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US 4,787,431 AGranted
Flail apparatus
OwnerRonald D. Demlowinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flail type apparatus (10) for removing limbs and/or bark from trees (101) by dragging the trees through the apparatus with a skidder (100) is described. In particular, drum 15 and 23 are mounted on the apparatus such that there is an opening A leading to space B between the drums allowing rotating chain flails 19 and 26 mounted on the drums to remove the bark and/or limbs.
Claims19
An improved apparatus for debarking or limb removal from trees which comprises:
- (a) a horizontally oriented frame means having an upper surface, lower surface, two opposed ends and two opposed sides between the ends;
- (b) a first drum means having a longitudinal axis and horizontally mounted on the axis for rotation and between the opposed sides and between the ends of the frame means;
- (c) a first set of flail means mounted on and along the axis of the first drum means;
- (d) a beam means mounted on and above the upper surface of the frame means and cantilevered over the frame means and first drum means and between the ends and opposed sides of the frame means;
- (e) a second drum means mounted on the beam means and having a longitudinal axis which is horizontal and in essentially parallel and spaced relationship to the axis of the first drum means such that there is an opening leading into a space between the first drum means and the second drum means;
- (f) a second set of flail means mounted on and along the axis of the second drum means in a spacing which with the flail means of the first drum means provides the debarking or the limb removal from trees;
- and
- (g) power means mounted on the frame means and connected to the first and second drum means for providing rotation of the first and second drum means and first and second set of flail means together for the debarking or limb removal, wherein at least one tree with limbs and bark can be moved into the opening and the space between the first and second drum means for debarking or limb removal.
5 more elements
An improved method for debarking or limb removal from trees which comprises:
- (a) providing an apparatus which comprises:
- a horizontally oriented frame means having an upper surface, lower surface, two opposed ends and two opposed sides between the ends;
- a first drum means having a longitudinal axis and horizontally mounted on the axis for rotation and between the opposed sides and between the ends of the frame means;
- a first set of flail means mounted on and along the axis of the first drum means;
- a beam means mounted on and above the upper surface of the frame means and cantilevered over the frame means and first drum means and between the ends and opposed sides of the frame means;
- a second drum means mounted on the beam means and having a longitudinal axis which is horizontal and in essentially parallel and spaced relationship to the axis of the first drum means such that there is an opening leading into a space between the first drum means and the second drum means;
- a second set of flail means mounted on and along the axis of the second drum means in a spacing which with the flail means of the first drum means provides the debarking or the limb removal from trees;
- and
- power means mounted on the frame means and connected to the first and second drum means for providing rotation of the first and second drum means and first and second set of flail means together for the debarking or limb removal, wherein at least one tree with limbs and bark can be moved into the opening and the space between the first and second drum means for debarking or limb removal;
- and
- (b) moving at least one tree into the opening and into the space between the first and second drum means in contact with the first and second set of flail means, whereby the limbs or bark are removed from the tree.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.