Patent ID: 6345651
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: A01G,B27B

Abstract:
A delimbing and cutting head of a harvesting machine, comprising:a body (22) mounted on the boom of the machine to be tiltable and rotatable, which is provided with at least one pair of grip arms (14,16) articulately mounted on the body (22) for gripping a tree trunk, whereby the grip arms (14,16) are at least on one edge so sharpened that they simultaneously serve as delimbing blades, a cutting saw (19), and at least one pair of drive wheels (100), in which the drive wheels (100) are provided with drive means so that the drive wheels (100) are rotatable in both directions of rotation, and which drive wheels (100) are mounted on the body (22) to be turnable with the aid of pivoting arms (120), wherewith the drive wheels (100) are adapted to grip the tree trunk on opposite sides of the tree trunk, each drive wheel (100) comprising a hub liner (101) made of metal, to which an elastic material layer (102) is attached and on top of which drive wheel (100) chains (166) have been disposed for enhancing the grip between the drive wheel (100) and the tree trunk, wherein the drive wheel (100) is provided with fixing means (105 through 112, 114, 119; 113, 115, 119) at both its ends (100A, 100B) for securing said chains, whereby the chains (116) being structured and arranged to be secured to said fixing means (105 through 112, 114, 119; 113, 115, 119) and pretightened in place so as to compress the elastic material layer (102) in an axial direction of said drive wheel; wherein at a first end (100A) of the drive wheel, the fixing means (105 through 112, 114, 119; 113, 115, 119) comprises a metallic support ring (105) arranged adjacent the elastic material layer (102), a first fixing flange (112) coupled to said support ring and of means for adjusting a relative distance between the support ring (105) and the first fixing flange (112).