Tree felling manipulator with drill bit-fitted end mill

Shirai Yuko, Matsuo Yuki

doi:10.18945/jjfes.32.59

<p>In Japan, tree felling operations cause many fatal accidents and severe injuries. Large-diameter trees, in particular, pose great danger to fellers whose only tools are chainsaws. Few technological developments are available yet that addresses the unique situations of Japanese forests and logging operations. The authors developed a novel tree felling manipulator. The manipulator performs the Mitsu-himo-giri [three-hinge tree felling method], Japan’s traditional timber felling technique, and fells trees of large diameters. This manipulator has several arms and a spindle block. Using an end mill fitted with a drill bit at the tip, a new cutting tool developed by the authors. The total length of the drill bit-fitted end mill is one half of the diameter of a trunk for sawing a cross section. Rotative power is continuously provided by an engine via a hook-shaped arm. The linear motion of the arm cuts off the desired areas in the trunk, leaving 3 “hinges” intact. Experiments were　conducted to evaluate and successfully demonstrate the safety, precision and effectiveness of the new manipulator proposed in this paper. The subject of this paper is to report a device of new mechanism and that feasibility study.</p>

Tree felling manipulator with drill bit-fitted end mill

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