US2655186A

US2655186A - Power-operated log turner with fulcrum stop

Info

Publication number: US2655186A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dow C Richardson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-04-12
Filing date: 1951-04-12
Publication date: 1953-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1970-10-13

Description

Oct. 13, 1953 D- C. RICHARDSON POWER-OPERATED LOG TURNER WITH FULCRUM STOP Filed April 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5m 3 M w hr 1 If. A Q u I a m m a 9 m a m a W.. W m M m. w fi u. d W90 lflwfiwlwl I II I (x/ W T, Y Q- M\ l V f H I ,l n H v Q M u v A D- C. RICHARDSON POWER-OPERATED LOG TURNER WITH FULCRUM STOP Filed April 12, 1951 Oct. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 as M 33 FIG.6.

H3. INVENTOR. DOW C. RICHARDSON 7 III Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER-OPERATED LOG TURNER WITH FULCRUM STOP This invention relates to a power operated log turner, and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 148,794, filed March 10, 1950.

The present log turner is generally similar to that disclosed in my earlier application but is of a more simple construction and develops more power than the earlier turner.

The unit comprises a supporting frame, a nigger bar movable vertically and oscillatively respecting the frame, a stop carried by the nigger bar for limiting the upward vertical movement of the bar and functioning as a fulcrum point for the bar, a cylinder operatively connected with the frame and the nigger bar, means to admit a medium into the cylinder for actuating the piston therein, and means to removably secure the teeth to the bar for repair or replacement purposes.

By virtue of the power unit, it is possible to load the log from the skid or deck onto the carriage, turn the log to any desired position on the carriage to hold the log in proper place for dogging, to move the log back to the blocks, and also shove the blocks rearwardly, and place the log in proper saw line to make the next cut.

The advantages flowing from the use of the turner are the low operating and maintenance cost, the simplicity of installation in all types of mills, either stationary or portable, the time and labor saved in working on the logs, and the fact that it can be efiiciently operated by unskilled personnel.

While the turner is preferably operated hydraulically by employing oil as a fluid, the unit may employ either steam or air, but in such situation, the size of the valves and cylinder will have to be adapted to meet the specific pressure used. Oil is more desirable since it is cheaper and can be employed under more varying operating conditions than with any type of power and, in addition, provides more positive action and presents no problems from the freezing point of view.

The various objects and additional advantages of the inventive concept will be hereinafter more fully apparent, and the log turner consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be later more completely enumerated and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings form- 'ing part of this application wherein like characters denote corresponding partsin the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the turner in its forward position beneath the skid and its relation to the log carriage.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, showing the turner in its position under the skid.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the turner, partly broken away, the nigger bar and cylinder being shown in their forward position in full lines and in their back position in broken lines with the toe of the stop in contact with the limit plate on the frame.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, the view looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 but being on a somewhat larger scale.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the turner shown in Figure 3, the broken line positions being omitted, and r I Figure '7 is a sectional view taken along the line 'l! of Figure 3, the view looking in the direction of the arrows and being on a somewhat larger scale. Y

Referring to the invention generally, there is shown in Figure 1, a log carriage I0 of any suitable type moving along rails ll, floor I2 of the saw mill, a well or pit I3 disposed below the mill floor and in proximity to the carriage track, and log turner Ill disposed within the well or pit I 3. While I have shown the log turner being used with a ground hog" type of mill, it is, of course, to be understood that it can be used with any type of fixed or portable mill, and in these latter situations, it is not necessary to locate the turner within a pit or the like except in situations where the clearance between the floor of the mill and the ground level is not sufficient to accommodate the turner.

The turner It includes a pair of spaced apart channel-bars l5 disposed with the flanges thereof facing each other, the lower ends of the channel bars being welded or otherwise attached to a base plate l6. A third channel bar I1 is similarly afflxed to the opposite end of the base plate and extends upwardly therefrom at an angle, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The upper ends of the respective channel bars are secured to spaced angle irons I8 and one end of each of the angle irons is attached in any convenient manner to a laterally extending angle iron l9. The opposite ends of the angle irons ID are welded or brazed to a plate 20, and a stop plate 2| is secured to the flanges of the channel bars immediately below the plate 20.

Hence, it can be seen that an elongated vertical slot is provided between the channel bars, and a horizontally disposed slot is defined by the angle irons and the plate 20.

The nigger bar includes a pair Of spaced parallel plates 22 and the lower ends of the plates are anchored to a base 23, and the overall width of the bar' is slightly less than the width of the vertical slot defined by the flanges of the channel bars. A fulcrum plate 24 is sa cured to the lower flat face of the base 23 by a bolt 25 tapped into an opening in the plate 24. As perhaps best shown in Figure 5, the perimeter of the fulcrum plate conforms to theconflguration of the channel bars and is spaced slightly inwardly of the inner face of the channel bars.'

The bottom edge of the forward end of the plate 24 is chamfered as shown at 26, while the top edge of the rear end is chamfered as at 21 for clearance purposes, and, of course, the plate serves to prevent the nigger bar from leaving the frame and guiding the bar properly along the channel bars.

A resilient bumper or pad 28 is applied to the lower face of the plate 24 and is secured to the plate by a pair of bolts 29. The bumper, of course, will absorb the shock imparted to thebar when it hits the base plate It, as will later be more fully described.

Of course the upper ends of the plates 22 are suitably secured and a plurality of teeth 38 are pivoted intermediate the plates 22, as shown at 3|. Pins 32 extend laterally of the bar at points below the pivots 3| in proximity to the front edge of the plates to limit the downward pivotal movement of the teeth 30. Inorder to permit each tooth 31] to be readily removed for either sharpening, repair or replacement, it will be noted that each pivot pin 3| and that area of the bar 22 in proximity to the opening in the bar for receiving the pin is formed with a tapped opening 33. A screw 34 is threaded into the opening 33 which, of course, locks each end of the pivot pin to each plate 22. To replace the pin 31 and its tooth, it is merely necessary to remove the two screws 34 whereupon the pin and tooth are withdrawn from the bar.

A stop 35 is welded to the inner faces of the plates 22 a short distance above the base 23, and the forward end of the stop projects forwardly through the vertical slot a short distance beyond the channel bars, as clearly shown in Figure 3'. This stop will limit the upward movement of the nigger bar by striking the plate 2! and will also function as a fulcrum point in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. In order to minimize shock when the bar is in the back position, a rubber pad 35 is attached by bolts or the like to the vertical flange of the angle iron l9.

To impart the necessary movement to the nigger bar,v a cylinder 31 is pivotedto a pair of cars or lugs 38 carried by the base plate l-6-. The upper end, of the cylinder is provided with a packing gland 39 of conventional type, and piston rod 40' carrying piston 41. is pivoted to cars ll extending rearwardly from the plates 22 at a point adjacent the upper ends of the plates. The lower end of the cylinder is provided with

spaced ports

43 and 44, the port 43 being connected with port 45 in proximity to the upper end of the cylinder through a conduit 45. The ports 43 and lead toa four way valve (not 4 shown) through ducts 41 and 48 Oil or other fluid is supplied to the conduits from any suitable supply source and the four-way valve may be controlled by any suitable means such as that shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 148,794.

While the operation of the turner i generally similar to that shown in application Serial No. 148,794, the present turner is of simpler construction and develops considerably more power which is due to the stop 35 and the manner in which the stop cooperates with the frame. Also, the location of the pivot point of the cylinder 3-1 to the base plate iii of the frame and the connection of the piston rod to the nigger bar provides for proper balance of the moving parts in order to provide an emciently operative mechanism. It will be appreciated that when the nigger bar is within the frame, and assuming it to be in the forward position, manipulation of the control member for the four-way valve to admit fluid into the lower end of the cylinder will raise the bar upwardly respecting the frame to permit a log on the carriage to be turned by the teeth of the bar. The bar can be held at any desired position by the operator. When fluid is admitted into the upper end of the cylinder, the bar can be pulled to its back position in proximity to the channel bar H, at which time the upper end of the bar will be below the deck or skid shown in the broken lines in Figure l and can be oscillated or moved forwardly by the operator to roll. or move the log from the deck onto the carriage. The stop 35 functions in effect as a changeable fulcrum and the higher the nigger bar is raised, the greater the leverage against the log as thrust to turn or hold the log on the carriage is effected. It is believed that the broken line position shown in Figure 3 serves to illustrate the proposition and, in addition tothis function, the stop 35 will also limit the upward vertical movement of the bar when the-stop engages the plate 2|. When the bar has been manipulated to move the log onto the carriage III, the additiona1 force or power which is developed is utilized to shove the blocks on the carriage rearwardly, h

The bottom end of the bar has a sliding motion, which is a fulcrum, allowing the bar to oscillate in and out as the log rolls over, applying pressure as log rolls back against head blocks, also holding log in proper place for dogging, and stopping log at proper place for next cut. Hence, it is possible for one cylinder to carry out the motion necessaryrto handle logs properly.

It is believed obvious from the foregoing that the hydraulically operated unit quickly and effectively loads the log onto the carriage, turns the log to the proper position for dogging, holds the log and can move the log back to the blocks, as well as driving the blocks rear-wardly, and place the log in theproper saw line for the next cut.

This invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing inthe drawing, but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure fromthe salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apower operated log turner for sawmills comprisin a frame fixedly secured to the sawmill floor and extending downwardly from the floor, a nigger bar having pivoted teeth slidably and oscillatably mounted to the frame, a power cylinder pivotally connected to the frame in spaced relation to the bar, a pivotal connection between the piston rod of the cylinder and the nigger bar in proximity to the upper end of the nigger bar, valve means to control the flow of fluid into and out of the cylinder, a control lever for actuating the valve means, and a stop element carried by the nigger bar extending in the direction of the said teeth for limiting the upward movement of the nigger bar respecting the frame, and also functioning as a changeable fulcrum for the bar.

2. A log turner as claimed in claim 1 wherein a resilient block is secured to the lower end of the nigger bar to absorb the shock of the nigger bar.

3. A log turner as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stop element is supported by the nigger bar adjacent the lower end of the said nigger bar and extends perpendicularly to the nigger bar.

4. A log turner as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a pair of spaced vertically disposed channel bars mounted with the flanges facing each other, a base plate secured to the lower end of said channel bars, another channel bar secured to said base plate and extending upwardly at an angle therefrom, a pair of spaced angle irons secured to the upper ends of said channel bars, and transversely extending supporting elements connecting the free ends of said angle irons.

5. A log turner as claimed in claim 4 wherein a plate element is supported by the lower end of said nigger bar, the plate element being located between said channel bars to guide the nigger bar along said channel bars.

DOW c. RICHARDSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS