Patent Grant
9381666
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to chainsaws. More specifically, it relates to a tensioning device that eliminates downtime associated with tensioning of the chainsaw cutting element.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A chainsaw includes an elongate flat bar that is attached by two (2) bolts and two (2) nuts to the body of the saw. This pair of adjustment screws is known in the industry as the externally threaded studs that protrude from the chainsaw motor block. A cutting element in the form of a chain circumscribes the bar. The chainsaw is used in a locked down position, i.e., the elongate flat bar cannot move when the chain is rotating.
As the saw is used, the chain links wear and stretch over time due to thermal expansion. The operator has to stop the saw because such expansion loosens the cutting element relative to the fixed position elongate flat bar. If the chainsaw is operated after the cutting element has become loose, the operator is in danger of serious injury. A cutting element can become loose in as few as six (6) to eight (8) minutes. A job that requires hours of cutting is thus frequently interrupted as the operator stops the saw in order to tighten the chain.
The exact chain-tightening procedure may vary from saw to saw, but the operator typically has to loosen at least one cam or bolt and turn a screw that is normally on the front of the saw, thereby putting the operator's hands near a hot sharp link. After loosening the bolts or cam the operator has to set the correct tension of the elongate flat bar and cutting element and re-tighten the loosened elements, i.e., the elongate flat bar is loosened so that it can be displaced in a proximal-to-distal direction in order to re-tighten the chain. The proximal end of the chain wraps around a fixed position sprocket so the proximal-to-distal displacement of the elongate flat bar, followed by re-tightening of the elongate flat bar in its new position, provides the required re-tensioning so that saw operation can resume. The procedure is time-consuming for professional saw operators and even more time-consuming as well as problematic for most noncommercial operators.
There is a longstanding need in the art of chainsaws for a structure that would eliminate the problem of having to shut down a chainsaw every few minutes in order to adjust the tension of the cutting element/chain.
More particularly, there is a need for a structure that would automatically maintain the tension on the chain for the life of the chain so that no shut down time would be required until the chain is so worn it can no longer cut.
The needed structure would not only save time, it would prevent serious injuries that occur when an operator fails to tighten a cutting element in a timely manner.
However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how a chainsaw could be modified to eliminate the need for frequent adjustments of the elongate flat bar.
The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a chainsaw that can be operated safely in the absence of downtime for chain tension adjustment is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.
The novel structure allows the elongate flat bar of the chainsaw to be moved freely in a forward (proximal-to-distal) direction, i.e., away from the motor and motor housing during saw operation, thereby eliminating the problem of having to shut down the saw and adjust the tension of the chain every six (6) to eight (8) minutes. The tension stays the same for the life of the chain and no shut down time is required.
The novel apparatus for automatically adjusting a chainsaw cutting element as the chainsaw cutting element lengthens during use due to thermal expansion includes an elongate flat bar circumscribed by the chainsaw cutting element, a motor for causing the chainsaw cutting element to rotate about the elongate flat bar, a motor housing for housing the motor, and a cover housing secured to the motor housing for covering a proximal end of the elongate flat bar and a sprocket gear that is mounted on the output shaft of the motor and which engages a proximal end of the chainsaw cutting element.
The elongate flat bar has a first, fully retracted position, a second, fully extended position, and an infinite number of positions of adjustment therebetween. A novel bias means urges the elongate flat bar to move in a proximal-to-distal direction as it displaces from the first, fully retracted position to the second, fully extended position. The proximal-to-distal displacement is movement away from the motor housing in a plane of the elongate flat bar.
A longitudinally-extending slot is formed in a proximal end of the elongate flat bar. An adjustment plate having a fixed position is secured or integrally formed with the cover housing in parallel relation to the proximal end of the elongate flat bar. A flat spacer plate is disposed between the adjustment plate and the elongate flat bar and is secured in a fixed position relative to the adjustment plate.
A spacer plate pin is secured to the flat spacer plate in normal relation thereto, i.e., the spacer plate pin extends into the longitudinally-extending slot formed in the flat elongate bar. The spacer plate pin is disposed in a distal end of the longitudinally-extending slot when the elongate flat bar is in its fully retracted position, i.e., when the chainsaw cutting element is new and has not undergone thermal expansion.
The spacer plate pin is disposed in a proximal end of the longitudinally-extending slot when the elongate flat bar is in its fully extended position, i.e., when the chainsaw cutting element is fully thermally expanded due to extensive use.
A displacement aperture is formed in the proximal end of the elongate flat bar. A displacement pin is disposed normal to the plane of the elongate flat bar, i.e., the displacement pin extends into the displacement aperture, thereby engaging the elongate flat bar so that displacement of the displacement pin causes simultaneous and corresponding displacement of the elongate flat bar.
The displacement pin is biased by the bias means to travel in a proximal-to-distal direction so that as the chainsaw cutting element undergoes thermal expansion during use, the displacement pin travels in a proximal-to-distal direction and carries the elongate flat bar in said proximal-to-distal direction as thermal expansion takes place, thereby continually tightening the chainsaw cutting element relative to said elongate fat bar.
A mounting plate is secured to the cover housing in overlying relation thereto and an upper block is fixedly secured to an upper end of the mounting plate. A lower block is positioned below the upper block but is not connected to the mounting plate.
A pair of high tension springs is disposed between the upper block and the lower block. A spring guide rod is ensleeved by a first spring of the pair of springs and a compression rod is ensleeved by a second spring of the pair of springs.
The spring guide rod has an upper end received within and secured to a first vertical bore formed in the upper block so that the spring guide rod cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis. The spring guide rod has a lower end slideably received within a first vertical bore formed in the lower block. The first vertical bores are in axial alignment with one another.
The compression rod has an externally threaded upper end extending through and slideably received within a second vertical bore formed in the upper block and has a lower end received within and secured to a second vertical bore formed in the lower block so that the compression rod cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis. The second vertical bores are in axial alignment with one another.
A compression tool engages the threaded upper end of the compression rod. The compression tool engages the external threads at the upper end of the compression rod and causes the lower block to travel toward the upper block as the compression tool rotates about its longitudinal axis of rotation and bears against the top surface of the upper block. The compression rod is unable to rotate about its longitudinal axis due to its lower end being fixedly secured to the lower block but the compression rod can be displaced along its longitudinal axis because its upper end is slideably received within the second vertical bore formed in the upper block. The upper block cannot move because it is fixedly secured to the mounting plate so the compression rod is therefore forced to travel upwardly along its longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the compression tool. The resulting upward travel of the lower block toward the upper block causes compression of both springs of the pair of springs.
A longitudinally-extending mounting plate slot is formed in the mounting plate and in the cover housing.
A displacement pin housing is provided from which the displacement pin depends in normal relation thereto.
An elongate control arm has a control aperture formed in a proximal end thereof and the displacement pin housing is secured to a distal end of the elongate control arm.
A cam is pivotally mounted to the mounting plate so that a top edge of the cam abuts a bottom surface of the lower block. The cam has a fully retracted, unpivoted position when the springs are fully compressed and has a fully extended, pivoted position when the springs are unloaded. The springs are fully compressed, and the elongate flat bar is in its most proximal position, when a new chain is installed and the springs are fully extended, and the elongate flat bar is in its most distal position, when a chain has reached the end of its working lifetime, i.e., when it is fully thermally expanded and its cutting teeth are worn and can no longer cut.
An angle iron or equivalent structure has a first end pivotally mounted to the mounting plate and an angle iron slot is formed in a second, lower end of the angle iron. In a direction leading into the plane of the paper, a control pin extends through an aperture formed in an angle iron square slide plate, the angle iron slot, the mounting plate slot, the cover plate slot, and through the control aperture formed in the proximal end of the elongate control arm. In the opposite direction, the control pin extends from the control aperture formed in the proximal end of the control arm, through the cover plate slot, the mounting plate slot, through the angle iron slot and through the aperture formed in the angle iron square slide plate. The end of the control pin that extends through the aperture formed in the angle iron square slide plate is captured by a cotter pin as depicted or by any other suitable means. The angle iron has a fully retracted, unpivoted position when the control pin is positioned at a proximal end of the mounting plate slot, i.e., when the springs are fully compressed and has a fully extended, pivoted position when the control pin is positioned at a distal end of the mounting plate slot, i.e., when the springs are fully expanded.
The cam has a lobe that abuts the angle iron when the springs are fully compressed, when the springs are fully unloaded, and at all spring compressions therebetween.
The control arm, the control pin, the displacement pin housing at the distal end of the control arm, and the displacement pin and hence the elongate flat bar are fully retracted when the springs are fully compressed and fully extended when the springs are fully expanded.
The displacement pin is displaced in a proximal-to-distal direction by proximal-to-distal displacement of the control pin. The proximal-to-distal displacement of the control pin is caused by pivoting of the angle iron and such pivoting is caused by pivoting of the cam as the springs expand and drive the lower block downwardly due to thermal-related lengthening of the cutting element/chain.
A longitudinally-extending slot is formed in the adjustment plate. In a direction from below or into the plane of the paper, toward the plane of the paper, a longitudinally spaced apart pair of adjustment screws extend through two (2) apertures, respectively, formed in a factory-built oiler plate, through the slot formed in the elongate flat bar, through a pair of apertures formed in the spacer plate, and through a pair of apertures formed in the adjustment plate. A pair of nuts respectively screwthreadedly engage the pair of adjustment screws so that when the nuts are tightly secured, the elongate flat bar is held against movement, i.e., the nuts have a first fully tightened position that locks the elongate flat bar against movement. The nuts have a second position where the nuts are backed off about half to three-quarters of a turn from the fully tightened position. The elongate flat bar is then free to longitudinally displace in a proximal-to-distal direction as urged by the bias means as the chainsaw cutting element expands under thermal expansion.
An anti-rotation plate is disposed between the pair of nuts when the nuts are in the second, loosened position so that the nuts cannot rotate from the second position.
An anti-rotation pin formed integrally with the spacer plate has a free end disposed in the elongate slot formed in the elongate flat bar.
A second embodiment employs a single spring and a ratchet and pawl arrangement but works on the same principle of applying a continuous proximal-to-distal bias against the elongate flat bar and hence the chainsaw cutting element.
An important object of the invention is to eliminate the down time required to adjust a chain saw cutting chain as the links wear.
A more specific object is to provide a novel bias means that is initially compressed with a compression tool so that a bias is applied to the elongate flat bar and hence the chain without interruption so that the elongate flat bar and chain are continuously adjusted as the saw is operated.
Another object is to eliminate thousands of hours of downtime for commercial users.
A related object is to improve chainsaw safety for commercial and noncommercial users.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this disclosure proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the disclosure set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
A first embodiment of the novel apparatus for automatically adjusting a chainsaw cutting element as said chainsaw cutting element lengthens during use due to thermal expansion is denoted as a whole in the Figures by the reference numeral 10.
Elongate flat bar 12 is circumscribed by chainsaw cutting element 14. A motor, not depicted, causes cutting element 14 to rotate about elongate flat bar 12 in a well-known way.
Motor housing 16 houses the motor and cover plate 18 is secured to motor housing 16; it covers a proximal end of elongate flat bar 12 and a rotatably mounted sprocket gear, not depicted, that engages a proximal end of cutting element 14.
Elongate flat bar 12 has a first, fully retracted position, a second, fully extended position, and an infinite number of positions of adjustment therebetween. The fully retracted position is depicted in
A bias means, disclosed hereinafter, urges elongate flat bar 12 to move in a proximal-to-distal direction, denoted by directional arrow 13, as it displaces from its first, fully retracted position to its second, fully extended position. The proximal-to-distal displacement is movement away from motor housing 16 in the plane of elongate flat bar 12.
Longitudinally-extending slot 20 (
Adjustment plate 22 is secured to or integrally formed with cover plate 18 in closely spaced parallel relation to a proximal end of elongate flat bar 12 and has a fixed position. Step 18a is formed in cover plate 18 and interconnects cover plate 18 and adjustment plate 22. Step 18a is normal to cover plate 18 and adjustment plate 22 and extends into the plane of the paper. Flat spacer plate 24 is disposed between adjustment plate 22 and elongate flat bar 12. Flat spacer plate 24 is secured in a fixed position to adjustment plate 22.
Spacer plate pin 26 is secured to flat spacer plate 24 in normal relation thereto and extends into longitudinally-extending slot 20. Pin 26 is disposed in a distal end of slot 20 when elongate flat bar 12 is in its fully retracted position as depicted in
A control aperture is formed in a proximal end of elongate flat bar 12 and displacement pin 30 is disposed normal to the plane of elongate flat bar 12 and extends into said control aperture. Displacement pin 30 is biased by the bias means to travel in a proximal-to-distal direction within elongate slot 33 formed in adjustment plate 22 so that as chainsaw cutting element 14 undergoes thermal expansion during use, displacement pin 30 travels in proximal-to-distal direction 13 and carries elongate flat bar 12 in said proximal-to-distal direction as said thermal expansion takes place.
Flat mounting plate 32 is secured to cover plate 18 in overlying relation thereto.
Upper block 34 is fixedly secured to an upper end of mounting plate 32. Lower block 36 is positioned below upper block 34 but is not connected to mounting plate 32.
A pair of high tension springs, denoted 38, 40, is disposed between upper block 34 and lower block 36.
Spring guide rod 42 is ensleeved by first spring 38 and compression rod 44 is ensleeved by second spring 40.
Spring guide rod 42 has an upper end received within and secured to a first vertical bore formed in upper block 34 so that it cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis. A lower end of spring guide rod 42 is slideably received within a first vertical bore formed in lower block 36. The first vertical bores are in axial alignment with one another.
Compression rod 44 has an externally threaded upper end extending through and slideably received within a second vertical bore formed in upper block 34. Compression rod 44 has a lower end received within and secured to a second vertical bore formed in lower block 36 so that it cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis. The second vertical bores are also in axial alignment with one another.
Compression tool 46 engages the threaded upper end of compression rod 44 and causes lower block 36 to travel toward upper block 34 as compression tool 46 rotates. Compression rod 44 is unable to rotate about its longitudinal axis due to its lower end being fixedly secured to lower block 36. Compression rod 44 is therefore forced to travel longitudinally in response to rotation of compression tool 46 which rotation causes said compression tool to urge upper block 34 downwardly; said upper block cannot displace downwardly so the reaction caused by compression tool 46 is the upward travel of compression rod 44 along its longitudinal axis. The travel of lower block 36 toward upper block 34 causes compression of springs 38, 40.
The leading end of compression tool 46 has a centered internally threaded bore with ACME square load bearing threads that are machined and matched with the ACME external threads formed in compression rod 44. The trailing end of compression tool 46 preferably has a non-circular bore that is releasably engaged by the mating non-circular drive of a socket/ratchet wrench 46a. Of course, the compression tool trailing end could have any tool-engageable surface that enables rotation of the compression tool about its longitudinal axis of symmetry so that the internal threads formed in the leading end can be advanced relative to the external threads of compression rod 44.
Longitudinally-extending mounting plate slot 48 is formed in mounting plate 32 and in cover housing 18. Elongate control arm 50 has a control aperture formed in a proximal end thereof. Displacement pin housing 52, from which displacement pin 30 extends, is secured to a distal end of said elongate control arm. The proximal end of elongate control arm 50 is visible through mounting plate slot 48 in
Displacement pin housing 52 is apertured so that it can slide relative to displacement housing guide rod 51 that is mounted between mounting plate 32 and adjustment plate 22 in parallel relation to said plates. Displacement pin housing 52 follows a path of travel defined by displacement housing guide rod 51 when said displacement pin housing is displaced in a proximal-to-distal direction by said bias means.
Cam 54 is pivotally mounted to mounting plate 32 so that a top edge of said cam abuts a bottom surface of lower block 36 as depicted. Accordingly, displacement of lower block 36 in the direction indicated by directional arrow 31 causes pivotal displacement of cam 54 about pivot point 56 in a clockwise direction as drawn in
Cam 54 has a fully retracted, unpivoted position as depicted in
Angle iron 58 has a first end pivotally mounted to mounting plate 32 as at 60. Angle iron slot 62 (hidden in
Angle iron 58 has a fully retracted, unpivoted position when control pin 64 is positioned at a proximal end of mounting plate slot 48 when springs 38, 40 are fully compressed. Angle iron 58 has a fully extended, pivoted position when control pin 64 is positioned at a distal end of mounting plate slot 48 when springs 38, 40 are fully expanded.
Cam 54 has lobe 66 that abuts angle iron 58 when springs 38, 40 are fully compressed, when said springs are fully unloaded, and at all spring compressions therebetween.
Control pin 64, control arm 50, displacement pin housing 52, displacement pin 30 and elongate flat bar 12 have a fully retracted position when springs 38, 40 are fully compressed as depicted in
Control pin 64 and displacement pin 30 are displaced in proximal-to-distal direction 13 by counterclockwise pivotal rotation of angle iron 58.
The pivotal displacement of angle iron 58 is caused by pivoting of cam 54 as springs 38, 40 expand.
Spring expansion is caused by thermal-related lengthening of cutting element/chain 14.
Longitudinally-extending slot 20 is formed in elongate flat bar 12 as mentioned above. Longitudinally spaced apart adjustment screws extend through slot 20 and are respectively engaged by nuts 68, 70 so that when said nuts are tightly secured, elongate flat bar 12 is held against movement. The nuts are depicted but not numbered to avoid cluttering of the drawings.
The nuts having a first fully tightened position that locks elongate flat bar 12 against movement. The nuts have a second position where they are backed off about half to three-quarters of a turn from said fully tightened position. Elongate flat bar 12 is free to longitudinally displace in the proximal-to-distal direction indicated by directional arrow 13 when said pair of nuts is in the second, slightly loosened position but distal-to-proximal displacement is prevented by the novel bias means at all times.
Nut 72 secures anti-rotation plate 71 against movement, said anti-rotation plate being disposed between nuts 68, 70 when said pair of nuts is in said second position so that said nuts cannot rotate from said second position.
Spacer plate 26 is also apertured to receive adjustment screws 68, 70.
An anti-rotation pin, not depicted, is formed integrally with spacer plate 26 and extends into elongate slot 20 formed in elongate flat bar 12 to prevent rotation of said elongate flat bar 12 in the plane of the paper as drawn.
When a new cutting element/chain 14 is secured in encircling relation to elongate flat bar 12, the trailing or proximal end of flat bar 12 is positioned to the left as drawn in
Chain 14 reaches the end of its useful life, having been re-tensioned automatically during operation throughout its lifetime and never having been re-tensioned during a downtime.
A second embodiment, denoted 80 as a whole, is depicted in
Extenally threaded elongate screw 82 extends through fixed position proximal block 84 and fixed position distal block 86. Said blocks 84 and 86 are secured to brackets 84a and 86a, respectively, that are secured to cover plate or housing 88 which is secured to motor housing 16, not depicted in
Compression spring 90 is sandwiched between blocks 84 and 86 but its proximal end does not abut proximal block 84.
The proximal end of screw 82 extends through but does not engage a bore formed in proximal block 84.
The distal end of screw 82 extends through but does not engage a bore formed in distal block 86.
The proximal end of spring 90 abuts flat base plate 92 which has an unthreaded bore formed therein to slidably receive elongate screw 82. Flat base plate 92 is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to elongate screw 82.
Flat base plate 92 has a flat edge that slideably engages flat vertical surface 88a of cover housing 88 so that said flat base plate travels in a proximal-to-distal direction as indicated by directional arrow 94 when compression tool 46 engages the threaded distal end of elongate screw 82, said compression tool being rotated by ratchet/socket wrench 46a. This causes sliding displacement of flat base plate 92.
Accordingly, spring 90 compresses as base plate 92 is drawn in said proximal-to-distal direction by rotation of compression tool 46 that engages the distal end of screw 82 and causes said flat base plate to travel in said direction. Screw 82 does not rotate about its longitudinal axis of symmetry.
The proximal end of screw 82 abuts ratchet base plate 96 which is formed integrally with ratchet main body plate 98 having teeth 100 formed along a curved proximal edge of said ratchet main body plate.
The position of ratchet base plate 96 depicted in
Pawl 106 sequentially engages teeth 100, beginning away from the top of ratchet main body plate 98 as depicted in
Pawl 106 is spring-loaded as at 108. It is also provided with finger-grip handles 110 that enable a saw operator to pull pawl 106 out of engagement with teeth 100 by overcoming the bias of spring 108. Nylon lock nut 105 enables the position of handles 110 to be adjusted, thereby adjusting the bias of spring 108. Disengagement of pawl 106 from teeth 100 is needed only when a new chain is being installed at which time it is necessary to rotate ratchet base plate 96 from its fully rotated
Elongate control arm 112 interconnects ratchet main body plate 98 and elongate flat bar 12, not depicted in
The distal end 116 of elongate control arm 112 has a ninety degree (90°) bend formed therein and includes displacement pin 116a that engages the displacement aperture, not depicted, formed in elongate flat bar 12.
Elongate control arm 112 slideably extends through hollow guide housing 113 which is mounted in fixed relation to cover housing 88.
Displacement of ratchet main body plate 98, caused by pivoting of ratchet base plate 96 in a counterclockwise direction as drawn in
Nuts 68, 70 respectively engage the same adjustment screws as in the first embodiment and they are tightened fully and then backed off in the same way as disclosed in connection with the first embodiment. Anti-rotation plate 71 is positioned between the nuts as in the first embodiment for the same reason. Plate 71 is mounted to the end of “L”-shaped plate 73, said plate 73 being secured to cover housing 88 by suitable fastening means 75.
This second embodiment presents a more narrow profile than the profile of the first embodiment and has less weight than said first embodiment. It also uses one spring instead of two and eliminates the need for a cam and a pivotally mounted angle iron. It further eliminates the need for a longitudinally-extending slot formed in the mounting plate of the first embodiment into which a control pin is inserted.
The advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3390710 | Cookson | Jul 1968 | A |
| 3636995 | Newman | Jan 1972 | A |
| 4486953 | Halverson | Dec 1984 | A |
| 5174029 | Talberg | Dec 1992 | A |
| 5533432 | Ornberg | Jul 1996 | A |
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| 20100088905 | Pellenc | Apr 2010 | A1 |
| 20110314682 | Maag | Dec 2011 | A1 |
| 20140106915 | Kistler | Apr 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| GB 2354481 | Mar 2001 | DE |
| WO 2011155880 | Dec 2011 | SE |
