LOG SPLITTER SYSTEM FOR A FRONT-LOADER TRACTOR

• US 20080271817A1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dean R. Priebe
• Original Assignee: Dean R. Priebe
• Inventors: Priebe, Dean R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,934,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 144/195.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/06 for machines mounted on tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B27L 7/00 Arrangements for splitting wood
• CPC Class Codes: B27L 7/06 using wedges, knives or spreaders B27L7/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A tractor has a log splitter installed on two loader arms pivoted at a front end of the tractor. The log splitter includes a frame for attachment to the loader arms. The frame includes a surface, to which a ram and a wedge are coupled. An actuator mounted to the frame moves the ram and/or the wedge to split a log received between the ram and the wedge. The wedge includes a main blade and a cross blade perpendicular to the main blade. An edge of the cross blade is offset from an edge of the main blade so as to reduce the force required to achieve a four-way split of the log. The wedge and the frame are designed to enable inverting the log splitter to grasp a log, then raising the inverted log splitter to split the log directly into a truck bed. The uniquely designed hydraulic tank—ballast box combination provides an owner an external high volume hydraulic system without impeding the capability of the tractor hydraulic system. The tank and ballast box hitch assembly can also integrate the pump mounted to the hitch frame allows one to remove all components together.

Claims

1. A tractor having a log splitter installed on two loader arms pivoted at a front end of the tractor, the log splitter comprising:

a frame mounted transverse to the loader arms, and having a working surface;

a ram coupled to the working surface;

a wedge coupled to the working surface, and having a main blade and a cross blade,

wherein the cross blade is substantially perpendicular to the main blade, and a cross edge of the cross blade is offset from a main edge of the main blade;

an actuator mounted to the frame, and coupled to at least one of the ram and the wedge for movement thereof relative to the frame; and

a controller operable to direct the motion of the actuator,

wherein the wedge and the ram cooperate to define a log opening for receiving a log, and wherein the log is split by moving at least one of the ram and the wedge toward the other of the ram and the wedge so as to force the log sequentially against the main edge and the cross edge.

2. The tractor according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder driven by a hydraulic system external to the tractor, and wherein the controller is operatively connected to a hydraulic manifold of the external hydraulic system.

3. The tractor according to claim 2, wherein the external hydraulic system further includes a hydraulic reservoir having a support for mounting the reservoir to a hitch of the tractor.

4. The tractor according to claim 3, wherein the reservoir support further includes at least one of:

a ballast box;

a tool storage area; and

a receiver hitch for coupling to the tractor one of a hitch, an attachment, and a trailer.

5. The tractor according to claim 1, wherein the ram is coupled to the actuator and movable relative to the frame, and wherein the wedge is fixedly mounted to the working surface.

6. The tractor according to claim 1, wherein the frame is mounted to the loader arms such that, when the log opening is opened to a maximum width, a midpoint of the log opening is offset along the frame from a midplane between the loader arms.

7. The tractor according to claim 1, said loader arms being pivotable between a loading position and a dumping position, wherein the frame of said log splitter is mounted across the loader arms so that the working surface is disposed at an angle with reference to the loader arms such that, when the loader arms are pivoted to the dumping position, the main blade of the wedge is generally perpendicular to a plane parallel to the ground.

8. The tractor according to claim 1, said loader arms being pivotable between a loading position and a dumping position, wherein the frame of said log splitter is mounted across the loader arms so that the working surface is disposed at an angle with reference to the loader arms such that, when the loader arms are pivoted to the dumping position, the working surface is substantially parallel to the plane of the ground.

9. The tractor according to claim 7, said angle being between about thirty degrees and about fifty degrees.

10. A wedge for use in a log splitter, comprising a main blade and a cross blade mounted to the main blade, wherein the cross blade is substantially perpendicular to the main blade, and a cross edge of the cross blade is offset from a main edge of the main blade, so that a log being pressed against the two edges will contact sequentially one of the main edge and the cross edge, then the other of the main edge and the cross edge, thereby reducing the power required to split the log into four segments.

11. The wedge according to claim 10, further comprising a support surface, wherein the main blade is joined to the support surface, and wherein the cross blade is disposed at a tilt angle relative to the support surface, so that a log being pressed against the wedge will be directed away from the support surface as the log is split by said wedge.

12. The wedge according to claim 11, said tilt angle being between about five degrees and about fifteen degrees.

13. The wedge according to claim 11, wherein the cross blade is disposed at a wing angle relative to the support surface, so that a log being pressed against the wedge will be split without binding on the wedge.

14. The wedge according to claim 13, said wing angle being between about fifteen degrees and about twenty degrees.

15. A log splitter apparatus for use on a tractor having two loader arms pivoted at a front end of the tractor, said log splitter comprising:

a frame mountable to the loader arms;

a wedge mountable to the frame;

a ram slidably couplable to the frame; and

an actuator mountable to the frame, and operatively connected to the ram for moving the ram toward or away from the wedge to define an adjustable log opening therebetween.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder, and wherein said apparatus further comprises at least one of:

a hydraulic pump for pressurizing the hydraulic cylinder;

a hydraulic reservoir for storing fluid for use in the hydraulic cylinder; and

a hydraulic manifold for controlling the flow of fluid to the hydraulic cylinder.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the hydraulic pump has a driveshaft and wherein said apparatus further comprises a coupler for detachably attaching the driveshaft to a power take off fitting of the tractor.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the wedge includes a main blade and a cross blade, and a cross edge of the cross blade is offset from a main edge of the main blade, so that a log being pressed against the two edges will contact sequentially one of the main edge and the cross edge, then the other of the main edge and the cross edge, thereby reducing the power required to split the log into four segments.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said frame defines a working surface, wherein the main blade of said wedge is mounted perpendicular to the working surface, wherein the cross blade of said wedge is disposed at a tilt angle relative to the working surface, so that a log being pressed against the wedge will be directed away from the working surface as the log is split by said wedge, and wherein the cross blade of said wedge is disposed at a wing angle relative to the working surface, so that a log being pressed against the wedge will be split without binding on the wedge.

20. An external hydraulic system mountable to a tractor having a three-point hitch and a powered attachment, comprising

a system support mounted to the three-point hitch;

a hydraulic cylinder connected to the powered attachment for actuating the powered attachment;

a hydraulic reservoir mounted to the system support and in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinder; and

a hydraulic pump mounted to the system support, in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinder for powering the hydraulic cylinder, and in fluid communication with the hydraulic reservoir,

wherein the system support includes at least one of;

a ballast box;

a tool storage area; and

a receiver hitch for coupling to the system support one of a hitch, an attachment, and a trailer.