Debarking apparatus with left and right side debris discharge

A selectable discharge direction mobile chain flail debarking apparatus configured to be primarily transported on a highway along a longitudinal axis of the mobile chain flail debarking apparatus which comprises:

• a vehicle frame 89;
• a debarking enclosure 1, operatively coupled to said vehicle frame 89 and disposed around a flail section 54, said debarking enclosure being open to the ground below during operation;
• a plurality of rotating flail assemblies 50 configured to remove bark from portions of logs, disposed with said debarking enclosure;
• a plurality of powered transfer rollers 58 configured to propel logs through said debarking enclosure 1;
• a generally rectangular vertical opening 62 located below said flail section 54;
• a debris collection area 64 located vertically below said generally rectangular vertical opening 62;
• first and second plunger cradles 136 which are fixedly secured to the vehicle frame 89;
• first and second mounting frames 88 being secured to said first and second plunger cradles 136, respectively;
• each one of the first and the second plunger cradles 136 generally has an inverted C-shape recess 138 therein;
• the first mounting frame 88 is captively received within and movable guided by said inverted C-shaped recess 138 of the first plunger cradle 136;
• the second mounting frame 88 is captively received within and movable guided by the inverted C-shaped recess 138 of the second plunger cradle 136;
• a plurality of bearings 139 are provided, between the first and second mounting frames 88 and their respective the first and the second plunger cradles 136 to facilitate relative movement therebetween;
• a plunger body 70, which is generally horizontal translatable, comprising a left side plunging surface 72 and a right side plunging surface 74;
• said plunger body 70 being disposed below said generally rectangular vertical opening 62, said plunger body 70 configured to move from an open position on one side of said generally rectangular vertical opening 62 to a temporary plunging position;
• a plurality of spaced apart rakes 120 retractably coupled to said plunger body 70;
• said plunger body 70 being oriented and configured to translate in a first discharge direction, and said plunger body 70 being oriented and configured to translate in a second and opposite discharge direction from said first discharge direction;
• a first retractable containment barrier 78;
• a disc chipper 122;
• a debris transfer chute 130 which facilitates discharge of debris generated by said disc chipper 122;
• via an inlet end 132 of the debris transfer chute 130 which is coupled to the disc chipper 122 and arranged to collect any associated debris which is generated by the disk chipper 122 during operation;
• and
• an outlet end 134 of the debris transfer chute 130 is located to discharge debris, generated by the disk chipper 122, into the debris collection area 64.