Method of Controlling a Brush Chipper

Abstract

An improved brush cutter having an upper feed control member with stop, forward, neutral, and reverse positions also has a lower feed stop member with selectable sensitivity. Another aspect of the invention is to predict the feed roller shutoff point according to the rate of engine deceleration. According to another aspect, when the feed rollers stop feeding material into the cutters, to overcome drag on the cutters, a controller stops the feed rollers and then reverses them for a short time, and then reverses the rollers again if the problem is still present. To prevent jamming, a pressure switch senses when oil in a hydraulic motor system for rotating the feed rollers is too high and the controller momentarily reverses the feed rollers and then causes them to go forward, a cycle which can occur several times until the feed rollers are no longer stalled. By another aspect of the invention, the controller senses characteristics of the brush cutter and chooses an operating system based on the characteristics sensed. The controller can also sense if the brush chipper has not been used for a predetermined period of time and automatically reduce the idle speed of the engine until the brush chipper is used again, and then automatically return the engine to a normal idle speed before the feed rollers will pull brush into the brush chipper.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of controlling a brush chipper of a type having an engine, cutters, feed rollers, a hydraulic control for rotating said feed rollers, said hydraulic control having a relief valve for permitting oil to be re-circulated due to high oil pressure when the feed rollers quit rotating due to being jammed and a hydraulic switch in the relief valve circuit to sense a predetermined high pressure, the method comprising:
 operating the feed rollers and cutters to cut brush;   if the hydraulic switch senses said predetermined high pressure, momentarily reversing the feed rollers for a predetermined period of time; and   resuming operation of the feed rollers to cut brush if the oil pressure is below said predetermined pressure.   
     
     
         39 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method of controlling a brush chipper of a type having an engine, cutters, feed rollers, a forward feed control and a controller adapted to identify characteristics of different brush chippers and to control different brush chippers in different ways, the method comprising:
 using said controller at startup to match a brush chipper to which the controller is attached with a predetermined operating program; and   using said predetermined operating program to control said brush chipper.   
     
     
         42 . A brush chipper comprising:
 a frame;   an engine attached to said frame;   cutters operably attached to the engine;   feed rollers operatively attached to the engine;   an electrical component useful for identification purposes and a controller adapted to control different brush chippers in a different manner;   means associated with said controller at startup to identify the electrical component and match the electrical component with a predetermined operating program; and   
       means associated with said controller for using said predetermined operating program to control said brush chipper. 
     
     
         43 - 51 . (canceled)