Patent ID: 8347928

Claim:
A wood splitter comprising a support element, comprising, a first elongated element; a second elongated element engaged with said first elongated element, and holding said first elongated element in a strained state such that the first elongated element and the second elongated element are subject to pre-stress loading, wherein, when said wood splitter is in a rest state, said first elongated element and said second elongated element bear a substantial amount of stress; a motion imparting element, said motion imparting element comprising, a static element fixedly engaged with said first elongated element, and a dynamic element, slidably engaged with said first elongated element, and movable with respect to said static element in a reciprocal manner along an elongated path, wherein said elongated path comprises a first end nearer the static element and a second end further from said static element, and movable along a defined stroke length along said an elongated path; and either i) a wedge engaged with said static element, and a first push plate engaged with said dynamic element, or ii) a wedge engaged with said dynamic element, and a first push plate engaged with said static element.