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US 4,355,497 AGranted
Apparatus for trimming trees
OwnerBruce Murphyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for trimming Christmas trees or the like to a uniform configuration. The apparatus includes a self-leveling cutter support frame, and a number of knive-like cutting blades mounted on the frame for rotation at high speed. The cutting frame is selectably extendable to accommodate trees having a range of lengths.
Claims12
Apparatus for trimming living trees or the like, comprising:
- motive means operative to traverse the ground adjacent a row of trees to be trimmed;
- boom means mounted on said motive means and having a free end selectably operative to be adjustably positioned in predetermined relation to a tree to be trimmed;
- cutter support means depending from said outer end of said boom means;
- interconnection means interposed between said cutter support means and said outer end, and selectably operative to position said cutter support means relative to said boom means;
- tilt responsive means responsive to the angular position of said cutter support means and operative to provide signals responsive to the angular position of said cutter support means with respect to a predetermined reference attitude;
- and
- said interconnecting means being operative in response to said signals from said tilt responsive means to maintain said cutter support means in a certain angular position relative to said reference attitude, irrespective of the angular position assumed by said motive means or said boom means.
4 more elements
Apparatus for trimming living trees or the like to a symmetrical shape about a vertical axis, comprising:
- motive means operative to traverse the ground along a row of trees which may vary substantially in height;
- means carried by said motive means in elevated relation above a tree to be trimmed;
- cutter support means extending diagonally downwardly from said elevated means, and terminating at a distal end;
- a plurality of separate powered rotary cutting members carried by said cutter support means in mutually spaced apart relation to define a tree trimming line in fixed relation to said cutter support means;
- and
- extension means movably joined to said cutter support means adjacent said distal end and selectably movable to extend a distance beyond the distal end of the cutter support means, so as to extend the overall length of the cutter support means when extended;
- and
- at least one other powered rotary cutting member carried by said extension means to be disposed in alignment with said tree trimming line when said extension means is extended, thereby selectably operative to extend the effective length of the trimming line to permit trimming taller trees than can be trimmed when unextended.
5 more elements
Apparatus for trimming living trees or the like to a symmetrical shape about a vertical axis, comprising:
- motive means operative to traverse a path along a row of trees to be trimmed;
- cutter support means carried by said motive means in elevated relation above a tree to be trimmed;
- a plurality of separate powered cutting members carried by said cutter support means in mutually spaced apart relation to define a tree trimming line;
- and
- each cutting member comprising an elongated knife-like rotating cutting blade having at least one leading edge to contact and cut limbs of the tree extending in said tree trimming line, each cutting blade being pitched to blow away from the tree being trimmed, so that rotation of the cutting blades tends to move tree clippings outwardly and away from the tree to fall to the ground instead of remaining on the trimmed trees.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.