Patent ID: 7882864

Claim:
An apparatus for gripping a tree, said apparatus being attachable to a carrier boom, said apparatus being usable with a cutting device for cutting a portion of said tree, said apparatus comprising: a body, said body being mountable to said carrier boom; a pair of gripper arms mounted to said body, said pair of gripper arms being selectively movable between an open configuration in which said tree is insertable therebetween and a closed configuration in which said pair of gripper arms is able to grip said tree therebetween; and a support arm operatively coupled to said body for supporting said cutting device, said support arm including a cutting device mount for mounting said cutting device thereto, said support arm being configured, sized and operatively coupled to said body in a manner such that said cutting device is rotatable relatively to said pair of gripper arms about three different rotation axes; whereby, when said pair of gripper arms grips said tree, said pair of gripper arms stabilizes said support arm relatively to said tree and allows for the orientation of said cutting device relatively to said tree by said support arm.