EP4125333A1

EP4125333A1 - Device for debarking a debranched trunk of a standing, preferably living, tree, and device for applying a treatment agent to the debranched trunk of a standing, preferably living, tree

Info

Publication number: EP4125333A1
Application number: EP21714626.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Petra Jordan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-03-24
Filing date: 2021-03-18
Publication date: 2023-02-08
Also published as: DE102020108118A1; CA3213092A1; WO2021190702A1; DE112021001782A5

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for debarking a debranched trunk of a standing, preferably living, tree, and to a device for applying a treatment agent to the debranched trunk of a standing, preferably living, tree.

Description

Device for debarking a delimbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree and device for applying a treatment agent to the delimbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree

The invention relates to a device for debarking a delimbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree, as well as to a device for bringing a treatment agent to the delimbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree.

It is known that bark beetles are found on deciduous and coniferous trees around the world. Many species of bark beetle only attack one or a few tree species, others attack many tree species.

Most bark beetle species colonize damaged or dead needles or deciduous trees. However, some species of bark beetle are dangerous forest pests and also attack healthy trees. Under favorable conditions, they multiply by leaps and bounds and can cause entire forests to die out.

The starting point for mass increases are mostly damaging events such as windthrow, snow breakage or drought. In Europe, for example in Germany, such favorable conditions have existed in recent years due to the persistent drought.

A well-known example calculation for the annual growth of a bark beetle population assumes that a female bark beetle can produce an average of 50 offspring (1st generation), of which 25 females (sex ratio 1: 1) are able to produce 50 offspring each. A total of 1,250 young beetles can mature in the 2nd generation; 625 females lay 50 eggs each, resulting in 31,250 young beetles (3rd generation). This makes it clear what an enormous reproductive capacity a bark beetle can achieve if it can develop three generations per year without hindrance. Bark beetles burrow through the bark of the infected tree species, such as the spruce, and create breeding channels for their offspring there. A distinction is made between wood-breeding bark beetles, whose burrows penetrate into the wood, and bark-brooding bark beetles, which create their burrows under the bark.

In spruce forests, bark beetle damage repeatedly causes devastating damage. The main culprit is the so-called book printer, who is the most dangerous bark beetle and forest pest in the moderate latitudes. But the much smaller so-called copper engraver also contributes significantly to the death of large stands of spruce.

One possible control is that infected trees are recognized as early as possible and that these trees that have been infected by bark beetles are then felled and driven out of the forest as quickly as possible, before the beetles fly out again and cause new infestation.

However, when bark beetles occur in large numbers, the aforementioned control reaches its limits. Often there is not enough manpower and equipment, as well as storage space outside the forest, to ensure that the wood can be removed from the forest quickly.

If the wood cannot be removed from the forest in time, it is necessary to laboriously debark the trunks or to treat the barked trunks stored in the forest with an approved plant protection product. For this purpose, portable syringes or agricultural injection units are usually used. The use of pesticides on wood stored in the forest can also be used as a preventive measure. If the trunks are already infected, the treatment can at least prevent the developing brood from swarming out. With the help of the measures mentioned, beetles and beetle brood are destroyed and new infestation and further reproduction of the beetles are prevented; however, they are time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly. In any case, extensive reforestation is required after the felling.

Based on this state of the art, the invention is based on the object of enabling a time, labor and cost-saving control of pests, in particular of bark beetles, which does not require rapid felling of an infested building or even the felling of trees and thus that makes costly reforestation superfluous.

This object is achieved by a device according to the preamble of claim 1 by the characterizing features of claim 1 and by a device according to the preamble of claim 11 by the characterizing features of claim 11 by one. Further developments and advantageous refinements of the invention result from the respective subclaims.

The device according to the invention for at least partially debarking a delimbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree comprises a base body which at least partially encompasses the trunk and which has at least one drive connected to at least one drive means to move the base body up and down the trunk to move. According to the invention it is provided that the base body has a turntable at least partially encompassing the trunk with a turntable carrier carrying the trunk at least partially, wherein at least one, preferably only one, Entrindungsele element is arranged on the turntable, which is arranged by means of the turntable during the upward - And / or from downward movement of the base body is moved in a circular arc and / or oscillating around the trunk.

The slewing ring is movable relative to the stationary slewing ring carrier. The turntable is movable in such a way that it describes a closed circular path, i.e. it can move around the circumference of the trunk. While the turntable is moving and describing a closed circular path, the trunk can be debarked and / or cut on the circumference. The base body preferably moves in a straight line along the trunk. The slewing ring can preferably be driven by means of a belt. With such a device according to the invention, trunks of standing, preferably living trees, previously delimbed with a suitable device, can be debarked in a particularly simple and time, labor and cost-saving manner, whereby pests such as the bark beetle are deprived of their livelihood or reproductive basis. Debarking on a standing tree is particularly advantageous as there is no felling of the trees and removal of the wood from these felled trees. If the standing tree is already infested, may die or has already died, debarking with the device according to the invention can prevent the developing brood from swarming out. The spread of the pests to neighboring trees or neighboring trees is prevented. In living trees, debarking can lead to the death of the trees, but the felling of the trees and thus the costly reforestation can be avoided. Advantageously, the barked tree dries standing up, so that if it is felled later, the drying time of the wood for further use can be shortened.

For the previously required delimbing devices are known which are used in the so-called th valuation. Suitable devices are disclosed in WO 2015/101374 A2 or WO 2016/045666 A1 and are generally known to the person skilled in the art. Before using the device according to the invention, the area from the ground to the first branches formed with green leaves or needles should be delimbed.

Debarking in the aforementioned area of the trunk, i.e. over the limb length of the trunk, by means of the device according to the invention can prevent infestation by pests such as the bark beetle or, in the case of a bark beetle infestation, prevent a developing brood from swarming.

It can be advantageous if the debarking element has a, preferably only one, milling head provided with at least one knife, which can be set in rotation by means of a preferably own drive and thereby pressed against the trunk by means of suitable means that the at least one knife the bark from the trunk cuts and / or cuts. The milling head can preferably rotate at a speed of 4,000-8,000, preferably 6,000-8,000 revolutions per minute.

Suitable means for pressing the milling head against the trunk can comprise a gas pressure spring or a gas pressure damper or a pneumatic cylinder or the like. The milling head can be located on a lever arm which is in active connection with the gas pressure spring or the gas pressure damper or the pneumatic cylinder or the like.

It can be advantageous if the milling head is designed in the shape of a cylinder, with at least one knife being arranged on or partially in the lateral surface.

It can be advantageous if at least one cylinder-shaped milling head is arranged horizontally on the turntable and / or that at least one cylinder-shaped milling head is arranged vertically on the turntable.

It can be advantageous if the cylindrical milling head has a convex outer surface if it is arranged horizontally on the turntable, or if the cylindrical milling head has a concave outer surface if it is arranged vertically on the turntable.

It can be advantageous if the debarking element has a spacer which is arranged in such a way that the milling head pressed against the trunk does not cut into the trunk beyond the thickness or depth of the bark.

It can be advantageous if the milling head is driven by an electric motor, which is preferably also arranged on the turntable and which is supplied with power via a battery or an accumulator, the battery or accumulator preferably also being arranged on the turntable , wherein the milling head with drive for a better balance is preferably arranged with respect to the battery or the accumulator is. It can be advantageous if the cylindrical milling head is designed as a hollow cylinder, preferably in such a way that a separate drive, in particular an electric drive, preferably an electric motor, in particular a rod motor, for driving the milling head is arranged within the bore of the hollow cylindrical cylindrical milling head is.

It can be advantageous if the turntable has an open section through which the turntable can be positioned around the trunk, or that the turntable can be opened and closed for positioning around the trunk or for removal from the trunk.

It can be advantageous if the turntable can be driven by means of a drive device.

The invention also relates to a device for applying a treatment agent to the delimbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree, comprises a base body at least partially encompassing the trunk, which has at least one drive that is connected to at least one drive means to the base body on Moving tree trunk up and down. The invention is characterized in that the base body has a treatment agent application device via which the treatment agent can be applied to the trunk during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body.

With such a device according to the invention, trunks of standing, preferably living trees, which have previously been delimbed with a suitable device, can be removed in a particularly simple and time-, labor- and cost-saving manner with a treatment agent, in particular a plant protection agent, for example an insecticide that acts against pests such as the bark beetle, treat by applying the treatment agent from the outside to the trunk over the delimbed length of the trunk. The use of pesticides is advantageously carried out on the standing tree, preferably with weak to medium-strength softwood, especially with spruce. This means that no felling of the trees and removal of the wood from these felled trees or even debarking is necessary. If the standing tree is already infested, may die or has already died, the application of the Treatment agent with the device according to the invention prevent swarming of the developing brood. The spread of the pests to neighboring trees or neighboring trees is prevented. Applying a treatment agent to living trees can prevent infestation by pests such as the bark beetle.

It is therefore a prophylactic application, preferably on trees where there is a high risk of pest infestation. The felling of trees and thus the costly reforestation can advantageously be avoided.

The application of a treatment agent in the aforementioned area of the trunk, i.e. over the delimbed length of the trunk, by means of the device according to the invention can prevent infestation by pests such as the bark beetle or, in the case of a bark beetle infestation, prevent a developing brood from swarming out.

In the case of dying or already dead trees, it can be advantageous if at least one, preferably several debarking elements, which are in particular designed as milling, preferably cylindrical, are provided for debarking the tree trunk, which are arranged in such a way that when up - And / or moving downward from the device according to the invention, the trunk is at least partially ent rindet and / or the bark of the trunk is at least partially cut. The milling machines each have their own drive, either individually or all together. The milling machines can be driven hydraulically or via an electric motor, which is preferably powered by a battery or an accumulator with power, the battery or accumulator preferably being on the ground and connected to the E via sufficiently long electrical cables -Motor are connected. The process of at least partially debarking or at least partially incising the bark is preferably prior to the application of the treatment agent or even instead of the Applying the treatment agent to perform. In the latter case, the treatment agent application device arranged on the base body can be completely dispensed with. The debarking elements can then be arranged as an independent module on the base body. The debarking elements can advantageously be pressed against the tree trunk, in particular pneumatically, with corresponding gas pressure dampers or pneumatic cylinders or the like being provided. As a base body, the base body described further below according to the invention can advantageously be used for this purpose. Preferably four debarking elements distributed equally around the tree trunk are used. When it comes to roll-shaped debarking elements, these are horizontally aligned and preferably concave, that is to say curved inwards, so that they rest against the tree trunk. These are advantageously suitable for tree trunks with a diameter of in particular up to 25 cm. In the case of tree trunks in particular more than 25 cm, it can be advantageous to provide only one vertically aligned and non-arched or concave roller-like debarking element, which is guided around the tree trunk in a spiral or oscillating manner, while the base body moves up and / or down in a straight line on the tree trunk will. The milling machines preferably have a speed of 4,000-5,000 revolutions per minute.

With a combination of at least one debarking element with a treatment agent telaufbringungseinrichtung the inventive device can be moved up and down in a first step while the at least one milling cutter is operated, and then moved up and down in a second step while the treatment agent on the trunk is applied. It can also be advantageous if the device according to the invention is moved upwards in a first step, with the at least one milling cutter being operated, and then moved downwards in a second step in order to apply the treatment agent to the trunk.

It can be advantageous if the treatment agent application device has at least one tubular conduit with at least one outlet opening, the treatment agent being able to emerge from the conduit through the outlet opening and be applied to the trunk. The tubular line can at least partially encompass the trunk. Through the tubular line with outlet opening, a full application of the Treatment agent can be achieved on the trunk. The line can be an inflexible tube and / or preferably a flexible hose line, preferably made of a material, in particular at least one plastic, which is light and flexible, does not contract or expand, does not become brittle or soft and is resistant to chemical influences, in particular to the treatment agent, is to be formed.

It can be advantageous if the number of outlet openings and / or lines, the arrangement of the outlet openings and / or the orientation of the outlet openings is such that the trunk can be completely covered with the treatment agent during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body .

It can be advantageous if the outlet openings are designed as nozzles in order to spray the treatment agent onto the trunk.

It can be advantageous if the nozzles are designed as flat jet nozzles with a preferably horizontal jet pattern.

It can be advantageous if several, preferably four, particularly preferably six nozzles are provided, which are arranged on an imaginary ring encircling the trunk at the same distance from one another.

It can be advantageous if at least two nozzles are arranged offset in height from one another.

It can be advantageous if the nozzles are designed to be movable and each with a spacer to the trunk that the nozzles always have essentially the same predetermined distance regardless of the diameter of the trunk that changes during the upward and / or downward movement of the device pointing to the trunk.

It can be advantageous if the spacer is a boom that is connected to the nozzle or its nozzle holder and carries a wheel or roller, the nozzle or the nozzle holder. Nozzle holder is pressed in the direction of the trunk so that the wheel rests against the trunk at all times.

It can be advantageous if the nozzles are arranged at a distance of 5-40 cm, preferably 10-30 cm, from the trunk.

It can be advantageous if the nozzles are aligned in such a way that they enclose an angle of 20-60 degrees, preferably 30-50 degrees, to the trunk. As a result, splashing back of the treatment agent that hits the trunk of the tree is advantageously reduced.

It can be advantageous if the treatment agent application device is connected to a storage container containing the treatment agent.

It can be advantageous if at least one means is provided to promote the treatment agent from the storage container into the tubular line.

It can be advantageous if the means comprises a pump and / or a compressed air compressor. These can advantageously be driven via the power take-off shaft of a tractor.

It can be advantageous if the storage container is arranged on the floor during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body and via a sufficiently long supply line, preferably with a length of 30 m, with the treatment agent application device to supply the same with treatment agent during the Is connected to upward and / or downward movement of the base body.

The storage container, for example a 400 l or 1000 l storage container, can advantageously be arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle so that it can be easily transported to the respective location, for example from one group of trees to be treated to the next group of trees to be treated. The vehicle is preferably a tractor. The storage container is part of a so-called supply unit. If desired, the supply line can also be included Connect another storage tank, which only contains water, in order to flush or clean the supply line. Such a reservoir containing water is also advantageously part of the supply unit.

The feed line is preferably designed as a flexible hose line. This can advantageously be wound up on a hose reel, which is preferably arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle. The vehicle is preferably a tractor.

It can be advantageous if the speed of the base body during its upward and / or downward movement and if the amount of treatment agent exiting the intended outlet openings per unit of time is preferably adjustable such that the trunk is preferably adjustable during the upward and / or downward movement Downward movement of the base body can be completely covered with the treatment agent. In this way, a targeted, metered application of the treatment agent to the trunk is also achieved.

It can be advantageous if the treatment agent can be applied to the trunk periodically and / or continuously during the upward and / or preferably downward movement of the base body.

It can be advantageous if the treatment agent is conveyed into the treatment agent application device, in particular into the tubular pipe, at a pressure of 2 bar to 4 bar.

It can be advantageous if the base body with the treatment agent application device or only the treatment agent application device moves in an oscillating and / or spiral shape and / or preferably essentially in a straight line along the trunk during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body.

It can be advantageous if the treatment agent application device is designed as a module which can be reversibly attached to the base body. It can be advantageous if the treatment agent application device has a spray protection device.

It can be advantageous if the spray protection device is designed as a housing that fully encompasses the trunk or a housing that fully encompasses the trunk, such that the treatment agent, which sprays past the trunk and / or back from the trunk, onto the inner wall the enclosure meets. The at least one tubular line with at least one outlet opening is preferably provided within the housing. It can also be advantageous for the at least one pipe-like line to be integrated with at least one outlet opening in the wall of the housing or to be formed by this. Nozzles can then advantageously be included in the inner wall of the housing.

It can be advantageous if the at least one tubular line is attached to the inner wall of the housing with at least one outlet opening.

It can be advantageous if the housing is designed in such a way that the treatment agent that hits the inner wall of the housing is collected in the housing and can be returned to the storage container for further use and / or that the treatment agent that hits the inner wall of the housing is on the Trunk is controllable.

It can be advantageous if the housing is composed of two open and closable half-shell-like parts which can be pivoted horizontally around the trunk and which in the open state each have a semicircular recess in their upper and lower walls and thus together in the closed state a circular recess for Train implementation of the trunk. Preferably, the two half-shell-like parts are connected to one another on one side with at least one hinge, whereby the half-shell-like parts can be pivoted open and closed. On the opposite side of the at least one hinge, the half-shell-like parts preferably have a lock, which in the working position of the invention Device is closed in order to hold the half-shell-like parts together, and in rest position the device according to the invention is open.

It can be advantageous if a first tubular line, possibly at least partially encompassing the trunk, with at least one outlet opening on the inner wall of the one half-shell-like part of the housing and a second tubular line possibly encompassing the trunk at least partially with at least one outlet opening on the In the inner wall of the second half-shell-like part of the housing is attached.

It can be advantageous if each half-shell-like part has a brush and / or at least one lip made of rubber or the like on at least one semicircular recess, the brushes and / or lips in the closed state of the half-shell-like parts between the trunk and the recess Cover the gap that forms against treatment agent spraying past the trunk or back from the trunk. In addition to the splash guard, the brushes also have the advantage that they spread the treatment agent applied to the trunk on the trunk when the device according to the invention is moved.

It can be advantageous if the semicircular recess of each half-shell-like part arranged at the top in the working position of the device is designed to be open in such a way that at least a part of the treatment agent can be sprayed upwards from the housing via outlet openings, in particular nozzles, which are accordingly upwards. This would also allow part of the unbranched area of the trunk to be sprayed with treatment agent.

It can be advantageous if each half-shell-like part rests on at least one roller supported by the base body, so that each half-shell-like part rolls over and is supported by this role when the housing is opened and closed, and / or when each half-shell-like part opens and closing the housing is provided with a swivel arm, preferably a pneumatic cylinder is provided for each swivel arm, via which the swivel arm from the rest position into the Working position and vice versa can be pivoted from the working position into the rest position.

It can be advantageous if the half-shell-like parts of the housing are made of a material, in particular at least one plastic, which is light, does not contract or expand, is not embrittled or softened and is resistant to chemical influences, in particular to the treatment agent , exist.

It can be an advantage if the drive is an electric motor. The electric motor can preferably be supplied with power via a sufficiently long electric cable with an accumulator arranged on the floor or with a battery arranged on the floor. The accumulator or the battery is advantageously arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle. The cable can advantageously be wound up on a cable drum which is preferably arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle. The vehicle is preferably a tractor.

It can be advantageous if the drive means driven by the drive is a belt. The device according to the invention expediently has two drivable belts which are fastened at a distance from one another on the base body and which are pressed against the trunk with pressure in a working position of the device. The belts can be designed with a large contact surface, whereby the contact pressure against the tree bark is reduced. The belts are advantageously designed to be profiled and provided with recesses that run horizontally. The profiling ensures that the device can be safely moved up and down along the tree trunk, even if the belts come into contact with the treatment agent when the treatment agent is applied. The material for the belt is preferably rubber of suitable hardness. Depending on the nature of the trees, a soft rubber is used for smooth bark and a harder rubber for rough bark.

It can be advantageous if each drive means can be driven by means of a drive. It can be advantageous if the base body has at least one support wheel which rests on the trunk during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body.

In its working position, the support wheel ensures that the opposite driven belts are in contact with the trunk with pressure and that the device can move safely along the delimbed trunk. In the rest position of the support wheel, the device can be removed from the trunk after treatment and transported to the next tree.

It can be advantageous if the base body has two support wheels, which are spaced from one another, preferably offset from one another, in the circumferential direction of the trunk and / or the vertical direction of the trunk, and are located during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body on Trunk.

It can be advantageous if each support wheel is attached to the base body via a swivel arm, the support wheel being reversibly pivotable from a rest position to a working position, the support wheel in the working position with pressure, preferably by means of spring pressure, in particular by means of a gas pressure damper , opposite at least one drive means rests on the trunk and can be pivoted away from the trunk in a rest position.

It can be advantageous if one swivel arm is coupled to one half-shell-like part of the housing and if the other swivel arm is coupled to the other half-shell-like part of the housing, in such a way that when the swivel arm is pivoted, the half-shell-like part of the housing is pivoted at the same time. Thus, they are support wheels and the half-shell-like parts at the same time from a rest position to a working position and vice versa from a working position to a rest position pivotable bar.

However, the invention also relates to a base body as such. This can have individual, several or all of the features previously described in connection with the base body. Such a base body can advantageously be suitable for to carry different modules, for example a treatment agent application device, in order to move them up and down the trunk of a tree. Other modules can, for example, debarking elements to at least partially debark a tree trunk, saws or knives to delimb a tree trunk, or have a camera system for assessing the quality of a tree trunk, for example.

The basic body advantageously has a basic structure made of a light material, in particular a light metal, preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

In particular, the invention relates to a base body which at least partially surrounds a trunk and has at least one drive which is connected to at least one drive means in order to move the base body up and down on the trunk, the base body having two support wheels, which are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction of the trunk and are arranged at the same height and rest during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body on the trunk, each support wheel being attached to the base body via a swivel arm, each swivel arm with the support wheel arranged thereon from a Rest position can be pivoted into a working position, so that the support wheel rests against a drive means on the trunk with pressure, and conversely the pivot arm with the support wheel attached to it can be pivoted from the working position into the rest position, i.e. away from the trunk. It has been shown that two support wheels arranged at the same height are particularly advantageous for tree trunks with a larger diameter, because these support wheels arranged in this way give the base body more stability in the working position during the upward and downward movement on the tree trunk.

It can be advantageous if a pneumatic cylinder is seen for each swivel arm, via which the swivel arm can be swiveled from the rest position into the working position and vice versa from the working position into the rest position. About the Pneu matic cylinder is a particularly simple bringing the device according to the invention into a working position in which the device according to the invention is also with the Support wheels rests on the trunk, and in a rest position in which the device according to the invention, at least with its support wheels, does not rest on the trunk and can thus be detached from the trunk or attached to the trunk. In addition, the pressure with which the swivel arm and therefore the support wheel is pressed against the trunk can be varied via such a pneumatic cylinder, and can thus be individually adjusted to the conditions prevailing on site. The compressed air required to actuate the pneumatic cylinder is preferably made available by a compressor and fed to the pneumatic cylinder via at least one compressed air line. Compressors that can provide compressed air with up to 12 bar have proven to be advantageous.

The compressor is advantageously arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle so that it can be easily transported to the respective location, for example from one group of trees to be treated to the next group of trees to be treated. The vehicle is preferably a tractor. The compressor is part of a so-called supply unit.

The compressed air line is preferably designed as a flexible hose line. This can advantageously be wound up on a hose reel, which is preferably arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle. The vehicle is preferably a tractor.

It can be advantageous if the pneumatic cylinder is operated with compressed air of 6 - 8 bar.

It can be advantageous if the drive is a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor is preferably connected to a hydraulic pump arranged on the floor via a sufficiently long hydraulic hose, preferably 30 m in length. The hydraulic pump is advantageously arranged on a vehicle, in particular a tractor, or on a trailer of a vehicle, in particular a tractor, and preferably drivable via the PTO shaft of the tractor in such a way that operating pressures of 0-180 bar are made possible. The hydraulic hose can advantageously be wound up on a cable drum, which is preferably arranged on a vehicle or on a trailer of a vehicle. The vehicle is preferably a tractor. the Hydraulic pump is preferably part of a supply unit that is connected in particular to the three-point hitch of a tractor.

It can be advantageous if the drive means driven by the drive is a belt, as has already been described above.

It can be advantageous if each drive means can be driven by means of a drive.

It can be advantageous if two drive means, preferably belts, are provided, which are arranged at an angle between 90 ° to 110 °, preferably at an angle of 100 ° to 110 °, to one another. Especially with tree trunks with a large diameter, an angle of 100 ° - 110 ° ensures that the base body can be moved up and down the tree trunk in a stable manner.

An example of a method for applying the treatment agent by means of a device according to the invention is given below.

With the device according to the invention infested needle trees are preferably treated by the bark beetle, in which the outing of the young beetles is imminent. In a first step, the trees are delimbed along the entire length to be treated. Devices such as those disclosed in WO 2015/101374 A2 or WO 2016/045666 A1 are suitable for this purpose. In a second, temporally decoupled work step, the treatment agent is applied by means of the device according to the invention. For this purpose, a towing vehicle, in particular a small tractor, with a supply unit is positioned on the driveway, the machine path or the back lane near the tree trunks to be treated. The supply unit provides hydraulics, pneumatics, treatment agents and water. The supply unit also includes a compressor that generates the pneumatic air pressure. The tractor's PTO shaft, which drives a pump, is then started. Two operators carry the device according to the invention, which can have a weight of 30-40 kg, on handles that are arranged on the base body of the device according to the invention, from the supply unit to the tree trunk to be treated and pull the energy hoses for hydraulics, pneumatics and treatment agents with them. Arrived at the tree trunk, the operators open the device according to the invention preferably pneumatically at the push of a button, so when they bring it into a rest position, then attach the device according to the invention to the tree trunk and close the device according to the invention, also preferably pneumatically at the push of a button, so spending the device according to the invention in a working position to the trunk. According to the height of the tree trunk to be treated, the energy hoses are tightened by the operating personnel. After looking for a safety distance of about 10 m who started the hydraulic motors to drive the drive means designed as a belt via the circuit of a hydraulic valve. The device according to the invention moves upwards at a speed of preferably approximately 1 m / s. Once the maximum application height of the treatment agent has been reached on the tree trunk, the upward movement is stopped via the hydraulic valve and then the slower downward movement of preferably approx. 0.5 m / s is started. With a tree trunk height of 12 m, a treatment or spraying process takes about 25 seconds. The spraying process is started separately via a switch and can be stopped at any time. In this way, the application of the treatment agent on the lower, coarsely dented trunk section can be avoided. If the device according to the invention is completely down, the journey is stopped, the device according to the invention is raised again 2-3 meters in order to then drive it back down to the original starting position. With the last process, any minimal residues of the treatment agent on the trunk that may have collected in the spray protection device are passed. Finally, the device according to the invention is opened by the two operators, that is to say brought back into the rest position, lifted from the tree trunk to be treated and carried to the next tree trunk to be treated. After the last treatment, the device according to the invention, in particular its treatment agent supply lines, can be rinsed with water. A separate storage container is preferably provided on the supply unit for the water.

The invention is explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments which are shown in the drawing. In this show: 1 shows a perspective illustration of a first device according to the invention resting against a trunk in the working position,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 1,

Fig. 3 is a further perspective view of the device according to the invention in front of FIG. 1, but in the rest position, not lying against a trunk,

FIG. 4 shows a further perspective illustration of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 3,

5 shows a further perspective illustration of the device according to the invention according to FIGS. 3 and

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 3.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a Grundkör pers according to the invention in the rest position, not adjacent to a trunk,

8 shows a plan view of the base body according to the invention according to FIG. 1, but in the working position, resting on a trunk,

Fig. 9 is a further perspective view of the base body according to the invention according to FIG. 1 in the working position, anlie lowing on a trunk,

Fig. 10 is a further perspective view of the base body according to the invention according to FIG. 1 in the rest position, anlie lowing on a trunk, 11 shows a plan view of a second device according to the invention with a base body according to FIGS. 7-10 and a splash guard in the rest position, resting on a trunk,

FIG. 12 shows a plan view of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 11 in the working position, resting on a trunk,

13 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 11 in the rest position, resting on a trunk,

14 shows a further perspective view of the device according to the invention, according to FIG. 11 in the working position, lying against a trunk,

15 shows a further perspective view of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 11 in the working position, lying against a trunk,

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a third device according to the invention in the incomplete state and before

Fig. 17 is a perspective schematic view of a device according to the invention for at least partially debarking a limbed trunk of a standing, preferably living tree.

If the same reference numerals are used in FIGS. 1 to 16, they also designate the same parts or areas. It is therefore not necessary to go into parts or areas that have already been described in each description of the figures.

The device 10 according to the invention for applying a treatment agent 11 to the delimbed trunk 12 of a standing tree comprises a base body 14 at least partially encompassing the trunk 12, which has two drives 16, each with a drive means 18, which is designed as a belt, in Connection is to move the base body 14 on the trunk 12 up and down. The device 10 comprises a multi-part, preferably two-part base body 14, each with a drive means 18 in the form of a belt and an electric motor as a drive 16, which drives the drive means assigned in each case.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 10 is in a working position in which the drive means 18 press against the delimbed trunk of a tree so that the device 10 can move up and down the trunk when the Drive means 18 are driven by the respective drive 16.

The device 10 further comprises two support wheels 30, each support wheel 30 being arranged so as to be pivotable via a pivot arm 32 each on a part of the base body 14. Via the pivot arms 32, the support wheels 30 can be pivoted via joints 36 from a rest position shown in FIGS. 3 - 6 into a working position shown in FIGS.

The two parts of the base body 14 are firmly connected to one another via an upper hinge 38 and a lower hinge 40. The two drive means 18 are approximately at right angles to one another.

According to the invention, the base body 14 has a treatment agent application device 20, via which the treatment agent 11 can be applied to the trunk 12 during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body 14.

The treatment agent application device 20 has a pipe-like line 22 partially encompassing the trunk 12 with outlet openings 24, wherein the treatment agent tel 11 passes through the outlet openings 24 from the line 22 and is brought onto the trunk 12.

The line 22 can be designed as a hose which is fastened to two brackets 34a, 34b be. A first holder 34a is in this case with a first part of the base body 14 connected, while a second holder 34b is connected to a second part of the base body 14.

The outlet openings 24 are designed as nozzles 26 in order to spray the treatment agent 11 onto the trunk 12. The nozzles 26 form flat jet nozzles with a horizontal jet pattern.

In the present case, four nozzles 26 are provided, which are arranged on an imaginary trunk 12 running around the ring at the same distance from one another.

It can be clearly seen that the trunk 12 can thus be pulled over the entire circumference with the treatment agent 11 during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzles 26 are oriented in such a way that they enclose an angle α of 20-60 degrees, preferably 30-50 degrees, to the trunk 12.

The treatment agent application device 20, in particular the pipe-like line 22 partially encompassing the trunk 12, is connected to a storage container (not shown here) to send the treatment agent 11. A means, likewise not shown, for example a pump or an air compressor, conveys the treatment agent 11 from the storage container to the treatment agent application device 20, in particular into the tubular line 22 which partially encompasses the trunk 12.

The storage container, not shown here, is arranged on the floor during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body 14 and via a sufficiently long supply line 28, which is partially shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, with the treatment agent application device 20 for supply same connected to treatment agent 11 during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body 14.

However, the invention also relates to a base body 14 as such, as shown in a preferred embodiment in FIGS. 7-10. The base body 14 serves for the reversible reception of modules, for example a treatment agent application device designed as a module, the base body partially encompassing a trunk 12 and two drives 16, namely hydraulic motors, with each hydraulic motor having a drive means 18, namely egg NEN belt, is connected to move the base body 14 on the trunk 12 up and down. The base body 14 has two support wheels 30 which are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the trunk 12 and are arranged at the same height and bear against the trunk 12 during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body 14, each support wheel 30 via a pivot arm 32 on Base body 14 is fastened, each swivel arm 32 with the support wheel 30 arranged thereon being pivotable from a rest position into a working position, so that each support wheel 30 rests against a drive means 18, i.e. a belt, on the trunk 12 with pressure, and vice versa the pivot arm 32 with the support wheel 30 arranged thereon can be pivoted from the working position into the rest position, that is away from the trunk 12.

For each pivot arm 32 there is a pneumatic cylinder 50 on the base body angeord net, via which the pivot arm 32 can be pivoted from the rest position into the working position and vice versa from the working position into the rest position.

The drive means 18 in the form of belts are arranged to each other at an angle of 100 °.

11-15, a second device according to the invention is shown which has a previously described base body 14 and a treatment agent application device with a spray protection device 42.

The spray protection device 42 is designed as a housing 44 fully encompassing the trunk 12, such that the treatment agent 11, which splashes past the trunk 12 and / or back from the trunk 12, hits the inner wall of the housing 44, with the inside of the housing 44 being the at least one tubular conduit 22 with outlet openings 24, which at least partially encompasses the trunk 12, is provided. The at least one tubular line 22 at least partially encompassing the trunk 12 and having outlet openings 24 is fastened to the inner wall of the housing 44.

The housing 44 is designed in such a way that the treatment agent 11 striking the inner wall of the housing 44 can be directed onto the trunk 12.

The housing 44 is composed of two open and closable half-shell-like parts 44a, 44b, which can be pivoted horizontally around the trunk 12 and which were in the open position, that is to say in the rest position, each with a semicircular recess 46 in their upper and lower walls and thus together in the in the closed state, that is to say in the working position, as it were, form a circular recess 46 for the passage of the trunk 12.

A first tubular line 22 at least partially encompassing the trunk 12 with outlet openings 24 is on the inner wall of a half-shell-like part 44a of the housing 44 and a second tubular line 22 at least partially encompassing the trunk 12 with outlet openings 24 on the inner wall of the second half-shell-like part 44b of the housing 44 attached.

Each half-shell-like part 44a, 44b has a brush 48 at each semicircular recess 46, the brushes 48 in the closed state of the half-shell-like parts 44a, 44b passing the gap between the trunk 12 and the recess 46 past the trunk 12 or back from the trunk 12 Cover spraying treatment agent 11.

The half-shell-like parts 44a, 44b of the housing 44 consist of a material, in particular at least one plastic, which is light, does not contract or expand, not embrittled or softened and resistant to chemical influences, in particular special to the treatment agent 11 is. 16 shows a perspective illustration of a third device 10 according to the invention for applying a treatment agent 11 to the limbed trunk of a standing tree. The device 10 shown only in parts for better illustration, so shown in the incomplete state, comprises a trunk at least partially umgrei fenden base body 14, which has two drives 16, each with a drive means 18, which is designed as a belt, in connection stands to move the base body 14 up and down on the trunk. The device 10 comprises a multi-part base body 14, each with a drive means 18 in the form of a belt and an electric motor as a drive 16, which drives the respectively assigned drive means.

The device 10 further comprises two support wheels 30, each support wheel 30 being arranged so as to be pivotable via a pivot arm 32 each on a part of the base body 14. About the pivot arms 32, the support wheels 30 can be pivoted via joints from a rest position into a working position in which these 30 rest against the trunk with pressure.

According to the invention, the base body 14 has a treatment agent application device 20, via which the treatment agent 11 can be applied to the trunk during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body 14.

The treatment agent application device 20 has tubular lines 22 with outlet openings, the treatment agent 11 exiting the respective conduit 22 through the outlet openings and being applied to the trunk. The outlet openings 24 are designed as nozzles 26 in order to spray the treatment agent 11 onto the trunk. The nozzles 26 form flat jet nozzles with a horizontal jet pattern.

Six nozzles 26 are provided, which are arranged on an imaginary ring encircling the trunk at the same distance from one another, with only three of the nozzles 26 being shown here.

The nozzles 26 are movable in such a way and are each designed with a spacer 52 to the trunk that the nozzles 26 are independent of the upward and / or Downward movement of the device 10, the changing diameter of the trunk always have the same predetermined distance from the trunk.

The spacer 52 is an arm 54 that is connected to the nozzle 26 or its nozzle holder and carries a wheel, the nozzle 26 or nozzle holder being pressed in the direction of the trunk so that the wheel rests against the trunk at all times.

The treatment agent application device 20 according to the invention has a spray protection device 42.

The spray protection device 42 is designed as a housing 44 fully encompassing the trunk, in such a way that the treatment agent 11, which splashes past the trunk 12 and / or back from the trunk 12, hits the inner wall of the housing 44, with the tubular inside the housing 44 Lines 22 with Ausittsöffnun gene 24 are provided.

The housing 44 is composed of two open and closable half-shell-like parts 44a which can be pivoted horizontally around the trunk and which, in the open state, i.e. quasi in the rest position, each have a semi-circular recess in their upper and lower walls and thus together in the closed state, that is quasi in the working position, a circular recess for the implementation of the trunk ausbil the. In the present case, only a half-shell-like part is shown for better illustration.

Each half-shell-like part 44a has a brush 48 and / or a lip 56 made of rubber or the like on at least one semicircular recess, the brushes 48 and the lips 56 in the closed state of the half-shell-like parts 44a against the gap that forms between the trunk and the recess Cover the treatment agent 11 spraying past the trunk or back from the trunk.

Each half-shell-like part 44a is provided with a swivel arm 58 for opening and closing the housing Working position and vice versa can be pivoted from the working position into the rest position.

Fig. 17 shows a perspective schematic view of a device according to the invention 62 for at least partially debarking a delimbed trunk 12 of a standing, preferably living tree. The device 62 comprises a base body 14 at least partially encompassing the trunk 12, which has at least one drive, not shown here, which is connected to at least one drive means 18 in order to move the base body 14 up and down on the trunk 12

According to the invention, the base body 14 has a turntable 64 encompassing the trunk 12 with a turntable carrier 66 supporting the trunk 12 encompassing this, with only one debarking element 68 being arranged on the turntable 64, which with means of the turntable 64 during the upward and / or Downward movement 70 of the base body 14 is moved around the trunk 12 in the shape of a circular arc 72 and / or in an oscillating manner.

The debarking element 68 has only one milling head 74 provided with at least one knife, which can be set in rotation 76 by means of its own drive, not shown here, and can be pressed against the trunk 12 by means of at least one suitable means, not shown here, that the at least one Knife at least partially cuts and / or cuts the bark 78 from the trunk 12. The abge cut bark 78 flies away from the trunk 12, preferably over several meters.

The milling head 74 has a concave, roller-shaped design and is arranged vertically on the turntable 64, the at least one knife being arranged on the lateral surface. List of reference symbols

(is part of the description)

10 device

11 treatment agents

12 trunk

14 base body

16 drive

18 drive means

20 treatment agent application device

22 line

24 outlet opening

26 nozzle

28 supply line

30 support wheel

32 swivel arm

34a first bracket

34b second bracket

36 joint

38 top hinge

40 lower hinge

42 Splash protection device

44 Enclosure

44a half-shell-like part

44b half-shell-like part

46 recess

48 brush

50 pneumatic cylinders

52 spacers

54 boom

56 lip

58 swivel arm Roller device slewing ring slewing ring carrier debarking element up / down movement circular arc movement cylindrical milling head rotation movement

Claims

Patent claims

1. Device (62) for at least partially debarking a delimbed trunk (12) of a standing, preferably living tree, comprising a base body (14) which at least partially encompasses the trunk (12) and which has at least one drive (16) that is connected to at least one drive means (18) is connected to move the base body (14) up and down on the trunk (12), characterized in that the base body (14) has a turntable (64) which at least partially encompasses the trunk (12) ) with one of these supporting the trunk (12) at least partially encompassing the turntable carrier (66), with at least one, preferably only one, debarking element (68) being arranged on the turntable (64), which by means of the turntable (64) during the Upward and / or downward movement (70) of the base body (14) in the form of a circular arc (72) and / or in an oscillating manner around the trunk (12).

2. Device (62) according to claim 1, characterized in that the Entrin tion element (68) has one, preferably only one, with at least one knife verse Henen milling head (74), which by means of a preferably own drive in such a way in rotation (76) can be displaced and thereby pressed against the trunk (12) by means of at least one suitable means, so that the at least one knife at least partially cuts and / or cuts the bark (78) from the trunk (12).

3. Device (62) according to claim 2, characterized in that the milling head (74) is cylindrical, the at least one knife being arranged on the lateral surface.

4. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one roller-shaped milling head is arranged horizontally on the slewing ring and / or that at least one roller-shaped milling head (74) is arranged perpendicularly on the slewing ring (64).

5. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylindrical milling head has a convex outer surface when it is arranged horizontally on the turntable, or that the cylindrical milling head (74) has a concave outer surface when it is arranged vertically on the turntable (64).

6. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the debarking element (68) has a spacer which is net angeord such that the milling head (74) pressed against the trunk (12) does not exceed the bark thickness or - cuts deep into the trunk (12).

7. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the milling head (74) is driven via a preferably also on the slewing ring (64) arranged electric motor, which is supplied with power via a battery or a Akkumu converter is, wherein the battery or the accumulator is preferably also arranged on the turntable (64), the milling head (74) with drive is preferably arranged in front of the battery or the accumulator.

8. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylindrical milling head (74) is designed as a hollow cylinder, preferably such that a separate drive, in particular an electric drive, within the bore of the hollow cylindrical cylindrical milling head (74), preferably an electric motor, in particular a rod motor, is arranged to drive the milling head (74).

9. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the turntable (64) has an open section through which the turntable (64) can be positioned around the trunk (12), or that the turntable (64) for Positioning around the trunk (12) or for removal from the trunk (12) can be opened and closed.

10. Device (62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the turntable (64) can be driven by means of a drive device.

11. Device (10) for applying a treatment agent (11) to the deluded trunk (12) of a standing, preferably living tree, comprising a base body (14) which at least partially encompasses the trunk (12) and which has at least one drive (16 ) which is connected to at least one drive means (18) in order to move the base body (14) up and down on the trunk (12), characterized in that the base body (14) has a treatment agent application device (20), via which the treatment agent (11) can be applied to the trunk (12) during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body (14).

12. The device (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the treatment agent application device (20) has at least one tubular line (22) with at least one outlet opening (24), the treatment agent (11) exiting through the outlet opening (24) the line (22) can be stepped on and applied to the trunk (12).

13. Device (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that the number of outlet openings (24) and / or lines, the arrangement of the outlet openings (24) and / or the orientation of the outlet openings (24) is such that the trunk ( 12) during the upward and / or downward movement of the base body (14) can be completely covered with the treatment agent (11).

14. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet openings (24) are designed as nozzles (26) in order to spray the treatment agent (11) onto the trunk (12).

15. The device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nozzles (26) are designed to be movable and each with a spacer (52) to the trunk that the nozzles (26) regardless of the upward direction - And / or downward movement of the device (10), the changing diameter of the trunk always have essentially the same predetermined distance from the trunk.

16. The device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacer (52) is an arm (54) carrying a wheel (60) connected to the nozzle (26) or its nozzle holder, the nozzle (26) or nozzle holder is pressed in the direction of the trunk, so that the wheel (60) is in contact with the trunk at all times.

17. The device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment agent application device (20) has a spray protection device (42).

18. The device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the splash protection device (42) is designed as a housing (44) encompassing the trunk (12) in full, such that the treatment agent (11), which on the The trunk (12) is sprayed past and / or back from the trunk (12), meets the inner wall of the housing (44), the at least one tubular line (22) with an outlet opening (24) being provided within the housing (44).

19. The device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (44) is composed of two open and closable half-shell-like parts (44a, 44b) which can be pivoted horizontally about the trunk (12) and which are open in the open State a semicircular recess (46) in their upper and lower walls and thus together, in the closed state, form a circular recess (46) for the passage of the trunk (12).

20. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each half-shell-like part (44a, 44b) has a brush (48) and / or a one-part or multi-part lip made of rubber on at least one semicircular recess (46) or the like, the brushes (48) and / or the lip in the closed state of the half-shell-like parts (44a, 44b) past the gap between the trunk (12) and recess (46) against the trunk (12) or Cover the treatment agent (11) spraying back from the trunk (12).

21. The device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the semi-circular recess (46) arranged at the top in the working position of the device (10) of each half-shell-like part (44a, 44b) is open in such a way that at least one Part of the treatment agent (11) upward via accordingly upwardly directed outlet openings, in particular nozzles, from the housing solution (44) can be sprayed.

22. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each half-shell-like part (44a, 44b) rests on at least one roller supported by the base body (14), so that each half-shell-like part (44a,

44b) rolls over this role when the housing is opened and closed and is supported by it, and / or each half-shell-like part (44a, 44b) is provided with a swivel arm for opening and closing the housing, preferably one pneumatic cylinder for each swivel arm is provided, via which the pivot arm can be pivoted from the rest position into the working position and vice versa from the working position into the rest position.

23. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two drive means (18), preferably belts, are provided which are mutually at an angle between 90 ° to 110 °, preferably at an angle of 100 ° -110 °, are arranged.