Patent Application
20190291299
The present application claims the benefit of Norway Patent Application No. 20180414 filed Mar. 23, 2018, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference
The invention disclosed herein generally relates to a wood cutting machines. More particularly, the invention disclosed herein relates to a wood chopper device configured to cut and/or split wood or the like.
Energy cost have been increased sharply in recent years and indications are that prices will continue to increase in future. To reduce income spent on energy, households depends on biomass fuels such as firewood. Fireplaces is found in remote areas where conventional sources of power are unavailable. Also, fireplaces are being used as both a decorative part of the home and as a supplementary heat source during the winter. A problem encountered by residentials utilizing fireplaces is high cost of firewood. So, people prefers to make their own firewood by cutting trees into logs of the desired length and then splitting the logs lengthwise to form the split fireplace logs. Cutting firewood can be a very worthwhile and rewarding experience if done properly. If it is done improperly without regard to safe cutting techniques, serious injury, or death can result.
Generally, hand tools are utilized to cut firewood. Hand tools includes saws, axes, wedges and sledgehammers. Blades of handsaws and axes need to be maintained in sharp and good condition and also need to be certain that all handles are firmly attached to the blade. Utilizing hand tools to cut firewood require large amount of manual power. Power tools are developed to reduce manual labor required for cutting firewood by hand tools, which includes gasoline and hydraulic powered and wood splitter. However, power tool consumes large amount of power. Further some power tool could be only used for cutting logs. Further some other power tools could be only used for splitting of wood.
A prior art, WO 2005/072924 A1 of Tarmo Pitkäniemi, discloses a cutting and splitting device for cutting and splitting tree trunks. The device comprises a frame, a stationary blade having a cutting edge along an aperture in the blade, and a reciprocating blade having a cutting edge, a rear splitting blade having a splitting edge disposed at a rear end of the frame, a movable unit coupled to the reciprocating blade is configured to move along a linear path disposed on the frame, and a drive means coupled to the movable unit. The drive means moves the movable unit forward for moving the reciprocating blade so that a length of wood received in the stationery blade is cut off when the reciprocating blade is moved past the stationary blade. However, the device lacks to provide an improved reciprocating blade with an aperture disposed therein for cutting wood or the like.
In the light of above-mentioned problems, there is a need for a low power consumption wood chopper device, which could perform both cutting and splitting operation of wood.
A wood chopper device for cutting and/or splitting wood or the like is disclosed. The wood chopper device comprises a frame, a stationary blade co-operating with a reciprocating blade, a rear blade, a movable unit and a drive means. The stationary blade co-operating with the reciprocating blade disposed at a front end of the frame. The stationary blade comprises a first cutting edge along an edge of a first aperture disposed therein. The reciprocating blade having a second cutting edge along an edge of a second aperture disposed therein. The rear blade having a splitting edge disposed at a rear end of the frame. The movable unit coupled to the reciprocating blade is configured to move along a linear path disposed on the frame. The reciprocating blade coupled to the movable unit by a shaft. The drive means coupled to the movable unit, wherein the drive means is configured to move the movable unit forward and rearward along the linear path. The wood chopper device further comprises two or more wheels beneath the frame to facilitate movement and to provide stability to the chopper. In another embodiment, the first and second cutting edge made of steel is extremely sharp with a hedge against each other to perform cutting action. The stationary blade or fixed knife is affixed at the front of the frame. The reciprocating blade or movable knife is adapted to move by actuation of the movable unit.
In an embodiment, the first aperture could be of various shapes including, but not limited to, circular, rectangular, square or oval shape. In an embodiment, the second aperture could be of various shapes including, but not limited to, circular, rectangular, square or oval shape. The wood chopper device further comprises a mechanical assembly disposed at a side of the frame, configured to operate by a user to perform at least anyone of a cutting or splitting operation. In an embodiment, the stationary blade, rear blade and reciprocating blade are made of high quality steel. In an embodiment, the drive means moves the movable unit forward for moving the reciprocating blade so that a length of wood received in the first and second aperture is cut when the second cutting edge moves past the first cutting edge. In an embodiment, the drive means moves the movable unit rearward for pushing the at least one wood piece there along the linear path to split by the splitting edge of the rear blade.
In an embodiment, the cutting operation of the wood performed by the wood chopper device is disclosed. An appropriate length of wood is fed into the stationary blade and the reciprocating blade in such a way the length of wood extends from the first aperture to the second aperture. Then the mechanical assembly is operated by the user to initiate cutting operation of the wood. The drive means then moves the movable unit forward, which in turn moves the reciprocating unit via the shaft. When the reciprocating blade passes the stationary blade or fixed knife, the second cutting edge crosses the fixed first cutting edge to cut the wood placed therein the aperture.
In an embodiment, the splitting operation of the wood performed by the wood chopper device is disclosed. A piece of wood is placed along the linear path at the rear end of the frame. The user then operates the mechanical assembly to move the movable unit rearward, that is towards the rear blade of the wood chopper device. The movable unit forces the individual piece of wood or log in the linear path passageway against the splitting edge of the rear blade. The splitting edge of the rear blade hits the piece of wood and begins to penetrate it. This operation enables splitting of the wood.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating specific embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.
A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be given with reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.
Referring to
The rear blade 108 is disposed at the rear end 122 of the frame 102. The stationary blade 104 and the reciprocating blade 106 with the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge, respectively is configured to perform the cutting operation of the wood. The rear blade 108 comprising a splitting edge is configured to perform the splitting operation of the wood. Two or more wheels 114 are disposed beneath the frame 102 to facilitate movement and to provide stability to the device 100. In an embodiment, the stationary blade 104, the reciprocating blade 106 and the rear blade 108 is made of high-quality steel such as Hardox. In an embodiment, the cutting edge is designed to separate the log into two pieces. In an embodiment, the splitting edge is designed to sufficiently penetrate into an end of a log to be split so as to form a lengthwise crack in the log. In an embodiment, material dimensions of the device 100 are according to the thickness for which the device 100 is intended.
Referring to
Referring to
As the cutting-edge sinks further and further into the wood, the wood material on both sides of the blade (104, 106) is forced outwardly, against the blade (104, 106). Now the cutting edges of the stationary 104 and reciprocating blade 106 chops the wood into two pieces against the stationary blade 104. In this case the whole chopping process of the present invention prevents the device structures from suffering heavy impact strain. It is to be noted that the rotating speed of the blade (104, 106) is low. Also, the power demand is also comparatively small and, over all, the device 100 is safe to use.
Referring to
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
The foregoing description comprise illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used only in generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180414 | Mar 2018 | NO | national |
