US4474396A — Wood stove and fireplace log handler

Claim 1

Independent Claim 137 words

In a log handler having a lifting handle means (10A) and a carrier bar for a prong means comprising a pair of prongs spaced along said carrier bar at least one of which prongs is actuatable to grip a log end; the improvement comprising: an actuating mechanism having a spring means and including manually actuatable lever means at one end of said carrier bar affording a mechanical advantage for actuating said one prong to increase the spacing of said prongs to straddle the ends of a log while stressing said spring means; whereby said prongs grip the ends of a log by force of said spring means upon release of said manually actuatable means and including means for initially spacing said prongs relative the length of a log to be handled prior to actuating said one prong.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 137 words

In a log handler having a lifting handle means (10A) and a carrier bar for a prong means comprising a pair of prongs spaced along said carrier bar at least one of which prongs is actuatable to grip a log end; the improvement comprising: an actuating mechanism having a spring means and including manually actuatable lever means at one end of said carrier bar affording a mechanical advantage for actuating said one prong to increase the spacing of said prongs to straddle the ends of a log while stressing said spring means; whereby said prongs grip the ends of a log by force of said spring means upon release of said manually actuatable means and including means for initially spacing said prongs relative the length of a log to be handled prior to actuating said one prong.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 52 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 1, including a tension support member (50) connected to said carrier bar intermediate said prongs and effecting a handle means operative for transmitting manual pull to said carrier bar to assist in transporting said carrier bar with a log gripped between said prongs.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 66 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 2, wherein said lifting handle means is comprised in said manually actuatable lever means and said manually actuatable lever means having a manually actuatable lever with pivotal connection means to said carrier bar; said actuating mechanism comprising a polygonal linkage system for converting the relative pivotal movement of said manually actuatable lever to a prong thrust movement.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 66 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 2, wherein said lifting handle means is comprised in said manually actuatable lever means and said manually actuatable lever means having a manually actuatable lever with pivotal connection means to said carrier bar, said actuating mechanism comprising a quadrilateral linkage system for converting the relative pivotal movement of said manually actuatable lever to a prong thrust movement.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 58 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 2, said lifting handle means comprising a lever handle (10A) and said actuating mechanism comprising a lever handle having a pivotal connection with said first mentioned lever handle; said lever handles being spaced to be gripped with one hand and squeezed toward each other for actuating said one prong.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 76 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lifting handle means is comprised in said manually actuatable lever means and said manually actuatable lever means having a manually actuated lever with pivotal connection means to said carrier bar; said actuating mechanism comprising a polygonal linkage system carried by said carrier bar and carrying said one prong and converting the relative pivotal movement of said manually actuatable lever to a prong thrust movement.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 6, said polygonal linkage system being a parallelogram linkage system wherein said carrier bar is one link thereof and said one prong is carried by a link parallel thereto and has translational motion relative thereto.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 7, and a tension member (50) connected to said carrier bar spaced from said lifting handle means to assist in lifting a log carried between said prongs by exerting a manual tension force thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 7, said spring means being a tension spring extending across a pair of parallel links of said parallelogram linkage.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 53 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 7, said lifting handle means being extended to integrally form said carrier bar and a bend in said carrier bar to compensate for the translational motion of said one prong so as to closely align the thrust direction thereof with the other said prong.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 10, said spring means being a tension spring extending across a pair of parallel links of said parallelogram linkage.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 178 words

In a log handler having a lifting handle means (10A) and a carrier bar for a prong means comprising a pair of prongs spaced along said carrier bar at least one of which prongs is actuatable to grip a log end; the improvement comprising: an actuating mechanism having a spring means and including manually actuatable lever means at one end of said carrier bar affording a mechanical advantage for actuating said one prong to increase the spacing of said prongs to straddle the ends of a log while stressing said spring means; whereby said prongs grip the ends of a log by force of said spring means upon release of said manually actuatable means wherein said lifting handle means is comprised in said manually actuatable lever means; said manually actuatable lever means having a manually actuatable lever with pivotal connection means to said carrier bar; said actuating mechanism comprising a polygonal linkage system having at least four pivots carrying said one prong and converting the relative pivotal movement of said manually actuatable lever to a prong thrust movement.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 178 words

In a log handler having a lifting handle means (10A) and a carrier bar for a prong means comprising a pair of prongs spaced along said carrier bar at least one of which prongs is actuatable to grip a log end; the improvement comprising: an actuating mechanism having a spring means and including manually actuatable lever means at one end of said carrier bar affording a mechanical advantage for actuating said one prong to increase the spacing of said prongs to straddle the ends of a log while stressing said spring means; whereby said prongs grip the ends of a log by force of said spring means upon release of said manually actuatable means wherein said lifting handle means is comprised in said manually actuatable lever means; said manually actuatable lever means having a manually actuatable lever with pivotal connection means to said carrier bar; said actuating mechanism comprising a polygonal linkage system having at least four pivots carrying said one prong and converting the relative pivotal movement of said manually actuatable lever to a prong thrust movement.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 27 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 12, a second carrier bar carried transversely on said first mentioned carrier bar and carrying said prong means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 12, including a guide link pivoted to said carrier bar and to said manually actuated lever means and being a link of said polygonal linkage system.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 14, said spring means being a tension spring having one end attached to said guide link.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 36 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 14, said lever (40), said handle means (10A), said guide link (42) and said link (35) of said polygonal linkage system forming a second polygonal linkage system.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 14, said polygonal linkage system being a parallelogram linkage wherein said prong (28) of said prong means (20) has translational movement relative to said carrier bar.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 193 words

In a log handler having a lifting handling means (10A) and a carrier bar for a prong means comprising a pair of prongs spaced along said carrier bar at least one of which prongs is actuatable to grip a log end; the improvement comprising: an actuating mechanism having a spring means and including manually actuatable lever means affording a mechanical advantage for actuating said one prong to increase the spacing of said prongs to straddle the ends of a log while stressing said spring means; whereby said prongs grip the ends of a log by force of said spring means upon release of said manually actuatable means including a second carrier bar (60) supported transversely on said first mentioned carrier bar and having a second pair of spaced prongs (75A, 77A) at least one of which is actuatable; a second mechanism carried by said second carrier bar for actuating said one prong and an actuating connection (83) from said second mechanism to said first mentioned mechanism for actuation of said second mechanism thereby wherein said spring means effects the force for gripping a log by the spaced prongs of said second carrier bar.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 193 words

In a log handler having a lifting handling means (10A) and a carrier bar for a prong means comprising a pair of prongs spaced along said carrier bar at least one of which prongs is actuatable to grip a log end; the improvement comprising: an actuating mechanism having a spring means and including manually actuatable lever means affording a mechanical advantage for actuating said one prong to increase the spacing of said prongs to straddle the ends of a log while stressing said spring means; whereby said prongs grip the ends of a log by force of said spring means upon release of said manually actuatable means including a second carrier bar (60) supported transversely on said first mentioned carrier bar and having a second pair of spaced prongs (75A, 77A) at least one of which is actuatable; a second mechanism carried by said second carrier bar for actuating said one prong and an actuating connection (83) from said second mechanism to said first mentioned mechanism for actuation of said second mechanism thereby wherein said spring means effects the force for gripping a log by the spaced prongs of said second carrier bar.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 57 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 18, including means whereby the other of said second pair of prongs is adjustable to initially vary the spacing between said second pair of prongs to approximate the length of a log to be handled prior to actuation of said one prong of said second pair of prongs.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 52 words

In a log handler as set forth in claim 18, including attaching means for optionally attaching and detaching said second carrier bar and said second mechanism and said actuating connection to and from said first mentioned mechanism and means for holding said second carrier bar fixedly transversely to said first carrier bar.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-10-02	1988-04-02	1988-10-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-10-02	1992-04-02	1992-10-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-10-02	1996-04-02	1996-10-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wood stove and fireplace log handler

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