Patent Publication Number: US-6698479-B1

Title: Log catcher

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a log catcher for use in receiving and holding logs which have been cut by a log splitter. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A variety of devices are available for splitting logs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,239 to Anderson appears to show a log splitter with an automatic hoist for lifting logs onto the platform of the splitter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,070 to Burns appears to show a log splitter in which two splitting edges are employed. However, noticeably absent from these devices is a log catcher for receiving and holding the split logs when they have fallen from the log splitter. Accordingly, there is a need for a device which may be appended to an existing log splitter for catching the split logs as they fall from the log splitter. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,331 to Mertz appears to show a log splitter with a log catcher incorporated to receive the split logs. However, the log catcher in Mertz is an integral part of the log splitting device. Accordingly, Mertz fails to provide a log catcher which may be used with an existing log splitter. 
     While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to produce a log catcher which may be readily used with existing log splitters supported upon I-beams. Accordingly, the log catcher is ready for use after a portion of the log catcher is placed underneath and brackets the I-beam. 
     It is another object of the invention to produce a log catcher which is rugged enough to withstand repeated impacts from falling logs. Accordingly, the log catcher is constructed of metal and will not be damaged by logs as they fall onto the log catcher. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to produce a log catcher which is not overly complicated. Accordingly, the log catcher is simply constructed from five rods which are joined at various positions along their length by three horizontal beams. 
     It is still yet another object of the invention to produce a log catcher which is not unduly expensive. Accordingly, the log catcher is constructed from inexpensive materials, so that its cost is not prohibitive. 
     It is still another object of the invention to produce a log catcher which remains immobile, even when impacted by falling logs. Accordingly, the log catcher is stabilized by the weight of the I-beam and the log splitter, and it will not move when it is impacted by falling logs. 
     It is an additional object of the invention to produce a log catcher which is easy to use. Accordingly, the log catcher requires no maintenance, and a user simply removes the fallen logs from the log catcher when they have accumulated. 
     The invention is a log catcher for catching and holding logs which fall from a log splitter which is supported upon an I-beam. The log catcher comprises five parallel cylindrical rods each having two ends, a horizontal first cross-beam attached to the rods at one end, and a horizontal second cross-beam attached to the rods at the other end. The log catcher further comprises an angular cross-beam having evenly spaced holes through which the rods extend at a point which is substantially closer to the second cross-beam than to the first cross-beam. All five rods are evenly spaced throughout. Each rod has a right angle bend, thereby forming a curved portion, wherein the falling logs may be effectively contained. In use, the log catcher is positioned below the I-beam, and the second cross-beam and the angular cross-beam effectively bracket the lower surface of the I-beam, thereby imparting additional stability to the log catcher. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the log catcher. 
     FIG. 2A is a side view of the log catcher being positioned below an I-beam. 
     FIG. 2B is a side view of the log catcher after it has been positioned below an I-beam. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the log catcher being deployed to catch logs after they have been cut by a log splitter. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the log catcher  10  comprising five cylindrical rods  12  each having a first end  12 A and a second end  12 B, a horizontal first cross-beam  14  attached to the rods at their first end  12 A, and a horizontal second cross-beam  16  attached to the rods  12  at their second end  12 B. The log catcher  10  further comprises an angular cross-beam  18  having five evenly spaced holes  20  with an inner diameter sized to accommodate the outer diameter of the rods  12 . Each rod  12  extends through one of the holes  20  of the angular cross-beam  18  at a point which is substantially closer to their second end  12 B than to their first end  12 A. All five rods  12  are parallel to each other along their entire lengths and are evenly spaced along the horizontal first cross-beam  14 , the second cross-beam  16 , and the angular cross-beam  18 . 
     Each rod  12  is bent at substantially a right angle at a position which is closer to the first end  12 A then to the second end  12 B, thereby forming a hopper  12 C. Each rod  12  has a horizontal portion  12 H and a vertical portion  12 V, wherein the horizontal portion  12 H is attached to first cross-beam  14  at the first end  12 A of the rod  12  and the vertical portion  12 V is attached to the second cross beam  16  at the second end  12 B of the rod  12 . 
     FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of the log catcher  10  being positioned below an I-beam  30 . An I-beam  30  is an I-shaped structure used to support log-splitting machinery of various kinds. The I-beam  30  has a horizontal upper surface  32 , a horizontal lower surface  34 , and a vertical portion  30 V which extends between the upper surface  32  and the lower surface  34 . Various types of log splitting equipment may be placed upon the horizontal upper surface  32 . The horizontal lower surface  34  is the foundation of the I-beam  30  and may be positioned on the upper surface of the ground upon which the I-beam  30  rests. The lower surface  34  of the I-beam  30  is separated by the vertical portion  30 V into an outer flange  34 D and an inner flange  34 P. When the log catcher  10  is installed onto the I-beam  30 , the inner flange  34 P is closer to the hopper  12 C than the outer flange  34 D. 
     FIG. 2A illustrates that the angular cross-beam  18  has a horizontal portion  18 H and a vertical portion  18 V. The vertical portion  18 V of the angular cross-beam has an upper portion  18 VU and a lower portion  18 VL. The horizontal portion  18 H extends at a right angle from the upper portion  18 VU partially towards the second end  12 B of the rods  12 . 
     Turning momentarily to FIG. 1, each of the five rods  12  extend through a hole  20  extending through the vertical portion  18 V of the angular cross-beam  18  at a position on the vertical portion  18 V which is substantially midway between the upper vertical portion  18 VU and the lower vertical portion  18 VL. 
     FIG. 2A indicates how the log catcher  10  is positioned under the I-beam  30 . The second cross-beam  16  is extended underneath the lower surface  34  of the I-beam  30  toward the outer flange  34 D until the edge  34 PA of the inner flange  34 P substantially abuts the upper portion  18 VU of the angular cross-beam  18 . This causes the lower surface  34  to be effectively bracketed between the second cross-beam  16  and the horizontal portion  18 H and vertical portion  18 V of the angular cross-beam  18 . The log catcher  10  is further stabilized by the weight of the I-beam  30  and the log splitting equipment which rests on the horizontal upper surface  32  of the I-beam  30 . 
     FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of the log catcher  10  after it has been positioned below an I-beam  30  of a log splitter. The lower surface  34  of the I-beam  30  rests directly on the log catcher  10  at a position substantially between the second cross-beam  16  and the angular cross-beam  18 . The horizontal portion  18 H of the angular cross-beam  18  overlays the edge  34 PA of the lower surface  34 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the log catcher  10  after it has been positioned below an I-beam  30  which is supporting a log splitter  66 . A log  62  is being held by the log catcher  10  between the I-beam  30  and the vertical portion  12 V of the rods  12 . Turning momentarily to FIG. 2B, the weight of the log  62  further stabilizes the log catcher  10  by causing the log catcher  10  to pivot at the point of contact of the angular cross-beam  18  with the I-beam  30 . 
     In use, a user positions the log catcher  10  underneath an I-beam  30  which has a log splitter  66  positioned on its upper surface  32  by extending the second cross-beam  16  underneath the lower surface  34  of the I-beam as described above. The weight of the I-beam  30  and the overlying log splitter  66  rests on the horizontal portion  12 H of the rods  12 , thereby imparting the log catcher  10  with additional stability. The user then activates the log splitter  66  which splits the logs into smaller portions. The smaller logs fall away from the log-splitter  66  and onto the horizontal portion  12 H of the rods  12 . After a number of logs have fallen on top of the log catcher  10  between the vertical portion  12 V of the rods  12  and the vertical portion  30 V of the I-beam  30 , the logs may be removed from the log catcher  10 . Additional logs may then be split.