Abstract:
A hydraulic control circuit for uniform controlled movement of stripping and guiding arms in a tree delimbing apparatus. A pair of flow divider combiner valves allow equal amounts of pressurized fluid to communicate with and actuate said cylinders. The piston rods of said cylinders are mechanically coupled to rotate tubular sleeve members with affixed stripping and guide arms between outward and inward positions. The flow divider combiner valves provide equal rates of said fluid to flow to said cylinders to insure said piston rods and mechanically affixed stripping arms and guide arms are moved at equal rates of speed. Thus the stripping levers and guide arms open and close about a felled tree in a uniform manner for delimbing operations.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hydraulic control circuit for a delimbing apparatus and more particularly to the control of the stripping and guiding arms present on such a delimbing apparatus. In even greater particularity, the present invention relates to a hydraulic control circuit which allows independent controlled movement of the stripping arms and guide arms in operation with a delimbing apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tree delimbing devices are generally known in the prior art of the forestry and tree harvesting industry. These delimbers typically utilize stripping arms and guide arms to facilitate the delimbing operation. A felled tree is moved longitudinally through a support frame of a delimber which supports the arms that guide and subsequently strip the outwardly extending limbs of the tree. A knuckle boom loader is normally used to grasp and move the tree through the delimbing device. When the delimbing process is completed the stripped trunks of the felled trees may be placed on a transport trailer by the knuckle boom loader. 
     Uniform inward and outward movement of the stripping and guide arms is required to maintain the felled tree in a centered position within the support frame of the delimber. A centered position of the felled trees is required for an efficient delimbing operation. Stripping arms may gouge the trunk of a felled tree which has not been properly centered as it is moved through the delimber thereby impairing the forward longitudinal movement of the tree and delaying the entire delimbing process. 
     In the past, delimbers have utilized different means for providing uniform inward and outward movement of the stripping and guiding arms. Resilient springs were often used as a method of moving the arms inward and to maintain the arms against the trunks of the felled trees. Positive gear drives such as those found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,012 issued to Hamby have also been used to control the inward movement of the stripping and guide arms in other delimbing machines. These gears are drivingly interconnected to time mechanically the closing of one arm with another. Such gearing means add a great deal of manufacturing expense to the delimbing apparatus. Often, hydraulically activated cylinders are used to move these stripping and guiding arms to their open position while the resilient means control the inward movement to maintain the arms against the tree trunk when the hydraulic cylinder rods are extended. There is a need for a controlled independent uniform operation of these stripping and guide arms to allow for efficient consistent delimbing operations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     With the foregoing in mind, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic control circuit for a delimbing apparatus which allows independent timed control of the stripping and guiding arms. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic control circuit for a delimbing apparatus which can be connected to the hydraulic system of knuckle boom loader commonly used in conjunction with delimbing devices. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished through the use of a hydraulic control circuit which provides equal flow rates of pressurized hydraulic fluid to hydraulically activated cylinders that are operatively connected to the stripping and guiding arms. The system will also provide increased flow to cylinder which encounters the greatest resistance to keep the respective cylinders synchronized in movement. The hydraulic control circuit utilizes flow divider combiner valves. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the delimbing apparatus in which the present invention may be employed; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stripping lever affixed to sleeve and coupled to a hydraulic cylinder; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmented view of the guiding arms and related mechanisms; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmented top plan view of the support frame and associated levers; and 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic of a hydraulic circuit incorporating the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is designed to be employed in a tree delimbing apparatus 11 which may utilize a reciprocating saw 12 for topping the felled trees 13 after the delimbing operation. A log skidder or loader is used to drag the felled trees 13 to an area near the delimbing apparatus 11. A knuckle boom loader 14 is connected to the tree delimber 11 via trailer frame members 15. The knuckle boom loader 14 has a grapple 16 for grasping one or more of the felled trees 13. The felled trees 13 are placed in the cutter head assembly 17 of the delimbing apparatus 11. 
     The cutter head assembly 17 includes a linear support frame 18 with a pair of curved stripping arms 19 and 19&#39; pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from each other. The stripping arms 19 and 19&#39; define a circular opening for the longitudinal movement of a tree 13 therethrough. Guide arms 21 and 21&#39; also define a circular opening for guiding and stabilizing the movement of the tree 13. These stripping arms 19, 19&#39; and guide arms 21 and 21&#39; are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The lower ends of the stripping arms 19, 19&#39; and guide arms 21, 21&#39; are affixed to a set of sleeves which rotate about a pair of shafts 23 and 24. In FIG. 2 a stripping arm 19 is shown in greater detail. A curved cutting blade 20 is affixed to stripping arm 19. The stripping arm 19 is fixed at a lower end to a tubular sleeve member 22 which rotates about shaft 24. In similar fashion, the guiding arms 21 and 21&#39; are fixed to tubular sleeve members 25 and 25&#39; which rotate about shafts 23 and 24 as shown in FIG. 4. 
     The tubular sleeve members 22, 22&#39; and the affixed stripping arms 19, 19&#39; are rotated to an outwardly open position by a first pair of hydraulic cylinders 28 and 28&#39;. Cylinders 28 and 28&#39; include a piston 30 and piston rod 31. As seen in FIG. 2 one end of piston rod 31 extends from cylinder 28 and is connected by pin 33 to a lever arm 32. This lever arm 32 is affixed to one end of a sleeve member 22. The cylinders 28, 28&#39; are also connected at one end to support bracket 34 attached to a wall of the support frame 18. The piston rod 31 extends from and is drawn within cylinder 28 thereby forcing the coupled lever arm 32 to rotate tubular sleeve member 22 and affixed stripping arm 19 between an outward and an inward position. 
     In similar fashion, a second pair of hydraulic cylinders 29 and 29&#39; are connected to the lever arms 32 of tubular sleeve members 25 and 25&#39;. Thus the piston rods 31 of cylinders 29, 29&#39; rotate the affixed guide arms 21 and 21&#39; between outward and inward positions as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     These first and second sets of hydraulic cylinders 28, 28&#39; and 29, 29&#39; each have a blind end port 38 as well as a rod end port 39 as seen in the schematic of FIG. 5. The blind end ports 38 of cylinders 28 and 28&#39; are connected by conduits 41 and 42 to a flow divider combiner valve 48. The blind end ports 38 of cylinders 29 and 29&#39; are also connected to a flow divider combiner valve 49 through conduits 44 and 45. 
     Conduit 41 connects to a port 46 of the flow divider combiner valve 48 while conduit 42 connects to a port 47 of the flow divider combiner valve 48. The conduit 44 connects to port 51 of flow divider combiner valve 49, while conduit 45 connects to port 52 the same valve 49. Fluid communication through the valves 48 and ports 46 and 47 is accomplished via common form port 53. Likewise, ports 51 and 52 connect within flow divider combiner valve 49 to permit flow through common port 54 as can be seen in FIG. 5. The ports 53 and 54 connect to conduit 55 which further connects to port 56 of the manifold block 43. 
     The cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29 and 29&#39; all have rod end ports 39 as discussed hereinabove. Rod end port 39 of cylinder 28 is connected via conduit 58 to port 61 of manifold block 43. In a similar manner, the rod end port 39 of cylinder 28&#39; is connected by conduit 59 to port 62. Cylinder 29 is connected by conduit 63 from the rod inlet port 39 to port 66 on the manifold block 43. Similarly the rod end port 39 of cylinder 29&#39; is connected by conduit 64 to port 67 of the manifold block 43. Ports 61 and 62 from cylinders 28, 28&#39; connect to form conduit 68 while ports 66 and 67 from cylinders 29 and 29&#39; further connect to form conduit 69. The conduits 68 and 69 connect to form a common port 71. 
     Ports 56 and 71 further connect to a hydraulic accumulator circuit indicated in FIG. 5 by reference numeral 72 and generally known in the art. Port 56 connects through conduit 73 to knuckle boom loader 14. Port 71 connects with conduit 74 through a restriction valve 76 and a gauge 77 to an accumulator 78. A pair of relief valves 79 and 81 connect conduit 73 with conduit 74 as seen in FIG. 5. In operation the relief valves 79 and 81 maintain a predetermined operating pressure in the hydraulic circuit when the conduit 73 connected to knuckle boom loader 14 is closed. 
     Method of Operation 
     In operation, an operator located in the knuckle boom loader 14 selects a mode on control valve to open conduit 72. Fluid from knuckle boom loader 14 is forced under pressure through open port 56 on to first ports 53 and 54 of flow divider combiner valves 48 and 49. The fluid passes through flow divider combiner valves 48 and 49. These flow divider combiner valves 48, 49 equalize the flow of fluid out the second and third ports 46 and 47 with respect to valve 48 as well as out of second and third ports 51 and 52 of flow divider combiner valve 49. The fluid is carried via conduits 41 and 42 to the blind end ports 38 of cylinders 28 and 28&#39;. 
     This fluid forces the piston 30 to move within cylinders 28, 28&#39; thereby extending the piston rods 31. The piston rods 31 of cylinders 28 and 28&#39; are coupled at one end to the lever arm 32 of sleeve members 22 and 22&#39; as discussed hereinabove. The extension of the piston rods 31 forces the sleeve members 22 and 22&#39; to rotate about shafts 23 and 24 moving the affixed stripping arms 19, 19&#39; to outward positions away from one another. Simultaneously, the fluid is carried via conduits 44 and 45 to the blind end ports 38 of cylinders 29 and 28&#39;. Again the fluid forces the piston 30 as before extending piston rods 31. Piston rods 31 are coupled to lever arms 32 for rotating sleeve members 25 and 25&#39;. The affixed guide arms 21, 21&#39; are also rotated to outward positions away from one another. The delimbing apparatus 11 is now in the &#34;open&#34; position for accepting felled trees 13 for delimbing operations. 
     Should one of the stripping arms 19, 19&#39; or guide arms 21, 21&#39; meet resistance when moving to an outward position the flow divider combiner valves 48, 49 will allow a greater volume of fluid to pass through the respective ports 46, 47, 51, 52 and conduits 41, 42, 44, 45 of that particular cylinder 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; to allow that piston rod 31 to move at a rate of extension equal to piston rods 31 of the remaining cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 28&#39;. Thus the stripping arms and guide arms 19, 19&#39;, 21, 21&#39; all move away from one another to an &#34;open&#34; position. Also, after one of piston rods 31 is fully extended, the flow divider combiner valves pass fluid at equal rates to the remaining cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; until the remaining piston rods 31 are fully extended as well. This allows the cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; to resynchronize at the end of this stroke. 
     After the operator has the trees 13 in place within the delimbing apparatus 11 a control valve on knuckle boom loader 14 is selectively operated to close conduit 73 which allows fluid from accumulator 77 to flow through conduit 74 and restriction valve 76 to enter port 71. Fluid from port 71 enters conduits 68 and 69. Fluid flows through conduit 68 out ports 61 and 62 of the manifold block 43 and is carried by conduits 58 and 59 to rod end ports 39 of cylinders 28 and 28&#39;. Conduit 69 also carries fluid out ports 66 and 67 of the manifold block 43 through conduits 63 and 64 to the rod end ports 39 of cylinders 29 and 29&#39;. 
     Fluid enters the rod end ports 39 of cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29 and 29&#39; forcing the piston 30 within the cylinders to withdraw the piston rods 31. As the piston rods 31 are withdrawn the end connected to lever arm 32 of sleeve members 22, 22&#39;, 25, 25&#39; are rotated about shafts 23 and 24 to move each of the affixed stripping arms 19, 19&#39; and guide arms 21, 21&#39; toward one another to an inward position about the felled trees 13. Simultaneously with piston rods 31 being withdrawn the fluid is forced from the blind end ports 38 of cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; through conduits 41, 42, 44, and 45 back through second and third ports 46 and 47 of flow divider combiner valve 48 as well as through second and third ports 51 and 52 of flow divider combiner valve 49. These flow divider combiners valves 48, 49 allow fluid to pass back through at equal rates to insure the rods 31 of cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; are withdrawn at equal rates of speed. This in turn insures the stripping arms 19, 19&#39; and guide arms 21, 21&#39; move inward about felled tree 13 at the same speed. The cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; are resynchronized at the end of the stroke which draws inward the piston rods 31. When one of the piston rods 31 is fully withdrawn, the flow divider combiner valves 48, 49 pass equal rates of fluid to the remaining cylinders 28, 28&#39;, 29, 29&#39; until the remaining piston rods 31 are fully withdrawn as well. 
     While I have shown my invention in one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. 
     Having set forth the nature of the invention.