Apparatus and method for measuring chopped wood with series of measurement indicators

{
  "publication_number": "US9329068B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Apparatus and method for measuring chopped wood with series of measurement indicators",
  "abstract": "An apparatus, system, and method for measuring, in accordance with a standard measure, any of a fractional part, whole and multiple of a quantity of chopped wood, such as firewood, for delivery to a customer are provided. The apparatus may be a bucket having one or more markers disposed thereon, using one or more measurement scales adapted to at least one of the bucket size, chopped wood size, and measurement system, where the markers indicate the quantity of chopped wood contained in the bucket. The apparatus may further comprise an attachment section to allow the apparatus to be attached to a vehicle to transport the apparatus. The method may include filling the apparatus to the markers with a plurality of pieces of chopped wood, delivering the chopped wood to a customer, and providing the customer with an assurance that the quantity of chopped wood is accurate.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus comprising: at least a bottom surface, a back surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, wherein each surface is made of a material capable of supporting a stacked quantity of chopped wood; a series of measurement indicators located on at least one of the back surface and the plurality of side surfaces of the apparatus for indicating the quantity of chopped wood stacked within the apparatus, the series of measurement indicators being associated with a nominal length of chopped wood; and a second series of measurement indicators located on at least one of the back surface and the plurality of side surfaces of the apparatus for indicating the quantity of chopped wood stacked within the apparatus, the second series of measurement indicators being associated with a second nominal length of chopped wood; wherein the nominal length of chopped wood and the second nominal length of chopped wood are substantially different nominal lengths; wherein the measurement indicators correspond to discrete fractional intervals of at least ⅛ of a chopped wood cord.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface is sized to accommodate chopped wood of between 12 inches and 24 inches in length.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said series of measurement indicators correspond to a known measurement governed by a weights-and-means authority.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 1, where said series of measurement indicators are equally spaced.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a device to determine the maximum quantity of the chopped wood that may be stacked within the apparatus, given a length of each piece of the chopped wood, where the quantity corresponds to fractions of a cord of chopped wood.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the bottom surface, the back surface, and the plurality of side surfaces comprises a mesh pattern.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a female quick connect enabling connection of said apparatus in a substantially rigid manner to a first vehicle, said female quick connect including one or more arms to provide an angled offset of the female quick connect from said back surface of said apparatus.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said discrete fractional intervals are intervals of ¼ of a chopped wood cord.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said discrete fractional intervals are ⅓ of a chopped wood cord.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said discrete fractional internals are based on measurements of chopped wood with lengths ranging between 12 inches and 24 inches, including at least one series of discrete fractional intervals of ⅛, ⅙, ¼, or ⅓, to provide a substantially accurate measured amount of chopped wood.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said measurement indicators are associated with chopped wood of any one nominal length of 12 inches, 16 inches, and 24 inches.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nominal length is 12 inches and said second nominal length is 16 inches.",
    "13. A method comprising: providing an apparatus comprising: at least a bottom surface, a back surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, wherein each surface is made of a material capable of supporting a stacked quantity of chopped wood; and a series of measurement indicators located on at least one of the surfaces of the apparatus for indicating the quantity of chopped wood stacked within the apparatus, given a length of each piece of the chopped wood, said quantity being measured as fractions of a cord of chopped wood; and stacking the chopped wood in the apparatus until the chopped wood reaches a level that corresponds to a specific quantity as indicated by one of the measurement indicators; wherein the measurement indicators correspond to discrete fractional intervals of at least ⅛ of a chopped wood cord.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing documentation to the customer indicating that the quantity of chopped wood, measured in at least fractions of a cord, delivered to the customer is substantially accurate.",
    "15. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus further comprises an attachment section by which the apparatus containing the quantity of chopped wood is attached to a first vehicle configured to transport the apparatus containing the quantity of chopped wood to a first new location, and to load and unload the quantity of chopped wood.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first new location is a second vehicle configured to transport the quantity of chopped wood to a second new location.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of unloading, by the first vehicle, the quantity of chopped wood from the apparatus onto the second vehicle.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transporting, by the second vehicle, the quantity of chopped wood to the second new location.",
    "19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second new location is a premises of a customer."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe following generally relates to an apparatus, system, and method for more accurately measuring chopped wood, and for subsequently delivering such more accurately measured chopped wood to a customer. More specifically, the following relates to an apparatus, system, and method for measuring, and subsequently delivering, a fractional part, whole and/or multiples of a quantity (e.g., a cord) of chopped wood, such as firewood, in accordance with a standard measure.\n\n2. Description of Related Art\n\nChopped wood, specifically firewood is usually measured, priced by and sold based on a given quantity. In many parts of the United States, the unit used for measuring a quantity of firewood is a cord (or full cord or firewood cord). The wood is typically cut into logs of sizes based on the firewood cord. One firewood cord is equivalent to a wood pile of 4 feet-long logs stacked 8 feet wide and 4 feet high (8′×4′×4′) or 128 cubic feet. Similarly, a one-half firewood cord is equivalent to 64 cubic feet.\n\nIn some areas, a unit called a face cord may also be used rather than a firewood cord. However, the face cord is not a legally defined unit and may vary from one area to another. In Europe and Canada, firewood sales are based on a unit known as a stere. One stere is equivalent to one cubic meter, which is approximately 0.276 cords. In Australia, firewood is sold by the tonne. A tonne is a measurement of weight and not of volume, as with a stere or a firewood cord. The conversion from cord to tonne will depend on the density of the wood, as some woods are heavier than others per unit of volume.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01F 19/00",
    "B65D 2203/00",
    "B65D 90/48",
    "B65G 2203/0241",
    "B65G 3/04",
    "B65G 7/00",
    "F24B 1/199",
    "G01F 22/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65D 90/48",
    "B65G 3/04",
    "B65G 7/00",
    "F24B 1/199",
    "G01F 19/00",
    "G01F 22/00"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Clifford K. Bebout, IV"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-06-18",
  "publication_date": "2016-05-03",
  "grant_date": "2016-05-03",
  "priority_date": "2011-06-18",
  "application_number": "US-201213525429-A",
  "family_id": "47353811",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}