Firewood splitting machine

A firewood splitting machine, comprising

• a self-standing bearing frame adapted for resting on a ground,
• wherein the bearing frame is supported by supporting legs such that the bearing frame is maintained at a first distance above the ground,
• wherein the bearing frame is detachably connectable to a three-point coupling mechanism of a tractor,
• wherein a hydraulic driving assembly is mounted to said bearing frame, the hydraulic driving assembly comprising:
• a hydraulic pump connectable to a driving shaft on said tractor via a Cardan shaft;
• a hydraulic liquid reservoir;
• and
• a hydraulic driving means,
• wherein the hydraulic driving means is connected to the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic liquid reservoir via hydraulic pipes and hydraulic control valves;
• a hydraulically driven conveying unit disposed in a terminal area of said bearing frame,
• wherein the conveying unit is configured to displace a timber,
• wherein a diameter of the timber is smaller than a pre-determined maximum diameter along a longitudinal geometric axis of said bearing frame,
• wherein the pre-determined maximum diameter is based on forwarding cut-off longitudinal timber sections along said longitudinal geometric axis towards a working area of the bearing frame,
• wherein the working area is located at a first level that is a first distance above the ground and that is lower than a second level where said conveying unit for supplying of timbers is located;
• a cutting unit configured for successively cutting timber into separate longitudinal sections of pre-determined length,
• wherein the cutting unit is located above said conveying unit,
• wherein said cutting unit is adjusted for cutting of timbers along a vertical plane extending rectangularly with respect to the ground and said longitudinal geometric axis of the bearing frame along which the timber section is forwarded
• terminal limiting member disposed in a terminal area of the bearing frame opposite said conveying unit,
• wherein the terminal limiting member is adjusted for supporting said timber section of a pre-determined length in a direction along said longitudinal geometric axis of the bearing frame;
• a splitting unit guided in said longitudinal direction of the bearing frame by guiding members,
• wherein the splitting unit is driven by the hydraulic driving means of the hydraulic driving assembly,
• wherein the splitting unit is adapted for splitting of said timber section into firewood pieces,
• wherein said splitting unit comprises at least a splitting tool that is displaceable by said hydraulic driving means back and forth along said longitudinal geometric axis of the bearing frame, and
• wherein the splitting tool comprises a primary cutting blade located at a third level, wherein the third level is located at a pre-determined distance from the ground (P) and from the first level of a bottom surface of the working area, wherein the pre-determined distance is based on a selected thickness of each of the firewood pieces;
• and
• a splitting chute adjusted for supporting said timber and for gradually splitting-off firewood pieces at least in the area of operation of said splitting tool, wherein the splitting chute is simultaneously displaceable with said splitting tool back and forth along said longitudinal direction of the bearing frame,
• wherein said splitting chute is located in a fourth level,
• wherein the fourth level is a distance from the ground that is substantially smaller than a distance of the primary cutting blade of the splitting tool of the splitting unit in the third level from the ground,
• wherein said splitting chute, when observed in a direction of an operational stroke of the splitting tool and the splitting chute during the splitting by moving from the conveying unit towards the terminal limiting member, is located in front of the splitting tool, and
• wherein said splitting chute is, simultaneously with the splitting tool (60) and in a same direction as the splitting tool (60), displaceable in horizontal direction and in vertical direction in a direction towards the ground and in opposite direction, so that, during displacement of the splitting tool and the splitting chute, the distance between the splitting chute and the primary cutting blade of the splitting tool is all the time _changeable within a pre-determined range,
• wherein a minimum distance between the third level of the primary cutting blade of the splitting tool and the fourth level of the splitting chute is changeable and adjustable prior to the splitting depending on each selected thickness of firewood pieces,
• wherein said minimum distance is allowed to be increased within a pre-determined range during each movement of the splitting tool and the splitting chute based on the difference between the maximum distance and the minimum distance between the splitting tool in the third level and the splitting chute in the fourth level.