Komatsu America Corp. has introduced the C144 Harvesting Head, the second model in its C-Series family of “carry-style” heads.
Weighing in at 3,086 pounds, the C144 has a recommended DBH working range of 8 inches to 20 inches in diameter and has a 28-inch maximum cutting diameter.
It is available installed on Komatsu 931.1 and 941.1 harvesters and can be installed on other carriers as a loose head.
The C144 features a new frame design and has a swing damping system for more responsive head control.
The 40-degree rearward tilt angle helps reduce head frame stress when harvesting or reaching on downhill slopes.
The feed system utilizes four hydraulic motors and four driven rollers. The standard single belly roller is now supplemented by an additional feed roller located in the feed path.
The addition of the second roller ensures more contact with the stem, creating feeding force of up to 6,654 foot-pounds. With a maximum feed speed up to 16.4 feet per second, operators can handle more difficult trees and limbs.
The feed roller hydraulic circuit has a differential function to ensure that stem feeding will continue even if one feed roller does not have a full grip on the stem.
The C144 is equipped with two upper and two lower hydraulically controlled delimbing knives, and a fixed vertical top knife. The upper knives are designed to handle trees with tough limbs, such as lodgepole pine. The leading right upper knife has a ramped cutting edge to assist in cutting larger branches.
Note: All comparisons and claims of improved performance made herein are made with respect to the prior Komatsu model unless otherwise specifically stated.
