Disk saw felling head with visibility window

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526217-B2
Application number	US-201213611918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2012
Priority date	Sep 12, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A disk saw felling head comprises a motor housing positioned between a disk saw and harvesting and bunching cylinders so as to provide a visibility window laterally between the motor housing and a mounting post promoting visibility through the visibility window toward a cutting zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A disk saw felling head, the disk saw felling head having a fore-aft dimension, a lateral dimension, and a vertical dimension such that the fore-aft dimension, the lateral dimension, and the vertical dimension are perpendicular to one another, the disk saw felling head comprising
a frame comprising a spine, a motor housing, and a side accumulation pocket, the spine comprising a first mounting post and a second mounting post, the first and second mounting posts configured for attaching the disk saw felling head to a base machine, the first and second mounting posts spaced laterally apart from one another relative to the lateral dimension, the motor housing positioned laterally between the first and second mounting posts relative to the lateral dimension, the side accumulation pocket positioned laterally between the motor housing and the second mounting post relative to the lateral dimension,
a disk saw housed within the frame, the disk saw partially exposed outside the frame in a cutting zone at a front of the disk saw felling head relative to the fore-aft dimension,
a motor attached to the disk saw to rotate the disk saw about an axis of the disk saw, the motor positioned within the motor housing,
a harvesting arm attached pivotally to the frame to pivot relative thereto to move a felled tree into the side accumulation pocket,
a harvesting cylinder operable to pivot the harvesting arm relative to the frame,
a bunching arm attached pivotally to the frame to pivot relative thereto to hold the felled tree in the side accumulation pocket, and
a bunching cylinder operable to pivot the bunching arm relative to the frame,
the motor housing positioned between the disk saw and the harvesting and bunching cylinders relative to the vertical dimension,
a visibility window laterally between the motor housing and the first mounting post relative to the lateral dimension promoting visibility through the visibility window toward the cutting zone in a forward direction relative to the fore-aft dimension.

2. The disk saw felling head of claim 1 , wherein the visibility window is positioned on a side of the motor housing laterally opposite to the side accumulation pocket relative to the lateral dimension.

3. The disk saw felling head of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a hollow deck on which the motor housing is mounted, the deck is configured to accommodate at least one hydraulic line of the disk saw felling head within the deck, the deck is positioned between the disk saw and the motor housing relative to the vertical dimension and between the first and second mounting posts relative to the lateral dimension, and the visibility window is defined at least partially by the motor housing, the first mounting post, and the deck.

4. The disk saw felling head of claim 3 , wherein the motor housing has a height in the vertical dimension, and the motor housing partially defines the visibility window along most of its height.

5. The disk saw felling head of claim 4 , the motor housing comprises an external profile, the external profile comprises a portion that is laterally outermost with respect to one side of the axis relative to the lateral dimension and that extends vertically relative to the vertical dimension, and the portion of the external profile partially defines the visibility window.

6. The disk saw felling head of claim 3 , wherein the deck comprises an interior region configured to accommodate the at least one hydraulic line, the harvesting and bunching cylinders are positioned outside of the interior region.

7. The disk saw felling head of claim 3 , wherein the deck comprises a bottom wall, a top wall, a rear wall, and a front wall, and the bottom, top, rear, front walls span laterally between the first and second mounting posts.

8. The disk saw felling head of claim 7 , wherein the front wall comprises a front plate attached to the bottom and top walls, and front plate of the front wall partially defines the window, and the front plate rise above the top wall.

9. The disk saw felling head of claim 8 , wherein near the motor housing, a top edge of the front plate ramps up to a higher level.

10. The disk saw felling head of claim 1 , wherein each of the harvesting cylinder and the bunching cylinder are positioned above the motor housing relative to the vertical dimension.

11. The disk saw felling head of claim 10 , wherein the entirety of each of the harvesting cylinder and the bunching cylinder are positioned above the motor housing relative to the vertical dimension.

12. The disk saw felling head of claim 1 , wherein each of the harvesting cylinder and the bunching cylinder are positioned above the visibility window relative to the vertical dimension.

13. The disk saw felling head of claim 12 , wherein the entirety of each of the harvesting cylinder and the bunching cylinder are positioned above the visibility window relative to the vertical dimension.

Assignees

• Disabatino Benjamin
• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Disabatino Benjamin

Classifications

• A01G23/081 Primary

  Feller-bunchers, i.e. with bunching by felling head (A01G23/083 takes precedence) · CPC title