Patent ID: 7334615

Claim:
A log splitter comprising: a frame; a splitting blade fixed vertically to one end of said frame, said splitting blade having a splitting edge; a table member adapted to support a log to be split, said table member being translationally mounted on said frame; said table member having a push plate fixed to said table member and adapted to push one end of said log on said table member so as to cause the opposite end of said log to engage said splitting edge, said push plate having a centerline and an outer edge, the centerline vertically aligned with the splitting edge; a power transfer means operatively connected to said push plate to reciprocally move said push plate to force said log against said splitting blade, said push plate having a plurality of vertical rows of at least two individual nubs in each row protruding from the face of the push plate for contacting said log, each of the plurality of rows aligned substantially parallel to and spaced away from the centerline such that the rows are positioned closer to the outer edge of the push plate than to the centerline, wherein the at least two nubs are comprised of hemispherical nubs and conical nubs.