SUNY Canton Alumnus and Powersports Instructor Invents Chainsaw Improvements

Related Media

Neil A. Haney of Chase Mills holds the gerotor oil pump for his home-built firewood processing machine. Haney hopes to patent and market the device over the next year.

CANTON, NY (08/24/2015)(readMedia)-- A SUNY Canton instructional support associate has invented a new and more reliable way to oil the bar and chain on commercial chainsaws.

Neil A. Haney of Chase Mills came up with an idea for improvements while building a homebuilt firewood-processing machine. The college and the SUNY Research Foundation assisted him with filing a provisional application through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

"Neil is one of the very first SUNY Canton faculty members to work toward patenting an invention through the Research Foundation," said SUNY Canton president Zvi Szafran. "His vision and innovation is exactly what we encourage at the college. He's set a wonderful example for our students as future inventors."

Haney said there are currently two other ways of delivering oil to the chainsaw blade, but conventional methods require more maintenance than his solution. "The strength of this design is that you can adjust it to the flow you need and it should be bulletproof for years to come."

His invention utilizes a positive displacement pump or generated rotor, commonly known as a gerotor, to provide the oil necessary to reduce friction and extend the life of the saw's cutting parts.

Haney, who is an alumnus of the Automotive Technology program, has worked with the Powersports Performance and Repair program for 10 years. He devised the gerotor as a solution based on his extensive experience with oil pumps used in all-terrain vehicles.

Many of the parts for his chainsaw and the prototype pump were manufactured in SUNY Canton's Mechanical Engineering Technology lab. Several students have assisted him with the project.

"Neil challenged students to design a bigger and better wood processor," said Michael J. Newtown, dean of the Canino School of Engineering Technology. "Neil had all the concepts and the students really helped him take it to the next level."

The entire firewood-processing machine is operated via a hydraulic system powered by an up-cycled six-cylinder, 90 horsepower diesel engine. It will advance a tree trunk, cut a 16-inch section and then split it into fire-ready logs.

The provisional application establishes a filing date for the invention with the USPTO. Haney now has one year to file a patent application. He will be working with the college to partner with interested entrepreneurs and other industry representatives to produce and market the new technology. Interested parties are encouraged to contact SUNY Canton Grants Coordinator JoAnne Fassinger by phone, (315) 386-7951, or email fassingerj@canton.edu.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses, as well as 10 exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 14 athletic teams compete as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.

-www.canton.edu-