GB2098922A - Device for holding logs for sawing - Google Patents

Abstract

A post 1 has fixed thereto a pair of downwardly pointed spikes carried by a plate 3. A sleeve 4 is slidable on the post 1 and carries four upwardly pointed spikes on a plate 7 at a greater distance from the post 1 than the spikes fixed to the post. The log 12 is thus held in cantilevered fashion and the weight of the log causes the sleeve 4 to jam in position against the post 1. The sleeve 4 is provided with a spring to stop it sliding down the post when not in use. The post 1 may be held in a sleeve 10 hammered into the ground or it may be provided with a base so the device is free-standing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for holding logs for sawing This invention relates to a device for holding logs for sawing.

When logs ar to be used for firewood, they must be cut into suitable short lengths, e.g. of the order of 300mm. In the past, logs have been placed on a saw horse for sawing. This consists of an open wooded framework which viewed from one end appears as an 'X' and in use a log simply lies on the saw horse supported by the upper 'V' of the 'X'. This supporting device has two major disadvantages: firstly the saw horse cannot support a log which is shorter than the length of the saw horse between its two end frames and thus the last two cut logs produced will be at least half the length of the saw horse which is too long for many uses. Secondly, the saw horse has no positive means for preventing the logs from rotating during sawing which makes sawing difficult, especially when a motor-driven chain saw is used.

According to the invention there is provided a device for holding a log for sawing comprising a square- or rectangular-section post and having fixed thereto at least two downwardly pointed spikes for engaging a log, and a sleeve closely fitting around and slidably mounted on the post below the fixed spikes and carrying at least two upwardly pointed spikes for engaging the logs at a greater distance from the post than said fixed spikes. In use the sleeve is positioned such that the spikes it carries are spaced below the fixed spikes by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the log and the log is positioned to engage the spikes. The log is thus held in a cantilevered fashion from the post and the weight of the log causes the sleeve to jam in position on the post.

The spikes carried by the sleeve may be about 200mm from the post thus enabling the last cut log to be sufficiently short.

The use of at least two fixed spikes and at least two spikes carried by the sleeve provides means for preventing the rotation of the logs in either direction. The spacing of the spikes in at least one of these pairs is preferably from 50-70mm, more preferably substantially 60mm.

The sleeve preferably carries the spikes via an arm fixed to the sleeve and projecting outwardly from the post in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. The spikes are preferably mounted on a plate fixed transversely to the end of the arm. The fixed spikes may be mounted on a plate fixed to the top of the post. The post, sleeve, and arm are preferably square-section steel tubes, and all the parts are preferably connected together by welding.

The sleeve may carry further spikes for providing additional support for a log and in the preferred form four spikes are carried on the plate welded to the end of the arm.

When the device is not in use, the sleeve remains in position because the weight of the arm, plate and spikes it carries causes the sleeve to turn against the post. To avoid the danger of the sleeve sliding down the post if the arm is accidentally knocked upwardly, a spring, such as a leaf spring, may be provided within the sleeve to urge it lightly into a jamming position. The pressure of the spring may be easily overcome by raising the arm when it is desired to move the sleeve to a new position.

The post may be held by means of a sleeve hammered into the ground and arranged to receive the lower end of the post or it may be provided with a base to that the device is free standing.

In order to prevent the spikes from engaging a log too firmly, the spikes are preferably flat or rounded at their points and more preferably are provided with a flat land of substantially 2mm diameter at their ends.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for holding a log according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the device holding a log in use; and Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line Ill-Ill in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a device for holding a log for sawing comprises a post 1 having fixed thereto a pair of downwardly pointed spikes 2. The post is made of square-section mild steel tube of 50mm outside dimension and 4mm wall thickness. The spikes 2 are welded to a plate 3 fixed to the top of the post 1 by means of welding.

A plate of 70 x 1 Smm and 1 Omm thickness has been found to give adequate strength.

Slidably mounted on the post 1 below the fixed spikes 2 is a sleeve 4 of internal dimensions slightly larger than the external dimensions of the post 1. For example, the sleeve may be of 60mm outside dimension and 4mm wall thickness giving a clearance space of 1 mm between the sleeve and the post. The sleeve is suitably 75mm in length.

The sleeve 4 carries a pair of upwardly pointed spikes 5 via an arm 6 and a plate 7. Additional spikes 8 also mounted on the plate 7 may provide further support for a log. The arm 6 is suitably formed of square-section tube of the same dimensions as the post 1 and 205mm long, and the plate 7 may be 1 60 x 50mm and 1 Omm thick.

The spikes 5 and 8, the plate 7, the arm 6, and the sleeve 4 are preferably all joined together by welding.

As best seen in Figure 3, the sleeve 4 is provided with a leaf spring 9 which passes through a slot 10 in the sleeve. The spring 9 urges the top righthand side (in Figure 3) of the sleeve 4 away from the post 1 so as to assist the effect of the weight of the arm 6 in jamming the sleeve 4 in position on the post 1.

The spikes 2, 5 and 8 are conveniently formed on 1 Omm diameter mild steel rod of 40mm overall length and provided with a conical taper over a length of 20mm from the full diameter down to 2mm diameter so as to provide a flat circular land on the end of 2mm diameter. This prevents the spikes from digging into the logs too firmly in use which would make the logs difficult to remove from the device. The spacing of the spikes 2 is substantially 60mm as is the spacings of the spikes 5. It is desirable that at least one of these pairs of spikes should have substantially this spacing as this has been found to give good results in preventing rotation of a log. The use of additional spikes 8 has been found useful in supporting irregularly-shaped logs and a suitable spacing between the spikes 8 is 1 60mm.

The post 1 may be held in position by means of a sleeve 10 hammered into the ground. The sleeve 1 0 may be of square-section mild steel tube of the same dimensions as the sleeve 4 but about 300mm long. The post 1 is conveniently about 1 270mm long and when inserted in the sleeve 10 provides a holding device at about waist height which is convenient for sawing logs with a chain saw. Alternatively, the post 1 may be made somewhat shorter and provided with a base so that it is free standing.

In use, the sleeve 4 may be positioned by raising the arm 6 against the pressure of the spring 9 and sliding the sleeve up or down the post 1. On releasing the arm the sleeve remains in position through the action of the spring 9 and the weight of the arm 6 and associated components.

A log 12 may then be lifted and placed between the spikes 2 and the spikes 5 and 8 by holding the log with the end near the post 1 lower than the other end. The log may then be lowered to firmly engage the spikes as shown in Figure 2 whereupon the additional weight of the log on the arm 6 firmly jams the sleeve 4 in position. The log is then held in cantilever fashion and may be sawn e.g. with a chain saw, into the desired lengths. The length of log left after the last cut may be as short as 200mm. The spikes 2 and 5 are very effective in preventing rotation of the log. For example, if a chain saw tends to rotate the log 12 in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2, the lefthand one of the spikes 2 and the righthand one of the spikes 5 will engage the log more firmly to prevent rotation. Similarly, the other ones of the spikes 2 and 5 will prevent rotation in the opposite direction.

Thus it may be seen that the invention provides a simple and effective device for holding logs for sawing; the device is able to support reliably logs of any diameter from about 60mm up to the largest log which can be handled bygone man.

Claims (12)

1. A device for holding a log for sawing comprising a square- or rectangular-section post and having fixed thereto at least two downwardly pointed spikes for engaging a log, and a sleeve closely fitting around and slidably mounted on the post below the fixed spikes and carrying at least two upwardly pointed spikes for engaging the logs at a greater distance from the post than said fixed spikes.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spikes carried by the sleeve are substantially 200mm from the post.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the spacing of the spikes on at least one of the post and the sleeve is in the range from 50mm to 70mm.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said spacing is substantially 60mm.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sleeve carries the spikes via an arm fixed to the sleeve and projecting outwardly from the post in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the spikes are mounted on a plate fixed transversely to the end of the arm.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein four spikes are carried on the plate, the plate being welded to the end of the arm.

8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the downwardly pointed spikes are carried by a plate fixed to the top of the post.

9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sleeve is provided with a spring arranged to urge the sleeve into a jamming position against the post.

1 0. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the spikes are flat or round at their tips.

1 A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the spikes are provided with a flat land of substantially 2mm diameter at their tips.

12. A device for holding a log for sawing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.