A WOOD CHIPPER

Abstract

A chipper includes a hopper and a chipper unit. The hopper is configured to receive vegetative debris via an inlet end. The chipper unit has an outer casing and an inlet passing therethrough. The inlet of the chipper unit is connected to the outlet end of the hopper to in use receive the vegetative debris within the outer casing. The chipper unit includes a cutter located which is configured to chip vegetative debris. The hopper and the outer casing are configured so that the hopper and outer casing can be moved between a position where the hopper is substantially vertical and a position where the hopper is substantially horizontal.

Claims

1. A chipper comprising: a hopper having an inlet end and an outlet end, the hopper configured to receive vegetative debris via the inlet end; and a chipper unit having an outer casing and an inlet passing therethrough, the inlet of the chipper unit connected to the outlet end of the hopper to in use receive the vegetative debris within the outer casing, the chipper unit further comprising a cutter located within the casing and configured to chip vegetative debris within the chipper unit, and wherein the hopper and outer casing are configured so that the hopper and outer casing can be moved between a position where the hopper is substantially vertical and a position where the hopper is substantially horizontal.

2. The chipper as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a discharge chute connected to the chipper unit and configured to receive the chipped vegetative debris and pass the chipped vegetative debris out of the chipper unit as a stream at a point remote from the chipper unit.

3. The chipper as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a motor, the motor having an output shaft connected to and driving the cutter, the hopper and outer casing moving between the position where the hopper is substantially vertical and the position where the hopper is substantially horizontal by rotating around an axis of rotation of the output shaft.

4. The chipper as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a fixed plate connected to the motor and a back plate connected to the chipper unit, the fixed plate and the back plate are adjacent to one another, the back plate in use rotating relative to the fixed plate, apertures formed through the fixed plate and the back plate and co-incident with each other at the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions.

5. The chipper as claimed in claim 4 wherein the apertures comprise at least three position holes formed through the fixed plate and at least one hole formed through the back plate, the at least one hole formed through the back plate aligning with at least each of the three position holes in turn as the hopper and outer casing are rotated between positions.

6. The chipper as claimed in claim 4 wherein the apertures comprise at least one slot formed in one of the plates, co-incident with at least one aperture formed in the other of the plates along a length of the slot as the back plate rotates.

7. The chipper as claimed in claim 6 wherein the at least one slot is formed in the fixed plate.

8. The chipper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chipper unit is configured so that the inlet of the chipper unit is located substantially at a mid-point between the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions in use.

9. The chipper as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8 further comprising a stand, wherein the motor is mounted on top of the stand, and the hopper and the outer casing are mounted to the motor adjacent to the motor and adjacent to and above the stand.

10. The chipper as claimed in claim 9 wherein the stand comprises a pair of wheels at one end and a support at the opposite end .

11. The chipper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises at least one blade configured to rotate within the outer casing of the chipper unit.

12. The chipper as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a motor, the motor having an output shaft connected to and driving the cutter, the hopper and outer casing moving between the position where the hopper is substantially vertical and the position where the hopper is substantially horizontal by rotating around an axis of rotation of the output shaft.

13. The chipper as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a fixed plate connected to the motor and a back plate connected to the chipper unit, the fixed plate and the back plate are adjacent to one another, the back plate in use rotating relative to the fixed plate, apertures formed through the fixed plate and the back plate and co-incident with each other at the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions.

14. The chipper as claimed in claim 13 wherein the apertures comprise at least three position holes formed through the fixed plate and at least one hole formed through the back plate, the at least one hole formed through the back plate aligning with at least each of the three position holes in turn as the hopper and outer casing are rotated between positions.

15. The chipper as claimed in claim 13 wherein the apertures comprise at least one slot formed in one of the plates, co-incident with at least one aperture formed in the other of the plates along the length of the slot as the back plate rotates.

16. The chipper as claimed in claim 15 wherein the at least one slot is formed in the fixed plate.

17. The chipper as claimed in claim 12 wherein the chipper unit is configured so that the inlet of the chipper unit is located substantially at a mid-point between the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions in use.

18. The chipper as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a stand, wherein the motor is mounted on top of the stand, and the hopper and the outer casing are mounted to the motor adjacent to the motor and adjacent to and above the stand.

19. The chipper as claimed in claim 18 further comprising a fixed plate connected to the motor and a back plate connected to the chipper unit, the fixed plate and the back plate are adjacent to one another, the back plate in use rotating relative to the fixed plate, apertures formed through the fixed plate and the back plate and co-incident with each other at the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions.

20. The chipper as claimed in claim 19 wherein the apertures comprise at least three position holes formed through the fixed plate and at least one hole formed through the back plate, the at least one hole formed through the back plate aligning with at least each of the three position holes in turn as the hopper and outer casing are rotated between positions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0026] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of the device by way of example, and in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view to the front and one side of a wood chipper according to an embodiment of the invention, the wood chipper having a hopper, a chipper unit, and discharge chute, the hopper and chipper unit connected via an angle-adjustable coupling that allows the angle of the hopper relative to the horizontal to be altered by rotation of the hopper between close to vertical, and close to horizontal.

[0028] FIGS. 2a - 2c show side views of the wood chipper of FIG. 1 from the chipper side, with the hopper shown rotated to an upright position (closer to vertical) in FIG. 2a, a mid-position in FIG. 2b, and a downward position (closer to horizontal) in FIG. 2c.

[0029] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a close-up detail perspective views from the side and above of the wood chipper of FIGS. 1 and 2, from the opposite side to the chipper unit, showing detail of a motor connected to the chipper unit to drive blades inside the chipper unit, the hopper shown rotated to an upright position (closer to vertical) in FIG. 3a and in a downward position (closer to horizontal) in FIG. 3b.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a detail perspective view of the embodiment of wood chipper from the same angle as FIG. 3b, showing detail of the motor and the connection/rotation mechanism between the motor and the chipper unit.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from slightly underneath and looking upwards of the embodiment of chipper unit, from the chipper side, showing detail of the connection/rotation mechanism between the motor and the chipper unit.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a side on view of an embodiment of wood chipper, showing detail of the angled connection between the hopper and the chipper unit.

[0033] FIGS. 7a and 7b show side-on views of an alternative form of connection/rotation mechanism between the motor and the chipper unit

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Embodiments of the invention, and variations thereof, will now be described in detail with reference to the figures.

[0035] In an embodiment, the chipper 1 comprises three main parts or subsections: a hopper 2, a chipper unit 3, and discharge chute 4. These three parts are connected to one another to form a single unit, which is located on a base section 5 that comprises a pair of wheels 6 at one end and a support section 7 at the other end, allowing the chipper 1 to be transported in a similar manner to a wheelbarrow, by lifting the support section up so that it pivots around the axis of the wheels 6, and then wheeling it on the wheels. A motor 12 is mounted on the top of the base section 5 to power the chipper unit 3.

[0036] The hopper 2 is configured to receive vegetative debris, and comprises a funnel shape, rectangular in cross-section, between one and two metres long, with a wide, open mouth end large enough to allow medium-sized branches and similar debris to be easily fed into the wide end. The lower end is arranged so that branches and debris passing through the hopper 2 feed into the chipper unit 3.

[0037] The chipper unit 3 comprises an outer casing 8, and a set of rotating blades (not shown) located within and rotating within the housing 8. The casing 8 has an entry aperture 9 and an exit aperture 10. The entry aperture 9 is sized with and connected to the lower/narrower end of the hopper 2, so that branches and debris passing through the hopper 2 feed into the chipper unit 3, at a point substantially midway up the chipper drum. That is, the entry aperture is midway up the chipper drum. This is best shown in FIG. 6.

[0038] It has been found that if wood enters towards the bottom of the drum, this can lead to the wood becoming trapped, which can slow down or even stop rotation of the drum. Having an entry aperture at a higher point helps to avoid this. The chipper of the chipper unit is driven by a motor 12, connected to the top of base section 5. The chipper unit 3, along with the hopper 2 and discharge chute 4, is located to one side of the motor 12 and off to one side of the base section 5 - that is, offset from the base section 5.

[0039] The blades or cutting block are arranged to rotate within the chipper unit so that as branches and debris feed into the chipper unit 3 via the entry aperture 9, the blades hit these at an angle to the direction of travel, chipping pieces of the branch and turning it into chips. The chips pass through and out of the chipper unit 3 via exit aperture 10, and into the discharge chute 4.

[0040] A right-angle or close to right angle contact between wood and the blades can be achieved even with the hopper chute at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The mid-point connection between the chipper and hopper helps to ensure that even with the hopper at this angle, the cutting block will still contact wood entering the chipper at an angle closer to a right angle. This arrangement also helps with dryer woods, which can also be hard to chip. However, it also helps to ensure that the chipper will not ‘dravd the wood in too fast - the wood will be drawn in at a speed that allows the chipper to process it without becoming clogged and slowing or stopping the machine. This is best shown in FIG. 6.

[0041] The discharge chute 4 comprises a long thin tube, rectangular in cross section and tapering slightly to its outer end, arranged at approximately a 45-degree angle between horizontal and vertical. Chips enter the discharge chute 4 at the inner end, where it is connected to the exit aperture 10 of the chipper unit 3. The chips and other debris are blown along the discharge chute to and through the outer end. A safety cap 11 is connected to the top part of the outer end of the discharge chute 4, at an angle to the axis of the discharge chute, so that as chips are blown out of the discharge chute 4 in a stream, they are directed downwards. A truck or cart or similar can be positioned under the exit aperture, so that this is filled with the chips.

[0042] The hopper 2 and chipper unit 3 are connected to the motor 12 via an angle-adjustable coupling (described in detail below) that allows the hopper 2, chipper unit 3 and discharge chute 4 to be rotated around a substantially horizontally aligned axis of rotation co-incident with the output shaft of the motor 12. That is, the hopper 2 can be rotated between a position close to vertical, and a position close to horizontal, and can be set and locked into position at the two end points (closer to horizontal at one end and closer to vertical at the other), and locked in position at at least one position in between. A combination of a chipper plate or chipper plates 15 and fixing bolts 16 form the outer part of the chipper housing 8, these connected as shown in FIG. 5, to allow the unit to rotate.

[0043] This range of adjustment allows a user to choose an angle that particularly suits the type of material they are disposing of. For harder woods, the hopper 2 can be rotated to a more upright/closer to vertical angle, so that the angle at which the material meets the blades is closer to a right angle, and the speed of ‘fall’ down the chute of the hopper 2 is greater. For softer woods, the hopper 2 can be rotated to a shallower angle closer to horizontal, so that the speed is less, and there is less chance of the wood clogging the chipper unit. The hopper 2 can be rotated to whichever angle is the most suitable, depending on the particular job of the moment.

[0044] If the hopper is closer to vertical, this is more suitable as well for material such as loose leaves and vegetative matter. If the exit is closer to horizontal, this will help the leaves etc to exit the hopper.

[0045] The differences in the angles are shown in FIG. 2a to 2a, the hopper shown rotated to an upright position (closer to vertical) in FIG. 2a, a mid-position in FIG. 2b, and a downward position (closer to horizontal) in FIG. 2c.

[0046] Details of the motor are shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, with the hopper shown rotated to an upright position closer to vertical in FIG. 3a and in a downward position closer to horizontal in FIG. 3b. The motor in the preferred embodiment is a dual-power unit, that can operate independently as a petrol engine, or as a mains-connected electric motor. A close-up of the view of FIG. 3b is shown in FIG. 4.

[0047] Detail of a first embodiment of angle-adjustable coupling are shown in FIG. 4. The chipper unit 3 (and the connected hopper 2 and discharge chute 4) are connected to the motor 12 via the output shaft of the motor 12, which extends horizontally outwards from the motor 12, and also via a pair of plates 13 and 14. Fixed plate 13 is rigidly mounted on the inside of the motor 12 (the same side as the chipper unit 3), the motor 12 rigidly mounted to the top of the base unit 5. The fixed plate 13 is aligned so that a flat face is facing outwards from the motor 12 towards the chipper unit 3, the flat face aligned substantially vertically. Back plate 14 is approximately the same size as the fixed plate 13, and faces outwards from the chipper unit 3 towards the motor 12, aligned so that a flat face is facing towards the motor, outwards from the motor, and substantially vertically. The flat faces of plate 13 and 14, facing towards the chipper unit 3 and motor 12 respectively, are in sliding contact with one another.

[0048] The output shaft of the motor 12 passes outwards horizontally from the motor 12, through the two plates, 13 and 14, and towards and into the chipper unit 3. The shaft (not shown) is perpendicular to the flat faces of the two plates 13 and 14. The shaft forms an axis of rotation for the back plate 14 (and therefore the greater chipper unit 3, and the connected hopper 2 and discharge chute 4), and provides at least partial support for the chipper unit 3, the hopper 2 and the discharge chute 4, via a connection with the blades inside the chipper unit 3. Further support is provided as outlined below.

[0049] The fixed plate 13 has three position holes 15a, 15b, and 15c passing through it, spaced in an arc across the top part of the plate 13, generally following the perimeter of the plate 13. The back plate 14 has at least one hole formed through it, on its top side, the hole or holes in the back plate 14 positioned so as to be co-incident with a hole or holes 15 in the fixed plate 13 at certain points in the rotation of the back plate. That is, as the back plate 14 rotates around the axis of rotation formed by the shaft of the motor 12, the hole or holes in the back plate 14 pass across and match the holes 15. This allows a bolt or similar to be passed through two coincident holes in the plates, so as to lock the back plate 14 in position relative to the fixed plate 13.

[0050] As the hopper 2 and discharge chute 4 are rigidly connected to the chipper unit 3, they will rotate as the back plate 14 is rotated, from a position where the hopper is generally vertically aligned (as shown in FIG. 2a) to a position where the hopper is closer to horizontal alignment (as in FIG. 2c). The holes in the plates 13, and 14 are arranged so that the hopper 2 and discharge chute 4 can be locked into these end positions by use of a bolt or bolts as described above, and at least one mid-point position (e.g. that shown in FIG. 2b). It should be noted that multiple holes, in multiple locations, can be formed and positioned as required, in order to position/angle the apparatus as required.

[0051] An alternative embodiment of connection/rotation mechanism between the motor and the chipper unit is shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b. In this embodiment, a slotted back plate 114 is used in place of the back plate 14 of the previous embodiment, the slotted back plate 114 having three position slots 115a, 115b, 115c. The back plate 114 can be rotated along the length of the arc of the slots 115. Nuts/bolts 116 passing through the slots can be tightened to hold the back plate 114 in position relative to the fixed plate 113, or loosened to allow the angle to be adjusted.