Chipper feed mechanism with pulsating down pressure

摘要

A wood chipper includes an engine and a cutting assembly. A rotatable feed wheel and a gap-bounding member define therebetween an adjustable gap through which feed material moves toward the cutting assembly. An electronic control unit (ECU) controls force applied to the feed wheel or gap-bounding member toward the feed material in response to an operational condition of the wood chipper. The ECU can maintain or vary the force in any desired manner. One option is to apply the force with a pulsating mechanism in a pulsating manner to enhance the feeding procedure. The pulsating mechanism is in communication with a sensor from which the ECU receives signals typically indicating an operational speed of the cutting assembly or the engine. An ECU logic circuit permits the pulsating force only if the operational speed exceeds a predetermined threshold.