United
States
Department
of
Agriculture
Forest
Service
Engineering
Staff
Washington
UýS
D.C.
Engineering
Field Notes
Volume
13
Number
5
May
Engineering Technical
Information
System
Forest Service
Awarded
Engineers
Patent
Office Planning
Plastic
Covering over a Glass
Greenhouse
Value Engineering/Value Analysis
Soars in Region 1
Lot Size
in
Public
Land
Surveys-Changes
Artwork
in
ENGINEERING IN
A FORESTRY ENVIRONMENT
1981
United
States
Department
of
Agriculture
Engineering
May
Field Notes
F
See
orest
Engineering Technical
Engineering
Staff
Washington
Volume 13
Number 5
D.C.
System
Information
UýS
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
DATA
MANAGEMENT
RETRIEVAL
contained
Information
in
guidance
for
developed
of
this
FIELD
NOTES
has
publication
employees
the
of
TECHNICAL
been
United States
De-partment
Department
and
of
of
Federal
use
or
Service
of
this
contractors
its
and State agencies.
assumes
Agriculture
interpretation
own
Agriculture-Forest
cooperating
its
no
The
for
the
other than
its
responsibility
information
by
employees.
publica-tion
The use
names
ap-proval
trade
of
the
for
is
firm or
corporation
information
and convenience
use does not constitute an
Such
the
by
any product
United
or
States
service
official
this
of
the
reader.
endorsement
Department
the exclusion
to
in
of
of
or
Agriculture
of
may
others that
be suitable.
re-commended
instruc-tions
The
of
text
the
in
the publication represents
respective
or
or
type
of
policy
engineering
this
except
in
by
the
technicians
publication
procedures
approved
material
is
the personal
opinions
and must not be construed
author
FSM
references.
publication
should
not intended
as
mandatory
all
read each
Because
engineers
issue
of
the
and
however
exclusively for engineers.
REPORTS
1981
FOREST
PATENT
SERVICE
ENGINEERS
AWARDED
Service Engineers
Lambert and Leonard
B.
Della-Moretta were credited as
inventors in a patent issued
to
April 7 1981 for a machine
treat slash or forest residues.
The Department of Agri.cultur was designated
as
for Patent.
Two Forest
Michael B.
Experiment
Station where
Forest Residues
on
working
and Energy.
Range
he
The
is
horizontal
free-swinging flail-type rotary
chopper the successful operation
of which depends on the
from the
ship of the distance
of
the
pivot point
rotating
mechanism to the pivot point of
the flails versus the length of
the flails.
patent
describes
a
relation-Assigne
Lambert
and Della-Moretta
did the
in
the
work
development
early
1970s when they were on the
staff at San Dimas Equipment
Center.
DellaDevelopment
Moretta is still working at San
Dimas Lambert has completed an
assignment in the Equipment
Development
Group in the Washington Office and is now with the
Pacific Northwest Forest and
A commercial
is
equipment company
and
has
the
produced
using
patent
three machines.
A reproduction
document
of the
follows.
patent
A_
PRESE\
TJALL31 wH.OrI1JHýS
THERE
HAS BEEN
S
4259834
C0-MI
TO THE
PRESENTED
and Trademarks
Commissioner of Patents
CON-TAINED
PRAYING
A PETITION
NEW AND
FOR
GRANT OF LETTERS PATENT
THE
THE
USEFUL INVENTION
THE
IN
AND
TITLE
OF WHICH
SPECIFICATIONS
DESCRIPTION
A COPY
IS
AN ALLEGED
FOR
OF WHICH
HEREUNTO
AND
ANNEXED
LAW
OF
MADE A PART HEREOF AND THE VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS
AND
THE
AND
PROVIDED
HAVE
BEEN
COMPLIED
WITH
MADE
ARE
IN
TITLE
SUCH
CASES
THERETO
IS
S
EXAMI-NATION
FROM
THE
RECORDS
CLAIMANT
INDICATED
MADE
THE
SAID
THE
IN
TRADEMARK
AND
CLAIMANTS
IS
THE
IN
WHEREAS UPON DUE
COPY AND
SAID
ARE
ADJUDGED TO BE ENTITLED
TO
UNDER THE LAW.
A PATENT
Now
CLAIMANT
THEREFORE THESE
S AND
THE
PAYMENT
Letters
SUCCESSORS
FOR THE TERM OF SEVENTEEN
O THE
PATENT
OF THE
OFFICE
Paten
ARE TO GRANT UNTO THE
OF THE SAID CLAIMANT
HEIRS OR ASSIGNS
YEARS
FROM THE DATE
OF ISSUE FEES AS PROVIDED BY
HERS FROM MAKING USING OR SELLING
OF THIS
LAW
GRANT
SAID
s
SUBJECT
RIGHT TO EXCLUDE
THE
INVENTION THROUGHOUT THE
THE SAID
TED STATES.
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United States Patent 19
11
Lambert
45
54
75
et
al.
SYNCHRONIZED
FLAIL FOR TREATMENT
OF FORESTRY RESIDUES
Inventors
Lambert
Annandale
Michael
B.
Leonard
B. Della-Moretta
Assignee
Va.
Pomona
2427743
12/1975
6515224
5/1967
States of
represented
by the Secretary of
57
D.C.
In a
America as
Washington
7
1981
DOCUMENTS
Germany
Fed. Rep. of
Netherlands
56/504
............
56/294
..............................
Primary Examiner-Jay N. Eskovitz
Attorney Agent or Firm-M. Howard Silverstein
David G. McConnell
The United
Agriculture
Apr.
FOREIGN PATENT
Calif.
73
4259834
ABSTRACT
machine for treatment of tree thinning residues and
rotat-63
connec-1977
22
Appl.
cen-ter
61170
pivot
Filed
Jul.
26
1979
Related
U.S.
Continuation-in-part
of
860275
Dec.
13
58
C1.3
A01D
............................................
56/504
56/12.7
Field of Search
...............
56/12.7
50/00
37/91
56/294
56/294
37/91-94
References
U.S.
PATENT
249 504 10.7
189 299/79 89 90
5/1960
Lundell
3574989
4/1971
Rousseau
blade
made wherein
is
containing
and a
each
flails
at
a
flail
R
said
flail
the effective
on
means
said
structure
said
from the
structure
axis
of rotation of
to said pivot
said pivot
point
to
support
such
said
structure
that the distance
rotatable
support
and the distance L from
point
said
the following
for pivotal
rotatable
the length of said arms being
having
plurality
flails
effective
center
of mass
relationship
n/2
Cited
DOCUMENTS
2938326
improvement
located
R/L
56
free-swinging
at
tion being
Cl ..........................................
of
able support
and
U.S.
having
of side arms
one end of said cutting blade and having at
the other end means for pivotal connection
to said
abandoned.
Int.
type
to rotatable support structures
a cutting
mass
connected
Data
No.
Ser.
the
point
comprises
Application
the
connected
pivotably
of
51
52
slash of
logging
No.
................................
et
al .....................
where n
is
any integer from
1
to
5.
56/12.7
56/10.7
1
Claim 6 Drawing Figures
-5
8
i
21
U.S. Patent
Apr.
7
1981
Sheet
1
of 2
4259834
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00
4259834
saw-FORESTRY
sil-cicultural
2
1
For
SYNCHRONIZED
FLAIL FOR TREATMENT
RESIDUES
OF
work
treatment
slash
produce fine
dust.
These fine
to
can
particles
forestry there
in
wood
of
particles
such
even
no need
is
as chips or
damaging
be
to
Exist-860275
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATION
This
a continuation-in-part
is
now
13 1977
Dec.
filed
5
to
invention
this
forest
More
logging
for cutting
into a
slash
tree
edges
for
of the
forest
hold cutting
ground
residue
operations
encountered.
treatment
slash
so as to avoid
in
condition
treatment
in slash
floor
forest
sharp
in
and rocks always
used
much
leaves
cutting
the
tools
contact.
This
and
especially stumps
stobs uncut.
There
thin-
of small
plurality
these devices
specifically
10
on
left
expensive
dirt
above the ground
management
fire
of the
ing.machines
abandoned.
pertains to devices
ning residues and
pieces.
and
silviculture
and
difficult
because
No.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Relating
quantity. Maintaining
is
of Ser.
application
when
activities
include vehicles
also an energy
is
particles
too
through
wood
absorbs
energy.
for making
penalty
Every
small.
pass of a sharp
new
creates a
and
surface
wood
the
cutting
edge
every
pass
decom-DESCRIPTION
moving across the forest
means having free-swinging
for
floor with
rotating cutting
15
Slash
type blades.
flail
wood
OF THE PRIOR ART
Slash
or forest
the unused
residues
of
and
the
like
as
on the
left
over
pose
defined
generally
is
20
treatment
machines
into larger chunks.
longer
silviculture
and
surfaces
chunks
aiding
rather
periods
processes.
lower
cut
can
will
than
mean
chunks
Larger
therefore
needed that
are
Larger
slowing
fewer
cut
requirements.
treat-breeds
portions
trees
energy
im-lower
cut-means
floor
forest
by logging operations construction
the forest and
through
includes
tree
the thinning
limbs
tops
Accumulation
wads.
chopping
and
chipping
includes
hazards
fire
crushing
the
splitting
center of gravity with
its
1.
slash
order
in
respect to
with
equipment
utilized
rotating
flails
free-swinging
A
cutting
uniform
thickness
B
Railway Maintenance
by the
Cutter Michael
metal plate exempli-
A
RMC
Corp
American
Lambert
Agricultural Engineers
No.
Paper
Brush
35
cast
of
Society
and
Thinning
cutting
edge
so
shocks
tional
flail
as
USDA
to be
designed
is
to lessen the
when
occur
that
such
flail
as the
Field
in
Miller Forest Service
This type of
27.
very
the
flail
light
and
damage
stirrup-type
made of
flail
p.
a
resistant
45
formed into
of
a cut
the
obstacle.
resistant
After
the
striking
the shelter of
on the rotatable
from the
to
axis
of rotation of the
the pivot
any integer from
compared
to
1
prior
to
5.
art
flails
machines
machines
the
following
having
advantages
component
Vibration
failure
and blade
damage
are greatly reduced.
This type of flail exemplified by U.S. Pat.
U-shape.
No. 3574989 is also designed
to lessen the shock
obstacle
means
the
structure
located
Ln/2
is
When
a
effect
R
structure
employing synchronized
the vibra-
strikes
stock
flat
L
R
1.
A
support
where n
the
at
a
and the length of the side arms being
that the distance
for 40
1978
July
and
end means for pivotal
to the rotatable support
being
blade
flail
one end to the
at
the other
at
of the
to
the
point
a cutting
comprises
flail
center of mass
slash of the
connected
a pivot
at
for
and the
point
from the pivot point to the flails effective
center of mass have
the following
relationship
object.
3.
and having
structure
support
distance
Equipment
and Slash Treatment by
described
each
machines
pivotably
arms connected
of side
rotatable
74-1570.
hammer
single thickness
DT-213
Precommercial
the effective
such
Mc-Kenzie
2.
Nicolas
wherein
containing
for pivotal connection
stock
flat
structures
provement
ting blade
flails
which
designs
flail
In
and logging
residues
free-swinging
support
plurality
of four general
synchronized
problems.
art
ment of tree thinning
connection
fabricated from
flail
the prior
rotatable
to
elevation
its
have discovered
obviate
type having
categories
resembling generally a rectangular
fled
25
30
treatment
have
design
We
cutting
above the ground.
Slash
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
wildlife water-sheds
affects
Treatment
aesthetics.
of roads
young timber. It
and root
stumps
creates
slash
bugs and adversely
and
logs
cull
of
of
Synchronized
2.
more energy
exert
50
more energy
a
stroke
than
efficient
slash treatment
given
on each rotation and
impact and are therefore
impact
flails
into each
non-synchronized
job
can
be
flails i.e.
done
much
with
abra-Slash
flail
repelled
is
limiters.
Centrifugal
gradually
emerge
4.
A
U.S.
used
for
have
designs
The
prior
shredding
mowing
every
cutting
speeds.
U.S.
bent
Pat.
the
to
lower
to
3.
turn.
stock
strip
No.
flails
2990667
and
55
and
art
flying
flails
wood
these
these
incorporating
and
problems
high safety
due to
FIG.
depend on relatively
sharp edges
by cutting chipping tearing or
wood
chip
that
require
is
tool/wood
produced.
contact
Typically
done with many sharp teeth at high cutting
The result is usually small chips or even sawis
and
rocks
flails
to have
are
much
synchronized
1
is
a perspective
with
synchronized
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
65
in
FIG.
FIG.
is
a rotating
residue
flail
and
assembly
flails.
a perspective
view of a synchronized
an end
view of the synchronized
a front
view of the synchronized
flail.
flail
shown
flail
shown
2.
FIG. 4
in
is
THE DRAWINGS
view of a Forestry
machine having
cutting
flails in
damage to the flails or the
be removed below
ground level.
without
Stumps can
slash
for
wood
synchronized
dull edged blades
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF
60
debris.
for
fact
possible to operate
is
dirt
machine.
of exces-
risks
not necessary
is
edged blades. In
treated.
preferred.
sive
flail
fibers
actions
It
4. It
machines
per ton of slash
horsepower-hour
sharp
flail
actions.
All of
dust.
shaped
typically suffered from
flails
to separate
causes
the rotor continues
machine breakdown
broken
then
2711067.
No.
Pat.
treatment
sive
L
as
light-duty
generally
force
to
is
2.
design-able
tar-bly
4259834
3
FIG.
5
a
including
and two
flails
4
At
assembly
flail
designs. Previous
flail
have supposed
that since flails evidently are subject
to being
in random positions
as they impact
their
ers
view of a
end
partial
assem-
flail
and one
support structure
suitable
flail.
5
OF THE PREFERRED
gets
to understand
dynamic
the
machinery the inventors
actual slash cutting
devices
and observed
operated
under
carried
actions of prior
controlled
10
against over
designers
lightweight
built
backwards thus limiting the
Other designers built heavier flails that
oscillate
higher
but these
of
conditions
to protect
Most
machinery.
that
flails
be necessary
must
it
the
ing
forces.
art
previous
in
stress-ing
trans-EMBODIMENTS
trans-mitted
showing one
In order
were able to describe the
the inventors
point
this
limiting factor
rotat-
structures.
a schematic
is
partial
two synchronized
shaft
support
FIG. 6
view of a
a perspective
is
workload
or
to increase effectiveness
levels
energy
have
flails
be limited to input
to
occasional
else
power or
structural
size
of the
failures
oscilla-for
in
an
instrumented
pose.
of
Flails
above
scribed
four
general
were tested
allowed
photography
especially for
built
facility
all
design
the
in
careful
this
High
facility.
scrutiny
of
drive
pins
shafts
machine components will occur.
The inventors then reasoned that
de-
speed
motions
support
their
flails
pur-
categories
15
both
if a
some
or
other
was to have
flail
and high reliability low incidence
would be necessary to control the
of
high energy
struc-angles
disas-diameter.
syn-were
consis-wood.
and between impacts
during
the
time
first
the
flail
of
problems
the prior
became evident. The high speed filmsshowed
from the first category
often struck the logs
to the rotating support
relative
did however
flails
cut
tively
their
tions
flails
would
the logs
structures
following
ture.
effec-
of
on
impacts
solid
the proper
rotating
after
Therefore
results.
energy
the
in
blades
efficient
but
even
position
with
could
devised
invention
this
it
energy
have the problem
the inventors
of
concepts
impact
its
the support
impact
wrong
an
deliver
did not
backwards
strike
makes
it
to
through
flails
chronization
25
time
position
high energy
can
flails
trous
above
relative
so that each
flail
in
Heavy
heavy
to 6 inches
up
to actually
support
These 20
to
energy
be
the logs instead of back
into
peculiar
from the other three categories
oscillate
backwards
Flails
observed
to
flails
at
it
of the
art
that
structure.
enough
possess
or fracture
through
failure then
on various sized logs and
very
the
so that
high
combined with
be
struc-support
swing-ing
de-was
rela-extended
Because
of
typically could
8 to
for
logs
any cutting
10 successive
By
structure.
backwards oscillation the
this
not impart
revolutions
the time these
cutting
positions
their proper
non-cutting
portions
of the
30
sent the
supporting
quent
impacts
controlled
or
the asis
ratio
structure
of
timing
by designing
signg the
ved
supporting
of the
flails
the rotating frequency
to
that
machine
increase
safety.
that the natural frequency
ing has the correct
reverse again
in
and
achieved
flected
dimensions
ture such
to
positioning
efficiency
recovery
were often rubbing on the logs causlosses
and smoke or fires. Subseenergy
flails oscillating
impact
synchronization
Flail
structures
frictional
proper
effectiveness
of the support
regained
flails
tent
flails
into the
energy
of the
the blades
permit
will
to
re-
mathe-energy
because
the
had
they
wood now
insufficient
to cut or fracture
energy
turn
35
to
their
proper
the time available
positions during
between subsequent
impacts. This insures that the blade
Engi-cient
After observing
these
to design
tempted
against the
rubbing
a
flail
the inventors
actions
flail
new
structure.
to always
energy
new
the
hook
the logs
cut through
the
had
sometimes
flail
tendency
and throw them around.
40
to
compo-nents
im-prove
from a safety viewpoint.
then added various structural
to that flail to discourage
hooking and to
the energy
transfer from flail to log. Dulling
the
desirable
The inventors
edges
striking
flail
Flail
eliver
A
of the
contained
the energy
also helped
flail
sufficient
into the logs
in
both
areas.
enter the workpiece
time
used
it
comes
to determine
natural
flails
This
flails.
undesirable
from a
radially
these
the
the
as
edge
flail
the log
fe
Period
ii
in
of
flails
55
by a previous impact
or leading the normal radially
restruck
the
In
log.
for impact
designed
log and tremendous
could
not
relationship
R
6
7
and
pivot
fs
point
any
1
L
4
1
the length
in
FIG.
ratio
5.
of
flail
fB/fs
Ratio
R/L
6
of rotation of
axis
effective
flails
The
to
as
R
main
shaft
i.e. center of rotation of pivot
the
4.
from
integer
1
is
to
blade
schematically
between the
L
Support
length
flail
5 i.e. center of rotation of
point
and where
in
shown
is
the distance
is
rotatable support
located
60
of the Rotatable
Effective
pivot
either of
were transmit-
forces
of the
structure
PQ
Radius
This
position
it
a function
is
P.
of structure
Period
where
deflected
being
fB
the supporting
and means to 50
was not synchro-
contacted
That is the
extended
position
cases
contact
sometimes
flail
was lagging
sometimes
extended
The
attitude.
same
frequency
45
and therefore
was not in accordance
with the
invention.
The films showed
a potentially hazardous
movement
of the flail similarto that observed
with the
prior art
the natural
frequency
of
rotating frequency
nized
an
the
at
The
around.
described
fully
energy
but
it
No.
by the applicant in Paper
76-1573 of the American Society of Agricultural
49085 which is
neers P.O. Box 229 St. Joseph Mich.
therein
hereby
incorporated
by reference. It is shown
are
that the
was un-
This
each
angle
matical models
Unfortu-
logs.
a
will always
flail
correct
combined the higher
that
levels of the heavy
flat stock
type flail with
some of the desirable features of the stirrup type flail.
The result was promising in that there was now suffinately
of the
at-
pin
measured from
8
center
of
mass
2
where n is
becomes 0.25
n/2
equal
then
damp-prior
1 2.25
and
For cutting on the flails forward
which imparts more energy than cutting on
6.25.
prefera-position
ted directly
the
through
These forces
flail
to
were measured by
on the support structure. When
the forces
film
speed
flails.
the
were extremely
the inventors
art flails
of the
its
actually
observed
squashing
structure.
support
strain
flail
gages
was
violent.
flail
A
logs with
in
oscillation
mounted
a
a leading
from
Using
high
and other
the
flat
end
65
backward
I
to
5.
oscillation
Preferably
n
is
preferably
integers
1
to
any
3 and
odd integer
most
of unpredicted
1 are used to reduce the effects
A certain amount of
damping or large oscillation.
ing can be added to ensure that the flails do not oscillate
other than the natural frequency
which
on a frequency
bly
4259834
5
may
be
actual
harmonic
a
cause
R/L
of
ratio
of
the structures
may
be
frequency.
Flail
still
follows
some what and
varied
6
A
The
see above
FIGS.
dimensions
3
4 are as
and
synchronization.
flail
pro-A
FIG.
shows a forestry residue and slash cutting
1
machine having a rotary
nized flails.
Main shaft 6
with
assembly
flail
synchro-
_
5
R
mounted on and
driven by the forestry residue and slash cutting machine
rotatably
if
t
18
D
6
L
4.06
d
11
I
be-between
in
a
conventional
with
main
8 are pivotally attached
flails
pivot
pins
FIG.
7.
two
could
a
the scope
preferred
a perspective
in
One
5.
order
in
5
by
10
located
5
however
support and
rotatable
FIG.
a
A
4.
embodiment
second
can
flail
be
The
at
two
5
a
is
consists
result
root
very
with
is
R/L
ratio
cutters.
to machinery
be
cannot
with
achieved
and performed
accordance
in
and produced wood residues ranging
theinvention
from chunks about the
in size
to
sufficient
correct.
precisely
is
synchronized
any
added
that
heavy slash
important
and synchronization
flails
is
not
is
for
design
not
is
showed
flail
synchronization
flails
which
2.1
is
of that
Synchronization
B
synchronized
in
of 4.43
flail
Flail
vertical
arms 3 see side arms 3e and 3f FIG.
attached
at
lower ends to the ends of blade 4. For greater
structural strength a plurality
of side arms 3 can
be
attached to blade 4 in a manner such that blade 4 will be
side
without
20
4.43
duce an acceptable
unless the
20
w
Analysis
J.
1
6
f
not
the square
heavy
in
flail
It
flail.
least
15
is
shown
not
is
seen.
stirrup
4 having
blade
does
ratio
multiple of
be
still
18/4.06
This
cause
flail
t2
and R/L
weight
rotatable support
that the
bar-shaped
flat
8 to be
flail
modified version of the U-shaped
of
Synchronized
of the invention.
view
FIG.
in
FIG. 5
6.
are
embodiment of a single flail is shown as
view in FIG. 2 as an end view in FIG. 3
as a front
shown
shaft
supports
single
5
supports
to rotatable supports
shows each
1
rotatable
straddle
within
and
Rotatable
manner.
and rotate
fixed to
is
size
of a
mans
fist
to about
arm size
their
divided
into several equal
3c and 3d FIGS.
sections
Z
R
L
25
see side arms 3a 3b
and 4. Located
end of
at the upper
side arms 3 are bushings
9 in which pivot pins 7 FIGS.
1 and
9 can be simply holes in side 30
rotate.
Bushings
d
2
6
11.5
and R/L
in.
18
in.
8.0
in
2f
e
18/8
in.
I
21
t2
in.
in.
I
tj
6
f
in.
in.
2.25
inven-bushings
or
arms 3
9 are
It
The
parallel
preferred
is
inventors
that blade
ferred
fracture
heavy
that
wood
cause
edges
be
flails
fail
of
blunt.
with
rela-
pre-
impact
35
be
will
synchronized
flails
The
residues.
values
to
specifically
with
art will
the
apply
to
into
find uses for
for treatment
would
flails
configurations
those
are incorporated
the
in
other than
principle
that
than
accordance
skilled
that uses free-swinging
at
in
R/L
Also those
the design.
other
flails
tion as long as proper
along
planes. That is a high energy
clearly understood
above
described
4.
dull or
to
be
and dimensions
in
of blade
10
edges
discovered
dull impact
tively
10
to edges
should
It
link-
FIGS. 2
4 and
to blade
arms 3 are perpendicular
Side
4.
they are cylindrical bushings
arms 3a to 3b and 3c to 3d as shown
ing side
and
preferably
of forestry
any
machine
crush chip cut chop or
com-their
one
the
through
it
on a piece
position
is
wood
weakest.
of
wood
that cause
can
wood
the
of these
Propagation
send
where
to crack
cracks
split.
waves
shock
has been
40
Having
1.
re-
In a
thus described
we claim
our invention
machine for treatment of tree thinning residues
sup-This
struc-flails.
corded
tests.
art
permitted
design.
of the
quires
the inventors
Wood
impact
flail
fewer
edged
weak planes ahead
to use dull
fracturing along
yields random-sized
of
passes
the
flails
the
through
flails
and
chunks
ment job
Dull
slash
dull
can
be
done with
per tone requirements
edged
treatment
edged
ground
flails
level
stumps
without
lower
in dirt
may
damage
be
and
rocks.
taken
treat-
to the
flails
of
Now
out even
45
slash.
horsepower-
operation
pivot
in
re-
possible using prior
extended
permit
machinery
flails
much
than
pivotably
wood
hence lower overall energy consumption
to treat
method means that a given slash
breakage
hour
and logging
on high speed motion pictures during controlled
This fail mechanism of wood unknown
to prior
50
or the
ma-
show
the
of said
port
structure
improvement
blade
said
wherein
the effective
containing
The
following
of the
examples
R/L
values
are intended
to
of said side arms being
axis
of rotation of
to said pivot
to
point
the following
said
point
flails
said
such
where n
65
at
a
flail
center of
that the distance
is
R
rotatable support
and the distance L from
effective
center
relationship
VýR/L n/2
60
flails
flail
chines.
criticality
structures
said means for pivotal connection
being
on said rotatable support structure and the
located
pivot
55
free-swinging
to rotatable support
and a plurality of side arms connected
at one end to said cutting
blade and having
at the other
end means for pivotal connection
to said rotatable
mass
ture
with
below
a cutting
prises
from the
the
the
point
length
art
slash of the type having
connected
any integer odd from
1
to
5.
of mass
said
have
OFFICE
PLANNING
James
A.
CaZvery
Regional Architect
Region 9
is slow
the Government
Although
in reacting to change change
Personnel
does take place.
change job descriptions are
gradually modified offices are
relocated and changes in Forest
Service leadership may alter our
priorities and guide us in new
directions.
Last year for exwe may have spent most of
our time with the drafting section producing
construction
drawings and this year we may
spend most of our time with the
section administering
contracting
with archicontracts
firms.
tectural and engineering
Since different functions require
different tools we must periodically reassess our organization
to determine if revisions
are
communication between
individuals.
Each individual therefore as well.
as the organization
should be
con-sidered
pleasing
space.
in providing
aesthetically
as well as functional
Since
we all depend on other people
our jobs the
help us accomplish
best starting point in planning a
good office layout is to determine
the true communication
structure
of
the organization.
True
tion is being able to lean over a
partition to ask a question or to
go over a drawing with comeone
while having a cup of coffee as
well as writing a memo or putting
a supplement
in a manual.
A
should
fully worded questionnaire
enable planners to outline the
communication
structures of an
office and to organize its layout
accordingly.
Thus the questions
should not only give insight into
communications but will reveal
to
communica-ample
care-outside
necessary.
furniture
lighting
acoustic
The best way to recognize the
need for change within an office
is disorder
nothing works
and
it takes forever
smoothly
to move a project
through the
office or to get a letter out.
Change
however
requires planand planning can be a waste
of time unless we have a clear
of organizational
understanding
In
order
to carry out
purpose.
our facility planning task we
first define the purpose of
The actual purpose
an office.
of an office is to process information rapidly and accurately.
and utility
time.
The efficient processing of information depends upon two kinds
interactions.
There is on
one hand the relationship
between the layout of an office
and the individuals who work within it which
in turn has an
on
the
effectiveness
of
impact
Most offices today whether they
are conventional
or of the
scaped type show little
This
tion in the use of space.
sameness usually results from an
untrained
designer following a
To avoid
predetermined
concept.
such pitfalls every planning
needs
at
the
same
propor-ning
Many offices have layouts based
on organization charts.
That is
office
size is in direct
tion to an employees position in
a hierarchy.
As a result the
individual at the bottom of the
ladder seldom has enough space to
maneuver.
A more efficient
fice operation will result if
space is allocated on the basis
of the agencys objectives
rather than employee
status.
of-must
land-of
varia-the
9
team
should
experienced
have
at least one
person.
Because we never know exactly
what to expect our offices
should provide for as much flexiThe obvious
bility as possible.
solution to this need is what is
commonly referred to as office
this solulandscaping however
tion should not be employed
first doing the preliminary
work.
If for instance gaining
is
the desired result a
space
office may not be the
answer.
with-out
great deal of validity but it
overlooks the third dimension
which can be a real space and
Since we live and
money saver.
work in three-dimensional
space
The best way
why not plan in it
We
to do this is with a model.
can then make our mistakes on the
gaming table before we commit
ourselves to a costly move.
in-landscape
Finally regardless of the office
it is important
plan undertaken
to remember that changes are
itiated by individuals
who are
then followed by the group they
in turn will resist change until
demonstrates
management
ship.
Consequently management
and staff should undergo
a short
training course to ensure smooth
operation of new layouts of all
offices and working
space.
leader-challenging
Office
can pose especially
planning problems.
One standard way of approaching
a
move is to prepare a drawing and
to look at the floor plan in two
dimensions.
This approach
has a
10
moves
OVER A GLASS
PLASTIC COVERING
GREENHOUSE
A design
VanderpoeZ
NisoZet NationaZ
was drawn up for the
using technology
by Stuppy Greenhouse
Supply Inc. and Monsanto
The
Polyethylene Film Company.
construction
was relatively
simple and two laborers were
able to complete installation on
the greenhouse
in 1 month.
de-veloped
AZ
covering
Forest
A polyethylene
plastic coverings
was installed on the existing
at the Forestry
glass greenhouse
Sciences Lab in Rhinelander
The
Wisconsin
this past year.
existing 117- by 20-foot glass
was in need of several
greenhouse
repairs the most serious being
the caulking
around the
to
glass panels had deteriorated
the point that the panels were
was
slipping and the greenhouse
Several
alternaleaking badly.
were studied including recaulking replacing the glass
Herculite-type plastic
panels or covering the structure
with polyethylene
sheeting.
installa-that
The first step prior to
tion of the sheeting was to wash
the existing glass since it was
anticipated that installation of
the plastic would reduce light
transmission a clean glass
face would help in this respect.
In fact
tests made after
stallation showed that only 30
percent of the incident PAR
photosynthetically active
tion reached the plants whereas
45 percent of the incident
PAR
reached
the plants through the
While this is a
glass alone.
of 33 percent
reduction
house personnel are satisfied
with growing conditions under
This will actually
the plastic.
in the
prove to be an advantage
summer by eliminating the need
for shade screens which had been
used previously to reduce light
transmission.
sur-tives
in-with
radia-Cost
green-most
maintenance
aesthetics
and the life of repairs were
taken into consideration with
the conclusion that the polyethylene covering would be the
solution.2
economical
Two
inflated
of
layers
polyethylene
with air provide several advantages at a relatively low cost
Heat loss is reduced
in winter
easier
in
the summer
is
cooling
and growing conditions are kept
relatively stable year round.
vent
openings
air
transfer
kits
air
bubbles
plastic
blower
concrete
Figure
1.
en-countered
covering
fan
walls
Greenhouse
section.
Hardware bars bolted continuously
to the edges of the greenhouse
were used to hold the plastic in
3
Inserts were used 4 feet
place.
in length
to provide
an airtight
connection
and to allow for easy
of the plastic which
replacement
is anticipated
every 2 to 3 years.
No particular problems were
with the hardware
although minor field adaptations
were necessary in several areas.
Installation was made by
and ladders and much of
the work on the vent windows was
done from the inside by reaching
through the opening.
scaf-folding
typical
11
Figure
Figure
12
2.
3.
Installation
Installation
of the
of the
hardware
plastic
bars.
covering.
The
two
in
was applied
polyethylene
and
forced
air
was
layers
The repumped into the layers.
suiting air space of approximately 4 inches provides
excellent insulation and the
is a heat savings estimated at approximately
40 percent per year.
Moreover a
temperature of 70F can
be maintained using the plastic
whereas it was difficovering
cult to maintain a temperature of
50F inside the greenhouse when
glass covering was used.4
An outside air inlet to the
blowers was installed to prevent
condensation
between the layers
outside
air improves this
drier
and a damper was put on the motor
to control
the amount of
tion.
Problems with leakage
heat loss and glass slippage
have been eliminated.
In
tion to the plastic covering
steel siding was applied to the
lower sides of the greenhouse
and the result is a completely
renovated
structure
for a
The system
tively small cost.
works amazingly well and the end
result is a controlled
ment that the greenhouse
personnel
are well satisfied with.
infla-result
addi-constant
rela-the
environ-The
inflation of the polyethylene
produced
by small squirrel
blowers that run
cage-type
The polyethylene
was
constantly.
divided
into several small bubbles separately covering the
sides ends roof and each set
of vent windows.
Each of these
bubbles is connected
by 4-inch
dryer vent-type
tubing thus
only one blower on each side of
is required.
greenhouse
is
One
suggestion for any future
projects of this type can be
made.
This project was handled
and
by a public works contract
a premium was paid for the unique
Two in-house
quality of work.
maintenance
people could handle
the project and save a
able amount of money.
consider-the
Figure
4
Detail
of
the
air transfer
tubing.
13
Figure
5.
Complete project
COMMENTARY
As a result of concerns expressed
by Forest Service engineers an
ad hoc committee composed of
engineers and research scientists
is being formed to study energy
costs for greenhouse
operations
and to promote the development
of new designs and the retrofitting of existing greenhouses.
Among the committees concerns
are the overriding need to update
existing 50-year-old technology
the exploration of new or innovative building envelopes
the dissemination of information about
and retrofit options cur
rently available and the need to
utilize economics
in design
about
analysis.
Questions
or the available
technical information should be
directed to George J. Lippert
Facilities Staff Engineer
Office.
with
inflated
plastic.
The footnotes
listed below are
intended to supplement the
article.
film used was
polyethylene
not the sheet plastic usually
available through retail outlets
but rather Monsanto 602-type
The 602
polyethylene
sheeting.
sheeting
type polyethylene
retains its pliability over
extended periods and lasts
sheet
longer than conventional
environmental
plastic.
Indeed
exposure tests indicate a 3-year
lifespan for the 602-type
tic as against a lifespan of
9-12 months for regular sheet
plastic.
1The
plas-desig
opera-Chief
mainte-Washington
com-mitteeprogress
14
2Interesting
facility management
problems and opportunities
are
inherent in greenhouse
tions.
Operating and
nance costs are usually very
high whereas
initial costs are
often low because of limited
With this
construction
funding.
of
cost
distribution
major
type
should
improvement opportunities
be investigated.
Many of our
greenhouses particularly
sheet plastic greenhouses should
be replaced rather than retrofit-
and sealing details
covering large expanses
glazed surfaces.
setting
when
of
poly-present
ted.
3Serious consideration
should
always be given to framing
4While the insulation qualities
of the inflated double
ethylene film system is a major
improvement over the single
glazed surface of the original
greenhouse the real payoff
in
appears to be the reduction
air.
the infiltration of cold
15
VALUE
SOARS
MeZ
ENGINEERING/VALUE
IN REGION 1
Dittmer
Management
Region
1
P.E.
Systems
ANALYSIS
The people nominated and selected
for the training/workshop
in
grades GS-11 12 and 13 were
LS
Engineer
Foresters
also called
Analysis or Value Management is a systematic technique
used by a team of skilled individuals
who take a second
look at an activity or project
to clearly identify the purpose
of that activity or project.
The aim of Value Engineering is
to find a better way to realize a
project or activity
usually with
lower initial and long term
costs.
Value
Value
Engineers
Architects
Landscape Architects Economists
Administrative
Officers Logging
Specialists District Rangers
Fire Management
Specialists and
others.
During the workshop
the 33 participants were divided
into seven teams to study the
seven selected Forest Service
projects and received training
interspersed with actual use of
learned techniques
on an assigned
We included
some people
project.
of
on the teams who had knowledge
the project being studied and who
would
therefore be in a position
to implement
any savings
fied during the workshop.
Engineering
identi-neering
Since
introducing Value Engito Region 1 in January
1979 we have been steadily
increasing the use and training
of this technique.
After a number of successes
with Value
Engineering studies the Regional
decided
Forester and his Deputies
we should expand our efforts in
Value Engineering to reduce rising costs.
effort
By Friday of the weeklong
the teams had completed a written
studied.
report on each project
Oral presentations
were made by
each team to the other workshop
participants and to visitors who
included a number of Regional
Directors and two Deputy Regional
Foresters.
A decision
was made to contract
for the services of a consulting
team with the necessary skills
and credentials
a 40to conduct
hour Value Engineering workshop.
From the beginning
we were committed to using a mixture of
disciplines and projects in the
effort to avoid
training/workshop
an excessively
narrow preoccupation with engineering
projects.
and
Supervisors
Regional
Directors initially identified
about 20 projects for study at the
the training/workshop we reduced the list to seven.
A 30-minute color
video tape was
made of the oral presentation
given by the team that studied
the minor access road.
This
rough video tape was made
primarily as a communications
tool for use within Region 1.
A brief discussion of the workshop
and Region 1 emphasis on Value
Analysis/Value
Engineering
cedes the recorded presentation.
pre-Forest
Fol-Since
writing this article Mel
of Engineering
Region
Director
Some of the projects were too
large or too complex to study
fully during the workshop.
Dittmer has
been
promoted
to Assistant
10.
17
com-projects
work-shop.
lowup on all the projects is
The brief listing
continuing.
below shows the variety of the
and activities
studied.
1.
A road heavily damaged
by a flood in 1980.
Potential
of
$297000
savings
30 percent
original cost estimate were
of
6.
Regional
assignment of
This was a very
air tankers.
complex project and was not
pleted during the 40-hour
The team members agreed
that at least $300000 would be
saved and possibly as much as
$1000000.
ex-3.
ap-4.
success-large
anticipated.
2.
A large timber sale
currently on the shelf because
it is a deficit.
Reduced the
deficit by $367000 by sale design
changes and identified the
for another reduction
of
approximately
$300000.
poten-tial
A consultant-designed
center on a Ranger District
required the replacement
of
existing substandard
facilities.
Identified potential savings of
over $1000000
35 percent
while increasing functional
value.
work
7.
A minor access road that
had been sitting on the shelf
for over 2 years because its
return on investment was too low.
Identified
potential savings of
$480000
67 percent.
The combined potential savings
and increased value identified by
participants at the workshop
ceeded $5000000.
Granted all
of this potential will not be
realized and part of it no doubt
would have been realized even if
the workshop
had not been held.
However since the cost for this
training/workshop including
salaries travel tuition etc.
only about $36000 it
pears to have been a very
ful investment.
was
Helicopter logging of a
drainage in difficult and
sensitive terrain.
Costs were
not reduced
but better timber
opportunities
were
identified that increased the
value of the resource by
in-utilization
$2100000
13
percent.
5.
Regional
design of modular crew quarters.
Improved and
revised design
for at least one
planned location for a savings of
$24000
18
15 percent.
is
Region 1 top management
creasingly excited about the
success
of Value Analysis and
plans to continue expanding the
use of this technique
into all
technical
administrative and
resource and management
activities
where potential savings exist.
cor-In
LOT
PUBLIC
SIZE IN
LAND
SURVEYS--CHANGES
ARTWORK
IN
Field
Notes
Volume
November--December
12
Number
pro-vided
in
expressed
7
acres.
chains
rather
than
A corrected
page 11 is
below.
This page replaces a
rection page provided
in the February
1981 Field Notes
Volume 13 Number 2 in
which the metric conversion
of chains
to kilometers was omitted.
Readers
can cut out or reproduce
the corrected
from this issue and insert it in
copy
the November--December
issue.
1980
the article titled Lot Size in Public
Land Surveys
in the November--December
1980 Field Notes
Volume 12 Number
of artwork was assigned
inone piece
correct
nomenclature.
Units of measure
in the diagram at the top of page 11
should be
Sample lot size calculations
7
cut on
this line
F---------------------------------------------------------ý
chains
km
1.603
ýI
79.68
4
2
1
I
3
80.20
1.
chains
ý-
km
613
--
80.26
-- --
chains
1.615 km
------------79.52
chains
Manual
Area
Period
1855-1881
1
20.10
10
1881-1893
20.108
- 20.20
0.06
19.91
-
km2
19.92
19.915
2
Method
Average
40.04
km2
0.1620
dimensions
1/16
cor@ mid-pt
Average
dimensions
40.24
0.1628
km 2
I/16
cor@
20 ch 402.3
m
2
-0.014d0.01
220.20
ii
Acres
2
20.215
1
4
-
2
10
1894-1929
Lot 4
km
1.600
0.01
40.41
km2
0.1635
0rule
1930-present
20.20
Quadrilateral
20.20
20.215
x
19.92
40.42
20.215
0.1636
x
km2
19.91 0.05
d
quotient
Sum of
merid-ional
sides
40.24
.162 km2
lot size calculations
Sample
.............................................
....
-------------------------------------------on
.................................
this line
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May
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Volume
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Number
5
Field Notes