AU2008229624B2

AU2008229624B2 - Cutting head support

Info

Publication number: AU2008229624B2
Application number: AU2008229624A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Warren Marshall; Simon Wilkinson
Original assignee: AUSTRALIAN ALLWOOD COPPICING AND PRUNING SERVICES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: AUSTRALIAN ALLWOOD COPPICING AND PRUNING SERVICES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-19
Filing date: 2008-03-14
Publication date: 2012-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 2028-03-14
Also published as: AU2008229624A1; NZ576000A; WO2008113107A1

Abstract

A cutting head support (11) which is adapted to be mounted to an articulated boom, the cutting head support comprises a base (13) which in use is to pivotally support a cutting tool (21) through a mounting (19) such that the cutting tool extends outwardly from one side of the base. The mounting is pivotally supported from the base and is associated with a link member (29) pivotally mounted between the mounting and a pivot (33). The link member is supported from the mounting at a position radially displaced from the pivot axis of the mounting and in opposed relation to the cutting tool, wherein the pivot is spaced from the mounting. The link member is pivotally and slidabty supported on the pivot. The cutting head support includes a drive means (35, 37) capable of causing angular displacement of the link member about the pivot resulting in the rotation of the mounting to cause angular displacement of the cutting tool.

Description

WO 2008/113107 PCT/AU2008/000362 - 1 Cutting Head Support Field of the Invention This invention relates to a support for a cutting head and has particular application 5 to a cutting head which can be utilised in pruning and coppicing trees in a plantation or in a dense vegetation situation. Background Art A particular application of the invention relates to use in plantations in trimming branches from trees and/or reducing the number of stems resulting from the 10 coppicing from the stump of a tree. The usual method of undertaking this action is have a chain saw operator manually remove the requisite branches and/or stems. This requires the operator to walk through the plantation carrying the chain saw and operate on each tree and can be a very labour intensive and hazardous activity. 15 It is an object of the invention to provide a cutting head support which is able to be manipulated to provide a locate a cutting head at a variety of positions around a tree trunk without the necessity for the machine supporting the cutting head to move around the tree trunk. In the case of the particular application referred to above this then enables the action of removal of branches and stems to be 20 effected using a vehicle having an articulated boom without the need for the operator to use a cutting tool and manually apply the cutting tool to the tree.. Disclosure of the Invention Throughout the specification and claim, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be 25 understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

WO 2008/113107 PCT/AU2008/000362 -2 According to one aspect the invention resides in a cutting head support which is adapted to be mounted to an articulated boom, the cutting head support comprises a base which in use is to pivotally support a cutting tool through a mounting such that the cutting tool extend outwardly from one side of the base, 5 the mounting pivotally supported from the base, the mounting associated with a link member pivotally mounted between the mounting and a pivot, the link member supported from the mounting at a position radially displaced from the pivot axis of the mounting in opposed relation to the cutting tool, wherein the pivot is spaced from the mounting, the link member being pivotally and slidably 10 supported on the pivot, a drive means capable of causing angular displacement of the link member about the pivot resulting in the rotation of the mounting to cause angular displacement of the cutting tool. According to a preferred feature of the invention the mounting is provided with a radial portion and the link member is pivotally mounted to the radial portion. 15 According to a preferred feature of the invention the drive is adapted to cause the spacing between the radial portion and the pivot to vary as a result of said displacement. According to another aspect the invention resides in a cutting head support which is adapted to be mounted to an articulated boom, the cutting head support 20 comprising a base which in use is to pivotally support a cutting tool through a mounting such that the cutting tool extends outwardly from one side of the base, the mounting pivotally supported from the base, the mounting associated with a linkage comprising a radial portion intended in use to extend in opposed relation to the cutting tool, an elongate link member pivotally mounted at one end to the 25 radial portion, the elongate link member having a longitudinal slot, a pivot is spaced from the radial portion, the pivot being received in the slot whereby the link member is both pivotally and slidably supported on the pivot, a drive means mounted between the base and the link member whereby drive means is capable of causing displacement of the link member about the pivot resulting in the 30 rotation of the mounting to cause angular displacement of the cutting tool.

WO 2008/113107 PCT/AU2008/000362 - 3 According to a preferred feature of both aspects of the invention the drive comprises a drive member located to one side of the link member and connected between the base and the link member. According to a preferred feature of both aspects of the invention of the invention the drive comprises a pair of drive 5 members located to each side of the link member and connected between the base and the link member. According to a preferred feature of both aspects of the invention the connection of the drive means to the link member is located between the mounting and the pivot. According to a preferred feature of both aspects of the invention the drive members comprise fluid operated rams which are 10 cooperatively interconnected to be able to cause said displacement. According to a preferred feature of both aspects of the invention the cutting tool comprises a chain saw bar which is supported at one end from the base and extends from the base. According to a preferred feature of both aspects of the invention the cutting tool is driven from a second drive means supported from the 15 cutting head support. The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment. Brief description of the drawings The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: 20 Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a cutting head support according to the embodiment; and Figures 2, 3 and 4 are plan views of the cutting head support illustrating the pivotal movement of the cutting tool on the cutting head support. Detailed description of specific embodiment 25 The embodiment is directed to a support for a cutting head which is capable of being mounted to the end of the articulated boom (not shown) which is supported WO 2008/113107 PCT/AU2008/000362 -4 from a vehicle. The articulated boom is of the same form as that utilised with excavation buckets and the like and the vehicle can comprise a specialised vehicle or may be one such as an agricultural tractor having a 3-point linkage which is able to support the arm.. The boom comprises a pair of arms pivotally 5 interconnected whereby one end of the pair of arms is pivotally supported from the vehicle to be about pivotable about a both a substantially transverse axis and an upright axis of the vehicle and which has the appropriate drives for controlling the movement in each axis. The arms are also interconnected by a hydraulic cylinder or like which is capable of causing pivotal movement of the outer arm with 10 respect to the inner arm while the outer end of the outer arm pivotally supports a support element the movement of which is controlled by a further hydraulic cylinder to vary the attitude of the support element with respect to the outer arm. The cutting head support according to the embodiment and as shown in the drawings is adapted to be mounted to the support element of the boom and 15 comprises a base 11 formed with a central portion 13 and a pair of laterally extending portions 15 and 17. One end of the central portion 13 supports a mounting 19 which is intended to support a cutting tool. In the case of the embodiment the cutting tool 21 comprises a chainsaw bar. The chain saw bar is driven from a hydraulic drive motor 23 or a like drive which is capable of driving 20 the chainsaw bar 21and which is supported on the mounting. The mounting 19 is pivotally supported from the central portion 13 of the housing to be rotatable about a first pivot 25 whereby rotation of the mounting results in angular displacement of the cutting tool through approximately 1800. The mounting 19 is associated with a linkage which comprises in part a radial arm 25 27 which extends from the mounting 19 in opposed relation to the cutting tool 21. The linkage also comprises in part an elongate link member 29 which is pivotally supported at one end from the radial arm 27. The other end portion of the link member 29 is provided with an elongate slot 31. The linkage further comprises a second pivot 33 towards the other end of the central portion 13. The slot is 30 engaged with the second pivot and as a result the elongate link member is slidably and pivotally supported upon the second pivot.

WO 2008/113107 PCT/AU2008/000362 - 5 Each lateral portion 15 and 17 of the housing 11 supports a fluid operated ram 35 and 37 respectively. The outer ends of the rams mounted at one end to the outer end of the respective lateral portion 15 and 17 and are pivotally connected at the other end to the link member 29 at a position intermediate of the radial arm 27 5 and the adjacent end of the slot 31. On co-operative retraction and extension of the fluid operated rams 35 and 37 the connection between the rams and the link member 29 is caused to be displaced laterally and as a result of the support provided by the second pivot the link member itself is displace angularly about the second pivot 33 the radial arm is 10 correspondingly displaced to cause the angular displacement of the cutting head support 19 and thus the cutting tool 21. The degree of movement that is available to the cutting bar as a result of the cutting head support of the embodiment together with that which is provided by the articulated boom enables an operator to prune or coppice each of the trees in a row of a plantation by moving along one 15 side of the row whereby in servicing each tree the cutting head is able to be access 360 degrees around the trunk of the tree. The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, elements and 20 methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein..

Claims

1. A cutting head support which is adapted to be mounted to an articulated boom, the cutting head support comprises a base which in use is to 5 pivotally support a cutting tool through a mounting such that the cutting tool extend outwardly from one side of the base, the mounting pivotally supported from the base, the mounting associated with a link member pivotally mounted between the mounting and a pivot, the link member supported from the mounting at a position radially displaced from the pivot 10 axis of the mounting in opposed relation to the cutting tool, wherein the pivot is spaced from the mounting, the link member being pivotally and slidably supported on the pivot, a drive means capable of causing angular displacement of the link member about the pivot resulting in the rotation of the mounting to cause angular displacement of the cutting tool. 15

2. A cutting head support as claimed at claim 1 wherein the mounting is provided with a radial portion and the link member is pivotally mounted to the radial portion.

3. A cutting head support as claimed at claim 1 or 2 wherein the drive is adapted to cause the spacing between the radial portion and the pivot to 20 vary as a result of said displacement.

4. A cutting head support which is adapted to be mounted to an articulated boom, the cutting head support comprising a base which in use is to pivotally support a cutting tool through a mounting such that the cutting tool extends outwardly from one side of the base, the mounting pivotally 25 supported from the base, the mounting associated with a linkage comprising a radial portion intended in use to extend in opposed relation to the cutting tool, an elongate link member pivotally mounted at one end to the radial portion, the elongate link member having a longitudinal slot, a pivot is spaced from the radial portion, the pivot being received in the slot WO 2008/113107 PCT/AU2008/000362 -7 whereby the link member is both pivotally and slidably supported on the pivot, a drive means mounted between the base and the link member whereby drive means is capable of causing displacement of the link member about the pivot resulting in the rotation of the mounting to cause 5 angular displacement of the cutting tool.

5. A cutting head support as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the drive comprises a drive member located to one side of the link member and connected between the base and the link member.

6. A cutting head support as claimed at any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the 10 drive comprises a pair of drive members located to each side of the link member and connected between the base and the link member.

7. A cutting head support as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the connection of the drive means to the link member is located between the mounting and the pivot. 15

8. A cutting head support as claimed at any one of claims 5, 6 or 7wherein in the drive members comprise fluid operated rams which are cooperatively interconnected to be able to cause said displacement.

9. A cutting head support as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the cutting tool comprises a chain saw bar which is supported at 20 one end from the base and extends from the base.

10.A cutting head support as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the cutting tool is driven from a second drive means supported from the cutting head.

11.A cutting head support substantially as herein described with reference to 25 the accompanying drawings.