Design Challenge - November 2011

POPE DESIGN

Forest fires are supposed to happen – they keep everything healthy and in check. A properly managed forest will be allowed to have small natural wildfi res that clear the forest floor and prevent buildup of combustible plant matter and fallen, dead trees that could help fuel a larger out-of-control forest fire.

After 100 years of forest management that prevented all types and sizes of forest fires in the USA, our forests are now full of dead trees and overgrown vegetation that is ready to fuel out-of-control fires. It is expensive to clear the forests of dead wood – it has to be cut and then hauled out (which causes all kinds of problems such as ground compaction and erosion, etc) and then run through a chipper. Large piles of wood chips built up in one area would also have to then be moved off-site. The Tree Shredder is a very light-footed forester that can cut down and process the tree and then grind it down into biodegradable mulch on-site (instead of dragging the wood out to the chipper).

This prevents a lot of back and forth travel out of the woods by a feller buncher or a skidder. Heavy use of such machines can cause all kinds of erosion problems and damage to the local environment. The Tree Shredder could also be used on fi rebreak lines to take down both live and dead trees to help slow down wildfires. The trees get ground down on-site – with no extra equipment to bring in and nothing to drag out. The Tree Shredder has a large-capacity front-loaded sidedispensing chipper, which is mounted on an articulated chassis.

Four low ground pressure track frames are mounted on folding legs – this enables the machine to jack itself up to travel through water hazards and operate in swamp conditions. The legs also enable the machine to be used on uneven ground or hillside slopes

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BIOGRAPHY

I would have to say just about 100% of my Matchbox and Tonka toys were trucks and construction equipment. Basically I have been fascinated with heavy equipment for as long as I can remember.  I received a B.S. for Industrial design at University of Bridgeport and I have been an industrial designer for 15 years. The last 12 of those years have been specializing in heavy equipment. I have worked on projects for several different OEM’s while I was employed at Teague and later as a design consultant. I’ve had the pleasure to work on projects from a 400 ton dump truck to a powered wheelchair. I also have a bad habit of designing conceptual construction in my spare time.

CONTACT DETAILS

Email: jpope@pope-design.net

Web: www.pope-design.net

Tel: +1 201 343 9065

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