TREE TRIMMING APPARATUS

DISPOSITIF MECANIQUE ELAGUEUR

English Abstract

TREE TRIMMING APPARATUS
Abstract
A cutter bar assembly is suspended from an overhead arm
carried by an operator mounted back pack structure. A flex-
ible coupling carries the cutter bar assembly in a manner
causing the assembly to assume a position inclined from
the vertical for the trimming of Christmas trees. An engine
and transmission are mounted on the cutter bar assembly
with motion being imparted to the cutter blades by angular
connector plates. A handlebar is attached to the cutter
bar assembly in a manner offsetting the latter to one side
of the operator for minimal operator contact with the vegeta-
tion being trimmed.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
- 1 -
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 con-
nector plate on each of said 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 attach-
ment 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 trim-
ming along an inclined course and stablizing means on said
cutter bar assembly.
-2-
The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said
power source and said transmission are mounted on said cutter
bar assembly.

-3-
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 being trimmed, a mounting plate on said cutter bar
assembly supporting said handlebar in an axially adjustable
manner.
-4-
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.
-5-
The trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said
elevated support assembly includes a back pack structure for
wear by 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.
-6-
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 forwardly 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
stablizing means for stabilizing the cutter bar assembly
against displacement during a tree trimming operation.
-7-
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.
-8-
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.
- 9 -
The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 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.
-10-
The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 9 wherein
said stabilizing means is a handlebar having end mounted
handgrips for grasping by the operator to resist loads en-
countered during a trimming operation, said handlebar mounted
intermediate its ends in an asymmetrical manner to said cutter
bar assembly.
-11-
The tree trimming apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein
each connector plate is of angular configuration.

Description

~24321~
The present invention concerns powered equipment for the
trimming of trees, shrubs and other vegetation.
Commercial growers of Christmas trees must periodically
trim same to justify a premium selling price. Currently the
shaping of Christmas trees is done with a hand held knife
which requires a degree of skill on the users part. The trim-
ming of trees with a knife is objectionable additionally from
a standpoint of the time required to properly shape each tree.
The wielding of a sizable knife over a period of several hours
during a working day ofttimes results in careless trimming
particularly when affected by fatigue. An additional draw-
back, of course, is the risk of injury to a person involved
in such work.
The present invention is embodied within a tree trimming
apparatus suspended in an inclined manner so as to trim the
tree in a desired shape.
The present apparatus includes an elongate cutter bar
assembly powered by a lightweight engine in place on a sta-
tionary component of the cutter bar assembly. The cutter bar
assembly is suspended in an upright, inclined manner to preclude
tiresome positioning of same by the operator. A handlebar
component on the cutter bar assembly permits the operator to
stabilize the cutter bar during a tree trimming operation.
An overhead support may be part of a back pack structure worn
by the operator. The cutter bar assembly is preferably located
in an offset manner to permit the operator to avoid contact
with the vegetation.
The present invention is embodied in a tree trimming ap-
paratus comprising in combination, an elevated support assembly
including a back pack type structure for attachment to the

torso of an operator, a cutter bar assembly, a power source and
transmission driving said cutter bar assembly, elongate flex-
ible means coupling said cutter bar assembly to said support
assembly in a suspended manner, said cutter bar assembly ad-
ditionally including attachment means located so as to receive
one end of said flexible means at a point to cause the cutter
bar assembly to be inclined from the verticle for tree trim-
ming along an inclined course, and stabilizing means on said
cutter bar assembly for grasping by the operator.
In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present tree
trimming apparatus in use;
Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof taken from the
right side of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line
3-3 of F~gure 1 with blade members broken away from the cutter
bar; and
Figure 4 is an exploded view of the cutter bar and blades
removed from the transmission housing.
With continuing attention to the drawing, reference
numerals indicate features hereinafter similarly identified,
the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a back pack type
structure of an elevated support assembly.
The support assembly additionally includes an elevated
arm 2 projecting forwardly above the operator's head. A down-
wardly extending segment 3 is suitably secured at 4 to a base
; 5. The back pack type structure includes a padded component
6 held in place against the operator's back by shoulder
straps as at 7. A belt 8 extends from the back pack base 5
about the operator's lower torso and is equipped with a buckle.

~2~3~
Accordingly, elevated support arm 2 is conveniently held in
place with the forwardly extending portion thereof located
forward and canted towards users left side. Flexible coupl-
ing means at 10 extends downwardly from arm 2 and terminates
in attachment to an angulated rod 11 which in turn terminates
in fastener attachment at 12 with attachment means shown as a
plate 13 of a cutter bar assembly at 16. Plate 13 prefer-
ably defines multiple openings 13A-13B offset different
distances from cutter bar assembly 16 to cause the assembly
to be suspended at a selected inclination as typically shown
in Figure 2. The apertures 13A-13B in plate 13 permit selec-
tive attachment of the end of rod 11 thereto to provide for
suspending the cutter bar assembly in more than one inclined
relationship to the vertical to enable adapting the apparatus
to cutting trees in different conical shapes. For trimming
trees having a base diameter equal to 60 percent of tree
height the cutter bar assembly will be about 17 degrees off
the vertical.
The cutter bar assembly indicated generally at 16 includes
a stationary cutter bar 17. Plate 13 is secured to the cutter
bar by a bracket 18. Cutter bar 17 is additionally equipped
with a second bracket 19 (Figures 3 and 4) being a right angle
and extends rearwardly from the cutter bar with an extension
l9A terminating upwardly within a transmission unit 20 where-
at the bracket extension is in bolted securement at 21 to
threaded bores in the transmission housing. The upper end
of the transmission housing receives a bracket 22 which is
secured by fasteners 23 to plate 13. Accordingly, the trans-
mission housing, and the engine indicated generally at E, are
secured in place to the cutter bar. One suitable engine and

3~2~321
transmission unit is that sold under the trademark ECH0,
model HC-210E.
The cutter bar assembly includes slidably mounted reci-
procating blades 24-25 with each blade having a series of
elongate slots through which pass fastener assemblies 26 car-
ried by the fixed cutter bar. Angle shaped guides at 27 ad-
ditionally support the blades at each fastener assembly.
The pair of cutter blades are coextensive with cutter bar
17 and include coacting teeth 24A-25A. Reciprocating motion
is imparted to the cutter blades 24-25 by angular connector
plates at 30 and 31 which as shown in Figures 3 and 4 termi-
nate within conventional transmission 20.
Transmission 20 includes a pair of connecting rods 32-
33 each carried by an eccentric as at 34 on a driven shaft
35. The connecting rods 32-33 have bosses 32A-33A at their
distal ends in which are received posts 34-35 on the blade
attached connector plates 30-31. Internal transmission struc-
ture confines the connector plates to reciprocal motion. Ac-
cordinyly blades 24 and 25 are oppositely reciprocated along
cutter bar 17.
A handlebar at 37 is provided with a pair of handgrips
38. A bracket 40 secured in place toward one end (preferably
the left side) of the handlebar to enable the operator to
substantially avoid contact with the foilage being trimmed.
Preferably the bracket 40 is assymetrically mounted on a
curved segment at one end of the handlebar so as to position
the cutter bar 17 so as to be rotated outwardly about its
major axis at about a thirty degree included angle to a
vertical medial plane P of the operator to provide an opti-
mum cutting angle with the branch being cut. To enable

~2~32~
handlebar height to be varied to suit the operator7 bracket40 is attachable to a mounting plate 41 having a series of
apertures with the plate secured to cutter bar 17 by a pair
of the fastener assemblies 26.
For the operator's convenience, a throttle control
and an ignition grounding switch are provided on handlebar
37. Transmission 20 has a five-to-one reduction drive.
The cutter bar assembly preferably has a length of about
six or seven feet.