Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27L—REMOVING BARK OR VESTIGES OF BRANCHES; SPLITTING WOOD; MANUFACTURE OF VENEER, WOODEN STICKS, WOOD SHAVINGS, WOOD FIBRES OR WOOD POWDER
  • B27L1/00—Debarking or removing vestiges of branches from trees or logs; Machines therefor
  • B27L1/10—Debarking or removing vestiges of branches from trees or logs; Machines therefor using rotatable tools
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27L—REMOVING BARK OR VESTIGES OF BRANCHES; SPLITTING WOOD; MANUFACTURE OF VENEER, WOODEN STICKS, WOOD SHAVINGS, WOOD FIBRES OR WOOD POWDER
  • B27L1/00—Debarking or removing vestiges of branches from trees or logs; Machines therefor
• • 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
  • A01G23/087—Shearing apparatus or the like specially adapted for felling trees
• • 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
  • A01G23/095—Delimbers
• • 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
  • A01G23/095—Delimbers
  • A01G23/097—Delimbers having a fixed delimbing head
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27L—REMOVING BARK OR VESTIGES OF BRANCHES; SPLITTING WOOD; MANUFACTURE OF VENEER, WOODEN STICKS, WOOD SHAVINGS, WOOD FIBRES OR WOOD POWDER
  • B27L1/00—Debarking or removing vestiges of branches from trees or logs; Machines therefor
  • B27L1/12—Debarking or removing vestiges of branches from trees or logs; Machines therefor using pliable tools, e.g. chains, cables

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a debarking arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1.
• a debarking arrangement can be utilized in moving machines, for instance in a single-grip or two-grip harvester or a harvester head of a forestry machine, as well as in stationary wood- handling machines.
• the primary task of the debarking system according to the invention is to contribute to the detachment of bark when a trunk is handled in a wood-handling device.
• the harvester used in the method usually comprises at least a base capable of moving on the ground and provided with a turnable and movable lifting boom system or loader.
• the end of such a lifting boom system or loader carries a wood-handling device, such as a harvester head.
• the harvester head used in harvesting according to the present method typically comprises means for at least cutting, felling, delimbing and measuring a trunk.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a debarking arrangement in a wood-handling device in such a way that a completely new kind of solution could be achieved for the above problems caused by the drawbacks of the prior art.
• This object is achieved in such a way that the debarking arrangement has, in accordance with this invention, the characterizing features defined in the claims.
• the debarking arrangement according to the invention is primarily characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
• the invention is thus based on the idea that a member arranged to cut the surface of bark in substantially the longitudinal direction is arranged in such a position relative to the longitudinal axis of the trunk that when the trunk is rotating in the wood-handling device during the wood handling, this member arranged to cut bark resists the rotation movement of the trunk as little as possible.
• the member arranged to cut bark is arrangeable for instance at an angle of 45° relative to the translation movement of the trunk, i.e. the displacement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the trunk. It has been empirically proved that when being installed in this way, the member gives the rotation movement of the trunk as little resistance as possible so as not to cause damage to the wood handling or the portion under the bark. [0010] On the other hand, it is also feasible that the member arranged to cut bark could be suspended on a frame in the wood-handling device in a turnable manner relative to at least one rotation axis.
• a rotation movement guided by the trunk movement is generated which preferably moves the member to such an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the trunk which substantially corresponds to the direction of movement of the trunk surface generated by the rotation movement of the trunk in each particular case.
• the member arranged to cut bark follows here a substantially spiral track drawn by the observation points on the trunk surface.
• the member arranged to cut bark draws a spiral track on the bark, the pitch of which track depends on the displacement speed, i.e. translation, of the trunk during each particular working situation, as well as on the rotation speed, these two together generating the motion vector of an observation point.
• the member arranged to cut bark may also be arranged to be detachable from contact with the trunk, for example when the wood- handling device with the trunk must be reversed, or when the trunk is handled in another way at a point where the bark has already been substantially removed.
• detaching the member arranged to cut bark from contact with the bark unduly great loads are avoided, for instance when the device with the trunk must be reversed. In this way, the life span of the present debarking system can be extended.
• the solution according to the invention achieves an essential aim set for the debarking, in other words that the wood material itself remains intact but the bark can still be removed as completely as possible.
• the rotation movement of the member arranged to cut bark according to the present debarking arrangement is arrangeable to be actively controlled, for example by means of a hydraulic engine.
• the cutting of the bark can be made significantly more efficient because cutting longitudinal strands in the bark becomes easier.
• Cutting the strands makes the debarking more efficient and contributes, at the same time, to the breaking of the removed bark into smaller pieces that will decompose more easily and quickly.
• such bark waste consisting of smaller pieces is easier to handle as well in transportation as in conveyors of a combustion plant.
• a member that is movable relative to the frame of a wood- handling device can also preferably be cleaned of impurities, such as bark pieces and branches accumulated on it, by removing it from time to time from the trunk surface.
• impurities such as bark pieces and branches accumulated on it
• the debarking system can even be provided with particular counterpart or cleaning means, whereby the member, when moving against these means, is cleaned even more efficiently.
• an option where the member arranged to cut bark can be moved both into and out of contact with the bark enables a wood- handling device, such a harvester head, with which also such trunks can be handled whose bark must not be removed or damaged. Since both debarking and conventional delimbing can thus be carried out with the same device, time- consuming and difficult installing operations on the wood-handling device can be avoided.
• Figure 1 shows schematically the positioning of a member arranged to cut bark in a wood-handling device which is here represented by a harvester head of a forestry machine;
• Figure 2 shows axonometrically one embodiment of the member arranged to cut bark according to Figure 1, the member being detached from the harvester head;
• Figure 3 shows a front view of the member according to Figure 2, the member being detached from the trunk surface
• Figure 4 shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the member arranged to cut bark, the member being detached from the trunk surface;
• Figure 5 shows a front view of a second alternative embodiment of the member arranged to cut bark, the member being detached from the trunk surface;
• Figure 6 shows a front view of a third alternative embodiment of the member arranged to cut bark, the member being detached from the trunk surface;
• Figure 7 shows several disk-like cutting members attached to a support means in the debarking system
• Figure 8 shows several knife-like cutting members attached to a support means in the debarking system
• Figure 9 shows axonometrically a debarking system for forming the structure of the member arranged to cut bark and for controlling the member;
• Figure 10 shows axonometrically an alternative debarking system for forming the structure of the member arranged to cut bark and particularly for controlling the member;
• Figure 11 shows axonometrically a trunk and a bark-cutting member arranged on it.
• the debarking arrangement comprises components denoted in the figures with reference numerals that correspond to those used in this description.
• harvesting is conventionally implemented mechanically with various forestry machines, such as harvesters and loaders. These are not shown in the attached figures.
• a tree is felled and the trunk is delimbed and cut into pieces of suitable sizes. In some cases, these pieces are also debarked to facilitate the after-handling and to improve preservability.
• a forestry machine used in harvesting can be provided with a particular lifting boom system or a loader, for example. This, in turn, is used for supporting, turning and moving a wood-handling device 1, for example in the embodiment of a harvester head according to Figure 1.
• a wood-handling device for example in the embodiment of a harvester head according to Figure 1.
• debark a felled and delimbed tree in which case this can be carried out either in connection with the felling or at a separate working stage. Such debarking may be carried out as well with wood-handling devices used for felling as with other wood- handling devices arranged on a moving or stationary base.
• the present debarking arrangement is here described in the context of a wood-handling device typically comprising handling means for at least cutting, felling, delimbing and measuring a trunk 2.
• a frame 3 in a wood- handling device according to Figure 1 thus comprises a cross-cutting saw 4, a measuring roller 5, feed rollers 6, movable delimbing knives 7 and a fixed delimbing knife 8.
• both a translation movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis 9 of the trunk and a rotation movement around the longitudinal axis are usually generated.
• This rotation movement may be generated in the trunk as a side effect of the handling, or it may be achieved with special means in the wood-handling device.
• the present wood- handling device 1 is provided with a debarking arrangement 10 comprising a member 13 which extends to the surface 11 of the trunk 2 guided in the arrangement and is arranged to cut bark 12 on the trunk surface.
• this cutting member is arranged to follow the movement generated for the trunk in the wood-handling device, whereby it leaves on the bark of the trunk a cutting trace, the pitch of which depends on the displacement speed, i.e. translation, and on the rotation speed, i.e. rotation, of the trunk during each particular working situation.
• the member arranged to cut bark is particularly arranged to be at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis 9 of the trunk in such a way that such an angle ⁇ substantially corresponds to the directional angle of the motion vector of the trunk surface 11 obtained as a resultant of the translation and rotation movements of the trunk.
• the angle ⁇ can also be selected such that it slightly deviates from the direction of the motion vector, generating thus a bark-removing force effect on the bark of the trunk.
• the member 13 arranged to cut bark 12 of the trunk 2 is arranged substantially fixedly on the wood-handling device 1, particularly on its frame 3.
• the cutting member forms, relative to the longitudinal axis 9 of the trunk, a fixed angle a of 25 to 55°. In empirical tests, the magnitude of the angle has been particularly selected to be about 45°.
• the member 13 arranged to cut bark being installed fixedly means primarily that the debarking arrangement 10 with its cutting member is substantially unmovable relative to the frame of the wood- handling device. It is feasible, however, to install the cutting member on the wood-handling device movably in such a way that it can be displaced in substantially the radial direction of the trunk's cross-section. Thus, the cutting member is movable on the wood-handling device relative to the trunk surface 11 , in other words the member is moved towards the trunk surface or away from it.
• Such movement can be implemented for instance with embodiments according to the attached figures, in which the member is connected to the wood-handling device with a joint 14 of at least one degree of freedom to enable the detachment of the member from the trunk.
• a special actuator affecting the member particularly for this purpose directly or via a parallelogram arrangement known as such.
• Such an actuator preferably comprises a pressure-medium-powered cylinder, such as a hydraulic cylinder.
• the force that is directed at the bark 12 of the trunk by the member can preferably be arranged adjustable.
• the force is preferably adjustable by means of a pressure-medium-powered actuator, whereby for example an actuator guiding the radial movement of the trunk in the cutting member can be used as the actuator.
• the cutting member can be also arranged in the wood-handling device with an arrangement comprised of more than one joints or with joints of more degrees of freedom in accordance with Figures 2, 3 and 5. This enables both moving of the member in substantially the radial direction of the trunk and the turning of the member to adapt to the rotation movement of the trunk.
• FIG. 9 One guiding joint and actuator arrangement of the member 13 arranged to cut bark 12 of the trunk 2 is illustrated in Figure 9.
• This figure shows a cutting member arranged preferably rotatingly at the end of a cutting arm 15.
• a cutting arm is attached to a swivelling shaft 16 with a joint 17 of at least one degree of freedom.
• the swivelling shaft has a rotation movement relative to the joint 14, whereby the cutting member is controllable relative to the surface 11 of the trunk under handling in the wood-handiing device.
• the cutting member is, in turn, guidabie to different angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the trunk.
• the controlling of the swivelling shaft is implemented with an actuator 19 operating a swivelling rod 18 attached to the swivelling shaft.
• the control can also be implemented in other manners known as such to persons skilled in the art.
• Figures 1 to 4 and 9 as well as 10 show a member arranged to comprise a substantially disk-like means.
• a disk-like means is preferably arranged rotatingly on a support frame supporting it, and it is thus rotating relative to the trunk surface.
• the disk-like means is attached to the cutting arm 15 via a connecting shaft 20.
• the disk-like means is attached to the cutting arm 15 via a connecting shaft 20.
• the cutting member 13 is also arrangeabie to be actively controllable in such a way that a rotation movement relative to the cutting arm 15 is generated in the means, for example with a hydraulic engine.
• Such an active movement of the cutting member contributes to the cutting of bark for instance by cutting the longitudinal strands of the bark.
• the rotation speed of the disk-like means can thus be adjusted, and the shape of its outer periphery can be selected to cut or even saw bark more efficiently.
• Figures 5 and 6 show a cutting member 13, which is arranged to comprise a substantially knife-like means.
• the cutting member according to Figure 5 is arranged to be turnable relative to its swivelling shaft 16 forming the support frame, while a cutting member presented in Figure 6 is arranged substantially rigidly on its swivelling shaft,
• the cutting member 13 is, for instance in the embodiment of Figure 9, arranged to be substantially freely turnable, following the movements of the surface 11 of the trunk 2, it is naturally also possible to turn it actively.
• an actuator 21 - in this case a hydraulic cylinder - is arranged to guide the angle ⁇ of the cutting member relative to the trunk surface.
• the member 13 arranged to cut bark 12 of the trunk 2 is arrangeable on a fixed debarking knife 8 or on a debarking knife 7 movable relative to the frame in the wood-handling device.
• the member 13 arranged to cut bark preferably comprises limiters to limit the rotation movement of the member to the area that is, as mentioned above, at an angle of 25 to 55°, for example, relative to the longitudinal axis of the trunk.
• limiters comprise for instance mechanical blocks to limit the movements of the cutting arm 15 in the joint 17.
• Such an embodiment of limiters can be seen in Figure 9, in which a pin 23 arranged in a slot 22 defines the extreme limits of the cutting arm movements.
• the movement of the member 13 arranged to cut bark 12 of the trunk 2 may also be guided or suppressed by a spring member in a manner known as such. Also the use of a pressure-medium-powered actuator together with a spring member is feasible in this case.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Ecology (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Debarking, Splitting, And Disintegration Of Timber (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=35883945

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (3)

• 2006
  • 2006-01-24 FI FI20065048A patent/FI118795B/fi active
• 2007
  • 2007-01-23 CN CN2007800029239A patent/CN101370627B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-23 AU AU2007209265A patent/AU2007209265B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-01-23 BR BRPI0707530-8 patent/BRPI0707530B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-01-23 NZ NZ569628A patent/NZ569628A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-01-23 WO PCT/FI2007/050034 patent/WO2007085696A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (3)

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