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EP-4438181-B1 - ROTATING INFEED CHUTE FOR A BRUSH CHIPPER

EP4438181B1EP 4438181 B1EP4438181 B1EP 4438181B1EP-4438181-B1

Inventors

  • KLAASSEN, Stefan
  • CANTRIJN, Dolph
  • DE JONG, Brian
  • VAN WEZEL, WOUTER
  • NAGENDRAN, Nithy
  • RAMASUBRAMANIAN, Rinodh Thandal
  • ENDE, Hans van den
  • TRAAS, Tim

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240327

Claims (15)

  1. A material reduction machine (10, 110) comprising: an infeed chute (16, 116), the infeed chute (16, 116) having a plurality of guide walls (34, 38, 40, 36; 135, 137, 139, 141); and a processing portion (27, 127) coupled to the infeed chute (16, 116), the processing portion (27, 127) having a rotatable cutting mechanism (26) configured to receive material from the infeed chute (16, 116) along a feed axis (FA), wherein the infeed chute (16, 116) is rotatable relative to the processing portion (27, 127) about an axis parallel to the feed axis (FA) between an operational configuration and a transport configuration, and characterised in that the plurality of guide walls (34, 38, 40, 36; 135, 137, 139, 141) form a funnel that narrows along a longitudinal direction from a distal end (32, 132) to a proximal end (30, 130) of the infeed chute (16, 116), wherein the infeed chute (16, 116) as viewed longitudinally has a first outer dimension (D1, D1') and a second outer dimension (D2, D2'), the first outer dimension (D1, D1') is larger than the second outer dimension (D2, D2'), and wherein the material reduction machine (10, 110) as viewed longitudinally has an overall width that is reduced by rotation of the infeed chute (16, 116) from the operational configuration to the transport configuration.
  2. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 1, further comprising a rotational bearing encircling a joint between the infeed chute (16, 116) and a main portion of the material reduction machine (10, 110) containing the processing portion (27, 127).
  3. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the infeed chute (16, 116) is lockable in the operational configuration and lockable in the transport configuration.
  4. The material reduction machine (10) of any preceding claim, wherein one of the plurality of guide walls (34) of the infeed chute (16) is a feed table and the feed table is below the feed axis (FA) when the infeed chute (16) is in the operational configuration, and wherein the feed table is laterally alongside the feed axis (FA) when the infeed chute (16) is in the transport configuration.
  5. The material reduction machine (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the second outer dimension (D2) extends in a vertical direction and the first outer dimension (D1) extends in a horizontal direction when the infeed chute (16) is in the operational configuration.
  6. The material reduction machine (10) of claim 5, wherein the second outer dimension (D2) extends in the horizontal direction and the first outer dimension (D1) extends in the vertical direction when the infeed chute (16) is in the transport configuration.
  7. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of any preceding claim, further comprising a controller (56) configured to control the rotatable cutting mechanism (26) and a sensor (94) configured to determine if the infeed chute (16, 116) is in the operational configuration, wherein the controller (56) is configured to prevent operation of the rotatable cutting mechanism (26) when the infeed chute (16, 116) is not in the operational configuration.
  8. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 1, wherein, when viewed along the feed axis (FA), the material reduction machine (10, 110) defines an operational width (W, W1) when the infeed chute (16, 116) is in the operational configuration and a transport width (W', W''; W1') when the infeed chute (16, 116) is in the transport configuration, and wherein the transport width (W', W''; W1') is less than the operational width (W, W1).
  9. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 8, wherein the transport width (W'') is 55% to 75% of the operational width (W).
  10. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 8 or 9, wherein the transport width (W'') is 0.75 to 1 meter.
  11. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the transport width (W'') is smaller than the operational width (W) by 0.4 to 0.6 meter.
  12. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 1, wherein the transport configuration of the infeed chute (16, 116) is a non-operational configuration for transport only.
  13. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of any preceding claim, wherein, with the infeed chute (16, 116) in the transport configuration, the second outer dimension (D2, D2') of the infeed chute (16, 116) is the same as or less than the overall width of the material reduction machine (10, 110).
  14. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of any preceding claim, wherein the infeed chute (16, 116) includes a folded portion adjacent the distal end (32, 132) of the infeed chute (16, 116), the folded portion is configured to pivot perpendicular to the feed axis (FA) between an unfolded position and a folded position.
  15. The material reduction machine (10, 110) of claim 14, wherein the material reduction machine (10, 110) defines a first length when the folded portion is unfolded, wherein the material reduction machine (10, 110) defines a second length when the folded portion is folded, wherein the first length is longer than the second length.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/493,403, filed on March 31, 2023. BACKGROUND Chippers are used to reduce branches, trees, brush, and other bulk wood products into small wood chips. A chipper typically includes an infeed chute, an infeed portion for controlling the feed rate of wood products into the chipper, a chipping mechanism, a drive system for powering the infeed portion and the chipping mechanism, and a discharge chute. The infeed chute cooperates with the infeed portion to guide the wood products towards the chipping mechanism. Through the operation of the infeed portion, products to be chipped are brought into contact with the chipping mechanism, which grinds, flails, or cuts the wood products into small pieces. These chips are propelled into the discharge chute and expelled from the chipper. Chippers may be pull-type (i.e., mounted on a trailer) or self-propelled. It is desirable to have a wide infeed chute to facilitate material loading. US5860606 discloses a chipper/shredder for comminuting debris such as leaves, twigs, branches and the like, comprising a housing having at least one inlet for receiving such debris, cutting elements disposed within the housing, an engine operatively coupled to the cutting elements for selectively moving said cutting elements to comminute the debris, and a first feed chute attached to a first side of the housing and communicating with the inlet, wherein the feed chute is selectively rotatable between upright and lowered positions, rotation of the chute being about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the first side of the housing. The housing preferably includes a second inlet on the opposite side of the first feed chute, with a second feed chute fixedly secured thereto for introducing larger debris into the interior of the housing for comminuting. The first feed chute is normally locked in its upright position, but may be moved to its lowered position by pulling a knob which disengages a plunger from a plate rotatable with the chute mounted adjacent the inlet. With the first feed chute in its lowered position, leaves and other debris may be introduced into the comminuting chamber. In the preferred embodiment the engine is an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft extending into the housing and coupled to the cutting elements, and the first feed chute rotates about an axis co-linear with the drive shaft. US5340035 discloses a combination chipper and shredder apparatus and lawn vacuum is obtained by providing an input chute or hopper on the machine that is movable to either of two positions by coupling the input chute to the wall of the chipping and shredding chamber with a coupling that permits the chute to be adjustably rotated, with respect to the coupling, but remain in full communication with the chipping and shredding chamber. With the mouth of the chute facing upward the machine may be operated in the chipping and shredding mode and with the mouth of the chute facing downward the machine may be operated in the lawn vacuum mode. SUMMARY A material reduction machine according to the invention is set out in claim 1. Preferred features of the invention are set out in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a chipper according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 2 is another rear perspective view of the chipper of FIG. 1 in the chipping position.FIG. 3 is an additional rear perspective view of the chipper of FIG. 2.FIG. 4 is a side view of the chipper of FIG. 2.FIG. 5 is a top view of the chipper of FIG. 2.FIG. 6 is a rear view of the chipper of FIG. 2 with the ground drive tracks in a wide position.FIG. 7 is an additional rear view of the chipper of FIG. 2 with the ground drive tracks in a narrow position.FIG. 8 is a side view of the chipper of FIG. 2 showing the internal components of the chipper.FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the infeed chute rotation assembly of the chipper of FIG. 1.FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the chipper of FIG. 1 in a rotated position.FIG. 11 is a side view of the chipper of FIG. 10.FIG. 12 is a rear view of the chipper of FIG. 10.FIG. 13 is a top view of the chipper of FIG. 10.FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the chipper of FIG. 1 with a folded infeed chute in the chipping position.FIG. 15 is a side view of the chipper of FIG. 14.FIG. 16 is a rear view of the chipper of FIG. 14.FIG. 17 is a front perspective view of the chipper of FIG. 1 with a folded infeed chute in a rotated position.FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view of the chipper of FIG. 17.FIG. 19 is a side view of the chipper of FIG. 17.FIG. 20 is a rear view of the chipper of FIG. 17.FIG. 21 is a front view of the chipper of FIG. 17.FIG. 22 is a top view of the chipper of FIG. 17.FIG. 23 is a rear view of the chipper of FIG. 2 with the infeed chute removed.FIG. 24 is a side v