Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a chopping aid for use in chopping of wood to prevent pieces of wood to spread into the surroundings outside the chopping aid during chopping.
Description of Prior Art
Previously there is known a chopping aid with a basket-like closed ring frame designed to be mounted onto a chopping block in order to prevent chopped wood to fall to the ground during chopping.
In order to work efficiently, the chopping aid should be able to dampen mishits with the axe, and additionally, during such mishits the chopping aid may not damage the cutting edge of the axe. Finally, the chopping aid should be sufficiently durable so that it does not break during use even though the number of mishits with the axe may be significant.
In practice it has been difficult to come up with suitable materials which are cheap enough for use in such a chopping aid without unduly increasing the material costs or manufacturing costs of the chopping aid.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawback with a novel chopping aid. This and other objects are achieved with a chopping aid according to independent claim 1.
The use of a chopping aid having a base section and an upper section supported by a plurality of springs, makes it possible to more freely utilize efficient and cost effective materials in the copping aid, which reduces the material costs and the manufacturing costs of the chopping aid.
In the following the present invention will be described in closer detail by way of example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which
The chopping aid comprises an upper section 4 in and upper part of the chopping aid 1, which at least partly surrounds and supports in an upright position wood arranged in the chopping 1 aid during chopping. In the illustrated example, though not necessarily in all embodiments, the upper section 4 has a generally cylindrical shape and consequently, a generally circular upper edge 5.
The chopping aid comprises also a base section 6 which in a lower part of the chopping aid 1 extends at least partially along the upper section 4, at a distance from the upper section 4. Consequently, the base section 6 and upper section 4 are spaced apart from each other. In the illustrated example, though not necessarily in all embodiments, the base section 4 has a generally cylindrical shape.
The upper section 4 is supported on top of the base section 6 by a plurality of springs 7 extending generally in an upward direction with spaces 8 between them. The springs 7 provide a dampening characteristic against impacts on the upper section 4 of the chopping aid. Due to the dampening provided by the springs 7 damages to the cutting edge of the axe and to the chopping aid can be minimized as the springs 7 yield in a situation when an axe hits the upper part of the chopping aid 1.
In order to make it more easy for a user to fill and empty the chopping aid with wood during chopping, the chopping aid 1 is provided with an opening 12 on a front side of the chopping aid. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper section 4 and the base section 6 do not surround the woods in the chopping aid 1 from all sides, as the opening 12 cuts the upper section 4 and base section 6 apart on the front side. In other embodiments, however, the upper section and possibly also the base section may be circular and generally cylindrical elements, which completely surround woods in the chopping aid without any opening.
The base section 6 comprises protrusions 9 extending inwardly from the base section 6. As illustrated in
The chopping aid 1 comprises a fastener 11 for attaching the chopping aid 1 to the support 2. In the embodiment of
In
The springs 7 and also the upper section 4 and base section 6 may be manufactured of a flexible elastomeric material i.e. a material which can undergo much elastic deflection under mechanical stress and still return to its original size without permanent deflection. Suitable for these parts are e.g. rubber, Thermo Plastic Elastomer (TPE), Polypropylene (PP) or Polyethylene (PE). The springs 7, the upper section 4 and lower section 6 may be manufactured of the same material or of different materials, in which case they need to be attached to each other after manufacturing.
In the example of
The chopping aid of
Similarly, as in
The outer surface of the base section 6′ is provided with outwardly extending protrusions 14′ having holes through which pins 15′, which may consist of screws or bolts, have been pushed at the locations of the springs. The coil springs are assembled around these pins 15′, and the upper ends of the pins 15′ are attached to the upper section 4′. Once a mishit with an axe occurs, the impact is received by the upper section 4′, from where the force is conducted to the springs 7′. The springs absorb the force of the impact and allow temporary the upper section 4′ to move closer to the base section, while the lower ends of the pins 15′ slide through the holes in the protrusions 14′. After the force of the impact has ended, the springs 7′ return the upper section 4′ and the pins 15′ to their original position.
Similarly, as in the previous embodiment, also the chopping aid 1′ of
The material of the upper section 4′, the base section 6′ and the collar 3′ may be the same as explained in connection with the embodiment of
It is to be understood that the above description and the accompanying figures are only intended to illustrate the present invention. It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention can be varied and modified without departing from the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
14167704.7 | May 2014 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/FI2015/050294 | 4/29/2015 | WO | 00 |