Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title: TOW HITCH FOR A WOOD CHIPPER, AND A WOOD CHIPPER
INCORPORATING THE SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tow hitch to allow towing of a towable
vehicle,
or the like, with a towing vehicle. More particularly, the present invention
relates
to a mechanical coupling (hitch) for towing a trailer with a tractor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wood chippers are used to reduce branches, trees, brush, and other bulk wood
products into small wood chips. A wood chipper typically includes an infeed
chute, a feed system for controlling the feed rate of wood products into the
chipper, a wood chipping mechanism, a drive system for powering the feed
system and the chipping mechanism, and a discharge chute. The infeed chute
is typically a funnel-shaped conduit with a wide opening which tapers towards
the feed system, converging the wood products towards the chipping
mechanism. Through the operation of the feed system, wood products are
brought into contact with the chipping mechanism, which grinds, flails, or
cuts
the wood products into small pieces. These wood chips are propelled into the
discharge chute and expelled from the wood chipper.
By way of example, U.S. Patent No. 7,083,129 (Beam) disclosed a wood
chipper including a frame supported by a pair of wheels and a conventional
trailer hitch, featuring a hitch ball socket. The trailer hitch allows the
wood
chipper to be transported by being towed with a towing vehicle, such as a
truck,
a pickup, a car, etc. having a tow hitch, featuring a hitch ball capable of
coupling
to the hitch ball socket on the trailer hitch.
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U.S. Patent No. 6,234,512 (Bettenhausen) disclosed an example of a tow hitch
that is adapted to be secured to the rearward end of a towing vehicle. The
Bettenhausen tow hitch includes an elongated cross-beam or cross-tube having
opposite ends. The cross-beam is secured to the frame of the vehicle by at
least a pair of mounting plates or bars which are normally welded to the ends
of the cross-beam, and which extend forwardly therefrom. The Bettenhausen
tow hitch is provided with a conventional rearwardly extending receiver which
is adapted to receive the forward end of an elongate tow bar or draw bar. The
tow bar is maintained within the receiver by means of a conventional pin
extending through the receiver and through the tow bar. The free end of the
tow bar may attach a hitch ball.
U.S. Patent No. 4,796,819 (Waterman) disclosed another prior art attempt for
transporting a wood chipper. Waterman teaches a wood chipper to be lifted,
transported and powered by a tractor having a power take-off at its rear.
U.S. Patent No. 3,993,325 (Gravett) disclosed a way to tow a trailer with a
tractor. Gravett teaches an automatic hitch plate connected to the draft arms
at the rear end of a tractor. The hitch plate has a central slot disposed
therein,
with a locking structure in the slot so that a pin connected to the trailer
can be
selectively locked into the slot.
Other prior art tow hitches and couplings for towing towable vehicles with
towing
vehicles include: U.S. Patent Nos. 2,130,100 (Rasmussen), 2,580,770 (Harris),
2,859,050 (Stonerock), 4,333,665 (Haddock), 7,090,237 (Lammers), 8,967,654
(Rube), and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2015/0102147
(Anderson), and 2016/0311281 (Mantovani).
Prior art wood chippers and tow hitches allow users to transport wood chippers
and towable vehicles to their intended destinations separately. As such, the
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prior art requires users to make two trips with one towing vehicle each time
they
need to transport a wood chipper and a towable vehicle to a work site, or to
operate two vehicles if they wish to transport a wood chipper and a towable
vehicle to a work site at the same time.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improvements in wood chippers and
tow hitches.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is desired is an improvement over the prior art that would allow a user
to
transport a wood chipper and a towable vehicle efficiently to and from a work
site.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is
disclosed a tow hitch for attachment to a wood chipper adapted to be attached
to the rear end of a towing vehicle having a power takeoff and lifting arms
and
transported by the towing vehicle. When the tow hitch is attached to the wood
chipper, and the wood chipper is attached to the rear end of the towing
vehicle,
the operator may couple the towable vehicle to the tow hitch, and tow the
towable vehicle behind the wood chipper with the towing vehicle.
Advantageously, the tow hitch enables an operator to use one towing vehicle
to simultaneously transport both a wood chipper and a towable vehicle to and
from a work site.
For the purposes of this disclosure, the towing vehicle is an agricultural
tractor,
and the towable vehicle is a trailer. However, the invention is not limited to
agricultural tractors and trailers, but includes other towing vehicles, and
other
towable vehicles which will become apparent to persons skilled in the art once
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they understand the invention described herein. Without limitation therefore,
examples of other towing vehicles include skid steer loaders, rugged terrain
vehicles (RTVs), utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), utility trucks, backhoes,
and
excavators, and examples of other towable vehicles include trailers, and other
wheeled devices such as wheeled wood chippers, log skidding arches, firewood
processors, log splitters, generators, water tanks, fuel tanks, stump
grinders.
All such embodiments are comprehended by the present invention.
Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is
disclosed
a tow hitch for attachment to a wood chipper adapted to be attached to a
towing
vehicle having at least one lifting arm for lifting and transporting said wood
chipper, said tow hitch comprising:
an attachment member adapted for attachment to said wood chipper;
a draw bar attached to said attachment member; and
a mechanical coupler attached to said draw bar, said mechanical coupler
being adapted for coupling to a complementary coupler on a towable vehicle.
It is contemplated that the attachment member of the tow hitch may comprise:
a pair of mounting plates adapted for attaching to opposed sides of said
wood chipper; and
an elongate crossbeam having opposed ends attached to said pair of
mounting plates;
wherein said draw bar is attached to said elongate crossbeam.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a
wood
chipper adapted to be attached to a towing vehicle having at least one lifting
arm for lifting and transporting said wood chipper, said wood chipper
comprising
a mechanical coupler for coupling to a complementary coupler on a towable
vehicle.
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According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a
method of towing a towable vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
attaching a wood chipper to a towing vehicle having at least one lifting
arm for lifting and transporting said wood chipper;
attaching a mechanical coupler to said wood chipper; and
coupling said mechanical coupler to a complementary coupler on said
towable vehicle.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a
method of making a wood chipper, said method comprising the step of:
providing a wood chipper adapted to be attached to a towing vehicle
having at least one lifting arm for lifting and transporting said wood
chipper; and
attaching a mechanical coupler to said wood chipper, said mechanical
coupler being adapted to couple to a complementary coupler on a towable
vehicle;
wherein said mechanical coupler allows said towing vehicle to
simultaneously transport said wood chipper, and tow said towable vehicle
behind said wood chipper.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a
use of a mechanical coupler with a wood chipper wherein said wood chipper is
adapted to be attached to a towing vehicle having at least one lifting arm for
lifting and transporting said wood chipper, and wherein said mechanical
coupler
is adapted for coupling to a complementary coupler on a towable vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the present
invention with reference, by way of example only, to the following drawings in
which:
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tow hitch according to an embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the tow hitch of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the tow hitch of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a front view of the tow hitch of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a rear view of the tow hitch of Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the tow hitch of Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the tow hitch of Fig. 1 being attached to
the sides of a wood chipper, according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view Fig. 7, after the tow hitch has been attached
to the wood chipper;
Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a side view showing a wood chipper attached to the rear end
of a tractor, the tow hitch of Fig. 1 attached to the wood chipper, and a
trailer
coupled to the tow hitch, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 11 is a side view showing a wood chipper attached to the rear end
of a tractor, the tow hitch of Fig. 1 attached to the wood chipper, and a
wheeled
firewood processor coupled to the tow hitch, according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 12 is a side view showing a wood chipper attached to the rear end
of a tractor, the tow hitch of Fig. 1 attached to the wood chipper, and a
wheeled
log splitter coupled to the tow hitch, according to an embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 13 is a side view showing a wood chipper attached to the front end
of a skid steer loader, the tow hitch of Fig. 1 attached to the wood chipper,
and
a trailer coupled to the tow hitch, according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing a wood chipper being attached to
lifting arms at the front end of the skid steer loader of Fig. 13, and
hydraulic
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lines being connected between the wood chipper and an auxiliary hydraulic
system of the skid steer loader;
Fig. 15 is a side view showing a wood chipper attached to the rear end
of a backhoe, and the tow hitch of Fig. 1 attached to the wood chipper,
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a tow hitch according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the tow hitch of Fig. 16 being attached
to a wood chipper, according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 18 is a perspective view of Fig. 17 after the tow hitch has been
attached;
Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a tow hitch according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the tow hitch of Fig. 19 attached to a
wood chipper, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a tow hitch formed integrally with a frame
of a wood chipper, according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is described in more detail with reference to exemplary
embodiments thereof as shown in the appended drawings. While the present
invention is described below including preferred embodiments, it should be
understood that the present invention is not limited thereto. Those of
ordinary
skill in the art having access to the teachings herein will recognize
additional
implementations, modifications, and embodiments which are within the scope
of the present invention as disclosed and claimed herein.
A tow hitch 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown
in Figs. 1 to 6. The tow hitch 10 has an elongate crossbeam 12 with opposed
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ends 14. Preferably, the elongate crossbeam 12 may take the form of a hollow,
metal tube, having a rectangular cross-section. A pair of mounting plates 16
are attached to the opposed ends 14. By way of example only, the pair of
mounting plates 16 may be attached to the opposed ends 14 by welding.
Preferably, the elongate crossbeam 12 and the mounting plates 16 may be
made from 6 mm thick ASTM A36 steel. What is important is that the elongate
crossbeam 12 is sufficiently rigid and sturdy for its intended purpose, which
is
described in more detail below.
In the embodiment shown, the mounting plates 16 are each made from two
mounting plate members 18 fastened together with fasteners 20. Preferably,
the mounting plate members 18 may be fastened together with nut and bolt
fasteners, to allow the mounting plates 16 to take up less space for shipping,
but being easy to assemble by the user. However, it is also contemplated that
in other embodiments, the mounting plate members 18 may be attached
together using other known ways, such as for example by welding, or by using
other types of fasteners, including rivets. What is important is that the
mounting
plates are sufficiently rigid and sturdy for their intended purpose, which is
described in more detail below. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the
mounting plates 16 may be of a unitary construction, or they may be made with
two or more mounting plate members 18. All such embodiments of the
invention are comprehended by the present invention.
Truss members 22 may be attached between the elongate crossbeam 12 and
each mounting plate 16 to provide additional strength and rigidity to the tow
hitch 10. More or fewer truss members 22 may be provided than the two shown
in the drawings. In fact, the truss members 22 may be omitted altogether in
some embodiments of the invention as will be appreciated by persons skilled
in the art. All such embodiments are comprehended by the present invention.
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A mechanical coupler 24 is be attached to the elongate crossbeam 12,
preferably in a substantially central region of the elongate crossbeam 12. The
mechanical coupler 24 is configured for coupling to a complementary coupler
28 on a towable vehicle 30. As shown, a preferred mechanical coupler 24
consists of a draw bar 26 attached to the elongate crossbeam 12 with
fasteners 20, and a hitch ball 32 being attached to the draw bar 26, in a
conventional manner. However, it is contemplated that in other embodiments,
the draw bar 26 may be omitted from the mechanical coupler 24 altogether. For
example, the mechanical coupler 24 may consist of a hitch ball 32 attached
directly to the elongate crossbeam 12.
Other examples of mechanical couplers 24 and complementary couplers 28
include hitch ball sockets, pintles, lunnetes, 51h wheels, kingpins, and the
like.
Furthermore, the mechanical coupler 24 or the complementary coupler 28 may
consist of a receiver, for receiving an insert presenting a hitch ball, a
hitch ball
socket, a pintle, a lunnete, a 5th wheel, a kingpin, and the like.
If the complementary coupler 28 on the towable vehicle 30 is a hitch ball
socket,
then the mechanical coupler 24 of the tow hitch 10 will preferably include a
hitch
ball, or a receiver with an insert presenting a hitch ball. Similarly, if the
complementary coupler 28 on the towable vehicle 30 is a lunnete, then the
mechanical coupler 24 of the tow hitch 10 will preferably include a pintle, or
a
receiver with an insert presenting a pintle. Similarly, if the complementary
coupler 28 on the towable vehicle 30 is a kingpin, then the mechanical coupler
24 of the tow hitch 10 will preferably include a 5th wheel, or a receiver with
an
insert presenting a 5th wheel.
Although less common, if the complementary coupler 28 on the towable vehicle
is a hitch ball, then the mechanical coupler 24 of the tow hitch 10 will
30 preferably include a hitch ball socket, or a receiver with an insert
presenting a
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hitch ball socket. Similarly, if the complementary coupler 28 on the towable
vehicle 30 is a pintle, then the mechanical coupler 24 of the tow hitch 10
will
preferably include a lunnete, or a receiver with an insert presenting a
lunnete.
Similarly, if the complementary coupler 28 on the towable vehicle is a 5th
wheel,
then the mechanical coupler 24 of the tow hitch 10 will preferably include a
kingpin, or a receiver with an insert presenting a kingpin.
What is important is that the mechanical coupler 24 is attached to the
elongate
crossbeam 12 of the tow hitch 10 and configured to releasably couple to the
complementary coupler 28 on the towable vehicle 30. All such embodiments
are comprehended by the present invention.
With reference now to Figs. 7 to 9, the tow hitch 10 is sized and shaped to
attach to a wood chipper 34. Preferably, the wood chipper 34 has a frame 38
defining opposed sides 40, and the mounting plates 16 are spaced apart from
one another by the elongate crossbeam 12 to enable attachment of the
mounting plates 16 to the frame 38 at the opposed sides 40 of the frame 38 of
the wood chipper 34.
As best seen in Fig. 9, the mounting plates 16 are preferably sized and shaped
to space the elongate crossbeam 12 from frame 38 of the wood chipper 34 by
a predetermined distance 42. By way of example, the predetermined distance
42 may be 20 cm to 35 cm. However, the predetermined distance 42 may be
more or less than 20 cm to 35 cm depending on various design considerations
that will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. Preferably, the
predetermined distance 42 may be sufficient to space the mechanical coupler
24 away from the wood chipper 34 so that the complementary coupler 28 of the
towable vehicle 30 will not interfere with any portion of the wood chipper 34
while being towed. However, it will appreciated that if the draw bar 26 is
present, it may be sized and shaped taking into account the predetermined
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distance 42 to result in the desired position of the mechanical coupler 24
relative to the wood chipper 34. By way of example, the desired position of
the
mechanical coupler 24 may extend horizontally 30 cm to 35 cm from the wood
chipper 34, measured from, for example, a lateral extent of frame 38, and
vertically 25 cm, measured from, for example, a bottom extent of the frame 38.
Preferably, the desired position of the mechanical coupler 24 will be centered
between the opposed sides 40 of the frame 38.
The mounting plates 16 may be spaced apart from one another by only a
slightly greater distance than the distance between the opposed sides 40 of
the
frame 38 to provide a snug fit between the tow hitch 10 and the wood chipper
34.
Advantageously however, the mounting plates 16 may be spaced apart by a
greater distance than the distance between the opposed sides 40 of the frame
38, to allow the tow hitch 10 to be attached to wood chippers 34 having
different
widths. At least one spacer 44 may be used to fill a gap between a mounting
plate 16 and the adjacent opposed side 40, on one or both sides of the wood
chipper 34. Preferably, the spacers 44 may have a length of from about 0.5 cm
to about 3.0 cm, inclusive, depending on the application.
By way of example, a manufacturer may provide wood chippers 34 with three
different widths, such that a narrowest, first wood chipper has a width of
65.4
cm between opposed sides 40 of the frame 38, a second wood chipper has a
width of 65.7 cm between opposed sides 40 of the frame 38, and a widest, third
wood chipper has a width of 71.3 cm between opposed sides 40 of the frame
38. Rather than making the tow hitch 10 in three sizes (i.e. mounting plates
16
spaced apart 65.4 cm, 65.7 cm, and 71.3 cm) to match the three different
widths of wood chippers 34, the tow hitch 10 may be made in one size (i.e.
mounting plates 16 spaced apart 71.3 cm) to fit the widest, third wood chipper
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34 without spacers 44, and using spacers 44 to allow the same tow hitch 10 to
be attached to the first and second wood chippers 34. According to this
example, spacers 44 would be 2.95 cm long for the first wood chipper 34, and
2.8 cm for the second wood chipper 34. Fasteners 46 passing through the
mounting plates 16, and the opposed sides 40 of the frame 38 may preferably
be used, with or without the spacers 44, to attach the tow hitch 10 to the
wood
chipper 34. Preferably, the tow hitch 10 may be fastened to the wood chipper
34 with nut and bolt fasteners. However, it is contemplated that in other
embodiments, the tow hitch 10 may be attached to the wood chipper 34 by
welding, or other methods known in the art.
Spacers 44 may also be used to attach the tow hitch 10 to the widest, third
wood chipper 34, for example to accommodate the fasteners 20, if used to join
the mounting plate members 18 of the mounting plates 16. According to this
example, the tow hitch 10 would be slightly wider than in the previous example
(i.e. 72.8 cm) to fit the third wood chipper 34, including gaps to accommodate
the fasteners 20. The spacers 44 would be 3.65 cm long for the narrowest,
first
wood chipper 34, 3.5 cm long for the second wood chipper 34, and 0.7 cm for
the widest, third wood chipper 34.
Preferably, the wood chipper 34 may be of a type that is adapted to be
attached
to the rear end of a towing vehicle 36 having a power takeoff and lifting arms
48 and transported by the towing vehicle 36, as shown in Fig. 10. For the
purposes of this disclosure, the preferred towing vehicle 36 is an
agricultural
tractor 50, and the preferred towable vehicle 30 is a trailer 52. A power
takeoff
shaft 54 may be used to connect the tractor's power takeoff to the wood
chipper
34. However, the invention is not limited to agricultural tractors and
trailers, but
includes other towing vehicles 36, and other towable vehicles 30 which will
become apparent to persons skilled in the art once they understand the
invention described herein. Without limitation therefore, examples of other
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towing vehicles 36 include skid steer loaders 56 (see Figs. 13 and 14), rugged
terrain vehicles (RTV), utility terrain vehicles (UTV), utility trucks,
backhoes 58
(see Fig. 15), and excavators, and examples of other towable vehicles 30
include wheeled wood chippers, wheeled log skidding arches, wheeled firewood
processors 60 (see Fig. 11), wheeled log splitters 62 (see Fig. 12), wheeled
generators, wheeled water tanks, wheeled fuel tanks, and wheeled stump
grinders. All such embodiments are therefore comprehended by the present
invention.
Preferably, the towing vehicle 36 includes at least one lifting arm 48 at the
front
or the rear for lifting and transporting the wood chipper 34. Most preferably,
the
at least one lifting arm 48 will be configured to raise and lower by operator
control to facilitate attachment and transport of the wood chipper 34. By way
of example, the raising and lowering of the at least one lifting arm 48 may be
achieved using hydraulics, including using hydraulic cylinders, in a known
manner. Attachment of the wood chipper 34 to the one or more lifting arms 48
may also be achieved in a known manner. By way of example, in the case of
an agricultural tractor 50, the wood chipper 34 may be attached to lifting
arms
48 in the form of a three-point hitch provided at the rear end of the tractor
50,
as shown in Figs. 10 to 12. As another example, in the case of a skid steer
loader 56, the wood chipper 34 may be attached to lifting arms 48 in the form
of a pair of lift arms provided at the front end of the skid steer loader, as
shown
in Fig. 13. As another example, in the case of a backhoe 58, as shown in Fig.
15, the wood chipper 34 may be attached to the single lifting arm 48 provided
at the rear end of the backhoe 58. As another example, in the case of an
excavator (not shown), the wood chipper 34 may be attached to the single
lifting
arm 48 provided at the front end of the excavator.
It is contemplated that in other embodiments of the present invention, the
wood
chipper 34 may be used with towing vehicles 36 provided with at least one
lifting
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arm 48 that does not include the above described capability to raise and
lower.
In other words, the lifting arm(s) are configured to attach the wood chipper
34
at a fixed position relative to the towing vehicle 36, and thus at a fixed
elevation
relative to the ground. Such embodiments will require the operator to employ
other means for raising and lowering the wood chipper 34 to facilitate
attachment of the wood chipper 34 to the towing vehicle 36 and detachment of
the wood chipper 34 from the towing vehicle 36. What is important is that the
towing vehicle 36 be provided with at least one lifting arm 48 that is capable
of
carrying the wood chipper 34 at the desired elevation relative to the ground
to
permit the towing vehicle 36 to drive to and from the work site with the wood
chipper 34, and with the towable vehicle 30 coupled to the wood chipper 34 via
the mechanical coupler 24.
It is also contemplated that when the towing vehicle 36 does not have a power
takeoff, an alternate means for powering the wood chipper 34 may be provided.
For example, in the case of a skid steer loader 56, the wood chipper 34 may be
powered by operably connecting the wood chipper 34 to an auxiliary hydraulic
system on the skid steer loader 56 with hydraulic lines 64, as shown in Fig.
14.
Furthermore, it is also contemplated that the wood chipper 34 may itself
include
a means for powering the wood chipper 34, in which case the towing vehicle 36
does not need to have any means for powering the wood chipper 34. All such
embodiments are comprehended by the present invention.
In the embodiments of the tow hitch 10 described above in relation to, for
example, Figs. 1 to 6, the mounting plates 16, and elongate crossbeam 12 are
an example of a means for attaching the draw bar 26, and in turn the
mechanical coupler 24 to the wood chipper 34.
With reference now to Fig. 16, there is shown a tow hitch 10 according to
another embodiment of the present invention wherein the attachment means
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is an attachment member 66. Preferably, attachment member 66 may be an
elongate rigid piece of metal having one end adapted for attachment to the
wood chipper 34, and a second end attached to the draw bar 26. Although the
attachment member 66 may be straight, it may also include one or more bends
68 adapted to position the draw bar 26 at a desirable angle and/or position
relative to the wood chipper 34. It will appreciated that the draw bar 26 may
be
sized and shaped to result in the desired position of the mechanical coupler
24
relative to the wood chipper 34, when the attachment member 64 is attached
to the wood chipper 34. Preferably, the mechanical coupler 24 may be
positioned a sufficient distance from the wood chipper 34 to space the
complementary coupler 28 of the towable vehicle 30 from the wood chipper 34
so that the complementary coupler 28 will not interfere with any portion of
the
wood chipper 34 while being towed. It will be appreciated that the draw bar 26
may be sized and shaped to take into account the intended point of attachment
of the attachment member 66 to the wood chipper 34 to result in the desired
position of the mechanical coupler 24 relative to the wood chipper 34.
As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the tow hitch 10 may be attached to the bottom
of the frame 38 of the wood chipper 34. The tow hitch 10 may be joined to the
wood chipper 34 by attaching the attachment member 66 to the bottom of the
frame 38 in a known manner including using fasteners 20, or welding.
With reference to Fig. 19, there is shown a tow hitch 10 according to another
embodiment of the present invention, similar to the embodiment described
above in relation to Figs. 16 to 18, wherein the attachment means is also an
attachment member 66. As above, the attachment member 66 is depicted as
an elongate rigid piece of metal having one end adapted for attachment to the
wood chipper 34, and a second end attached to the draw bar 26. The
attachment member 66 includes one bend 68 adapted to position the draw bar
26 at a desirable angle and/or position relative to the wood chipper 34. It
will
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appreciated that the draw bar 26 may be sized and shaped to result in the
desired position of the mechanical coupler 24 relative to the wood chipper 34,
when the attachment member 66 is attached to the wood chipper 34. As
mentioned above, the mechanical coupler 24 may preferably be positioned a
sufficient distance from the wood chipper 34 to space the complementary
coupler 28 of the towable vehicle 30 from the wood chipper 34 so that the
complementary coupler 28 will not interfere with any portion of the wood
chipper
34 while being towed. It will be appreciated that the draw bar 26 may be sized
and shaped to take into account the intended point of attachment of the
attachment member 66 to the wood chipper 34 to result in the desired position
of the mechanical coupler 24 relative to the wood chipper 34.
The tow hitch 10 need not be attached to the frame 10, so long as it is
attached
to a sufficiently sturdy portion of the wood chipper 34. For example, as shown
in Fig. 20, the tow hitch 10 may be attached to the top of an oil tank 70, in
a
mid-section of the wood chipper 34. The tow hitch 10 may be joined to the
wood chipper 34 by attaching the attachment member 66 to the top of the oil
tank 70 in a known manner including using fasteners 20, or welding.
Although the attachment member 66 and draw bar 26 are shown in Figs. 16 to
20 as being unitary, this need not be so. For example, the attachment member
66 may be joined to the draw bar 26 in a known manner including using
fasteners or welding.
Having described preferred embodiments of the tow hitch 10 above, it may now
be understood that the present invention permits an operator to tow a towable
vehicle 30, such as a trailer 52, with a towing vehicle 36, such as a tractor
50,
by attaching a wood chipper 34 to the towing vehicle 36, attaching a tow hitch
to the wood chipper 34, and coupling the towable vehicle 30 to the tow hitch
10.
This is illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13. It will be appreciated that the tow
hitch 10
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may be attached to the wood chipper 34 before or after the wood chipper 34 is
attached to the towing vehicle 36. In this way, the operator may use one
towing
vehicle 36 to simultaneously transport both the wood chipper 34 and the
towable vehicle 30 to and from a work site.
Preferably, the tow hitch 10 may be provided as an accessory to retrofit
existing
wood chippers 34. However, wood chippers 34 may be manufactured from the
start to include a tow hitch 10, according to embodiments of the present
invention. Either way, it will now be understood that a wood chipper 34 may be
made by manufacturing or providing a wood chipper that is adapted to be
attached, for example to the front or rear end of a towing vehicle 36 having
lifting arms 48 for lifting and transporting the wood chipper, and attaching a
tow
hitch 10 to the wood chipper.
While reference has been made to various preferred embodiments of the
invention other variations, implementations, modifications, alterations and
embodiments are comprehended by the broad scope of the appended claims.
Some of these have been discussed in detail in this specification and others
will
be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the tow hitch 10 may be
formed integrally with the frame 38 of the wood chipper 34, as shown in Fig.
21.
In particular, the frame 38 of the wood chipper 34 may include first and
second
frame members 72, 74 defining the opposed sides 40, such that the mounting
plates 16 are formed integrally with the first and second frame members 72,
74,
respectively. Those of ordinary skill in the art having access to the
teachings
herein will recognize these additional variations, implementations,
modifications,
alterations and embodiments, all of which are within the scope of the present
invention, which invention is limited only by the appended claims.
CA 3050946 2019-08-01
