Arcuate Pusher Bar and Tooth Assembly for Debris Clearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing burned trees and debris are labor-intensive, hazardous, and inefficient, particularly after wildfires or prescribed burns, as they often require multiple equipment attachments and manual operation, leading to increased costs and risk of damage to soil and equipment.
Innovation Solution
A tree and debris pusher device with an angled pusher bar assembly and tooth assembly, designed for use with vehicles like skid steers or tractors, allows for safe and efficient removal of trees and debris by pushing them out of the ground without cutting, minimizing soil disturbance and enabling single-operator operation with minimal maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple equipment attachments are used for tree removal, then complete removal is achieved, but operational time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple tree removal functions (cutting, lifting, and debris removal) into a single integrated attachment that can be mounted on a skid steer or tractor. This unified device eliminates the need to switch between multiple separate attachments, thereby reducing operational time and complexity while maintaining complete tree removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating a grapple for gripping and lifting trees, a saw for cutting, and a pusher for moving debris. This universal design allows one attachment to perform multiple tasks that previously required separate equipment, improving productivity without increasing device complexity.
2Productivity
If manual operation and multiple attachments are used, then thorough tree removal is achieved, but labor intensity and operational time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging cutting, lifting, and pushing functions into one attachment, the system reduces the number of manual operations required. The operator controls all functions from a single machine station, eliminating the need for multiple manual attachment changes and reducing labor intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment is designed to automatically perform multiple tasks in sequence - the grapple grips the tree, the saw cuts through it, and the pusher moves the debris - with minimal operator intervention. This self-service capability reduces both labor intensity and operational time while maintaining thorough tree removal.
3Productivity
If conventional tree removal methods are used, then trees are removed, but soil disturbance and equipment damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment extracts the tree from the ground by gripping and lifting it, rather than using methods that require extensive soil digging or heavy machinery that compacts soil. This extraction approach removes trees efficiently while minimizing soil disturbance and preserving ground integrity for future reforestation or land use.
Data Source
AI summary
A tree and debris pusher for removing and gathering felled trees, such as stands of dead cedar trees, particularly though not exclusively adapted for use on burned land from which dead trees must be cleared. The tree and debris pusher comprises a frame, a pusher bar assembly, a tooth assembly, and plurality of support and connecting structures. The pusher bar assembly forms a generally concave or arcuate shape, including a center section and transverse wings. The tooth assembly extends is contiguous with the pusher bar assembly and comprises a plurality of teeth extruding from therefrom so as to precede the pusher bar assembly in the direction of use of the tree and debris pusher and make first contact with trees and debris which are the object of removal. Support members and connecting members provide additional support and resist loads during operation of the tree and debris pusher. The tree and debris pusher clears trees and debris and piles the dead and debris in a desired location without changing attachments or machinery.