CA2057497A1 - Apparatus for separating logs - Google Patents
Apparatus for separating logsInfo
- Publication number
- CA2057497A1 CA2057497A1 CA 2057497 CA2057497A CA2057497A1 CA 2057497 A1 CA2057497 A1 CA 2057497A1 CA 2057497 CA2057497 CA 2057497 CA 2057497 A CA2057497 A CA 2057497A CA 2057497 A1 CA2057497 A1 CA 2057497A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- logs
- flights
- travel
- drop
- pick
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Landscapes
- Chain Conveyers (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Apparatus for separating logs has a plurality of flights for raising logs a drive transmission for moving the flights with the logs thereon along predetermined path of travel extending upwardly from a first position to a second position, and a guide extending along the path of travel for deflecting excess logs from the flights during the travel of the logs from the first position to the second position.
The guide and the flights are dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on the flights by the guide that only single logs arrive in succession at the second position.
Apparatus for separating logs has a plurality of flights for raising logs a drive transmission for moving the flights with the logs thereon along predetermined path of travel extending upwardly from a first position to a second position, and a guide extending along the path of travel for deflecting excess logs from the flights during the travel of the logs from the first position to the second position.
The guide and the flights are dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on the flights by the guide that only single logs arrive in succession at the second position.
Description
2 ~ ~ 7 ~ 9 r~
23PlCA
The present invention relates to apparatus for separating logs from one another so that the logs arrive one at a time at a predetermined position.
Prior art log unscramblers have drive chains which drive flights in succession around an endless path so that the flights engage beneath the logs and raise them from, for example, an infeed deck to an outfeed device or other drop-off point.
These prior art log unscramblers were provided with chainways eor the 10 drive chains and the chainways were s-traight from a head shaft to tail idlers.
Because of this, and also because the flights were of small dimensions and driven rapidly to pull the logs from the infeed deck, it often happened that only one end of a log was raised by a flight, thus causing the log to stand on end. It was therefore necessary for a person to move and thus free the jamrned log 15 manually.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved log separating apparatus which separates logs more reliably than was possible with the above-described prior art apparatus.
According to the present inYention, apparatus for separating logs which has 20 flights for raising logs on the flights from a pick-up position to a discharge position, and endless drive chaills for moving the flights with the logs thereonalong a predeterrnined path of travel from the pick-up position to the drop-off position.
The present apparatus is also provided with log deflector guides extending 25 along the path of ~ravel adjacent the flights. The log deflector guides serve to deflect excess logs from the flights during the travel of the logs from the pick-up position to the drop-off position.
For that purpose, the log deflee~or guides and the flights are dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on the flights by the log deflector guides that 30 only single logs arrive in succession at the drop-off position.
Thus, the logs can be more securely separated from one another, and with less risk of the logs being incorrectly picked up and jarnming, than was the case with the prior art log unscrambler referred to above.
~7~
Preferably, the log deflector guides have curved guide edges for engaging the logs. The curved guide edges extend progressively further, -towards free extrmities of the flights, along the path of trvel of the flights from the pick-up position to the drop-off position so as to displace the logs correspondingly further 5 on the flights as the logs travel towards the drop-off position.
The driv~ chains run in chainways which are curved convexly, towards the path of travel of the logs, between the pick-up position and the drop-off position.
Further objects, features ancl advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following 10description of the invention when tal~en in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a view in front elevation of a log unscrambler apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a view in side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1;
15Figure 3 shows a view taken in cross-section along the line 3 - 3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a part of Figure 3 on a greater scale; and Figure 5 shows a view in end elevation of one of the flights of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2, with part of a drive chain.
20As shown in the accompanying drawings, the log unscrambler apparatus according to the present invention has a number of hori~ontally extending rows of flights 10 arranged in succession, with three of the flights 10 in each horizontal row in the present embodiment of the invention.
The flights 10 are each secured at one extremity thereof to endless drive 25chains 12, of which only one is illustrated.
It is to be understood that the number of flights 10 in each horizontal row can be decreased or increased, as required, to enable the unsccrambler to handlelogs of greater length. Thus, if the chains are spaced at intervals of 4 feet, then each such horizontal row may have only two flights 10 for handling logs which are 30 eight feet long, three flights for handling logs which are twelve feet long, four flights 10 for handling logs whi~ are sixteen feet long, and so on.
The endless drive chains extend around sprockets 14~ of which only one is 2~7J~
23PlCA
The present invention relates to apparatus for separating logs from one another so that the logs arrive one at a time at a predetermined position.
Prior art log unscramblers have drive chains which drive flights in succession around an endless path so that the flights engage beneath the logs and raise them from, for example, an infeed deck to an outfeed device or other drop-off point.
These prior art log unscramblers were provided with chainways eor the 10 drive chains and the chainways were s-traight from a head shaft to tail idlers.
Because of this, and also because the flights were of small dimensions and driven rapidly to pull the logs from the infeed deck, it often happened that only one end of a log was raised by a flight, thus causing the log to stand on end. It was therefore necessary for a person to move and thus free the jamrned log 15 manually.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved log separating apparatus which separates logs more reliably than was possible with the above-described prior art apparatus.
According to the present inYention, apparatus for separating logs which has 20 flights for raising logs on the flights from a pick-up position to a discharge position, and endless drive chaills for moving the flights with the logs thereonalong a predeterrnined path of travel from the pick-up position to the drop-off position.
The present apparatus is also provided with log deflector guides extending 25 along the path of ~ravel adjacent the flights. The log deflector guides serve to deflect excess logs from the flights during the travel of the logs from the pick-up position to the drop-off position.
For that purpose, the log deflee~or guides and the flights are dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on the flights by the log deflector guides that 30 only single logs arrive in succession at the drop-off position.
Thus, the logs can be more securely separated from one another, and with less risk of the logs being incorrectly picked up and jarnming, than was the case with the prior art log unscrambler referred to above.
~7~
Preferably, the log deflector guides have curved guide edges for engaging the logs. The curved guide edges extend progressively further, -towards free extrmities of the flights, along the path of trvel of the flights from the pick-up position to the drop-off position so as to displace the logs correspondingly further 5 on the flights as the logs travel towards the drop-off position.
The driv~ chains run in chainways which are curved convexly, towards the path of travel of the logs, between the pick-up position and the drop-off position.
Further objects, features ancl advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following 10description of the invention when tal~en in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a view in front elevation of a log unscrambler apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a view in side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1;
15Figure 3 shows a view taken in cross-section along the line 3 - 3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a part of Figure 3 on a greater scale; and Figure 5 shows a view in end elevation of one of the flights of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2, with part of a drive chain.
20As shown in the accompanying drawings, the log unscrambler apparatus according to the present invention has a number of hori~ontally extending rows of flights 10 arranged in succession, with three of the flights 10 in each horizontal row in the present embodiment of the invention.
The flights 10 are each secured at one extremity thereof to endless drive 25chains 12, of which only one is illustrated.
It is to be understood that the number of flights 10 in each horizontal row can be decreased or increased, as required, to enable the unsccrambler to handlelogs of greater length. Thus, if the chains are spaced at intervals of 4 feet, then each such horizontal row may have only two flights 10 for handling logs which are 30 eight feet long, three flights for handling logs which are twelve feet long, four flights 10 for handling logs whi~ are sixteen feet long, and so on.
The endless drive chains extend around sprockets 14~ of which only one is 2~7J~
shown, on a drive shaft 16 and around tail idler sprockets 18, of which only oneis shown, on a shaft 20.
The shaft 16 is located close to a pick-up position, indicated generally by reference numeral 21, in which a log L1 is shown in Figure 2. Parallel log guides S 22 form an infeed deck, indicated generally by reference numeral 24, which is downwardly inclined towards the pick-up position 21 for guiding logs to the flights 10.
The upper shaft 20 is adjacent a drop-off position, indicated generally by reference numeral 26, at which logs raised by the flights 10 are discharged onto10 outfeed guicle ba~s 28 ~xtending downwardly and rearwardly from the drop-off position 26.
Between the pick-up position 21 and the drop-off position 26, the drive chains 12 are gu;ded in chainways 30. A~s can be seen in Figure 2, the chainways30 are convexly curved to~ards the path of travel of the logs from the pick-up 15 position 21 to the drop-off position 26.
Also, log deI1ector guide plates 32 are provided for deflecting the logs on the flights 10 towards outer free ex~remities 34 of the flights 10 as the logs are raised by the flights 10 from the pick-up position 21 towards the drop-off position.
The log deflector guide plates 32 are parallel to one another and extend 20 vertically along opposite sides of the path of travel of the flights 10. Curved outer guide edges 36 on the log deflector guide plates 32 extend progressively furthertowards the free extremities 34 of the fligh$s 10, along the path of travel of the ~ights 10, so that the logs are correspondingly progressively pushed further andfurther towards the flight extremities 34 as the logs travel towards the drop-off 25 position 26.
Figures 3 aIId 4 show the construction of the chainways 30 in greater detail and, more particularly, show that the chainways 30 are formed as U-shaped metal channels, which are mounted on square-section tubes 36 and provided with wear plates 38 on which the chains 12 run. Deck plates 40 extend between the pair of 30 the tubes 36 associated with each flight.
As shown in Figure 5, which shows an end view of one of the flights 10 and a portion of one of the chains 12, in a direction transverse to the chain 12, the ~7~9~
The shaft 16 is located close to a pick-up position, indicated generally by reference numeral 21, in which a log L1 is shown in Figure 2. Parallel log guides S 22 form an infeed deck, indicated generally by reference numeral 24, which is downwardly inclined towards the pick-up position 21 for guiding logs to the flights 10.
The upper shaft 20 is adjacent a drop-off position, indicated generally by reference numeral 26, at which logs raised by the flights 10 are discharged onto10 outfeed guicle ba~s 28 ~xtending downwardly and rearwardly from the drop-off position 26.
Between the pick-up position 21 and the drop-off position 26, the drive chains 12 are gu;ded in chainways 30. A~s can be seen in Figure 2, the chainways30 are convexly curved to~ards the path of travel of the logs from the pick-up 15 position 21 to the drop-off position 26.
Also, log deI1ector guide plates 32 are provided for deflecting the logs on the flights 10 towards outer free ex~remities 34 of the flights 10 as the logs are raised by the flights 10 from the pick-up position 21 towards the drop-off position.
The log deflector guide plates 32 are parallel to one another and extend 20 vertically along opposite sides of the path of travel of the flights 10. Curved outer guide edges 36 on the log deflector guide plates 32 extend progressively furthertowards the free extremities 34 of the fligh$s 10, along the path of travel of the ~ights 10, so that the logs are correspondingly progressively pushed further andfurther towards the flight extremities 34 as the logs travel towards the drop-off 25 position 26.
Figures 3 aIId 4 show the construction of the chainways 30 in greater detail and, more particularly, show that the chainways 30 are formed as U-shaped metal channels, which are mounted on square-section tubes 36 and provided with wear plates 38 on which the chains 12 run. Deck plates 40 extend between the pair of 30 the tubes 36 associated with each flight.
As shown in Figure 5, which shows an end view of one of the flights 10 and a portion of one of the chains 12, in a direction transverse to the chain 12, the ~7~9~
flight 10 is con of conventional shape but is formed of two plates 42a and 42b meeting at a shallow angle a SO as to cradle the logs. The plates 42a and 42b are supported on a pair of brackets, oE which only one is shown and is inclicated byreference numeral 44. These bracket are spaced apart from one another along the S flight 10 and1 as can be seen in F;gure 5, the illustrated bracket 44 is secured by a welding 46 to one of the links 48 of the chain 12 but not to the two adjacent links 48a and 48b, although it extends past the link 48a.
As shown irl Figure 2, a log L2 which has been raised approximately halfw~y f~o`m the pick-up position 21 to the drop-off position 26 has been pushed, 10 by the outer guide edges 36 of the log deflector guide plates 32, towards the flight extremities 34 to such an extent that the log L2 is just able to rernain on the flights 10. As will be apparent, if the log L~ were pushed a little further on its flights, it would topple under gravity from the flights.
The log deflector guide plates 34 and the flights 10 are so dimensioned 15 that single logs are in fact able to remain on the flights 10 until they reach the drop-off pOil1t 26 and are then discharged onto the outfeed guide bars 28.
However, only one log can remain on each hvrizontal row of flights 10 and excesslogs are dropped from the fligh$s so as to fall back to the pick-up position 21 or at least onto o~her logs in that position, instead of being carried upwardly to the 20 drop-off position.
In this way it is ensured that only single logs are discharged in succession at the drop-off position 26.
More particularly, the chainways 30 are cllrved and inclined so that the bottom portion of eash chainway 30 is nearly vertical at the pick-up point. The 2S flights 10 are dimensioned in accordance with the largest diameter of log which is to be picked up by the flights. For example, if the largest such log is to have a diameter of twen~-four inches, the flights 10 are dimensioned so that the extrernities 34 project twelve inches from the chainways at the pick-up point. The logs directly behind the log adjacent the chainways 30 will hold the latter log on 30 the flights 10 until it has been lifted a short distance. The log thus lifted now becomes freed of the other logs and, as a consequence of the curvature of the chainways 30, the centre of gravity of this log moves inwardly of the flights as the 71~7 log is advanced along the curved cha;nways 30, and the log becomes firrmly nested in the flights lO. The flights 10 project sufficiently to pick up several smaller logs.
The deflector plates 32 now come into play and allow only one log to advance.
Photoelectric sensors P1 through P4, shown in Figure 1, are used to control 5 the operation of the above-described mechanism.
The sensor P1, when blocked by a log, stops the infeed transfer of logs when the logs have spilled onto the pick-up area 21. When the sensor P2 is blocked, the advance of the drive chains 12 is initiated, and this advance continues until sensor P3 is blocked.
The sensor P4 is located at the outfeed skids, or any outfeed conveyor provided instead of the outfeed skids. When P4 is unblocked, it initiates driving of the chains 1~ to advance a log from the location of the sensor P3, i.e. a location near the top of the unscrambler. When the log thus advanced blocks sensor P4, the latter initiates stoppage of the chains 12.
If P3 remains unblocked, indicating that no log is present at the sensor P3, the chains 12 are driven until a log blocks the sensor P3 and is thus available to be advanced to the sensor P4.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various modifications of the present invention may be made within the scope of the invention as defined 20 in the appended claims.
As shown irl Figure 2, a log L2 which has been raised approximately halfw~y f~o`m the pick-up position 21 to the drop-off position 26 has been pushed, 10 by the outer guide edges 36 of the log deflector guide plates 32, towards the flight extremities 34 to such an extent that the log L2 is just able to rernain on the flights 10. As will be apparent, if the log L~ were pushed a little further on its flights, it would topple under gravity from the flights.
The log deflector guide plates 34 and the flights 10 are so dimensioned 15 that single logs are in fact able to remain on the flights 10 until they reach the drop-off pOil1t 26 and are then discharged onto the outfeed guide bars 28.
However, only one log can remain on each hvrizontal row of flights 10 and excesslogs are dropped from the fligh$s so as to fall back to the pick-up position 21 or at least onto o~her logs in that position, instead of being carried upwardly to the 20 drop-off position.
In this way it is ensured that only single logs are discharged in succession at the drop-off position 26.
More particularly, the chainways 30 are cllrved and inclined so that the bottom portion of eash chainway 30 is nearly vertical at the pick-up point. The 2S flights 10 are dimensioned in accordance with the largest diameter of log which is to be picked up by the flights. For example, if the largest such log is to have a diameter of twen~-four inches, the flights 10 are dimensioned so that the extrernities 34 project twelve inches from the chainways at the pick-up point. The logs directly behind the log adjacent the chainways 30 will hold the latter log on 30 the flights 10 until it has been lifted a short distance. The log thus lifted now becomes freed of the other logs and, as a consequence of the curvature of the chainways 30, the centre of gravity of this log moves inwardly of the flights as the 71~7 log is advanced along the curved cha;nways 30, and the log becomes firrmly nested in the flights lO. The flights 10 project sufficiently to pick up several smaller logs.
The deflector plates 32 now come into play and allow only one log to advance.
Photoelectric sensors P1 through P4, shown in Figure 1, are used to control 5 the operation of the above-described mechanism.
The sensor P1, when blocked by a log, stops the infeed transfer of logs when the logs have spilled onto the pick-up area 21. When the sensor P2 is blocked, the advance of the drive chains 12 is initiated, and this advance continues until sensor P3 is blocked.
The sensor P4 is located at the outfeed skids, or any outfeed conveyor provided instead of the outfeed skids. When P4 is unblocked, it initiates driving of the chains 1~ to advance a log from the location of the sensor P3, i.e. a location near the top of the unscrambler. When the log thus advanced blocks sensor P4, the latter initiates stoppage of the chains 12.
If P3 remains unblocked, indicating that no log is present at the sensor P3, the chains 12 are driven until a log blocks the sensor P3 and is thus available to be advanced to the sensor P4.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various modifications of the present invention may be made within the scope of the invention as defined 20 in the appended claims.
Claims (7)
1. Apparatus for separating logs, comprising:
a plurality of flights for raising logs;
drive means for moving said flights with the logs thereon along predetermined path of travel extending upwardly from a first position to a second position; and guide means extending along the path of travel for deflecting excess logs from said flights during the travel of the logs from the first position to the second position;
said guide means and said flights being dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on said flights by said guide means that only single logs arrive insuccession at the second position.
a plurality of flights for raising logs;
drive means for moving said flights with the logs thereon along predetermined path of travel extending upwardly from a first position to a second position; and guide means extending along the path of travel for deflecting excess logs from said flights during the travel of the logs from the first position to the second position;
said guide means and said flights being dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on said flights by said guide means that only single logs arrive insuccession at the second position.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including means for guiding said flights along a convex path between the first position and the second position.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide means have a curved shape for displacing said progressively towards free extremities of said flights as said flights and said logs move upwardly towards the second position.
4. Apparatus for separating logs, comprising:
horizontal rows of flights for raising logs on the said flights from a pick position to a discharge position;
endless drive chains for moving said flights with the logs thereon along a predetermined path of travel from the pick-up position to the drop-off position;and log deflector guides extending along the path of travel adjacent said flights for deflecting excess logs from said flights during the travel of the logs from the pick-up position to the drop-off position;
said log deflector guides and said flights being dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on said flights by said log deflector guides that only single logs arrive in succession at the drop-off position.
horizontal rows of flights for raising logs on the said flights from a pick position to a discharge position;
endless drive chains for moving said flights with the logs thereon along a predetermined path of travel from the pick-up position to the drop-off position;and log deflector guides extending along the path of travel adjacent said flights for deflecting excess logs from said flights during the travel of the logs from the pick-up position to the drop-off position;
said log deflector guides and said flights being dimensioned so that excess logs are so displaced on said flights by said log deflector guides that only single logs arrive in succession at the drop-off position.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said log deflector guides have curved guide edges for engaging the logs and said curved guide edges extend progressively further, towards free extremeties of said flights, from the pick-up position to the drop-off position so as to displace the logs progressively further on said flights as the logs travel towards the drop-off position.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising chain guide means for guiding the travel of said drive chains, said chain drive means being curved convexly, towards the path of travel of the logs, between the pick-up position and the drop-off position.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising chain guide means for guiding the travel of said drive chains, said chain drive means being curved convexly, towards the path of travel of the logs, between the pick-up position and the drop-off position.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US78759991A | 1991-11-11 | 1991-11-11 | |
| US07/787,599 | 1991-11-11 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2057497A1 true CA2057497A1 (en) | 1993-05-12 |
Family
ID=25141992
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2057497 Abandoned CA2057497A1 (en) | 1991-11-11 | 1991-12-12 | Apparatus for separating logs |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2057497A1 (en) |
-
1991
- 1991-12-12 CA CA 2057497 patent/CA2057497A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |