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US 4,382,457 AGranted
Tree harvester
OwnerRaymond M. Hahninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tree harvester comprising a mobile frame having a carriage with limb-stripping knives thereon which encircle the tree alternatively in snug or loosely-engaging relation, tree clamping means above the bed of the frame and saw means movably mounted on the clamping means for movement therewith and, in addition, between retracted position and lowered tree-sawing position. Selective rotary log-ejecting means is mounted adjacent the saw to eject the severed tree sections to either side, as desired. The limb-stripping knives progress the stripped portion of the tree beyond the saw and clamping means when in snug position, and strip the limbs off the tree when in loosely-engaging relation as the carriage moves away from the clamping means and saw.
Claims16
A tree harvesting machine comprising:
- (a) a supporting frame;
- (b) an elongated bed carried by said frame and constructed and arranged to support thereon a tree to be harvested;
- (c) a carriage movably carried by said frame for reciprocating movement longitudinally of said bed;
- (d) powered means connected to said carriage for reciprocating the same longitudinally of said bed;
- (e) limb-stripping means carried by said carriage and movable therewith and constructed and arranged to extend around the trunk of such a tree alternatively in either snug or loosely-engaging relation, as desired, when the tree is supported by said bed;
- (f) actuator means connected to said limb-stripping means in actuating relation to cause the same to selectively engage the trunk of such a tree in either snug or loosely-engaging relation as desired, whereby said limb-stripping means will move such a tree longitudinally of said bed when in snug engaging relation thereto as said carriage moves rearwardly along said bed and will stip the limbs off the trunk of such a tree when in loosely-engaging relation thereto as said carriage moves forwardly relative to the trunk of the tree;
- (g) powered clamping means movably supported by said frame above said bed at a fixed location relative thereto and intermediate the extent of said frame and in position to receive and clamp the trunk of such a tree upon said bed;
- (h) powered saw means carried by said clamping means and movable therewith between the clamping and non-clamping positions thereof;
- (i) said saw means being movably mounted on said clamping means for movement relative thereto between a retracted position and a tree-trunk sawing position;
- and
- (j) powered control means connected to said saw for controllably moving the same between its said positions.
8 more elements
A tree harvesting machine comprising:
- (a) a support frame;
- (b) an elongated bed carried by said frame and constructed and arranged to support thereon a tree to be harvested;
- (c) a carriage movably carried by said frame for reciprocating movement longitudinally of said bed;
- (d) powered means connected to said carriage for reciprocating the same longitudinally of said bed;
- (e) limb-stripping means carried by said carriage and movable therewith and constructed and arranged to extend around the trunk of such a tree alternatively in either snug or loosely-engaging relation, as desired, when the tree is supported by said bed;
- (f) actuator means connected to said limb-stripping means in actuating relation to cause the same to selectively engage the trunk of such a tree in either snug or loosely-engaging relation as desired. whereby said limb-stripping means will move such a tree longitudinally of said bed when in snug engaging relation thereto as said carriage moves rearwardly along said bed, and will stip the limbs off the trunk of such a tree when in loosely-engaging relation thereto as said carriage moves forwardly relative to the trunk of the tree;
- (g) powered clamping means movably supported by said frame for vertical movement only above said bed at a fixed location relative thereto, and intermediate the extent of said frame and in position to receive and clamp the trunk of such a tree upon said bed;
- (h) powered saw means carried by said clamping means adjacent to and rearwardly of said clamping means and movable therewith between the clamping and non-clamping positions thereof and constructed and arranged to saw off a section of the trunk of such a tree while the latter is clamped by said clamping means;
- (i) said saw means being constructed and arranged for movement between a retracted and a tree-trunk sawing position;
- (j) powered control means connected to said saw for controllably moving the same between its said positions;
- and
- (k) controllably selective rotary ejector means carried by said frame and constructed and arranged relative to said bed, clamping means, and saw means to be selectively rotated and engage such a cut section of a tree turnk to thereby selectively eject the same to either side of said bed as desired.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.