US3719314A

US3719314A - Apparatus for breaking wood waste into short pieces

Info

Publication number: US3719314A
Application number: US00170042A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Cox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-08-09
Filing date: 1971-08-09
Publication date: 1973-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-06

Abstract

A heavy duty pivoted jaw wood breaking unit is adapted to be positioned and operated by a cable operated or hydraulically operated shovel or another form of logging machine. The apparatus breaks logging slash, tree tops, limbs and other windfalls into short sections which can be buried and scattered to substantially reduce the danger of fire. The broken material will also decompose faster than the usual large logs.

Description

United States Patent [191 Cox 1451 March 6, 1973 APPARATUS FOR BREAKING WOOD 1,779,702 10/1930 Harrington ..294/112 WASTE INTO SHORT PIECES 2,452,452 10/1948 Gimus ..294/112 3,089,726 5/l963 Tourneau ..294/lll X Inventor: Ernest BOX 154, L010, 3,327,745 6/1967 Meece etal ..144/34 E Mont. 59847 Prima Examiner-Frank T. Yost 22 F1 1; A 1 1 e ug 1971 Attorney-Lawrence L. Colbert [21] Appl. No.: 170,042

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl. ..225/97, 144/3 D, 144/34 E, A h vy y pi e jaw wood breaking unit is 225/104 adapted to be positioned and operated by a cable 51 1111.01. ..B26f 3/00 Operated or hydraulically Operated Shovel or another [58] Field of Search ..225/97, 104, 103, 105; form of logging machine- The apparatus breaks 144/3 D, 3 p 34 83/599; 294/111 112 logging slash, tree tops, limbs and other windfalls into short sections which can be buried and scattered to [56] References Cited substantially reduce the danger of fire. The broken material will also decompose faster than the usual UNITED STATES PATENTS large logs- 954,773 4/1910 Armstrong ..225/104 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUUAR 61915 3,719,314

SHEET 1 BF 2 8 as v 5 Q r nun mm Q 1 INVENTOR I ERN EST F. COX

APPARATUS FOR BREAKING WOOD WASTE INTO SHORT PIECES The invention herein arises as a result of a need for some means to readily break up logging slash and other wood waste and windfalls into short pieces of about eighteen inches in length. Such broken pieces can be buried and scattered and will readily decompose. The customary practice in disposing of accumulated wood waste in the construction of logging roads and the like is to windrow the waste in rather long pieces at the toe of the road. This practice is no longer acceptable to the Forest Service because of fire hazard. Furthermore, the windrowing and burning of slash is being challenged by the environmentalists and clean air advocates. Burying the slash at the toe of the road is not a success since it is usually in sections which are too long to be arranged properly.

The present invention overcomes most of the above difficulties through the provision of a simplified, practical, reliable and economical apparatus for the disposal of wood slash by breaking the same into small lengths. By this practice, much of the wood can be buried easily and the remainder scattered. Burning is eliminated with resultant reduction of fire danger and large unsightly windrows of waste wood are done away with. The short pieces of waste wood will decompose much more quickly than large pieces.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for breaking logging slash and other waste wood into small sections according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing a modification of the invention employing hydraulic operating means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the wood breaking apparatus comprises a main rigid frame of sturdy construction and a cooperating interior frame 11 pivoted to the main frame 10 by a transverse through shaft 12, as indicated in the drawings. While the size of the apparatus may be varied somewhat, the contemplated overall dimensions for the frame 10 are approximately 5 feet in width and 10 to 12 feet in overall height. On such a scale, the apparatus will weigh approximately 6 tons. These non-critical size factors are mentioned to emphasize the heavy duty nature of the apparatus which is capable of breaking a fairly large sized log L into small pieces approximating 18 inches in length with no difficulty. The apparatus does not cut the log but actually breaks or snaps the same as one would break a matchstick by hand.

The main outer frame 10 has a pair of side arms 13 and a center parallel intermediate arm 14. The top of the arm 14 is rigidly secured to a sturdy cross brace 15 by welding or the like, the cross brace being joined to the tops of the side arms 13. The lower extremities of the three

arms

13 and 14 are curved in the same direction forwardly to provide three relatively stationary rigid wood breaking jaws 16 which are equidistantly spaced apart and are all of the same thickness and length. Preferably, the frontal edges 17 of the jaws 16 are beveled and sharpened, as shown.

The top of the frame 10 has converging arm extensions 18 terminating at their tops in short upstanding parallel sections 19 which support the axle 20 of a compound sheave 21, preferably having six or more sections. Above the sheave 21 is a bracket extension 22 on the main frame 10 which supports a first guide pulley 23. A second guide pulley 24 is similarly supported on a forward bracket extension 25 of the main frame immediately under the bracket extension 22.

The components making up the main frame 10 form an assembled unit in the apparatus and the interior frame 11 and the parts associated therewith constitute the second principal unit of the apparatus.

The frame 11 has a pair of parallel sides 26 disposed midway between the

arms

13 and 14 and these sides are rigidly joined at their rear ends by a right angular cross bar 27, so as to constitute the U-shaped structure. The forward extremities of the sides 26 are shaped and curved reversely to the jaws 16 to produce on the frame 11 a pair of swingable opposing wood breaking jaws 28 which cooperate with the jaws 26 to break the wood or log section cleanly into short lengths. The wood engaging edges of the jaws 28 are also preferably sharpened as at 29, FIG. 1. The two jaws 28 operate midway between the pairs ofjaws 16, FIG. 2, so that the log L will be broken into sections of approximately equal length.

To maintain the sets of

jaws

28 and 16 properly spaced laterally on the axis of pivot shaft 12, tubular spacers 30 are mounted on the shaft 12 between sleeve bearings 31 which are provided on the sides 26 of frame 11 and on the

arms

13 and 14 of the main frame 10 for adequate strength and stability. These several sleeve bearings collectively make up a wide and longlasting bearing surface between the frames and pivot shaft 12. The bearings 31 may contain any desirable linings or bushings, if desired. The parts assembled on the pivot shaft 12 are secured near the ends of the shaft by suitable pins 32 which are removable when required.

The entire wood breaking apparatus is adapted to be bodily suspended from the boom 33 of a cable operated power shovel or some similar piece of equipment. A main suspension cable 34 leads from one winch drum of the power shovel, not shown, to a forward guide sheave 35 on the boom 33 and from this sheave downwardly and under and over the two

guide pulleys

23 and 24 on the main frame 10. Near the center of the frame 10, FIG. 2, the cable 34 is divided at a ring 36 or the like into two diverging branch cables 37 whose lower ends are secured to the jaws 28 forwardly of the shaft 12, as indicated at 38. The cable 34 serves the dual function of swinging the two jaws 28 open or away from the coacting jaws 16 and of suspending the entire apparatus from the boom 33 so that it may be positioned properly relative to the wood to be broken. A pair of short cables 39 are provided for limiting the opening movement of the frame 1 l and jaws 28 relative to the frame and jaws 16, the maximum degree of opening being shown in full lines in FIG. 1 where the cables 39 are taut and the frames 10 and 1 1 are approximately at right angles. The frame 11 in FIG. 1 is illustrated in broken lines in the pivoted closed position as when the log is being broken. The degree of closing of the jaws during operation of the apparatus is a variable depending upon the thickness of the log and the amount of pressure which must be applied before it breaks. The frame 11 can move from the right angular position in FIG. 1 to a near vertical position, if required.

Mounted centrally upon the rear cross bar 27 of frame 11 is a coacting compound sheave 40 having an axle 41 held in suitable brackets 42 on the bar 27, as shown. The sheave 40 has the same number of sections as the previously-described compound sheave 21. Another cable 43 extending from a second winch drum of the power shovel passes around a second guide pulley 44 on the nose of the boom 33, FIG. 2, and then passes downwardly and is looped around the multiple sections of the

compound sheaves

40 and 21 in succession and has one end anchored at 45 to the top of the main frame 10 by conventional means. The function of the cable 43 in the apparatus is to apply pressure for closing the jaws 28 relative to the jaws 16 by swinging the frame 11 upwardly on the opposite side of the pivot shaft 12. When the operating cable 43 is reeved in by the winch of the machine, tremendous pressure is applied to the log through the

jaws

28 and 16 with a scissor-like action because of the well-known force multiplying effect of the compound sheaves and the cable looped thereon. The apparatus can very easily snap or break almost any waste wood which it encounters in a typical application of the apparatus. As previously stated, the apparatus is characterized by simplicity and ruggedness, economy and reliability. It requires a minimum of maintenance and is long-lasting and to a great extent solves the problem of disposing of wood waste in an acceptable manner.

FIG. 5 depicts a slight modification of the apparatus wherein the coacting

jaws

46 and 47 corresponding to the jaws l6 and 28 are operated by hydraulic means instead of by cable means as on a hydraulic shovel. The entire apparatus may be extended from the shovel boom by a suspension cable 48 which is employed to lift and position the apparatus as in the prior embodiment. In the modification, the

jaws

46 and 47 are pivoted through a shaft 49 and an upward reversely directed extension 50 of the frame carrying the three relatively stationary jaws 46 is pivoted at 51 to the cylinder end of an extensible and retractable hydraulic ram 52 which is conventionally powered from a pump on the shovel and has conventional double-acting fittings. The rod 53 of this ram is pivoted at 54 to an extension 55 on the framework carrying the two jaws 47. Except for the hydraulic actuating means, the use or operation of the apparatus for breaking wood is essentially the same as in the prior embodiment and no further detailed description of the apparatus in FIG. 5 is deemed to be necessary for a proper understanding of the same.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

l claim:

1. Apparatus for breaking waste wood comprising a main frame having suspension means enabling the apparatus to be lifted, transported and positioned relative to waste wood, plural laterally spaced rigid wood breaking jaws on the main frame, a secondary frame, means pivotally interconnecting the main and secondary frames in a prescribed laterally spaced relationship, plural wood breaking jaws on the secondary frame and pivoting therewith relative to the main frame and fixed jaws and facing opposite to the fixed jaws and spaced laterally intermediate the same so that a long section of wood engaged by the fixed and pivoting jaws will be broken cleanly into multiple short lengths, and power means interconnecting the main and secondary frames and operable to pivot the secondary frame relative to the main frame with a scissor-like action.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said main and secondary frames being generally U-shaped in configuration, the secondary frame disposed inwardly of the sides of the main frame and the main frame having an arm and rigid jaw disposed substantially at the center of the secondary frame, said frames being pivotallyconnected by a through shaft which extends through the sides of the main and secondary frames and through said arm.

3. The structure of claim 2, and said jaws of the main frame and secondary frame being substantially equidistantly spaced apart laterally and being longitudinally curved in opposite directions so that a section of wood to be broken into short lengths can be gripped by the opposing jaws and having breaking pressure applied thereto without slipping relative to the jaws.

4. The structure of claim 3, and the wood engaging edges of all of said jaws being sharpened.

5. The structure of claim 2, and bearing sleeves on the sides of the main and secondary frames and on said arm and being in axial alignment and receiving said through shaft, and spacer elements on the through shaft intervened between the bearing sleeves to maintain a fixed approximately equal lateral spacing of said rigid and pivoting wood breaking jaws.

6. The structure of claim 1, and said power means comprising compound sheaves on the main and secondary frames and on the side of the pivot axis of the frames remote from the wood breaking jaws, and a jaw closing force multiplying cable trained over the compound sheaves and extending remotely from the apparatus to a winch means or the like.

7. The structure of claim 6, and said suspension means for the main frame comprising a suspension cable having a connection with the secondary frame on the jaw side of said pivot axis, said suspension cable also serving to open the pivoting jaws relative to the fixed jaws of the main frame.

8. The structure of claim 7, and another cable means interconnecting said main and secondary frames to limit the separating pivotal movement of the jaws to a point where said frames are approximately at right angles.

9. The structure of claim 6, and bracket means on the rear end of the secondary frame and the top of the main frame supporting said compound sheaves,

whereby the cable engaging the sheaves extends diagonally between the two frames and operates the jaws thereof with a scissor-like action to break wood.

10. The structure of claim 1, and said power means comprising a fluid pressure operated extensible and 5 retractable ram interconnecting the main and secondary frames on one side of the pivot axis thereof.

Claims

2. The structure of claim 1, and said main and secondary frames being generally U-shaped in configuration, the secondary frame disposed inwardly of the sides of the main frame and the main frame having an arm and rigid jaw disposed substantially at the center of the secondary frame, said frames being pivotally connected by a through shaft which extends through the sides of the main and secondary frames and through said arm.

9. The structure of claim 6, and bracket means on the rear end of the secondary frame and the top of the main frame supporting said compound sheaves, whereby the cable engaging the sheaves extends diagonally between the two frames and operates the jaws thereof with a scissor-like action to break wood.