An elongated tubular arm of non-circular internal and external cross-sectional shape is provided and has a first elongated transverse jaw carried thereby and projecting outwardly of one side of the arm. The jaw defines a transverse non-circular opening in one end closely slidably receiving the arm therethrough for longitudinal shifting of the jaw along the arm. An elongated operator of non-circular cross-sectional shape is slidingly telescoped in the arm and a first end of the operator projects outwardly of the corresponding end of the arm. A second elongated transverse jaw has one end supported from the operator first end and projects outwardly of the side thereof corresponding to the aforementioned side of the arm in opposition to the first jaw. Actuator structure is operatively connected between the arm and the operator for shifting the operator toward a predetermined position relative to the arm in a direction retracting the first end of the operator relative to the corresponding arm end and the portions of the first jaw defining the transverse opening therein and the external surfaces of the arm along which the first jaw is slidable coact to frictionally lock the first jaw in shifted position along the arm in response to slight relative angular displacement of the first jaw and the arm about an axis transverse to the first jaw and arm.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various forms of tools have been heretofore provided for engaging, lifting 
and placing firewood logs in proper position within fireplaces. In 
addition, other forms of tools for engaging and assisting in proper 
placement of solid fuel components have also been used heretofore. 
However, tools for handling and lengthwise feeding logwood sections into a 
wood stove firebox have not been heretofore provided. Accordingly, a need 
exists for a tool which will enable a person to engage, support and 
lengthwise feed logwood sections into a wood stove firebox. 
Examples of various tools for engaging and lifting cylindrically shaped and 
other objects and which include some of the general structural and 
operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 1,021,290, 1,526,517, 1,853,899 and 3,156,444. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The log loader of the instant invention is constructed in a manner whereby 
a section of logwood may be lengthwise engaged, lifted and longitudinally 
fed into a wood burning stove or heater firebox. 
The loader includes an elongated support arm from which a pair of laterally 
projecting and opposing elongated transverse jaw members project. One of 
the jaw members is manually adjustably positionable along the arm for 
frictional maintainment of adjusted position along the arm and the arm is 
tubular and has an elongated operator longitudinally slidably received 
therethrough with one end of the operator projecting outwardly of the 
corresponding end of the arm and having a second elongated transverse jaw 
supported therefrom in opposition to the first jaw. Actuator structure is 
operatively connected between the arm and the operator for shifting the 
operator in a direction to move the second jaw supported therefrom toward 
the first arm support jaw. The opposite ends of a wood log section may be 
gripped between the outer ends of the jaws and thus the entire elongated 
log loader, including the log section lengthwise supported therefrom, may 
be lengthwise advanced in order to lengthwise insert the supported log 
section through an appropriate opening into the combustion chamber or 
firebox of a wood burning stove or heater. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a tool which will greatly 
facilitate the task of lengthwise loading elongated log sections into a 
wood burning stove or heater firebox. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a tool which will be readily 
adjustable to handle logs of different lengths. 
Still another important object of this invention is to provide a log loader 
which will be capable of endwise loading logs of different diameters into 
the firebox or combustion chamber of a wood stove or heater. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a log loader in accordance with the preceding objects and 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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally 
designates a conventional form of wood burning heater including a side 
opening 12 leading into a firebox or combustion chamber 14. The heater 10 
includes a hinged door 16 for removably closing the opening 12. 
The log loader of the instant invention is referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 18 and includes an elongated tubular arm 20 which is 
generally square in external and internal cross-sectional shape. The arm 
20 supports a first elongated transverse jaw 22 therefrom. The jaw 22 has 
a rectangular opening 24 formed through one end thereof through which the 
arm 20 is closely slidably received. The width of the opening 24 is but 
slightly greater than the transverse width of the arm 20 and the height of 
the opening 24 is also slightly greater than the vertical thickness of the 
arm 20, although additional clearance is afforded the arm 20 between the 
upper and lower limits of the opening 24. In this manner, the first jaw 22 
may be readily slid along the arm 20 to a desired position thereon, but 
any tendency to angularly displace the jaw 22 about an axis transverse to 
the jaw 22 and the arm 20 will effect a locking action between the 
opposing upper and lower surface of the arm 20 and the surfaces of the jaw 
22 defining the upper and lower limits of the opening 24 in order to lock 
the jaw 22 in position on the arm 20. 
An elongated operator 26 of substantially square outside cross-sectional 
shape is longitudinally slidably received through the arm 20 and is thus 
keyed to the arm 20 against angular displacement relative thereto about an 
axis extending longitudinally of the operator 26. One end 28 of the 
operator 26 projects outwardly of the corresponding end of the arm 20 and 
has a second elongated transverse jaw 30 supported therefrom. One end of 
the jaw 30 is anchored relative to the end 28 of the operator 26 and the 
other end of the jaw 30 opposes the outer end of the jaw 22, the outer 
ends of the jaws 22 and 30 being slightly outwardly convergent. 
As may best be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the end 32 of the 
operator 26 remote from the end 28 has a mounting flange 34 supported 
therefrom and the corresponding end of the arm 20 has a similar flange 36 
mounted thereon. A toggle lever assembly referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 38 and including an elongated lever 40 and a connecting 
link 42 is operatively connected between the flanges 34 and 36. One end of 
the lever 40 is pivotally connected to the flange 34 as at 44, one end of 
the connecting link 42 is pivotally connected to the flange 36 as at 46 
and the other end of the connecting link 42 is pivotally connected to an 
intermediate portion of the lever 40 as at 48. The free or outer end 50 of 
the lever 40 remote from the flange 34 is swingable downwardly toward the 
arm 20 from the position thereof illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the 
drawings in order to effect longitudinal shifting of the operator 26 in a 
direction to retract the end 28 relative to the corresponding end of the 
arm 20, whereby the second jaw 30 will be displaced toward the first jaw 
22 for the purpose of clamping a log section, such as the log section 52 
illustrated in FIG. 1, between the jaws 22 and 30. When the free end 50 of 
the lever 40 is swung to its limit position toward the arm 20, it is 
disposed in a slightly over center position whereby the jaws 22 and 30 of 
the log loader will automatically maintain the leg section 52 clamped 
therebetween during manipulation of the log loader 18 to lengthwise insert 
the leg section 52 through the opening 12 into the firebox or combustion 
chamber 14 of the heater 10. 
As may be seen in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the log loader 18 may also be 
utilized to transversely clamp and support a log section 54 between the 
jaws 22 and 30. The outer ends of the jaws 22 and 30 are slightly 
convergent whereby the log section 54 may be somewhat cradled between the 
jaws 22 and 30. 
The structure of the log loader 18 enabling the jaw 22 to be adjusted 
longitudinally of the arm 20 enables the log loader 18 to be utilized in 
conjunction with log sections of different lengths. In operation, with the 
toggle lever assembly 38 in the release position thereof illustrated in 
FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, one end of a log section may be engaged by 
the outer end of the jaw 30 and the jaw 22 may be adjusted along the arm 
20 toward the jaw 30 until the free end of the jaw 22 engages the opposite 
end of the log section. Then, the toggle lever assembly 38 may be actuated 
from the position thereof illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the over center 
position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings whereby the jaw 30 
will be moved toward the jaw 22, the latter will be slightly angularly 
displaced relative to the arm 20 about an axis extending transverse to the 
jaw 22 and the arm 20 in order to lock the jaw 22 in adjusted position 
along the arm 20 and the log section will be clamped between the free ends 
of the jaws 22 and 30. 
It will, of course, be noted that the loader 10 may also be utilized to 
clampingly engage and support other articles. Further, inasmuch as the 
operator 26 is keyed to the interior of the arm 20 against rotation about 
its longitudinal axis relative to the arm 20 and the jaw 22 is keyed to 
the arm 20 against angular displacement relative thereto about an axis 
extending longitudinally of the arm 20, the jaws 22 and 30 are maintained 
in generally parallel relationship projecting from the same side of the 
loader 18. 
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.