GB2061684A

GB2061684A - Pruning machine for currant bushes

Info

Publication number: GB2061684A
Application number: GB8034875A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: RAKENNUSTEMPO Oy
Current assignee: RAKENNUSTEMPO Oy
Priority date: 1979-11-02
Filing date: 1980-10-30
Publication date: 1981-05-20
Also published as: FI793439A; GB2061684B; FI60339B; SE442808B; FI60339C; DK459580A; SU1120914A3; DE3040414A1; SE8007646L

Abstract

The machine which is intended to be powered by a tractor, comprises a horizontal cutter disk 3, cutter knives 2 mounted thereon and a cutter head frame 6 mounting the cutter disk at a lower end of the frame, and an hydraulic motor 10 for driving the cutter disk 3. The cutter head frame 6 being pivotally mounted remote from the cutter unit to be adjustable in the height direction in conformity with the soil surface so that a branch raiser 8 moves lightly over the ground, the cutter disk being toothed around its outer rim, with the cutting knives being located on the upper side of the cutter disk and out of its plane, and the branch raiser acting to lift a branch from the ground onto the cutter knives; a branch guiding stick 9 and a divider point 4 also being provided, the latter acting to separate out branches to be cut and the stick acting to guide them onto the knives. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pruning machine for currant bushes The present invention concerns a pruning machine for currant bushes, which may be used to effect the annual pruning care of large areas of bushes, by attaching the machine to the side of a tractor.

Ever since mechanical picking of currant bushes became common, it has been found necessark to prune the bushes so that the lowermost branches, as the bush grows and produces yield, cannot take root in the soil. The pruning care was previously administered manually, with cutters or other cutting means, but this was time-consuming not merely due to the large numberto be pruned but also due to the need to select the branches to be pruned. It was, therefore, expensive. It is also noted that manual pruning is toilsome work, particularly when a large acreage has to be attended to.

The machine of the invention uses a cutter disk rotated under power, which makes possible a fastrotation of the disk. The cut can be said to be equivalent to that obtained with hand cutters in present use. The machine also uses an adjustable means by which the branches to be cut are selected. Another prerequisite of successful completion of the pruning consists of a branch guide which forces the branch which is to be cut to engage the cutter. A remarkable advantage is gained by the present invention in that the bush does not remain cluttered with severed branches, interfering with mechanical picking, as is the case in manual pruning. Moreover, the means cuts up the pruned branches in the pruning process and cleans the base underthe bush from harmful grasses, dry leaves, etc. and conducts all loose debris to the centre, to be further removed from there.The pruning work is controlled by the tractor driver, who runs the pruning machine on the side of the tractor to pass immediately close by the root of the bush, selects with the aid of a divider point from the bush that part that has to be cut, and starts the rotation of the cutter disk. All the control and driving operations required in the pruning work are conducted from the tractor during driving. Pruning tests that have been carried out have shown that the machine is well fitted to fulfil its purpose.

There is provided by the present invention a pruning machine for currant bushes, intended to be powered by a tractor; comprising a horizontal cutter disk, cutter knives mounted thereon, and a cutter head frame mounting the cutter disk at a lower end of the frame, and an hydraulic motor for driving the cutter disk; the cutter head frame being pivotally mounted remote from the cutter unit to be adjustable in the height direction in conformity with the soil surface; a branch raiser being provided to move lightly over the ground, wherein the cutter disk is toothed around its outer rim, and the cutting knives are located on the upper side of the cutter disk and out of the plane thereof, the branch raiser acting to lift a branch from the ground onto the cutter knives: and a branch guiding stick and divider point being provided; the latter acting to separate any branches to be cut, and the stick acting to guide them onto the knives.

An advantageous embodiment of the mechanical bush prunerofthe invention is described in the for lowing with reference to the attached drawings and explanations.

Fig. 1 is a diagram, presenting as viewed from above, a machine according to the invention, connected to a tractor.

Fig. 2 shows the machine in elevational view, with the tractor indicated in outline.

Fig. 3 shows the machine in front view.

The illustrated bush pruner comprises a frame 1, bolted to the side plate of a tractor 11, by means of an auxiliary frame 12 of the tractor. A cutter disk 3, on which three cutter knives 2 are mounted, is jour nalled in bearings and connected to a hydraulic motor 10, receiving its driving power from the tractor hydraulics. The cutter disk which is rotated anticlockwise as seen in Figure 1, along with the knives, and with toothing on the rim of the disk, produces an air current which assumes a direction, owing to the branch raiser 8 and the direction of rotation of the cutter disk, such that all detached branches and loose debris and equivalent are directed to be deposited in the middle of the corridor between bushes.

The frame 6 of the head of the cutter is so pivotally mounted that it is possible by controlling the hydraulic cylinder 5 to regulate the height of the cutter disk during the pruning process to conform to the soil surface. Further, the disk is mounted to permit it to be tilted in any direction about the horizontal independently of the height adjustment. However when the ground is level, the branch raiser 8 is allowed freely to slide along the ground. A divider point 4 is applied to separate out the branches to be cut, which are guided into the cutter knives 2 by the raiser 8 and a guiding stick 9. The height position of the divider point may be adjusted during work from the driving seat of the tractor by actuating the crank 7. Lateral adjustment of the dividing point is possible by means of the staying arm 13 of the dividing point.

The dividing point structure also acts to guide or defiect the part of the bush not to be cut towards a vertical position away from the parts to be cut.

The raiser 8, which is in the nature of a ski due to its connection to the cutter head frame, supports the entire cutter assembly and maintains it a fixed distance above the ground; the hydraulic cylinder being arranged to permit this.

1. Apruning machine for currant bushes, intended to be powered by a tractor; comprising a horizontal cutter disk, cutter knives mounted thereon, and a cutter head frame mounting the cutter disk at a lower end of the frame, and an hydraulic motor for driving the cutter head frame being pivotally mounted remote from the cutter unit to be adjustable in the height direction in conformity with

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Pruning machine for currant bushes The present invention concerns a pruning machine for currant bushes, which may be used to effect the annual pruning care of large areas of bushes, by attaching the machine to the side of a tractor. Ever since mechanical picking of currant bushes became common, it has been found necessark to prune the bushes so that the lowermost branches, as the bush grows and produces yield, cannot take root in the soil. The pruning care was previously administered manually, with cutters or other cutting means, but this was time-consuming not merely due to the large numberto be pruned but also due to the need to select the branches to be pruned. It was, therefore, expensive. It is also noted that manual pruning is toilsome work, particularly when a large acreage has to be attended to. The machine of the invention uses a cutter disk rotated under power, which makes possible a fastrotation of the disk. The cut can be said to be equivalent to that obtained with hand cutters in present use. The machine also uses an adjustable means by which the branches to be cut are selected. Another prerequisite of successful completion of the pruning consists of a branch guide which forces the branch which is to be cut to engage the cutter. A remarkable advantage is gained by the present invention in that the bush does not remain cluttered with severed branches, interfering with mechanical picking, as is the case in manual pruning. Moreover, the means cuts up the pruned branches in the pruning process and cleans the base underthe bush from harmful grasses, dry leaves, etc. and conducts all loose debris to the centre, to be further removed from there.The pruning work is controlled by the tractor driver, who runs the pruning machine on the side of the tractor to pass immediately close by the root of the bush, selects with the aid of a divider point from the bush that part that has to be cut, and starts the rotation of the cutter disk. All the control and driving operations required in the pruning work are conducted from the tractor during driving. Pruning tests that have been carried out have shown that the machine is well fitted to fulfil its purpose. There is provided by the present invention a pruning machine for currant bushes, intended to be powered by a tractor; comprising a horizontal cutter disk, cutter knives mounted thereon, and a cutter head frame mounting the cutter disk at a lower end of the frame, and an hydraulic motor for driving the cutter disk; the cutter head frame being pivotally mounted remote from the cutter unit to be adjustable in the height direction in conformity with the soil surface; a branch raiser being provided to move lightly over the ground, wherein the cutter disk is toothed around its outer rim, and the cutting knives are located on the upper side of the cutter disk and out of the plane thereof, the branch raiser acting to lift a branch from the ground onto the cutter knives: and a branch guiding stick and divider point being provided; the latter acting to separate any branches to be cut, and the stick acting to guide them onto the knives. An advantageous embodiment of the mechanical bush prunerofthe invention is described in the for lowing with reference to the attached drawings and explanations. Fig. 1 is a diagram, presenting as viewed from above, a machine according to the invention, connected to a tractor. Fig. 2 shows the machine in elevational view, with the tractor indicated in outline. Fig. 3 shows the machine in front view. The illustrated bush pruner comprises a frame 1, bolted to the side plate of a tractor 11, by means of an auxiliary frame 12 of the tractor. A cutter disk 3, on which three cutter knives 2 are mounted, is jour nalled in bearings and connected to a hydraulic motor 10, receiving its driving power from the tractor hydraulics. The cutter disk which is rotated anticlockwise as seen in Figure 1, along with the knives, and with toothing on the rim of the disk, produces an air current which assumes a direction, owing to the branch raiser 8 and the direction of rotation of the cutter disk, such that all detached branches and loose debris and equivalent are directed to be deposited in the middle of the corridor between bushes. The frame 6 of the head of the cutter is so pivotally mounted that it is possible by controlling the hydraulic cylinder 5 to regulate the height of the cutter disk during the pruning process to conform to the soil surface. Further, the disk is mounted to permit it to be tilted in any direction about the horizontal independently of the height adjustment. However when the ground is level, the branch raiser 8 is allowed freely to slide along the ground. A divider point 4 is applied to separate out the branches to be cut, which are guided into the cutter knives 2 by the raiser 8 and a guiding stick 9. The height position of the divider point may be adjusted during work from the driving seat of the tractor by actuating the crank 7. Lateral adjustment of the dividing point is possible by means of the staying arm 13 of the dividing point. The dividing point structure also acts to guide or defiect the part of the bush not to be cut towards a vertical position away from the parts to be cut. The raiser 8, which is in the nature of a ski due to its connection to the cutter head frame, supports the entire cutter assembly and maintains it a fixed distance above the ground; the hydraulic cylinder being arranged to permit this. CLAIMS

1. Apruning machine for currant bushes, intended to be powered by a tractor; comprising a horizontal cutter disk, cutter knives mounted thereon, and a cutter head frame mounting the cutter disk at a lower end of the frame, and an hydraulic motor for driving the cutter head frame being pivotally mounted remote from the cutter unit to be adjustable in the height direction in conformity with the soil surface; a branch raiser being provided to move lightly overthe ground, wherein the cutter disk is toothed around its outer rim, and the cutting knives are located on the upper side of the cutter disk and out of the plane thereof, the branch raiser acting to lift a branch from the ground onto the cutter knives; and a branch guiding stick and divider point being provided; the latter acting to separate out branches to be cut, and the stick acting to guide them onto the knives.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the divider point is at least of its front part adjustable in lateral and height direction and extends to the vicinity of the cutter disk and thereafter so as to guide the part of the bush not to be cut towards vertical position over the length ofthetractor.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the branch raiser abuts on the ground in ski fashion and lends support to the entire cutter head and due thereto raises or lowers the cutter head in conformity with the terrain.

4. A machine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting of the cutter disk permits tilting of the position of the cutter disk about the horizontal in every direction independently of height adjustment.

5. A machine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein all requisite adjustments can be made during operation of the machine.

6. A pruning machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.