Automatic feller/buncher clamp control
AssigneeTimberjack Inc.
InventorMikko J. Ristolainen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clamp control system for a feller/buncher has three buttons for automating the operation of the harvesting and accumulating clamps. A CLOSE button, when momentarily actuated for the first tree of a bundle, closes the harvesting clamp and the accumulating clamp and then re-opens the harvesting clamp. When actuated again momentarily for the second and subsequent trees, the harvesting clamp closes, the accumulating clamp opens and re-closes and the harvesting clamp re-opens. Actuation of an OPEN button opens both clamps and resets the system to be ready for the first tree of the next bundle. Actuation of a STOP/CANCEL button freezes both clamps in their current positions.
Claims22
In a feller/buncher clamp control system for a feller/buncher having a frame, a harvesting clamp movably attached to the frame to open and close about a standing tree and an accumulator clamp movably attached to the frame to open and close about one or more cut trees, the control system having at least one actuator operable by an operator to operate the clamps, the improvement wherein when said actuator is actuated for a first tree, said control system closes said harvesting clamp and said accumulator clamp, and then re-opens the harvesting clamp.
In a feller/buncher clamp control system for a feller/buncher having a frame, a harvesting clamp movably attached to the frame to open and close about a standing tree and an accumulator clamp movably attached to the frame to open and close about one or more cut trees, the control system having at least two actuators for opening and closing the harvesting clamp and the accumulator clamp, the improvement wherein each of said actuators controls at least one function of each of said clamps.
In a feller/buncher clamp control system for a feller/buncher having a frame, a harvesting clamp movably attached to the frame to open and close about a standing tree and an accumulator clamp movably attached to the frame to open and close about one or more cut trees, the improvement wherein the control system has at least three actuators, each of which controls at least one function of both of said clamps, a first of said actuators being operable to close both of said clamps, a second of said actuators being operable to open both of said clamps, and a third of said actuators being operable to stop movement of both of said clamps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.