Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
', .
~AND C~EARING ~ACHINE ;~
',~` '
The present invention relates to a mobile machine
for felling and chipping trees.
U.S. patent No. 3,394,744 discloses a "Method
and Apparatus for Felling and Treatment of Trees to Produce
Wood Chips." This patent uses complicated mechanism for
grasping a tree, for cutting through the tree with a
rotating cutterhead and for feeding the tree downward `
against the cutterhead to cut the tree into chips. A
problem with the method and apparatus of this patent is
that the tree-grasping mechanism must be capable of support
ing a severed tree upright and, consequently, only small
trees may be felled and chipped by such method and apparatus.
U.S. patent No. 3,979,075 discloses a machine
for felling and chipping "brushwood" using a pair of
rotating cutterheads. One cutterhead fells trees and acts
; as a "reaction member" for the other cutterhead which
chips the trees. However, the speed of rotation of one of
the cutterheads must be constant relative to the speed of
rotation of the other cutterhead. Conse~uently, complicated
drive mechanism is required and stalling of one cutterhead ~
effects stalling of the other cutterhead. ~ ;
~. .
It is an object of the present invention to
provide a machine for clearing land by felling trees and
brush, picking up slash and reducing them to chips.
Another object is to provide such a machine
.
which will effect clean cuts for felling the trees and
which will cut the felled trees into uniform chips rapidly.
An additional object is to provide such a machine
in which trees to be felled and chipped are cut and handled
in a controlled manner so that trees are felled in a ;
~B35~Z~
desired direction and will not topple onto or QUt of the
reach of the machine.
Still another object is to provide such a machine
in which the branches of felled trees are compacted and/or
cut from such trees and -then chipped.
It is also an object to provide such a machine
which will clear logged land of slash.
A further object is to provide such a machine in
. ,,
a form that can be mounted on or incorporated in a conven-
tional tractor.
Another object is to provide such a machine ,~;
which will move substantially continuously, rather than ~
intermittently, over land to be cleared. ~`
The foregoing objects can be accomplished by a `
land clearing machine for feIling and chipping trees
including a vehicle, rotary tree-felling means transported `
by the vehicle for felling trees and rotated about an axis `~
... .
extending transversely of the direction of travel of the -~
vehicle, and chipping means for chipping trees felled by
..
the rotary tree-felling means, the improvement comprising
the chipping means being located a substantial distance
rearward of the rotary tree-felling means, and a tree-
supporting apron mounted between the rotary tree-felling
means and the chipping means for supporting a tree severed `
by the rotary tree-felling means for movement rearward to
the chipping means, the rotary tree-felling means rotating
in a direction for moving a felled tree from the rotary -
tree-felling means onto said apron and toward the chipping
means.
Figure 1 is a top perspective of a land clearing
machine in accordance with the present invention.
:.
~ 3Yt~
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the land clearing
machine of Figure 1 with parts broken away and parts shown
in section; Figure 3 is a top plan of the forward portion
of such land clearing machine wi~h parts broken away; and
Figure 4 is a front elevation of such land clearing machine.
Figure 5 is a side eleva-tion of the forward
portion of an alternative form of land clearing machine in
accordance with the present invention.
Figure 6 is a top plan of the land clearing
machine of Figure 5 with parts broken away, and Figure 7
is a front elevation of such land clearing machine with
parts broken away.
Figure 8 is a fragmentary top perspective of
another alternative form of land clearing machine in
accordance with the present invention.
Figure 9 and Figure 10 are corresponding fragmen- -
tary side elevations of the land clearing machine shown in ;
Figure 8 with parts in different positions, parts ~eing
broken away and parts being shown in section.
Figure 11 is a fragmentary top perspec-tive of
another alternative form of land clearing machine in
accordance with the present invention.
Figure 12 is a front elevation of the land
clearing machine shown in Figure 11; and Figure 13 and ~ 3
Figure 14 are corresponding fragmentary side elevations of
such land clearing machine with parts in different positions,
parts being broken away and parts being shown in section.
A machine in accordance with the present invention ;~
can be used in a prelogging operation in which small trees
to be used for pulpwood or hog fuel~ for example, are
felled and removed, and large trees, of a size sufficient
to be sawn into boards, dimension lumber and timbers, are `
3 - -
,,
~ 3~
left standing. Such machine can also be used in an inte~
grated logging operation in which both large trees and
small trees are felled and removed. ~Iowever, such machine -
is particularly useful in operations in which slash, brush
and all trees left standing after the large trees of a ~`~
stand have been felled and removed are salvaged. A machine ~`
in accordance with the presen-t invention is designated as
a land clearing machine or relogging machine because it is
operable to fell trees and brush and pick up slash and
chip such trees, brush and slash so that the land is -
substantially completely cleared.
In Figures 1 through 4, the feller 1 and chipper
2 are ~ounted on the front of a conventional crawler ~`
tractor 3 by stationary upright side casings 4, although
the machine can be carried by any other suitable vehicle.
The feller includes an elongated bladed rotary felling ~ ~
cutterhead 5 having its length extending transversely of ` ;
the machine between the lower front portions of side ,, !
casings 4. The felling cutterhead is rotatable about the
generally horizontal axis of its central shaft 6 by conven-
tional rotary power drive mechanism 7 and reduction chain
gearing 8 shown in Figure 2. The chipper mechanism includes ``
a chipping cutterhead 9 spaced upward and rearward from
the feller. The chipping cutterhead is rotatable about
its generally horizontal central shaft 10 by conventional
power drive mechanism 11 and chain gearing 12.
A stationary apron 13 extends laterally of the
tractor between the inner sides of side casings 4 and
longitudinally of the tractor between the top of the
felling cutterhead and the bottom of the chipplng cutterhead.
~he rearward edge of the apron forms an anvil 14 for the
cutter bars 15 of the chipping cutterhead. Such apron
...
~ 3~g
forms the bottom of a throat flared from the chipper 2
toward the feller 1, the upright sides of such throat
being formed by the inner sides of side casings 4.
Tree-feeding mechanism 16 is mounted on the
tractor for elevational swinging toward and away rom
apron 13. The feeding mechanism includes an overhead live
feed roll 17 extending between the outer end portions of
side mounting arms 18 having inner end portions carried by
the central shaft 10 of the chipping cutterhead. Arms 18
are swingable downward by extension of the plunger 19 of a
hydraulic jack 20 into the broken line position shown in
Fi~ure 2. Retraction of the plunger swings the mounting
arms and feed roll to the solid line position of that
figure. Feed roll 17 includes spikes or spines 21 and is
driven by conventional drive mechanism such as a rotary ~ ~
hydraulic motor 22 and chain gearing 23. ~ `
In operation, as tractor 3 is moved in a forward
direction over land to be relogged with its feed roll 17
in downward swung position, slash and standing trees are ~`
engayed by the felling cutterhead 5. Such cutterhead
rotates in a direction such that its leading face moves
upward and its upper face moves rearward so that engaged
slash is kicked upward and rearward onto apron 13. Feed
roll 17 rotates in the opposite direction to compact
~ "
slash, and its spikes or spines 21 drag slash rearward
over the apron and positively feed it to the rotating
chipping cutterhead 9. The action of the chipping cutter-
head cutter bars 15 and anvil 14 cuts the slash into chips ;
and flings the chips into a chip discharge duct 24. Such
duct may extend to a truck for hauling the chips from the
relogged area. Although the duct 24 slopes upward and
rearward for a considerable distance, the chipping drum
:'
;
',~LV839f~5~
rotation imparts sufficient momentum to the chips to ;
convey them through such duct to its discharge end.
As best seen in Figure 2, dirt and hea~y debris
fall downward through a discharge opening 25 located
immediately rearward of anvil 14 and generally below the
chipping cutterhead. As also seen in Figure 2, the upper -
end of the chip discharge duct may be swung downward by a `
hydraulic jack 26 so that the duct does not project above
the tractor when it is being transported to or ~rom an
area to be relogged.
When the feller 1 engages a standing tree, the
cutterhead blades slice through the tree trunk and kick
the butt of the felled or falling tree onto apron 13
causing the tree to fall forward away from the tractor. ;~
The butt of the tree is fed rearward along the apron
toward chipper 2 by feed roll 17. If the tree has fallen
at an angle to the centerline of the tractor, the tree
butt may engage the inner side of one of the side casings
4 and will follow such side rearward to the chipping
cutterhead 9. As with slash, the chipping cutterhead
cutter bars 15 and the apron anvil 14 cooperate to cut the
tree into chips. Such chips are ejected rearward through
chip discharge duct 24.
As the tree is fed rearward along apron 13, the ` `
tree branches are cut, crushed or broken and fed to the
chipperO Downward extending branches are cut and kicked;;
rearward by the felling cutterhead 5; upward extending
branches are crushed and fed rearward by feed roll 17; and
laterally extending branches engage one or the other of
side casings 4, are bent or broken as the tree is fed
rearward and may be kicked onto the apron by the felling
cutterhead to be engaged and fed to the chipping cutterhead
.. . .
3929
. ~-`
by the feed roll.
In the modified embodiment shown in Figures 5, 6 ~;
and 7, a delirnbing side cutterhead 27 is provided at the
inner forward edge of each side casing 4. Each delimbing
cutterhead is rotatable about a generally upright axis by
its own drive mechanism, for example by a rotary hydraulic
mo~or and chain gearing 28. The delimbing cutterheads are
rotated in a direction such that their inn~r faces move
rearward to feed branches toward the chipper 2 whether or
not such branches are severed from the tree trunk by a
side cutterhead. The side cutterheads also help to feed
to the chipper trees which have fallen at an angle to the
centerline of the machine and the general path of movement
from the feller to the chipper.
Further the tree-feeding mechanism 16 in the
embodiment of Figures 5, 6 and 7 is modified in that the
spines or spikes 21 of the overhead feed roll 17 shown in
Figures 1 through 4 are replaced by cutting blades 29
extending longitudinally of feed roll 17. Such blades can
cut or bend the upper branches and press them toward the
chipper to assist in feeding the tree. In all other
respects, the embodiment of Figures 5, 6 and 7 is similar
to the embodiment of Figures 1 through 4. ~;
In the embodiment shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10,
the chipping cutterhead 9 is carried by upright side
casings 4' between the tractor tracks at a much lower
elevation than the chipping cutterhead of the previously
described embodiments. Each side casing includes a station- ~ -
ary portion 30 carrying the chipping cutterhead and a `
lower, forwardly projec-ting, swingable portion 31 pivotally
connected to a stationary portion 30. The felling cutter-
head 5 is carried between the outer end portions of th~
1~3gXg
swinging casing portions 31. The front edges of the
casing swinging portions are sharpened to promote delimbing.
As best seen in Figures 9 and 10, apron 13' is
.:,:; -
formed by a stationary rear portion 32 extending between
the casing stationary portions 30 and a swinging front
portion 33 extending between the casing swinging portions
31. Consequently, the rear apron portion 32 is always
stationary relative to the chipping cutterhead 9 and the
front apron portion 33 is always stationary relative to
the felling cutterhead 5. The rear side of the stationary
apron portion forms an anvil for cooperating with the !:~;
cutter bars of the chipping cutterhead. Extension and
retraction of the plunger 34 of a hydraulic jack effects
elevational swinging of the feller 1.
Rather than being spined throughout its length ~ `
like the roll 17 of Figures 1 to 4, feed roll 17" of the
tree-feeding mechanism 16 includes screw portions 36
toward its ends convoluted in opposite directions, respec-
tively, for urging material engaged by the feed roll
toward its center. The central portion of the feed roll -~
has longitudinal cleats 36' spaced circumferentially of
the roll. The structure mounting the feed roll on its
mounting arms 18' is slightly different from the mounting
mechanism for the previously described embodiments. A
pusher bar 37 extends between and rigidly connects the
outer end portions of mounting arms 18'. Brackets 38
carrying feed roll 17'l are connected to pusher bar 37 at
acute angles to the mounting arms so that the pusher bar
projects further outward from the chipping cutterhead than
the feed roll. As in the other embodiments, the mounting
arms are swingable about the chipping cutterhead axis by
the plunger 19 of a hydraulic jack 20.
39Z9
As the relogging machine approaches a standing
tree, the feed roll mounting mechanism is swung upward to
the solid line position of Figure 9. As the felling
cutterhead slices through the tree trunk, the feed roll
mounting mechanism is swung downward toward the broken
line position of Figure 9 so that pusher bar 37, rather
than feed roll 17:, engages the tree and exerts a forward
pressure on it to assure that the tree will fall forward
away from the machine. In all other respects the operation
of the embodiment shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 is similar
to the operation of the previously described embodiments.
The embodiment of Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14
includes a pusher bar 37' mounted on a tractor 3' by ,
mounting arms 18". Such mounting arms are swingable from
the upward projecting position shown in Figures ll, 12 and
13 downward and forward to the position of Figure 14 by ~ -~
extension of the plunger 19 of a hydraulic jack 20 so that ~ ~;
the pusher bar exerts a forward pressure on a tree as it
is being felled by the feller 1. However, unlike the
embodiment of Figures 8, 9 and 10, rather than mounting a
live feed roll directly on the pusher bar, tree~feeding
mechanism 16 is in the form of an independent feed rake
including a swingable shank 40 carrying on its swinging
end a crossbar 39 separate from the pusher bar 37'. The
shank 40 of the feed rake is pivotally mounted centrally
of tractor 3' for swinging about the axis of a horizontal
pivot 41 by extension of the plunger 42 of a hydraulic
jack 43. As best seen in Figure 14, the feed rake shank ;
40 is somewhat shorter than the distance between its pivot
41 and the felling cutterhead 5 so that crossbar 39 is
swingable into the throat of the machine for dragging
trees and slash rearward along apron 13 and thrusting such
39~
,
trees and slash into the chipper 2.
The feed rake can be swung up and down by the
operator successively. As the feed rake is swung down, it
compacts the material to be chipped and forces it toward
the chipper. When the feed rake is swung up, it is raised
from the material being fed so that such material is not ;~
pulled back away from the chipper. A eeder of this type ~ ;~
is desirable because of its simplicity. Since the crossbar -
39 is not rotatable, it is not necessary to provide any
drive mechanism extending outward through or along shank
40 as is required to drive the feed roll 17 of the embodiment
shown in Figure 1 or the feed roll 17' of the embodiment
shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, or the feed roll 17" shown in
Figures 8, 9 and 10.
The outer portion of the feed rake shank 40
carries a bit or blade 44 having its length extending
lengthwise of the shank and projecting beyond the side of
the shank which faces downward when the feed rake is being
swung counterclockwise from the position of Figure 13 to
the position of Figure 14. If a branch or a small tree
trunk, up to a diameter of about 15 cm, should become
lodged rearward of the feller 1 in a position crosswise of
the path of movement between the feller and the chipper 2,
the plunger 42 can be reciprocated once or twice by the
operator to swing the shank 40 from a raised position down
about the axis of pivot 41 to drive the bit 44 into such -;
an obstruction. The force of the blow or blows delivered
by the bit to such transverse branch or trunk will break
or shear its central portion and enable that portion to be
dragged toward the chipper so that the portions at opposite
sides of the break can swing toward each other. The -~
broken branch or trunk can then be contracted sufficiently ;~
for movement through the converging passage of the casing
to the chipper.
As in the embodiment of Figures 5, 6 and 7, in
the embodiment of Figures 11 through 14 two cutterheads
27', each rotating about a generally upright axis, are
mounted, respectively, at the opposite sides of apron 13.
While the primary purpose of cutterheads 27 of the embodiment
of Figures 5, 6 and 7 is to delimb a tree of its laterally
projecting hranches, the primary purpose of the upright
cutterheads 27' of the embodiment of Figures 11 through 14
is to engage the branches of trees and slash and compact
them while pushing them toward the chipper 2. Consequently,
cutterheads 27' are positioned quite close to the chipping ;
cutterhead 9, in fact, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, a
substantial distance closer to such chipping cutterhead
than the feller 1. In addition, rather than having
longitudinal rows of sharpened delimbing cutterbars,
cutterheads 27' have several longitudinal rows of sharpened
teeth 45 for snagging or catching trees, slash and branches
and pushing such trees, slash and branches rearward along
apron 13 to the chipper.
As best seen in Figures 13 and 14, the rotating
axes of side cutterheads 27' are generally perpendicular
to the plane of apron 13 so that the force exerted on
trees, slash and branches is parallel to the apron so as
to slide them easily along the apron. Also, it is preferred -
that each of the side cutterheads be reversible independently
of the other cutterhead. If a tree or large branch lodges
between the feller 1 and the side cutterheads with its
length extending transversely of the path of movement from
the feller to the chipper one or the other of the cutterheads
can be reversed so that both of the cutterheads are rotating
11 `
,-.
~ 3~Z~ ~
in the same direction to shift the tree lengthwise in one
direction or the other transversely of the path of movement -`
to the chipper until the butt of the tree is moved into
the passage to the chipper. Alternatively~ if the passage
to the chipper becomes jammed, both side cutterheads can
be reversed to pull material forward away from the chipper
to clear the jam. The original direction of rotation of
the cutterheads can then be restored so that again they
will feed material to the chipper.
The operation of the embodiment of Figures 11
through 1~ is generally similar to the operation of the -~
previously described embodiments. As tractor 3' is moved
over the ground, the tree-felling cutterhead 5 kicks slash
upward and rearward onto apron 13. The feed rake can be
swung downward to move the slash rearward until it is
engaged by the side cutterheads 27' and positively fed to
the chipper 2. When a standing tree is engaged by the
felling cutterhead, pusher bar 37' is swung to exert a
forward pressure on the tree as it is felled, assuring
that the tree will not fall onto or out of the reach of
the machine. The butt of such tree is kicked onto the
apron by the felling cutterhead, whereupon the feed rake
is swung down to thrust the tree rearward into engagement
- with one or the other or both of the side cutterheads for
feeding the tree to the chipper. :~-
In each embodiment of a relogging machine in
accordance with the present invention, the chipping mechanism
is located a substantial distance from the felling mechanism
so that neither interferes with the operation of the
other. In addition, separate drive mechanism is provided
for each of the felling mechanism, chipping mechanism and
; feed mechanism so that each operates independently of the
12
~'J~3~Z9
others and so that stalling of one mechanism will not
effect stalling of any other mechanism. Further, the
chipping mechanism operates similarly to known chippers in
that an anvil is maintained stationary relative to a
rotating cutterhead and, consequently, uniform and rapid ;-
chipping is effected. Other advantages of a relogging
machine in accordance with the present invention are that
the machine need not be positioned precisely relative to a
tree to be felled and trees always are felled in the same
general direction. Underbrush and small trees can be ~
cleared from timber land to leave only large trees, or ;
logged land or land with only scrub growth can be completely ~
cleared by simply moving the machine continuously at a ~-
steady pace without interruption over a desired
area.
"''''' `~ ,
. ~
'' ~
` `~
.
~ .
13
.. , .. , . . . . ,.. . -- ~ . .".... . . ~ - -
