Patent ID: 9357717
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: A01G,B27L

Claim Text:
1. A method of delimbing a tree trunk using an assembly including a main body with a bottom face and a set of limbing knives enclosing the trunk, the limbing knives including a spring-loaded limbing knife that is forced against the trunk, wherein the spring-loaded limbing knife has a compliance associated therewith, wherein the compliance of the spring-loaded limbing knife is the length of a stroke of travel of the spring-loaded limbing knife, wherein the bottom face of the main body acts as an upper stop for the spring-loaded limbing knife such that the stroke of travel of the spring-loaded limbing knife extends from the trunk at one extreme to the bottom face of the main body at another extreme, and wherein the compliance of the spring-loaded limbing knife may be adjusted depending on the characteristics of the tree trunk to be delimbed, the method comprising: using a control unit to repeatedly adjust the limbing knives for adaption to a varying thickness of the trunk when the trunk is advanced between the knives for the delimbing of the trunk; setting a desired compliance of the spring-loaded limbing knife in the control unit; detecting and continuously signaling an actual compliance of the spring-loaded limbing knife; and performing the adjustments of the limbing knives using the control unit until the actual compliance of the spring-loaded limbing knife corresponds to the desired compliance of the spring-loaded limbing knife.