8 ~toppad and cutter 9~ i~ operated by enargi~ation D~ eylinder
ln2 for the regular powe~ ~upply of the excevator aquip~nt to cut the
top o~ the tree, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.
Althol-gh the invention ha been di~clossd with re~e~ence to a
pre~arred embodiment, it i~ to ba under~tood that other alternativ0 ;~
meane o~ putting into practico are al30 envi~aged and that th0 invantion
io to be limited to tha 3cope of the alaim~ only.
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