(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)

(19) World Intellectual Property

Organization llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
International Bureau (10) International Publication Number
(43) International Publication Date WO 2022/078635 Al
21 April 2022 (21.04.2022) WIPO I PCT

(51) International Patent Classification: ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO,
A01G 23/06 (2006.01) NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW,
SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN,
(21) International Application Number: TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, WS, ZA, ZM, ZW.
PCT/EP2021/063479
(84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
(22) International Filing Date: kind of regional protection available)'. ARIPO (BW, GH,
20 May 2021 (20.05.2021)
GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ,
(25) Filing Language: English UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ,
TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK,
(26) Publication Language: English
EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV,
(30) Priority Data: MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM,
20201655.6 14 October 2020 (14.10.2020) EP TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW,
KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
(71) Applicant: DIPPERFOX θϋ [EE/EE]; Sakala 3, 80028
Parnu (EE).
Declarations under Rule 4.17:
(72) Inventor: KULM, Jaana; Dipperfox Οϋ Sakala 3, 80028 — as to the identity of the inventor (Rule 4.17(i))
Parnu (EE).
Published:
(74) Agent: SARAP, Margus; Sarap and Partners Patent — with international search report (Art. 21(3))
Agency Kompanii IC, 51004 Tartu (EE).
(81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM,
AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ,
CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO,
DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN,
HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, IT, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN,
KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD,

(54) Title: STUMP CRUSHER

(57) Abstract: This invention includes a stump crusher used as an attach­
ment for an excavator or some other digging machine or a forest harvester
to mill the stumps of felled trees level with the ground. The stump crusher
2022/078635 Al lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^

comprises interconnected and interacting assemblies including a hydraulic

motor assembly on the side of the machine implement comprising a hy­
draulic motor housing, a hydraulic system necessary for controlling the hy­
draulic motor arranged in the hydraulic motor housing, a gearbox connect­
ed to the hydraulic motor and attached to the gearbox housing, to the lower
end of which is attached a flange, to which is attached a blade holder of the
stump crusher together with the blades of the stump crusher.

FIG 1
wo
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

Stump crusher

Technical field

The present invention is in the field of mechanical engineering and includes an

attachment for an excavator or some other digging machine or a forest harvester,
5 which is intended for removing the stumps resulting from forest harvesting or tree
felling. More specifically, the invention is related to an attachment for such machines,
i.e., a stump crusher, which is used to mill stumps level with the ground.

Background art

Quite a lot of different stump removal or grinding devices are known in the art, which
10 can be attached to tractors, excavators or other forestry machines or their cam.

In GB 2449 953, 10.12.2008, Brian Mence describes a self-loading wood crusher,

which comprises means of collecting and inserting wood material, crushing means
and an outlet for the crushed material. At that, for crushing the material, the crusher
comprises a rotor and a drive connected to the rotor, wherein the rotor is equipped
15 with a number of crushing elements and the means of collecting and inserting wood
material is an excavator bucket. Using this device requires the prior uprooting of the
stumps created in tree felling, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive.

In CA 2128259, 05.01.1999, Bot Silvio describes a machine for grinding/milling tree

stumps level with the ground. The machine comprises a sled structure, which
20 comprises fastening loops for releasably connecting the sled to the moving cam of an
excavator or other tillage machine. The sled has sliding skis for guiding the device
with the moving cam over the soil adjacent to the stump. The sled is equipped with a
drive, which has a transmission and an autonomous fuel source. The grinding wheel
of the sled is attached to the sled for rotation around the horizontal axis and
25 connected to the transmission of the drive. The wheel has a working surface rubbing
against the stump with replaceable teeth, which chop or grind the stump into chips
and dig it into the ground. This is a complex and clumsy device, and working with it
consumes a lot of time and wears down the teeth of the working surface to a great
degree.

30 In BR 102018070436-2, 22.04.2020, HIMEV INDUSTRIA describes a stump grinding

machine having a centre pivot head assembly mounted and secured near the centre
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

2
of the front of the machine to support and guide the cutter assembly. The rear part of
the pivot head assembly is mounted in the middle of the front of the frame or body of
the stump grinder by means of a mounting plate. The mounting plate supports the
rear part of the pivot head assembly, which generally rotates around the vertical axis.

5 The main disadvantage of the prior art solutions is the need for special fasteners and
drives, which in turn does not allow the cutting heads used to remove stumps to be
used on the cams or implements of conventional excavators, tractors or other
forestry machines.

Document US 9 382 689 B2 (CHAPMAN RICHARDT, et al, 05.07.2016 discloses a

10 stump crusher comprising a frame supporting a motor and gearbox, the bit assembly
is connected to the gearbox. The bit assembly comprises a shaft attached to the
gearbox assembly and the main bit assembly. The main bit assembly comprises one
or more cutting blades and a shaft. The shaft is connected to the upper bit assembly
at the shaft's upper portion and to the guide bit assembly at the shaft's lower portion.
15 The main bit assembly comprises one or two lower cutting blades. The lower cutting
blades are attached to the shaft at a point below the attachment point of the upper
cutting blades. The lower cutting blades comprise both a cutting edge and a main
body. The cutting edges are adapted to engage or "bite into" the stump to be
destroyed. The main disadvantage of the proposed stump crusher is special frame to
20 be connected to the vehicle. This solution does not allow stumps to be crushed on
difficult, inaccessible terrains, as the vehicle has to drive separately to each stump. In
principle, the frame only allows the stump crusher to move up and down and
horizontal placement to the stump. There is no dynamic 3-axis directional movement
of the stump crusher without moving the vehicle, i.e. after crushing the stump the
25 vehicle with stump crusher must move to the next stump. Another disadvantage is
related to the stiffness of the blades, i.e. when the stump crusher is placed to the
stump and it will be pushed down the blades start to bend through and may therefore
break, which significantly reduces the productivity of the machine.

Document D2 EP 2 077 069 A1, BIJL GROENTECHNIEK BV. 8.07.20009 discloses

30 a tree stump drill for removing tree stumps comprising a rotatable shaft, at least one
knife extending in radial direction and connected to the shaft and a guide element.
Said guide element is annular and is arranged at a distance from and round the
shaft. The guide element of the tree stump drill allows said drill to be better centered
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

3
on the tree stump to be re-moved, so that sliding or slipping of the tree stump drill
over tree stumps can effectively be prevented. The guide element supports blades
and bind them together but still when the stump crusher is placed to the stump and it
will be pushed down the design of guide element and blades starts to bend through
5 and may therefore break.

Document EP 0 214 977 A1, KETONEN LAURI, 25.03.1987 discloses a tree­

harvester operating system by means of which at least one tree-feeder motor, a
crosscut saw, and the operation of a cylinder operating at least one function of the
feeder and the blades, the two-direction rotation of a tree-feeder motor is achieved by
10 feeding pressurized oil from the power take-off machine alternatively along additional
hose lines and one-direction rotation of the crosscut saw is achieved by preventing
the operation of the tree-feeding motor by means of additional valves. Said hydraulic
system can be used in stump crusher but

It must be borne in mind that the rotational forces applied to the blades change
15 constantly when drilling the stumps, and the machine operator must constantly check
the speed of the cutting head, the pressure applied to the cutting head, etc. This
makes working quite stressful. Therefore a solution of hydraulic control system is
needed which can automatically adapts to the resistance forces of drilling the stump.

Disclosure of invention

20 The objectives of the stump crusher according to the present invention are achieved
with a simple implement, which can be attached to the implement of an excavator or
another forestry machine by a mounting plate attached to the stump crusher. At that,
it is possible to produce a corresponding adapter plate between the stump crusher
and the implement of the machine, which facilitates the attachment of the stump
25 crusher. The structure of the stump crusher itself consists of four interconnected
assemblies. The lower part of the stump crusher, i.e., the blade holder, is attached to
the gearbox housing. A hydraulic motor is connected to a gearbox in a gearbox
housing, which in turn is attached to the motor housing, which has a hydraulic system
for controlling the hydraulic motor at the top and a mounting plate for attaching the
30 stump crusher to the implement of a work machine, e.g., the cam of an excavator.
Thus, a uniform and compact stump crusher is formed with the blade holder
composed of the mounting plate of the blade holder. A blade holder tower is welded
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

4
to the centre of the mounting plate, to the lower end of which a blade holder cone,
i.e., an auger, is attached. Attached to the lower end of the blade holder tower are
perpendicular blade holder plates to which the replaceable blades of the stump
crusher are attached. The blade holder plates are supported by blade holder
5 reinforcement ribs from the perimeter of the mounting plate to the blade holder plate
for providing stability and reinforcement. The blade holder tower is also supported by
two ribs, the lower end of which is welded to the blade holder plates and the top end
to the mounting plate.

The circular mounting plate of the blade holder of the stump crusher is attached to
10 the flange at the lower end of the gearbox housing with fasteners. The gearbox is
fastened to the flange at the top end of the gearbox with fasteners. The gearbox is
connected to the hydraulic motor, so that when the motor rotates, the gearbox rotates
together with the housing, with which the blade holder of the stump crusher also
rotates. The hydraulic motor is attached to the motor housing, which is rigidly fixed to
15 the excavator implement, i.e., the cam, via the mounting plate in the top part of the
motor housing. The hydraulic motor of the stump crusher is completely controlled by
the hydraulic system housed in the motor housing. The hydraulic system of the
excavator is connected to the hydraulic system via hydraulic hoses, so that two
hoses are intended for the forward/return flow of hydraulic fluid, usually special
20 hydraulic oil, and the third hose is intended for oil return drainage. The hydraulic
system includes a control valve/directional valve to direct the oil supply or drainage to
the hydraulic motor. Furthermore, the hydraulic system is provided with pressure
relief valves, non-return valves, and a hydraulic accumulator has also been added to
the system to stabilise the operation of the hydraulic motor, so that the rotations of
25 the blade holder of the stump crusher is uniform according to the force applied by the
implement. This enables to increase the stump crusher’s productivity for drilling out
stumps with various diameters.

The invention is set out in the appended set of claims.

Brief description of drawings

30 The structure of the stump crusher will now be described in more detail with
reference to figures, wherein
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

5
FIG 1 is a side view of the stump crusher according to the invention for illustrating the
position of all assemblies;

FIG 2 is a top view of the stump crusher from the end facing the mounting plate;

FIG 3 is a conceptual scheme of the hydraulic system of the stump crusher.

5 Detailed description of embodiment

The stump crusher shown in FIG 1 contains four interconnected and interacting
assemblies. On the side of the working machine implement is a hydraulic motor
assembly 1, which includes the motor housing 10, and to this side of the working
machine implement is attached, e.g., welded, a mounting plate 11, which is used to
10 fasten the stump crusher to the working machine implement, e.g., the excavator cam.
If needed, an adapter is used between the mounting plate 11 and the implement
(shown in the figure with a dashed line), so that the stump crusher can be used with
the implements of various working machines (excavators, tractors or other forestry
machines). The hydraulic system necessary for controlling the hydraulic motor is
15 arranged in the motor housing 2. Its structure is described below.

The motor housing houses a hydraulic motor 12 to which is connected a gearbox 20

to ensure a smooth and stable rotation of the stump crusher. The gearbox 20 is
attached to the gearbox housing 21. With the operation of the hydraulic motor,
rotation is transferred to the gearbox, which rotates together with the blade holder of
20 the stump crusher. Bearings are arranged between the gearbox and the motor to
ensure smooth, unobstructed rotation. A gearbox flange 22 is welded to the lower
end of the gearbox housing 21, to which a blade holder 3 of the stump crusher is
attached with fasteners 23.

The blade holder 3 of the stump crusher consists of a circular mounting plate 31 of
25 the blade holder, which is attached with fasteners 23 to the gearbox flange 22 of the
gearbox housing 21. Attached to the centre of the mounting plate is a blade holder
tower 32, at the end of which is the cone 33 of the stump crusher, which is a conical
auger. This is necessary for facilitating the entrance of the stump crusher into the
stump. When the rotating stump crusher is placed against the stump, the auger starts
30 pulling itself into the stump together with the stump crusher, thus accelerating the
arrival of the blades of the stump crusher to the stump. At the same time, the auger
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

6
allows the operator to guide the stump crusher relatively precisely to the centre of the
stump. The blade holder tower is supported from two sides by tower reinforcement
ribs 34 to ensure rigidity, the top end of which is welded to the mounting plate and
the lower end to the blade holder of the stump crusher. Horizontal blade holders 35
5 are arranged at the lower end of the blade holder of the stump crusher.
Approximately 2/3 of the way from the blade holder tower, the blade holders are
supported by a horizontal blade holder reinforcement rib 36, the top end of which is
attached to the perimeter of the mounting plate of the blade holder with a weld. This
avoids the stump crusher blades from bending when the stump crusher is forced into
10 the stump. A step is formed in the blade holder of the stump crusher, to which the
replaceable blade 37 of the stump crusher is attached. In the exemplary embodiment
illustrated in the drawings, the stump crusher has two blade holders with a
replaceable blade 37. This way, the structure of the blade holder assembly of the
stump crusher is in balance and the structure will not break under the forces acting
15 upon it.

The hydraulic system for controlling the hydraulic motor of the stump crusher first
comprises three inlet nozzles 101, 102, 103, to which the hydraulic system of the
excavator implement is connected by means of hydraulic hoses. At that, two inlet
nozzles 101 and 102 are intended for the forward and return flow of the fluid used by
20 the hydraulic system (usually a special hydraulic oil), and the third nozzle 103 is
intended for the drainage of the return flow of oil. The nozzles are connected via
pipes to the control valve/directional valve 104 controlling the operation of the
hydraulic system and the motor, which is used to direct oil through various
connection channels (pipes) to the hydraulic motor 12 in order to start it and to
25 change its rotation speed according to the load resulting from the drilling of the
stump. The return flow of all the fluid moving into the hydraulic system takes place
through the said control valve. In addition, pressure limiters 106, 107 have been
placed between the forward/return flow piping. Non-return valves 115 are used in the
hydraulic system to limit the return flow of the hydraulic fluid. To control the operation
30 of the motor, both of the outlets of the motor are fitted with additional first and second
control valves 108, 109 to control the fluid returning from the motor before the control
valve. The first additional control valve 108 is also connected to the control valve 110
of the motor via a pressure limiter 117. The second additional control valve 109 is
connected to the engine control lever 116 and further to a hydraulic accumulator 111.
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

7
An additional valve 112 is connected between the inlet nozzles and before the control
valve 118, which is connected to a proportional valve/pressure limiter 113. The
control valve 118 equalizes the pressure during the stump crushing and allows
automatic control of the hydraulic motor by increasing or decreasing its speed without
5 operator intervention, thus the stump crusher according to present invention can
automatically adapts to the resistance forces of drilling the stump.

The latter is connected to the hydraulic accumulator 111 and to the drainage of the
return flow of the fluid to the working machine’s system. An additional throttle 114 is
placed between the hydraulic accumulator and the valve/pressure limiter 113.

10 The structure of the stump crusher’s gearbox is designed to reduce the angular
speed of the motor shaft, in order to reduce the rotation speed of the stump crusher,
but to increase torque and the transmission power of the stump crusher. A multi­
stage planetary gearbox is used as the gearbox, which consists of external and
internal gears. The structure of the gearbox does not need any further description, as
15 the purposes for which the gearbox is used are clear to a person skilled in the art,
and the gearbox used in the structure of the stump crusher does not have any
differences compared to gearboxes known in the art, while it is important to reduce
engine speed and increase torque.

Working with a stump crusher according to the invention is easy and fast. For
20 example, it can be fitted to an excavator with a minimum power of 74 kW (ca 100 hp),
oil pressure of the implement in the range of 195-350 bar (19500kPa-35000kPa), oil
flow 110-220 l/min, weight of the excavator 16-30 t (tons), to ensure sufficient
pressure to the stump crusher when it is placed on the stump. The weight of the
stump crusher itself is in the range of 450-650 kg.

25 To use the stump crusher, it is attached to the excavator implement, an adapter is

used as a spacer, if necessary, so that the stump crusher can be attached to
implements of various sizes. The hydraulic system of the excavator is then
connected to the hydraulic system via hoses for controlling the motor of the stump
crusher. With the excavator implement, the stump crusher is lifted on the stump of a
30 felled tree, wherein the cone or auger at the end of the blade holder tower of the
stump crusher enables the excavator operator to align the stump crusher with the
centre of the stump. The operator starts the hydraulic motor of the stump crusher,
 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

8
and with the excavator implement, the auger is forced into the stump; as the stump
crusher rotates, the auger draws the stump crusher with it and the horizontal blades
of the stump crusher mill the stump level with the ground or up to 1 meter below it.
Then the stump crusher is lifted up and directed to a next stump. The significant part
5 of the entire work process is that the hydraulic system controls the motor speed
automatically without any interference from the operator. In the stump milling
process, it is also significant that the stumps do not have to be extracted from the
ground prior to milling, and as a result of milling the stumps with a stump crusher
according to the invention, an even and level ground is left where new trees can be
10 planted. Also, the area where the stumps were milled can immediately be used by
other machines without any obstacles. Using the stump crusher according to the
invention is especially time-saving and effective when renewing city parks. By using
the stump crusher, a stump can be removed in no more than 20 seconds, it is also
possible to drill to a depth of up to a meter and the new hole can immediately be
15 used for planting a new tree.

List of details

1 - hydraulic motor assembly

10 - motor housing

11 - mounting plate

20 2 - motor housing

12 - hydraulic motor

20 - gearbox

21 - gearbox housing

22 - gearbox flange

25 3 - blade holder

23 - fasteners

31 - mounting plate of the blade holder

32 - blade holder tower

33 - cone of the stump crusher

30 34 - tower reinforcement rib

 WO 2022/078635 PCT/EP2021/063479

9
35 - horizontal blade holder

36 - horizontal blade holder reinforcement rib

37 - replaceable blade

101 , 102, 103 - inlet nozzles for connecting hydraulic hoses

5 101 - first nozzle for the forward flow

102 - second nozzle for the return flow

103 - third nozzle for drainage of the return flow of oil

104 - control valve/directional valve

106 , 107, 117 - pressure limiters

10 108 - first control valve

109 - second control valve

110 - control valve of the motor

111 - hydraulic accumulator

112 - additional valve

15 113 - valve/pressure limiter

114 - additional throttle

115 - non return valves

116 - engine control lever

118 - control valve

 10
Claims

1. A stump crusher comprising interconnected and interacting assemblies, which are:

- a hydraulic motor assembly (1) on the side of a working machine implement,
comprising a hydraulic motor housing (10) and a mounting plate (11) attached to
5 the end of the machine implement for attaching the stump crusher to the working
machine implement;
- a hydraulic system necessary for controlling the hydraulic motor (12) arranged in
a housing (2) of the hydraulic motor;
- a gearbox (20) connected to the hydraulic motor (12) and attached to a gearbox
10 housing (21), to the lower end of which is attached to a gearbox flange (22), to
which is attached a blade holder (3) of the stump crusher,

characterised in that

the blade holder (3) of the stump crusher consists of a circular mounting plate (31)
of the blade holder, which is attached with fasteners to the gearbox flange (22) at
15 the lower end of the gearbox housing (21);
attached to the centre of the circular mounting plate (31) is a blade holder tower
(32), at the end of which is the cone (33) of the stump crusher;
the blade holder tower (32) is supported from two sides by tower reinforcement
ribs (34) to ensure rigidity, the top end of which is welded to the circular mounting
20 plate (31) and the lower end to the blade holder of the stump crusher;
at the lower end of the blade holder (3) of the stump crusher are arranged
horizontal blade holders (35), which are approximately 2/3 of the way from the
blade holder tower (32) supported by a horizontal blade holder reinforcement rib
(36), the top end of which is attached to the perimeter of the mounting plate (31) of
25 the blade holder;
a step is formed in the horizontal blade holder (35) of the stump crusher, to which
the replaceable blade (37) of the stump crusher is attached.

2. The stump crusher according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydraulic

system for controlling the hydraulic motor of the stump crusher comprises three inlet
30 nozzles (101, 102, 103), to which the hydraulic system of the working machine
implement is connected by means of hydraulic hoses, wherein two inlet nozzles (101,
102) are intended for the forward and return flow of the fluid used in the hydraulic
 11
system and the third nozzle (103) is intended for the drainage of the return flow of the
fluid, wherein the nozzles are connected via pipes to the control valve/directional
valve (104), which is used to direct oil through pipes to the hydraulic motor in order to
start it and to change its rotation speed, wherein the return flow of the fluid moving in
5 the hydraulic system takes place through the said control valve (104), the hydraulic
system also includes pressure limiters (106, 107) between the forward/return flow
piping, and an additional first (108) and second (109) control valve fitted to both of
the outlets of the motor before the control valve (110) to control the operation of the
motor.

10 3. The stump crusher according to claim 3, characterised in that the first additional
control valve (108) is connected to the control valve (110) of the motor via a pressure
limiter (117) and the second additional control valve (109) is connected to the motor
control lever (116) and to the hydraulic accumulator (111) of the stump crusher.

4. The stump crusher according to claim 3, characterised in that an additional third

15 valve (112) is connected between the inlet nozzles (101, 102) before the control
valve (118) and to a proportional valve/pressure limiter (113), which is connected to
the hydraulic accumulator (111) and the drainage of the return flow of the fluid to the
machine’s system.
1/3

FIG 1
 2/3

FIG 2
 3/3

FIG 3