Tree delimbing

An apparatus for severing the root system of a tree from the tree trunk during tree felling comprising a grapple mechanism for gripping the tree which, in operation, is clamped to the tree trunk and a cutting part suspended from the gripping mechanism for cutting the roots. The cutting part includes...     

An articulated, four-wheel drive tree harvesting machine includes a front frame section upon which a felling boom assembly, a delimber assembly, and a feed assembly are mounted. The felling boom assembly is operable for severing a tree and lowering it into a generally horizontal position. The tree is...     

Apparatus for harvesting, delimbing and cutting trees into sections is disclosed herein. The harvesting apparatus includes grapple means and cutter means on a mast which is supported on a boom of a vehicle. The delimbing and cutting into sections is accomplished with a separate frame that may be in the...     

A debarking assembly as part of a tree harvester or tree processing machine also including a drive mechanism for gripping and axially moving trees along a processing path, the debarking assembly including a plurality of generally L-shaped debarking blades having their respective cutting edges resiliently...     

A tree processing apparatus and more particularly an apparatus for delimbing at least two, and preferably about ten, trees simultaneously. The trees, which have been previously felled, are each loaded, by one end in the apparatus and then all the trees are substantially simultaneously moved through the...     

A portable apparatus that may be employed to rapidly remove the limbs from the trunk of a tree passed through the apparatus. The apparatus incorporates a pair of semi-circular curved blades, with each blade mounted to an arm. A first arm is fixed to the base of the apparatus with the end of the second...     

A tree clamp, especially for a tree length harvester, having a compact arrangement of a movable jaw which folds partially inside of a fixed jaw and has a pivoted section to clamp the tree. The movable jaw and its pivoted section also grasp the butt end of the tree and lift it out of the teeth of the...     

A system of substantially whole tree utilization wherein the trees are felled and subsequently slashed with the branches and top section intact to form discrete tree sections including a top section and branched bole sections, and these sections are fed into a conventional drum debarker to preferably...     

A delimbing device for stripping branches from tree trunks includes a cutting chain which is wrapped about the tree trunk in a helical configuration. The articulated links of the chain include cutting edges which are disposed in helical configuration about the tree trunk so that when the trunk is advanced...     

A machine for handling, delimbing and slashing felled trees, including hardwood trees, including a first crane for lifting a tree and inserting it into delimbing apparatus comprising an array of helically bladed cylindrical rotating delimbing augers with their axes disposed at right angles to the travel...     

Apparatus for delimbing felled trees including an elongate support along which a tree may be carried longitudinally through the apparatus. The support is foldable for shortening for transport. Powered driving means are operable to draw a tree through the apparatus and flexible shearing cutters are positioned...     

In a tree harvesting method particularly suitable for selective logging, the upper part of a tree will be limbed and bucked into logs by means of a harvesting device before the tree is severed at the butt. During the limbing and bucking procedure, the harvesting device will be secured tightly to the...     

The following specification discloses a tree harvesting apparatus controlled from a light weight tracked vehicle having a rotatable platform for holding a boom apparatus to which a harvester head is hingeably attached. The harvester head comprises shearing means and delimbing knives mounted to a support...     

A mobile tree harvester, especially on a wheeled frame, having tree severing, transferring and delimbing apparatus or processes combined. Specifically a harvester operating to cut, manipulate or transfer from a vertical to horizontal position and delimb full length trees at the site. Standing trees are...     

A log de-barking machine comprising two hollow rotor type processing units, one having tools to cut helically through the bark, and the other one having tools to further subdivide the cut bark and to finally remove the bark from the log in the shape of comparatively small pieces, and further having means...     

An apparatus for mounting on the free end of an extendible and retractable boom for handling trees comprising a first rigid frame assembly, a second frame assembly mounted on said first frame assembly at one end thereof and having a pair of arms pivotally mounted thereon, and a third frame assembly mounted...     

An improved harvesting and processing apparatus for trees is provided. The harvester is of the type having a gripping means disposed adjacent its forward end and a boom along its longitudinal axis. A shear and delimber associated with the apparatus are longitudinally movable relative to the boom. The...     

The device comprises a rotating drum having flails secured to the outer surface thereof. It is mounted between arms extending from a truck or the like and can be raised and lowered hydraulically. The device is driven over a pile of small trees lying on the ground, with the drum rotating so that flails...     

A hedging apparatus is disclosed which comprises a wheeled vehicle having a specially adapted chain saw thereon for cutting limbs and branches from trees, hedges, or shrubs, which are planted in rows. The chain saw is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart guide bars which extend forwardly of the...     

A tree processing machine for felling and processing standing trees into predetermined lengths which includes generally a prime mover capable of turning in a short radius with a relatively short support frame as compared to the prior art mounted on the prime mover, a carriage frame pivotally mounted...     

A delimber blade having a central region beveled at a first angle to form a cutting edge at the tree engaging surface of the blade, and having opposed end regions beveled at first and second angles to form cutting edges spaced from the tree engaging surface of the blade. According to another aspect of...     

A processor clamp for a tree harvester. The tree engaging surface of a movable arm of the clamp is made up of two elements, a convex cam portion and a concave portion, to insure that all trees within the diameter range of the harvester will be clamped along a line either perpendicular to a downwardly...     

A processor clamp for a tree harvester. A first tree engaging surface is defined by an edge of a frame member upstanding from the processing boom of the harvester. A second tree engaging surface is defined by a movable clamp arm which is located beneath the first tree engaging surface in its open position...     

A mobile tree delimber having a flail type delimber movably mounted thereon and controllably raised and lowered by sensing means automatically to maintain a selected relative position between the flail delimber unit and the tree or group of trees being processed thereby maximizing impact forces of the...     

A mobile wood chipper unit for chipping preferably thin trees or branches left on the ground when felling trees. The unit comprises a chipper having a feeder which preferably can be directed towards both sides of the chipping unit and is adjustable both in the vertical and the horizontal plane. The chips...     

A delimber for stripping limbs from fallen trees; and which consists of a welded frame made of pipes, the frames standing up-right, so that fallen trees can be pulled through square openings formed between the pipes, and as the tree trunk is pulled through one of the openings, the limbs and branches...     

An improved tree harvesting device of the swing boom type has an energy conserving drive mechanism for driving the swing boom. The energy conserving mechanism uses an energy storing means located between a prime mover and the swing boom; the energy storing means stores the energy dissipated by the swing...     

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for recovering forestry products in an economic manner, and in particular utilizes a base machine capable of recovering efficiently all the wood products obtained when logging timber.

A method and apparatus for processing trees in which a clamp holding a severed tree for processing pulls the tree through a set of delimbing blades, while at the same time the blades are moved in the opposite direction along the tree trunk. A system of pulleys and cables driven by a single hydraulic...     

An apparatus for delimbing felled trees is described, wherein the trees are pulled individually or, in some cases, in bundles through the delimber. The delimber is provided with a base; a lower impact shear blade which is a notched steel plate supported upon the base, the notch bounding the under half...     

An arrangement for harvesting trees consisting of a portable articulated grapple suspension and an independent cutting and delimbing unit comprising a main frame resting on the ground and a tree-engaging frame pivotally mounted to said main frame. The portable suspension is attached to a motor vehicle...     

A log feeding and de-branching mechanism comprising two sets of alternately operating tools which grip around the log to alternately hold the log for lengthwise feeding and to debranch the log, respectively, and which tool sets are linearly movable in mutually opposite directions.

A mobile tree harvester includes a shear mounted at the base of a harvesting frame for shearing a tree trunk, a grip arm pivotably mounted to the frame above the shear for gripping the tree trunk, delimbers mounted above the grip arms for removing branches from the trunk, and an endless tract mounted...     

Apparatus as described which includes first and second groups of cutter blades arranged to engage and sever limbs from one or more moving tree trunks as they are being drawn through the apparatus. The apparatus incorporates means for ejecting the accumulated severed limbs from the apparatus. Also included...     

A tree processing machine for felling and processing standing trees into predetermined lengths which includes generally a prime mover capable of turning in a short radius with a relatively short support frame as compared to the prior art mounted on the prime mover, a carriage frame pivotally mounted...     

In an apparatus for de-limbing trees, there is provided a carriage moving longitudinally on a rail, and having a pair of de-limbing arms adjacent one end which are mounted for pivoting movement with respect to the carriage. Each arm defines a concavity adapted to pivot into contact with a tree held in...     

The invention provides a tree delimbing apparatus suitable for mounting on a vehicle. A frame bears a plurality of delimbing arms which are pivotally mounted and spring loaded on the frame. They extend outwardly from the frame so as to engage the branches of felled trees. The trees are suitably oriented...     

The flail device comprises a rotatable drum, a series of circumferentially spaced channels extending lengthwise of the drum, support means in each channels, a rod received in each support means, and flexible flails attached to each support means at longitudinally spaced intervals thereon; each flail...     

A timber processing machine comprising a hollow rotor provided with barking and lopping knives. A tree trunk to be processed is fed longitudinally through the rotor. A non-rotable guide ring is coaxially fastened to the rotor at the inlet side of the knives. The front edge of the knives is sharpened...     

Log clamping apparatus adapted for insertion between existing log conveyors and including a frame, a pair of jaws hingably engaging the frame, a pair of jacks hingably engaging the jaws and operable to open and close the jaws, and control apparatus for selectively activating the jacks. The jaws are laterally...     

A tree delimbing apparatus comprises a housing through which trees are conveyed and delimbed; the housing has an open bottom through which branches and leaves are discharged. A series of rollers are mounted inside the housing for conveying and delimbing the trees; the delimbing rollers are drums to which...     

In abstract a preferred embodiment of this invention is a processing machine which takes a felled tree, delimbs the same, feeds the thus trimmed timber through the machine which cuts the timber into fireplace lengths, splits the thus cut logs in one or more directions for appropriate burning size, stacks...     

A delimber attachment for a tractor comprises an elongate drum mounted transversely and rotatably within a downwardly opening enlosure. The drum has a plurality of chains connected at one thereto. A frame extends forwardly from the enclosure. A hinge connector near a forward end of the frame hingedly...     

Log feeding wheels are provided with resilient tires to conform to the sides of the logs. Stiffening members are provided to prevent the upper portions of the tires from deflecting as much as the lower portions and thus hold the logs against moving upwardly as they are fed.

A tree harvester includes a wheeled and articulated frame, a horizontally disposed first elongated beam member, an extendable beam member that is longitudinally extendable from the first beam member, a carriage that is longitudinally movable on the extendable beam member, delimber knives that are mounted...     

A tree delimber including a frame having a track for guidably supporting a carriage having a boom and grapple assembly thereon, the carriage being driven for movement on the track between the ends of the frame with a tree delimbing assembly at one end of the frame having an articulated chain with blades...     

A tree processing unit having a base and a boom with a front end and a back end, extending through the base. Means are provided for moving the boom through the base the base has means for gripping a tree at its butt end. Means are fixed on the front end of the boom for gripping and debranching the tree,...     

An automatic branch cutting device is disclosed comprising a frame which is capable of being divided into two halves, a branch cutting tool, an elevating means for ascending and descending a tree trunk, an ascending and descending transfer clutch, an engine and a drive means for transferring the movement...     

A boom structure (12) for a tree processing apparatus (10) comprising a first upper channel member (18) oriented with its legs extending downward, a second lower channel member (20) oriented with its legs extending upward, and third and fourth channel members (22, 24) which are received between the legs...     

An apparatus (10) for processing trees includes a hollow boom structure (12), a processing head (14) mounted for movement along the boom and an actuating cylinder assembly (38) which is mounted inside the boom structure. The cylinder includes a body member (50) and support means (52) engageable with...     

An apparatus for a wheeled vehicle for slashing pine trees to enhance the production by natural means of terpenoid materials, and comprising a tree slashing device pivotally mounted at the end of an arm extending from the vehicle, and irritant applicator also carried on said tree slashing device for...     

Apparatus for handling drive cables and hoses used on a tree processing apparatus (10) wherein a processing head (14) travels along a horizontal boom structure (12). The processing head extend cable system (46) includes a single cable (80) which is attached at one end to the processing head and is reeved...     

Apparatus for delimbing and barking trees or tree parts comprising a downwardly tapering trough for receiving the trees or tree parts, the trough having a generally horizontal axis and having one side formed by an upwardly and outwardly inclined endless conveyor which includes drivers projecting therefrom...     

Disclosed herein is a rotary delimber for a timber harvester in which the branches are severed from a tree trunk as the tree trunk is fed axially through a hollow rotor carrying a plurality of cutters. Each cutter is secured to a spindle rotatably supported in a cutter arm for movement about an axis...     

A machine for removing limbs from trees is described and includes a frame and a pair of saws supported by the frame, the saws each having a longitudinal axis, and being supported by the frame for rotation about the longitudinal axis. The saws include a blade having a cutting edge and being wrapped around...     

A tree trimmer has a pruning head adapted to be operated by a reciprocable rod to perform a cutting action and to open up. A double acting compressed air operated linear thrustor causes an actuating rod to recipricate. A standpipe, which is composed of a series of tubes detachably and rigidly screwed...     

An apparatus for scraping bark from a log includes a plurality of radially extending torsionally resistant elastomer flailing elements secured to, spaced longitudinally of, and angularly disposed around the periphery of a rotatable drum. Attached adjacent the free end of each elastomer element is a broad...     

In order to effect removal of both limbs and bark from wood, such as trimmings or trees removed in thinning, with satisfactory results in a barking drum, the drum proper comprises a cylindrical pretreatment section of large diameter, a tapering transition section and a cylindrical final treatment section...     

This invention pertains to a delimbing apparatus which is mounted on a vehicle and is constructed to delimb several felled trees as the vehicle moves the delimbing apparatus over the trees. The delimbing apparatus comprises a frame having a plurality of downwardly projecting delimbing arms which are...     

A tree harvester comprising a mobile frame having a carriage with limb-stripping knives thereon which encircle the tree alternatively in snug or loosely-engaging relation, tree clamping means above the bed of the frame and saw means movably mounted on the clamping means for movement therewith and, in...     

A machine is provided for removing the bark from logs. The machine supports a log for linear movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the log and for rotation about its longitudinal axis. A saw is supported for rotation about a second longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal...     

A tree-trimming apparatus mounted on a mobile support vehicle. The apparatus includes a telescoping boom pivotally mounted on a pedestal. The pedestal is pivotally mounted to a turntable which is rotatably mounted on the support vehicle. An operator's station is mounted on the pedestal to provide control...     

This invention concerns a method of tree harvesting which in its simplest form provides for a method of delimbing the branches of a standing tree, which delimbed tree may be sheared off from its base and positioned in a stack for collection. There is provided an apparatus for attachment to a prime mover...     

A mobile tree processor of the type having a boom reciprocally mounted in a box section and stripper type delimber means associated therewith and means mounting the boom on the vehicle whereby the boom can be raised and lowered while it remains horizontal to respective operative and transport positions....     

A tree harvester of the type having a grapple assembly, shear assembly and de-limbing assembly where the grapple assembly and the de-limbing assembly are mounted on respective telescopically slidable carriers. Cables connect the de-limbing assembling (or grapple assembly) to the grapple carrier (or de-limbing...     

The tree-processing unit includes a tubular member detachably secured to the boom support of a conventional motorized equipment, an elongated boom extending through both ends of the tubular member, guide means located within the tubular member for guiding and supporting the boom through the tubular member,...     

A tree or log delimber for delimbing several trees at one time wherein the trunk ends of the trees are abutted against a stop while a grid-like cutter is applied at their opposite ends. This cutter is longitudinally moved around and along the trees toward the trunk ends of the trees, thereby slicing...     

In order to enable a satisfactory degree of barking when removing the limbs and bark from wood in a barking drum having internally a plurality of log lifters and a plurality of slots arranged around and along the drum for the discharging of waste material freed, said drum comprising two axially aligned...     

The disclosure herein describes a dual head delimber for mounting to one end of the longitudinal boom of a machine of the type used for delimbing felled trees; it comprises a cradle structure to which are pivotally mounted two sets of clamps, the sets being juxtaposed to one another; to assist in concurring...     

The machine automatically pivots itself into alignment with the orientation of a log being drawn into the machine, and/or pivots the log, and is vertically adjustable to conform to the inclination of a log in process. To cut off an end piece of the log, a shear blade first makes a partial stroke cutting...     

A cutting apparatus designed to produce an oscillating force which is transmitted to a cutting element, said cutting element having a plurality of cutting teeth disposed at intervals in a complete circle around the periphery of the cutting element. The direction of cutting of the cutting teeth of said...     

A machine for forming a smooth surface on a cylindrical log workpiece as it is moved longitudinally past a cutting station which includes both shaping and planing blades. The same cutting pass also includes a cove cutting operation to cut a longitudinal cove cut on the surface of the log workpiece and...     

An automatic lopping machine comprises a main body including a drive unit, a chain saw and a plurality of drive wheels each rotatable in a plane inclined relative to the trunk of a standing tree, and an auxiliary unit including a plurality of idle wheels and adapted to be connected together with the...     

A grab-type tree harvester for processing trees comprises rotation means and a frame. The frame is connected to lifting means through the rotation means, in a manner such that the frame is adapted to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. The frame comprises grab means which are selectively moved...     

A tree harvesting machine is disclosed which is of the type having a wheel-mounted frame, a tree harvesting mechanism at the front and a berth at the rear for accumulated felled trees. An inverted tree grapple is provided forwardly of the berth and is mounted to the berth so that it can be slid to and...     

Tree harvesting device is connected to a mobile vehicle by means of a jib (1) and comprises means for cutting, felling and debranching a tree. The device (2) has a general U-shaped frame comprising two side parts (3, 4), rear part (5) and an open front side (6). The cutting means (7, 8), the conveying...     

A tree harvester of the type having a grapple assembly, shear assembly and de-limbing assembly where the grapple assembly and the de-limbing assembly are mounted on respective telescopically slidable carriers. Cables connect the de-limbing assembling (or grapple assembly) to the grapple carrier (or de-limbing...     

A flail device for use in conjunction with debarking or delimbing apparatus is disclosed. The device comprises a rotatable drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart rows of longitudinally spaced-apart openings, a plurality of rods extending longitudinally within the drum, each of the...     

A bundle limbing device, primarily for mobile use, is divided into two mirror-symmetrical halves, each with one front and one rear swinging arm (4a,4b) at their lower parts mounted on a low level of a forwarder and interconnected by means of longitudinal bars (14a,14b). At the ends of the swinging arms...     

A machine (1) for processing trees, comprises limbing tools, holding tools and a feed-in crane, where a holding tool and a limbing tool are movable relative to one another. According to the invention, the holding tool (5) and, respectively, limbing tool (4) comprise upward opening grap claws (9,10) or...     

A tree processing unit for use in combination with a motorized carrier. The unit comprises a base support pivotably mounted on and extending up from the carrier, which comprises a pair of spaced apart side plates parallel to each other and defining a through passage between them. An elongated, tubular...     

A tree harvesting device for removing the limbs of a felled tree is provided that includes a unique delimbing blade assembly for cutting tree limbs flush with the trunk of a felled tree. The delimbing blade assembly includes a plurality of concave delimbing blades positioned about and defining a center...     

A pair of slightly axially spaced and aligned upwardly opening generally semi-cylindrical lower jaws are provided together with an inverted downwardly opening generally semi-cylindrical upper jaw. One arc end portion of the upper jaw is mounted between one pair of corresponding arc ends of the lower...     

A tree pruning machine having an elevating body detachably mounted to a standing tree and a cutting unit detachably mounted on the body and capable of rotating around the periphery of the body comprising at least three sets of wheel units mounted on the body and capable of moving radially towards and...     

A pole for use in a fence, railing or the like, the pole body (1) being made from a curable material such as concrete, while pairs of opposite tensioning elements (10) are arranged along the outer sides (7) of the pole body (1) and between anchoring parts at the head (11) and the foot (12) of said pole,...     

The present invention provides an improved debarking device of the flail type. A plurality of elongated chain sections are mounted on a rotatable drum is substantially uniform rows. At least some of the chain sections have a lateral vibratory length less than the remaining chain sections.

This invention relates to a tree pruning machine comprising a frame in a cutting unit having a first member mounted to a body having wheels elevating vertically, and a second member projecting from the top of the first member forwardly in an ascent gradient and forming a recess at the front side, the...     

A delimbing device which includes a rotatably mounted drum (13) within which a number of processing devices are mounted for mechanically processing a bundle of stems with twigs in order to limb and preferably also feed said stems longitudinally through the drum. Each processing device consists of at...     

A tree pruning machine which has a body for vertically elevating on a standing tree through a wheel driven by an engine, a rotary device for turning on the periphery of the body, a cutting unit provided in the rotary device and having a detector for detecting the cutting resistance effected from the...     

A method and apparatus for delimbing a plurality of elongated tree stems includes at least a pair of vertically mounted, longitudinally offset flail members with flexible impact members mounted on rotatable drums. The drums rotate in the direction of stem flow through the flailing station and limbs and...     

A debarking/delimbing apparatus having upper and lower flailing drums mounted crossway to a feed line for logs progressing through the apparatus. The upper flailing drum is pivotally mounted to enable movement of the flails toward and away from the feed line to accommodate different sized logs. A counter...     

A feed roll for a log debarker or delimber wherein the roll is square-shaped in cross-section. Rows of gripping teeth are provided along each corner. The teeth are varied in height along the feed roll to form a sinusoidal or serpentine wave. Successive rows of teeth are offset so that the valleys of...     

A debarking apparatus including a closed bottom formed into a channel. A plunger is slidable in the channel and pushes bark material along the channel and out an open end of the channel. The plunger has a top surface that closes the channel as it moves through the debarking station. The bark deposited...     

A tree delimbing apparatus (10) for removing tree branches, bark, and leaves. Tree stems are extended transversely over a shaft (12) where a sheet-like thread (22) conveys the tree stems longitudinally along the shaft (12). Chains (26) are attached to the shaft (12) and bars (28) are disposed between...     

An assembly for limbing tree stems comprises two limbing tools (53, 53') movable towards and away from each other, and two feeding units (1, 1') which are also movable towards and away from each other and arranged for longitudinal feeding of individual stems past the limbing tools limbing the stems....     

An improved connector for use in tree delimbers in connecting a delimbing boom to a mobile carrier. The connector is constructed to allow the delimbing to be lowered relative to the tracked carrier, from a working position to a transport position. The connector also allows the delimbing boom to be pivoted...     

A tree harvester (3) is mounted on the front end of a steerable self-propelled vehicle (2) in line with the vehicle's longitudinal axis (8). The harvester frame (11) is pivotable about a longitudinal axis (13). A telescoping boom (15) having a plurality of grab jaws (24, 25) at one end is mounted on...     

A mechanized tree pruner is mounted on the boom of a prime mover so the pruning head can be moved up and down a standing tree. The head is comprised of a main frame on which is mounted two delimbing stations each of which has a pair of movable delimbing knife chains mounted on grapple type arms. Below...     

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...     

Disclosed herein is a timber cutting attachment for a backhoe machine. The attachment includes a frame adapted to being connected to the arm extending from the backhoe. Attached to the frame is a blade guard and a circular blade. Within the frame of the attachment is a hydraulic motor is coupled to the...