Apparatus for processing logs

Logs are cut to firewood length and split on a trailer that has a jacking foot at the trailer tongue and that defines an elongated bed for supporting the log lengthwise of the trailer. A superstructure pivotably supports a chainsaw for cutting the log, and a driven roller engages the top of the log to feed it incrementally into the cut-off saw's path. A conventional wood splitter is also incorporated in the same trailer.

APATUS FOR PROCESSING LOGS 
This invention relates generally to apparatus for processing logs, and 
deals more particularly with a trailer capable of cutting the logs 
incrementally and subsequently splitting the logs for use as firewood. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
While complex log processing equipment is available to the sawmill industry 
for the automated handling of logs in connection with the fabrication of 
lumber, the need exists for a portable log processing machine capable of 
producing firewood at various sites to which the device can be towed in 
the manner of a typical log splitting trailer for example. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,242 shows an endless carrier for feeding logs into the 
path of a reciprocating guillotine type blade which severs the log into 
sections of firewood length. The firewood then drops into a position where 
a hydraulic ram can drive the log section endwise against a fixed wedge. 
Another prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,171 illustrates an improvement over 
that prior art disclosure wherein the cutting blade is provided for 
movement in a horizontal direction against a stop, and wherein a wedge is 
provided in conjunction with that cutting blade to aid in the severing of 
firewood length logs from the log itself. 
Both of these prior art disclosures are quite complex, and require 
considerable maintenance to keep them operational in the field. 
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a readily transportable, 
low maintenance trailer which not only contains a wood splitter, but which 
also includes means for advancing the log into a cut-off station for 
severing a log of any length into sections to be split by a conventional 
wood splitter of the type adapted to move the log against a fixed wedge. 
See U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,112 for a disclosure of a typical trailer mounted 
wood splitter. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,937 which shows a somewhat 
more sophisticated wedge arrangement for splitting a single firewood 
length log section into more than two pieces. 
While complex structures are available for performing the tasks for which 
the present apparatus has been designed, these prior art apparatus have 
tended to be unduly complex as mentioned previously. See for example U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,869,303 wherein a wood processor is disclosed for cutting a log 
into a series of shorter lengths, and subsequently splitting the shorter 
lengths into individual pieces of firewood. This processor of the '303 
patent includes a carriage for receiving the log, clamps which engage the 
log from both sides to secure it in the carriage, and a mechanism for 
advancing the carriage so that the log is brought into contact with a 
plurality of parallel rotating saws. After the carriage has been retracted 
a pusher rod moves the cut log pieces along an axis onto a plurality of 
cradles which support the individual log sections. These cradles are 
tilted to dump the sections alternately into opposite sides of the 
direction of log movement so that they can be fed into a plurality of 
individual hydraulically operated log splitters. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention seeks to obviate the need for complex apparatus to 
form a relatively simple task of severing a log to provide firewood length 
sections, followed by a second stage where these sections are split. 
In accordance with the present invention elongated ways are provided for 
supporting the log so it can be moved on its axis in a downstream 
direction. A driven roller is provided above the ways and is adapted to be 
moved into contact with the log for moving it downstream on these ways. 
The preferred form for roller is an hourglass shaped roller of the type 
having teeth or other log engaging devices to provide for incremental 
movement of the log in the downstream direction. While one roller might be 
provided, two canted rollers could also be arranged depending upon the 
size of the logs to be handled. A driven cut off saw, in the form of a 
hydraulically operated chain saw is preferably provided in a 
superstructure that may also support the driven roller. This cut-off saw 
is movable in a radial plane relative the axis of movement of the log. The 
roller is preferably biased downwardly toward the log so that upon 
rotation of this roller the log will move downstream on the ways. Finally, 
a wood splitter station is provided downstream of the cut-off saw so that 
each log section as it is severed is deposited by gravity into a tray of 
the log splitter where that particular log section can be split. The 
entire structure is provided on a wheeled trailer, the tongue of which 
trailer supports the upstream ends of the ways upon which the log is 
placed for the above-described process to be performed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, the apparatus of FIG. 1 
comprises a trailer having wheels 10, 10 which are supported for rotation 
in a frame that includes a tongue 12 which is adapted to be secured to a 
conventional trailer hitch (not shown) for moving the apparatus to a 
remote site for cutting and splitting logs into firewood length and pieces 
appropriate for burning in a fireplace or a woodstove. 
The trailer preferably includes a downwardly movable support leg 14, which 
is preferably hydraulically operated as shown by the cylinder 16. 
The end of the trailer opposite the tongue includes a fixed wedge W against 
which the fireplace length log sections can be moved by a conventionally 
hydraulically operated ram. The ram is best shown in FIG. 2 at 18 and the 
hydraulic cylinder 19 for operating same can be seen in this view as well. 
The fixed wedge W is adapted to split the log into a plurality of sections 
and may include guides G, G all in accordance with conventional practice 
for log splitters generally. In the frame of the trailer, preferably 
immediately above the axle, is provided a superstructure S that supports 
the two related mechanisms of the present invention in tandem one 
immediately behind the other. In the description to follow the downstream 
direction can be taken as from right to left in FIG. 1 corresponding to 
the direction of movement of the log L on the trailer. 
Turning now to the first mechanism, a cut-off station is provided in the 
superstructure of FIG. 1 in the form of a chainsaw 22 which is shown in 
the upright position in FIG. 1 stored behind a safety cage C. The chainsaw 
22 is pivotally mounted on an axis 24 defined in the frame of the machine 
for movement between the position shown into the path of the log to a 
generally horizontal position such that a log section of desired length 
can be separated from the log. A hydraulic motor M.sub.1 is selectively 
driven from the control panel P. 
Immediately behind the cut-off station described above, a log moving roller 
28 is provided at a second station in the superstructure of the trailer 
frame. More particularly, this second superstructure station includes a 
carriage 26 that is slidably mounted in the frame superstructure 32 by a 
vertically oriented actuator or cylinder 34. The movable end of the 
actuator is connected to the carriage 26 for moving the roller up or down. 
It is a feature of the invention that the roller 28 be continuously biased 
downwardly both by its own weight and by the hydraulic actuator 34 during 
operation of the driven roller 28. The downwardly biased roller 28 
functions to feed the log forward and clamp the log during the cutting 
process. The roller 28 is rotatably supported in the carriage, and 
includes teeth or other suitable log engaging elements to allow the driven 
roller to move the log L longitudinally from right to left in a downstream 
direction. A hydraulic motor M.sub.2 rotates this log advancing roller 
which is controlled by the operator. The operator advances the log a 
predetermined distance and then initiates the operation of the cut-off saw 
as described previously. A flexible guide rod may be mounted a known 
distance from the cutting plane of the saw which is equal to the desired 
log length to provide a visual indication of the length of log to be cut. 
Finally, the trailer frame includes elongated ways 30, 30 for slidably 
supporting the log during its movement in this downstream direction. These 
ways are best shown in FIG. 2 as inclined flanges provided at the marginal 
facing edges of and are formed as part of the trailer frame itself. 
In summary the above-identified apparatus can be transported to a remote 
site and operated from a single gasoline or diesel engine which in turn 
operates a hydraulic pump in panel P for selective operation of the motors 
M.sub.1, M.sub.2 for driving both the cut-off saw and the driven roller 
for moving the log in a downstream direction on the trailer. The hydraulic 
actuator cylinders 19 and 34 operate the ram 18 and the carriage 26. 
Other variations of the apparatus will occur to those skilled in the art, 
and it is important to note that the capabilities of the apparatus are 
enhanced by the low maintenance required in view of the relatively small 
number of movable parts. The operator may operate each of those hydraulic 
motors and actuators in sequence, or under the control of a system (not 
disclosed) since each mechanism has its own independent drive motor or 
actuator. The operator can operate these two mechanisms in sequence 
followed by the splitting of the logs at the log splitting station. 
Other variations of this apparatus will occur to those skilled in the art. 
For example, in the handling of relatively large logs it may be desirable 
to include a driven chain 36 having log engaging elements between the ways 
30, 30 so as to assist in the transport of relatively large logs in the 
manner described. Such a chain might be driven concurrently with the 
operation of the driven roller 28. 
Still another variation would be to provide two canted rollers in place of 
the single horizontally oriented roller 28 for driving the log in the 
downstream direction. However, such a mechanism would necessarily be more 
complex than that shown, and hence less desirable in a portable apparatus 
of the type described herein which is also designed for its minimum 
maintenance requirements. 
The driven roller 28 may be powered by a motor arranged coaxially with the 
roller itself, but preferably the motor M.sub.2 is offset and the roller 
driven through a chain and sprocket arrangement. 
Although the hydraulic cylinder provided in the superstructure S may be 
used to bias the carriage 26 and hence the driven roller 28 downwardly 
against the log L it will be apparent that gravity and the weight of the 
carriage and pressure roller itself might be relied upon for this purpose. 
Other biasing means might be also utilized in addition to gravity and 
hydraulic pressure as for example springs might be provided for this 
purpose. 
The provision for ways slidably supporting the log on the trailer might be 
enhanced by the use of non-driven rollers provided at spaced locations on 
the trailer. However, such dead rollers are deemed less satisfactory than 
the fixed ways from the point of view of ease in maintaining the apparatus 
and utilizing it at remote locations. 
The driven roller 28 is preferably a single roller arranged for rotation on 
a horizontal axis and has an hourglass shape with individual spikes or 
teeth provided in its periphery. Sharpened strips running the length of 
the roller might also be utilized. In the event that canted rollers were 
to be provided, such a design could facilitate the use of rubber tires 
with or without chains on these tires in place of the single driven roller 
shown. 
An advantage of the driven roller 28 is its continuous engagement with the 
top surface of the log. This enables the wood processor to handle logs 
that are not straight and do not lay flush between the ways to engage the 
driven chain 36 therebetween. Furthermore, the driven roller provides the 
dual function of pulling the log along the ways 30, 30 and of clamping the 
logs during the cutting process.