Log splitter and exit conveyor

A double-acting hydraulic ram drives a log section or block through a blade assembly to split the log section into several smaller pieces. The blade assembly is configured to minimize the force required to split the log section into several pieces without jamming. More specifically, such assembly includes a vertical blade having a splitting edge inclined rearward in the direction of movement of the block section toward such blade and horizontal wings cantilevered from such vertical blade. Each wing is swept outward and rearward from the vertical blade and has a leading edge staggered rearward from the splitting edge of the vertical blade. An exit conveyor is provided with a chain and flight members driven solely by the reciprocating action of the ram for transporting the split pieces to a desired location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to the general field of log splitters, 
particularly splitters having rams for driving log sections or blocks 
through one or more splitting blades. 
2. Prior Art 
The following U.S. patents illustrate splitters and accessories therefor, 
including feed mechanism, cut-off saws, different types of blade 
assemblies and exit mechanism, for more or less automated high speed 
splitting of blocks or log sections: 
U.S. Pat. No. 508,221, issued Nov. 7, 1893 (Hill); 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,867, issued Aug. 17, 1976 (Butas, Jr.); 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,638, issued Sept. 1, 1981 (Connolly et al.); 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,957, issued June 21, 1983 (Schilling); 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,263, issued Oct. 23, 1984 (Johnston); 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,154, issued May 30, 1989 (Nunnery et al.); 
The following U.S. patent illustrate smaller, portable splitters: 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,112, issued Dec. 1, 1981 (Sconce); 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,030, issued June 27, 1989 (Meyer). 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a log splitter of the type using a 
double-acting hydraulic ram to drive a log section or block through a 
blade assembly. Such blade assembly is configured to minimize the force 
required to split the log section into several pieces without jamming. In 
addition, an exit conveyor is provided which is driven solely by the 
reciprocating action of the ram for transporting the split pieces to a 
desired location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the log splitter 1 and exit conveyor 2 in 
accordance with the present invention are used for splitting log sections 
into smaller pieces, such as for firewood, and to convey the smaller 
pieces automatically to a remote location where they are discharged. 
The splitter 1 has a double-acting hydraulic ram 3 of conventional design 
with a reciprocating front upright pusher plate 4. Such plate is movable 
toward and away from a modified splitter head or blade assembly 5 by 
manipulation of an operating handle 6. With the pusher plate in its 
retracted position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a log section or block of 
appropriate length is inserted onto the rigid rail 7 between the pusher 
plate and the blade assembly, whereupon the handle 6 is manipulated to 
actuate forward movement of the pusher plate by extension of the plunger 
of the ram. The log section is loosely confined on the rail 7 by outward 
and upward extending aprons 8 as the section is moved toward the blade 
assembly 5. One extension of the pusher plate drives the log section most 
of the way through the blade assembly. 
When the pusher plate has reached its forwardmost position, the handle 6 is 
manipulated to retract the pusher plate such that another log section can 
be inserted, whereupon the process is repeated. The preceding log section 
will be forced all the way through the blade assembly 5 by forward 
movement of the next section, resulting in the first section being split 
into smaller pieces by movement through the blade assembly. In accordance 
with the present invention, such pieces are pushed onto the exit conveyor 
1 which gradually conveys the split pieces away from the splitter to the 
outlet end 9 of the conveyor from which the segments fall or are guided to 
a desired location such as the bed of a truck. 
As seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the rail 7 on which the log sections are 
supported prior to being split widens into a table 10 adjacent to and 
behind the blade assembly 5. Such table also has upward and outward 
inclined apron portions 11 for retaining the smaller split pieces on the 
table. Subsequent forward movement of a succeeding log section pushes the 
smaller pieces from the table 10 onto the exit conveyor 22. Preferably the 
lower end of the conveyor is located below the table. A slide plate 12 is 
inclined downward from the forward end of the table 10 to the rear end 
portion of the conveyor. 
The exit conveyor 2 includes a box framework of top, bottom and central 
beams 20 at each side of the conveyor. Beams 20 are interconnected by 
lower and upper cross members 21, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The 
interconnected box frames, particularly the upper cross members 21, 
support an elongated carrier member in the form of an upward-opening sheet 
metal trough 22. As best seen in FIG. 5, the bottom of the trough 
preferably is corrugated for ease of sliding of the split wood pieces 
along the trough. 
Sliding movement of the split pieces along the trough is achieved by 
transversely extending flights 23 secured to a central endless chain 24. 
Such chain extends around sprockets supported at opposite ends of the 
conveyor including the upper sprocket 25 at the exit end of the conveyor, 
best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, and the bottom sprocket 26 carried on a 
drive shaft 27, best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
Flights 23 preferably include rigid metal crossbars 28 secured to the chain 
25 and somewhat flexible rubber-reinforced canvass paddles 29 clamped or 
otherwise affixed to the crossbars. Each paddle has sawtoothed top and 
bottom edges. Along the upper run of the chain, the bottom sawtoothed 
edges of the paddles slide along the corrugated bottom of the trough 22 
and hold the chain above the bottom of the trough. 
Movement of the chain 24 to transport the flights along the trough is 
achieved by rotation of the drive shaft 27. Such shaft has a ratchet 
coupling 30 at each end. The couplings include inner and outer cable reels 
31 and 32, respectively, rotated conjointly on the drive shaft and acting 
as the driving member of the coupling. For each coupling, rotation of the 
cable reels in one direction imparts driving rotation to the drive shaft, 
but the shaft can overrun the reels, i.e., turn in a forward direction 
even when the reels are stationary or moved in reverse. 
As seen in FIG. 3, a first drive cable 33 has one end portion connected to 
the ram pusher plate 4 and extends forward to a pulley 34 located below 
the trailing edge of the table 10, then downward and slightly rearward to 
another pulley 35 and then forward to the inner drive reel 31 of the 
ratchet coupling 30 at the left side of the drive shaft (looking forward 
from the splitter). 
With reference to FIG. 1, at the right side of the splitter a second drive 
cable 36 has one end connected to the rear of the pusher plate 4 and 
extends rearward and outward to a pulley 37. From pulley 37, drive cable 
36 extends forward to the inner reel 31 of the ratchet coupling 30 at the 
right end of drive shaft 27. 
The outer reels 32 of the coupling 30 are interconnected by rewind cables 
38 and 38' having end portions wound on their respective outer reels. As 
best seen in FIG. 3, cable 38 extends from its outer reel upward and 
forward to a pulley 39 mounted on a post 40, then high above and across 
the upper run of the conveyor to a pulley 41 on a second post 42, and then 
downward and rearward to the upper end of a tension spring 43. Cable 38' 
extends from its outer reel to the other end of the tension spring. 
Each ratchet coupling 30 acts as part of a one-way drive for the drive 
shaft 27 carrying the bottom drive sprocket 26 for the conveyor chain 24. 
On the drive stroke (extension) of the pusher plate 4, the right drive 
cable 36 is pulled so as to rotate its inner reel 32 and impart forward 
driving rotation to the drive shaft 27. At the same time, some 
accommodation must be made for loosening of the left drive cable 33 as the 
pusher plate moves forward and the drive shaft overruns the left ratchet 
coupling. During such extension of the pusher plate, the right rewind 
cable 38' is automatically wound on its reel 31, thereby pulling the left 
rewind cable 38 from its reel in a direction to wind up the left drive 
cable 33 as it loosens. 
Similarly, when the pusher plate 4 moves from its forwardmost position back 
to the position shown in FIG. 1, drive cable 33 is pulled in a manner to 
rotate the left outer reel 32 of ratchet coupling 30 so as to impart 
forward rotation to the drive shaft. At the same time, rewind cable 38 is 
wound on its reel 31 and rewind cable 38' is pulled in a direction to wind 
up the right drive cable 36. 
The net result is that the conveyor chain is moved incrementally forward on 
each upstroke and on each backstroke of the pusher plate. The paddles 29 
pick up the split pieces as they slide down the plate 12. Such plate has a 
notch 44 for the chain 24 and prevents wood pieces moved onto it from 
sliding downward to the rear off the exit conveyor. Plate 12 is pivotally 
connected to the leading edge of the table 10 so that it can swing upward 
as each paddle passes beneath it, whereupon it falls back to the position 
shown in the drawings in which its bottom edge remote from the table 
engages against the bottom of the trough. 
The somewhat flexible paddles with sawtooth edges are extremely effective 
for picking up the split pieces and incrementally carrying and sliding 
them along the trough toward its outlet end 9. At such outlet end, the 
upper sprocket 25 is mounted so as to be turnable about generally the 
longitudinal axis of the exit conveyor as represented by the arrow 45 in 
FIG. 6. This permits a flight on which a split piece is resting unevenly 
to swing clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 6 when the flight 
clears the end of the trough so as to allow the piece to fall to the right 
or left rather than have its full weight bear unevenly on the flight. 
The splitter head or blade assembly 5 is constructed for efficient 
splitting of a log section or block into several pieces without severe 
power requirements or jamming. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the blade 
assembly includes an upright knife 50 with a bottom upright splitting edge 
51 and an upper upright splitting edge 52 spaced above and rearward from 
such bottom edge. Both such edges preferably are inclined rearward 
relative to the wood-supporting surface of the rail 7 and table 10. The 
result is that the log section to be split first engages edge 51 at the 
bottom of the log section rather than at the middle or contiguously along 
a substantial portion of the leading face of the log section. It has been 
found that less force is required to split the log section if the 
wedge-shaped blade is applied from an edge of the section to be split 
rather than from the center or head-on. As seen in FIG. 7B, the effect is 
to institute a vertical split S from the bottom of the log section toward 
the top which is widened as the section is driven forward by the ram. 
With reference to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, next the log section engages a pair 
of lower generally horizontal wings 53 cantilevered in opposite directions 
from the knife 50 as best seen in FIG. 1. Each wing has a sharpened edge 
facing the oncoming log section, spaced rearward from the upright edge 51 
but in front of edge 52. The sharpened wing edges are swept back, i.e., 
they extend outward and rearward from the blade 50. As seen in FIGS. 8A, 
the wings 53 also are inclined upward and rearward at a small acute angle 
from their sharpened edges. 
By the time the log section engages the sharpened edges of such lower wings 
53, it already will be substantially split in a vertical direction. 
Consequently, the additional horizontal splits H instituted by such wings 
are again instituted from an "edge" (i.e., the edges of split S) rather 
than from an unsplit central portion or head-on. The inclination of the 
wings leaves space below for the bottom split pieces of the log section to 
pass beneath the wings without binding. The upper piece of the log section 
is peeled upward to inclined attitude, as best seen in FIG. 9A. 
Next the log section engages the top upright blade edge 52 which, as noted 
above, also is inclined rearward to assist in widening and completing the 
vertical central split S. 
Finally, the log section engages the sharpened edges of a pair of upper 
wings 54 similar to the wings 53. Wings 54 are spaced rearward from the 
upright edge 52, and are swept back from blade 50, as best seen in FIG. 1, 
and are inclined upward and rearward, as seen in FIG. 9A, so that the 
central split pieces will pass between the two pairs of wings with little 
chance of binding. The top segments above the top horizontal split H' are 
peeled upward over such upper wings. 
At each stage of the splitting operation, the log section is split from an 
outside edge or the edge of a split for easiest splitting with less force. 
The various blades are staggered in the direction of travel of the log 
section to prevent several blades from engaging the unsplit log at once, 
which not only would require more power for the ram in order to complete 
the splitting operation but also would increase the possibility of a piece 
being jammed between blades. 
Preferably, the splitter 1 is easily separable from the exit conveyor 2. 
With reference to FIG. 3, brackets 60 having U-shaped top openings extend 
upward from the box frame of the conveyor for receiving a cross shaft 61 
connected to the splitter below the table 12. The drive cables 33 and 36 
can be disconnected from the pusher plate and the leading end of the 
splitter can be rocked upward to permitting the conveyor and splitter to 
be separated easily. Preferably, at least one end of the conveyor is 
provided with casters 62 for easy transport. The splitter itself has 
larger wheels 63 permitting it to be trailered as is conventional. 
In the modified embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 through 13, the splitter 1 has 
a central box beam 65 for receiving a long tongue 66 of the type having a 
standard trailer socket 67. Also, drive mechanism similar to the drive 
mechanism provided for the exit conveyor can be included to drive the rear 
wheels 63 of the splitter. The splitter has a transverse drive shaft 27' 
with ratchet couplings 30' at its opposite ends and drive cables 33' and 
36' connected to the pusher plate 4. The cable 36' at one side is 
effective to rotate the drive shaft 27' by forward motion of the pusher 
plate, whereas the cable 33' at the other side is effective to drive the 
drive shaft by rearward motion of the pusher plate. The nondriving ratchet 
coupling at one side is overrun by the drive shaft while the ratchet 
coupling at the other side drives the drive shaft. A rewind cable 38" 
extends between inner reels 31' of the ratchet couplings, similar to the 
previously described embodiment. A chain and sprocket drive 68 can be 
connected between drive shaft 27' and the rear axle 69 for the splitter 
wheels 63. During normal operation cf the splitter, the ratchet couplings 
are released so as to freewheel regardless of movement of the pusher 
plate. When it is desired to move the splitter to another location or to 
load it onto a truck, for example, the ratchet couplings can be actuated 
such that reciprocating motion of the pusher plate has the effect of 
driving the rear wheels of the splitter to move it to the desired 
location.