Delimber/slasher

A delimber boom having a delimbing head at one end;

• the delimbing head mounted on the bottom of the delimber boom and having a cut-off saw;
• at least two butt plates mounted on the bottom of the delimber boom, toward the other end of the boom, the butt plates spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the boom;
• each butt plate located a standard log length distance from the cut-off saw;
• and operating means for each butt plate for selectively moving each butt plate between an operative position transverse to the boom and extending down from the boom to be aligned with a delimbed tree emerging rearwardly from the delimbing head to receive the butt end of the tree and an inoperative position where it is out of the way of the tree being delimbed.

A delimber/slasher having a vehicle;

• a support rotatable on the vehicle about a vertical axis;
• a boom assembly having an operator boom;
• one end of the operator boom connected to the support;
• a connector boom pivotably connected at one end to the other end of the operator boom;
• a hydraulic cylinder pivotably connected at its ends between the operator boom and the connector boom in a manner to pivot the other end of the connector boom toward the other end of the operator boom when operated;
• a delimber boom having a delimbing head at one end, the delimber boom fixedly mounted at the one end to the connector boom at its other end to extend rearwardly from the other end of the connector boom, the delimber boom mounted to extend at a slight angle to the connector boom to one side of the operator boom;
• and an operator's cab on the support on the other side of the operator boom.

A method of harvesting trees in an environmentally friendly manner comprising:

• moving a feller/buncher off a logging road at an entry point into a forest area;
• passing the feller/buncher through the forest area to return to the logging road at a return point spaced from its entry point, the feller/buncher forming a logging trail between the entry point and the return point while passing through the forest area;
• the feller/buncher felling trees on the trail and bunching them on the trail with the butt ends of the trees facing in the direction of travel of the feller/buncher:
• moving a delimber/slasher, of the type having a support boom and a delimber boom angled from the support boom, in the opposite direction on the trail from the return point to the entry point to delimb on the trail and cut into log length on the trail, the felled, bunched trees, and to pile the cut tree lengths into piles on the trail, the piles generally parallel to the sides of the trail.