FR2533490A1 - Sectioning gauge - Google Patents

Abstract

The sectioning gauge concerns instruments of the stand or trestle type which holds a log in position in order to cut it into several pieces. It comprises: a frame formed from a horizontal section 1, 2, and 6 and a vertical assembly 4, 5, 7 and 8 forming a stack of logs all individually held and thus allowing them to be cut with a single pass of the cutter. The planes in which the cuts must be made in order to obtain pieces of log of the desired length are indicated by the vertical edges of two uprights 5 and 8 located on a same horizontal longitudinal member 1. The most advantageous application of this invention is the supply of logs such that they are of a suitable size for the fireplaces for which they are intended.

Description

 The present invention, the name of which is "Cut-off gauge" relates to easel or "goat" type instruments, the function of which is to maintain a log about 60 centimeters from the ground in order to be able to cut it using a saw or d 'a chainsaw. Some of these devices offer the possibility of attaching the chainsaw to one of the ends of the frame using an axis connected to the blade holder of the chainsaw. The cut is then made by pivoting the latter.

 These devices have two notable drawbacks.

First, they are relatively unstable due to the high elevation of the center of gravity when you want to cut a large log
This instability is even greater for the easels on which the chainsaw is fixed, the weight of which generally exceeds that of the easel itself. In addition, in the event of a dangerous tilting stand upright, the operator cannot hold it since his two hands are busy, on the one hand, tilting the chainsaw to execute the cut, and on the other hand, maintaining log by catch usually using a lever.

 Second, these devices can usually only cut one log at a time or, in some cases, three or four small logs.

As a result, the time required to load and unload the bridge is far too short to justify stopping the chainsaw. This is also the case for the time necessary to clear the cut logs which quickly pile up at the bottom of the easel. Consequently, during all the loading, unloading and clearing of cut logs and generally during all handling work, the chainsaw continues to run and therefore consumes energy which is only used to make smoke and noise. These devices are therefore large consumers of unused energy and very polluting by the permanent noise they generate.

 The cutting gauge avoids all these drawbacks. It consists of a steel frame comprising a vertical and a horizontal part.

(see Figures I and. 2) The horizontal part is made of two beams (T) of a size substantially equal to the logs that one wishes to debate. They are connected by four spacers (2) of a length slightly less than the blade of the chainsaw that one wishes to use. The upper parts of these four spacers determine a horizontal plane which will support the first logs introduced into the cutting gauge.

In order to avoid contact of the blade with the steel, the side members are covered, on their upper part, with wooden rafters (3).

 The vertical part consists of four posts (4) and (5) connected to the side rails (I) by fitting into female parts (6) called sleeves, welded to the side rails (1). The two posts (5) are equipped with two chains (7) making it possible to connect them to the posts (4) by means of two hooks (8) welded on the latter; this is to keep the gap between the posts (4) and (5) constant.

 Inside such a frame, one can then form a heap in the shape of a parallelepiped with dimensions close to the internal capacity of the caliber. In this heap thus formed, all the logs will be individually locked in position; on the one hand by the weight of those located laterally and above (the logs of the summit will be pushed in force under the chains (7)); on the other hand by the rectangle arrangement of the four vertical uprights (4) and (5). These being connected opposite - by chains (7) can not deviate from each other under the action of the weight of the logs. The pairs of posts (4) and (5) therefore exert, over the entire height of the pile of logs and on both sides, a direct pressure towards the inside of the caliber. They therefore act as double vices which will perfectly clamp the logs, preventing them from going awry when cutting.

 It is then possible with a chainsaw to carry out in a single vertical cut, the flow of all the logs grabbed inside the caliber. The risks of tightening on the blade are minimal treks because, as the latter descends into the pile of logs, the sections it forms are then no longer clamped by the double vices formed by the posts (T) and ( 5) and then fall to the ground.

 On the two posts (5) are fixed two boards (8) of studied width so that their vertical edges correspond substantially to the cutting planes to obtain sections of log to the desired length.

The posts (5) Planks (9), which we will call vertical uprights, therefore play the double role of helping, on the one hand, to block the logs in position, and on the other hand, to indicate to the operator where to make the cut (s).

 In Figure (2a) is shown a cutting gauge for cutting logs of one meter into three pieces or two equal pieces.

In figure C26) the caliber offers the possibility of making three cuts and thus obtaining logs of twenty five centimeters. The numbers assigned to the cuts indicate the chronological order in which they must be executed. It is indeed necessary to start with the cuts outside the rectangle defined by the top of the four posts (4) and (5) since, as we have seen, it is they which contribute to blocking the logs.

 Between the figure (2a) and (2b) the boards (8) have been separated from the posts (5) and have undergone a rotation at one hundred and eighty degrees, before being fixed again on the latter. To obtain cuts at 25, 33 and 50 cm., With the same boards (8), by simple rotation of one hundred and eighty degrees of the latter (Figure 2a) the parameters to be taken into consideration to obtain results are: the position sleeves (6) welded to the side members (1) and the width of the boards (8).

A variant for adjusting the position of the vertical uprights (5) indicating the cutting planes, would consist in having several pairs of sleeves (T), fixed on the side members (1), corresponding to the different possibilities of desired cutting length.

 The stability of the cutting gauge is great when it is loaded with logs because its center of gravity is relatively low from its lifting base since the empty space between the ground and the logs is very small. In addition, at the time of cutting, the blade being in the pile of logs, the body of the chainsaw is permanently supported on one of the vertical uprights. The chainsaws always having, by their design, tendency to pull towards them the objects which they cut, the operator will be able at any moment to push back the gauge in the event that this one would tend to tilt towards him.

 The second notable advantage of this device is that it can cut a large number of logs with a single saw.

For example, a cutting gauge for logs of one meter long9 with a useful width and height of thirty five and ninety centimeters respectively, can accommodate thirty to forty logs. The cutting cycle (loading, cutting, unloading) is approximately ten minutes.

To cut logs with foil centimeters, a single pass lasting about forty five seconds is necessary. For logs cut into three pieces, the handling time is reduced to twelve minutes and to sixteen minutes for logs cut in four. These handling times are long enough to fully justify stopping the chainsaw. Consequently, it will be in operation only during cutting times and will therefore no longer consume unused energy.

This results in considerable fuel savings and a directly proportional reduction in noise pollution. In addition, the regrouping in time of the various cutting, unloading, reloading operations, allows a significant reduction in work times.

Claims (7)

 1. Caliber for cutting wood, consisting of a frame intended to receive a large number of logs. I1 is composed of a horizontal part resting on the ground. On the latter is fixed a vertical assembly formed of several parts (4, 5 and 8) connected vis-à-vis by links (7). This gauge is characterized in that the vertical uprights (4, 5 and 8) exert on the sides of the pile of logs, formed inside the frame, horizontal pressures directed towards the interior of the pile and that their vertical edges define , to within a few centimeters, the cutting planes according to which the piles of wood must be cut to obtain pieces of the desired length.  2. Cut-off gauge according to claim No 1, characterized in that the horizontal part consists of two beams (1) connected by four spacers (2) of a length slightly less than the cutting capacity of the chainsaw used, and of which the upper faces define the horizontal reference of the pile of logs stacked in the caliber.  3. Cutting gauge according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the vertical uprights (4) and (5) are four in number and whose implantation on the base defines a regular quadrilateral.  4. Cut-off gauge according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that two vertical uprights positioned on the same spar (1) are posts internally dressed with boards serving as cutting guard and chain protection. On the other two posts, located on the second spar, are attached to the upper end of the hooks.  5. Cut-off gauge according to one of claims from i to 4 characterized in that two chains (7) make it possible to connect each of the vertical uprights (5) dressed with board (9) to the uprights located opposite each of them (4) and -to ensure a vertical blocking of the logs.  6. Cut-off gauge according to one of claims from I to 5 characterized in that the connection between the vertical part and the horizontal part is made by embedding the uprights (4 had 5) in sleeves (6) fixed on the side members ( 1).  7. Cut-off gauge according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the positioning of the edges of the vertical uprights (5) is adjustable in order to indicate to the operator the cutting planes for producing pieces of log with lengths desired.