US1760840A - Power rake - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1930.

H. ENARD 1,760,840

POWER RAKE Filed March 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Hluw'Euard flttorw H. ENARD POWER RAKE May 27, 1 930.

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OE PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE POWER RAKE Application filed March 20, 1929. Serial No. 348,636.

Various conveyors and other devices have been constructed or proposed, but sofar as I am advised no really satisfactory means has been produced by which such material can be handled with the desired economy and expem dition. V 1 y There is also in the problem a danger factor, particularly in handling the material in the large piles in which it is usually stacked. These piles are by reason of their instability danger factors for any human being working directly on or around the stack. It is furthermore to be understood that while the individual logs are of no very great weight taken singly, they constitute in a mass not only a very considerable weight, but a very considerable resistance and by reason of their physical characteristics and movements impose an unexpected amount of strain and wear on any apparatus used in handling them. My invention contemplates the handling of large quantities of pulp wood and the like either in stacking or unstacking or in transferring on or over the storage areas and by doing so under a system in which an operator U through power connections is able to manipulate the material from a distance and with great rapidity and low cost.

As illustrative of the embodiment of my invention I have shown in the accompanying 45 drawings a convenient type of apparatus with characteristic features of hookup. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticindication of a q pulp handling area equipped according to v l my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a scraper drag showing the reversible drag teeth. 1

Fig. 3 is a face View of the drag tooth system.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my drag complete. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same.

Referring first to Fig. 1 I have indicated at A what may be considered as a pulp wood storage area which is usually of considerable extent. For the purposes of the present dis.- cussion it maybe considered that this area is not only a storage but a handling and rehandling area and thus involving the great est number of possible combinations of operation that may be required. l

At one side of the area and'preferably on convenient opposed sides are run trackways It on which are movably mounted handling towers T having suitable power equipment for operating ropes L and L. It will be understood that it is not essential in smaller areas to have two movable towers or even to have a tower movable. A'single tower fixed or movable in whole or in part may be used by running the reverse line to a return pulley fixed'to a dead man or like anchorage.

Whatever the immediate plan of the rig may be, my invention conceives of it as able to move in opposite directions and alongv as many lines as possible a pick up drag 10. This apparatus is reversible, that is to say, will operate either side up. This is important because with such material in instable assembly, there is constant tendency to capsize or overturn any apparatus used to operate upon it. Another problem in such an apparatus lies in the fact that it must be operated in opposite'directions with a maximum engaging effect in one and a minimum of resistance in the other. These and other requirements I have met in accordance with my invention as I will now explain by reference to the apparatus illustrated.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 I have indicated at generally the frame of'a reversible drag member the forward end of which is built out as a tapered extension 11 and having a leading shackle 12. for the attachment of the forward drag line L. The forward portion 11 is preferably opened up as at 13 to lighten structure while permitting an adequate length at the prow of the drag for leading and riding purposes.

In the body of the drag I provide another opening 14 in which are pivoted a series of spaced pick up teeth 20. These teeth as may be best understood by l'GflQllCQ to Fig. 2 are somewhat triangular in shape each being pivoted at what may be considered as their apex on amain bearing 21 to ears 22 pro jccting forwardly from the transverse frame at the rear of the opening 1%. The forward face (or triangle base) of each tooth is concaved or curvedas at 20 its face view being best shown in Fig. 3 which also shows the spaced relation of the pick up teeth. The width and spacing of these teeth may be varied according to the nature of the objects being handled and in the case of pulp wood selected as representing the field of most urgent usefulness as discussed herein, this spacing would be about 2 feet with the tooth face preferably about 9 inches in width. This detail of proportion is only offered as illustrative as well adapted to handling 4- foot sticks of pulp wood of average diameter.

' The'forward edges of the tooth 20 are movable through pockets 14 defined by projecting guide members 15 formed on the cross beam "at the forward side of the opening 14.

At its rear the frame 10 "preferably is vertically tapered as at 16 and to it is hinged by any suitable connection, as by clevis 17, a triangular rear extension 18; which iscapable of yielding upwardlyas indicated in Fig.

This portion l8has at its end a linei connection 19 for the attachment of the rearward drag line L Bysuch a riding rear section 18 I am able to relieve the resistanceof the drag member in its rearward or reversed motion. It accomplishes this by yielding or riding upwardly on any log or group of logs which may be in its path as the drag is drawn backward, The result of this feature is a very considerable saving in power without any loss of tractive' efficiency in the connection. of the rear line to the drag body.

Attention has been called to the reversibility'of the teeth 20 inthe drag. This accomplishes two very important results; In the first place, it provides for a maximum depth of tooth contact with the mass operated on, while at the same time automatically withdrawing on reverse motion, and in the second place, avoids top-heaviness in the drag so that there is a minimum tendency of the drag to overturn or capsize and lose its scraping engagement with the wood being handle V i As devices in accordance with my invention are absolutely reversible, this holds true whichever side up the device may be'worling, so that delays are avoided and the apparatus handled without the "necessity of risking accident by sending workmen on drag in case illustrated is one of extreme simplicity, malt- .1ng posslble a very strong and durable construction. Operation on even such short lengths as 4 feet involves a wear and tear on such apparatus far beyond usual expectation. Such an embodiment as is shown can bemade of heavy frame ironsand is preferably decked with boiler plate so that a flat broad drag provided with tapered ends even though of very shallow depth can be made of very great strength.

ID'OPGIZLt-lOIl, as indicated in Fig. 1, the operator stationed above his field of opera tion as in a tower T is able to manipulate such an apparatus over a greatvariety of lines of direction so as to completely cover the operating area in which the wood is to be handled. 1

I I have illustrated in Fig. 1 a pair of similar towers working on parallelor substantially parallel traclrways, but as before suggested one of these towersmight be stationary or instead of being a tower might be simple anchorage for the pulley of the reverse line These towers may be variously rigged and manned, and with electric controls the whole apparatus may be operated by a single operawn The apparatus indicated while simple is of very high efficiency and niakesit possible to handle large amounts of pulp wood or like material with great rapidity and at'very low cost. In addition to tliis,'as stated above, the operations can be carried on with safety to the workmenso that the number of accidents usually incidentto such operations are practically eliminated. It is to be understood that the embodiment shownis offered as generally illustrative and not as detailed or restricted, except as indicated by the claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In a'handling device for pulp wood or the like, a drag frame having a flat face and adapted to be drawn from either end, and a plurality of spaced log engaging members movably mounted in said. frame and each having a claw protrudable upon engagement with a load upon movement in one direction, and recedable upon movement of the drag in the opposite direction.

2. In a handling device for pulp wood or the like, a drag frame having a fiat bearing face adapt-ed to be drawn from'either end, and a plurality of spaced engaging members o ab y mounted n said f ame and eac having a bearing edge, and a claw protrudable upon engagement with a load upon movement in. one direction, and partially recedable upon movement of the drag n the P- posite direction, andmeans for supporting the engaging members in partially receded position to expose the hearing edge beyond the drag face.

3. A log handling device compr1s1ng a drag frame havm o3 osite bearin faces I D Z) and adapted to be drawn from either end,

longitudinally disposed spaced triangular engagin members pivoted at their apices to said frame and having their base ends formed as claw points exposed beyond the faces of the drag, said claws being protrudable upon engagement with the load so as to extend beyond the hearing face when drawn in one direction and recedahle when drawn in the op posite direction.

1-. A log handling device comprising a drag frame having a bearing face and adapted to be drawn from either end, longitudinally disposed spaced triangular engaging members pivoted at their apices to said frame and having their base ends formed as claw points exposed beyond the faces of the drag, said claws being protrudable upon engagement with the load so as to extend beyond the bearing face w 1811 drawn in one direction and partially recedable when drawn in the opposite direction.

5. A log handling device comprising a drag frame having a supporting face and adapted to be drawn from either end, said frame having longitudinal apertures, spaced engaging members pivoted in said apertures at one end and each having a movable end formed as a claw point exposed beyond the drag face, said claws protrudable upon engagement with the load so as to extend beyond the drag face when drawn in one direction and recedalole when drawn in the opposite direction.

6. In a handling device for pulp wood or the like, a drag frame having a tapered leading end, a plurality of laterall spaced teeth having claw faces disposed toward the leading end, a tapered reverse end frame pivoted to the drag frame and disposed opposite to the leading end and adapted to yield when the drag is withdrawn, and means for drawing the drag from either end.

7. In a handling device for pulp wood or the like, a drag frame having a leading end, a'

plurality of laterally spaced teeth. having claw faces disposed toward the leading end, a reverse end frame hinged to the drag frame and disposed opposite to the leading end and adapted to yield when the drag is withdrawn, and means for drawing the drag from either end.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HANS ENARD.

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