Self-propelled wood chopping machine

Abstract

To significantly reduce the operator's work labor associated with accompanying work during wood chopping operation, to shorten the work time, to avoid unnecessary troubles including machine damage, and to improve work efficiency and operating efficiency.SOLUTION: In configuring a wood chopping machine to perform a wood chopping process that performs wood chopping by relative displacement moving the raw firewood W or the firewood chopping blade unit 2b each other using a power drive unit, a self-propelled wood chopping machine according to the present invention, comprises: a vehicle body part 4 equipped with a self-propelled travel part 3; a firewood splitting mechanism 2 that moves the firewood W set at the wood loading position Xs in the axial direction Fs of the firewood W by a firewood splitting drive unit 2d relative to the firewood splitting blade unit 2b fixed to the vehicle body 4, and performs the firewood splitting process; a log guide unit 5 for setting the firewood logs W at a raised position Xh of a predetermined height to a log placement position Xs; and a lift mechanism 6 for moving a raw wood placement unit 6s from a lowered position Xg in contact with the ground G to a raised position Xh by a lift drive unit 6d.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-propelled firewood splitter that uses a power drive unit such as a hydraulic cylinder to split raw wood (logs) to obtain firewood. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A self-propelled firewood splitter proposed by the applicant in Patent Document 1 has been known as a powered firewood splitter.

[0003] The self-propelled firewood splitter in document 1 is intended to fully ensure a series of processing functions required when splitting firewood with this type of firewood splitter, such as easy movement and efficient firewood splitting and firewood transport. Specifically, it is equipped with at least a wood loading section on which the firewood logs are placed, a wedge-shaped blade that is placed opposite one end face of the firewood logs placed on the wood loading section to split the firewood logs, and a power drive section that moves the blade relatively in the axial direction of the firewood logs. It is also equipped with a vehicle frame on which the wood loading section is placed, a self-propelled section that serves as at least a part of the power drive section and has three or more wheels to move the vehicle frame, a firewood loading section that is attached to the vehicle frame and carries firewood obtained by splitting the firewood logs placed on the wood loading section, and a handle section that is attached to the vehicle frame and controls the movement of the self-propelled section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-498589 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the self-propelled firewood splitter described in Patent Document 1 above had the following problems that needed to be solved.

[0006] First, the raw wood for firewood, typically a round log, to be split is quite heavy. On the other hand, in the case of a self-propelled firewood splitter, the propulsion mechanism, including the wheels and transmission, is usually located below the vehicle body, so the splitting mechanism that splits the firewood tends to be located at a relatively high position, such as on the top of the vehicle body. This means that the worker needs to lift the heavy raw wood for firewood (logs) above the vehicle body every time they split the firewood, and the labor and time involved in these associated tasks cannot be ignored.

[0007] Secondly, when splitting firewood, the logs are usually fixed to the vehicle body and the movable blade is moved forward by the power drive, so depending on the type, size, dryness, and other conditions of the logs, the logs may not split smoothly and the blade may get stuck in the logs. In this case, undue stress is applied to the power drive and blade, which can cause unnecessary trouble including breakage, and the extra time and effort required to reset them can reduce work efficiency and efficiency.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a self-propelled firewood splitter that solves the problems existing in the background art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 of the present invention is characterized in that, when configuring a firewood splitter that performs a firewood splitting process by moving the firewood raw wood W or the firewood splitting blade unit 2b relative to the firewood splitting blade unit 2b using a power drive unit, it comprises a vehicle body unit 4 with a self-propelled running unit 3, a firewood splitting mechanism unit 2 that performs the firewood splitting process by moving the firewood raw wood W set at the raw wood loading position Xs in the axial direction Fs of the firewood raw wood W using a firewood splitting drive unit 2d relative to the firewood splitting blade unit 2b fixed to the vehicle body unit 4, a raw wood guide unit 5 that sets the firewood raw wood W at a raised position Xh of a predetermined height at the raw wood loading position Xs, and a lift mechanism unit 6 that moves the raw wood loading unit 6s at a lowered position Xg in contact with the ground G to the raised position Xh using a lift drive unit 6d.

[0010] In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the firewood splitting mechanism 2 can be provided with a number of different selectable splitting blades 2b... that change the number of divisions of the raw firewood W. Specifically, it is preferable to configure the firewood splitting mechanism 2 with one basic blade 11m for splitting the raw firewood W into two, and one or more auxiliary blades 11s... that can be attached to and detached from the basic blade 11m to change the number of divisions of the raw firewood W. The firewood splitting mechanism 2 can also be configured with a presser 13 that contacts one end surface Ws of the raw firewood W and is guided by a guide rail 12, and a firewood splitting cylinder 14 that moves the presser 13. In this case, the presser 13 can be provided with a protrusion 15 on the contact surface 13p that contacts the one end surface Ws of the raw firewood W to reduce the contact area with the one end surface Ws. In addition, the presser 13 can have a synthetic resin spacer 16 between the guide rails 12. On the other hand, the lift mechanism 6 can be configured with a lift frame 17 with one end 17r rotatably attached to the vehicle body 4 and a raw wood placement section 6s on the other end 17f, which is the free end, and a lift cylinder 18 for rotating and displacing the lift frame 17. The lift mechanism 6 can be provided with a switching mechanism 19 for switching the lift frame 17 between the storage position Xr and the use position Xu. The vehicle body 4 can be provided with a storage base plate 20 that can be attached to and detached from the vehicle body 4 and is located forward Fms in the direction of movement Fm of the raw firewood W relative to the firewood splitting blade 2b of the firewood splitting mechanism 2 when attached, to receive the firewood Wp... that has passed through the firewood splitting blade 2b. The lift frame 17 can be provided with a storage base plate support section 21 that can store the storage base plate 20 detached from the vehicle body 4 in a stacked manner at the storage position Xr. Effect of the Invention

[0011] The self-propelled firewood splitter 1 according to the present invention having such a configuration provides the following remarkable effects.

[0012] (1) The self-propelled firewood splitter 1 is equipped with a lift mechanism 6 that moves the raw wood loading section 6s, which is located at the lowered position Xg in contact with the ground G, to the raised position Xh using the lift drive section 6d. Therefore, even if the raw firewood W to be split is a heavy log or other such material, it can be easily set at the raw wood loading position Xs, which is relatively high, in the firewood splitting mechanism 2. This significantly reduces the labor required by the worker for ancillary tasks during firewood splitting and also shortens the working time.

[0013] (2) The firewood splitting mechanism 2 performs the firewood splitting process by moving the firewood W set at the wood loading position Xs in the axial direction Fs of the firewood W using the firewood splitting drive 2d relative to the firewood splitting blade 2b fixed to the vehicle body 4. This prevents undue stress from being applied to the firewood splitting drive 2d (power drive) and the firewood splitting blade 2b even if the firewood splitting blade 2b becomes embedded in the firewood W depending on the type, size, dryness, and other conditions of the firewood W. This prevents unnecessary trouble, including breakage, and improves work efficiency and work efficiency.

[0014] (3) In a preferred embodiment, if the firewood splitting mechanism 2 is provided with a number of different selectable firewood splitting blades 2b... that change the number of divisions of the firewood W, any number of divisions can be selected, not just two, but also four, six, etc., making it possible to set the optimal number of divisions depending on the size of the firewood W and the purpose of the stove, etc.

[0015] (4) In a preferred embodiment, when constructing the firewood splitting blade section 2b... of the firewood splitting mechanism section 2, it is constructed of one basic blade section 11m for dividing the firewood into two, and one or more auxiliary blade sections 11s... which can be attached and detached from this basic blade section 11m and change the number of divisions of the raw firewood wood W when attached. This allows the basic blade section 11m to be maintained in its original state, and the number of divisions to be changed simply by attaching the auxiliary blade sections 11s.... Therefore, the number of divisions can be easily changed while maintaining the fixing strength of the firewood splitting blade section 2b..., and by offsetting the positions of the basic blade section 11m and the auxiliary blade sections 11s..., firewood splitting can be performed smoothly.

[0016] (5) In a preferred embodiment, when constructing the firewood splitting mechanism 2, it is configured to include a push plate section 13 that abuts against one end face Ws of the raw firewood W and is guided by a guide rail 12, and a firewood splitting cylinder 14 that moves the push plate section 13.Since the combination of the push plate section 13 and the firewood splitting cylinder 14 as main components can be used to construct a power drive section (firewood splitting drive section 2d), the firewood splitting mechanism 2 can be realized with a relatively simple mechanism.

[0017] (6) In a preferred embodiment, a protrusion 15 is provided on the contact surface 13p of the push plate section 13, which contacts one end surface Ws of the firewood raw wood W, to reduce the contact area with the end surface Ws. This prevents the firewood raw wood W from shifting from the push plate section 13, thereby preventing the firewood raw wood W from coming off the push plate section 13 and ensuring that the pressing force of the firewood splitting cylinder 14 is transmitted to the firewood raw wood W.

[0018] (7) In a preferred embodiment, a synthetic resin spacer 16 is interposed between the press plate 13 and the guide rail 12, which prevents direct sliding between the press plate 13 and the guide rail 12 and prevents wear on the press plate 13 itself. This allows only the spacer 16 to be replaced even if it wears out, which reduces costs.

[0019] (8) In a preferred embodiment, the lift mechanism 6 is constructed by comprising a lift frame 17 having one end 17r rotatably attached to the vehicle body 4 and a raw wood loading section 6s at the other end 17f, which is the free end, and a lift cylinder 18 for rotating and displacing the lift frame 17. Since the lift mechanism 6 can be constructed by combining the lift frame 17 and the lift cylinder 18 as main components, it can be realized by a relatively simple mechanism.

[0020] (9) In a preferred embodiment, the lift mechanism 6 is provided with a switching mechanism 19 for switching the lift frame 17 between a storage position Xr and an in-use position Xu. This allows the lift frame 17, which protrudes laterally from the vehicle body 4 when in use, to be stored inside the vehicle body 4 when not in use. This avoids problems that may get in the way when driving, and also contributes to safety.

[0021] (10) In a preferred embodiment, a storage base plate 20 is provided on the vehicle body section 4 which can be attached and detached to the vehicle body section 4 and, when attached, is positioned forward Fms in the direction of movement Fm of the firewood raw wood W relative to the firewood splitting blade section 2b of the firewood splitting mechanism section 2 to receive the firewood Wp... that has passed through the firewood splitting blade section 2b. The storage base plate 20 is attached only when the firewood is in use and can be detached when not in use, thereby contributing to the miniaturization of the entire firewood splitter 1.

[0022] (11) In a preferred embodiment, the lift frame portion 17 is provided with a storage base plate support portion 21 that can stack and store the storage base plate 20 that has been detached from the vehicle body portion 4 in the storage position Xr. This allows the lift frame portion 17 and the storage base plate 20, which have similar flat shapes, to be stacked and stored together, resulting in excellent space-saving properties. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of a self-propelled firewood splitter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view including a partial cross section of the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Diagram 3] A right side view of the self-propelled firewood splitter. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the firewood splitting mechanism of the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the push plate of the firewood splitting mechanism of the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Figure 6] A front view of the self-propelled firewood splitter including a partial cross-section of the firewood splitting mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a firewood splitting blade in the firewood splitting mechanism of the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the firewood splitting mechanism and the storage plate in the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the attachment and detachment structure of the storage plate and the vehicle body side in the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the switching mechanisms in the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the lift frame and the storage plate in the self-propelled firewood splitter when stored; [Figure 12] A hydraulic circuit diagram for the self-propelled firewood splitter. [Figure 13] A flow chart showing the overall method of use, including the operation of the self-propelled firewood splitter; [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a first explanatory diagram showing the self-propelled firewood splitter in use; [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a second explanatory diagram showing the self-propelled firewood splitter in use; [Figure 16] FIG. 3 is a third explanatory diagram showing the self-propelled firewood splitter in use; [Figure 17] FIG. 4 is a fourth explanatory diagram showing the self-propelled firewood splitter in use; [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining other options of the self-propelled firewood splitter; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0025] First, the configuration of the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 according to this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 comprises, as its overall basic configuration (main configuration), a firewood splitting mechanism 2, a traveling section 3, a vehicle body 4, a log guide section 5, and a lifting mechanism 6. In addition, in Figures 1 to 3, 71 denotes a steering handle section located at the rear of the vehicle body 4, 72 denotes a group of controls for the traveling system, 73 denotes a lift control lever for operating the lifting mechanism 6, and 74 denotes a firewood splitting control lever for operating the firewood splitting mechanism 2.

[0027] The running section 3 is a crawler type with crawlers (rubber crawlers) 75 arranged on the left and right. The firewood splitter 1 is equipped with an engine 76 shown in Figure 12, and the rotation output of this engine 76 is transmitted to a transmission 78 via a rotation transmission mechanism 77f, and is also transmitted to a hydraulic pump 79 via a joint 77s.

[0028] The output of the transmission 78 is transmitted to the above-mentioned crawlers 75, which form the main system of the self-propelled traveling unit 3. The body unit (chassis) 4 is disposed above the crawlers 75 that form the traveling unit 3. The rear half of the body unit 4 (the steering handle unit 31 side) is configured as a machine room 80 in which the engine 76, hydraulic pump 79, etc. are mainly disposed. In addition, in the front half of the body unit 4, the firewood splitting mechanism 2 is disposed on the left side when viewed from the front, and the lift mechanism 6 is disposed at the right end. Furthermore, the space between the firewood splitting mechanism 2 and the lift mechanism 6 is configured as a log guide unit 5.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the firewood splitting mechanism 2 has the function of performing firewood splitting processing by moving the firewood raw wood (usually a log) W set at the raw wood loading position Xs in the axial direction Fs of the firewood raw wood W using the firewood splitting drive unit 2d relative to the firewood splitting blade unit 2b fixed to the vehicle body unit 4.

[0030] The firewood splitting mechanism 2 is provided with a guide rail 12, which has a flat top and is horizontally arranged in the front-rear direction, as shown in Figures 4 and 6. The top of the guide rail 12 is the raw wood placement position Xs, where the raw firewood W is set, as shown by the imaginary line in Figure 4. The firewood splitting blade 2b, which is fixed in position relative to the vehicle body 4, is provided at the front end of the guide rail 12, and a firewood splitting cylinder 14 using a hydraulic cylinder that constitutes the firewood splitting drive unit 2d is provided behind the guide rail 12. The push plate 13, shown in Figures 5 and 6, is engaged with the top of the guide rail 12 so that it can slide along the guide rail 12, and the tip of the piston rod 14r protruding forward from the firewood splitting cylinder 14 is fixed to the back of the push plate 13.

[0031] The front surface of the pressing plate 13, i.e., the contact surface 13p of the pressing plate 13 that contacts one end surface Ws of the raw firewood W, is provided with protrusions 15 to reduce the contact area with the end surface Ws, as shown in Figure 5. In the illustrated example, two protrusions 15 are provided in a zigzag shape. Providing such protrusions 15 prevents the raw firewood W from shifting from the pressing plate 13, preventing the raw firewood W from coming off the pressing plate 13 and ensuring that the pressing force of the firewood splitting cylinder 14 is transmitted to the raw firewood W.

[0032] 5 and 6, a spacer 16 made of synthetic resin is interposed between the press plate portion 13 and the guide rail 12. In this case, a rectangular gap 16s is formed by cutting out the bottom side of the press plate portion 13, and the spacer 16 fixed to the press plate portion 13 is interposed in the gap 16s. With this configuration, direct sliding between the press plate portion 13 and the guide rail 12 can be avoided, so wear of the press plate portion 13 itself can be prevented. As a result, even if the spacer 16 wears out, it is only necessary to replace the spacer 16, which can reduce costs.

[0033] On the other hand, the splitting cylinder 14 is connected to the hydraulic circuit Co as shown in Figure 12. The splitting cylinder 14 is a single-rod type hydraulic cylinder, and the front and rear oil chambers of the splitting cylinder 14 are connected to a splitting valve 81. This splitting valve 81 is connected to the discharge port of the hydraulic pump 79 and the inlet of the return filter 82 mentioned above. Furthermore, the outlet of this return filter 82 is connected to the return port of the hydraulic oil tank 83, and the supply port of the hydraulic oil tank 83 is connected to the return port of the hydraulic pump 79. This splitting valve 81 is an automatic return valve. It can be operated by the firewood splitting operation lever 74 described above.

[0034] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, a pair of log regulating parts 51p, 51q are arranged parallel to the guide rail 12 on both the left and right sides of the guide rail 12 with a specified gap between them. The upper surfaces of the log regulating parts 51p, 51q are each inclined so that the outer side is at the top toward the guide rail 12. This prevents unnecessary lateral displacement of the firewood W by the log regulating parts 51p, 51q, and allows unnecessary sawdust to fall through the gap.

[0035] In this way, when constructing the firewood splitting mechanism 2, it can be configured to include a push plate section 13 that abuts against one end face Ws of the raw firewood W and is guided by a guide rail 12, and a firewood splitting cylinder 14 that moves this push plate section 13.Since the combination of the push plate section 13 and the firewood splitting cylinder 14 as main components allows for the construction of a power drive section (firewood splitting drive section 2d), the firewood splitting mechanism 2 can be realized with a relatively simple mechanism.

[0036] The firewood splitting mechanism 2 also includes a firewood splitting blade 2b fixed to the vehicle body 4, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. This causes the firewood splitting blade 2b to protrude upward at a right angle from the top surface of the front end of the guide rail 12. In this case, as shown in Figure 7, the firewood splitting blade 2b fixed to the vehicle body 4 is a basic blade 11m, which is a single plate-shaped blade formed linearly in the vertical direction, with a cutting edge 11ms formed on the side facing the push plate 13. Therefore, the basic blade 11m functions as the firewood splitting blade 2b that divides the firewood W into two halves, left and right.

[0037] It is preferable to prepare a number of different firewood splitting blades 2b... that can be selected to change the number of divisions of the raw firewood W. This allows any number of divisions to be selected, such as not only two divisions but also four or six divisions, so that the optimal number of divisions can be set depending on the size of the raw firewood W and the purpose of the stove to be used.

[0038] In the illustrated example, the device is configured with one or more auxiliary blades 11s... that can be attached to and detached from the basic blade 11m to change the number of divisions of the raw firewood W. FIG. 7 shows an example of a firewood splitting blade 2b for splitting into four. In this case, the auxiliary blade 11s is equipped with a cylindrical mounting part 52 that is attached to the periphery of the basic blade 11m, a pair of blade pieces 53p, 53q that protrude horizontally from the left and right sides of the mounting part 52, and a fixing lever 54 provided on the mounting part 52. As a result, when configuring the firewood splitting blade 2b for splitting into four, as shown in FIG. 7, the basic blade 11m is inserted into the mounting part 52, and the fixing lever 54 is tightened and fixed at the vertical middle position of the basic blade 11m, so that the firewood splitting blade 2b for splitting into four can be easily changed to the one shown in FIG. 2.

[0039] Although the example of the firewood splitting blade 2b that divides the firewood into four pieces has been given, by fixing two blade pieces with different angles instead of the blade piece 53p (same for the 53q side), the firewood splitting blade 2b that divides the firewood into six pieces can be configured by changing the angle and number of the blade pieces. In addition, the fixing position of the mounting part 52 in the vertical direction of the basic blade part 11m can be set to any position (height). For example, in the case of dividing the firewood into four pieces, the selection can be made so that four pieces of firewood Wp... of equal size are obtained, or the user can select any number of pieces of firewood Wp... as necessary, such as two thick pieces of firewood Wp... and two thin pieces of firewood Wp....

[0040] In this way, when constructing the firewood splitting blade section 2b..., if it is constructed of one basic blade section 11m for dividing the firewood into two, and one or more auxiliary blade sections 11s... that can be attached and detached from this basic blade section 11m and change the number of divisions of the firewood raw wood W when attached, the basic blade section 11m can be left in its original state and the number of divisions can be changed simply by attaching the auxiliary blade sections 11s....This means that the number of divisions can be easily changed while maintaining the fixing strength of the firewood splitting blade section 2b..., and by offsetting the positions of the basic blade section 11m and the auxiliary blade sections 11s..., firewood splitting can be performed smoothly.

[0041] On the other hand, the lift mechanism 6 has a function of moving the raw wood placing part 6s, which is at a lowered position Xg in contact with the ground G, to a raised position Xh. As shown in Fig. 2, the illustrated lift mechanism 6 is configured with a lift frame part 17, one end (the left end when viewed from the front) 17r of which is rotatably attached to the vehicle body 4 and the raw wood placing part 6s is provided at the other end (the tip) 17f, and a lift cylinder 18 that rotates and displaces the lift frame part 17. With this configuration, the lift mechanism 6 can be realized by a relatively simple mechanism, since it can be constructed by combining the lift frame part 17 and the lift cylinder 18 as the main components.

[0042] In this case, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the lift frame section 17 is formed by combining four frame members 17m long from side to side and three rectangular panels 17p long from front to back, so that the overall shape is rectangular when viewed from above and has an inverted L-shape with a bent part in the middle when viewed from the front. This allows the other end 17f side of the bent part in the lift frame section 17 to function as the raw wood loading section 6s.

[0043] As shown in Figure 10, one end 17r of the lift frame portion 17 is provided with a pair of front and rear support brackets 57, 57 (Figure 10 shows only the front one) that are rotatably supported by a main shaft 56 that is fixed in position on the vehicle body portion 4 side, and a sub-shaft 58 supported by these support brackets 57..., and the one end 17r of the lift frame portion 17 is rotatably supported by this sub-shaft 58.

[0044] 10 and 11 is provided between each support bracket 57 and one end 17r of the lift frame 17. This allows the lift frame 17 to be switched to a storage position Xr shown in FIG. 11 or a use position Xu shown in FIG. 2. The illustrated switching mechanism 19 has switching boxes 59 on the left and right of the lift frame 17, and lock pins 60 that can be displaced between a locked position and an unlocked position protrude from the switching boxes 59, and the lock pins 60 are provided with integral operating levers 61. Meanwhile, insertion holes 62, 63 for the lock pins 60 are formed at two different positions in the support brackets 57, respectively.

[0045] As a result, by operating the operation levers 61 to displace the lock pins 60 to the unlocked position, displace the lift frame portion 17 to the use position Xu, and then insert the lock pins 60 into one of the insertion holes 62 to return to the locked position, the position can be switched to the use position Xu shown in Fig. 2. On the other hand, by operating the operation levers 61 to displace the lock pins 60 to the unlocked position, rotate the lift frame portion 17 about the sub-shaft 58 as a fulcrum, displace the lift frame portion 17 to the storage position Xr, and then insert the lock pins 60 into the other insertion hole 63 to return to the locked position, the position can be switched to the storage position Xr shown in Fig. 11. Reference numerals 59c denote lever engagement portions formed on the switching boxes 59, and are formed in a shape that makes it difficult for the operation levers 61 to come off when engaged in the storage position Xr and the use position Xu.

[0046] By providing such a switching mechanism 19, the lift frame 17, which protrudes laterally from the vehicle body 4 when in use, can be stored inside the vehicle body 4 when not in use, thereby avoiding problems that get in the way when driving, etc., and contributing to safety.

[0047] On the other hand, the lift cylinder 18 is a single-rod type hydraulic cylinder that constitutes the lift drive section 6d, and as shown in Figure 2, the rear end of the lift cylinder 18 is rotatably attached to the vehicle body section 4, and the tip of the piston rod 18r protruding forward from the lift cylinder 18 is rotatably connected to the vicinity of one end 17r of the lift frame section 17 via a link 55. The example shows the underside of a guide plate 65 that constitutes the later-described raw wood guide section 5 of the vehicle body section 4 as the part where the rear end of the lift cylinder 18 is attached.

[0048] The lift cylinder 18 is connected to a hydraulic circuit Co as shown in FIG. 12. In this case, the front oil chamber and the rear oil chamber of the lift cylinder 18 are connected to the hydraulic circuit Co via valve units 84f and 84r, respectively. The valve units 84f, 84r are connected to a lift valve 85. The lift valve 85 is connected to the discharge port of the hydraulic pump 79 and the inlet of the return filter 82. Each valve unit 84f, 84r has a function of adjusting the vertical movement speed of the lift mechanism 6 and a function of preventing the lift mechanism 6 from falling.

[0049] As a result, as shown in Fig. 2, by operating the lift cylinder 18 and rotating one end 17r of the lift frame section 17 to rotate the other end 17f downward, the raw wood loading section 6s formed from the bent section to the other end 17f side can be moved to a lowered position Xg where it comes into contact with the ground G. On the other hand, by rotating the other end 17f upward, the raw wood loading section 6s can be moved to a raised position Xh at a predetermined height located above. Note that Fig. 2 shows raised positions Xha and Xhb of different heights (angles) as the raised position Xh, and this height (angle) can be set arbitrarily in advance.

[0050] 1 and 2, a log guide 5 is disposed between the log regulating section 51q and the lift frame 17 of the firewood splitting mechanism 2, which sets the firewood W at the elevated position Xh of a predetermined height to the log placement position Xs of the firewood splitting mechanism 2. The illustrated log guide 5 has a flat upper surface so that the firewood W can be rolled, but the configuration and shape are not important as long as it has the function of easily moving the firewood W, such as a structure with multiple rollers lined up if necessary.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body 4 is provided with a storage plate 20 that can be attached to and detached from the vehicle body 4, and when attached, is disposed forward Fms in the direction of movement Fm of the raw wood W relative to the firewood splitting blade 2b of the firewood splitting mechanism 2, thereby receiving the firewood Wp... that has passed through the firewood splitting blade 2b. The storage plate 20 uses a panel material formed into a rectangular overall shape in a plan view, and as shown in FIG. 11, the plate body 20m is formed by fixing reinforcing members 68, 68 formed of steel plates with a U-shaped cross section to multiple positions (two positions in the example) on the bottom surface, and is integrally formed with an attachment portion 67 fixed to the middle of the plate body 20m and protruding rearward from the middle position of the rear side. The reinforcing members 68, 68 are designed to be lightweight and to have a shape that is easily supported by the storage plate support portion 21 described later.

[0052] Also, as shown in FIG. 8, a mounting hole 66 that opens forward is provided in the vehicle body 4 below the firewood splitting blade 2 of the firewood splitting mechanism 2, and the mounting part 67 of the storage base plate 20 can be attached and detached to the mounting hole 66. When the storage base plate 20 is attached to the vehicle body 4, as shown in FIG. 9, it can be easily attached by simply inserting the mounting part 67 of the storage base plate 20 into the mounting hole 66. That is, when the worker holds the storage base plate 20 and inserts the mounting part 67 into the mounting hole 66 in the direction of the imaginary arrow, and after inserting it to the final position, the storage base plate 20 is displaced by its own weight in the direction of the solid arrow. Since a notch engagement part 67c is formed on the lower side of the mounting part 67, it is engaged with the locking protrusion part 66c provided inside the mounting hole 66, and is prevented from coming off.

[0053] On the other hand, when detaching, the retention base plate 20 can be lifted to release the engagement between the locking protrusion 66c and the notch engagement portion 67c, and the retention base plate 20 can be simply pulled out. Therefore, by providing such a retention base plate 20, the retention base plate 20 can be attached only when in use and detached when not in use, which contributes to the miniaturization of the entire firewood splitter 1.

[0054] Furthermore, the detached storage base plate 20 can be stacked on the lift frame section 17 at the storage position Xr and stored together, as shown in Fig. 11. For this reason, a storage base plate support section 21 such as a hook is provided on the bottom surface of the lift frame section 17 for engaging and holding the storage base plate 20 when the storage base plate 20 is stacked and stored together. With this configuration, the lift frame section 17 and the storage base plate 20, which have similar flat shapes, can be stacked and stored together, resulting in excellent space saving.

[0055] Next, the overall method of use, including the operation of the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 according to this embodiment, will be described according to the flow chart shown in FIG. 13, mainly with reference to FIGS. 14-17 and further to each figure.

[0056] First, the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 has a self-propelled running part 3, so that it can be moved to the place of use, such as a felling site.

[0057] When using the firewood splitter 1, each part is set to the starting position (step S1). Specifically, the storage platform plate 20 shown in Fig. 11 is removed from the lift frame 17 in the storage position Xr and attached to the mounting hole 66 at the front end of the vehicle body 4, and the lift mechanism 6 is operated to set the lift frame 17 to the lowered position Xg in contact with the ground G, as shown in Fig. 14. Also, it is confirmed that the push plate 13 of the firewood splitting mechanism 2 is in the most rearward position.

[0058] Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the firewood W is placed on the wood loading section 6s of the lift frame section 17 (step S2). At this time, since the wood loading section 6s is in the lowered position Xg in contact with the ground G, the worker can easily load the firewood W by, for example, rolling it, without lifting it. Next, the lift operation lever 73 is operated to operate the lift mechanism section 6 (step S3). As a result, the lift frame section 17 is raised by the lift cylinder 18, and the wood loading section 6s moves to a raised position Xh at a predetermined height, as shown in FIG. 15 (step S4). In this case, the raised position Xh can be set to any height in advance, as described above. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, it may be set to a position Xha that is almost horizontal, or to a position Xhb that is slightly inclined.

[0059] Once the raw firewood W has been moved to the raised position Xh, the operator sets it in the raw firewood placement position Xs in the firewood splitting mechanism 2 by, for example, rolling it through the raw firewood placement section 6s and then the guide plate 65 (raw firewood guide section 5) (steps S5, S6). In this state, the raw firewood W is in the solid line position shown in Figure 15. The lift cylinder 18 is then automatically or manually returned to the lowered position Xg (step S7).

[0060] Next, the firewood splitting operation lever 74 is operated to activate the firewood splitting mechanism 2 (step S8). This causes the push plate 13 to move forward by the firewood splitting cylinder 14 (step S9). Then, as shown in FIG. 16, one end face Ws of the firewood W set at the original wood placement position Xs is pressed, so that the firewood W moves forward and the firewood splitting blade 2 bites into the other end face Wt of the firewood W, performing the firewood splitting process (step S10). After this, when the push plate 13 reaches the set most forward position, i.e., when the firewood W is split, the operation of the firewood splitting cylinder 14 stops (steps S11, S12).

[0061] As shown in Figure 17, the firewood Wp... obtained by splitting the raw firewood W in two is placed on the storage plate 20 (step S13). The firewood splitting cylinder 14 is then returned to its most retreated position automatically or manually (step S14). The firewood Wp... is removed from the storage plate 20 and moved to a specified storage position (step S15). Furthermore, if there is another raw firewood W, the firewood splitting process can be carried out in the same manner (steps S16, S2...).

[0062] Thus, the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 of this embodiment is basically configured with a vehicle body 4 having a self-propelled running section 3, a firewood splitting mechanism 2 which moves the firewood W set at the raw wood loading position Xs in the axial direction Fs of the firewood W using the firewood splitting drive section 2d to perform the firewood splitting process relative to the firewood splitting blade section 2b fixed to the vehicle body 4, a raw wood guide section 5 which sets the firewood W at a raised position Xh of a predetermined height at the raw wood loading position Xs, and a lift mechanism 6 which moves the raw wood loading section 6s at a lowered position Xg where it is in contact with the ground G to the raised position Xh using the lift drive section 6d.As a result, even heavy firewood W such as logs to be split can be easily set at the raw wood loading position Xs on the firewood splitting mechanism 2, which is located at a relatively high position, thereby significantly reducing the worker's workload associated with ancillary tasks during firewood splitting and shortening the work time. In addition, even if the firewood splitting blade 2b bites into the firewood W due to the type, size, dryness, and other conditions of the firewood W, it is possible to avoid problems such as undue stress being applied to the firewood splitting drive unit 2d (power drive unit) and the firewood splitting blade 2b. This makes it possible to avoid unnecessary trouble, including breakage, and to improve work efficiency and work efficiency.

[0063] FIG. 18 shows a modified example of the self-propelled firewood splitter 1. This modified example uses an optional snow removal blade 100 instead of the storage base plate 20. The snow removal blade 100 shown in FIG. 18 includes a blade body 101, and is provided with a mounting portion 102p at the upper left end of the blade body 101 when viewed from the front, which can be attached to the above-mentioned mounting hole 66, and further with a mounting portion 102q at the upper right end of the blade body 101, which can be attached to a mounting portion (not shown) provided on the vehicle body 4 with bolts and nuts or the like. The mounting portion 102p inserted into the mounting hole 66 is configured to be attachable with bolts and nuts or the like.

[0064] In this way, the self-propelled firewood splitter 1 of the present invention can be used as a multi-purpose work machine with various functions by providing various detachable options such as the snow removal blade 100, as well as other options such as a grass cutting unit and a cargo bed unit.

[0065] Although the above describes in detail preferred embodiments including modified examples, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and the detailed configuration, shape, material, quantity, numerical values, etc. can be freely changed, added, or deleted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0066] For example, the firewood splitting blade 2b is constructed with one basic blade 11m for splitting into two and one or more auxiliary blades 11s that can be attached to the basic blade 11m to change the number of splits of the raw firewood W. However, a plurality of different integrated firewood splitting blades 2b may be prepared and each of the firewood splitting blades 2b may be selected and replaced as a whole. In addition, the firewood splitting cylinder 14 and the lift cylinder 18 are illustrated as the power drive unit, but this does not exclude the case where the output of the rotation output unit of the engine 76 is transmitted and the output is directly used. Furthermore, the lift mechanism 6 does not exclude the case where the lift frame 17 is configured with a mechanism that moves the lift frame 17 up and down in parallel using rails or the like. On the other hand, the storage base plate 20 is illustrated as a removable type, but one end of the storage base plate 20 may be configured to be rotatably displaceable, and similar to the lift frame 17, it may be stored by rotating it, and various other forms having similar functions may be used. [Industrial Applicability]

[0067] The present invention can be used as a self-propelled firewood splitter that uses a power drive unit such as a hydraulic cylinder to split raw wood (logs) to obtain firewood, and can also be used as a multi-purpose work machine with various functions by replacing various options. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1: self-propelled firewood splitter, 2: firewood splitting mechanism, 2b: firewood splitting blade, 2d: firewood splitting drive, 3: running part, 4: vehicle body, 5: raw wood guide, 6: lift mechanism, 6s: raw wood loading section, 6d: lift drive, 11m: basic blade, 11s...: auxiliary blade, 12: guide rail, 13: push plate, 13p: contact surface, 14: firewood splitting cylinder, 15: protrusion, 16: spacer, 17: lift frame ,17r: one end of the lift frame, 17f: the other end of the lift frame, 18: lift cylinder, 19: switching mechanism, 20: storage plate, 21: storage plate support, W: raw firewood, Ws: one end of the raw firewood, Wp...: firewood, Xs: raw firewood placement position, Xh: raised position, Xg: lowered position, Xr: storage position, Xu: use position, Fs: axial direction, Fm: movement direction, Fms: forward of the movement direction, G: ground

Claims

1. A self-propelled firewood splitter that performs firewood splitting by moving raw wood or a firewood splitting blade section relative to the firewood using a power drive section, characterized in that the self-propelled firewood splitter comprises a vehicle body section with a self-propelled running section, a firewood splitting mechanism section that performs firewood splitting by moving raw wood set in a raw wood loading position in the axial direction of the raw wood using a firewood splitting drive section relative to the firewood splitting blade section fixed to the vehicle body section, a raw wood guide section that sets the raw wood in a raised position of a predetermined height at the raw wood loading position, and a lift mechanism section that moves the raw wood loading section, which is in a lowered position in contact with the ground, to the raised position using a lift drive section.

2. 2. The self-propelled firewood splitter according to claim 1, wherein the firewood splitting mechanism comprises a selectable number of different firewood splitting blades that change the number of splits of the raw firewood.

3. The self-propelled firewood splitter as described in claim 2, characterized in that the firewood splitting blade section comprises a basic blade section for dividing the firewood into two pieces, and one or more auxiliary blade sections that can be attached and detached to this basic blade section and that change the number of pieces of firewood that are divided when attached.

4. The self-propelled firewood splitter as described in claim 1, characterized in that the firewood splitting mechanism comprises a push plate that abuts against one end surface of the raw firewood and is guided by a guide rail, and a firewood splitting cylinder that moves the push plate.

5. 2. A self-propelled firewood splitter as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the push plate has a protrusion on a contact surface that contacts one end surface of the raw firewood, which protrusion reduces the contact area with said one end surface.

6. The self-propelled firewood splitter according to claim 5, characterized in that the push plate portion is provided with a spacer made of synthetic resin that is interposed between the guide rails.

7. The self-propelled firewood splitter described in claim 1, characterized in that the lift mechanism comprises a lift frame portion having one end rotatably attached to the vehicle body portion and having the raw wood loading portion provided on the other end which is the free end, and a lift cylinder which rotates and displaces the lift frame portion.

8. The self-propelled firewood splitter according to claim 7, characterized in that the lift mechanism includes a switching mechanism that switches the lift frame between a storage position and a use position.

9. The self-propelled firewood splitter as described in claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle body section is equipped with a storage platform plate that can be attached and detached to the vehicle body section, and when attached, is positioned forward of the firewood splitting blade section of the firewood splitting mechanism section in the direction of movement of the firewood raw wood, thereby receiving and storing firewood that has passed through the firewood splitting blade section.

10. The self-propelled firewood splitter according to claim 8, characterized in that the lift frame section is provided with a storage base plate support section that can stack and store a storage base plate that has been detached from the vehicle body section in the storage position.

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