Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27L—REMOVING BARK OR VESTIGES OF BRANCHES; SPLITTING WOOD; MANUFACTURE OF VENEER, WOODEN STICKS, WOOD SHAVINGS, WOOD FIBRES OR WOOD POWDER
  • B27L7/00—Arrangements for splitting wood

Definitions

• the invention relates to a cutting and splitting de- vice defined in the preamble of claim 1.
• the first structure a log is sawn through and the piece obtained is pushed through a splitting blade in a separate work stage. This way, the split pieces are surely separated from each other.
• the second structure the log is sliced or shorn through, and the shearing blade is also provided with a wedge that, substantially in the same work stage with cutting, splits the log from the cutting point.
• the piece of log is not often entirely split into separate pieces, but the pieces remain attached to each other at one end or at a branch site.
• the cutting and splitting machine in its first embodiment, comprises a frame and a substantially vertical feed channel supported to the frame. At the upper end of the feed channel there is a feed opening for feeding a log being processed into the cutting and splitting device. At the lower end of the feed channel, moving in the transverse direction in relation thereto, there is a cutting blade with a power unit and a splitting blade for splitting the cut piece of log.
• the cutting blade and the split- ting blade form a jointly movable assembly.
• the cutting and splitting device comprises, below the cutting blade, a fixed stopper against which the splitting blade is arranged to press the cut piece of log for splitting it.
• the moving and fixed parts have switched positions
• the cutting and splitting device thus comprises a frame, a substantially vertical feed channel supported to the frame and having a feed opening at the upper end for feeding a log being processed into the cutting and splitting device, at the lower end of the feed channel a cutting blade, a power unit and a splitting blade for splitting the cut piece of log.
• the cutting blade and the splitting blade form a fixed assembly and the cutting and splitting device comprises, below the cutting blade, a stopper supported to the frame in a fixed manner in relation thereto.
• the assembly formed by the frame, the feed channel and the stopper is arranged to be reciprocated by means of the power unit in such a way that a log being processed is pressed by means of them against the stationary cutting blade and split- ting blade to prepare firewood from the log.
• the cutting blade and the splitting blade are plate-type structures provided with a shearing- type cutting or splitting edge and are perpendicular to each other.
• the cut piece of log does not need to be turned after cutting and before splitting, but the piece is split in the same position immediately after cutting.
• the splitting blade is pushed in the invention from the side into the cut piece of log throughout its length, the whole piece thus passing vertically through the vertical blade to be surely divided into two separate pieces.
• the shearing-type cutting edge of the cut- ting blade is disposed, in the direction of movement of the blades, before the shearing-type splitting edge of the splitting blade so that at least part of the cutting of a log is carried out before the splitting blade penetrates into the piece of log.
• the cutting blade and the splitting blade are disposed in the same vertical plane so that cutting and splitting are carried out concurrently.
• the shearing-type splitting edge of the splitting blade is preferably disposed, in the direction of movement of the blades, at such a distance after the cutting blade that the splitting blade penetrates into the piece of log before it is entirely cut from the log.
• the piece of log being processed is under precise control all the time.
• the piece before final detachment from the rest of the log, the piece is attached to the log and disposed in its place in a vertical position, and when detachment takes place it is already attached to the splitting blade and disposed between the splitting blade and the fixed stopper.
• the piece of log is not able to move freely during the process and thus may not be caught in a transverse or other wrong position, as is often the case when the cut piece of log is dropped into separate splitting.
• a length stopper is suitably provided below the fixed stopper and the path of movement of the splitting blade for receiving a log that falls down along the feed channel and for determining the length of the piece being cut therefrom.
• the split pieces of log i.e. the finished firewood
• the present structure forces, after splitting, the firewood to move past the splitting blade from both sides of the splitting blade, i.e. to the other side thereof.
• the cutting blade, the splitting blade, the length stopper and the side support elements form a fixed and jointly movable assembly, a splitting chamber.
• the split piece of log is pressed against the fixed stopper so that the piece of log is forced through the splitting blade and out of the splitting chamber.
• the splitting chamber is so shaped that it becomes wider in cross-section in the direction of movement of the vertically moving pieces of log.
• the side support elements are suitably not completely parallel, but their spacing increases from the log cutting point towards the splitting point.
• the distance of the bottom of the splitting chamber, i.e. the length stopper suitably increases relative to the ceiling of the splitting chamber, i.e. the cutting blade. This en- sures that the firewood is able to move relatively freely and easily past the splitting blade in the splitting chamber and out of the chamber.
• the distance of the length stopper from the cutting blade determines the length of the firewood being prepared.
• the adjustment can comprise adjustment elements for adjusting the dis- tance of the length stopper from the cutting blade. However, this may be difficult to implement, at least when one single-unit splitting chamber is used.
• the adjustment can be implemented by one or more adjustment pieces that can be placed on top of the length stopper to limit the length of movement of the log past the cutting blade.
• the adjustment piece can be a plate or a plate pack that covers the entire bottom of the splitting chamber for adjusting the height of the chamber as desired.
• the cutting and splitting device structure according to the invention has considerable advantages over the prior art.
• the invention combines a slicing-type, i.e. shearing-type, log cutting and complete splitting of the piece as it is pushed through the splitting blade.
• the cutting and splitting device can be made compact, light, reli- able and affordable in manufacturing costs.
• the cutting and splitting device can be used without having to touch the logs by hand due to the gravitational feeding of logs.
• a cutting and splitting device mounted to a front-end loader the logs can be picked one by one directly into the horizontally turned feed channel, the feed channel raised vertically and the movement of the blades started. Not even conveyors are needed when using a front-end loader with a sufficient span; instead, the cutting and splitting device can be lifted for example onto the tractor bed and the log chopped directly onto the bed.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a partially sectional view of one cutting and splitting device according to the invention in a first operating position
• Fig. 2 illustrates the cutting and splitting device of Fig. 1 in a second operating position.
• Fig. 1 and 2 illustrate in a simplified manner a partially sectional view of one cutting and splitting de- vice according to the invention, presenting its essential parts only.
• the cutting and splitting device comprises a frame 1 supporting a feed channel 2, through a feed opening 3 at the upper end of which the logs being processed can be fed into the cutting and split- ting device.
• the frame can be for example one that stands in its place on the ground on suitable legs, but preferably the frame comprises lugs or suchlike fasteners by means of which it can be locked for example to a front-end loader of a tractor or the like.
• the cutting and splitting device can be lifted and moved and also the feed channel thereof tilted for example so that, when tilted horizontally, a log can be taken into the feed channel directly from a pile of logs without having to touch it by hand and raised vertically, the logs thus not requiring any manual handling when made into firewood.
• a plate-type cutting blade 4 At the bottom end of the feed channel 2, moving in the transverse direction in relation thereto, there is a plate-type cutting blade 4.
• the cutting blade 4 is reciprocated by a power unit 5, i.e. a hydraulic cylin- der, supported to the frame of the cutting and splitting device.
• the cutting blade 4 is supported to the frame 1 between two support plates 13 so that the front edges of the support plates 13 constitute support surfaces 14 to which a log is supported as the cutting blade penetrates through the log and between the support plates 13.
• the support surfaces 14 are straight in the figures, but are preferably curved or V-shaped in the sideward direction so that, as the cutting blade presses a log against them, the surfaces center the log to the center of the splitting chamber, i.e. to the center of the splitting blade.
• a plate-type splitting blade 6 Mounted to the lower surface of the cutting blade 4 so as to extend perpendicularly down therefrom is a plate-type splitting blade 6, the shearing-type split- ting edge 9 of which points in the same direction as the shearing-type cutting edge 8 of the splitting blade 4.
• the splitting blade 6 is mounted at the lower end to a length stopper 10, i.e. a bottom plate. Furthermore, the side edges of the bottom plate and the side edges of the cutting blade 4 are connected to each other with side support elements 11, i.e. side plates.
• the splitting blade 4, the side support elements 11 and the length stopper 10 form a substantially rectangular box, i.e. a splitting chamber 12, at the center of which there is the vertical splitting blade 6.
• the front edge, i.e. the splitting edge 9, of the splitting blade 6 is straight but somewhat slanted relative to the vertical so that, as it moves forward in the splitting direction, the upper part of the splitting edge first meets the piece of log being split.
• the log being split first splits from one end, which normally splits the whole log already.
• the splitting force required is smaller both as to magnitude and duration relative to the splitting being carried out at the same time over the whole length of the log.
• the cutting plate of the cutting blade 4 is formed by a rectangular long plate that is coupled to a hydraulic cylinder 5 at one end.
• the plate there is an opening 15, the edge at one end of which constitutes a straight cutting edge 8.
• the opposite edge 16 of the opening is provided at such a distance from the cutting edge 8 that a gap corresponding at least to the width of the feed channel is arranged therebetween.
• the upper end of the feed channel can be provided with funnel-type structures by means of which the positioning of a log in the channel becomes easier.
• the opposite edge 16 is formed vertically straight-edged, i.e. not sharpened, and in the transverse direction in a slight V-shape pointing inwards to the plate. This way, the edge 16 constitutes a waste material plowing edge, keeping the gap between the support plates 13 clear of waste material caught therein each time the cutting edge 8 penetrates through a log between the support plates 13.
• the cutting and splitting device is specifically purposed for use with compact loader and tractor front-end lifting devices receiving hydraulic pressure from the hydraulics of the working machine.
• the cutting and splitting device comprises only one power unit, a hydraulic cylinder, just for continuously moving the cutting and splitting blade structure in a reciprocating manner. No other active operations are required of the device because the log is fed substantially vertically in the downward direction through gravity and the finished firewood can be removed for example directly to a trailer or storage. Yet, there is no obstacle to using a separate belt conveyor or one suitably coupled to the cutting and splitting device to move the firewood.
• the cutting and splitting device is used in the following way.
• the feed channel 2 is turned forward in a horizontal position and pushed around one log in a pile of logs so that the log extends into the feed channel to some degree, but not necessarily up to the length stopper 10. Then, the device is raised to a vertical position with the log, the log thus dropping onto the bottom of the splitting chamber 12, i.e. against the length stopper 10. If the firewood is not made next to the pile of logs, the machine is driven to a desired place with the log upright and the cutting and splitting device is started. The cutting blade 4 then penetrates through the log so as to cut it and right after this the splitting blade disposed in the longitudinal direction of the log presses the piece of log against the fixed stopper 7, splitting it at least partially.
• the cutting and splitting device does not need any other control apart from the control for the auto- matic reciprocation by the hydraulic cylinder 5, as the device is not running when a log is taken and moved, and is only started at a desired location.
• the device If the device is used with manual feeding, it can be kept in the vertical or horizontal position and running all the time. In the vertical position, i.e. as the feed opening of the feed channel is pointing upwards, logs can be lifted into the feed channel as a continuous successive flow.
• the output of the cutting and splitting device is so high that a belt conveyor is almost essential for moving the firewood into a pile farther away.
• the feed channel should be kept horizontal, in which case the log is always pushed manually against the length stopper after the shearing blade has retracted to the back position.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Debarking, Splitting, And Disintegration Of Timber (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

Citations (8)

• 2013
  • 2013-11-25 FI FI20136174A patent/FI125244B/fi active IP Right Grant
• 2014
  • 2014-11-24 EP EP14863106.2A patent/EP3074194B1/en active Active
  • 2014-11-24 WO PCT/FI2014/050898 patent/WO2015075320A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-11-24 PL PL14863106T patent/PL3074194T3/pl unknown

Patent Citations (8)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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