GB1574103A - Tree ligters - Google Patents

Description

(54) TREE LIFTERS (71) I, BERNARDUS DE VREE, a Dutch subject, of 25A Welysestraat, 6669 DJ Dodewaard, The Netherlands, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to tree lifters intended to be coupled to an elevator vehicle, the lifter comprising a frame, and a substantially U-shaped plough share connected with said frame. By "elevator vehicle" is meant a vehicle having lifting mechanism to which equipment can be coupled.

German Patent Application DAS 1,145,414, for example, discloses a tree lifter which makes a deep furrow in the ground so that the trees standing in it can be subsequently removed. With this type of tree lifter a great many operations have still to be carried out manually. Removal of the tree from the ground, shaking off any earth sticking to the roots of the tree and suchlike operations have to be performed by hand. The invention has for its object to obviate said drawbacks. Accord ing to the invention this is achieved by providing a tree lifter of the kind set forth with a clamping device for embracing the trunk of a tree to be pulled up, and with a vibratory device serving to vibrate the clamping device in a generally vertical direction.When the tree lifter is coupled with an elevator vehicle, the tree can be lifted after a furrow is made in the ground, whilst the earth sticking to the roots of the tree can be loosened by the actuation of the vibratory device.

The plough share is preferably mounted on the frame in a pivotable manner. This provides the advantage that a hole is made in the ground only at the position of the tree to be pulled up, rather than a con tinual furrow. The frame may have down wardly extending anchoring members in order to enhance the stability of the device.

The plough share can be actuated by means of a hydraulic piston-cylinder combination.

The clamping device may be formed by a stationary plate and a pivotable plate, each plate being substantially in a vertical plane.

By turning the pivotable plate, the clamping device can be opened or closed. The vibratory device may be formed by a coupling member driven by an eccentric mechanism and arranged between the frame and the clamping device.

The invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tree lifter embodying the invention; and Figures 2 to 5 are side elevations of the tree lifter in different, successive positions in operation.

The tree lifter 1 can be coupled by means of a three-point hitch at points 2, 3 and 4 with an elevator vehicle. The tree lifter comprises a frame essentially formed by a transverse girder 5, longitudinal girders 6 and 7 at the respective ends of the girder 5, and two inclined posts 8 and 9 which are connected with the girder 5 and also connected with one another at the top ends by a horizontal beam 10. A U-shaped plough share 11 is mounted on the ends of the longitudinal girders 6 and 7 respectively. The plough share is rotatable about stub shafts 12 and 13 respectively, and is pivotally driven by means of two hydraulic piston-cylinder combinations 14 and 15 respectively, which are connected on the one hand with the longitudinal girders 6 and 7 respectively and on the other hand with the ends of the U-shaped plough share 11.The transverse girder 5 is provided with two anchoring plates 16 and 17 for supporting the device on the ground.

The clamping device comprises a stationary clamping plate 18 and a horizontally movable clamping plate 19. The clamping device is mounted on a sub-frame 26 formed by two L-shaped members. This sub-frame is pivoted to the main frame on a horizontal transverse axis 25, and can be tilted up and down by a piston-cylinder combination 27. The clamping device in cludes a stationary clamping plate 18, which is fixed to one arm of a fork 28, this fork being pivoted between the L-shaped members of the sub-frame 26 on a horizontal transverse axis 29. A second clamping plate 19 is rotatable relative to the other arm of the fork 28, about a vertical shaft 21, being actuated by a piston-cylinder combination 20. The clamping plates are coated with soft material.The clamping device can be vibrated in a generally vertical direction by rotation of a shaft 23 (by means not shown) carrying eccentric mechanism 24 which is linked to the stem of the fork 28. The sub-frame 26 supports a roller 22 journalled on a transverse shaft and coated with soft material. This roller serves as a stop or support for a clamped tree trunk.

The device operates as follows (see Figures 2 to 5).

The device is arranged around a tree to be pulled up so that the trunk of the tree to be pulled up is located substantially at the centre of a line joining the stub shafts 12, 13 of the plough share 11 (Figure 2).

Subsequently, by means of the pistoncylinder combination 14 and 15, the plough share is caused to perform a pivotal movement covering an arc of a circle of about 1800 (see position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2). Then the plough share is turned back through about 90". In addition the pivotable clamping plate 19 is turned by means of the piston-cylinder combination 20 towards the stationary clamping plate 18, thus clamping the trunk of the tree to be pulled up. Subsequently (Figure 3), by means of the lifting mechanism of the vehicle to which the tree lifter is coupled, the tree is lifted.

By means of the piston-cylinder combination 27 the sub-frame 26, and hence the clamping device, are turned into the position shown in Figure 4. The lifting mechanism with which the tree lifter is coupled subsequently lifts and tilts in the direction indicated in Figure 5 and is, in addition, displaced to the left as seen in Figure 5, so that the plough share will rest on the ground, thus improving stabiIity.

Then the shaft 23 is rotated so that, through the eccentric mechanism 24, a generally vertical vibratory motion is imparted to the clamping device. Owing to this vibratory motion, earth sticking to the roots of the tree will drop into the hole.

Thus the pulling-up operation is completed.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A tree lifter intended for coupling with an elevator vehicle, the lifter comprising a frame, a substantially U-shaped plough share connected with said frame, a clamping device for embracing the trunk of a tree to be pulled up, and a vibratory device serving to vibrate the clamping device in a generally vertical direction.

2. A tree lifter as claimed in claim I, in which the plough share is pivotally mounted on the frame.

3. A tree lifter as claimed in claim I or claim 2, in which the frame has downwardly extending anchoring members.

4. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims I to 3, in which the plough share is actuated by means of a hydraulic pistoncylinder combination.

5. A tree lifter as claimed in claim I, in which the clamping device is formed by a stationary plate and a pivotable plate, each plate being substantially in a vertical plane.

6. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims I to 6, in which the vibratory device is formed by a coupling member driven by an eccentric mechanism and is arranged between the frame and the clamping device.

7. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, including a stop disposed transversely of the clamping device.

8. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the clamping device is pivotally arranged on the frame.

9. A tree lifter as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. cludes a stationary clamping plate 18, which is fixed to one arm of a fork 28, this fork being pivoted between the L-shaped members of the sub-frame 26 on a horizontal transverse axis 29. A second clamping plate 19 is rotatable relative to the other arm of the fork 28, about a vertical shaft 21, being actuated by a piston-cylinder combination 20. The clamping plates are coated with soft material. The clamping device can be vibrated in a generally vertical direction by rotation of a shaft 23 (by means not shown) carrying eccentric mechanism 24 which is linked to the stem of the fork 28. The sub-frame 26 supports a roller 22 journalled on a transverse shaft and coated with soft material. This roller serves as a stop or support for a clamped tree trunk. The device operates as follows (see Figures 2 to 5). The device is arranged around a tree to be pulled up so that the trunk of the tree to be pulled up is located substantially at the centre of a line joining the stub shafts 12, 13 of the plough share 11 (Figure 2). Subsequently, by means of the pistoncylinder combination 14 and 15, the plough share is caused to perform a pivotal movement covering an arc of a circle of about 1800 (see position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2). Then the plough share is turned back through about 90". In addition the pivotable clamping plate 19 is turned by means of the piston-cylinder combination 20 towards the stationary clamping plate 18, thus clamping the trunk of the tree to be pulled up. Subsequently (Figure 3), by means of the lifting mechanism of the vehicle to which the tree lifter is coupled, the tree is lifted. By means of the piston-cylinder combination 27 the sub-frame 26, and hence the clamping device, are turned into the position shown in Figure 4. The lifting mechanism with which the tree lifter is coupled subsequently lifts and tilts in the direction indicated in Figure 5 and is, in addition, displaced to the left as seen in Figure 5, so that the plough share will rest on the ground, thus improving stabiIity. Then the shaft 23 is rotated so that, through the eccentric mechanism 24, a generally vertical vibratory motion is imparted to the clamping device. Owing to this vibratory motion, earth sticking to the roots of the tree will drop into the hole. Thus the pulling-up operation is completed. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A tree lifter intended for coupling with an elevator vehicle, the lifter comprising a frame, a substantially U-shaped plough share connected with said frame, a clamping device for embracing the trunk of a tree to be pulled up, and a vibratory device serving to vibrate the clamping device in a generally vertical direction.

2. A tree lifter as claimed in claim I, in which the plough share is pivotally mounted on the frame.

3. A tree lifter as claimed in claim I or claim 2, in which the frame has downwardly extending anchoring members.

4. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims I to 3, in which the plough share is actuated by means of a hydraulic pistoncylinder combination.

5. A tree lifter as claimed in claim I, in which the clamping device is formed by a stationary plate and a pivotable plate, each plate being substantially in a vertical plane.

6. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims I to 6, in which the vibratory device is formed by a coupling member driven by an eccentric mechanism and is arranged between the frame and the clamping device.

7. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, including a stop disposed transversely of the clamping device.

8. A tree lifter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the clamping device is pivotally arranged on the frame.

9. A tree lifter as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.