WOOD CHIPPER, CONTROL SYSTEM THEREFOR, AND METHOD THEREOF
A wood chipper includes a frame, an infeed system, a rotatable cutting system, and at least one feed wheel disposed between the infeed system and the cutting system to feed wood material to the cutting system. The wood chipper also includes a winch which includes a winch line having a first end, and a collar disposed adjacent the first end of the winch line. The wood chipper further includes a detector adapted to detect a first and a second position of the winch line, wherein the detector is adapted to allow operation of the at least one feed wheel and prohibit operation of the winch when the first position of the winch line is detected, and to allow operation of the winch and allow operation of the at least one feed wheel in a predefined manner when the second position is detected.
1 . A method of controlling a winch for a wood chipper having an engine, a powered cutting system, a powered feed system, and a powered winch comprising:
providing a detector to detect a first and a second position of a winch line;
determining the first position of a winch line;
allowing operation of the feed system and prohibiting operation of the winch when the first position is detected;
determining the second position of the winch line; and
allowing operation of the winch and allowing operation of the feed system in a predefined manner when the second position is detected.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein:
the determining step includes determining the first position of the winch line in response to the winch line being refracted within an enclosure, wherein the winch line is essentially enclosed within the enclosure when in the first position.