Abstract:
An attachment for front end loaders and for tree cutting devices attached to a front end loader provides a hydraulically extending serrated edge which may be positioned below the ground surface in front of the loader or the tree cutting device to remove small saplings and cut through roots around a tree. The attachment may also be retracted into an upright position out of the way of the front end loader, a front mounted accessory or a front mounted tree cutting device when using the accessory or tree cutting device and extended forward to push a material or a tree being cut in a direction in front of the accessory or tree cutting device and away from the front end loader.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   None 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   An attachment for front end loaders and for tree cutting devices attached to a front end loader provides an extending serrated edge which may be positioned below the ground surface in front of the loader or the tree cutting device to remove small saplings and cut through roots around a tree. The attachment may also be retracted into an upright position out of the way of the front end loader, a front bucket or a front mounted tree cutting device when using the bucket or tree cutting device and hydraulically extended forward to push a tree being cut in a direction in front of the tree cutting device and away from the front end loader. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to grubber attachments and tree saw devices. 
   Grubber has been known in the art as a term describing machine attachments adapted to tractors and other powered agricultural or industrial vehicles which are attached to the powered vehicles, either by hydraulics or a three point hitch, in front of or behind the equipment. It is utilized to cut below or at the surface of a location to remove vegetation or debris and to cut through subsurface roots. These earlier grubber devices are disclosed in the prior art below. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,662 to Cusenbury is a tree grubber attached to a tractor in the front of the tractor to remove trees and tree stumps, being inserted underneath the tree or stump and raised or pried from the dirt. This grubber bit has a serrated edge mounted between two support arms and is adapted to the hydraulics of the tractor, with the lifting apparatus being the supplied hydraulic connection at the bit and also the frame incorporated into the transmission of the tractor through gears and sprockets. The hydraulics apply the force to direct the bit underneath the stump, with the front end of the frame being lifted by the tractor transmission. 
   Adapted to a three point hitch of a tractor is the tree grubber disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,644 to Harkness which has a front lower sharpened V-shaped blade and a rear a serrated flat edge, the serrated edge being planted in the ground to serve as a fulcrum for the front V-shaped blade, the V-shaped blade being the cutting blade for the device to lift a tree, a tree stump or a stone from the ground. A root grubber is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,340 to Muncy which is adapted to a boom arm of a backhoe. It includes a V-shaped cutting edge which may be applied under the ground to uproot a tree or a tree stump as attached to the backhoe. 
   A bareroot tree and stump extraction device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,831 which utilizes a plurality of forward extending tines to either dig below the surface to uproot a tree, preferably disclosed for use in lifting bareroot trees without losing the surrounding earth on the roots of the tree. This patent is disclosed more for the mounting plate to which the tines are attached to demonstrate the back mounting plate used in the present device which is ideal for use in the present invention as the mounting plate frame  10  engaging the tool connection plate  13  of the powered vehicle to which the present grubber and push bar attachment device would employ when not adapted to a tree saw, disclosed below. 
   Implements associated with powered vehicle used in construction and land development intended for adaptation by the present grubber and push bar attachment device include the Marshall Tree Saw, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,971 to Marshall and advertised for sale at www.marshalltreesaw.com and www.abcgroff.com. Other tree saw devices to which the present device may be adated include U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,978 to Simpson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,279 to Underwood or U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,144,993 and 5,101,873, both to Marshall, as well as many of the attachments disclosed in the BOBCAT® advertisement found at www.bobcat.com and pages 38 through 47 of the “WORKSAVER BOBCATALOG 2005”. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In the agricultural and construction trades, use of heavy machinery for clearing and maintaining land are frequently used to remove trees and vegetation from the land for development or maintenance of the property. In other instances, smaller front end loading equipment is used, especially in places where use of heavier equipment is prohibited or restricted. In the industry, small front end loading equipment is known in the art, some of it manufactured and sold under the BOBCAT® tradename and other major manufacturers, with a large number of attachments and accessories as previously disclose in prior art and trade magazines. Some of the attachments are adapted to the front of the front end loaders and tractors, while others are adapted to the rear of the vehicles, in either case being operated by the hydraulics of the tractor or front end loaders. 
   A line of tree cutting machines has been developed and has found use in conjunction with the front end loaders, particularly as tree cutting device known as the Marshall Tree Saw, manufactured by Hill Manufacturing Company. This tree saw attached to the front end loader and with the use of the hydraulic connections, cuts through relatively large diameter trees. The present device is specifically adapted for use with tree cutting devices, including the Marshall Tree Saw, although provided as a single device attachment for a front end loader, or adapted to any number of front end loader accessories and attachments. 
   The present device, when provided as a single attachment device, may be used in a lowered position to under cut brush and subsurface roots, and remove tree stumps and small trees, having a front serrated cutting blade which is positioned either on the ground surface or slightly below the ground surface as the front end loader is driven forward. The front serrated cutting blade may be raised during forward motion from a position above the ground all the way to a vertical position. The cutting blade may also be lowered from the vertical position to compress materials in front of the front end loader and used to scrape and level soil as the front end loader is driven forward or in reverse. 
   When adapted to a tree cutting device, the present device may be mounted upon the framework of the tree cutting device providing the front serrated cutting blade in front of the tree cutting device when placed in a lowered horizontal position to uproot small brush and debris in front of a tree to provide better access to the tree for cutting by the tree cutting device. The tree cutting device will sometimes allow small vegetation being removed to become lodged within the mechanical components and chains or the devices and also become bent and lodged between the cutting blade and the framework, as small saplings and small tress will bend before being cut, unlike larger trees. 
   The present device may also be placed in the upright vertical position and pushed forward during the tree cutting process to apply force to fall the tree in a direction in front of the front end loader to further prevent the tree from falling in the direction of the cab of the front end loader. This allows the tree cutting device to have a more versatile application and adapt the tree cutting device to remove large and small vegetation, a soil leveling feature and an additional safety feature when cutting larger trees. 
   The primary objective of the grubber and push bar attachment device is to provide an accessory adapted to a front end loader and connecting to the hydraulics of the front end loader to remove small trees, brush, roots and tree stumps in a lowered position, and to compress debris and materials from a raised to lowered position. A secondary objective is provide the device as a soil leveling and scraping device for a front end loader. 
   When adapted to a tree cutting device, the purpose of the grubber and push bar attachment device is to provide a means of removing small vegetation and debris in front of the tree cutting device for better access to the tree to be cut. Another objective of the device when adapted to a tree cutting device is to provide the blade in a vertical position as the tree is being cut to apply a forward force to the tree being cut to direct the fall of the tree away from the front end loader. 
   As adapted to an attachment or accessory to a front end loader other than a tree cutting device, the objective of the present grubber and push bar attachment is again to remove vegetation and brush in front of the attachment or accessory to enhance the utility of the attachment or accessory. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application. 
       FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the tree grubber and push bar attachment device attached to a front-end loader mounting plate. 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the serrated cutting blade. 
       FIG. 3  is a close-up isolated view of the teeth along the serrated cutting blade. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the front portion of the device with the serrated cutting blade extended in a cutting position. 
       FIG. 5  is the side view of the front portion of the device with the serrated cutting blade rotated in a leveling position and the posterior portion of the blade directed towards the ground under the front portion. 
       FIG. 6  is an upper perspective expanded diagram of the device components. 
       FIG. 7  is an upper perspective view of the rear adapter mounting bracket. 
       FIG. 8  is an upper perspective view of the front adapter mounting bracket. 
       FIG. 9  is an upper perspective view of the device adapted to an accessory implement indicating the location of attachment of the device to the accessory implement. 
       FIG. 10  is an upper perspective of the device attached to and adapted to an accessory implement attached to a front end loader, shown with the front portion and serrated cutting blade in a lowered and extended position. 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of the device attached to and adapted to an accessory implement attached to a front end loader, shown with the front portion and the serrated cutting blade in a lowered and extended position. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the device attached to and adapted to an accessory implement attached to a front end loader, shown with the front portion and the serrated cutting blade in a raised and retracted position. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A grubber and push bar device  10  for the removal of vegetation and subsurface roots, attaching directly to a front end  202  of a front end loader vehicle  200 ,  FIGS. 1-6  of the drawings, the device  10  also adapted to be mounted upon an accessory  300  attached to the front end  202  of the front end loader vehicle  200 ,  FIGS. 7-12  of the drawings. 
   The grubber and push bar device  10  comprises a mounting plate frame  20  adapted for removable attachment to a front end  202  of a front end loader vehicle  200 , a grubber and push bar assembly  30  and a cutting blade assembly  60 . The mounting plate frame  20  further comprises a lower horizontal support member  22  and at least one upper support member  23  connected between two vertical support members  24  forming a rectangle, two inner vertical mounting base members  25  attached between the lower horizontal support member  22  and the at least one upper support member  23 , each inner vertical mounting base member  25  having an upper horizontal mounting bore  27  and a lower horizontal mounting bore  29 . 
   The grubber and push bar assembly  30  further comprises two arm support members  32 , each arm support member having a first end  34  attached to an arm mounting bracket  40 , each arm mounting bracket  40  having a rear mounting projection  42  with a horizontal bore  43  attaching to the lower horizontal mounting bore  29  of the inner vertical mounting base member  25  with a pin  90 . Each arm mounting bracket  40  further defines an upper mounting projection  44  with a horizontal bore  45  connecting to a diagonal buttress arm  46  having a lower end  47  attaching to the horizontal bore  45  of the upper mounting projection  44  by a pin  90  and an upper end  48  attaching to the upper horizontal mounting bore  27  of the inner vertical mounting base member  25  with a pin  90 . Each arm support member  32  further define a second end  36 , attached together on respective lower surfaces  37  by an angle body support member  50  and on respective upper surfaces  38  by an angle body stiffening member  54 , the angle body support member  50  having an inner angle surface  52  to which a plurality of evenly spaced angle body hinge plates  55  are attached. Each hinge plate  55  has a rear hinge bore  57  and a front hinge bore  59 , shown in  FIGS. 4-6 . 
   The cutting blade assembly  60  is pivotally attached to the plurality of angle body hinge plates  55  by two pins  90  per each hinge plate  55 . The cutting blade assembly  60  further comprises a blade mounting plate  62  having an upper surface  63  to which are attached a plurality of blade mounting hinge plates  65 , equal in number and spacing to the number and location of the angle body hinge plates  55 , each blade mounting hinge plate  65  having an upper rear mounting bore  67 , a central forward mounting bore  68  and a lower rear mounting bore  69 , shown in  FIGS. 4-6 . The blade mounting plate  62  also has a lower surface  64  to which is attached a serrated cutting blade  70 , the cutting blade  70  having a lower surface  71 , an upper surface  72  directed towards the lower surface  64  of the blade mounting plate  62 , a plurality of cutting teeth  73 , shown in  FIGS. 2-3  on a forward serrated cutting margin  75 , and a flat leveling margin  77  on a rear edge  78 . Most preferably the plurality of cutting teeth  73  having an angled cutting edge  74  formed at a consistent 45 degree angle from a line a perpendicular to the serrated cutting margin  75 , as indicated in  FIG. 3 , with the 45 degree angles of each of the plurality of cutting teeth  73  directed to a central point  76  along the serrated cutting margin  75 ,  FIG. 2 . This would urge materials being cut along the serrated cutting margin  75  towards the center point  76  as they are being cut. The attachment of the cutting blade  70  to the blade mounting plate  62  may be either permanent or may be provided by a plurality of bolts  79 , allowing the cutting blade  70  to be removed for replacement or for periodic sharpening. 
   The pivotal attachment of the cutting blade assembly  60  to the angle body hinge plates  55  allows the cutting blade assembly  60  to be positioned in either a cutting position, shown in  FIG. 4 , or a leveling position,  FIG. 5 . The cutting position would define the serrated cutting margin  75  positioned horizontally in front of the angle body support member  50 . In this position, the two pins  90  would attach each angle body hinge plate  55  and each cooperating blade mounting hinge plate  65  by placing one pin  90  through the front hinge bore  59  of the angle body hinge plate  55  and the central forward mounting bore  68  of the blade mounting hinge plate  65  and the other pin  90  through the aligned rear hinge bore  57  of the angle body hinge plate  55  and the lower rear mounting bore  69  of the blade mounting hinge plate  65 . The leveling position would define the serrated cutting margin  75  presented vertically above the angle body support member  50  and the flat level margin  77  presented below the angle body support member  50 . In this position, the pin  90  connecting through the front hinge bore  59  of the angle body hinge plate  55  and the central forward mounting bore  68  of the blade mounting hinge plate  65  would remain attached and connected, but the cutting blade assembly  60  would be rotated upwards, aligning the rear hinge bore  57  of the angle body hinge plate  55  with the upper rear mounting bore  67  of the blade mounting hinge plate  65  and inserting the pin  90  once alignment is achieved, locking the cutting assembly  60  into the leveling position. 
   When referenced above, the pins  90  may be substituted by a bolt secured by a nut. In addition, secondary support gussets  80  may also be provided within the device  10  to further support the attachment of various components to one another, including an angle body support gusset  82  between each angle body support member  50  and each arm support member  32 ,  FIG. 6 , or located within the mounting plate frame  20  and between the arm mounting bracket  40  and the arm support member  32  (not shown). 
   As indicated above, the grubber and push bar device  10  may also be adapted to an accessory  300  attached to the front end  202  of the front end loader vehicle  200 , shown in  FIGS. 7-12  of the drawings, preferably to a tree cutting accessory  300  mounted to the front end  202  of a BOBCATS front end loader  200  as indicated in  FIGS. 9-12 . The grubber and push bar device  10  would be disconnected from the mounting plate frame  20  by removing the pins  90  attaching the rear mounting projection  42  of each arm mounting bracket  40  to the lower horizontal mounting bore  29  of the inner vertical mounting base  25  and removing the pins  90  attaching the upper mounting projection  44  of each arm mounting bracket  40  to the lower end  47  of the diagonal buttress arms  46 . Two rear adapter mounting brackets  120 ,  FIG. 7 , having a lower base plate  122  and an upper support member  124  with a transverse bore  126  are attached to the accessory  300  along side support members  302  upon the accessory near the front end  202  front end loader  200  to which the accessory  300  is attached, as indicated in  FIG. 9  of the drawings. Two front adapter mounting brackets  100 ,  FIG. 8 , having a lower base plate  102  and an upper support member  104  with a transverse bore  106  are attached to the accessory  300  upon a front portion  304  of the accessory  300 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   Respective hydraulic cylinders  150  are connected between each transverse bore  126  of each rear adapter mounting bracket  120  and the horizontal bore  45  of each upper mounting projection  44  of each arm mounting bracket  40  by pins  90 , while each horizontal bore  43  of each rear mounting projection  42  of each arm mounting bracket  40  is attached to each transverse bore  106  of each front adapter mounting bracket  100  by pins  90 . The hydraulic cylinders  150  are connected to the hydraulic system of the accessory and front end loader, not shown, or attached to a hydraulic diversion valve, also not shown, to select between operation of the grubber and push bar device  10  to raise and lower the adapted device  10  when attached to the accessory  300 , or to operate the accessory  300 . 
   Once the grubber and push bar device  10  is attached to the accessory  300 , as indicated in  FIGS. 9-12 , the cutting blade assembly  60  and the attached arm support members  32  may be placed in a lowered and extended position in front of the accessory  300 , shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , which would be the position used to uproot small vegetation and cut through sub-surface roots, the cutting blade assembly  60  and arm support members  32  being raised during use to uproot and extract the vegetation and sub-surface roots. The raised and retracted position, shown in  FIG. 12 , would be preferred when operation of the preferred tree cutting accessory  300  only is chosen by the operator, with the cutting blade assembly  60 , positioned out of the way of the tree cutting accessory  300 , or positioned for use during operation of the tree cutting accessory  300  as a push bar, applying an extending forward hydraulic extending force to the cutting blade assembly  60  against the trunk of a tree being cut by a tree cutting accessory  300  to push the tree forward as it is being cut. The device  10  may also be utilized to lower and extend the cutting blade assembly  60  to compress vegetation and bend it out of the way so that better access may be gained by the accessory  300  to which the device  10  is attached. 
   While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.