Abstract: A drive mechanism for driving a drum, such as a mulcher drum comprises an intermediate shaft coupled to drive the drum by way of a flexible coupling. The flexible coupling may be located on an inside of a hub of the drum. A hydraulic or other motor is coupled to drive the intermediate shaft by a splined coupling. Lubrication of the splined coupling is enhanced by a supply of grease contained in a central passage within the intermediate shaft. The drive mechanism may be direct drive from a hydraulic or other suitable motor. The drive mechanism can be compact and robust against collateral damage resulting from failure of drum support bearings.

Abstract: A system for measuring the length of a tree being processed through a delimber including a log feed roller mechanism for moving the tree, a delimbing head for delimbing the tree that is movable in a forward and reverse direction relative to the log feed roller mechanism, a measuring wheel resiliently mounted on the delimbing head, and a trimsaw movably mounted on the delimbing head. The length of the processed tree extending beyond the delimbing head may be calculated from signals encoded by the log feed roller mechanism and the measuring wheel. Logs may be cut from the tree by the trimsaw. Two photosensors located at known positions may be used to calculate the total length of the tree.

Abstract: A tree chipper capable of reducing standing trees to chips has a rotating chipper, a feed mechanism for feeding trees into the chipper and a saw or the like for severing the trees. The tree chipper may comprise a boom that can be moved to position the tree chipper against a tree to be cut and chipped. In embodiments, the rotating chipper comprises a disc having chipping teeth on a face, a generally cylindrical chipper body having chipping teeth on an outer surface thereof and a conical chipper body.

Abstract: A system for measuring the length of a tree being processed through a delimber including a log feed roller mechanism for moving the tree, a delimbing head for delimbing the tree that is movable in a forward and reverse direction relative to the log feed roller mechanism, a measuring wheel resiliently mounted on the delimbing head, and a trimsaw movably mounted on the delimbing head. The length of the processed tree extending beyond the delimbing head may be calculated from signals encoded by the log feed roller mechanism and the measuring wheel. Logs may be cut from the tree by the trimsaw. Two photosensors located at known positions may be used to calculate the total length of the tree.

Abstract: A feed roll for tree handling has a number of strips which substantially cover its outer face. The strips have leading and trailing edges shaped to interdigitate with one another. A layer of resilient or slippery material is located between the strips and a drum. The strips can rock slightly.

Abstract: A helicopter has a power unit supported on an arch support member above an airframe. The power unit may be moved forward and rearward by a trim actuator to trim the helicopter and tilted about pitch and roll axes by control actuators for directional control. The control actuators may form a parallelogram linkage with the arms of the arch support member. Each control actuator may comprise a hydraulic cylinder having two cavities and a pair of pistons which further divide each cavity into a pair of volumes. The arch support member and landing gear assemblies may connect to transversely extending struts. The landing gear assemblies may be designed to progressively deform in case of a high impact landing.

Abstract: An off-road vehicle has an undercarriage and a superstructure and a tilting mechanism for levelling the superstructure. The tilting mechanism comprises upper and lower members coupled to tilt about a tilt axis by a hinge. The lower member is pivotally mounted to the undercarriage. A brake allows the orientation of the tilt axis relative to the undercarriage to be locked. The tilt mechanism allows the superstructure to be levelled by a method which includes the steps of releasing the brake, rotating the lower member until the tilt axis is horizontal, and tilting the upper member about the tilt axis until the superstructure is level. The tilting mechanism is simple and provides a full range of tilt in all directions. A tilting mechanism may be retrofitted to existing vehicles.

Abstract: The invention provides a drive system for extending or retracting a boom. The boom comprises an elongated boom slidably mounted to a vehicle. The drive system comprises: a flat belt extending generally parallel to the boom; a rotatable drum mounted to the vehicle; and a pair of spaced apart rollers adjacent the rotatable drum. The belt is attached to the boom by couplings at either end of the belt. A loop of the belt extends through a gap between the pair of spaced apart rollers and around an outer circumference of the rotatable drum. The gap has a width less than a diameter of the rotatable drum. The drive system can be used to advantage in a forestry machine such as a tree delimber.

Abstract: A Snubber is used to damp the swing of the door on an excavator bucket to prevent the door form being damaged by repeatedly slamming shut. The snubber has housing which mounts to an excavator bucket and a shaft pivotally mounted in the housing and connected to an excavator door. The shaft turns when the excavator door opens. The housing has a cylindrical cavity around the shaft. The cavity is divided into two volumes by a dam and a wiper arm on the shaft. The wiper arm forces hydraulic fluid to flow through an orifice between the volumes as the shaft turns. The wiper arm has end seals which seal against end walls of the cavity. The end seals are forced outwardly by hydraulic pressure when the door is closing. A one-way valve allows hydraulic fluid to bypass the orifice while the door is opening. The snubber requires less maintenance than previous friction snubbers.

Abstract: A Snubber is used to damp the swing of the door on an excavator bucket to prevent the door form being damaged by repeatedly slamming shut. The snubber has housing which mounts to an excavator bucket and a shaft pivotally mounted in the housing and connected to an excavator door. The shaft turns when the excavator door opens. The housing has a cylindrical cavity around the shaft. The cavity is divided into two volumes by a dam and a wiper arm on the shaft. The wiper arm forces hydraulic fluid to flow through an orifice between the volumes as the shaft turns. The wiper arm has end seals which seal against end walls of the cavity. The end seals are forced outwardly by hydraulic pressure when the door is closing. A one-way valve allows hydraulic fluid to bypass the orifice while the door is opening. The snubber requires less maintenance than previous friction snubbers.

Abstract: A combined tree feller processor has a head mounted to a boom with a three-axis coupling. The coupling allows an operator to control the orientation of the head. The head has tree processing means and a continuously rotating high speed saw for cutting trees. While trees are being cut the head is held firmly with respect to rotation about a third generally vertical axis. After a tree has fallen the third axis is in a horizontal position and is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the head. The head is allowed to float with respect to the third axis as the tree is processed.

Abstract: A reciprocating piston gas compressor driven by an integral internal combustion engine is disclosed. The compressor may be used as an air compressor but has particular application for compressing natural gas from natural gas wells. It has few moving parts. The compressor has a reciprocating assembly, one end of which functions as the piston in an engine and the other end of which functions as the piston in a compressor. Motion of the assembly is regulated by a crankshaft. The crankshaft is connected to the reciprocating assembly by a linkage having arms which pass on either side of the assembly. The crankshaft preferably extends through a slot in the reciprocating assembly. Several compressors may be combined to make a multi-stage compressor.