US 4,232,719 A · Brush harvester

Abstract

Apparatus for attachment to and propulsion by a tractor or cross country vehicle for the purpose of cutting, chopping and removing vegetation, particularly dense vegetation and small trees. The apparatus includes a pair of forward horizontal rotary cutters which rotate in opposite directions to sever vegetation and propel it through a pair of opposed guide panels onto a lateral conveyer. A pair of vertical augers disposed on opposite sides of the conveyer rotate in opposite directions to compact vegetation, especially large brush and small trees previously cut by the horizontal rotary cutters, onto the conveyer. A pair of vertical rotary cutters are positioned above the conveyer rearward of the vertical augers. The vertical rotary cutters rotate in opposite directions to further cut large brush or small trees and force them downward onto the conveyer. The conveyer propels the severed and compacted vegetation against blades of a high speed drum-like chopping element which cuts the vegetation into relatively small chips. The chips are fed into a lateral auger which conveys them into a blower. The blower blows the chips through a duct into a container such as a truck bed.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An apparatus for clearing vegetation, including brushwood and small trees, and producing chips therefrom, said apparatus comprising in combination:

a. horizontal cutting means disposed along a front end of said vegetation clearing apparatus for severing vegetation including brushwood, trees and the like as said vegetation clearing apparatus moves forward;
b. conveyer means for receiving severed vegetation as said vegetation clearing apparatus moves forward, said conveyer means having an inlet end and an outlet end, said conveyer means conveying the severed vegetation from said inlet end to said outlet end;
c. compacting means for forcing severed vegetation downward against said conveyer means to effect rearward movement of said vegetation by said conveyer means;
d. chopping means for receiving severed vegetation from the outlet end of said conveyer means and chopping the vegetation into chips and;
e. output means for receiving the chips from said chopping means and exhausting the chips into a container wherein said conveying means includes a continuous belt-like conveying element for engaging the severed vegetation and conveying the severed vegetation toward the outlet end, said conveyer means also including a pair of pulley-like roller elements for powering said conveying element to cause the upper portion of said conveying element to move from the inlet end to the outlet end of said conveyer means.

2 more elements

An apparatus for clearing vegetation, including brushwood and small trees, and producing chips therefrom, said apparatus comprising in combination:

a. horizontal cutting means disposed along a front end of said vegetation clearing apparatus for severing vegetation including brushwood, trees and the like as said vegetation clearing apparatus moves forward;
b. conveyer means for receiving severed vegetation as said vegetation clearing apparatus moves forward, said conveyer means having an inlet end and an outlet end, said conveyer means conveying the severed vegetation from said inlet end to said outlet end;
c. compacting means for forcing severed vegetation downward against said conveyer means to effect rearward movement of said vegetation by said conveyer means;
d. chopping means for receiving severed vegetation from the outlet end of said conveyer means and chopping the vegetation into chips;
and
e. output means for receiving the chips from said chopping means and exhausting the chips into a container, wherein said chopping means includes a horizontal rotating drum-like cutting element having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the direction of movement of said conveying means, a plurality of cutting edges being disposed on said drum-like cutting element, said chopping means further including a stationary cutting edge, said vegetation being chopped between said plurality of cutting edges of rotating drum-like cutting element and said stationary cutting edge.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Brush harvester

Life of this patent

Brush harvester

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13