US1882617A - Exploding wedge - Google Patents

Description

R. B. HUTCHISON EXPLODING WEDGE Filed 03%,... 16, 1929 WW2. z/ g Patented Oct. 11, 1932 STATES crate FATE BOBElB'I' B. HUTCHISON, OF WILKm'SBURG, PENNSYLVANIA mnonme WEDGE Application filed October 16, 1929. Serial No. 400,087.

' This invention relates to means for splitting logs, stumps, and rock formations by means of the explosive force generated by the ignition of explosive material confined within a driven element embedded in the ob-' which it is desired to split.

Objects of the invention are: to provide a driven wedge member adapted to direct the action of an explosive charge for splitting a log or other body of material into which the wedge is driven; to provide an explosive wedge having a driving shank formed as a barrel or charge containing cylinder for explosive material; to provide an exploding wedge having'a charge containing element 29 in, communication with blow-out apertures in the body of the wedge; to provide an exploding wedge having blow-out passages formed therethrough for directing explosive force laterally of the wedge; to provide an exploding wedge having a blunt entrant edge spaced slightly from a blow-out passage formed transversely through the body of the wedge; and generally to provide a novel and so improved construction of exploding wedge.

With these and such other objects in view as will be apparent from the description, the invention residefin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown one practical, physical embodiment of the principlesof my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a wedge con- .w structed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken therethrough.- L

Prior to this invention there have been various devices of this general type, known as blasting wedges, but such devices have been open to grave defects in that due to their construction or configuration, the explosive force generated has been practically entirely lost in each instance through the 0 crack made by the wedge when being driven into a log. Accordingly the wedge functioned merely as a splitting member under manually applied force and not as a splitting member under explosive force. Other defects were apparent in faulty construction whereby the wedge deteriorated under repeated use and so far as I am aware, priorto this invention no successful exgploding Wedge has been produced.

The present invention is designed to overcome the defects of prior devices of this general nature and to provide an efiicient wedge which will operate-with a maximum efliciency under all conditions of service. In detail my improved wedge construction comprises a hollow cylindrical shank or barrel 10 of suitably heavy and durable metal having an integrally closed top end forming a driving head 11 and having its lower end open and internally reamed for a portion of its length to receive in tight fitting engagement the cylindrical neck 12 of a wedge head 13. The neck 12 is reduced with respect to the wedge head and'is provided throughout its length with a longitudinal bore 14 communicating at one end with a chamber 15 formed within the shank 10 for reception of able explosive material, not shown, he diameter of the bore 14 being considerably less than that of the chamber 15, so that the explosive effect is greatly accentuated at the discharge opening 16.

As clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing iii addition to forming a restricted outlet for the barrel 10, the walls of the neck 12 being of substantially the same thickness as the walls of the barrel form a reinforcement for the explosion chamber at the point these parts are engaged.

At the lower end of the passage 14 the body of the wedge head 13 is formed with a transverse blow-out opening 16 which extends entirely through the body of the wedge from side to side as best shown in Figure 2. Immediately adjacent and forwardly of the opening 16, each side face of the wedge body is provided with a holding groove 17 and 18 respectively, which grooves extend downwardly of the wedge in the direction of its bottom or entrant edge 19. This entrant suitedge of the wedge body is made blunt as best shown in Figure 2 and is not formed as a sharpened entrant member, the taper of the wedge being insufiicient to cause splitting by 5 driving force.

The entire wedge structure just described is compact and of a relatively short overall length, the capacity of the chamber 15 being ordinarily such as to hold about two ounces of blasting powder. The shank 10 is formed with a port 20 through which is disposed a fuse 21 whereby the explosive charge within the chamber may be ignite In assembling the device, the neck 12 of the wedge head is forced into the reamed end of the barrel 10 and the parts are then integrally united by building up an annular electric weld 22 around the exterior of the joint at the end of the shank barrel.

Among the advantages of the wedge illustrated and described are: it can be made at low cost; being made in two parts and welded to form an integral wedge; it has no surplus material to add to weight or increase size beyond what is absolutely necessary; there is no possibility of the wedge being blown apart by overloading with explosive; it enables user to split more logs, etc. than possible by present methods or devices" and its compactness and light weight enables shipment by parcel post.

- In operation, the barrel 10 is up ended and the chamber 15 is filled with a desired amount of explosive material by pouring through the bore 14:, the fuse 21 having been aesaeir the blow-out opening 16 acting laterally from oposite sides of the wedge head to split the l0%vry efiectively.

ile I have illustrated and described cer tain details and pecularities of construction entering into this invention, I desire it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, but that any desired changes and modifications may be made in such details as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a barrel closed at one end and open at its opposite end, a neck of a smaller diameter than the barrel fitted in said barrel at its open end providing a restricted outlet for the barrel and also reinforcing the latetr, and a wedge on said neck having means communicated through said outlet with the barrel and adapted to,direct the force of the explosion from the restricted outlet through opposite sides of the wedge.

2. In a device of the character described, a barrel closed at one end and open at its opposite end, a neck of a smaller diameter than the barrel having a tubular-bore and walls of substantially the same thickness as the barrel walls fitted in the barrel at its open end, and a wedge on said neck having means communicating with the bore adapted to direct the force of an explosion through opposite sides of the wedge.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

ROBERT B. HUTCHISON.

positioned prior to this operation. A suit-.'

able wad or packing is placed within the bore 1% as will be understood by all persons familiar with blasting operations, and the wedge head 13 is then ready for embedding in a log to be split. In using the wedge for splitting logs and the like, a heavy mall or sledge may be em loyed against the drive head 11 to force t e wedge head 13 only suficiently tar into the body of the log to cover the blow-out opening 16, the barrel remaining exposed. The wedge should not be driven any further than is necessary to efi'ect a complete coverage of this blow-out opening in the body of the wedge head. By reason of the blunt entrant edge 19, the wedge head 13 will not cause an appreciable split or crack in the body of t e log such as would inevitably occur if the edge 19 were made sharp. As a consequence, the log will not be split by the head of the wedge and therefore the body of the log will bear tightly against both side faces of the wedge head tightly sealing both ends of the blow-out opening 16 and expand around the neck 12 in back of the wedge head as well as into the holding grooves 17 and 18 to hold the head 13 against removal. When the charge is ignited throu h means of the fuse 21, the full explosive orce will be dic5 rected through the reduced passage 14; into

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