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US 12,096,724 B2Granted
Aerial tree trimming system and method including electric-powered aerial saw apparatus
AssigneeAerial Solutions, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Cleveland Cox, IV, Ashley Lewis Bellamy, Joshua Thomas Perry, Byron Jennings Woodruff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aerial vegetation trimming system. The aerial vegetation trimming system may include a saw assembly, wherein the saw assembly may include a plurality of saw blades disposed along a length of a beam. The aerial vegetation trimming system may further include an electric motor operatively connected to the saw assembly, wherein the electric motor is configured to drive the plurality of saw blades; and at least one boom disposed between the electric motor and a vehicle, wherein the at least one boom is configured to connect the saw assembly to the vehicle.
Claims20
An aerial vegetation trimming system, comprising:
- a. a saw assembly, wherein the saw assembly comprises a plurality of saw blades disposed along a length of a beam, wherein each of the plurality of saw blades comprise a first pulley and a second pulley, wherein the first pulley and the second pulley are adjacent to each other in the same horizontally plane;
- b. an electric motor operatively connected to the saw assembly, wherein the electric motor is configured to drive the plurality of saw blades via a belt and pulley system, wherein a first one of the plurality of saw blades is driven by a drive belt operatively engaged with the first pulley of the first one of the plurality of saw blades, and wherein each of the remaining ones of the plurality of saw blades are driven by their respective drive belt engaged in an alternating pattern with their respective first pulley or second pulley;
- c. at least one boom disposed between the electric motor and a vehicle, wherein the at least one boom is configured to connect the saw assembly to the vehicle;
- and
- d. an emergency release mechanism, comprising:
- i. a connector having an upper end with a first hook attachment point, a lower end with a load attachment point, and a second hook attachment point;
- ii. a first release hook mounted to a chassis of the vehicle and releasably attachable to the first hook attachment point;
- and
- iii. a second release hook mounted to a frame structure to which the aerial vegetation trimming system is mounted and releasably attachable to the second hook attachment point, wherein the load is not released unless both hooks are released.
6 more elements
A method of using an aerial vegetation trimming system, the method comprising:
- a. providing an aerial vegetation trimming system, comprising:
- i. a saw assembly, wherein the saw assembly comprises a plurality of saw blades disposed along a length of a beam, wherein each of the plurality of saw blades comprise a first pulley and a second pulley, wherein the first pulley and the second pulley are adjacent to each other in the same horizontally plane;
- ii. an electric motor operatively connected to the saw assembly, wherein the electric motor is configured to drive the plurality of saw blades via a belt and pulley system, wherein a first one of the plurality of saw blades is driven by a drive belt operatively engaged with the first pulley of the first one of the plurality of saw blades, and wherein each of the remaining ones of the plurality of saw blades are driven by their respective drive belt engaged in an alternating pattern with their respective first pulley or second pulley;
- iii. at least one boom disposed between the electric motor and a vehicle, wherein the at least one boom is configured to connect the saw assembly to the vehicle;
- and
- iv. an emergency release mechanism, comprising:
- a connector having an upper end with a first hook attachment point, a lower end with a load attachment point, and a second hook attachment point;
- a first release hook mounted to a chassis of the vehicle and releasably attachable to the first hook attachment point;
- and
- a second release hook mounted to a frame structure to which the aerial vegetation trimming system is mounted and releasably attachable to the second hook attachment point, wherein the load is not released unless both hooks are released;
- b. connecting the aerial vegetation trimming system to the vehicle;
- c. positioning the vehicle with the aerial vegetation trimming system connected thereto in a desired area for vegetation trimming;
- d. activating the plurality of saw blades of the saw assembly;
- and
- e. performing aerial vegetation trimming operations.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.