CA1281264C - Auger-type tree cutting tool - Google Patents
Auger-type tree cutting toolInfo
- Publication number
- CA1281264C CA1281264C CA000588930A CA588930A CA1281264C CA 1281264 C CA1281264 C CA 1281264C CA 000588930 A CA000588930 A CA 000588930A CA 588930 A CA588930 A CA 588930A CA 1281264 C CA1281264 C CA 1281264C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tree
- carrying frame
- cutting
- cutting head
- wood
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G23/00—Forestry
- A01G23/02—Transplanting, uprooting, felling or delimbing trees
- A01G23/08—Felling trees
- A01G23/081—Feller-bunchers, i.e. with bunching by felling head
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G23/00—Forestry
- A01G23/02—Transplanting, uprooting, felling or delimbing trees
- A01G23/08—Felling trees
- A01G23/091—Sawing apparatus specially adapted for felling trees
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Ecology (AREA)
- Forests & Forestry (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Shovels (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present invention relates to a cutting head for use on a tree-felling vehicle. The cutting head comprises a tree-carrying frame with a cutting tool in the form of a rotor with helically extending cutting teeth. An arm for placement against a standing tree to be cut is pivotally mounted to the tree-carrying frame.
A fluid ram is connected between the arm and the tree-carrying frame to bring it in engagement with the tree to be cut so that the rotor progressively cuts the tree and the latter enters the tree-carrying frame.
The present invention relates to a cutting head for use on a tree-felling vehicle. The cutting head comprises a tree-carrying frame with a cutting tool in the form of a rotor with helically extending cutting teeth. An arm for placement against a standing tree to be cut is pivotally mounted to the tree-carrying frame.
A fluid ram is connected between the arm and the tree-carrying frame to bring it in engagement with the tree to be cut so that the rotor progressively cuts the tree and the latter enters the tree-carrying frame.
Description
The present invention relates to the general field of tree-harvesting and mnre specifically to an improved rotary cutting tool for use on the cutting head 5 assembly of a tree-felling vehicle~
In the past recent years, various types o f machines for felling trees have been developed. A typical example is the tree-felling tractor used in large scale tree-harvesting operations, which is a self-propelled all 10 terrain vehicle specifically designed to operate in forest areas undcr harsh conditions~ The vehicle is provided with an articulated boom carrying at its end a cutting mechanism, designated in the art as "cutting head". The articulated boom is hydraulically operated and it can be 15 extended and retracted, raised, lowered or swung through 360 degrees allowing to bring the cutting head against a standing tree to be cut~ The cutting head is provided with a cutting tool for cutting the trce, as well as with a grappling mechanism to grasp the tree once the cutting 2 0 phase is completed. The felled tree can then be manipulated to be deposited on the ground or on 3 trailer for ultimate transportation to a mill.
As it is known to those skilled in the art, efficient operation of the cutting head is essential to 25 obtain good harvesting rates. For that r e a s o n considerable efforts have been devoted by the past to the design of a highly efficient cutting head that is reliable, l;~a~
versatile and inexpensive to build and to operateO ~mong the various designs that have been proposed, the cutting head disclosed in tbe United States Patent number 4,446,897 granted on May 8, 19~4 to Koehring Canada Limited, has found wide acceptance in the industry. The approach in this patent is to provide a cutting head with a circular saw mounted to a supporting structure that also carries a pair of hydraulically operatcd arms. In use, the cutting head is placed against a standing tree by swinging sideways the boom of the tree-felling vehicle, and when the cut of the tree is nearly completed, the arms are closed to grasp the tree, which is then carried away.
This prior design has not been completely satisfactory in providing optimum tree-cutting performance at minimum cost. Its main disadvantage is that it is rather heavy and it can be used only with large tree-felling vehicles. Furthermore, it is complex to operate requiring skill and experience from the operator of the machine to close the power arms ollly ~VhCIl the 2 0 CUttillg phase is almost completed. If the arms are closed too early, the tree may splinter because of the higll bending efforts exerted by the arms. On the other hand, closing the arms too late results in an inability to retain the tree in the cutting head.
2 5 In another known design, the clltting head is equipped with a hydraulically or pneumatically operated shearing device having a pair of knives that shear-off the 1~8~;~64 tree instead of cutting it with a rotary tool. These cutting heads are inexpensive and operate relatively faster, however, they are known to cause wood splintering especially if the knives do not meet exactly in the same 5 plane, which may be the result of wear or of improper adjustment. The wood splinter damages are to be avoided because the splinted wood portion of the tree must be cut-off and treated as waste.
Generally speaking, the prior designs have not 10 been able to meet all the requirements to ensure an easy and trouble-free operation during adverse tree-harvesting conditions in forest areas.
An object of this invention is an improved rotary cutting tool for use with a cutting head of a tree-15 felling apparatus, allowing to rapidly complete the treecutting operation and which has less tendency to become clogged with wooden chips, comparatively to prior designs.
The rotary cutter, in accordance with the 2 0 invention, is of the auger type comprising an clongatcd generally cylindrical body with spirally extending teeth having each a sharp cutting edge, the teeth being separated from one another by relatively smooth transition faces. Each tooth is provided with a bite limiter 2 5 to control the depth of penetration in the wood. Such bite limiter allows to achieve a controlled cutting action, ~'~8~264 thereby reducing the possibility of rotor jamming or clo~ging with wooden chips.
In a preferred embodiment, the bite limiter is in the form of a projection fornmed on the transition face, 5 extending along the cutting edge of the associated tooth.
The projection is positioned radially inwardly with respect to the cutting edge7 the distance between the radial position of the projection and the cutting edge defining the depth of penetration of the tooth.
Preferably, the cutting rotor, according to the invention, is used with a cutting head assembly to be mounted on the cnd of the articulated boom of a tree-felling vehicle, comprising a tree-carrying frame, preferably dimensioned to receive and carry a plurality of 15 felled trees. Advantageously, the cutting rotor is mounted in the lower portion of the tree-carrying frame to cut a tree low to the ground ior obtaining good wood product recovery.
A grappling arm assembly is Ill()lllltCd to lhc 2 0 tree-carrying frame, for placcment against olle side of a tree to bring the tree-carrying frame and the cutting tool toward the tree. The tree progressively enters the trce-carrying frame as the cutting of the tree proceeds. When ttle cutting phase is completed, thc tree is entirely 2 5 supported by the tree-carrying frame.
Preferably, a spring biased clamping arm is mounted to the tree-carrying frame to securely hold one 8~6~
s or several trees therein when the tree-felling vehicle progresses in the forest area. The clamping arm is designed to move out of engagement with the trees in the tree-carrying frame to allow a freshly cut tree to enter 5 the tree-carrying frame, and then to move back in position to securely clamp the trees.
Therefore, the invention comprises, in a general aspect, a wood cutting tool for use on a cutting headl of a tree-felling vehicle, the cutting tool 1 0 comprising:
- an elongated generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis coinciding with an axis of rotation of the body; and - a plurality of teeth on the body, the teeth 15 extending spirally about the longitudinal axis, two adjacent teeth being separated by a transition face, each tooth including a sharp cutting edge and a bite limiting means to limit the penetration of the tooth in the wood.
A preferred embodiment of the present 2 0 invention will now be described in relation to the anllexed drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutting head assembly for use with the rotary cutting tool accnrding to the present invention;
2 5 Figure 2 is an elevational view of a rotary cutting tool according to the invention;
lX81~4 Figure 3 is cross-sectional view along lines 3-3 of the cutting tool shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the CUttillg head assembly according to the present invention; and 5Figures S to 11 illustrate the operation of the cutting head assembly according to the invention.
Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a cutting head assembly 10 designated by the reference numeral 10.
The cutting head assembly is shown attached to the boom 1012 of a tree-felling vehicle which is not illustrated in the drawings and will not be described in detail because such vehicles are well known in the art and do not form part of the present invention.
The cutting head assembly comprises a 15 generally U-shaped tree-carrying frame 14 constructed from metallic members which are assembled by welding or by any other appropriate manner. More particularly, the tree-carrying frame comprises a supporting platform 16 made of heavy gage sheet-metal mollnte(l to ~I metallic 2 0 brace 18 lo provide rigidity. Fron~ the platlorlll lfi pr()Jcct upwardly a pair of elongated hollow members 2n llaving a rectangular cross-section, the elongated hollow member 20 at the right in Figure 1 being the largest and being secured to the extremity of the boom 12 by means of a 2 5 suitable connection (not shown in the drawings) of a type known in the art. This type of connection allows the cutting head to be rapidly removed from the boom 12 for ~8~
ser~ice or for installation to another tree-felling vehicle.
To both members 20 are attached a pair of vertically spaced curved supports 22.
A cutting tool in the form of an auger-type rotor 5 24 with helically extending cutting teeth is mounted to the lower portion of the tree-carrying frame 14, in front of the platform 16. The rotor 24 is journaled to the the brace 18 and it is driven by a hydraulic motor 26 of known construction mounted in a suitable housing 28. Power to 10 the motor 26 is provided by pressurized fluid supplied by flexible lines 30 from the hydraulic circuit of the tree-felling vehic1e. The structure of the rotor 24 will be described in detail later in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3.
The tree-carrying frame 14 may be manufactured in different sizes according to the average trunk diameter of the trees to be cut or according to the number of trees to be received in the tree-carrying frame 14.
2 0 The tree-carrying frame 14 carries a grappling arm assembly 32 including a pair of arms 34 secured to a shaft 38 journaled at its lower end to the housing 2X of the motor 26, and at its upper end to a bracket 40 welded to the hollow member 20 mounted to the boom 12.
2 5 Referring in conjunction to Figures 1 and 4, a clamping arm assembly 42 is mounted on the shaft 38 and comprises a bracket 44 rotatably mounted to the shaft 38 ~2~ 64 between the bracket 40 and the upperrnost tree engaging arm 34, and a curved clamping arm 46 mounted for rotation on the bracket 44 about a pin 48. A coil spring 50 having one end attached to the clamping arm 46 and an 5 opposite end secured to the bracket 44 maintains the clamping arm 46 in the position shown in Figure 1, against a stop S2 formed on the bracket 44. In other words, the clamping arm 46 cannot be rotated about the pin 48 outwardly with respect to the tree-carrying frame 10 14 when the clamping arm 46 is in the position shown in Figure 4, because it abuts against the stop 52. However, the clamping arm 46 may be pushed inw;lrdly by extending the spring 50.
The tree grappling arm assembly 32 may be 15 moved toward and away the tree-carrying frame 14 by extending or retracting, respectively, a fluid ram 54 (illustrated schematically with dashed lines in ~igure 4) having an end mounted to a bracket 56 wclded to the tree-carrying frarne 14, and an opposite en(l mo~ tc(l to the 2 0 grappling arm assembly 32. Similarly, tlle clamping arm assembly 42 rrlay be pivoted on the shaft 38 by a flui(l ram S8 (illustrated schematically with dashed lines in Figure 4) having one end mounted to the bracket 44 and an opposite end mounted to a bracket 60 attached to the tree-2 5 carrying frame 14 and vertically spaced from the bracket56.
In the past recent years, various types o f machines for felling trees have been developed. A typical example is the tree-felling tractor used in large scale tree-harvesting operations, which is a self-propelled all 10 terrain vehicle specifically designed to operate in forest areas undcr harsh conditions~ The vehicle is provided with an articulated boom carrying at its end a cutting mechanism, designated in the art as "cutting head". The articulated boom is hydraulically operated and it can be 15 extended and retracted, raised, lowered or swung through 360 degrees allowing to bring the cutting head against a standing tree to be cut~ The cutting head is provided with a cutting tool for cutting the trce, as well as with a grappling mechanism to grasp the tree once the cutting 2 0 phase is completed. The felled tree can then be manipulated to be deposited on the ground or on 3 trailer for ultimate transportation to a mill.
As it is known to those skilled in the art, efficient operation of the cutting head is essential to 25 obtain good harvesting rates. For that r e a s o n considerable efforts have been devoted by the past to the design of a highly efficient cutting head that is reliable, l;~a~
versatile and inexpensive to build and to operateO ~mong the various designs that have been proposed, the cutting head disclosed in tbe United States Patent number 4,446,897 granted on May 8, 19~4 to Koehring Canada Limited, has found wide acceptance in the industry. The approach in this patent is to provide a cutting head with a circular saw mounted to a supporting structure that also carries a pair of hydraulically operatcd arms. In use, the cutting head is placed against a standing tree by swinging sideways the boom of the tree-felling vehicle, and when the cut of the tree is nearly completed, the arms are closed to grasp the tree, which is then carried away.
This prior design has not been completely satisfactory in providing optimum tree-cutting performance at minimum cost. Its main disadvantage is that it is rather heavy and it can be used only with large tree-felling vehicles. Furthermore, it is complex to operate requiring skill and experience from the operator of the machine to close the power arms ollly ~VhCIl the 2 0 CUttillg phase is almost completed. If the arms are closed too early, the tree may splinter because of the higll bending efforts exerted by the arms. On the other hand, closing the arms too late results in an inability to retain the tree in the cutting head.
2 5 In another known design, the clltting head is equipped with a hydraulically or pneumatically operated shearing device having a pair of knives that shear-off the 1~8~;~64 tree instead of cutting it with a rotary tool. These cutting heads are inexpensive and operate relatively faster, however, they are known to cause wood splintering especially if the knives do not meet exactly in the same 5 plane, which may be the result of wear or of improper adjustment. The wood splinter damages are to be avoided because the splinted wood portion of the tree must be cut-off and treated as waste.
Generally speaking, the prior designs have not 10 been able to meet all the requirements to ensure an easy and trouble-free operation during adverse tree-harvesting conditions in forest areas.
An object of this invention is an improved rotary cutting tool for use with a cutting head of a tree-15 felling apparatus, allowing to rapidly complete the treecutting operation and which has less tendency to become clogged with wooden chips, comparatively to prior designs.
The rotary cutter, in accordance with the 2 0 invention, is of the auger type comprising an clongatcd generally cylindrical body with spirally extending teeth having each a sharp cutting edge, the teeth being separated from one another by relatively smooth transition faces. Each tooth is provided with a bite limiter 2 5 to control the depth of penetration in the wood. Such bite limiter allows to achieve a controlled cutting action, ~'~8~264 thereby reducing the possibility of rotor jamming or clo~ging with wooden chips.
In a preferred embodiment, the bite limiter is in the form of a projection fornmed on the transition face, 5 extending along the cutting edge of the associated tooth.
The projection is positioned radially inwardly with respect to the cutting edge7 the distance between the radial position of the projection and the cutting edge defining the depth of penetration of the tooth.
Preferably, the cutting rotor, according to the invention, is used with a cutting head assembly to be mounted on the cnd of the articulated boom of a tree-felling vehicle, comprising a tree-carrying frame, preferably dimensioned to receive and carry a plurality of 15 felled trees. Advantageously, the cutting rotor is mounted in the lower portion of the tree-carrying frame to cut a tree low to the ground ior obtaining good wood product recovery.
A grappling arm assembly is Ill()lllltCd to lhc 2 0 tree-carrying frame, for placcment against olle side of a tree to bring the tree-carrying frame and the cutting tool toward the tree. The tree progressively enters the trce-carrying frame as the cutting of the tree proceeds. When ttle cutting phase is completed, thc tree is entirely 2 5 supported by the tree-carrying frame.
Preferably, a spring biased clamping arm is mounted to the tree-carrying frame to securely hold one 8~6~
s or several trees therein when the tree-felling vehicle progresses in the forest area. The clamping arm is designed to move out of engagement with the trees in the tree-carrying frame to allow a freshly cut tree to enter 5 the tree-carrying frame, and then to move back in position to securely clamp the trees.
Therefore, the invention comprises, in a general aspect, a wood cutting tool for use on a cutting headl of a tree-felling vehicle, the cutting tool 1 0 comprising:
- an elongated generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis coinciding with an axis of rotation of the body; and - a plurality of teeth on the body, the teeth 15 extending spirally about the longitudinal axis, two adjacent teeth being separated by a transition face, each tooth including a sharp cutting edge and a bite limiting means to limit the penetration of the tooth in the wood.
A preferred embodiment of the present 2 0 invention will now be described in relation to the anllexed drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutting head assembly for use with the rotary cutting tool accnrding to the present invention;
2 5 Figure 2 is an elevational view of a rotary cutting tool according to the invention;
lX81~4 Figure 3 is cross-sectional view along lines 3-3 of the cutting tool shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the CUttillg head assembly according to the present invention; and 5Figures S to 11 illustrate the operation of the cutting head assembly according to the invention.
Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a cutting head assembly 10 designated by the reference numeral 10.
The cutting head assembly is shown attached to the boom 1012 of a tree-felling vehicle which is not illustrated in the drawings and will not be described in detail because such vehicles are well known in the art and do not form part of the present invention.
The cutting head assembly comprises a 15 generally U-shaped tree-carrying frame 14 constructed from metallic members which are assembled by welding or by any other appropriate manner. More particularly, the tree-carrying frame comprises a supporting platform 16 made of heavy gage sheet-metal mollnte(l to ~I metallic 2 0 brace 18 lo provide rigidity. Fron~ the platlorlll lfi pr()Jcct upwardly a pair of elongated hollow members 2n llaving a rectangular cross-section, the elongated hollow member 20 at the right in Figure 1 being the largest and being secured to the extremity of the boom 12 by means of a 2 5 suitable connection (not shown in the drawings) of a type known in the art. This type of connection allows the cutting head to be rapidly removed from the boom 12 for ~8~
ser~ice or for installation to another tree-felling vehicle.
To both members 20 are attached a pair of vertically spaced curved supports 22.
A cutting tool in the form of an auger-type rotor 5 24 with helically extending cutting teeth is mounted to the lower portion of the tree-carrying frame 14, in front of the platform 16. The rotor 24 is journaled to the the brace 18 and it is driven by a hydraulic motor 26 of known construction mounted in a suitable housing 28. Power to 10 the motor 26 is provided by pressurized fluid supplied by flexible lines 30 from the hydraulic circuit of the tree-felling vehic1e. The structure of the rotor 24 will be described in detail later in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3.
The tree-carrying frame 14 may be manufactured in different sizes according to the average trunk diameter of the trees to be cut or according to the number of trees to be received in the tree-carrying frame 14.
2 0 The tree-carrying frame 14 carries a grappling arm assembly 32 including a pair of arms 34 secured to a shaft 38 journaled at its lower end to the housing 2X of the motor 26, and at its upper end to a bracket 40 welded to the hollow member 20 mounted to the boom 12.
2 5 Referring in conjunction to Figures 1 and 4, a clamping arm assembly 42 is mounted on the shaft 38 and comprises a bracket 44 rotatably mounted to the shaft 38 ~2~ 64 between the bracket 40 and the upperrnost tree engaging arm 34, and a curved clamping arm 46 mounted for rotation on the bracket 44 about a pin 48. A coil spring 50 having one end attached to the clamping arm 46 and an 5 opposite end secured to the bracket 44 maintains the clamping arm 46 in the position shown in Figure 1, against a stop S2 formed on the bracket 44. In other words, the clamping arm 46 cannot be rotated about the pin 48 outwardly with respect to the tree-carrying frame 10 14 when the clamping arm 46 is in the position shown in Figure 4, because it abuts against the stop 52. However, the clamping arm 46 may be pushed inw;lrdly by extending the spring 50.
The tree grappling arm assembly 32 may be 15 moved toward and away the tree-carrying frame 14 by extending or retracting, respectively, a fluid ram 54 (illustrated schematically with dashed lines in ~igure 4) having an end mounted to a bracket 56 wclded to the tree-carrying frarne 14, and an opposite en(l mo~ tc(l to the 2 0 grappling arm assembly 32. Similarly, tlle clamping arm assembly 42 rrlay be pivoted on the shaft 38 by a flui(l ram S8 (illustrated schematically with dashed lines in Figure 4) having one end mounted to the bracket 44 and an opposite end mounted to a bracket 60 attached to the tree-2 5 carrying frame 14 and vertically spaced from the bracket56.
3.X8~i4 The f1uid rams 54 and S6 are operated by pressurized hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic circuit of the tree-felling vehicle, as it is known in the art.
S Reference is now made to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating in detail the structure of the rotor 24. The rotor 24 is made of metallic material, preferably wear resistant steel and has a generally cylindrical shape. The cutting rotor 24 is provided with a plurality of helically extending teeth 62 each inclined in the direction of rotation of the rotor 24 and terminating with a cutting edge 100 overhanging a deep flute 102. The teeth 62 are separated from each other by relatively smooth transition faces 104, each transition face 104 extending from the 15 cutting edge of a leading tooth toward the flute of a trailing tooth. On each transition face 104 are grinded two relatively flat, narrow and oblique surfaces 106 and 108 ~neeting at an obtuse angle to define a projecting ridge 110 parallel to the associated cutting edge 100 and 2 0 running alon~ the entire length thereof. Tlle ridge 110 extends radially inwardly with respect to the associated cutting edge 62 to define a bite limiter to control the penetration of the toolh in the wood. The operation of the bite limiters is schematically illustrated in Figure 3. The 2 S dashed line 112 illustrates the bottom of the Icerf pro(luced by the rotor 24 in a tree. Upon rotation of the rotor 24 the teeth 62 will penetrate the wood until the ridges 110 abat lX~ 4 on the bottom of the kerf, the rotating movement causing chips 114 to be peeled away from the wood. Since the penetration of the t--eth 62 in the wood is limited, there is little possibility of rotor jamming because the rate of wood removal by each tooth is strictly controlled.
The depth of penetration of each tooth 62 in the wood corresponds to the distance between the radial positions of the cutting edge of the tOOtll 62 and the associated ridge 110 respectively. Stated otherwise, the depth of penetration is the distance, considered in cross-section of the rotor 24, separating two concentric imaginary circles, namely an inner circle containing all the ridges 11n of the rotor 24 and an outer circle containing all the cutting edges 100. By varying the location of the ridge 110 with respect to the position of the associated tooth 62, the depth of penetration thereof may be changed.
It should be appreciated that the bite limiters may be provided by forming various types of pro jection on the transition faces 104, the ridges 11() l~cing only thc most convenient since they are formed by simply grinding two oblique flats.
The pitch of the teeth 62 is in the range from 10 to 15 degrees approximately. The pitch is defined as the 2 5 angle between a tangent to the cutting edge 100 and the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.
~'~8~4 The end portions 64 of the rotor 24 are machined to fit in respective bearings (not shown) in the brace 18.
The operation of the cutting head 10 according 5 to the invention will now be described in detail with relatîon to Figures 5 to 11.
For beginning the tree-har~esting operation, the tree-felling vehicle is driven in position in the forest area near a standing tree 101 to be cut. The boom 12 of 10 the vehicle is extended to bring the cutting head tO close to the tree 101, the grappling arm slssembly 32 and the clamping arm assembly positioned against the tree 101 as shown in Figure 5. The hydraulic motor 26 is actuated and the fluid ram 54 is extended to bring the tree carrying frame 14 against the tree 101 for enga&ement with the spinning rotor 24 which progressively cuts the tree 101, as illustratedl in Figure 6. The tree 101 progressively enters the tree-carrying frame 14 while the cutting ph,lse proceeds unt;l the cut is completed alld thc tree 10l is 2 0 entirely supported on the platform 16.
The fluid ram 58 is extended to bring the clamping arm 46 toward the tree 101 for securing same in the tree-carrying frame 14.
Referring now to Figure 6, to cut anolher tree, 2 5 designated by the reference numeral 200, the grappling arm assembly 42 is opened and the cutting head 10 is moved in position so that the grappling arm assembly 32 ~8~i4 is brought against the tree 200. The fluid ram 54 is extended to bring the tree-carrying frame 14 toward the tree 200 which is cut by the rotor 24 and loaded in the tree-carrying frame 14, the tree 200 resting between the S clamping arm 46 and the grappling arm assembly 32, as exemplified in Figure 9. The fluid ram 58 is then retracted so that the arm 46 pivots about the pin 48 to clear the tree 200 and to spring back in opened position as shown in Figure I1.
The same steps are repeated to cut another tree until the tree-carrying frame 14 is filled to capacity.
Although the invention has been described above with respect to one specific form, it will be evident to persons skil1ed in the art that it may be refined and 15 modified in various ways. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention should not be limited in interpretation except by the terms of the following claims.
S Reference is now made to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating in detail the structure of the rotor 24. The rotor 24 is made of metallic material, preferably wear resistant steel and has a generally cylindrical shape. The cutting rotor 24 is provided with a plurality of helically extending teeth 62 each inclined in the direction of rotation of the rotor 24 and terminating with a cutting edge 100 overhanging a deep flute 102. The teeth 62 are separated from each other by relatively smooth transition faces 104, each transition face 104 extending from the 15 cutting edge of a leading tooth toward the flute of a trailing tooth. On each transition face 104 are grinded two relatively flat, narrow and oblique surfaces 106 and 108 ~neeting at an obtuse angle to define a projecting ridge 110 parallel to the associated cutting edge 100 and 2 0 running alon~ the entire length thereof. Tlle ridge 110 extends radially inwardly with respect to the associated cutting edge 62 to define a bite limiter to control the penetration of the toolh in the wood. The operation of the bite limiters is schematically illustrated in Figure 3. The 2 S dashed line 112 illustrates the bottom of the Icerf pro(luced by the rotor 24 in a tree. Upon rotation of the rotor 24 the teeth 62 will penetrate the wood until the ridges 110 abat lX~ 4 on the bottom of the kerf, the rotating movement causing chips 114 to be peeled away from the wood. Since the penetration of the t--eth 62 in the wood is limited, there is little possibility of rotor jamming because the rate of wood removal by each tooth is strictly controlled.
The depth of penetration of each tooth 62 in the wood corresponds to the distance between the radial positions of the cutting edge of the tOOtll 62 and the associated ridge 110 respectively. Stated otherwise, the depth of penetration is the distance, considered in cross-section of the rotor 24, separating two concentric imaginary circles, namely an inner circle containing all the ridges 11n of the rotor 24 and an outer circle containing all the cutting edges 100. By varying the location of the ridge 110 with respect to the position of the associated tooth 62, the depth of penetration thereof may be changed.
It should be appreciated that the bite limiters may be provided by forming various types of pro jection on the transition faces 104, the ridges 11() l~cing only thc most convenient since they are formed by simply grinding two oblique flats.
The pitch of the teeth 62 is in the range from 10 to 15 degrees approximately. The pitch is defined as the 2 5 angle between a tangent to the cutting edge 100 and the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.
~'~8~4 The end portions 64 of the rotor 24 are machined to fit in respective bearings (not shown) in the brace 18.
The operation of the cutting head 10 according 5 to the invention will now be described in detail with relatîon to Figures 5 to 11.
For beginning the tree-har~esting operation, the tree-felling vehicle is driven in position in the forest area near a standing tree 101 to be cut. The boom 12 of 10 the vehicle is extended to bring the cutting head tO close to the tree 101, the grappling arm slssembly 32 and the clamping arm assembly positioned against the tree 101 as shown in Figure 5. The hydraulic motor 26 is actuated and the fluid ram 54 is extended to bring the tree carrying frame 14 against the tree 101 for enga&ement with the spinning rotor 24 which progressively cuts the tree 101, as illustratedl in Figure 6. The tree 101 progressively enters the tree-carrying frame 14 while the cutting ph,lse proceeds unt;l the cut is completed alld thc tree 10l is 2 0 entirely supported on the platform 16.
The fluid ram 58 is extended to bring the clamping arm 46 toward the tree 101 for securing same in the tree-carrying frame 14.
Referring now to Figure 6, to cut anolher tree, 2 5 designated by the reference numeral 200, the grappling arm assembly 42 is opened and the cutting head 10 is moved in position so that the grappling arm assembly 32 ~8~i4 is brought against the tree 200. The fluid ram 54 is extended to bring the tree-carrying frame 14 toward the tree 200 which is cut by the rotor 24 and loaded in the tree-carrying frame 14, the tree 200 resting between the S clamping arm 46 and the grappling arm assembly 32, as exemplified in Figure 9. The fluid ram 58 is then retracted so that the arm 46 pivots about the pin 48 to clear the tree 200 and to spring back in opened position as shown in Figure I1.
The same steps are repeated to cut another tree until the tree-carrying frame 14 is filled to capacity.
Although the invention has been described above with respect to one specific form, it will be evident to persons skil1ed in the art that it may be refined and 15 modified in various ways. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention should not be limited in interpretation except by the terms of the following claims.
Claims (12)
1) A wood cutting tool for use on a cutting head of a tree-felling vehicle, said cutting tool comprising:
- an elongated generally cylindrical body h a v i n g a longitudinal axis coinciding with an axis of rotation of said body; and - a plurality of teeth on said body, said teeth extending spirally about said longitudinal axis, two adjacent teeth being separated by a transition face, each tooth including a sharp cutting edge and a bite limiting means to limit the penetration of the tooth in the wood.
- an elongated generally cylindrical body h a v i n g a longitudinal axis coinciding with an axis of rotation of said body; and - a plurality of teeth on said body, said teeth extending spirally about said longitudinal axis, two adjacent teeth being separated by a transition face, each tooth including a sharp cutting edge and a bite limiting means to limit the penetration of the tooth in the wood.
2) A wood cutting tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said bite limiting means comprises a projection on a transition face, said projections being adjacent a cutting edge and being positioned radially inwardly with respect to the cutting edge.
3) A wood cutting tool as defined in claim 2, wherein each transition face includes two relatively flat and n a r ro w surfaces extending along a cutting edge, said surfaces meeting at an obtuse angle to define said projection.
4) A wood cutting tool as defined in claim 1, wherein each tooth has a pitch in the range of 10 to 15 degrees approximately.
5) A cutting head adapted to be mounted to a tree-felling vehicle, said cutting head comprising:
- a tree-carrying frame adapted to receive a felled tree;
- a rotary cutter mounted to said tree-carrying frame, said rotary cutter including:
a) an elongated generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis coinciding with an axis of rotation of said body; and b) a plurality of teeth on said body, said teeth extending spirally about said longitudinal axis, two adjacent teeth being separated by a transition face, each tooth including a sharp cutting edge and a bite limiting means to limit the penetration of the tooth in the wood, - an arm for placement against one side of a tree, said arm being pivotally mounted to said tree-carrying frame; and - power means operatively connected to said tree-carrying frame to bring said tree-carrying frame and said rotary cutter toward said arm into engagement with a tree to be felled so that the tree progressively enters said tree-carrying frame while said rotary cutter cuts the tree.
- a tree-carrying frame adapted to receive a felled tree;
- a rotary cutter mounted to said tree-carrying frame, said rotary cutter including:
a) an elongated generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis coinciding with an axis of rotation of said body; and b) a plurality of teeth on said body, said teeth extending spirally about said longitudinal axis, two adjacent teeth being separated by a transition face, each tooth including a sharp cutting edge and a bite limiting means to limit the penetration of the tooth in the wood, - an arm for placement against one side of a tree, said arm being pivotally mounted to said tree-carrying frame; and - power means operatively connected to said tree-carrying frame to bring said tree-carrying frame and said rotary cutter toward said arm into engagement with a tree to be felled so that the tree progressively enters said tree-carrying frame while said rotary cutter cuts the tree.
6) A cutting head, as defined in claim 5, wherein said tree-carrying frame is dimensioned to receive simultaneously a plurality of felled trees.
7) A cutting head as defined in claim 5, wherein said tree-carrying frame comprises means for retaining a felled tree within said tree-carrying frame to prevent unwanted removal of the tree therefrom.
8) A cutting head as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for retaining a felled tree includes a clamping arm pivotally mounted to said tree-carrying frame and being movable between a first position in which said clamping arm engages and retains a felled tree within said tree-carrying frame, and a second position allowing removal of the felled tree from the tree-carrying frame.
9) A cutting head as defined in claim 8, further comprising power means to move said clamping arm from said first position to said second position and vice-versa.
10) A cutting head as defined in claim 8, further comprising biasing means to bias said clamping arm toward said first position.
11) A cutting head as defined in claim 5, wherein said bite limiting means comprises a projection on a transition face, said projections being adjacent a cutting edge and being positioned radially inwardly with respect to the cutting edge.
12) A cutting head as defined in claim 11, wherein each transition face includes two relatively flat and narrow surfaces extending along a cutting edge, said surfaces meeting at an obtuse angle to define said projection.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000588930A CA1281264C (en) | 1989-01-23 | 1989-01-23 | Auger-type tree cutting tool |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000588930A CA1281264C (en) | 1989-01-23 | 1989-01-23 | Auger-type tree cutting tool |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1281264C true CA1281264C (en) | 1991-03-12 |
Family
ID=4139504
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000588930A Expired - Lifetime CA1281264C (en) | 1989-01-23 | 1989-01-23 | Auger-type tree cutting tool |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1281264C (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN108552009A (en) * | 2018-06-20 | 2018-09-21 | 中国林业科学研究院林业新技术研究所 | Cluster Bamboo cuts machine selectively |
-
1989
- 1989-01-23 CA CA000588930A patent/CA1281264C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN108552009A (en) * | 2018-06-20 | 2018-09-21 | 中国林业科学研究院林业新技术研究所 | Cluster Bamboo cuts machine selectively |
| CN108552009B (en) * | 2018-06-20 | 2023-10-03 | 中国林业科学研究院林业新技术研究所 | Concatenation bamboo harvester |
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