Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TREE EXCAVATOR
BACKGRO~ND OF T~E INVENTION
This invention relates to excavators for excavating
and transplating trees.
A variety of different mechanisms have been developed
for excavating trees and forming root balls to permit the trees
to be transplanted.
~ .S.P.3,977,099 Stewart, discloses a digging maching
which has a pair of spir-ical blades mounted for rotation. A
parallelogram linkage is provided to effect rotation of the
blades. The blades are separately mounted on the parallelogram
linkage and are driven in an arcuate path from opposite sides
of the tree in order to form the root ball. The mechanism is
such that it is necessary for the parallelogram linkage
mechanism to penetrate the soil in order to form the root ball
and consequently this mechanism is subject to damage resulting
from contact with obstacles in the soil.
~ .S.P.2,770,7076 (check number) Rluckhohn, discloses
an excavator which excavates by forming a trench which extends
from one side of the tree. As a result, the mechanism does not
form a complete root ball, but merely serves to wrench the
roots from the soil.
~ .S.P. 2,990,630 discloses a free moving machine in
which the excavator is formed in two halves which stradle the
tree trunk during the excavation. This patent also discloses a
structure in which the tree is transported with the trunk of
the tree extending forwardly from the root ball toward the
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front end of the vehicle
~ .S.P. 4,04~,891 Grew, discloses a structure in which
the three blades are provided which serve to dig into the soil
at circumferentially spaced intervals around the root ball.
~ .S.P. 3,889,402 discloses an excavator in which two
blades are mounted to move toward one another from opposite
sides of the plant in order to form the root ball during the
excavation operation.
~ .S.P. 3,936,960 discloses a structure in which a
plurality of spades are arranged to be driven downwardly into
the soil so as to converge below the plant in order to form a
root ball. A cu'ter blade is also provided which will extend
under the spades in order to cut the tap root. The problem
with this mechanism is that it does not fully support the root
~all during the final excavation step of removing the tree.
S~MMARY OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
simple and effective excavator for a tree in which an excavator
scoop is provided which can excavate the root ball from one
side of the tree but which will form a bowl shaped scoop which
will support the root ball during the excavation.
I. is a further object of the present invention to
provide an excavator scoop which has a plurality of segments
which are deployed sequentially during the excavation operation
to extend to form a complete bowl shape scoop under the root
ball of the tree which is ~eing excavated.
It is a further o~ject of the present invention to
provide a motor vehicle which has an articulating crane on which
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the excavator's scoop is mounted and which can be articulated
to locate the scoop at the front end of the vehicle during
excavation and to store the scoop and the excavated tree on the
vehicle with the trunk of the tree extending from the scoop
toward the back end of the ~otor vehicle so as to minimize wind
damage to the tree when the vehicle is driven forwardly to
transport the tree from one site to another.
According to one aspect of the present invention an
excavator for excavat.ing a tree and forming a root ball
comprising. an excavator scoop having a plurality of segments
mounted for movement with respect to one another between a
nested position in which the segments are nested one within
another and a deployed position in which the segments are
extended from one another and cooperate with one another to
form a bowl-shaped scoop, scoop drive means engaging the scoop
and operable to drive the segments from the nested position to
the depioyed position, such that when the nested segments are
located adjacent a tree and then driven to the deployed
position the segments will pass under the tree to excavate the
tree and form a root ball within the deployed scoop.
According to a further aspect of the present invention
there is provided an excavator for excavating a tree and
forming a root ball comprising: a motor vehicle having a
chassis, an articulating crane mounted on the chassis, said
crane having a distal end, an excavation scoop mounted at the
distal end of the crane, crane drive means operable to drive
the crane between a first position in which the scoop is
located forwardly from the motor vehicle in contact with the
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ground at an excavation site and a second position in which the
scoop is eleva~ed above 'he chassis for supporting a root ball
and a tree above the chassis with the trunk of the tree
extending from the root ball toward the back end of the motor
vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side view of an excavator constructed in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention showing
two positions of the excavator scoop relative to the motor
vehicle on which it is mounted;
Figure 2 is a back view of the motor vehicle of Figure
l; ' .
Figure 3 is a front view of the motor vehicle of
Figure l;
Figure 4 is.a side view of the excavator scoop in the
closed position;
Figure 5 is a side view of the excavator scoop in the
deployed position;
Figure 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the
nested scoop;
Figure 7 is a plan view of the leading segment of the
scoop;
Figure 8 is a front view of the leading segment of
Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a plan view of the scoop support frame;
Figure 10 is a side view of the scoop support frame of
Figure 9; and
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Figure 11 is a side view of the leading scoop segment -~
and the scoop support frame which serves to illustrate the
scoop drive mechanism,
Figure 12 is a side view of a scoop assembly
constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the
present invention showing the segments in the nested
configuration,
Figure 13 is a side view similar to Figure 12 showing
the segments in the deployed configuration,
Figure 14 is a partial plan view of the scoop assembly
and support frame of the second embodiment,
Figure 15 is a front view of a portion of the
mechanism illustrated in Figure 14,
Figure 16 is a side view of the mechanism illustrated
in Figure 15.
With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, the
reference numeral 10 refers generally ~o a mobile tree
excavator constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention. The mobile Lree excavator 10 consists of a
motor vehicle 12, a crane 14 and a scoop assembly 16. The
scoop assembly 16 comprises an excavator scoop 18, a support
frame 20 and a scoop drive mechanism 22.
EXCAVATOR SCOOP
The excavator scoop 18 and a number of its components
are illustrated in Figure 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 to which
reference is now made.
The excavator scoop 18 comprises a leading segment 24
and first, second and third trailing segments 26, 28 and 30.
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The leading seqment 24 has a concave blade portion 32
and arms 34 which project forwardly therefrom. The arms 34
each comprise a pair of spaced parallel plates 36 which are
held in a spaced relationship by means of spacers 38 and 40. A
bore 42 extends through each of the arms 34 and has a center
line 44 which forms the axis of rotation of the leading segment
24 and the trailing segments 26, 28 and 30. A plurality of
catch pins 46 are located adjacent and project inwardly from
the trailing edge 48 of the leading segment 24 as most clearly
shown in Figure 8.
The leading edge 50 of the blade portion 32 is
profiled as shown in Figure 8 to facilitate soil penetration.
Brackets 52 are mounted on each of the arms 34 ana
serve to support a vibration inducing mechanism which will serve
to impart a vibrating action to the blade 32 to facilitate soil
penetration in use.
As shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, the second, third
and fourth trailing segments 26, 28 and 30 have slots 54, 56 and
58 respectively formed therein. ~eeper plates 60 are located at
each end of the slots 54, 56 and 58. The catch pins 46 of the
leading segment project into the slots 54 and are proportioned
to be free to slide along the slots 54. Similarly, catch pins
62 extend inwardly from the first trailing segment 26 into the
slots 56 of the second trailing segment and catch pins 64
project inwardly from the second trailing segment into the slots
58 of the third trailing segment. Thus, it will be seen that
when the leading segment 24 is pivoted from the nested position
illustrated in Pigure 4 to the deployed position shown in Figure
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5 the leading segment will be free to rotate relative to the
first, second and third trailing segments until the catch pins
46 engage the kéeper plates 60. Thereafter the leading segment
will draw the first trailing segmen~ with it and this procedure
will be repeated with the second and third trailing segments
such that the segments will be sequentially deployed from the
nested position to the deployed position shown in Figure 5. As
a result it is only necessary to drive the leading segment. The
major portion of the loads required to excavate the root ball
will be borne by the leading segmen~ and consequently it is
advantageous to apply the scoop drive mechanism directly to 'he
leading segment 24.
The support frame 20 is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10
of the drawings to which reference is now made.
The support frame 20 has a generally ~-shaped front end
portion 70 which has a lower ground engaging surface 72.
Passages 74 are formed adjacent the inner ends of the arms 76.
The passages 74 serve to support the pivot pin 78 (Fig. 1) which
serve to pivotally mount the scoop segments on the frame 20 for
rotation about the axis 44. The frame 20 also has a central
portion 80 which extends above the front end portion 70 and is
formed with a recess 82 which serves to accommodate the scoop
segments when they are in the nested configuration. The central
portion 82 also has a pair of support posts 84 which project
upwardly from arms 86 and support posts 84 each have a passage
88 which opens laterally therethrough. The support posts 84
serve to support one end of a link arm of the scoop drive
mechanism as will be described hereinafter with reference to
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Figure 11.
The frame 20 also has a back end portion 90 which has a
pair of lugs 92 each of which has a laterally extending portion
94 at the back end thereof on which lugs 96 are mounted. The
lugs 96 serve to support a component of the scoop drive
mechanism as will be described hereinafter.
A passage 98 is formed in the side walls 100 of the
frame and the distal end 102 of the arm 104 of the crane 14 is
pivotally attached to the frame 12 by means of a pivot pin 106
which ex.ends through the passages 98.
As shown in Figure 11 of the drawing, the drive
mechanism 22 comprises a pair of extensible rams 106 which have
their back end 108 connected to the lugs 96 of the frame 20 by
means of a pivot pin 110. The front end 112 of each ram 106 is
pivotally connected to lugs 114 which are mounted on a first
link arm 116. Each Iink arm 116 has its upper end pivotally
connected to the support posts 84 by means of a pivot pin 118
which passes through the passage 88 formed in the support posts
84. The second link arm 120 has one end pivotally connected by
means of a pivot pin 122 to the lower end of the first arm 116.
The other end of the second link arm 120 is pivotally connected
by means of a pivot pin 124 to an arm 34 of the leading segment
24 of the scoop.
In use when the ram 22 (?) is in the extended position
it serves to locate the segments of the scoop in the nested
configuration illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. Wben the
ram is retracted from the extended position it serves to cause
the leading segment to pivot about the axis 44 so that it is
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caused to move from the position shown in ~igure 4 to the
position shown in Figure 5 to sequentially deploy the segments
of the scoop.
As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the crane 14 has
an inner arm 130 and an outer arm 104 pivotally connected to one
another by means of a pivot pin 132. The proxim~l end of the
inner arm 130 is connected by means of a pivot pin 134 to a
crane base which is secured to the chassis 136 of the motor
vehicle 12. The crane 14 has a first extensible ram 13B which
extends between the arm 130 and the base of the crane and is
operable to cause the arm 130 to pivot from the deployed
position in which it extends forwardly from the pivot pin 132
the stowed position in which it extends parallel to the
chassis. The second arm 104 has an upper section 140 within
which a lower section 142 is mounted to telescope. An
extensible ram 144 extends between the upper and lower portions
and is extensible to cause the arm 104 to be extended and is
retractable to cause the arm 104 to be contracted.
An extensible ram 146 extends betwèen the distal end of
the arm 130 and the centre of the length of the upper section
140 of the arm 104. A fourth set of extensible rams 148 extends
between the distal end of the arm 142 and the posts 84 of the
frame. The arms 148 are extendible and retractible to cause the
frame 20 to pivot about the axis of the pivot pins 150 which
serve to connect the distal end of the arm to the frame through
the passages 98.
As shown in ~igure 2 of the drawings, a pair of
hold-down plates 154 are pivotally mounted by means of link arms
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1~6 to the outer end of each of the arm 76 of the front end
portion 70 of the frame 20. Extensible rams 1~8 are pivotally
mounted on the lugs 160 to which the link arms 156 are also
pivotally connected. By extending the rams 158 the hold-down
plates 154 can be located in the position shown in Figure 2 in
which these plates extend in an arc along a peripheral portion
of the leading edge 50 of the leading segments of the scoop.
The hold-down plates 154 serve to bear against the soil to
prevent excessive heaving of the soil when the leading edge of
the scoop is driven through the soil to-form the root ball. The
hold-down plates 154 can be pivoted so as to extend
perpendicularly from their position shown in Figure 2 so that a
wide clearance is provided at the entry to the frame when the
frame is to be manipulated into a position in which it extends
around the tree.
TO facilitate the early stages of the raising of the
crane from the stowed position shown in Figure 1 a pop-up
extensible ram 166 is provided which may be extended to raise
the arm 130 of the crane to a sufficient extent to enable the
ram 138 to operate to coplete the deployment of the crane from
the stowed position to the deployed position. In addition, it
will be noted that the motor vehicle is fitted with stabilizing
legs 168 which bear against the ground and serve to stabilize
the vehicle during the excavation and manipulation of the tree.
In use, the scoop will initially be located in its
nested position. The crane is deployed to locate the frame on
the ground in close proximity to the trunk 170 of a tree so that
the trunk 170 is positioned substantially in line with the axis
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44 and centrally between the arms 76. The crane 14 and its
extensible rams are deployed to retain the lower ground engaging
surface 72 of the frame in a position resting on the ground.
The legs 168 of the motor vehicle are then deployed to stabilize
the vehicle. The scoop drive mechanism 22 is then activated to
drive the scoop from the stowed position to the deployed
position shown in Figure 1 thereby to cause the segments of the
scoop to be sequentially deployed so that the leading segment
will pass under the tree and form a root ball 172. The
hold-down plates 154 will serve to prevent break-up of the root
ball as the leading segment 24 emerges from the soil.
With the hold-down plates remaining in their deployed
position the crane is then articulated to assume the position
shown in Figure 1 in which the scoop 18 is located above the
chassis substantially centrally between the wheel sets. In this
position the tree branches 174 project rearwardly from the
vehicle. The stabilizing legs 168 can then be raised and the
vehicle can be driven along the roadway. It will be noted that
as the vehicle is driven along the roadway the scoop 18 will
form a streamlined wind deflector which will serve-to streamline
the load and reduce wind damage to the tree. In addition,
because the branches are located rearwardly from the trunk the
branches will tend to bend away from the root ball and in so
doing in most trees they are less likely to be damaged as a
result of the bending caused by the wind as the vehicle is
driven along the roadway.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that, in order
to excavate a tree using the excavator of the present invention,
it is only necessary to gain access to one side of the tree.
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This is in contrast to the conventional structures which use
blades which are driven firmly into the soil on four sides of
the tree. As a result, it is possible to use the excavator
scoop of the present invention in a restricted area where only
limited access to the tree which is to be excavated is available.
In addition, it will be noted that when a vehicle is
driven along a highway with the scoop of the present invention
arranged in a stowed configuration, the convex curvature of the
scoop will be directed toward the front end of the vehicle and
will serve to streamline the structure. This is in sharp
contrast to existing shovel structures which, when stowed in an
unused configuration, open toward the front end of the vehicle
and as a result they tend to act as a wind break and greatly
increase the fuel consumption of the vehicle in use.
A further embodiment of the present invention is
illustrated in Figures 12 to 16, to which reference is now
made. Like reference numerals apply to like parts to those
appearing in the preceding Figures 1 to 11.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
Figures 12 to 15, the catch pins 46, 62, 64 and slots 54, 56 and
58 have been replaced by catch pins 246, 262, 264 and notches
254, 256, 258 respectively. The catch pin 246 is mounted on and
projects from the arm 234 which is an extension of the leaning
segment 224. The trailing segments 224, 226 and 230 each have
arm portions 226a, 228a and 230a in which the notches 254, 256,
258 are formed respectively.
As shown in Figures 14 and 16 of the drawings, the
extensible ram 106 is connected to the first link arm 116. The
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first link arm 116 is connected to the second link arm 120 by
means of the pivot pin 122. Similarly, the second link arm 120
is connected to the arm 234 by means of the pivot pin 124. It
will be understood that, while Figure 14 illustrates the
deployment mechanism at one side of the scoop assembly, a
similar deployment mechanism of the opposite hand is located at
the other side of the scoop assem~ly, only one being shown to
simplify illustration.
- In use, in order to deploy the scoop segments from the
nested position shown in Figure 12 to the deployed position
shown in Figure 13, it is merely necessary to activate the
extensible ram 106 as previously described. As a result, the
leading segment 224 will be driven about the pivot pin 44 and
will serve to pene~rate the soil. During this initial movement
of the leading segment 224, the catch pin 246 is driven along
the notch 254 until it reaches the end of the notch 254.
Thereafter continued deployment of the leading segment 224 will
result in movement of the arm 226a which will in turn cause the
first trailing segment 226 to be deployed. ~his procedure will
be repeated sequentially until all of the segments are fully
deployed to the position shown in Figure 13.
The structure illustrated in ~igures 12 through 15 has
the advantage that the mechanism which controls the sequential
deployment, namely the catch pins and the notches, is not
submerged during the excavation and will not ever be operating
in a hostile environment.
These and other modifications of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art.
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From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present
invention provides an excavator for excavating a tree which
permits the formation of a complete root ball and which provides
for the stabilizing of the root ball as it is removed and
transported in use.
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