TREE FELLING APPARATUS

APPAREIL D'ABATTAGE D'ARBRES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT

A method for use in felling a tree using a circular saw
mounted on the bottom end of a felling head frame. The tree
is cut by the saw and allowed to drop on a butt plate carried by
the frame after which it is gripped by gripping means carried on
the frame. The invention is also directed toward an apparatus
for carrying out the above method.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or priviledge is claimed are defined as follows:
1: A tree felling head adapted for mounting on a carrier vehicle
in a manner that the felling head can be moved transversely, for-
wardly and rearwardly, the felling head having: a main frame, a
circular saw to cut trees, means for mounting the saw on the main
frame to position the saw for rotation in a plane generally parallel
to the ground; means for rotating the saw; means operatively con-
nected to the main frame for gripping a tree above the butt end
if the tree after cutting.
2: A felling head as claimed in Claim 1 including means just above
the saw for supporting the butt end of a cut tree.
3: A felling head as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a butt
plate for supporting the butt end of a cut tree, the butt plate
positioned adjacently above the saw and covering some portion of
the saw, but not covering at least some of the saw teeth.
4: A felling head as claimed in Claims 1, 2 or 3 including means
on the main frame adjacent the gripping means for collecting a
group of cut trees.
5: A felling head as claimed in Claims 1, 2 or 3 including fixed
support means on the main frame above the gripping means for use
in minimizing the tendency of a cut tree to topple.
6: A felling head as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the butt plate
does not cover any of the saw teeth and at least some of the saw
teeth are set to extend above the butt plate.
7: A tree felling head adapted for mounting on an extensible,
laterally swingable boom connected to a carrier vehicle, the fell-
ing head having: a main frame, a circular saw to cut trees, means
for mounting the saw on the main frame to position the saw for
rotation in a plane generally parallel to the ground; means for
rotating the saw; means operatively connected to the main frame for
gripping a tree above the butt end of the tree after cutting.


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8: A felling head as claimed in Claim 7 including means just above
the saw for supporting the butt end of a cut tree.
9: A felling head as claimed in Claim 7 further comprising a butt
plate for supporting the butt end of a cut tree, the butt plate
positioned adjacently above the saw and covering some portion
of the saw, but not covering at least some of the saw teeth.
10: A felling head as claimed in Claims 7, 8 or 9 including means
on the main frame adjacent the gripping means for collecting a
group of cut trees.
11: A felling head as claimed in Claims 7, 8 or 9 including fixed
support means on the main frame above the gripping means for use
in minimizing the tendency of a cut tree to topple.
12: A felling head as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the butt plate
does not cover any of the saw teeth and at least some of the saw
teeth are set to extend above the butt plate.
13: Tree felling equipment comprising:
A carrier vehicle;
A tree felling head comprising:
a main frame;
a circular saw to cut trees;
means for mounting the saw on the main frame to
position the saw for rotation in a plane generally
parallel to the ground;
means for rotating the saw;
means for gripping a tree above its butt end after
it has been cut by the saw; and
means for moving the felling head at least trans-
versely, forwardly and backwardly relative to the
carrier vehicle.
14: Equipment as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the moving means
comprises an extensible, laterally swingable boom.
15: Equipment as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the means for moving
the felling head includes at least a transverse frame mounted on
the front of the carrier vehicle, the felling head mounted for

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transverse movement along the transverse frame.
16. Equipment as claimed in claim 15 wherein the transverse
frame is adapted for forward and backward movement.
17. Equipment as claimed in claims 13, 14 or 15 including
fixed support means on the felling head main frame for use in
minimizing the tendency of a cut tree to topple off the butt
end support means.
18. Equipment as claimed in claims 13, 14 or 15 including
means just above the saw for supporting the butt end of a cut
tree.
19. Equipment as claimed in claims 13, 14 or 15 further com-
prising a butt plate for supporting the butt end of a cut tree,
the butt plate positioned adjacently above the saw and covering
some portion of the saw, but not covering at least some of the
saw teeth.
20. A method of felling a tree using a felling head having a
circular saw, a butt plate above the saw, and tree gripping
means; the method comprising the steps of: moving the felling
head adjacent the tree to have the saw cut through the tree;
supporting the butt end of the cut tree on the butt plate; and
subsequently contacting and gripping the cut tree with the tree
gripping means.
21. A method of felling a plurality of trees employing the
method as claimed in claim 20 including the additional step of
collecting the cut trees in a group on the felling head.
22. A method of felling trees from a stand of trees using
felling equipment having: a carrier vehicle; a felling head
having a circular saw mounted for rotation in a plane generally
parallel to the ground; a butt plate above the saw, the tree
gripping means above the butt plate; and means connecting the
felling head to the carrier vehicle; the method comprising the
steps of: moving the felling head substantially transversely
across a strip of trees to be cut, cutting substantially for-


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wardly through each tree encountered by the felling head in the
strip with the circular saw, supporting the butt end of each
cut tree on the butt plate, and gripping each cut tree while it
is on the butt plate.

12


23: A method as claimed in Claim 22 wherein the carrier vehicle
is moved in a substantially forward direction to cut each tree
encountered by the felling head in the strip with the circular saw.
24: A method as claimed in Claim 20 including collecting the cut
trees in a group on the felling head, and moving the felling head
to unload the group as collected.
25: A method as claimed in claim 20 including moving the vehicle
forwardly in the strip after one or more transverse swaths have
been cut
26: A method of felling trees from a stand of trees using felling
equipment having: a carrier vehicle; a felling head having a
circular saw for rotation in a plane generally parallel to the
ground; and tree gripping means; said felling head connected to the
carrier vehicle by an extensible laterally swingable boom; the
method comprising the steps of: moving said boom in a shallow
arc across the strip of trees to be cut, moving the felling head
substantially forwardly to cut each tree encountered by the felling
head in the strip with the circular saw, and subsequently gripping
each cut tree.
27: A method as claimed in claim 26 including the further steps
of collecting the cut trees in a group on the felling head, inter-
mittently moving the carrier vehicle centrally and longitudinally
along the stand of trees; and periodically unloading the collected
trees.
28: A tree felling head for attachment to a boom, the felling head
comprising a main frame having an upper and a lower part, the upper
part including at least one support adapted to contact an upright
severed tree, along with tree gripping means adapted to clasp a
tree trunk against said support, the lower part having a circular
saw blade mounted thereon in a plane perpendicular to the longi-
tudinal extent of a tree clasped between the support and the grip-
ping means, and a stationary plate provided adjacently above the
circular saw blade, said saw blade having peripheral cutting teeth
13




extending beyond the periphery of the stationary plate and having
its leading edge projecting beyond the location of the support by
a distance such that a typical tree being felled can be cut through
by the saw blade before the tree comes into contact with any other
part of the felling head, except the stationary plate.
29: A felling head as claimed in Claim 28, in which the tree
gripping means include one pair of arms adapted to move toward and
away from the support in a plane substantially parallel to the plane
of the saw blade.
30: A felling head as claimed in Claims 28 or 29 wherein the boom
is extensible and laterally swingable.
31: A felling head as claimed in Claims 28 or 29 wherein the
boom is a knuckle boom.
32: A method of felling trees, including the steps of: cutting

through the tree with a circular saw oriented in a plane substant-

ially perpendicular to the axis of the tree 3 and substantially
immediately after the tree has been completely cut through?
clasping the tree above the cut by the use of gripping means adapted
to set the tree down in a desired location.
33: A method of felling trees, comprising the steps of: providing
a felling head on a boom attached to a carrier vehicle, the fell-
ing head including a main frame having an upper part and a lower
part, the upper part including at least one support adapted to
contact an upright severed tree, along with tree-gripping means
adapted to clasp the tree trunk against said support, the lower
part having a circular saw blade mounted thereon in a plane per-
pendicular to the longitudinal extent of a tree clasped between
the support and the gripping means, and a stationary plate pro-
vided adjacently above the circular saw blade 3 the saw blade having
peripheral cutting teeth extending beyond the periphery of the

stationary plate and having its Leading edge projecting beyond the
location of the support by a distance such that a typical tree
being felled can be cut through by the saw blade before the tree

14



comes into contact with any other part of the felling head, ex-
cept the stationary plate;
cutting through a tree with the circular saw of the
felling head oriented in a plate substantially perpendicular to
the axis of the tree and,
after the tree has been completely cut through but be-
fore the part of the tree above the cut has been significantly
displaced from its position prior to the cut, clasping the tree
above the cut between the support and the tree gripping means.






34: A method of felling a standing tree, utilizing a
felling head on an extensible, laterally swingable boom on
a carrier vehicle, the felling head including tree gripping
means and a circular saw blade, the method comprising cutting
the tree with the saw blade and supporting the severed tree
in a standing position by the gripping means.


35. A method for felling a tree,including the steps of:
cutting through the tree with a circular saw and sub-
stantially immediately after the tree has been cut through,
clasping the tree by use of gripping means adapted to
hold the severed tree.

36: Apparatus for felling a tree, comprising a circular
saw for cutting through the tree, and gripping means for
clasping the tree substantially immediately after it has
been cut through, the gripping means being adapted So hold
the severed tree in a standing position.


37. A felling head for attachment to a boom, the
felling head comprising:
an upper part and a lower part,
the upper part including at least one brace portion
adapted to contact a tree being felled, along with tree
grappling means adapted to clasp a tree trunk against said
brace portion,
the lower part having a circular saw blade mounted
thereon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal ex-
tent of a tree clasped between the brace portion and the

grappling means, the circular saw blade having its Leading
edge projecting beyond the location of the brace portion by
a distance such that a typical tree being felled can be cut
through by the saw blade before the tree comes into contact
with any other part of the felling head, including the

16


brace portion.
38: The felling head claimed in claim 37, in which the
tree grappling means includes one pair of arms adapted to
move toward and away from said brace portion in a plane sub-
stantially parallel to the plane of the saw blade.


39: The felling head claimed in claims 37 or 38, in
which a stationary plate is provided adjacently above the
circular saw blade, the saw blade having peripheral cutting
teeth extending beyond the periphery of the stationary plate.


40. A method of felling a tree, including the steps:
a) cutting through the tree with a circular saw
oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis
of the tree, and
b) substantially immediately after the tree has been
completely cut through clasping the tree above the cut by
the use of a grapple means adapted to set the tree down in
a desired location


41: A method of felling trees, comprising the steps:
providing a felling head on a boom, the felling head
including an upper part; and a lower Part, the upper part in
cluding at least one brace portion adapted to contact a tree
being felled, along with tree grappling means adapted to
clasp a tree trunk against said brace portion, the lower
part having a circular saw blade mounted thereon in a plane
perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of a tree clasped
between the brace portion and the grappling means, the cir-
cular saw blade having its leading edge projecting beyond
the location of the brace portion by a distance such that a
typical tree being felled can be cut through by the saw
blade before the tree comes into contact with any other part
of the felling head, including: the brace portion,



17


cutting through a tree with the circular saw of the
felling head oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular
to the axis of the tree, and
after the tree has been completely cut through but
before the part of the tree above the cut has been signi-
ficantly displaced in translation or angulation from its
position prior to the cut, clasping the tree above the cut
between the said brace portion and the said tree grappling
means,
18

Description

.D

rhis inverl-tion is directed toward a me-t~lod of felling a tree.
rhe invention is also directed toward a method ~or felling
a stand o~ trees.
The invention is fur-ther directed -toward felling apparatus
for ~elling a tree.
nhe invention is also further directed toward felLing equip-
ment for felling a stand of trees.
Felling heads for ~elling trees are well known. 'he known
felling heads in one embodiment employ shears to sever the trees
to be harvested. The shears however must be quite thick in order
to have the necessary strength to shear a tree. I:i`he thiek shears
comprise the tree at the butt end while cutting it however and
this compressive ac-tion can damage the wood at~ and adjacent9 the
butt end. If the tree is to be used to make lumber, the damaged
portion of the tree at the but-t end mus-t be removed resulting
in considerable waste.
Felling equipment employing shears is also relativel~ slow
in operation. I'he felling head must be carefully positioned
adjacent each tree so that the tree can be gripped be~ore it is
sheared. This pos;tioning takes time. In addition9 the actual
acts o~ gripping and o~ shearing are relatively slow since they
are hydraulic operations.
Another embodiment o~ known feLling heads employs a chain-
saw :Eor severing a tree. Ghain saws have ~everal disadvantages
however. They are slow cutting. With many moving partsc they
require frequent maintainence and lubrication. !l'hey also jam
easily when encountering underbrush during tree ~evering. In
addition, when using the chain saw~ the tree must be securel~
gripped to minimize binding. This initial gripping action ta~es
time thereby slo~Jing the harvesting operation.
The present invention, in one embodiment, is direc-ted toward
providing a felling head with improved tree severing means. In
"
accordance with the present invention, a ~elling head is provided
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with a circular saw a-l; its bottom end, rotata~le about a ge-nerally
vertical axis, to cu-t a tree. The circular saw provides a fast,
clean cut of the tree. rhe butt end o~ ~he -tree is not damaged
and the saw requires little maintainence. Mos-t importantly, the
tree ean be cut without having to grip it prior to cutting thereby
greatly speeding up the harvesting operation.
The ~elling head o~ the present invention employs means to
grip a tree being harvested. However the gripping means are nor~
mally operated after the tree has been cut, and while the head
is moving to the next tree being cut~ thereby saving considerable
time. The ~elling head also pre~erably employs collecting
means which collects the trees as they are cut into a group which
group can -then be moved by the ~elling head to a storage loca-
tion where they are unloaded. rhe ~elling head further includes
means for minimizing the toppling o~ just cut trees, since the~
are not held during cutting.
The ~elling head of the present invention is employed with
a carrier vehicle in a manner permitting 2 wide strip of trees
to be harvested from a s-tand of trees in successive swaths across
the strip- Harvesting the trees in swaths across a strip greatly
improves produc-tivity.
In one embodiment, the felling head is mounted on the end o~
a knuckle boom which in turn is pivotally mounted on a carrier
vehicle. The boom is operated to swing tne head across a strip
in an arc, the head moved slightly back and forth across the arc
by the boom and/or vehicle to delimit a swath and to pick up all
the trees in the swath. Since the ~rees need not be gripped prior
to severing, the head can be quickly moved to each tree, quickly
severing it, and then gripping the severed tree while the head
is moving -to the nex-t tree in the swa-th. Since the gripping action
normally occurs during movement from one tree to the next9 the
- speed of the harvesting operation is quickly increased.

'7~.

I-t is known to use circular saws in harvesting et~ipmentO
Canadian Patent 1~029,283 by way of example shows the use of a
circular saw on a carrier vehicle. This ecluipmen-t however is only
good ~or cuttLng a very narrow strip of trees from a ~tand since
the saw is fixed on -the vehicle and is not mounted on a movable
felling head. In addi-tion, separatee~uipment must be employed to
gather -the cut trees.
L'he present invention is broadly directed toward an apparatus
for felling a tree~ comprising a circular saw for cutting through
the tree, and gripping means for clasping the tree substantially
immediately a~ter it has been cut through~ the gripping means
being adap-ted to hold the severed tree in a s-tanding position.
The invention is also broadly directed toward a method of
felling a tree including the step~ of cutting through -~he tree
with a circular saw and substan-tially immediately after the tree
has been cut through, clasping the tree by use of gripping means
adapted to hold the severed tree~
The present invention is particularly directed toward a tree
~elling head adapted to be mounted on a earrier vehicle. The
head has a main ~rame, and a circular saw to cut tree~ mounted
a-t the bottom end of the main frame ~or rotation in a plane
generally parallel to ~he ground when -the hsad is mounted on the
vehicle. Means are provided to rotate the saw. Means are further
provided on the main frame ~or gripping a tree a~ter i-t has been
cut by the saw.
In a more specific embodiment means are also provided just
above the saw for supporting the butt end of a cut tree.
The invention is further directed toward felling equipment
employing the above felling head. rrhe felling equipmen-t includes
a carrier vehicle, the felling head, and means connec-ting the
~ felling head to the vehicle in a manner that the felling head
' ! ~ ~
can be moved in a swath ~ransverselY across a strip o~ trees
to be cut.

3-

'7~;i

The invention is also directed -toward a method ~or felling
a ~ree using the felling head which comprises the s-teps of moving
the head a~acent the tree to have -the saw cut through ~he tree,
let-ting the butt end of the cut tree drop on -the butt end
supporting means~ and gripping the cut -tree while on the bu-tt
end supporting means.
The invention is still further directed toward a method ~or
using the felling equipmen-t which comprises moving the felling
head in a swath across a strip of trees to be cut and cu-tting
through each tree encountered in the swath with the circular saw.
The butt end of each cut tree is allowed to drop onto the butt
end supporting means after which the cut tree is gripped.
The invention will now be described in detail having reference
to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ~elling head,
Fig. 2 is a partial cross-section view of the felling head;
Fig. 3 is a side view of ~elling equipment employing the
feLling headi
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the felling equipment in opera-tion;
and Fig. 5 appearing on the same sheet as Fig. 2, is a plan view
of another embodiment of the felling equipment.
The -tree felling head 1 of the present inven-tion, as shown
in Fig. 1, has a main ~rame 3. Support means are provided on
the bottom end o~ the main frame 3. The suppor-t means includes
means ~ for supporting a circular saw 7 on the frame 3 and means
9 for supporting the butt end of a tree cut by the saw just
above the saw 7. The saw support means 5 comprises a circular
support plate 11 mounted on the bot-tom end of the main ~rame 3.
The pla-te 11 extends transverse to the main frame 3. A cut-out
13 extends inwardly from the peripheral edge 15 o~ the plate 11
;~. towards its center, on the side of the plate opposite to the main
~rame 3 connection. The cut-out 13 is generally U-shaped and can
extnnd through an arc encompassing between 45 and 90 of the peri-
phery o~ the plate.

L?


The circular saw 7 is mounted beneath -the support plate 11
and parallel to i t . ,'he saw 7 is ro~ated about an axis 17 which
extends transverse to both it~ and support plate llo by a motor
19 mounted on top o~ p~ te 11, A drive shaft 21 exten~s from
motor 19 beneath plate 11 as shown in Fig. 2. A collar 23, fixed
on the cen-ter of the top side 25 o~ saw 7~ receives the end of
drive sha~t 21. Means (not shown) detachably connect -the collar
23 to the drive shaft 21. The saw 7 is slightly smaller in dia-
meter than the diameter of -the support plate 11. A protective
skirt 27 extends down from -the peripheral edge 15 of the plate 11
to just below the saw 7.
Th~ means 9 on the felling head for suppor-ting the butt end
o~ a cut tree comprises a butt plate 29 mounted to support plate
11 in the cut-out 13. The butt plate 29 is located parallel tol
and closely adjacent ~2, the top side 25 of saw 7, below the level
of support plate 11. l'he bu-tt pla-te 29 also lies close to but
does not cover the saw tee-th 31. Side pla-tes 33 connect the
inner edge 35 of butt plate 29 to the edge 37 of support plate
11 defilling cut-out 13.
The felling head 1 inclwdes tree holding means 41 mounted
on the frame 3 above the support plate 11. The -tree holding means
l~l comprîse a pair of curved arms 43 each pivotally mounted on a
pivot pin 45 carried by ~rame 3. ~he pins 45 extend parallel to
each other and to saw axis 17. Means (not shown) are provided
for moving the arms 43 toward each other to oYerlap and cross
to hold a tree between them.
lrhe ~elling head 1 also preferably includes tree collecting
means 51. rhe -~ree collecting means 51 comprise a pair of curved
arms 53, each mounted by a pivot pin 55 to the end of a short
3o straight arm 57 which in -turn is moun~ed at its o-ther end by a
~ pivot pin 59 to ~rame 3. Pivot pins 55, 59 extend parallel to
, ..
pivot pins 45. Means (not shown) are provided for moving the
arms 43 and 53 toward each other to hold a pl~lrality o~ cut trees.

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~a~

~o-th the tree holding means 41 and the -tree collecting means 51,
and -their operation! are well known in -the art.
Felling head 1 further includes means 61 a-t the top end of
the frame 3 to minimize the tendency of a just-cut tree to topple
of~ the bu-tt plate 29. hese means 61 can comprise a support bar
63 ex~ending inwardly from the frame 3 and having a concave surface
65 facing generally in the same direction as the cut-out 13. The
surface 65 is loca-ted between axis 17 and frame 3 and a jus-t-cut
-tree, while resting on butt plate 29, will move toward sur~ace ~5
as the head moves f'orward and will lead against surface 65 to
prevent the tree from toppling o~f plate 29. The height o~ frame
3 can be extended as compared to the height of frames in known
felling heads so a~ -to locate the support bar 65 further above the
butt plate 29~ and thus further minimize toppling.
The ~elling head 1 incl~Ades means 71 on the frame 3 for use
în a-ttach.ing the apparatus to a carrier vehicle. These means 71
can cornprise an attachment bracket 73 which extends rearwardly
from the frame 3 generally midway between its ends.
The felling head 1 forms part o~ felling equipment 79 and is
mounted on a carrier vehicle 81 using bracket 73 as shown in
Fig. 3. 'l'he carrier vehicle 81 preferally carries a knuckle boom
83 which .is mounted on a base 83 rotatable about a pivo-t 87
mounted on the vehicle body 89. An operator's cab or sta-tion 91
is mounted on base 85 adjacent boom 83. 'rhe base 85 carries the
power unit 93 for providing power to operate the boom 83 ~ld the
~elling head 1. fl'he felling head 1 is moun~d via bracket 73 on
the outer end 95 o~ the ou-~r arm 97 o~ boom 83. Conventional
hydraulic means 99, 101~ 103 are used to move the felling head 1
relative -to -the outer arm 97, the ou-ter arm 97 relative to the
inner arm 10~, and -the inner arm 105 rela-tive -to the base 85,
~-~, respectively, as is well kno~. .he operation of one or more of
the hydraulic means 99~ 101, 103 will move the felling head 1 with
the saw 7 close to the ground to cut trees within the inner and
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outer range of the boom 83. `he boom can be moved -to move the
felling head 1, or more par-ticularly the saw 7 either in a shallow
arc, close to the ground, or parallel and close -to -the ground.
As shown in ~ig. 4 the boom 83 is ro-tated to one outer edge
109 of a s-trip 111 of trees 113 to be harvested from a stand 115
by ro-ta-ting base 85 on the vehicle body 89. The boom 83 is then
swung across the strip 111 to the other ou-ter edge 117 of the strip
moving the felling head 1 generally in an arc 119 across the strip
111. The head 1 is moved slightly ~orwardly or rearwardly -to pick
up each tree in or ad3cent the arc by actua-ting any or all of the
boom hydraulio actuating means 99, 101~ 103 to thereby cut a swath
121 across the s-~ip 111. As the head 1 encou-nters each -tree 113
the circular saw 7~ projecting past butt plate 29, cuts through
the tree close to -the ground. The -teeth 31 on the saw 7 are set
-to produce a wide kerf 123 through the tree as shown in Fig. 2 50
that the butt plate 29, closel~ adjacent the teeth 31 on the saw 7,
and the side 25 of the saw, can move into the ker~ 123 as the saw
cuts -through the tree. In addi-tion, the wide kerf 123 minimizes
binding if the saw is not quite parallel to the ground while
cu-tting. During cutting o~ the tree, the -tree is not held, As
a resultp the tree is cleanly cut through with li-t-tle or no damage
to the butt end 125. Once the tree is cut through i-t drops a
very short distance onto the butt plate 29 while support bar 63
prevents the tree from toppling. While moving the boom 83 -to
swing the saw 7 to the next -tree, the cut tree is gripped by the
gripping means 41 and the collecting means 51 are actua-ted to hold
the tree along with other trees already cut. The next -tree is cut
in a similar fashion as are the other -trees encoun-tered in -the
swath 121 travelled by the head 1. Once the head reaches the
other side 117 o~ -the strip 111~ the head is swung back to the
one side 109, advanced slightly either by extending boom 83,
or by advancing the vehicle 81 and a next swath 121 is cut across
strip 111 by head 1 to cut the trees encountered in -this nex-t swa-th.
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'rhe above method of tree cuttinF~ is ex-tremely fast. Since
the trees need not be held for cut-ting~ no time is wasted prior to
cu-tting in griPping -the trees. Also~ since the trees need not be
held ~uring cu~ting, the butt ends are not ~amage~. The s~Nin~
movement permits a wide strip to be quickly cut in swaths with
li-ttle was-ted motion of the equipment. Ofken, more th~n one small
tree can be cut, if -the trees are close together before -the gripp-
îng means need ba actua-ted.
Once the collecting means 51 are ~u:Ll of trees~ -the head 1
is positioned by the boom 83 at an unloa~ing sta-tion and the collec-
ting means 51 are opened up to unload the collected group of trees.
While -the felling head 1 has been shown moun-ted on the end of
a knuckle boom 839 it can also be mounted via a bracke-t 133 on a
cross-bar 135 extending transversely across the front o~ a vehicle
137. Means 139, such as a cable drive, are prov;ded for moving
the felling head 1 transversely across the front o~ the vehicle
on the cross-bar 135, cutting a str~ght swath 141 across a strip
143 of -trees. Means 145 can be provided for moving the cross-
bar 135 rearwardly and forwardly relative to -the vehicle to cut
all the trees 113 in the swath 141~ or for moving the vehicle
back and forth to cut the trees in the swath 141. rhe head 1
can be rotatably mounted on the cross-bar L35 to unload collected
trees on one side of the strip 143. O-ther unloading me,~ns can be
employed.
The felling head 1 can be mounted on other types of booms
as well other ~than knuckle booms provided they can move to tra-
verse a strip.




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