Tree shears

#The present invention relates to an apparatus for slashing tree trunks or tree stems into logs, and for severing a tree near its base to fell the tree.

#Tree shears are widely used throughout the United States to harvest trees, and in particular South Pine. The tree shears function by pressing a knife or knives through the grain of a tree, much like severing a rose stem with pruning shears. These shears use one knife and an anvil. Other shears use two knives which meet in the center of the tree. The advantages of tree shears over chain saw felling are speed (up to 500 trees per 8-hour day), low stumps and resultant lower trunk loss, reduction of the cost of preparing the site for the next crop of trees, the control of trees during felling, and less physical labor. One of the disadvantages of using tree shears is knife-induced splits along the tree trunk which are frequently quite serious. Frequently, on logs larger than 16 inches in diameter splits in the tree trunk caused by tree shears require a 4 foot trim to eliminate splits in the lumber made from the log.

#The present invention is an apparatus for slashing tree trunks into logs which includes at least two knives positioned at an acute angle relative to each other which are forced through a tree to meet at a point on the other side of the tree.

#FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention,

#FIG. 2 is a partly sectional, side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention,

#FIG. 3 is a partly sectional, side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention,

#In FIGS. 1-3 is shown a tree 16 having an anvil 14 on one side thereof and knives 10 actuated by hydraulically operated pistons 12 on the other side thereof. The pistons 12 and anvil 14 are held in place by any suitable apparatus (not shown) known in the art.

#In FIG. 2, the interior of the tree 16a is shown in cross-section. As can be seen in FIG. 2, when knife blades 10 enter the tree chips 18 will be formed by the cutting action of the knife blades 10. The chips 18 will fall outwardly from the tree so that they will no longer contact and cause friction with knife blades 10 and their interior surfaces 10band 10c, thus permitting the blade 10 to move more easily through the tree.

#As can be seen in FIG. 3, as the knives continue through the cross-sectional area 16a of the trunk of tree 16, they begin to converge and chips 18 continue to be thrown outwardly from the tree.