Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates generally t~ woodworking equipment
and more particularly to a chai~saw accessory for use in
cutting felled trees.
BACKGROU~D OF THE INVENTION
It is generally known to attach a measuring device to
a chainsaw in ordex to facilitate cu~ting successively equal
- lengths of wood as when chopping up a elled tree. Examples o~
such arrangements are shown in United States Patent Nos. 2,765,007;
2,807,292; 3,276,490; and 3,364,580. Some of these structures
include zig-zag type ~olding measuring sticks which can be
expanded outwardly from the chainsaw. The problem wlth these
de~ices, however, i~ ~hat unless t'he cut to be made is a precl~se
integral num~ex of feet or units corresponding to the lengths
of each cowpled lin~ o~ the meas-uring device, the e~kerLding end
of the device will over-e~tend beyond the cut to be used as a
reference point in perEorming the next cut. Thus, the use-r must
examine any inch marks or ot'her measurement marks on the measure
itself.
~ In order to resolve 'the foregoing problem, it has been
proposed to provide a tape-like measure whi~h can be pulled out
to any desired dlstance and locked in such position. However 9
in order that the tape can 'be coiled up neatly when not in use
it has to be relatively th~in and for an extended length of tape,
the same is not always self-supporting.
Still other solutions have involved simply attaching
a fixed length member to the chainsaw which wlll de~ine a fixecl
given length for successive cuts to be made. This arrangement
30 would be satisfactory i.f all wood was to be cut to a given uniform
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length. ~o~ever, it may be desirable to provide a num~er o~
Cut5 which, while identical t'o each other, are di~erent from
some other total number o~ cuts.
In an attempt to provide a collapsible and extendable
5 member, in addition to ~g-~ag measuring devices, it has been
proposed to utilizé telescoping tapered tubes corresponding to
fishing rod like constructions. These tubes will work satisfactorily
in that they can be extended to a given distance and then easily
-,retracted and in the extended position, they will hold up under
~heir own weight. The problem, however, is that intermediate
- ~ixed distances can~ot ke set by such devices wherein the tapered
telescopin~ tubes simply will no~ be locked together in a desi~ed
intermeaiate extended position but only locked f'rictionally when
fully extended.
BRIEF D~SCRIPTION OF T'HE PRESENT INVENTION
With all of t'he foregoing considerations in m~nd, the
p~esent invention con~emplates a greatly improved chaLnc:aw
accessory capable oE defining a given fixed distance o~ any
d~esired length within reasonable limits wherein the accessory
itself can readily be co'llapsed when not in use so as to be
out of the way and yet when extended to any desired ~ixed position
will remain frictionally in such position without buckling or
otherwise collapsing inadvertently.
More particularly, in accord with this invention, the
chainsaw accessory comprises a plurality o~ strai~ht cylindrical
tubes of progressively decreasing diame~er so that they can
be nested in telescoped relationship~ the outermost tube being
' secured to the chainsaw in position such khat the telescoped
tubes can be extended in a direction normal to this plane.
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The outer end opening o~ each tube from which the next
successive tube extends is peened radially inwardly so that
the outer wall oE suc-h next successive tube is frictionally
engaged over 360 in a continuous manner regardless of the
telescoped position of this next tube. In addition, the
inner end opening of each tube surrounded by the ne~t larger
tube is flared outwardly to frict;onally engage over 360 the
inner wall of this larger tube.
With the foregoing arrangemen~, the telescoped members
will remain in any desired set position so that once a glven
distance is defined by the telescoping tubesr it will permi~
rapid successive cuts to ~e made by the chaînsaw, all o~ identical
lengths correspondi~g to the given distan~e~ the end o-f the
telescoping tu~es corresponding with the end of each cut.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
A better understanding of this invention will be 'had
by now referring to t'he accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspectiv~ view illustrating the chainsaw
a'nd chainsaw accessory of this invention in operatio~
FI~URE 2 is an underside plan view looking generally
in the direction ~f the arrow 2-2 of FIGUP~E l; and,
FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged ragmenkary cross section
2~ of the accessory taken in the direction o the arrows 3-3 of
FIGURE 2.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF,THE P'REFE~RED EMBODI~,NT
Referring ~irst to FIGU~E 1, there is shown a portable
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chainsaw 10 provided with an accessory device indicated generally
by the n~eral 11, This accesso~y defines in combination wi~h
a chainsaw a fixed predetermined distance D between the cutting
plane P of ~he saw and one end 12 of a work to be cut~ such as
a log 13. With the end of the acces~ory member 11 coinciding
with the cut end 12, successive cuts can then be effected by the
,chainsaw 10 all of precisely the same length corresponding to
the predetermined distance D.
It will be no~ed ~rom the foregoing tha~ such successive
cuts can be made without the operator having to read an~
, measuring numerals or the like. Rather~ the operator need only
be assured that the end. of the extending accessory 11 coincide
with the previ.ously cut end of the work.
~e~erring now to the underside of the chainsaw and
accessory illustrated in FIGU~E 2, it wlll be noted that the
chainsaw ltsel~ includes ~ tu'bular 'handle 14. The end portions
of the tubular 'handle 14 are normally secured to the'bod~ o
the saw as by bolts. One such bolt is illustrated at 15 in
FIGURE 2.
~8 will ~e eviden~ ~r'om FIGU'RE 2, the accessory devîce
'11 comprises a pluraliky of straight cylinder tubes of decreasing
diameters so that they can be nested in telescoped relationship.
The outermost tube is indicated at 16 in FIGURE 2 and is secured
to the body o~ the chainsaw 10 by a cooperating anchor plate 17
' and the bolt 15 for the tubular handle 14. The securing arrange-
ment permits removal o~ the accessory device if desired by
simply removing the bolt 15.
,' Various successively extending tubular members making
up the accessory 11 are indicated at 18~.19 and 20 in FIGUP~ 2.
It is to be noted that the positioning of the outermost tube 16
in its securement to the body o:~ the chainsaw is such that the
cylindrical tubular members telescopical'ly ex~end in adirection normal to the plane P o~ the chainsaw.
The manner in which the various telescopin~ ~ubes can
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be extended any desired distance and retained in such extended
positions will now be evident by referring to the fragmenkary
cross section o~ FIGURE 3.
As shown in FIGURE 3, the outer end opening of each
tube rom which the next successive tube extends is peened
radially inwardl~ such as indicated a~ 21 and 27,~ or the
cylindrical tubes 19 and 20. The peening inwa~dly is such -that
the outer wall of the next successive tube is frictionally engaged
over 360 for any telescoped position.
The inner end opening o each tube surrounded by the
next larger tube is, in turn, flared vutwardly such as indicated
at 23 and 24 ~or the cylindrical'tubes 1~ and 20 respectively~
The outward flaring i5 such as to cause a ~rictional engagement
over 360 o~ the inner wall o the next 'larger surround:ing tube.
The ~oregoing frictional engagemen~s assure ~ha~ any
lengths to which the tubes are extended will b~ rnaintained by
such rictional'engagement so that the heretofore xe~erre~ to
fixed predetermined distance D can be c~anged to a dif~erent
prefixed distance and the tubes retained in such positions to
maintain the new distance consistently as the chainsaw is being
used.
' 25 ' When it is not des;red ~o use the accessory~ all o~ the
telescoping tubes can simply be telescoped inwardly to a collapsed
state neatly beneath'the body of the chainsaw.
The unique telescoping arrangement in co~lbination with
the chainsaw assures a su~ficient eætension to be possible
without any undue sagglng or 'buckling o~ the extended'members.
~lso, an infinite num~er of pos:i-ti~ns can be achieved b~tween the
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ma~imum extended position and the completely collapsed position
because o~ the frictional engagement.
It will be seen from all of the oregoing, ~hat the
present invention thus provides certain advantages not ava;lable
in prior art devices hereto~ore prop~sed.
In operation, it will be understood that a worker will
simply set the telescoped members at a desired predetermined
distance. The worker himself can us~ a conventional t~pe
measure ~or the initial setting so that the proper.predetermin~d
distance> once set, need not again be measured.
Successive lengths o~ a- log of a felled tree can thus be
cut each length being precisely the same and corresponding to
the set predetermined distance.
If a new predetermined distance is to be utilized defirling
15 the lengths of wood to be cut~ a resetting is readily accomplished
by telescoping the tubes inwardl~ or outwardly as xecluirecl.
Again, as mentioned heretoore~ the set position will alway~ ~e
maintained because o the Erictional enga~ement betwéen the
cylindrical tu~e ends.
