US3717320A

US3717320A - Sprinkler stand for cold deck log storage

Info

Publication number: US3717320A
Application number: US00158220A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Hill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-06-30
Filing date: 1971-06-30
Publication date: 1973-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-20

Abstract

An upright stand including sprinkler head and supply hose supporting structure at its upper end. The stand includes a center main upright having a horizontally elongated foot supported from its lower end disposed in a first upstanding plane containing the center upright and the stand further includes opposite side legs pivotally supported at their upper ends for oscillation about horizontal axes disposed generally normal to the aforementioned plane and the lower ends of the legs are provided with inwardly directed angulated prongs for biting into and frictionally gripping the opposite sides of a log upon whose upper extremity the foot of the center upright is disposed with the foot extending longitudinally of the associated log. In order to maintain the angulated prongs at the lower ends of the legs in position penetrating the opposite sides of the associated log, the center upright is longitudinally extendable and yieldingly biased toward its extended position in a manner such that the sprinkler stand has its legs under tension, as opposed to compression, when the stand is operatively associated with a log.

Description

[ 1 Feb. 20, 1973 United States Patent 1 Hill [54] SPRINKLER STAND FOR COLD DECK Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-John J. Love LOG STORAGE Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B Jacobson [76] Inventor: William W. Hill, 226 Isthmus Street,

Coos Bay, Oreg. 97420 June 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 158,220

[57] ABSTRACT An upright stand including sprinkler head and supply [22] Filed:

hose supporting structure at its upper end. The stand includes a center main upright having a horizontally elongated foot supported from its lower end disposed in a first upstanding plane containing the center upright and the stand further includes opposite side legs pivotally supported at their upper ends for oscillation about horizontal axes disposed generally normal to the aforementioned plane and the lower ends of the fi oumnz 2w 2 0 l 4% 96 2 83 722 6 4 m N A. m8 9 n0 3 mum m T mm2 u 8 u 4 "U m" m Tn .c U r u "a 0 MS 1 o W d s ....m U .mF 1] 2 8 5 55 .I. [.l.

legs are provided with inwardly directed angulated prongs for biting into and frictionally gripping the opposite sides of a log upon whose upper extremity the foot of the center upright is disposed with the foot ex- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS tending longitudinally of the associated log. in order to maintain the angulated prongs at the lower ends of the legs in position penetrating the opposite sides of the associated log, the center upright is longitudinally extendable and yieldingly biased toward its extended m "H O CGL E 11111 N Ill/l i w l y F 95035 07306 A233 1111 position in a manner such that the sprinkler stand has its legs under tension, as opposed to compression, when the stand is operatively associated with a log.

1,154,369 6/1969 Great Britain........................239/276 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures lrll l nw .1Iiii-liiiiii h 4 PAIENTED 3.717. 320

SHEET 2 OF 2 Wi/l/am W. H/'// BY 2mm SPRINKLER STAND FOR COLD DECK LOG STORAGE In the logging industry, cut logs are sometimes stacked or arranged in piles for at least temporary storage until they can be transported to a sawmill while at other times the cut logs are shipped to a sawmill at least shortly after being cut. Logs stored in stacked relation for any lengthy duration prior to shipment to a sawmill must be kept moist in the summertime as a fire 'prevention practice and this type of log storage is referred to as cold deck log storage. On the other hand, when logs are merely temporarily stacked after being cut for shipment to a sawmill in the reasonably near future for a duration that is sufficiently short to prevent the logs from drying out, this type of log storage is referred to as hot deck log storage.

The sprinkler stand of the instant invention has been primarily designed to facilitate the former type of log storage wherein the logs must be at least occasionally wetted down to prevent them from drying out excessively and presenting a fire hazard. The stand of the instant invention includes structure by which it may be readily mounted atop a stack of logs and utilized to support a sprinkler head and the attendant water supply hose.

The stand needs no tools to be mounted atop a stack of logs and is self-supporting in a manner to prevent its accidental dislodgment from atop the stack of logs. The attachment of the stand to the uppermost log in a stack is accomplished by opposite side prongs which are forced into the bark of the log and tension is maintained on the prongs by means of a telescopic portion of the stand which is yieldingly biased toward an extended position.

The main object of this invention is to provide a stand for a sprinkler head and an attendant water supply hose or pipe for support of the sprinkler head and water supply pipe from the top log of a stack of logs.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a stand constructed in a manner whereby it may be readily quickly mounted atop the uppermost log in a stack of logs but in a manner not requiring the use of tools and which will prevent accidental dislodgment of the stand from the uppermost log.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sprinkler stand that may be readily stored in a compact state.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sprinkler stand that may be readily adjusted for use in conjunction with logs of different diameter.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a sprinkler stand which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of stacks of logs with the uppermost log of each stack having a sprinkler stand of the instant invention supported therefrom and with a water supply hose supported from and extending between the stands for supply of water to the sprinkler heads mounted atop the stands;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational viewof one of the stands with the associated log and water supply hose as well as portions of the stand illustrated in vertical transverse section;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIG. 3.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, a plurality of logs 10 may be seen to be arranged in three

different stacks

12, 14 and 16. The

stacks

12, 14 and 16 constitute logs which have been cut and are being stored for at least a duration during which the logs may become overly dried and constitute a fire hazard. ln order to reduce the fire hazard represented by the stacked logs, the stacks l2, l4 and 16 are at least periodically watered down by means of a plurality of sprinkler heads 18 supplied through a water supply line 20 and supported from a plurality of sprinkler stands referred to in general by the reference numerals 22.

The stands 22 constitute the instant invention and include a center upright referred to in general by the reference numeral 24. Each upright 24 includes an upper small diameter tubular section 26 and a lower diameter tubular section 28 downwardly into whose upper end the lower end of the upper tubular section 26 is telescoped by means of a reasonably snug sliding fit.

The lower end of the lower tubular section 28 has a stiff horizontal strap type foot 30 secured thereto and the opposite ends of the foot 30 are turned down as at 32 and provided with endwise outwardly opening notches 34 in order to form a pair of opposite side log bark penetrating prongs 36 on each end of the foot 30 for biting into the upper bark surface of the uppermost log 10 upon which the stand 22 is supported.

The intermediate portion of the strap-type foot 30 is apertured as at 38 and the lower end of an extension limiting rod 40 disposed within the lower tubular section 28 is secured through the aperture 38 by means of a washer 42 and cotter pin 44.

The lower end of the upper tubular section 26 includes a bottom wall 46 which is centrally apertured as at 48 and the upper end of the extension limiting rod 40 extends through the aperture or bore 48 and is provided with a diametrically enlarged head 50 on its upper end portion. A compression spring 52 is disposed within the lower tubular section 28 and has its opposite ends abutted against the upper surface of the central portion of the foot 30 and the undersurface of the bottom wall 46 of the tubular section 26. Thus, the compression spring 52 yieldingly urges the

sections

26 and 28 toward their maximum limit of extension defined by the extension limiting rod 40.

The upper end of the tubular section 26 supports a horizontally elongated upwardly opening U-shaped cradle 54 which is centered relative to the upper end of the section 26. The water supply line 20 comprises a plurality of end connected line sections 56 joined together at adjacent ends by means of T-fittings 58. Each T-fitting 58 includes a horizontal tube section to whose opposite ends the adjacent ends of the adjacent line sections 56 are secured as well as an upstanding tubular neck 59 opening downwardly into the central portion of the corresponding horizontal tube section at its lower end and in whose upper end the inletmounting tube portion 60 of a corresponding rotatable sprinkler head 18 is secured. One end of the water supply hose 20 is connected to a suitable source of water under pressure and the other end of the hose 20 may be capped in any convenient manner. Further, the intermediate portion of each T-fitting horizontal tube section is supported from a corresponding cradle 58.

A tubular bracket 62 is provided and slidably disposed on the upper tubular section 26. The tubular bracket 62 includes a setscrew 64 provided with a jamnut 66 and the setscrew 64 is operative to frictionally engage the tubular section 26 in order to retain the tubular bracket 62 in position along the tubular section 26. The tubular bracket 62 includes a pair of diametrically opposite horizontally outwardly projecting upstanding apertured mounting cars 68 to which the upper ends of a pair of rod legs 70 are pivotally supported by means of clamp-type pivot fasteners 72. The upper ends of the legs 70 have eyes formed thereon through which the clamp-type pivot fasteners are secured and thus the fasteners 72 may be at least partially tightened when securing the legs 70 to the mounting cars 68 in order that the legs 70 will be frictionally retained in adjusted angular positions relative to the apertured mounting ears 68.

The lower ends of the legs 70 include right angulated inwardly directed sharpened prongs 74 and the legs 70 are at least substantially rigid. Further, it will be seen that each upper tubular section 26 includes a horizontally outwardly projecting and upwardly opening cradle for supporting the adjacent ends of the associated water supply hose sections 60.

In operation, after the logs have been arranged in the

stacks

12, 14 and 16, the stands 22 may be engaged with the uppermost logs 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings with the upright 24 being at least somewhat retracted from its fully extended position. After the lower end of the upright 24 has its foot 30 engaged with the outer bark of the associated log in a manner with the prongs 36 biting into the log, at least slight downward pressure is applied to the upper tubular section 26 in order to collapse the upright 24 from its fully extended position. While the upright 24 is being held in a partially collapsed position, the lower ends of the legs 70 are swung toward each other and into engagement with portions of the associated log disposed on opposite sides of the elongated foot 30 and the lower ends of the legs 70 may be forced into the log. Then, the downward pressure on the upper tubular section 26 may be released so that the compression spring 52 may bias the upper tubular section 26 toward its fully extended position, thereby placing the legs 70 under tension and ensuring that the prongs 74 carried by the lower ends of the legs will retain their frictional grip with the log.

With the hose sections 56 cradled in the cradles 54 water under pressure may be communicated with the inlet end of the hose 20 so that the water supplied to the hose 20 may be ducted to and discharged from the sprinkler heads 18 in order to wet down the piles of logs. The supply of water to the hose 20 may be timed by any suitable timing device (not shown) in order that the logs will be intermittently watered down. On the other hand, the aforementioned supply of water under pressure may be communicated with the hose 20 through a manually actuatable control valve that may be intermittently opened for at least short durations in order to ensure that the logs 10 will be prevented from drying out excessively and constituting a fire hazard.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 7

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A stand adapted for support atop a horizontal log, said stand including a central upright adapted at its lower end for support from said log, a pair of upstanding legs pivotally secured at their upper ends to an upper portion of said upright for swinging the lower ends of said legs toward and away from opposite sides of said upright, the lower ends of said legs projecting downwardly below the lower end of said uprights and including inwardly directed prongs for biting into and frictionally engaging the opposite portions of a log upon whose upper portion the lower end of said upright is supported, said standard including upper and lower end portions slidingly supported from each other for extension and retraction of said standard between fully extended and fully retracted positions, means yieldingly biasing said standard to said fully extended position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lower end of said upright includes a horizontally elongated straptype foot disposed in an upstanding plane generally paralleling the axes of oscillation of said legs.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the opposite ends of said strap-type foot are downwardly directed so as to present edge portions for frictionally gripping the upper surface portions of the corresponding log.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said downturned ends have endwise outwardly opening notches formed therein defining pairs of opposite side log-engaging prongs on the downturned ends of said foot.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lower end of said upright includes a horizontally elongated straptype foot disposed in an upstanding plane generally paralleling the axes of oscillation of said legs.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the opposite ends of said strap-type foot are downwardly directed so as to present edge portions for frictionally gripping the upper surface portions of the corresponding log.

7. A stand adapted for support atop a horizontal log, said stand including a central upright adapted at its for guiding movement therealong, means for releasably retaining said bracket in adjusted shifted position along said standard, the upper ends of said legs being pivotally supported from said bracket, said standard including upper and lower end portions slidingly supported from each other for extension and retraction of said standard between fully extended and fully retracted positions, means yieldingly biasing said standard to said fully extended position.

Claims

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lower end of said upright includes a horizontally elongated strap-type foot disposed in an upstanding plane generally paralleling the axes of oscillation of said legs.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lower end of said upright includes a horizontally elongated strap-type foot disposed in an upstanding plane generally paralleling the axes of oscillation of said legs.