It is common practice to arrange vibration-reducing elements on machine tools. Additional developments of known vibration-reducing elements are continuously introduced on the market in order to effectively dampen the vibrations, in particular, of chainsaws which are generated by the high-speed driving motors. The operating personnel are subjected to significant permanent stresses in the form of high-frequency vibrations that are primarily generated by the crank mechanism, as well as low-frequency vibrations generated by the implement (saw chain). This not only significantly impairs the work being performed with the chainsaws, but also results in frequent health problems when the operating personnel are subjected to such vibrations over extended periods of time.
In order to reduce the vibrations of chainsaws, the conventional handles intended for the left hand and the right hand of the operator are mounted on the front and the rear sections of the machine by means of so-called rubber-bonded-to-metal mountings or other vibration-reducing materials. In this known mounting of the handles, an effective reduction of the vibrations can be achieved if the elastic connection between the handle and the machine is sufficiently soft for achieving an adequate reduction of the vibrations generated by the motor within this connection such that they cannot be transmitted onto the handles.
A portable chainsaw is known from publication DE 1 271 370. This chain-saw is provided with two handles that are respectively mounted on the front and the rear sections of the machine by means of vibration-reducing elements. The handles are conventionally connected to one another in a rigid fashion, namely by means of a connection that forms a rigid frame together with the handles, and the vibration-reducing elements are arranged essentially perpendicular to the plane of the chain guide rail on at least three points of the motor unit.
It is also known that the vibration-reducing elements need to be occasionally exchanged. The vibration-reducing elements need to be exchanged for various reasons. For example, the relatively high permanent stresses, to which the vibration-reducing elements are subjected, cause wear such that the element needs to be exchanged in order to preserve the antivibration effect. In addition, the individual preferences of the different users, as well as different attachments with varying rail lengths or with different chain types, may make it necessary to exchange the vibration-reducing elements.
This exchange is very complicated and time-consuming and can frequently only be carried out in a workshop. If it becomes necessary to exchange the elements at the work site, for example, at a logging or construction site, the exchange can sometimes only be realized with special tools, wherein the chainsaw as a whole needs to be disassembled.
In order to ensure a simple exchange of the vibration-reducing elements, publication DE 89 13 638 U1 describes a chainsaw, in which a special moulded part can be separably fixed in a receptacle for the moulded part by means of a screw connection that is accessible from outside the housing.