CA1116053A - Tree-processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A tree-processing unit is disclosed. The unit comprises 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, and hydraulically-operated means mounted on the tubular member and on the front end of the boom for gripping and delimbing a felled tree. In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the hydraulic lines interconnecting the hydraulically-operated means located at the front end of the boom and the tubular member, are maintained in a tight condition all the time to prevent tangling of the lines with the equipment and other obstacles on the working site. In accordance with a second feature of the present invention, the guide means located within the tubular member includes a plurality of roller bogeys having rollers partially encircling a portion of the outer surface of the boom for guiding the boom through the tubular member. In accordance with a third feature of the present invention, the tubular member is hingedly mounted on the boom support, so as to permit pivotal of the boom support about its horizontal axis to a position substantially parallel to the boom and so reduce the height of the boom above ground to a minimum to permit transportation of the motorized equipment on a trailer under bridges and other overhead obstacles. In accordance with a fourth feature of the present invention, two pairs of jaws are pivotally mounted, one on the tubular member and the other on the front end of the boom, for gripping and delimbing felled trees. The jaws of each pair are mounted in a longitudinally offset position and means are provided for interchanging the relative position of the jaws, so that both jaws can be easily seen by an operator seated at the operator control station, whether this control station is located on the right hand or on the left hand of the boom.

Description

This invHntion relates to a tre~processing ~pparatus and, mors particularly, to a tre0-proreesing apparatu~ which grips, delimba and cuts the top ot ~ell~d troes.
Tree-procassing apparatuse~ of ths above type ar~ well known and gen0rally inolude, a~ an integral part thereof, their own motorized equipment a~ w011 a3 the n~ce~ary hydraulic power ~upply ~ar opqrating the gripping, d~llmblng and topping m3chani~ms. Theas machin~s aro th~refore expenaive. One trea-proce~ing unit ie known, which can be adapted to b~ detachably mounted on a conv0ntionsl ln excavator squlp~nt. This unit, in addition to increa~e the c~pabiliti~s the 0xcsvator equipment, gr~atly reduc0s th~ cost oP th~ tree-procs~slng apparatus. The ~bovs unit i8 di~clo~ed in Canadi~n Pstent Numbur l,D55~3609 i~usd ~ay 29, 1979. It h~, however~ a numb~r o~
drawbacks, 1ncluding a long b~om which requir~ tension cabls~ abo~e ths boom ~or strengthening tha same. Th~e cables, a~ well as the long hydraulic lin~ requlred ~or perating the gripping ~nd delimbing Jaw~
located at tha ~ront o~ th~ boom, o~ten get t~ngled in the trees and the other overh~ud ob~tecles narmally sncount~red on the werking ~ite. The boo~ guide meAns are also axpo~d and Rub~ect to being ~a~med and d~ag~d by branch~s cut ~rom th~ tr~as during th~ dellmbing oporation. Further-moro, th~ unit, whon as20~bled to tho motcrizod equip~ent, is very high ~bovo ground and cannot be movd on a trailor on th~ roade under overhead brid~es and oth~r obstacles. Finally, tho longitudinally oP~et gripping and delimbing Jaws whioh aro located on the ~ront end o~
the boom and on ths boom ~upport, sre ~ounted ~o thst they ~an b~ ea~ily ~e~n and oper~ted Prom one side of the boom only, thus reatricting th~
use o~ oxisting ~otoriz~d aquip~ont having th~ operator control station locat~d on thst 3id~ only.
It i~ therGfor~ tho obj~ct o~ tho pro~ent lnvontian to provido 8 3D tr0~-proccssing un~t which ia relativaly oi~ple in constru~tion, ru~ged and which do0~ not have the drawback~ oP the known unit~.

The trae-proce~Qing unit in accordanco ~ith tho invention gen~rally , ~., L6~

compri~as ~ tubular m~mber d~tacllably ~ecur0d to th~ raguler boom 3upport of a conuorltional motori~d aquipment, an ~long~ted boom cxt0nding thrDugh both ~nds oP th~ tubular me~ber~ guida ~aan3 locatad within the tubular memb~r ~or ~upportillg and guiding said boom thrDugh the tubular member, a hydraulically~op~rat~d m~an~ mount~d on the tubular mamb~r and on the frunt end of th0 boom for gripping ~nd dal$mblng A F~lled tree.
In one ~spect o~ thc pr~ent lnva;~tion, hydr~ulic linHs ~re providod ~or intorconnecting the hydraullcally-op0rated me~n~ locat~o on the front 0nd o~ the hoom to the tubular membsr, and maans are mounted on tha tubular member ~or maintaining the hydraulic lin~s in a tight condition to prevent tangling of tha hydraulic line~ with tha equipment snd other obstacloa on th0 working oit~.
In a pre~erred ambodimont o~ the invantion, ~uch m~an~ ~or maintaining ths hydr~ullc line- ~n a tight condition comprise~ two parall~l rai1o meunted on the top o~ tho tubul~r member, a carriage mounted for.longitudin~l ~ovement on ths ralls) a drum rotatably mounted on the carriag~ and around wh$ch the hydr~ulic lines arc pa~sed, mesna ~or securing one 0nd of the hydraulic linee to the frDnt end of the boom, and the other end of th0 lineo to the tubular membsr aft0r pas~ing th0 lines around the drum, a sprocket wh0el rotatably mountad on the carriage and a sprock0t chsin attachQd at one end to the r~ar end o~
the boom, and at itR other end to the tubulsr member after paseing through th0 sprocket whe~ or moving the carriage in th0 same directlon as the bocm 80 as to take up any ~laok in the hydraulic line3 due to movement o~ th0 boom. Guida ~aana are also pre~erably lQcatsd on the tubular member for guiding ths hydraulic llne~ onto the drum.
In a second aspect of the present inv~nt$on, th0 guide ~aans, located within the tubular member for ~upporting and guiding thè boom through the tubular m~mber~ lncluda~ a plurality o~ roll0r bogeya having rollers partia~ly encircling a portiqn of tha outer ~ur~ace o~ the boom ~or guiding the boo~ through tha tubular m~mber.

"

'' -~3 In a pra~0rrad ~mbodiment o~ th~ inventinn, th~ boom i~ oP
rect~ngular cro~Y-~ection and at lea~t ona roller 0ngayes the top and bottom ~all~ of the bnom at ~ch corner of the boom, and each roller i8 providad with e Plange engsging the sid~ of the top or bottom walls o~ th~ boum at e~ch oorner o~ the boom. Each ruller bogey prsferably compri~s an ~longated bar, a central trsn~ver~s axla jaurnalled in th~ walls o~ the tubular m~mber, ~ tran~ver~ ~hart ad~ac~nt each end o~ the bar ~nd a pair o~ rollera rotstably mounted on each sh~ft, one on each side of the b~r.
In a third aopect of the pre~ent invention, tha tubular member supporting the boom i~ hingedly mount~d on the boom aupport o~ the motorized equipment, 90 ~9 to psrmit pivotal o~ tho baom support about its horizontal axi~ to a po~ition substantially parallel to the boom and 80 r,~duce the height o~ the boom above gruund to a min~mum to permit transpnrtstion u~ the motorized e~uipment on e trailer under bridges and other overhead obstaolas.
In a preferred embodi~snt o~ th~ invention~ the ~eans ~or hingsdly mounting the tubular membsr on ths top end o~ the boom support oomprises a plate which axtende outwardly ~rom the boom aupport by a pred0termined digtance, 80 as to permit mov~ent o~ the trunk of 8 trae b~ing prooeesed along the eide Or the boom 3upport during operation of tho hydraulic~lly-operatYd means, ~o ae to reduc0 the ov~rall length of the boam requir0d ~or proces~ing normal trees.
In a Pourth aspe~t o~ the preaent inv~ntion, thn hydraulically-operated means PQr gripplng and delimbing fellad tr8e8 oonsista ot separate pairs oP jaws piuotally mounted on the tubulsr mamber and un the ~ront end of the boom. The jaw~ or each palr aro ~ountad in a longitudinally-oP~30t position and means ara provid~d for interchanging `' the ralative position o~ tha ~aW8, ~0 that both ~aw~ can be easily ~een trom the operator seatad at the operator control ~tation, whethHr the control Bt~tion i8 on ona sid3 or on the other aidfl o~ tha boom.
In a preY0rred embodiment of the ln~ention, th~ m~ans ~or .. _ . .. , . . . . . , . .. . . ., _ , . . . , . . .. ~ . . _ .. _ . _ .. .. . . _ .
~ ~ :

;~1;~3 interchan~ing the po~ition o~ the ~aws includ~s a pair o~ pivntal connections locat0d on each ~idfl of the tubular m~Mb~r and on the front end cf` the boom, and m~ans for installing the jaw~ o~ each pair on one or the othar of the pivotal cannections, dep~nding on which side o~ the boom support the operator control station i3 loca~e~.
The invention will now ba disclo~d, by way of ~x~mpl~, with referencs to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figurs 1 illu~trate~ 8 psrspective viow of tho tr~e-proa~3s.i.ng eppAratu~ in accordanc~ with the invention in a tran~port po~ition;
.lû Fisurea 2 and 3 illustrate side views nf the treH-proces~in~ unit in accordance with th~ invention at ite two ~xtreme operating positions, the jaws b~lng in a po3ition such that the operator'~ cabin is located behind the boom support and the tubular mamber;
. Figure 4, seen on the first sheat oY the drawings, illustrat~s a perspectiv~ view uf part of the boom support and the plate u~cd for mounting thH tubular memb0r on said boom ~upport;
Figure S illustrat~s a view taken along line 5-5 o~ Figure 2;
Figur~ 6 illu~trate~ a vi~w taken along lin~ 6-6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 illustratec a view taken along lino 7-7 of Figurs 2;
Figure 8 illustrat~s ~ vi~w taken along line ~-8 of Figure 2;
Figure 9 illustrates a view taken along line 9-9 o~ Figure 2;
Figure 10 illu~trates a 8ide view of the apparatus shown in Figure 9; and ~ v Figure 11 illustrate~ a view taken along line 11-11 oP Figure 10.
Referring to Figur~ 1 Q~ the drawings, thers i~ shown an overall vi0w of a tree-processing unit in acrordanc~ with th~ invention mount~d on 8 conventional hydraulically-oparated excsvator equipment having a main base lû mountsd tor mouement, abeut a verticll axis, on a pair of tracks 12, and a boom ~upport 14 pivotally mounted on the main base about a horizontal axisO The boom ~wpport i8 op~rat~d by two hydraulic cylinders 16 fro~ th~ regular hydraulic pow~r ~upply of the ~xcavator 0quipment .
Ro~erring to Figu~ee 2 to 5, the tree-procesaing unit compri~e3 `~ :

ol~

a tubul~r member 1~ ~hioh ie eoaured by mean6 o~ bolt~ 2~ to a plate 22, which la itsel~ secur~d to th~ upper end o~ the boam eupport 14 by any suit~ble means tnot shown~.
In accordance with ons ~eetura o~ the present invention> ths tu-bular m~mber 18 is oonnect~d to the edlge of plat~ 22 by means of a hinga 24 which, after removal of thH bNlt~ 20, permits pivotal of the boDm support to Q aubstontlslly ho.rizontal po~ltion, thua parmitting the height of th0 proces~ing unit to b~s re~uced to a minimum and allowing road traneportation on 8 trai:Ler of the procssaing unit readily a~sembled to the excavator equipmant.
Ref~rring again to Figures 2 and 3 and Figuras 5 and 6, an elon~flted boom 26 extends through both ends o~ tubular m0mber 1~ and is guided ::
by means of four sets o~ roller bogoys 2a. Each roller bogey co~prlsHs an elongated bar membsr 3a which ie mDunted on a central transvarse axle 32 ~ournalled on thu lateral walls of the tubular member. A tran~er~e sha~t 34 i9 mounted adjacent each end of the bar m~mb0r 30 and a pair Df rollers 36ar~ rotatab~y mountad on each shaft, one on each ~ide of bar mambar 30. There is a eeparate eet o~ rollcr bogeys engaging the top and bottom ~allg o~ the boom 26 at eaah end of tubul~r member 18.
The wheels o~ eaah pagey ar~ positioned on their re~paotive ~haft, 80 e~ to engage the corners of the boom and, ln ~cordanc~ with another ~eature o~ ths present invention, have ~langes 3a engaging the walls o~
the boom, ao aa to parti~lly encircle tha boom and positively guida the boDm bDth horizontally and vertically during its mov0ment through the tubular m~mber, The central axle 32 oP ~ch upper ~t of roller bogeys may b~ ad3u~ted by m~an~ of bolta 399 80 ~8 to tightly engage the boom 26.
The boom is ~ovod within the tubular M~ber 18 by mean~ 01 e hydraulio motor 40, ha~ing its output ah~t connectad to a ehaf~ -42 journalled within the tubular mæmb~r 1~ and ca~rying ~ pair of eprocket wheaia 44. A double sprocket chain 46 i8 po~itionad on th~
top of the boo~ 26 and attached at both end~ of the boom. The ~procket : , . . . . .

,.

chain i~ coupl~d to 8procket wheela 4~ through tWD idl~ sprockat wheels 4~, each mount~d on a shaft 50 journalled on tha insid~ wa71~ o~ the tubular member. Rotation o~ drive wheel 44, in one diraction or the other, thus mou~ the boom 26 in ona direction or thfl other within ths tubular memb~r 18.
Ref0rring again to figur0a 2 and 3 and to ~igur0s 7 a~d n, a palr ot gripping jaws 52 and 54 ar0 mounted on a tubular Hxtan~ion 56 loc~ta~
at the ~ront end of the boo~ 26 and an identisal pair of jaw8 5B and 60 ara mounted on snothe~ extension 62 locstad at th~ ~ront end of the tubular member 1~. Th~ ~aw~ 52 and 54 aro longitudlnally o~set and jaw 52 18 pivotslly mounted on e ~ha~t 64 located batween parallal tran~uerse platas 66 ~nd 6~ extending from the side wall8 ot extsnsinn 56, whereas jaw 54 18 pivotally mounted on a ahaft 69 betwaen parallel transverse pla~es 68 ~nd 70. Ths ~aws 52 and 54 are opar~ted by hydraulic cylindars 72 and 74 re~pactiv~ly interconnecting eaoh jaw to the opposite ~nds of two parallel tran~vsr~e member~ 76 and 7~ secured acroes oxtsn~ian 560 The position of the j~w3 52 and 54 ahown in Flgure 2 o~
the drawing3 1Y ror an operator control station locat0d on the le~t- ::
hand side of the boom, in ordc~ to perm~t th0 uperator to see both jaw~. If the proces~ing unlt i~ inst311ed on an axcav3tor equipment having an oparator control otation locat~d on th~ right-hand aide of the boom, tha relativs position o~ the jaws 52 and 54 msy ba interchsnged in aooordanoa with anoth~r feature of th0 prasent invention. For that purpos~, an additional shatt 64~ 18 prouid~d betw~en plat~a 6~ and 70 in line with ~haPt 64 and trqn~veroe ~emb0r 78 lo provided with sYitable mean~ fo:r sttaohlng ~ylinder 72, so as to permlt in~tall~ti~n of the jaw 52 eithsr betwo~n plate~ 66 and 6~ or b~tween plates 6~ and 70. An additiona:l sh~tt (not ~hown3 lo al80 mounted ln line with shaft 69 between platee 66 and 68 tor installation o~ ~aw 54 between plat~3 ~`
66 and 68. Simile~rly, tr~n~vers0 member 76 ie provided with ~uitable mean9 ~or attachlrlg cylindar 74 betweon platoc 6~ and G~.
The jaw~ 58 flnd 60 mountsd on thu exten~ion 62 o~ the tubular .

.~, ... , ;. :

member 18 ar~ also longitudinally offset and ~aw 58 i.~ pivotally mounted on a shaft 80 journalled betw0en parall~l transuerse plats~ 82 and ~4 sxtandlng ~rom the .~ide wall~ o~ the extension 62, whereas th~ jaw 60 i8 journallsd on a shaft betw~0n plates ~4 and 06. Th0 ja~ 5a and 60 are Dp~rated by hydraulic cylind~ 9O and 92, re~pectively interconnecting each jaw to the opposite ends of two separate pbrall~l transver~ members 94 and 96 secured acros~ the extenslon 62. Th0 relative positiun of th~ jaws 5~ and'~O may also ba interchangod in th0 ~ame manner a~ jaws 52 and 54 of extsneion 56. For that purpoe0~ an additional eha~t 90a is provided between plate~ 94 and ~6 and an '~ additional sha~t ~5a (Figur~ 8) between plat~a ~ and a4. Furtharmore, transverse memb0rs 94 and 96 ar~ provided with m~ans for attaching th~
hydraulic cylinder 90 and ~2 at thHir top po~ition~
Re~srring to Figur0 7, the rront plat~ 7G ot th0 axtenaion 56 is ~urther provided with m0ans ~or topping tha end of a troe. Thi~
msans comprises a cutter 98, which iB pivot~lly mounted on an axl~
lOO secured to plats 70 and which is operated by a hydraulic cyllnd~r 102 0ecured tn another axle 104 extsnding from th~ top portion of pl~t~ 70~
A cuttiny edg~ 106 ie provided at the low~r ~nd ot plat~ 70 for cooperation with tha cutting edge~ o~ the gripping ~a~s when thsy are clo~ed about a tre~ to sncirole tha tr~a and delimb it when th0 tren i~ moved relative to ths above ~d~ea.
Th0 hydraullc cylind0rs 72, 74 and 102 locatod on extension 56 are connected tD ths hydraulic pow~r oupply on the 3xcavator equipment by means of hydraulic lines llO which muet~ba long anough to accommodat0 tull axtension o~ the boom 26. To prcvent tan~ling o~ tho hydraulic lino~ with the equipment and other obstacles on the worklng sita, applicant he~ provided, in accordance with another aapect o~ th0 pre~ent inv~ntion, meanY ~or ~aintaining such hydrsulic lines in a tight condition at all tim~. Thi~ me~na con8i8ta o~ a pa1r o~ rail3 112 secured to the top Or th0 tubulsr ~ember and extending back tor a ..

predetermined di~tance. The rear en~ oP thfl rQils 112 is ~upport,~d by bracing 114~ A oarriaga 116, a8 shown ln Figwre~ 10, 11 end 12, ie mount~d on the r~ils 112 and provlcled with wh~els 11~ ~ngaging the rails. A drum 120 i~ rotatably mounted on oarriage l16 and th~
hydraulio linHs 110 aro partially wourld around e-loh drum. The hydraulio linHs are attached at on~ end to plate 6~ forming part of e~tenslon 56 ot the boom, and their other 0nd lel attached to tubul.ar m~mb~r 1~.
The hydraulic line~ are al~o g~ided above the raile 110 by ~uido rollers 122. Tha looas in the hydraulic line~ 110, due to movsm~nt ot th~ boom, i8 takan by mov~ment o~ the carri~ge in the ~ams direction by mean~ o~
a eprocket chain 124, which i3 attached at on~ ~nd to tha ruar end Or the boom by m~sns of a bucklo 12~, and at it~ other and to the raar end of the rails 110 by maana oF a buckla 126. Th~ ~prockat chain i~
pas3ed through a ~procket whael 130 which i9 rotatably mounted un the rear end of carrisge 11~.
In operation, with the trae-processing unit inetalled on the ~nd o~ the boom su~port 14, thn boom 26 i~ extended by op~ration o~ hydraulic motor 40. The boom i~ ~ovad over a ~ell~d tres by maneuvering the re-gular excavator 0quipmsnt ~nd the jaw~ 52 and 54 on th0 ~ront exten~ion of the boom aro closed by operAtion of the oylind0rs 72 and 74 to grip the trae. In ord0r tc permit th~ operator to clsarly 93e thH tree a3 it i~ baing gripped by jaws 52 and 54~ the jaw~ on the oparator'~ aide of the boom muet be located ~urthar away than th~ sthar Jaw. Thus, the relative poaition o~ ~aws 52 ~nd 54 i~ dep~ndent on whather ~hs operator control ~tation ia located on tha left or on the right o~ -the boom~ It i~ tharePore ~n ~3s~ntial ~eature o~ tha prM~ent inv~ntion to provide m3ans ~or intarchanging the position of th~ ~aws. - :
Once a ~elll3d tree i8 gripped by the ~ront jaws 52 and 54~ the boom 26 i8 moved backwar~ by op~rating ~otor 40~ As the boom moves back7 any slack :Ln the hydraulic lin0a i8 teken up, in accurdance with another fsature Or the pre~ent inv~ntion, by movsmcnt of carriage 116 in the ~am0 dir~otion under the aotion o~ sprocket chain 124. Thi~

pr~v0nts the hydraulic lineR from ge~ting tangled into the 0quipment and into other ebstacles on the working site. In accordance with still another Feature nf the p~ssent in~ention, the boom 26 is well guided both vertically and ~ongitudinally durin~ its movement by meano of roller bogeys 2~, the ~unction o~ which hae been clearly disclo3ed previously.
Ths boom i~ moved back until the butt o~ the tree reache~ the ~ew~
58 and 60 located on extenaion 56 o~ the tubular member. Tha motor 40 ~8 then ~toppsd And tha ~ewa S~ and 60 cloaed un th0 tree aft~r adequate maneuvsring oY the regular ~xcava-tor flqUipment to grip the hutt of th~ tree. The front Jaw~ 52 and 54 are then sllghtly reloasHd and mDtor 40 re-energized to move the boom Porward. During such ~orward movement, the tree i9 delimbed by the cutting edgea o~ the jaws 52 and 54 and the cutting edge 106 o~ ths f~ont plat~ 70 of ths extsnsion 56.
Onc~ the boam 26 ha~ reach0d lt8 most torward position~ th~ motor 40 is stopped, jaws 58 and 60 ar0 r01eased slightly anrl ~aw~ 52 and 54 are tightened. ~otor 40 is thHn operata~ to move boom 26 back until it reaches it~ most b~ckward po~ition. Jaw~ 5B and 60 are tightened and jaws 52 and ~4 relaased to r~ume dali~bing. This i9 all pos~lble becau~e the boom 26 i~ mountad on a wids plate 22 ~acured to the upper end of boom ~upport 14, 80 that the trunk of the tree can move ~reely alo~g th~ side oP tha boo~ support. This festurs permit~ the use of a boom which is much shorter than tha one di~cloaad in C~nadian Patent 1,~55,366 mention~d praviowsly, and which do~s not requir0 any tensioning wire~. When the boom 26 reache~ the top of the tr0e, motor 40 i8 ~toppad and cutter 9~ i~ operated by enargi~ation D~ eylinder ln2 for the regular powe~ ~upply of the excevator aquip~nt to cut the top o~ the tree, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.
Althol-gh the invention ha been di~clossd with re~e~ence to a pre~arred embodiment, it i~ to ba under~tood that other alternativ0 ;~
meane o~ putting into practico are al30 envi~aged and that th0 invantion io to be limited to tha 3cope of the alaim~ only.

Claims (10)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A tree-processing unit adapted for installation on a conventional motorized equipment having a main base and a boom support standing upwardly from said main bass and pivotally mounted thereon about a horizon-tal axis, comprising:
a) a tubular member detachably secured to said boom support;
b) an elongated boom extending through both ends of said tubular member;
c) guide means located within the tubular member for supporting and guiding the boom through the tubular member;
d) hydraulically-operated means mounted on said tubular member and on the front end of the boom for gripping and delimbing a felled tree;
e) hydraulic lines interconnecting said hydraulically-operated means located on the front end of the boom to the tubular member; and g) means mounted on said tubular member for maintaining said hydraulic lines in a tight condition to prevent tangling of the lines with the equipment and other obstacles on the working site.

2. A tree-processing unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining the hydraulic lines in a tight condition comprises two parallel rails mounted on the top of the tubular member, a carriage mounted for longitudinal movement on said rails, a drum rotatably mounted on said carriage and along which said hydraulic lines are passed, means for securing one end of said hydraulic lines to the front end of the boom and the other end of the lines to said tubular member after passing it around said boom, a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on said carriage and a sprocket chain attached at one end to the rear of the boom and at its other end to the tubular member after passing it through the sprocket wheel for moving said carriage in the same direction as the boom, so as to take up any slack in the hydraulic lines due to movement of the boom.

3. A tree-processing unit as defined in claim 2, further comprising guide means located on said tubular member for guiding said hydraulic lines onto said drum.

4. A tree-processing unit adapted for installation on a conventional motorized equipment having a main base and a boom support extending upwardly from said main base and pivotally mounted thereon about a horizontal axis, comprising:
a) a tubular member detachably secured to said boom support;
b) an elongated boom extending through both ends of said tubular member;
c) guide means located within the tubular member and including a plurality of roller bogeys having rollers partially encircling a portion of the outer surface of said boom for guiding the boom through the tubular member; and d) hydraulically-operated means mounted on the tubular member and on the front end of said boom for gripping and delimbing a felled tree.

5. A tree-processing unit as defined in claim 4, wherein said boom is of rectangular cross-section and wherein at least one roller engages the top and bottom walls of the boom at each corner of the boom, and wherein each roller is provided with a flange engaging the side of the top or bottom wall of the boom at each corner of the boom.

6. A tree-processing unit as defined in claim 4 or 5, wherein each roller bogey comprises an elongated bar, a central transverse axis journalled on the walls of the tubular member, a transverse shaft adjacent each end of the bar and a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on each shaft, one on each side of the bar.

7. A tree-processing unit adapted for installation on a conventional motorized equipment having a main base and a boom support extending upwardly from said main base and pivotally mounted thereon about a horizontal axis, comprising:

a) a tubular member detachably secured to said boom support;
b) an elongated boom extending through both ends of said tubular member;
c) means for hingedly mounting said tubular member at the top of said boom support, so as to permit pivotal of said boom support about its horizontal axis to a position substantially parallel to said boom and so reduce the height of the boom above ground to a minimum to permit transportation of the motorized equipment on a trailer under bridges and other overhead obstacles;
d) guide means located within the tubular member for supporting and guiding the boom through the tubular member; and e) hydraulically-operated means mounted on said tubular member and on the front end of the boom for gripping and delimbing a felled tree.

8. A tree-processing unit as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for hingedly mounting the tubular member on the top of the boom support, comprises a plate which extends outwardly from said boom support by a predetermined distance, so as to permit movement of the trunk of a tree along the side of the boom support during operation of said hydraulically-operated moans.

9. A tree-processing unit adapted for installation on a conventional motorized equipment having a main base, a boom support extending upwardly from said main base and pivotally mounted thereto about its horizontal axis, and an operator control station located on the right or left-hand side of said boom support, comprising:
a) a tubular member detachably secured to said boom support;
b) an elongated boom extending through both ends of said tubular member;
c) guide means located within the tubular member for supporting and guiding the boom through the tubular member;
d) hydraulically-operated pairs of jaws pivotally mounted on the tubular member and on the front end of the boom for gripping and delimbing a felled tree; and e) means for mounting the jaws of each pair in a longitudinally offset position and for interchanging the relative position of the jaws, so that both jaws of each pair can be easily seen by an operator seated at the operator control station.

10. A tree-processing unit as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for interchanging the position of the jaws includes a pair of pivotal connections located an each side of the tubular member and the front end of the boom, and means for installing the jaws of each pair on one or the other pivotal connection, depending on which side of the boom support the operator control station is located.