Platform with an autonomous powering engine for mounting onto a firewood splitting apparatus

Abstract

A platform for mounting of an autonomous powering engine onto a firewood splitting apparatus includes a rigid bearing frame on which a powering engine is mounted. The engine is connected to a transmission, which is mechanically connected with a cardan coupling of a firewood splitting apparatus. The frame is arranged a distance apart from the ground and in a plane parallel to a plane defined by resting surfaces on supporting legs of a firewood splitting machine. The frame is furnished with two parallel and pivotal linear bearing beams that are pivotal around the axis that extends perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the frame and is pivotally connected with each corresponding connecting seat to establish a detachable interconnection with each disposable bottom connecting seat on a firewood splitting apparatus.

Claims

1. A platform for mounting of an autonomous powering engine onto a firewood splitting apparatus, comprising: a rigid bearing frame on the top surface of which at least one engine is mounted, wherein the rigid bearing frame is: capable to operate autonomously and independently on each powering means available on a tractor; furnished with a energy source that is configured to supply energy to said engine that is furthermore mechanically connected to a transmission and configured to receive a torque there-from and transfer said torque with a cardan joint of a firewood splitting apparatus, wherein said frame is arranged at a distance above each ground and in a plane which extends at least approximately parallel with a plane defined by resting surfaces of supporting legs on said firewood splitting apparatus, and wherein said frame is on its bottom surface furnished with linear pivotal bearing beams, which extend parallel with each other and are each on their end portions faced towards the frame pivotally around the axis that extends perpendicularly with regard to the dominant plane of said frame, connected with said frame, while each of said beams is on its opposite end portion that protrudes away from the area of said frame, pivotally around the axis that extends perpendicularly with respect to said dominant plane of the frame and is connected with each belonging connecting seat that is adjusted for establishing a detachable interconnection between each disposable bottom connecting seat of a firewood splitting apparatus using at least two bolts, which are arranged apart of each other and parallel with each other and are each insertable through suitable bores and secured from undesired removal there-from, and wherein said pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam and each corresponding connecting seat is arranged such that said pivoting can be temporarily disabled by means of fixation of a bearing beam in each desired position thereof.

2. The platform according to claim 1, wherein said pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam and said bearing frame of the platform is arranged by means of freely rotatable hinges, while the pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam and each belonging connecting seat is arranged by means of hinges, at least one of which is adjusted to be fixed in each desired position.

3. The platform according to claim 2, wherein, for the purposes of blocking of said hinge in each desired position, each of relatively to each other rotatable parts of the hinge on the bearing beam and on the connecting seat is furnished with a flange, which is furnished with a plurality of throughout bores which are equidistantly arranged along the circumference thereof such that said bolt is insertable through two coinciding bores on said flanges on said bearing beam and said connecting seat.

4. The platform according to claim 1, wherein each of said connecting seats is furnished with bores which are spaced apart from each other and adapted for establishing interconnection with the bottom connecting seat of a firewood splitting apparatus by means of a bolt and corresponds to a bottom connecting seat of a tractor three-point connecting mechanism to which the firewood splitting apparatus is detachably connectable in the area of the bottom connecting seat.

5. The platform according to claim 1, wherein said cardan coupling on said transmission means corresponds to a tractor cardan coupling by which via appropriate cardan transmission said firewood splitting apparatus is connectable.

6. The platform according to claim 1, wherein said powering engine is an internal combustion engine, which is selected from a group consisting of two- or four stroke gasoline engines, diesel engines, and gas engines.

7. The platform according to claim 1, wherein said powering engine is an electric motor.

8. A firewood splitting apparatus, comprising: a rigid frame with supporting legs adjusted for placement of the apparatus on at least approximately horizontal ground area for the purposes of transporting of the apparatus by means of a common tractor which is on its rear side furnished with a common three-point connecting mechanism as well as with a cardan coupling suitable for driving of agricultural or forestry accessories by means of each tractor engine and via corresponding cardan shaft, wherein a longitudinal chute is available on said frame of said firewood splitting apparatus and is adjusted for receiving each log that is to be split, and wherein a saw mounted in the area of said chute and is adjusted for cutting of logs to longitudinal sections of a predetermined length, and wherein said chute is on its one terminal portion furnished with a support suitable for retaining said log section by performing splitting thereof, and on the other end portion with a splitting blade that is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and is attached to a movable part of a hydraulic cylinder that includes a stationary part which is mechanically connected with said frame of the apparatus while its movable part is connected with said blade, and wherein said frame is for the purposes of establishing each detachable mechanical connection with said common three-point mechanism on each tractor furnished with an upper connecting seat, comprising: a pair of eyes that are in parallel spaced apart from each other and each per se furnished with coaxial throughout passages, through which a bolt is insertable, which is secured against undesired removal, and moreover, said frame is also furnished with a pair of bottom connecting seats each of which also comprises a pair of connecting eyes that are in parallel spaced apart from each other and are each furnished with coaxial throughout bores through which a bolt is insertable, and which is secured against undesired removal, and wherein said frame is also furnished with a cardan coupling that is suitable to be interconnected with a cardan shaft and configured to transmit torque from each complementary cardan coupling on the tractor, and wherein said frame is also furnished with a hydraulic driving assembly that includes a hydraulic circuit with a pump, which is powered via said cardan coupling and cardan transmission by means of a tractor engine, as well as includes a reservoir for hydraulic media together with corresponding control assembly through which said hydraulic cylinder, to which said splitting blade is attached, is supplied by said hydraulic media, and wherein: at least in the area of said bottom connecting seats, each of said connecting eyes is furnished with two spaced apart throughout passages such that one passage on the one eye as well as on the residual eye are arranged coaxially with each other and adapted to receive a bolt that is secured against undesired removal, wherein said apparatus is furthermore furnished with a platform which is secured by means of said bolts in a detachable manner connectable to said apparatus at least in the area of said bottom connecting seats.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam and said bearing frame of the platform is arranged by means of freely rotatable hinges, while the pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam and each belonging connecting seat is arranged by means of hinges, at least one of which is adjusted to be fixed in each desired position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein for the purposes of blocking of said hinge in each desired position, each rotatable parts of the hinge on the bearing beam and on the connecting seat is furnished with a flange that is furnished with a plurality of throughout passages that are equidistantly arranged along the circumference thereof such that a bolt is insertable through two coinciding bores on said flanges in the bearing beam and the connecting seat.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of said connecting seats is furnished with bores that are adapted for establishing interconnection with the bottom connecting seat of a firewood splitting apparatus by means of a bolt that corresponds to a bottom connecting seat of a tractor three-point connecting mechanism to which the firewood splitting apparatus is detachably connectable in the area of the bottom connecting seat.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said cardan coupling on said transmission means corresponds to a tractor cardan coupling via which an appropriate cardan transmission said firewood splitting apparatus is connectable.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said powering engine is an internal combustion engine that is selected from a group consisting of two- or four stroke gasoline engines, diesel engines, and gas engines.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said powering engine is an electric motor.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Now the present disclosure will be described on the basis of an embodiment, which is presented in the attached drawings, in which

(2) FIG. 1 is a platform for mounting of an autonomous powering engine onto a firewood splitting apparatus, shown in a bottom/front isometric view;

(3) FIG. 2 is a known firewood splitting apparatus, shown in a top/side isometric view;

(4) FIG. 3 is the apparatus according to FIG. 2, shown in a bottom/side isometric view;

(5) FIG. 4 is the platform according to FIG. 1, shown in a bottom/side isometric view;

(6) FIG. 5 is a detailed presentation of a connecting seat according to FIGS. 1 and 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is a platform according to FIGS. 1 and 4, when observed from its bottom side and in position, in which the platform frame is pivoted away from the apparatus according to FIGS. 2 and 3;

(8) FIG. 7 is a platform according to FIGS. 1 and 4, when observed from its bottom side and in position, in which the platform frame is positioned some closer to the apparatus according to FIGS. 2 and 3 than in FIG. 6; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a platform according to FIGS. 1 and 4, when observed from its bottom side and in position, in which the platform frame is located adjacent to the apparatus according to FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) A platform 1 for mounting of an autonomous powering engine onto a firewood splitting apparatus 2 is shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 4-8.

(11) Said platform comprises a rigid bearing frame 11, on the top surface 111 of which at least one autonomously operating engine 12 is mounted, which is capable to operate autonomously i.e. independently on each powering means available on a tractor. Said motor 12 is furnished with a fuel reservoir or any other source for supplying energy to said engine. The motor 12 is furthermore mechanically and with the possibility of transmission of torque, e.g. by means of a clutch or any other suitable shaft transmission connected to a transmission 13, which is further also with the possibility of transferring said torque optionally connectable with a cardan joint 26 of a firewood splitting apparatus 2, namely in a need, or when the apparatus is powered by means of said engine 12 and not by means of a tractor engine.

(12) Said frame 11 of the platform 1 is arranged at certain distance above each ground and in a plane, which extends at least approximately parallel with to plane as defined by resting surfaces 22 of supporting legs 21 on said firewood splitting apparatus 1.

(13) Moreover, said frame 11 is on its bottom surface 112 furnished with pivotal linear bearing beams 14, 15, which extend parallel with each other and are each per se on their end portions 141, 142 faced towards the frame 11 and are pivotally around the axis 141′, 151′, which extends perpendicularly with regard to the dominant plane of said frame 11, connected with said frame 11, and each of said beams 14, 15 is on its opposite end portion 142, 152, which protrudes away from the area of said frame 11, pivotally around the axis 142′, 152′, which also extends perpendicularly with respect to said dominant plane of the frame 11, connected with each belonging connecting seat 143, 153, which is adjusted for establishing of a detachable interconnection between each disposable bottom connecting seats 32, 33 of a firewood splitting apparatus 2 by means of at least two bolts 323, 333, which are arranged apart of each other and parallel with each other and are each per se insertable through suitable bores 321′, 322′; 331′, 332′ and secured from undesired removal there-from.

(14) Said pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam 14, 15 and each corresponding connecting seat 143, 153 is arranged in such manner that said pivoting can be temporarily disabled by means of fixation of a bearing beam 14, 15 in each desired position thereof.

(15) In the shown embodiment of the platform 1 according to FIG. 1, said pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam 14, 15 and said bearing frame 11 of the platform 1 is arranged by means of freely rotatable hinges 144, 154, while the pivotal interconnection between each bearing beam 14, 15 and each belonging connecting seat 143, 153 is arranged by means of hinges 145, 155, at least one of which is adjusted to be fixed in each desired position.

(16) For the purposes of blocking said hinge 145, 155 in each desired position, each of relatively to each other rotatable parts of the hinge on the bearing beam 14, 15 and on the connecting seat 143, 153 is furnished with a flange, which is furnished with a plurality of throughout bores 146, 156, which are equidistantly arranged along the circumference thereof, so that said bolt 147, 157 is insertable through two coinciding bores 146, 156 on said flanges on the bearing beam 14, 15 and the connecting seat 143, 153.

(17) Moreover, each of said connecting seats 143, 153 is furnished with bores 143′, 143″; 153′, 153″, which are spaced apart from each other and adapted for establishing interconnection with the bottom connecting seat 32, 33 of a firewood splitting apparatus 2 by means of a bolt 323, 333 and in view of its construction concept and dimensions corresponds to a bottom connecting seat 32, 33 of a tractor three-point connecting mechanism, to which the firewood splitting apparatus 2 is detachably connectable in the area of the bottom connecting seat 32, 33.

(18) The present disclosure also provides that said cardan coupling 131 on said transmission means 13 in view of construction concept and dimensions corresponds to a tractor cardan coupling, by which via appropriate cardan transmission said firewood splitting apparatus 2 is connectable.

(19) Said autonomous powering engine 12 can e.g. be either an internal combustion engine, which is selected from a group, consisting of two- or four stroke gasoline engines, diesel engines and gas engines, or optionally also an electric motor. Choice of the motor depends on circumstances, namely on each expected requirements about the level of autonomy of the powering means and also on each available energy source for powering said engine 12. Those skilled in the art will understand that choice of each desired powering engine 12 is not limiting in the sense of the scope of the present disclosure, and that present disclosure may refer to any powering engine 12, including fuel cells, turbine engines or any other non-conventional driving means, by which (thanks to said platform 1 according to the present disclosure) each firewood splitting apparatus can be furnished.

(20) The present disclosure also refers to a firewood splitting apparatus 2 as such, in combination with a platform having previously disclosed features. Such apparatus 2 comprises a rigid frame 21 with supporting legs 22, which is on the one hand adjusted for placement of the apparatus on each desired at least approximately horizontal ground area, and on the other hand for the purposes of transporting of the apparatus by means of a common tractor, which is on its rear side furnished with a common three-point connecting mechanism as well as with a cardan coupling suitable for driving of agricultural or forestry accessories by means of each tractor engine and via corresponding cardan shaft, wherein a longitudinal chute 23 is available on said frame 21 of the firewood splitting apparatus 2 and is adjusted for receiving each log, which is to be split, and wherein a saw 24 is optionally mounted in the area of said chute, which is adjusted for cutting of logs to longitudinal sections of a predetermined length, and wherein said chute 23 is on its one terminal portion furnished with a support suitable for retaining said log section by performing splitting thereof, and on the other terminal portion with a splitting blade, which is displaceable to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and is attached to a movable part of a hydraulic cylinder 25, the stationary part of which is mechanically connected with said frame 21 of the apparatus 2, while its movable part is connected with said blade.

(21) Said frame 21 is for the purposes of establishing each detachable mechanical connection with said common three-point mechanism on each tractor furnished with an upper connecting seat 31, comprising a pair of eyes 311, 312, which are in parallel spaced apart from each other and each per se furnished with coaxial throughout passages 311′, 311″, through which a bolt (313) is insertable, which is secured against undesired removal, and moreover, said frame is also furnished with a pair of bottom connecting seats 32, 33, each of them also comprises a pair of connecting eyes 321, 322; 331, 332, which are in parallel spaced apart from each other and are each per se furnished with coaxial throughout bores 321′, 322′; 321″, 322″, through which a bolt 323, 333 is insertable, which is secured against undesired removal, and moreover, said frame 21 is also furnished with a cardan coupling 26, which is suitable to be interconnected with a cardan shaft and upon that for transmission of torque from each complementary cardan coupling on the tractor, and moreover, said frame 21 is also furnished with a hydraulic driving assembly 27, comprising a hydraulic circuit with a pump, which is via said cardan coupling 26 and cardan transmission powered by means of a tractor engine, as well as with a reservoir for hydraulic media together with corresponding control assembly, through which said hydraulic cylinder 25, to which said splitting blade is attached, is supplied by said hydraulic media. Such apparatus is characterized in that at least in the area of said bottom connecting seats 32, 33 each of said connecting eyes 321, 322 is furnished with two apart from each other spaced throughout passages 321′, 322′; 331′, 332′, so that in each case one passage 321′, 322′; 331′, 332′ on the one eye 321, 331 as well as on the residual eye 322, 332 are arranged coaxially with each other and herewith adapted to receive a bolt 323, 333, which is optionally secured against undesired removal. In addition to that, the present disclosure also provides that said apparatus is furnished with a platform with previously described features, which is by means of said bolts 323, 333 in a detachable manner connectable to said apparatus 2 at least in the area of said bottom connecting seats 32, 33.