Transcript
Oct- 25, 1956
o. c. SPANENBERG
3,280,864
LOG-SPLITTER
Filed July 15, 1964
/29 291/6 /
'9
INVENTOR.
OTTO C. $PANENBERG
BY/ZZZXQQ
2M
_____L/ EH7.
United States Patent 0
C6
3,280,864 Patented Oct. 25, 1966
1
2
3,280,864
to the beam 10 by suitable bolts as shown at 26. Standard
hydraulic drive controls are normally associated with the cylinder 23, and are not shown on the drawing. Actuation of these controls will extend or retract the piston rod 22, driving the moving wedge 16 toward or away from the
LOG-SPLITTER
Otto C. Spanenherg, Rockford, Mich. Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,033 2 Claims. (Cl. 144-193)
abutment wedge 14.
This invention relates to the construction of machines In the illustrated arrangement, the apex 27 of the mov for splitting logs. This ancient and honorable manual ing wedge 16 is rounded to a radius of curvature substan activity has long since given way to machinery, and many tially greater than that of the edge v15 of the abutment machines have been devised for forcing a wedge into a 10 wedge 14. The opposite arrangement could also be used, log to separate it into one or more segments. Hydraulic if desired. Extension of the piston rod 22 will apply pres actuation has frequently been used because of its simplicity sure along the rounded edge 27 against the face 28 of the
and tremendous available mechanical advantage.
Hy
draulic pressure is available on most farm tractors, and
log 29, driving the face 30 of the log into the sharp edge 15
to induce a split at that point. As splitting commences, the the preferred form of this invention arranges the machine 15 halves of the log 29 on the opposite side of a vertical as a trailer vehicle for connection to such a tractor. plane between the edges 15 and 27 will tend to rock on In splitting logs, it is important that a split be entered the rounded edge 27 as the splitting proceeds in the man at only one end, as it is practically impossible to split at ner shown in FIGURE 4. The components of the mem both ends along the same plane of ?bers. While one end ber 16 will therefore provide no resistance to the continued of the machine must avoid a splitting action, it must 20 splitting action, nor will there be any resistance generated nevertheless eliminate any interference with the separation against the commencement of the splitting action as a of the log so that power and force are not wasted. The
result of undesirable support on the face 28 near the
non-splitting supporting abutment can resist splitting in two ways: (a) by lateral friction against separating move
edges of the log.
tion force against the outside edges of the log, parallel to
mounting wheels 33 and 34. The overhang of the beam
Preferably, the beam 10 is provided with a member 31, ment of the end of the log, and (b) by generating a reac 25 which may be welded conveniently to an axle 32 for
the log, which creates a moment urging the log to the un split condition. The present invention removes both of these tendencies by providing a convex abutment which
10 to the left, as shown in FIGURE 1, provides excellent access to the area between the members 14 and 16 for the
placement and removal of logs as the splitting operation
localizes the pressure against the log on a central plane. 30 proceeds. The support has a radius of curvature greater than that The particular embodiments of the present invention of the splitting wedge, and the result of this is to localize which have been illustrated and discussed herein ‘are for the split at the sharper point. Preferably, the abutment illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered is incorporated in a wedge-shaped member extending as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. from the rounded engaging portion. Either the sharp or 35 In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire inven the rounded member can be ?xed, with the opposite mem tion disclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior
ber being moved by the hydraulic cylinder. The com
art.
ponents of the machine can be adjustably mounted on a
I claim:
beam overhanging wheel axles, providing very convenient access and working height. The several features of the 40 invention will be analyzed in detail through a discussion of the particular embodiment illustrated in the accom
panying drawing. In the drawing: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a complete machine
incorporating this invention.
45
FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale
of the active portion of the machine. FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the portion of the ma chine shown in FIGURE 2.
‘
FIGURE 4 is a plan view showing the machine as a 50
1. A log splitter, comprising: a beam; a carrier slidably mounted on said beam; an abutment bracket ?xed with respect to said beam; a hydraulic actuator connected to said bracket and said carrier to induce movement of said carrier with
respect to said beam; ?rst and second wedge members mounted on said beam
and carrier, respectively, with the apices thereof dis posed in parallel relationship, one of said apices hav ing a substantially greater radius of curvature than
split is generated in a log. The components of the preferred form of the machine
the apex having the smaller radius of curvature; and
are mounted on a central beam 10, one end of which is
wheel means including an axle secured to the central
provided with the conventional ?ttings 11 and 12 asso ciated with the towing and lifting equipment of a farm 55 tractor. The opposite end of the beam is preferably adapted as a hitch 13 which can be coupled to any follow
ing vehicle such as a box trailer for carrying ?rewood. The ?xed abutment 14 is generally V-shaped in con?gura tion, and is mounted with the apex 15 vertical so that the 60 logs will normally fall to either side of the beam 10 as they are split. The abutment 14 may either be welded to the beam, as shown, or may be bolted in any convenient arrangement. The moving Wedge 16 is preferably welded to the car 65
rier 17, which has side portions 18 and 19 embracing the opposite edges of the I beam 10 to utilize the beam as a guideway. The central plate 20 of the carrier 17 is en gaged by the fork 21 at the end of the rod 22 of the hy
draulic cylinder 23. The opposite end of the cylinder is provided with a fork 24 engaging the bracket 25 secured
the other, whereby splitting of logs is localized at portion of said beam transversely with respect thereto.
2. A log splitter, comprising: a beam;
a carrier slidably mounted on said beam; a bracket ?xed with respect to said beam; a hydraulic actuator connected to said bracket and said carrier to induce movement of said carrier with re
spect to said beam; and ?rst and second wedge members mounted on said beam
and carrier, respectively, with the apices thereof dis posed in parallel relationship, one of said apices hav ing a substantially greater radius of curvature than
the other, whereby splitting of logs is localized at the apex having the smaller radius of curvature.
No references cited.
DONALD R. SCHRAN, Primary Examiner.
