Patent ID: 6662835
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
In combination a mobile vehicle having a rotary tree cutter device mounted thereto for cutting tree, the rotary tree cutter device comprising:a cutting assembly having a circular blade with a serrated outer edge for cutting, and a motor connected to said blade for rotatably driving said blade; a frame assembly mounted to a frame of the mobile vehicle, the frame assembly comprising a first portion rigidly attached to the vehicle frame, and a second portion extending generally perpendicular to said first portion and fixed rigidly to said first portion, said second portion providing an offset mounting location outside of a wheel path of the mobile vehicle; and a pivot arm having a first end pivotally connected to the offset mounting location of the frame assembly for rotation about an axis transverse to the mobile vehicle's direction of travel, said pivot arm being movable relative to said frame assembly only about said transverse axis, and a second end supporting said cutting assembly, said pivot arm being movable about said axis between a lowered position in which at least a portion of the cutting edge of the circular blade is at ground level for cutting, and a raised position in which the cutting edge of the circular blade is elevated above ground level for traveling; further comprising a hydraulic actuator connected between the pivot arm and said second portion of the frame assembly for moving said pivot arm between said lowered and raised positions; said pivot arm comprising a pair of parallel side members secured together in a spaced apart relationship by a plate member extending therebetween the hydraulic actuator connected between the plate member and said second portion of the frame assembly for moving said pivot arm between said lowered and raised positions, said pivot arm further comprising a motor mount secured between the distal ends of the side members for providing a mounting surface for said motor; wherein said vehicle is a tractor having a pair of front wheels and a pair of back wheels, said second portion of the frame assembly extends between the front and rear wheels on one side of the tractor to said offset mounting location, and said cutting assembly is disposed slightly behind and offset outwardly of the front wheel on said one side of the tractor, whereby the cutting blade is highly visible by an operator of the tractor, and the tractor can continue its forward movement after each tree is cut without driving over the felled trees.