EP1177077A1

EP1177077A1 - Wood converting machine comprising a framework and conveying means

Info

Publication number: EP1177077A1
Application number: EP00918905A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Esa Pudas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-04-14
Filing date: 2000-04-12
Publication date: 2002-02-06
Also published as: FI990832A; FI990832A0; WO2000061339A1; AU3968400A

Abstract

The wood working unit comprising a frame (1), at least one machine tool (2, 3) and a conveying equipment (4) for conveying the timber to be worked (5) onto the machine tool and away from it, said conveying equipment comprising a conveyor chain (6) made from stiff loops joined together, which uses at least two chain pulleys (7) and which is able to convey the timber to be worked substantially in a crosswise direction, said conveyor chain comprising tightening elements (8) for tightening the timber to be worked relative to the conveyor chain in which case the tightening elements (8) comprise support flanges (11, 12) placed in two different loops (9, 10) of the conveyor chain (6), which are extended at right angles to the conveyor chain and radial to the chain pulley (7) in which case the support flanges rounding the chain pulley spread at an outward angle relative to each other and parallel on the straight stretch of the conveyor chain, while the timber to be worked is tightened between the support flanges.

Description

WOOD converting machine comprising a framework and conveying means

This invention relates to a wood working unit as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

The wood working unit, according to the in- vention, has been developed for cutting the logs to size and machining the crib grooves and possibly making other holes or forms in the logs. Therefore, in the following section, the invention is described with the aid of timber working, but the invention is not restricted merely to timber working, instead the wood working unit, as described in the invention, may be used for other kind of wood working, e.g. for straight and oblique timber sawing.

In industrial manufacturing of timber houses the manufacturing of timber is carried out in automated production plants. In these plants the logs are conveyed length-wise into the manufacturing area. The logs are stopped at a specific manufacturing unit for sawing, milling, drilling or making the notches. So, having gone through all the phases in the manufacturing area, the timber element is ready to be erected. Although these procedures are fully automated and thereby extremely accurate and work well, the disadvantage associated with them is their inefficiency. Although the log is cut to size with just one crib groove made at both ends, four different working phases and four stops are needed regardless of the log length before the next log may be conveyed into the manufacturing area. The objective of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks described above. One specific objective of the invention is to disclose a new kind of wood working unit, which enables a fast and uninterrupted working of the wood in a most simple way. As for the features characteristic of the invention, reference is made to them in the claims. The wood working unit, according to the invention, is based on the fact that the logs to be worked do not need to be moved and stopped for machining, instead they can be constantly in motion through- out the whole machining process. Another basis for the invention is the fact that the logs to be worked are not moved length-wise during the machining process, but substantially in the crosswise direction, whereupon the logs may be moved relatively close to each other without taking up too much space.

The wood working unit, according to the invention, comprises a frame, at least one machine tool and conveying equipment for conveying the log to be worked onto the machine tool and away from it. The aforementioned conveying equipment comprises a conveyor chain consisting of stiff loops joined together, which uses at least two chain pulleys. In this way, the conveying equipment is able to move the log to be worked substantially in a crosswise direction while the tightening elements of the conveying equipment are tightening the log to be worked relative to the conveyor chain. In accordance with the invention, the tightening elements of the conveyor chain comprise support flanges placed in two different loops of the con- veyor chain, which are extended at right angles to the conveyor chain and radial to the chain pulley. In this way the support flanges rounding the pulley chain spread at an outward angle relative to each other, making it easy to place between them a log to be worked. When the conveyor chain moves on to the straight stretch, the support flanges become parallel and come closer to each other in such a way that the log to be worked is pressed and tightened between them. So, according to the invention, the conveyor chain goes along a substantially straight, preferably a horizontal line throughout the whole machining process. In a preferred case the support flanges are fastened to the two sequential loops of the conveyor chain. However, it is possible to leave one loop space between them, in case the length of the timber to be worked requires it. In any case the support flanges working together have to be placed in different loops, in order to be parted from each other, while rounding the chain pulley, and correspondingly to become parallel and come closer to each other, when the chain straightens. Naturally, in the scope of the idea it is possible that the support flanges would not be straight plates but, e.g. different types of pegs. Accordingly, it is clear that the support flanges may also be curved, e.g. in the cases when the timber to be worked is a round log, whereupon the curvature of the support flanges corresponds to the curvature of the face of the round log .

In a preferred case there are several sequential tightening elements in the conveyor chain, i.e. the conveyor chain is provided with a suitable amount of tightening elements which allow the propping of several logs against it at the same time.

In a preferred case the wood working unit comprises two frames placed at a distance from each other and provided with a conveying equipment and the appropriate machine tools. Moreover, in this case the distance between the frames is adjustable in such a way that one of the frames may be moved relative to the other along suitable rails. Preferably, the conveying equipment of the frames is mechanically joined together with an axis to be able to run them at the same time with the same power unit .

When in this kind of application as machine tools for both frames are used circle trip and milling tool machining the crib grooves, the logs at the one end of the conveying equipment may be put in between the support flanges at intervals of a few seconds, and go through the wood working unit in a crosswise direction coming out of the wood working unit at the other end of the conveying equipment totally finished. In this way, working all the logs of a timber wall of a certain size may happen in a few minutes.

Preferably, a device with two frames as presented above may be provided with supporting and drilling equipment placed above the conveying equipment, whereto the log dropped off the conveying equip- ment is tightened, and a suitable amount of holes are drilled in the log for doweling and electrification.

It is also possible that three or more frames are used for the wood working unit, placed at a distance from each other and provided with appropriate machine tools, whereupon the crib grooves for long logs e.g. are machined not only at the ends, but simultaneously also at the appropriate places in the middle of the log.

The wood working unit, as defined in the in- vention, is associated with remarkable advantages in relation to previously known technology. By using the wood working unit the working of the logs may be carried out as an uninterrupted process, wherein the logs do not need to be moved back and forth or stopped or repeatedly conveyed while working them. Because the logs are constantly in motion throughout the whole process and are moved in a crosswise direction, they move relatively close to each other without taking much space. So, although the logs are moved at a rela- tively gentle speed, the achieved working pace is increased greatly in comparison with the previously known technology.

In the following section, the invention is described by referring to the attached drawings in which

Fig 1 schematically represents the wood working unit as described in the invention. Fig 2 represents the device of figure 1 as seen from one side,

Fig 3 represents a view of the invention and Fig 4 represents a view of figure 3 as viewed from above and shown in a different operating position.

The wood working unit as shown in the drawings comprises two frames the one of which is a fixed one, while the other one may be moved along the rails 19 in such a way that the distance between the frames is adjustable. Both frames are provided with two machine tools, i.e. a circle trip 2 and a milling tool 3. The milling tool 3 comprises a top blade and bottom blade operated by separate power units for machining the timber to be worked at both ends at the same time, if needed.

In addition, the frame is provided with two chain pulleys 7, which are located in the same plane at a distance from each other. One of the chain pulleys is joined to power unit 20, and the conveyor chain 6 consisting of stiff loops 9, 10 joined together, is rounding the chain pulleys. The chain pulley 7 placed near the power unit 20 is joined with a long axis 15 to the corresponding chain pulley of the other frame 1 to be able to rotate them at the same time. In addition, the axis 15 is joined to the chain pulley of the other frame to slide length-wise in it in which case the distance between the frames 1 may easily be adjusted, while the mechanical coupling between the chain pulleys keeps unchangeable. The conveyor chain comprises several tightening elements 8 located at a distance from each other. Each tightening element comprises two support flanges 11 and 12, which are fastened to the adjoining loops 9 and 10 of the conveyor chain. Figure 2 shows that the support flanges 11 and 12 in this case are rectangular plates . Figure 3 shows a more detailed structure of the tightening elements 8. The support flanges 11 and 12 consist of angle irons the bottom flanges 21 of which are joined with supports 22 to the corresponding loops 9 and 10 of the conveyor chain. In addition, the support plates 16 and 17 are joined to the supports 22, which are parallel to the conveyor chain and extend towards each other and which form a bottom and retaining faces to the place between the support flanges 11 and 12 in which case the timber to be worked 5 is propped against the support plates 16 and 17 between the support flanges 11 and 12.

In the area of the machining blades or the working units the device frame comprises a bottom sup- port 13 i.e. a direct slip surface the upper surface of which is in the same plane of the upper surface of the support plates 16 and 17. In addition, there is a top support 14 to be placed above the timber to be worked from above. In this way, the timber to be worked is propped against the support flanges 11 and 12 in the direction of motion of the conveyor chain 6 and in the vertical direction between the bottom support 13 and the top support 14.

Moreover, the wood working unit, as described in the drawings, comprises supporting and drilling equipment 16, which is shown only in figure 1. The supporting and drilling equipment comprises a flat rack 23, pressing element 24 and length-wise of a number of drilling equipment 25 for drilling holes in the timber held on the flat rack by the pressing element. The flat rack 23 may be turned aside and removed in such a way that the processed timber may be dropped on the conveyor 26 beneath for taking away the finished timber. Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the invention, wherein the support flanges 11 and 12 are supported against the support plates 16 and 17 with the aid of the angle controls 18. In other words, the support flanges 11 and 12 may be turned into the wished angle relative to the course of the conveyor chain and locked up in such a way that the timber between them may be moved onto the machine tools in a desired angle .

The wood working unit, as shown in the drawings, works in the following way. When the frames 1 have been adjusted at a suitable distance from each other and the machine tools, i.e. the circle trip 2 and the milling tool 3 are set into operation and the power unit 20 is rotating the conveyor chains of both frames 1 with the aid of the axis 15, the logs may be placed in between the support flanges of the tighten- ing element placed in the beginning of the conveyor chain near the chain pulley 7. The logs are placed on the tightening element in such a way that their both ends face the circle trip blade 2, which is the first machine tool in the process. The logs may be placed length-wise against a suitable support at either end.

When the log 5 is placed between the support flanges 11 and 12, it is lifted upwards with the aid of the chain pulley 7, and the conveyor chain straightens up when leaving the chain pulley. At the same time the support flanges of the two sequential loops of the conveyor chain become parallel and come closer to each other pressing the log 5 tight between them. In the conveying process the circle trip 2 at both ends planes the ends and cuts the log to size. In the next phase the log faces the blades of the milling tool 3, which machine the crib grooves at the upper and the bottom faces of the log. While the log is moving further in the process, the conveyor chain is starting to curl around the other chain pulley 7, whereupon the support flanges part from each other and loosen their grip of the log 5. In this way, the log 5 may drop on flat rack 23 of the supporting and drill- ing equipment 16. At the same time the pressing element 24 of the flat rack holds tight the log and a number of drilling equipment placed at a suitable distance from each other drills different sizes of holes in the log, according to practical need. After this, the pressing element 24 lets the log loose and the flat rack 23 drops the log on the conveyor 26 beneath, which takes the log away from the wood working unit length-wise . As the conveyor chain 6 of the wood working unit comprises several tightening elements 8, the logs may be put as an uninterrupted stream in between the support flanges 11 and 12, which are placed near the chain pulley 7 and available for use at any phase of the process. In this way, the logs may be worked as a constant, uninterrupted process at a high speed.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described by way of example with reference to the attached drawing while many variations of the invention are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the claims.

Claims

1. The wood working unit comprising a frame (1) , at least one machine tool (2, 3) and a conveying equipment (4) for conveying the timber to be worked (5) onto the machine tool and away from it, said conveying equipment comprising a conveyor chain (6) made from stiff loops joined together, which uses at least two chain pulleys (7) and which is able to convey the timber to be worked substantially in a crosswise di- rection, said conveyor chain comprising a tightening element (8) for tightening the timber to be worked relative to the conveyor chain, characteri s ed in that the tightening element (8) comprises support flanges (11, 12) placed in the two different loops (9, 10) of the conveyor chain (6) , which are extended at right angles to the conveyor chain and radial to the chain pulley (7) in which case the support flanges rounding the chain pulley spread at an outward angle relative to each other and parallel on the straight stretch of the conveyor chain, while the timber to be worked is tightened between the support flanges.

2. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 1, characteri s ed in that the support flanges (11, 12) are fastened to the two sequential loops (9, 10) of the conveyor chain (6)

3. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 1, characteri s ed in that the conveyor chain (6) comprises several sequential tightening elements (8) .

4. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 1, characteri s ed in that to the two sequential loops (9, 10) between the support flanges ( 11, 12) are fastened supporting plates (16, 17) by which the timber to be worked (5) is supported, though not having a direct contact with the conveyor chain loops .

5. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 1, characteri s ed in that the tightening element (8) comprises angle control (18) for turning the sup- port flanges (11, 12) along with the timber to be worked into the angle of bevel relative to the direction of motion of the conveyor chain (6) .

6. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 1, charac t eri s ed in that in the vicinity of the conveyor chain (6) and the machine tool (2, 3) there are a bottom support (13) and a top support (14) sliding between of which and supported by the tightening elements (8) the timber is worked.

7. Wood working unit, as defined in one of the claims 1 - 6, charact eri s ed in that the wood working unit comprises two frames (1) , which are placed at a distance from each other and the distance between of which is adjustable and which are provided with a machine tool (2, 3) and a conveying equipment (4).

8. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 7, characteri sed in that the conveying equipment (4) of the frames (1) is joined together with an axis (15) to be able to run them at the same time with the same power unit.

9. Wood working unit, as defined in claim 7 or 8, charac t eri s ed in that above the conveying equipment (4) there is a supporting and drilling equipment (16) placed in the frame (1) in line with the con- veying direction of the timber to be worked (5) for holding on the timber to be worked and drilling the holes in it .

10. Wood working unit, as defined in one of the claims 1 - 9, characteri sed in that planed or round logs are used as the timber to be worked (5) in which case the machine tools to be used are the circle trip (2) cutting the log to size and the milling tool (3) machining the crib grooves.