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US 6,546,976 B1Granted
Computer designed ergonomic upright wood splitter systems and methods
OwnerNorman M. Hillinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wood splitter comprising a support structure, a table assembly, a ram assembly, and wedge member, and a control means. The support structure supports the table assembly. The control system energizes the ram assembly to force the wedge towards the table assembly. A workpiece is placed on the table assembly such that the wedge engages and splits the workpiece.
Claims45
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface, where the ram assembly defines a ram axis;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- wherein
- the legs are angled with respect to each other such that the legs intersect along the ram axis.
5 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs angled to intersect at a support location;
- a table assembly supported at at least two locations by the support structure to form a substantially horizontal, substantially planar work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface, where the ram assembly defines a ram axis and the ram axis is substantially vertical;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- control means for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member along the ram axis towards the work surface.
3 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure;
- a table assembly connected to the support structure to form a work surface;
- a ram assembly supported from the support structure relative to the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system comprising
- a pump for pressurizing fluid to operate the ram assembly to force the wedge member along the ram axis towards the work surface, and
- a reservoir for storing fluid, the reservoir being formed by a reservoir chamber defined at least in part by at least one structural component the table assembly.
5 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- whereby
- the ram assembly defines a ram axis extending through the support location and the work surface;
- the ram assembly displaces the wedge member in free space along the ram axis;
- and
- the ram assembly supports the wedge member such that the wedge member may rotate about the ram axis as the wedge member is displaced along the ram axis.
8 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- and
- a collar member arranged to remove a workpiece from the wedge member as the ram assembly displaces the wedge member along the ram axis towards the support location.
4 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- whereby
- the table assembly comprises an upper member, a plurality of web members, and a plurality of lower members, where the web members are secured to the upper member and the lower members such that an I-beam structure is formed by each combination of one web member, the upper member, and one lower member.
5 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- wherein
- the table assembly comprises:
- an upper member defining the work surface;
- a core member defining the reservoir;
- a plurality of web members;
- and
- a plurality of lower members;
- wherein
- the control systems comprises a hydraulic system comprising a pump and a reservoir;
- and
- the reservoir is integrally formed with the table assembly.
14 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- wherein
- the support structure defines:
- a collar member for supporting a lower end of the ram assembly;
- and
- a plurality of bracing assemblies that extend from each of the legs to the collar member to brace the ram member such that the wedge member is arranged in free space above the work surface.
8 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- in which
- the legs comprise:
- fixed leg members defining the upper portions;
- and
- movable leg members defining the ground contacting portions;
- wherein
- the fixed leg members are rigidly connected together at the support location and to the table assembly;
- and
- the movable leg members telescope within the fixed leg members to allow a distance between the work surface and each of the ground contacting portions to be altered.
12 more elements
A wood splitter comprising:
- a support structure comprising a plurality of legs each having a ground contacting portion and an upper portion, where the upper portions of the legs are connected at a support location such that the legs are angled with respect to each other;
- a table assembly connected to each of the legs to form a work surface located below the support location;
- a ram assembly supported from the support location above the work surface;
- a wedge member carried by the ram assembly;
- and
- a control system for operating the ram assembly to force the wedge member towards the work surface;
- wherein
- the control system comprises:
- a pump;
- and
- an electric motor for operating the pump.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.