Tree delimber

A tree delimber for delimbing a plurality of trees comprising:

• an elongated chute having a front end, a rear end, and first and second opposing sidewalls;
• a base for supporting said chute, said base having first and second front supports for supporting said chute front end, and a rear support for supporting said chute rear end;
• an elongated top knife member having a mounted end and a free end and mounted for rotation at said chute rear end, between a substantially vertical open position and a substantially horizontal closed position extending across said chute rear end;
• said top knife member having an upper body and a knife edge extending therealong beneath the upper body when in the closed position;
• a top knife support for rotatably supporting said top knife member at said mounted end and extending upward from said chute rear end at said first chute sidewalls;
• a top knife horizontal stop located at said chute rear end at said opposing chute sidewall for supporting said top knife free end when in a closed position;
• a top knife horizontal stop support extending upward from said rear end at said second chute sidewall;
• a chute horizontal frame element supported by said rear chute end support and extending across said chute rear end and having an upper edge;
• outside vertical knives extending vertically upward from said chute rear end at said chute first sidewall and second sidewall, the edges of which face rearwardly relative to said delimber;
• and
• means for selectively rotating said top knife member from an open vertical position to a horizontal closed position;
• whereby said delimber receives a plurality of cut trees having branch and limb-free trunk portions lengthwise along said elongated chute and so placed and oriented the substantial portion of the limbs and branches of the cut trees extend over the rear end of the chute at said horizontal frame upper edge;
• whereby said means for rotating said top knife member from the vertical open position to a generally horizontal position resting on said trees and/or said horizontal stop;
• and
• whereby a grapple of a boom crane or similar equipment pulls the plurality of trees as a unit along said chute, pulling the branches and limbs of the trees through the opening formed by the horizontal frame edge, the outer vertical knives and the upper knife edge such that limbs and branches are separated from the trunks and fall to the ground behind said tree delimber.