Tree processing apparatus

A tree processing apparatus adapted for mounting on the end of a tractor comprising a support frame having laterally extending support rails for a lateral adjustment frame slidable thereon, a shear blade frame hinged to said lateral adjustment frame, said shear blade frame having an anvil plate at one end thereof and a shear blade slidable toward and away from said anvil plate, said shear blade frame having pivotal movement on said hinge to a first working position approximately parallel to the ground surface for felling trees and to a second working position approximately perpendicular to the ground surface for cutting the trunks of felled trees to desired lengths, said lateral adjustment frame being slidable on said support rails to side shift said shear blade frame and align an opening between said anvil plate and the retracted shear blade with a tree to be felled, said lateral adjustment frame being operable to side shift said opening in said shear blade frame between said anvil plate and retracted shear blade beyond one side of the tractor to cut the trunk of a felled tree alongside the tractor, and an inclined skid plate mounted on said shear blade frame under said opening therein to guide said tree trunk into said opening.

A tree processing apparatus adapted for mounting on the end of a tractor comprising a support frame having laterally extending support rails for a lateral adjustment frame slidable thereon, a shear blade frame hinged to said lateral adjustment frame, said shear blade frame having an anvil plate at one end thereof and a shear blade slidable toward and away from said anvil plate, said shear blade frame having pivotal movement on said hinge to a first working position approximately parallel to the ground surface for felling trees and to a second working position approximately perpendicular to the ground surface for cutting the trunks of felled trees to desired lengths, said lateral adjustment frame being slidable on said support rails to side shift said shear blade frame and align an opening between said anvil plate and the retracted shear blade with a tree to be felled, a wedge on said shear blade, and means for mounting said wedge in different positions on the shear blade to make a tree being felled by said shear blade fall in a desired direction.

A tree processing apparatus adapted for mounting on the end of a tractor comprising a support frame having laterally extending support rails for a lateral adjustment frame slidable thereon, a shear blade frame hinged to said lateral adjustment frame, said shear blade frame having an anvil plate at one end thereof and a shear blade slidable toward and away from said anvil plate, said shear blade frame having pivotal movement on said hinge to a first working position approximately parallel to the ground surface for felling trees and to a second working position approximately perpendicular to the ground surface for cutting the trunks of felled trees to desired lengths, said lateral adjustment frame being slidable on said support rails to side shift said shear blade frame and align an opening between said anvil plate and the retracted shear blade with a tree to be felled, a splitting wedge on the anvil plate end of said shear blade frame and a splitter pusher on said shear blade to split a short length of tree trunk placed between said wedge and pusher.

A tree processing apparatus adapted for mounting on the end of a tractor comprising a support frame having laterally extending support rails for a lateral adjustment frame slidable thereon, a shear blade frame hinged to said lateral adjustment frame, said shear blade frame having an anvil plate at one end thereof and a shear blade slidable toward and away from said anvil plate, said shear blade frame having pivotal movement on said hinge to a first working position approximately parallel to the ground surface for felling trees and to a second working position approximately perpendicular to the ground surface for cutting the trunks of felled trees to desired lengths, said lateral adjustment frame being slidable on said support rails to side shift said shear blade frame and align an opening between said anvil plate and the retracted shear blade with a tree to be felled, said opening extending through one side margin of said shear blade frame to admit the tree trunk laterally into said opening, a shear blade guide arm pivoted at one end at an intermediate point on said shear blade frame and movable to span said opening between said anvil plate and the retracted shear blade, and means to secure the opposite end of said arm to said one end of said shear blade frame.

A tree processing apparatus comprising a shear blade frame having an anvil plate on one end and a shear blade slidable toward and away from said anvil plate to fell a tree, a splitting wedge on said one end of said frame, and a splitter pusher on said shear blade arranged to push a short length of tree trunk lengthwise against said wedge to split the tree trunk.

A method of processing tree trunks comprising feeding a tree trunk lengthwise to a selected position in an opening in a shear blade frame, advancing a shear blade in said frame to cut into the tree trunk in a direction transverse to the tree trunk, utilizing said shear blade as a chuck and anvil to hold the leading end of said tree trunk in confronting relation to a splitter wedge, and then forcing said splitter wedge into said confronting end of the tree trunk to split the tree trunk when said shear blade has advanced almost but not entirely through the tree trunk.

Apparatus for cutting and splitting tree trunks comprising a shear blade frame, means for feeding a tree trunk lengthwise to a selected position in an opening in said frame, means for advancing a shear blade in said frame across said opening to cut into the tree trunk transversely, a splitter wedge aligned with said opening in confronting relation to the leading end of a tree trunk projecting through said opening, and means for driving said splitter wedge into said leading end of the tree trunk when said shear blade has advanced almost but not entirely through the tree trunk, said shear blade serving as a chuck and anvil to hold the tree trunk in a splitting operation.