A. NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR FELLING TREES, AND IMPROVED ANTIFRICTION CHAIN TO BE EMPLOYED IN COMBINATION THEREWITH, SUCH CHAIN BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Glover and Richard Hamer
Gosnell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September
1878.
JAMES GLOVER, of Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and RICHARD
HAMER GOSNELL, of the same Place, Perfumer. "A. NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR FELLING TREES, AND IMPROVED ANTIFRICTION CHAIN TO BE EMPLOYED IN
COMBINATION THEREWITH, SUCH CHAIN BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
,
This Invention relates to a new or improved machine for felling trees, and to.
an antifriction chain to be employed therewith, such chain being also applicable to
other purposes where friction is to be reduced or overcome.
This machine, which is readily portable, consists of a frame composed of a lever
or bar provided with two branches, on each of which is mounted one or more
revolving cutters for making incisions in the trunk or stem of the tree to be felled,
and for guiding the machine in the desired direction. The branches are articulated
at their inner ends to the lever or bar so as to adapt the machine to the felling of
trees of all sizes. At the upper or outer end the lever or bar is furnished with a
winch for keeping taut the chain which is passed around the trunk of the tree for
the purpose of keeping the machine pressed firmly against such trunk. This chain
which is of special construction and arrangement is herein-after described.
end of this chain is secured to one of the branches, and after encircling the trunk,
passes under a friction wheel or roller mounted on an arm on the other side of the
frame, and it is then attached to a gut cord, the other end of such gut cord being
fastened to the winch.
One
Adjustable cutting tools are fixed to the branches and pass between the revolving
cutters and cut away that portion of the trunk to the depth made by the revolving
cutters.
The action is as follows:-The machine having been secured to the tree to be
felled and the revolving cutters pressed firmly against the trunk or stem, the chain
is continually kept drawn taut by the winch, the operator working its handle with
one hand while with his other hand he guides the machine against the trunk by
means of the bar or lever, and as he does so he walks around the tree pushing the

page_text: machine before him; this. ambulatory action sets the revolving cutters in motion,
and the adjustable cutting tools following behind enter the trunk and remove
portions thereof. As the operator proceeds he keeps tightening the chain, which
must be kept in the path or depression made by the cutting tools, and in this way
he continues until sufficient of the tree be felled or cut away to cause it to fall or to
allow of its being pulled down.
Instead of working the machine by manual labour it may be worked by steam,
horse, or other motive power.
Our improved antifriction chain which we purpose employing in combination
with our new or improved machine is composed of flat links, every alternate link
being of about double the size of the intermediate links, and in each of these large
links we place one or more friction rollers, so as to reduce the friction on any surface
over which the chain is placed and passes.