Patent Application
20250236046
The present invention relates to log splitters, and more particularly to a compact log splitter for use on a tool handling device.
Mechanical log splitters are well known devices for use in splitting logs. Some such heavy-duty log splitters are installed on multipurpose construction vehicles, such as skid-steers, backhoes or excavators. More specifically, these vehicles have a hinged tool arm that includes a boom segment and a tool support segment and that can be equipped with an adapted hydraulic tool, such as a log splitting tool.
The enclosed
Prior art log splitter 50 has a main body 51 that carries a coupling 52 that operatively attaches the log splitter main body 51 to the tool support segment 44 of the tool arm 40. Log splitter 50 also includes a channel 53 formed within main body 51 wherein a bar 54 is carried by and extends through main body 51, such that first and second ends 54a, 54b of bar 54 project on either side of main body 51. A first jaw 56 is carried at first end 54a of bar 54. A second jaw 58 is carried by main body 51. A log splitting blade 58a is provided on second jaw 58 in facing register with an abutment plate 56a provided on first jaw 56. A hydraulic cylinder 62 is attached at its first end to main boy 51 and at its other end to second end 54b of bar 54.
In use, upon actuation of hydraulic cylinder 62, bar 54 will slide within channel 53 such that first jaw 56 will move towards and away from second jaw 58. More particularly, first jaw 56 is movable between a closed position in which it is near second jaw 58 and an opened position in which it is located away from second jaw 58. A log (not shown) to be split is installed between first and second jaws 56, 58 when first jaw 56 is in its opened position, then first jaw 56 is moved towards its closed position until the log is split when being sandwiched between blade 58a and abutment plate 56a that close in on one another.
The total width L3 of prior art log splitter 50 is consequently always essentially equal to the length of bar 54. Indeed, as first jaw 56 moves between its closed and opened positions, the length L1 on the side of first jaw 56 will be inversely proportional to the length L2 on the side of hydraulic cylinder 62. When first jaw 56 is in its closed position, hydraulic cylinder 62 is extracted and bar second end 54b projects far away from main body 51. When first jaw 56 is its opened position, bar first end 54a projects far away from main body 51, and bar second end 54b still projects of about half the length of hydraulic cylinder 62, which is in its retracted position.
In practice, the operator of log splitter 50 will also use the jaws 56, 58 to grip logs that lie on the ground, before closing first jaw 56 to split the log being gripped. But, the configuration of log splitter 50 is cumbersome because of the wide total width L3, and particularly because of second end 54b that significantly protrudes beyond main body 51 at all times. As log splitter 50 is operated to move logs on the ground and to grip them, bar 54 gets in the way. This is an important problem since many objects may get in the way of picking up the logs to split them with the log splitter 50, including other logs, trees, rocks, uneven ground and the like.
Another problem with the prior art log splitter 50 is that since the log splitter 50 only pushes from one side, namely, only first jaw 56 moves, a log being gripped significantly slides on the ground and it becomes dirty with mud or dirt, which is undesirable since the logs are often destined to retail sale where customers prefer clean logs.
Yet another problem with prior art log splitters such as the one shown in
The present invention relates to a compact log splitter comprising:
In one embodiment, the width of said compact log splitter is substantially the same as the longest distance between said jaws when they are in said opened position.
In one embodiment, the compact log splitter further defines a central plane that is perpendicular to said jaw movement direction and located approximately at the same distance from said first jaw and from said second jaw at all positions of said jaws, with the center of gravity of said compact log splitter being located within or close to said central plane.
In one embodiment, said jaw actuation mechanism comprises first and second linear actuators each operatively connected to a respective one of said first and second jaws for moving said respective one of said first and second jaws, such that the concurrent actuation of said first and second actuators will move said first and second jaws between said opened and closed positions, wherein said first jaw is movable parallel to said second linear actuator and the second jaw is movable parallel to the first linear actuator when said jaws move between said opened and closed second positions.
In one embodiment, said first and second linear actuators respectively comprise first and second hydraulic cylinders each comprising a cylinder barrel attached to one of said main body and a respective one of said first and second jaws, and a piston rod attached to the other one of said main body and a respective one of said first and second jaws, said hydraulic cylinders for connection to a hydraulic circuit allowing selective extraction and retraction of the piston rods of said first and second hydraulic cylinders in opposite directions, wherein the first jaw is movable parallel to the second hydraulic cylinder and the second jaw is movable parallel to the first hydraulic cylinder when said piston rods are extracted and retracted.
In one embodiment, said main body comprises first and second parallel elongated housings that carry first and second slider members that are each slidable within a respective one of said first and second housings, with each slide member carrying a respective one of said first and second jaws, and with said hydraulic cylinders each being connected to a respective one of said first and second slider tubes for displacing said slider tubes in said housings when said jaws are displaced between said opened and closed positions.
In one embodiment, said slider members are slider tubes that each snugly fit within a respective said housing.
In one embodiment, said first jaw comprises a cutting blade and said second jaw comprises an abutment plate in facing register with said cutting blade.
The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with a compact log splitter, said vehicle comprising a vehicle body movable over ground, a motor carried by said main body, and a tool arm carried by said main body, said tool arm comprising an arm coupling member, said compact log splitter comprising:
In the annexed drawings:
According to the present invention, the tool being attached to vehicle 70 is an inventive compact log splitter 100 instead of one of the prior art devices.
It is understood that while an excavator has been shown in
Log splitter 100 further comprises a main body 104 that includes two elongated cross-sectionally square hollow housings 106, 108 that are fixedly attached to each other in parallel, side-by-side fashion by welding and that are attached to coupling member 102 by means of respective attachment plates 103, 105. Housings 106, 108 each house a respective elongated cross-sectionally square hollow slider tubes 122, 124 that have a cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section of housings 106, 108 such that each slider tube 122, 124 snugly fits within a corresponding housing 106, 108 and may longitudinally slide therein. Slider tubes 122, 124 are further shorter than housings 106, 108 such that they may slide in housings 106, 108 without extending outside of housings 106, 108. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a low-friction liner is used between slider tubes 122, 124 and housings 106, 108, such as an Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) plastic liner. This liner may be replaceable as it becomes worn over time, representing a much less expensive option than replacing slider tubes 122, 124 or housings 106, 108.
Housing 106 and slider tube 122 house a first hydraulic cylinder 114, and housing 108 and slider tube 124 house a second hydraulic cylinder 116. Hydraulic cylinders 114, 116 each comprise a cylinder barrel 114a, 116a that allows extraction and retraction of a piston rod 114b, 116b longitudinally within their respective housings 106, 108.
The cylinder barrels 114a, 116a are attached to their respective housings 106, 108 by means of respective cylinder connectors 118, 120. Each cylinder connector 118, 120 comprises a connector plate 118a, 120a to which a barrel mount 114c, 116c of cylinder barrels 114a, 116a is pivotally attached. Connector plates 118a, 120a extend through slots 106a, 108amade in housings 106, 108 and through slots 122a, 124a made in slider tubes 122,124 and are fixedly attached atop housings 106, 108 by means of attachment plates 118b, 120b that are bolted to intermediate plates 106b, 108b that are in turn both welded and bolted to housings 106, 108. The first and second cylinder barrels 114a, 116a are attached at ends of housings 106, 108 that are located opposite one another such that cylinder piston rods 114b, 116b will move parallel to each other, but in opposite directions when they are both extracted or retracted.
The piston rods 114b, 116b of hydraulic cylinders 114, 116 are pivotally attached at their rod mounts 114d, 116d to attachment plates 115, 117 that are in turn welded to one end of a respective one of slider tube 122, 124.
Consequently, as explained hereinafter, hydraulic cylinders 114, 116 may move slider tubes 122, 124 within housings 106, 108, without slider tubes ever projecting outside of housings 106, 108.
Hydraulic cylinders 114, 116 each further comprises a rod port 114e, 116e and a barrel port 114f, 116f that allow conventional connection to hydraulic fluid lines of a hydraulic circuit (see below). Openings 125 in housings 106, 108 (with only one opening 125 in housing 106 being visible in the drawings, the other being concealed), slots 106a, 108a in housings 106, 108 and slots 122a, 124a in slider tubes 122, 124 allow hydraulic fluid tubes (not shown in
Log splitter 100 further comprises a pair of log splitting jaws 126, 128 that are movable towards and away from each other. More particularly, first jaw 126 is fixedly attached to first slider tube 122 and extends out of first housing 106 through a first slot 130 that longitudinally extends underneath first housing 106 to allow first jaw 126 to slide within and along first slot 130. Second jaw 128 is fixedly attached to second slider tube 124 and extends out of second housing 108 through a second slot 132 that longitudinally extends underneath second housing 108 to allow second jaw 126 to slide within and along second slot 132. First jaw 126 is equipped with a pusher plate 126a that has an abutment surface 126b. Second jaw 128 is equipped with a wood cutting blade 128a that has a cutting edge 128b. Although the respective slider tubes 122, 124 are disposed side-by-side, the blade 128a and pusher plate 126a are disposed in offset fashion relative a central axis of their respective slider tubes 122, 124. Consequently, blade 128a and pusher plate 126a move along a common axis such that blade edge 128b of blade 128a remains in facing register with a central area of the abutment surface 126b of pusher plate 126a.
Fastening rods 110, 112 are bolted to housings 106, 108 to reinforce them at the extremity of slots 130, 132 and to prevent egress of first and second jaw 126, 128 from first and second slots 130, 132.
In use, through the instrumentality of control panel 78 and hydraulic circuit 140, the operator of vehicle 70 can control the extraction and retraction of piston rods 114b, 116b, which will impart a concurrent sliding movement of the corresponding slider tubes 122, 124 that carry first and second jaws 126, 128. First and second jaws 126, 128 will consequently slide towards or away from each other between an open position shown in
In the opened position of jaws 126, 128, there is enough space for log splitter 100 to be positioned over or beside a log such that the log will fit between jaws 126, 128. Then, first and second jaws 126, 128 may be controlled to move towards their closed position wherein the edge 128b of blade 128a will move towards the abutment surface 126b of pusher plate 126a. Blade 128a and pusher plate 126a will cooperate to move the log until it is sandwiched between jaws 126, 128. The sharp blade edge 128b will then exert a shearing force against one end of the log as it abuts against abutment plate 126a. This will split the log.
Note that although this latter position is named the “closed” position of the jaws, it is not required that the blade edge 128b actually abut against the abutment surface 126b, there could remain a space between the two, as a log will likely be split even so. The closed position herein refers to a position where the jaws 126, 128 are closer to each other compared to the opened position, i.e. in which they are near each other or in which they abut against each other, and in which logs may be split. In one embodiment, there is actual abutment of first and second jaws 126, 128 in their closed position. In another embodiment, there is no actual abutment in their closed position.
It can be seen by comparing the widths D1 and D2 in
It can be further seen by comparing
Log splitter 100 may be moved as allowed by the tool arm 80 to which it is attached through the attachment with coupling 102, including in translation and in a pivotal displacement. Thus, log splitter 100 may be moved according to all three orthogonal axes and may further be pivoted to allow full positional flexibility to make grabbing and splitting logs easier.
Compared to the prior art, the compact log splitter 100 of the present invention is much less cumbersome and allows the operator to capture and handle logs much more easily with jaws 126, 128, using them similarly to a clamp to grab the logs before they are split. This minimizes accidental impacts with external objects since there are little if any components that protrude beyond jaws 126, 128. The simultaneous movement of two jaws also increases the speed at which a log is split, compared to using a single movable push plate that pushes a log towards a cutting blade like in the prior art. It also reduces by half the distance of the sliding of the log on the ground when it is being gripped by jaws 126, 128. By using two hydraulic cylinders instead of a single one, the structural stress imparted on the log splitter 100 is more spread out and requires components that are less resistant, less expensive and of smaller size—which again contributes to minimizing its encumbrance.
One other advantage of the compact log splitter 100 of the invention relies on its center of gravity being substantially aligned with the center of the tool arm coupling and of the tool segment 84 of tool arm 80. This is achieved due to the configuration of log splitter 100 that has its two jaws simultaneously movable towards and away from a central vertical plane that is perpendicular to the jaw movement direction and located midway between both jaws 126, 128; and by having the center of gravity of main body 104 and of the hydraulic cylinders 114, 116 be located on that central vertical plane. Of course, some slight offset of the center of gravity of log splitter 100 might exist relative to this central plane. For instance, the two jaws 126, 128 might not have the same weight. This is why, in the present specification, the center of gravity of log splitter 100 will be said to be substantially aligned with that of the above-mentioned central plane of log splitter 100 and of the tool arm coupling 86 and tool segment 84 of tool arm 80.
This particular advantage of having the center of gravity of log splitter 100 aligned with the central plane of log splitter 100 exists at all positions of jaws 126, 128, since they move symmetrically towards and away from the central plane. Furthermore, the jaws 126, 218 being always disposed symmetrically with respect to the log splitter central plane means that the center of gravity of log splitter 100 will remain within or close to its central plane even when loaded with a log to be split. Considering that logs can weigh e.g. 1000 pounds or more (454 kilograms), this is not trivial. Indeed, the combined weight of the log splitter 100 and of a log being gripped and carried for splitting, can induce important mechanical stresses in the log splitter 100 itself, but also, in the different components of tool arm 80. These mechanical stresses would be increased if a torque resulting from a off-centered center of gravity in the log splitter 100 itself, and in the log splitter 100 when it is loaded with a log.
In one embodiment (not shown), both jaws are provided with cutting blades instead of a single jaw 128 as in the embodiment shown in the drawings.
In one embodiment (not shown), the hydraulic cylinders are replaced by a jaw actuation mechanism capable of moving the jaws between their opened and closed positions, but that differs from hydraulic cylinders. In one embodiment, this jaw actuation mechanism is a linear actuator that differs from a hydraulic cylinder but still moves linearly.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CA2023/050450 | 4/3/2023 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63327514 | Apr 2022 | US |
