AU685909B2 - Stump cutting - Google Patents

Description

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Regulationi 3.2 A UST R AL IA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

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55 0 55 Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor( s): Address for Service: Invention Title: KEVAN GORDON BLACKWELL KEVAN GORDON BLACKWELL SANDERCOCKS PATENT ATTORNEYS Suite 6, 50-54 Robinson Street, DANDENONG VIC 3175 STUMP CUTTING Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. PM4B2O/94 The following statement is a full description invention, including the best method of performing to me/us: of this it known -1I- 950328.cmsdat.215,blackweI1fI,1 la- TITLE: STUMP CUTTING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to stump cutting.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION When a tree is cut down it is usual for a tree stump i:o be left behind and in many instances it will be desirable to remove the tree stump.

On farms and in parks where space is virtually unlimited it is usual to remove stumps by the use of heavy equipment such as bulldozers, graders and diggers by techniques such as pushing, pulling, lifting and digging.

However, in domestic gardens it is usually not possible to use such heavy equipment and there is a need to provide alternative equipment.

0 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides:a stump cutting machine comprising a chassis, *0 wheels on the chassis to enable the machine to be manoeuvred, a cutter adapted to cut a tree stump, and mounting means for the cutter adapted to mount the cutter for side to side movement, up and down movement and movement towards and away from the chassis.

9503aTspe.OS2,backweIeIcap,1 2 PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION Preferably the cutter is mounted to pivot about a generally vertical first axis, a generally horizontal second axis and a generally horizontal third axis.

Preferably the cutter is such as in use to comminute the stump.

In a particularly preferred aspect the present invention provides a stump cutting machine comprising a chassis wheels on the chassis to enable the machine to be manoeuvred, a first arm mounted to the chassis to pivot about a generally vertical first axis through an angle of not less than a second arm mounted to the first arm remote from the chassis and adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal second axis, a third arm mounted to the second arm remote from the second axis and adapted to pivot about a generally 25 horizontal third axis, and a cutter mounted to the third arm remote from the third axis and adapted to cut a tree stump.

S 30 Preferably the cutter comprises a wheel carrying cutter teeth.

Preferably the wheel is mounted to rotate about a generally horizontal fourth axis.

Preferably a guard is provided to surround the upper part of the wheel and wherein the guard has a bottom which is 970812,cmsdat.121,blackwell.ame,2 i 3 open.

In one instance, the guard is located in a fixed position.

In another instance means is provided for maintaining the bottom of the guard generally parallel to the ground notwithstanding the pivoted orientation of the second arm with respect to the first arm.

The bottom of the guard can be maintained generally parallel to the ground by pivotally mounting it such that gravity will maintain the bottom generally parallel to the ground.

The means for maintaining the guard generally parallel to the ground may comprise a parallelogram or pantograph linkage or may include an hydraulic ram.

Preferably the guard comprises a flap against which chips may impinge. The flap may be made of any convenient material but steel or rubber are generally preferred.

•The pivoting of the first arm and the second arm is preferably controlled by means of hydraulic rams.

o Preferably the first arm is adapted to pivot about the first axis by about 120°.

The stump cutter machine may have a grader blade for moving mulch. The grader blade may be raiseable and lowerable.

The chassis may have a platform on which an operator can stand.

If a platform is provided then preferably it is moveable from a first position in which it is retracted to a second position in which it extends from the chassis.

9532ARsspe082backweIcap,3 I- ~hY 4 Preferably there are four wheels.

The wheels are preferably located two on one side of the chassis and two on the other side of the chassis. The wheels on one side of the chassis are preferably separately drivable from those on the other side of the chassis.

The wheels are preferably drivable by hydraulic motors.

The wheels are preferably driven through chains.

Preferably the cutter wheel is hydraulically driven.

Preferably the cutter wheel is directly driven.

In an alternative, the cutter is driven by a belt or a chain but these instances are not presently preferred.

Remote control means may be provided for the machine. The remote control preferably works via a cable rather than by radio for safety reasons.

The chassis is preferably shaped to facilitate stair climbing.

The machine is preferably of a size in which it may be used in domestic gardens.

9* The machine is preferably not more than 1.5 metres long 30 with not more than 1.2 meters long being more preferred.

The arms are to be considered as additive to the above dimensions and preferably may be removed during transport.

The machine is preferably not more than 1.75 metres wide with not more than 1.5 metres wide being more preferred and not more than 0.860 metres wide is more preferTre 9SO328,ansspe.OVblackwewllxcapA 5 A specific construction of a stump cutting machine in accordance with this invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the stump cutting machine, Figure 2 is a rear view of the stump cutting machine, Figure 3 is a top view of the stump cutting machine, Figure 4 is a side view of the stump cutting machine, Figure 5 is a front view of the stump cutting machine, Figure 6 is a rear view of the stump cutting machine and showing certain parts broken away, Figure 7 is a side view of the stump cutting machine showing certain details, Figure 8 is a front view of part of the stump cutting machine, Figure 9 is a side view of part of the stump cutting machine in one position, S. Figure 10 is another front view of a part of the stump cutting machine, Figure 11 is a side view of part of the stump cutting machine, Figure 12 is a side view of part of the stump cutting machine in another position, 95032Uppe.O8zbIakwe1kapS 6 Figure 13 is a side view of part of the stump cutting machine in another position, Figure 14 is a top view showing the swing of part of the stump cutting machine in one position, Figure 15 is a top view showing the swing of part of the stump cutting machine in another position, and Figure 16 is a side view of the stump cutting machine in another position.

INTEGER LIST 1. Stump Cutting Machine 2. Tractor 3. Boom 4. Chassis 6. Yoke 20 7. Pivot pin 9** 8. First pivot axis 21. Operator's safety visor 23. Controls 24. Engine 25 26. Air cleaner 27. Exhaust 28. Battery box 29. Left wheels 31. Right wheels 32. Left motor 33. Right motor 34. Drive chain Pump 36. Drive chain 37. Sprocket 38. Sprocket 39. Sprocket 95328xVrns=,b1acII1cap,6 7 41.

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Arm Extension Ram Pivot point Pivot point Pivot pin Second pivot axis Plates Arm Plates Pivot pin Third pivot axis Arm Bearing Cutter wheel Shaft Hydraulic motor Safety cover removable, left hand side Safety cover removable, right hand side Safety cover Openable ends Ram Pivot point Pivot point Ram Pivot point Pivot point Taper DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS S. S. 4 o Dimensions shown in the drawings are are not critical.

merely exemplary and In the drawings is shown a stump cutting machine 1 which comprises a tractor 2 and a boom 3.

95328=msspc.,b1ackweLcap,7 8 The tractor 2 has a chassis 4 to which is mounted a yoke 6 which in turn supports a pivot pin 7 which will enable the boom 3 to turn with respect to the tractor 2 about a first pivot axis 8.

Also mounted to the chassis 4 is an engine 24 which is provided with an air cleaner 26 and an exhaust 27.

A battery box 28 is provided.

Mounted to the chassis 4 are left wheels 29 and right wheels 31.

In use, the left wheels and the right wheels can be selectively driven by a left motor 32 and a right motor 33.

The left motor 32 and the right motor 33 drive the respective wheels via drive chain 34 and drive chain 36.

For the purposes of achieving drive, sprockets 37, 38 and 39 are provided.

e The engine 24 drives a pump 35 for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to the boom 3 and to the left motor 32 25 and the right motor 33.

The engine 24 also drives another hydraulic pump (not shown) for providing hydraulic fluid to drive a cutter wheel 58.

The boom 3 comprises an arm 41 which is mounted to rotate about the first pivot axis 8.

The arm 41 has an extension 42 which is connected to the chassis 4 by means of a ram 43.

The ram 43 can pivot about pivot points 44 and 46.

9SO328pnsspe.82,bwekwdap,8 9 The extension and retraction of the ram 43 will cause the arm 41 to swing about the first pivot axis 8 which is a vertical axis.

The arm 41 can swing through about 1200.

Mounted to the arm 41 is a pivot pin 47 which defines a second pivot axis 48 which is a horizontal axis.

Plates 49 are pivotally mounted to the pivot pin 47 and support an arm 51.

Arm 51 has plates 52 which support a pivot pin 53 which defines a third pivot axis 54 which is a horizontal axis.

An arm 56 pivots about the pivot pin 53.

The arm 56 carries a bearing 57 and a cutter wheel 58 is be mounted with respect to the bearing 57 by a shaft 59.

The cutter wheel 58 is drivable by an hydraulic motor 61 which is directly coupled to shaft 59 by means of a splined coupling.

25 A safety cover 63 is provided over the upper part of the cutter wheel 58 and that safety cover 63 has openable ends P: 64 to allow for clearing of mulch and to a certain extent to compensate for tilt of the arm 56. The safety cover preferably includes a trailing flap to safely retain wood 30 chips.

0 Removable safety covers 62 and 62a may be provided for use when working near glass, doors, windows etc. or for operator safety.

An hydraulic ram 66 is mounted between pivot points 67 and S68 and will control the angular relationship of the arm 51 970812,ansdat.121,blackwellnie,9 10 with respect to the second pivot axis.

A ram 71 is mounted to pivot points 72 and 73 and will control the angular relationship of the arm 56 with respect to the third pivot axis 54.

The controls 23 are operative to control the rams 43, 66 and 71, the left motor 32 and right motor 33 and also the hydraulic motor 61. As is particularly shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13, the arms 51 and 56 can move from a closed position shown in Figure 11 to an extended position shown in Figure 12 and to a depth position shown in Figure 13.

Thus the boom 3 of the stump cutting machine 1 can move from side to side about the first pivot axis, can pivot about the second pivot axis 48 and third pivot axis 54 and can effectively put the cutter wheel 58 close to the tractor 2 or remote from the tractor 2 or at a high or low level with respect to the tractor 2.

0: Figures 14 and 15 show the swing of the machine in boom extended and boom retracted positions.

Figures 10 13 and 16 show movements in a vertical plane.

It is to be noted that the chassis has a taper at 84 and this may help in climbing of stairs.

0 IConcerning climbing of stairs, the boom 3 may be used to support part of the weight of the cutting machine and in particular to lift some of the wheels to enable stair climbing.

The wheels 29 and 31 may be separately driven to achieve skid steering.

A prototype machine in accordance with the above has been 9SG328xisspe.W2.backwelJap,10 11 made which had a total weight of 700 lbs., a length, without the boom 3, of 1.1 metres and a width of 0.86 metres.

The stump cutting machine 1 should be found to be effective when the tractor 2 needs to be on one level but a stump to be cut is on a higher or lower level.

Further, substantial sized stumps may be cut.

The boom 3 can also be used to wipe mulch out of the way.

If desired, a grader blade may be provided to push mulch away.

The claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings, if any, form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings of any associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document, if any, all of which are imported hereinto as part of the record hereof.

e* Finally it is to be understood that various alterations,

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modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the 25 various constructions and arrangements or parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

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Claims (9)

1. A stump cutting machine comprising a chassis, wheels on the chassis to enable the machine to be manoeuvred, a cutter adapted to cut a tree stump, and mounting means for the cutter adapted to mount the cutter for side to side movement, up and down movement and movement towards and away from the chassis.

2. A stump cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutter is mounted to pivot about a generally vertical first axis, a generally horizontal second axis and a generally horizontal third axis.

3. A stump Cutting machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim wherein the cutter is such as in use to comminute the stump. 25

4. A stump cutting machine comprising a chassis, wheels on the chassis to enable the machine to be manoeuvred, a first arm mounted to the chassis to pivot about a generally vertical first axis through an angle of not less than 900, a second arm mounted to the first arm remote from the chassis and adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal second axis, a third arm mounted to the second arm remote from the second axis and adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal third axis, and a cutter mounted to the third arm remote from the third axis and adapted to cut a tree stump.

A stump cutting machine as claimed in Claim 4, wherein 970812msdat.121,blackwe11.ame,12 13 the cutter comprises a wheel carrying cutter teeth.

6. A stump cutting machine as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the wheel is mounted to rotate about a generally horizontal fourth axis.

7. A stump cutting machine as claimed in any one of Claims 4 6, wherein a guard is provided to surround the upper part of the wheel and wherein the guard has a bottom which is open.

8. A stump cutting machine as claimed in any one of Claims 4 7, wherein the first arm is adapted to S' pivot about the first axis by about 1200.

9. A stump cutting machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 12th day of August, 1997 SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR 25 KEVAN GORDON BLACKWELL 970812,ansdat.121,blackwellamc,13 I- 14 ABSTRACT The present invention provides:- a stump cutting machine comprising a chassis, wheels on the chassis to enable the machine to be manoeuvred, a cutter adapted to cut a tree stump, and mounting means for the cutter adapted to mount the cutter for side to side movement, up and down movement and movement towards and away from the chassis. S S S OS S 95O328,sspeM82,bIacbY4Ixap,14