Abstract: There is provided a felling head for attachment to a boom. The felling head includes an upper part and a lower part. The upper part has at least one brace portion and a grapple adapted to clasp a tree trunk against the brace portion. The lower part includes a circular saw blade mounted in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a tree clasped between the brace portion and the grapple. The leading edge of the circular saw blade projects beyond the location of the brace portion by a distance at least as great as the diameter of a tree being felled so that such tree can be cut through by the saw blade before the tree comes into contact with any other part of the felling head, including the brace portion.

Abstract: There is provided a grapple for lifting and maneuvring elongated items, which includes a main frame and a sub-frame, the two frames being pivotally mounted with respect to each other about a substantially vertical axis. The sub frame includes grappling jaws and heel elements which are capable of receiving elongated items. Mechanisms are provided for rotating the sub-frame with respect to the main frame. The heel is fixed with respect to the sub-frame and is spaced from the grappling jaws.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for felling a tree. A tree is cut through with a circular saw, and then substantially immediately after the cutting, the tree is clasped by a grapple means. The apparatus for cutting the tree may include an offset exposed arc of the circular saw, and by mounting the apparatus on a swingable boom, it is possible to cut the tree in a scything or scythe-swinging action.

Abstract: Tree cutting equipment that may constitute a part of the head of a tree harvester includes a saw assembly and a shear assembly, the shear and saw being movable towards each other, preferably in substantially the same plane. A stop associated with the shear assembly and engageable with the saw assembly limits the extent to which the saw can approach the shear so as to prevent the saw from attempting to cut completely through the trunk of a tree located between the shear and saw. The stop is located on the side of the pivot point for the saw that is remote from the shear, and a window is provided in the arm that supports the shear to permit the ejection of saw chips.

Abstract: In an apparatus for de-limbing trees, there is provided a carriage moving longitudinally on a rail, and having a pair of de-limbing arms adjacent one end which are mounted for pivoting movement with respect to the carriage. Each arm defines a concavity adapted to pivot into contact with a tree held in an upper recess in the carriage, and there are means for urging the arms against the tree. Each arm has a first cutting edge along the forward margin and a second cutting edge along the rearward margin, the first cutting edge being offset inwardly with respect to the second, such that the first cutting edge after passing forwardly beyond the stump of a tree limb which it has severed, can shift inwardly to lie against the tree trunk so that the next cut is made as close as possible to the trunk.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for sorting trees in situ in the forest immediately after being cut, the steps of limbing and topping optionally being included prior to the sorting operation. To this end a vehicle is provided having at least four dumping bunks. Trees of different sizes or species are loaded into the different bunks. The inner two bunks dump to the rear of the vehicle, while the outer two bunks dump to the sides of the vehicle.

Abstract: A mobile harvester which is capable of severing trees at their base, one at a time, and gathering trees, one at a time, while the previously accumulated trees are rigidly held together. The harvester has tree gathering means located vertically above a shear blade mechanism and this gathering means includes two pairs of power operated arms which are pivotally mounted so that each pair of arms can be individually and selectively swung between an open, tree receiving position and a closed, tree holding position. One of the pairs of arms holds the accumulated trees while the other pairs of arms gathers subsequently severed trees, one at a time, and brings them into the bundle of previously accumulated trees.