US 5,689,906 AGranted

Method and apparatus for preparing ground surface for tree planting

AssigneeCanadian Forest Products Ltd.

InventorsDouglas W. Dillman, Timothy W. Vinge, Allen A. Pusch, Minoru Saruwatari, S. Carl Zanon

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for preparing sites for planting tree seedlings, and more particularly establishing mounds on the ground surface formed of soil scooped from the ground. The apparatus may be of the pull type having a pair of scoops and scoop operators for moving the scoop through a ground penetrating and mound depositing cycle. A control times the cycling of the operations so that the mounds formed during a constant movement in the forward direction are arranged in two lines and wherein the mounds in the two lines may be in a staggered relationship. The apparatus has rear wheels and a front towbar. Actuators are provided for moving the wheels up or down relating to the frame and also moving the towbar so that the height, as well as the fore and aft tilt, of the frame relative to the ground can be varied to control the depth of penetration of the scoops. The wheels also have actuators which allows adjustment of the tread of the wheels.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An apparatus for forming mounds on the ground surface in preparation for tree planting during movement in a direction of forward travel at a selected ground speed of the apparatus over said ground surface, said apparatus comprising:.

a framework,
ground engaging means supporting said framework above the ground surface for said movement in the direction of travel,
mound forming scoop means carried by and depending beneath said framework,
said scoop means including an integral member defining an earth collection and directing front surface having a concave shape in cross-section taken in a vertical plane extending in the direction of travel,
said curved surface of said scoop means having a lower portion extending downwardly and forwardly and terminating at a lowermost tip,
operating means for first pivoting said scoop means about a pivotal axis in one direction through an operating cycle from an initially raised retracted position downwardly to an earth penetrating and mound depositing position and then secondly pivoting said scoop means about said pivotal axes in an opposite direction upwardly to said raised retracted position,
said pivot axis being disposed forward and above said surface whereby said tip swings downwardly and forwardly during the movement to a maximum earth penetration position,
said operating means including a powered actuator means for swinging said scoop means downwardly at a velocity related to the ground speed for causing said tip to penetrate the ground at a substantially constant rate over a distance of forward travel to a maximum penetration and to then swing said scoop means back in an upwardly direction at a speed related to the ground speed to cause said scoop means to raise abruptly relative to the forward travel to the fully retracted position.

5 more elements

An apparatus for forming mounds on the ground surface in preparation for tree planting, said apparatus comprising:

a framework;
a towbar projecting forward from a front portion of said framework, said towbar having coupler means at a forward end for supporting said front portion through attachment of said coupler means to a towing tractor,
a pair of mound forming scoops carried by and downwardly depending from said framework,
power operating means for cycling said scoops through mound forming portions of a scoop cycle during forward movement of said apparatus over the ground surface,
said power operating means first pivoting each scoop means about a pivotal axis in one direction from an initially raised retracted position downwardly to an earth penetrating and mound depositing position and then secondly pivoting said scoop means about said pivotal axis in an opposite direction upwardly to said raised retracted position,
ground engaging wheels supporting a rear portion of said framework rearwardly of said mound forming scoops, each wheel following a different tracking line, and
power actuated means for lowering and raising said wheels relative to said framework whereby the amount of ground penetration by said scoops is variable by controlling the distance of said framework from the ground surface by way of selective positioning of said wheels relative to said framework.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.