Abstract: Tree harvester (10) is mounted on tractor (12) to enable continuously cutting and chipping of trees. The harvester (10) includes a rotary saw (14) for cutting a tree near ground level, transport means (16) adjacent the rotary saw (14) for gripping a tree cut by the rotary saw (14) and transporting the tree to and dropping the cut tree in a chipper (18) located at an end of the transport means (16) distant the rotary saw (14). The transport means (16) includes first and second opposed conveyors (46, 48) each provided with laterally extending fingers (50) so that a cut tree can be gripped by the fingers (50) of the opposed conveyors (46, 48) and subsequently transported therebetween to the chipper (18).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 10, 2000
Date of Patent:
September 20, 2005
Assignee:
Oil Mallee Company of Australia
Inventors:
Richard Courthope Giles, Harley Lawson Pederick