US3000499A

US3000499A - Lumber sorter

Info

Publication number: US3000499A
Application number: US549623A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Harry E Bovay; Charles A Lawler; Lionel H Wheeler
Original assignee: H E BOVAY JR
Current assignee: H E BOVAY JR
Priority date: 1955-11-29
Filing date: 1955-11-29
Publication date: 1961-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1978-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1961 H. E. BovAY, JR., ETAL LUMBER SORTER Filed Nov. 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 VINVENTORS HARRY E. 50i/A YJ/ CHARLES L'. LA WLEE L/ONEL H. WHEELE/.

AGE/VT Sept. 19, 1961 Filed NOV. 29, 1955 H. E. BOVAY, JR., ET AL LUMBER SORTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY Jo/VEL H n/HEELEE Sept. 19, 1961 H. E. BovAY, JR., ET AL 3,000,499

LUMBER SORTER Filed Nov. 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m L 32)/ AGENT f/L Sept 19, 1961 H. E. BVAY, JR., ET AL 3,000,499

LUMBER SORTER Filed Nov, 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I lll `li /A /m 500266' 0F ,fr/6,5 EL E6 'E/' POWER INVENTORS HA REY E. BOI/AVJ. BY CHAELES E. LAWLER L/ONEL H. WHEELEE United States Patent() 3,000,499 LUMBER SORTER Harry E. Bovay, Jr., Charles A. Lawler, and Lionel H. Wheeler, Houston, Tex., assignors to H. E. Bovay, Jr., Consulting Engineers, Houston, Tex., a partnership Filed Nov. 29, 1955, Ser. No. 549,623 7 Claims. (Cl. 209-90) 'This invention pertains to the sorting of lumber according to its length. Certain features of the invention are applicable to the sorting of other things besides lumber and to sorting according to other dimensions than length and other functions or qualities than the dimensions of an article.

The invention is particularly adapted to sorting a mixture of lumber of different lengths in which one group of lumber differs in length from the remaining lumber by a predetermined minimum length. United States Patent Number 2,636,601, issued April 28, 1953 to Harry E. Bovay, Jr., Charles A. Lawler, and Lionel H. Wheeler, discloses apparatus of the type with which the present invention is concerned.

The invention disclosed in said patent includes a plurality of lumber guiding parallel sorter slots or channels having one or more live rolls in their bottoms to convey the lumber therealong. There are a plurality of side openings along the lengths of the slots and a storage bay adjacent each opening. Each bay includes a chain conveyor transverse to the slots. A normally open automatic gate is disposed at the downstream end of each opening, closureof a gate deflecting lumber out of the slot through the opening. Spaced apart along the slot upstream from each gate are the actuators for two normally closed electric switches and midway between the two actuators is the actuator for a normally open electric switch. The three switches are in series and closure of all three, when lumber'th'at is short enough tol closel the middle switch without simultaneously opening either of the other switches passes through the slot, will actuate the gate associated therewith to deflect the lumber. Lumber of successively greater lengths is discharged from the successive slot openings into the several storage bays. According to the present invention an improved apparatus of this type and a superior method for handling lumber in conjunction with such apparatus is provided.

A principal object of the invention is to provide in such apparatus means for increasing the storage capacity of the accumulation bays for a given overall width of the sorter and accumulation bays.

A second principal object of the invention is to provide such apparatus in which damage to lumber from the sorter and the accumulation bay conveyors is eliminated.

In accordance with the first principal object of the invention, further objects of the invention are:

(a) To stack the lumber straight across the bay con# veyors instead of randomly askew so the lumber will be more compact. This also has the advantage of making the lumber easier to handle.

(b) To drop the lumber straight down from the sorter onto the bay conveyors so lthat there is no wasted storage space between the sides of the sorter and the place where the lumber falls onto the bay conveyors, i.e. the lumber falls right at the side of the sorter.

To attain the above ends further objects of the invention are to provide means and methods for:

(a) Stopping the side or horizontal motion of the lumber so that the lumber will drop straight down onto the bay conveyors from the sorter.

(b) Guiding the lumber dropping down so that all boards are straight across the bayconveyors rather than randomly askew.

ICC

(c) Protecting the bay conveyor sprockets adjacent the sorter from damage caused by the falling lumber. This is accomplished by moving these sprockets inwardly from the sides of the sorter to a position centered beneath the sorter whose common support means can be used for sprockets of conveyors at both sides of the sorter. This also has the advantage of reducing the cost of the sprocket support means.

The apparatus provided in achieving the first principal object also has the advantage of helping to fulfill the second principal object by more smoothly guiding the lumber from the sorter to the conveyors.

Further to electuate the second principal object addi-. tional objects of the invention are:

(a) To more smoothly guide the lumber on the sorter.

(b) To more smoothly initiate the motion of the lum. ber off of the sorter. Y

Additional objects, uses, advantages, and improvements of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGUREV 1 is a schematic plan of apparatus according to the invention, showing a sorting conveyor and ten storage bays at the sides thereof, the improvements acf cording to the inventionbeing for clarity shown at only one of the ten bays, namely the next to the last bay on the right of the conveyor; and certain small details of the improvements such as the switch actuators being omitted entirely because of their small size; l'

FIGURE 2 is a schematic end elevation of the FIG- URE 1 apparatus, improvements according to the invention being shown at both sides of the conveyor;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view to an enlarged scale of a single unit of the apparatus showing the improvements according to the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the unit shown in FIGURE 3; l

FIGURE 5 is a diagram showing the electrical circuit of the switches and solenoid; ,Y

FIGURE 6 is a detail in plan and section of a gate and its actuating piston and cylinder together with a schematic representation of a four way valve suitable for actuating the cylinder;

FIGURE 7 is a detail in elevation of a solenoid and the valve of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a plan View, partly in section, of a switch and its guide-actuator suitable for use in the invention;l

FIGURE 9 is a back view of the switch and guide-- actuator of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a partial end elevation of the switch and guide-actuator of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a front elevation of an accumulation' bay stop;

FIGURE 12 is a side elevation of the stop shown in FIGURE 11;

(Ii-TIGURE 13 is a side elevation of the hanging bae;y an

FIGURE 14 is an end elevation of the hanging bae.

Sorter overall (FIGS. 1, 2)

3 sloping plane so that lumber placed thereon Will move along by gravity. However, it is desirable that the speed Yof the conveyor be controllable Whether positively driven or gravity driven.

On each side of the conveyor and at a lower level are disposed a number of temporary storage bays 20-29, each having one of the chain conveyors 30-39 therein. The conveyors 3G-39 are each adapted to receive a particular assortment of lumber from the side of the conveyor 10, and the conveyors 30-39 are perpendicularly disposed from the conveyor 10 in the preferred embodiment shown. Each of the conveyors 30-39 is shown as a chain conveyor having the chains thereof disposed between a pair of idler sprockets 40 and a pair of drive sprockets 41 to the sides of conveyor 10. The idler sprockets 4t) are supported on a common shaft 42 which is disposed beneath the conveyor 10 and centrally thereof. The shaft 42 supports the idler sprockets 40 of the conveyors 30-39 to both sides of the conveyor 10 and is a dead shaft on which each of the sprockets 40 turns. The bay conveyors 30-39 deliver the lumber to other conveyors such as the cross conveyor 43 which receives lumber from bay conveyors S-39. A similar cross conveyor is usually provided at the ends of conveyors 30-34 at the opposite side of conveyor 10. The cross conveyors deliver the lumber to stackers, storage, kilns, or to loading platforms for truck or rail shipment.

Each of the bays -29 is just below a single unit of the sorter or is at the end of a slot. Thus on the left side of the sorter as viewed in FIGURE l the slot 13--14 has two

units including gates

44 and 45 above

bays

20 and 21 and a unit at the end of the slot including xed stop 46 above bay 22. Slot 14-15, disposed just inside slot 13-14 and extending beyond slot 13-14 has a unit including gate 47 above bay 23 and a unit at `the end of the slot including xed stop 48 above bay 24. On the right side of the sorter slot 16-17 has ve

units including gates

49, 50, 51 and 52 and xed stop 53 above bays -29 as shown. Although the gates are normally open in the absence of lumber, they are shown yin the closed position in FIGURE l for the purpose of clarity of the drawing.

Into each of the bays 20-22 are sorted boards of different length as indicated in the drawing. These boards come vfrom the same slot 13-14, and may contain a similar assortment of lumber as to other characteristics such as width, thickness, and grade, depending on what is placed in the slot by the operator. A different assortment of width, thickness, and grade is sorted according to length into

bays

23 and 24. Another assortment is sorted out into bays 25-29. As many slots and as many sorting units as necessary can be provided. If desired, enough slots and units can be provided so that the lumber in each bay is of a single kind as regards not only its length but all of its specifications. The provision of the length sorting units along the slots will in any case reduce the total number of slots required from that needed in a system not embodying sorting units.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, there is shown the details of one sorting unit of the sorter, for example the sorting unit over bay 27 of the sorter. In comparing FIGURE 3 with FIGURE l it is to be remembered that the improvements in the stackers, hereinafter later described, disposed over the several storage bays, are shown only over bay 28 in FIGURE 1, but that similar stacker equipment is in fact associated with each bay. The conveyor rolls 11 are journaled in bearings 55 supported on the framework 12. The

guides

16 and 17, and the guides 13-15 of the other sorting units, are supported on this framework, too, as are the gate 51 and the three

switches

56, 57, and 58. The whole framework is supported well olf the ground (as shown in FIGURE 2) so as to be above the level of the bays and their chain conveyors.

4 Sorting unit (FIGS. 3, 4)

The

switches

56, 57, and 58 are respectively controlled by actuators 59, 60, and 61. Actuator 59 projects into the slot 16-17 through an opening in guide 17 and the extent of projection into the slot is adjustable by means of slots 62 and 63 in plate 64 on which actuator 59 is mounted. A pair of screws (not shown) pass through these slots to fasten the plate 64 onto the framework and the adjustment is made by loosening the screws and sliding plate 64 inwardly or outwardly.

Actuators 60 and 61 and the associated switches and mountings are preferably identical with actuator 59 and its switch and are mounted so as to be interchangeable therewith. Actuators 60 and 61 are mounted to project up from beneath the plane of rollers 11 of conveyor 10.

The gate 51 extends from and is fastened to a sleeve 65. Sleeve 65 is mounted on a fixed Vertical shaft 66 and is rotatable around shaft 66 in order that gate 51 may be moved between its open and closed positions above the conveyor 10. Gate 51 comprises triangular plate 67 onto which are secured a front plate 68 and a back plate 69. (See also FIGURE 6.) The front plate 68 has its forward end beveled as at 170 so that the forward end contacts the guide 16 ilatly when the gate 51 is moved diagonally across slot 16--17 to its slotclosing position. The back plate 69 serves to guide the lumber passing through the slot when the gate is open and also strengthens the gate.

The lower end of sleeve 65 carries an arm 177 which is pivotally connected to piston rod 178 of the air cylinder 79 which is also secured to the bracket 12. Below the air cylinder 79 is mounted air valve 80 and solenoid 81 which preferably are a single fast acting unit of some type such as that shown in U.S. Patent 2,476,519, Van der Werf, and which is only schematically shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.

Stacker (FIGS. 144, 13, 14)

There is a gap in the guide 17 which extends from just downstream of switch actuator S9 to the gate 51 and serves as a side-opening means lin slot 16-1'7 through which lumber may be diverted from the slot. Adjacent the upstream end of the gap a stop 7G is supported from the framework 12 by a gusset plate 71. The stop 70 is shaped like a quadrant of an ellipse so that the outer end lies in a plane perpendicular to the slot walls. Outward from the outer end of stop 70 and parallel to and opposite the gap in guide 17 is a hanging baffle 72 which is hung from an upper framework. A similar stop 7i) and baille 72 for the unit over bay 28 are shown in FIG- URE l, this being the only unit of FIGURE l from which the stacker has lnot been omitted for drawing simplicity. It is to be understood however that each unit of the sorter is provided with a similar stacker as now described for the unit over bay'28.

Hanging baille 72 is parallel to the slot walls and comprises a plurality of suspended arms 73 (see also FIG- URES 13 and 14), a lower diagonal plate member 74 secured to arms 73 and having triangular support members 75 which hold the member 74 in its diagonal position with respect to the arms 73. At the upper end of each arm 73 there is provided a tubular member 76 secured to the arm through which a bolt, pin, or shaft supported by the framework may be passed to swing'- ingly suspend the arms 73, all of the members 76 being aligned. Hanging baflle 72 is positioned with respect to stop 70 and the gap in guide 17 so that lumber striking stop 7Gl after being diverted from the slot by gate 51 will be thrown outwardly against baille 72 which will stop the outward horizontal motion of the lumber. Batlle 72 is preferably a hanging baille as shown so that it is capable of absorbing the impact when lumber is thus thrown against it and in order that lumber may fall below the baille in a manner to be described.

:sie slide or skid 77' (SeeLFIGUREs 1, 2, ands) 'comprising a plurality of curved pipes 78 is provided between the conveyor 10 and the bay conveyor 37, and is curved :and positioned to contact the inner edge of plate member "74 when baille 72 is hanging straight down. The upper ends of pipes 78 are secured'to the framework at the side of conveyor 10 and are curved outwardly and downwardly therefrom to below the upper plane of the bay conveyor `37. The terminal portions of pipes 78 extend vertically straight downward from the plate member 74 to the Abay conveyor 37 so that lumber will fall straight down onto the conveyor. After lumber has been thrown against baille 72 it passes downwardly between the skid 77 and the plate member 74, the bafe' 72 being swung back from skid 77, as shown by the dashed lines in FIGURE 2, by the weight of the lumber, and falls straight downward therefrom onto the conveyor 37 in a position straight across the conveyor. The baie 72 therefore provides means for stopping the outward motion of the lumber and, with skid 77, means for dropping the lumber .straight onto conveyor 37, rather than randomly askew thereon. l

Gate Actuaiion (FIGS. -7)

Referring now to FIGURE 5, there is shown the electric icircuit foroperating the solenoid 81A: The solenoid v.81A is in series with

switches

56, 57, andl58 across a suitable source of electric power not shown. Switches 56 yand 58'are normally closed; switch 57 is normally open. 'When all three switches are closed the solenoid will be energized. In the drawing are also shown the switches and solenoid of another unit. As many circuits as neede'd may be supplied in parallel from the single source of power.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, it is shown how a four way valve 80A will control the movement of the-piston 181 in air cylinder 79. Rotation of the movable central valve part 82 a quarter turn clockwise within the stationjay part 83 will transfer the air pressure from the left side of -the piston to the right side and connect the left -side to the atmospheric exhaust, thus causing the piston 'to move to the left opening the gate 51. A stop (not shown) limits the movement of the gate in the open posiftion, or alternatively the gate can be adjusted to be in full open position at the limit of travel of the piston. The fguide 16 then acts' as a stop to limit travelof the gate to fclosed position as shown in the drawing. 7

FIGURE 7 shows schematically how the valve 80A may be connected to the solenoid 81A. When the solenoid is energized its core is drawn in and the core in turn pulls on the link to turn the valve one way. The spring 84 returns the valve to its normal position when the circuit through the solenoid is broken. I

' FIGURES 8-10 show a switch such as `switch 56 adapted to be opened by actuator 59. Switch -5'6 is a switch that is moved from one position to another by releasing pressure on a button, such as a snap switch. Horizontal -plate 64 having slots' 62 and 63 is screwed onto the framework 12 by screws (not shown) as described heretofore. A narrower vertical plate 85 is secured to plate 64 near the center thereof and with its edge aligned with an edge of plate 64. A switch guard plate 86 is also securedat one ,end of plate 64. The switch has button 87 which is mounted in a threaded nipple 88 which is held in a rhole in plate 8S by means of nuts 89 and 90, the button -87 being to the side of plate 85 opposite switch guard l86. An adjusting screw 91 having a nut 92 screwed --thereonto is received in a second hole in plate 85 outi-.wardly from the other hole. A pair of sleeve members ,93 and 94 are welded to the aligned edge of plate 85 at the upper and lower ends thereof. An actuator arm 95 has

similar sleeve members

96 and 97 welded to one :.of its faces, the

sleeve members

96 and 97 being spaced ,Such that they will lit vertically between the sleeve members 93'and 94, all of the sleeve mem-bers being" vertical; ly alignable to receive a connecting pin.98 through their openings. When thus connected arm 95 is rotatable about pin 98 so that the positions of its ends may be simultaneously moved. One end of arm 95 extends over plate 85, being bent at a point toward that end from pin 98 s'o that it may be positioned substantially parallel with plate 85. A hole is provided in arm 95 opposite the switch receiving hole in plate 85, and an adjusting screw 99 having a nut 100 screwed thereonto is received in the hole with its head in a position to press against button 87 of switch 56. The inward end of arm 95 is opposite screw 91. The other end of arm 95 extends outwardly from the plate so as to be positionable to project into the slot 16-17 when the plate 64 is screwed to the framework 12. A spiral spring 101 is disposed around pin 98 between

sleeve members

96 and 97 of arm 95, one end of the spring being flush against the inside face of arm and the other end of the spring being bent and against a face of plate 85, the spring 101 thereby acting to hold the inward end of arm A95 so that screw 99 presses against button 87 and so that the inner end is against the head of screw 91, the other end of arm 95 being held away from switch guard 86 and in a projecting position in the slot.

Depression of the projecting portion of the arm 95by lumber moving through the slot causes the release of button 87 by the inner portion of arm 95, the switch 56 being thereby closed. The switches may be chosen to be either open or closed when the button is depressed and either closed or open whenl the button is released. Thus the same actuator construction can be used no t only for this normally closed switch 56 andsimilar normally closed switch 58, but also for normally open switch 57. The hinged arm 95 of this actuator functions more efficiently than types having a spring which extends into the slot. In the case of this latter type, when the spring is depressed by lumber in the slotv only a small movement of the spring results at the switch, thereby making it necessary to use a switch actuated by this small motion, for example a limit switch. Since b oth ends of arm 95 are moved to the same extent by lumber passing in the slot, it is made possible to use switches of more positive action, for example the snap switch of the` present invention.

Lumber retainer (FIGS. I1 and 12) Referring now to FIGURES l, 11 and 12, pivotal stop means 103 (shown only in bay 28 in FIGURE l) are provided at the outer ends of the bay conveyors 30-39 to retain lumber thereon. The stop means are releasable for running lumber off the cross conveyors when desired. Each stop means comprises an upright arm 104 which is pivotally connected by a bolt 105 having nut 106 screwed thereon between a pair of spaced

vertical members

107 and 108 of the supporting framework of the bay conveyor, for example bay conveyor 38. The arm 104 is beveled at its upper end as at 109 and below the bevel and above the upper edge of

members

107 and 108 has a notch 110 at the edge thereof. The notch 110 is rectangular in shape and is adapted to receive a bar 111. The bar 111 is pivotally connected to a flange 112, which is shown welded to member 108 at the top of the side thereof,..by a bolt 1-13 having nut 114 screwed thereon. The bolt 105 is off-center of arm 104 so that arm 104 will by gravity tend to fall in the direction of bar-111. Bar 111 when rotated about bolt 113 to be received in notch 1.10, serves as means for locking arm 104 in the upright position. Lumber on the conveyor, to the right side of arm 104 as shown in FIGURE 12, is prevented from moving past arm 104 on the conveyor. When it is desired to discharge lumber from the conveyor to the cross conveyor below the end of the conveyor, the bar y111 is arm 104 may be swung down beneath the upper planeof the conveyor so that the lumber may pass over arm 104 on the conveyor to be discharged to the cross conveyor.

Fixed gates (FIG. l)

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the lixed gates or end stops 46, 48, and 53 are disposed at the respective ends of slots 13-14, 14-15, and 16 17 above conveyor 10. The end stops function as gate means fixed in the closed position and deilect lumber from the slots at the terminal side openings or gaps of the slots. Since all f the lumber moving to the terminal gap of a slot must be deflected, no switch actuators and switches are there provided.

Operation In operation of the invention, lumber is fed edgewise into a slot at the lower end of conveyor 10, as' shown in FIGURE l. The rotation of rolls 11 of conveyor 1li causes the lumber to move, for example in slot l6-17, toward the terminal fixed stop 53 of slot 16u17. In moving in that direction along the conveyor l0 the lumber will first contact the three switch actuators above bay 25. The actuators control gate 49, which for a particular length classification of the board will close to deflect boards from the slot. Any boards of greater length than that determined by the switch actuators at bay 2S will continue on past gate 49 and contact the three switch actuators above bay 26. These actuators control gate 50, which for a particular length classification greater than that at bay 25 but less than a predetermined length will close to deflect the board from the slot. Any board either longer or shorter than the particular length classification will either have been deflected at a previous sorter unit or pass on along the slot past gate S0 to engage the next set of switch actuators above bay 27, and so on until the board is deflected from the slot at

bay

27, 28 or the terminal bay 29 where all remaining lumber is deilected by the xed stop without regard to its length. Lumber of a different length classication is deflected at each of the bays 2'5--28, depending on the spacing of the switch actuators above each bay. As is described in U.S. Patent No. 2,636,601, mentioned above, each set of switch actuators, solenoid, valve, and gate, will deflect a group of lumber between determinable maximum and minimum lengths from the slot, dellecting all lumber between zero and a certain maximum length at the first unit of the sorter, at the next unit deflecting all lumber having a length less than a certain length equal to said maximum length plus a certain additional length, and so on.

Lumber deflected from the slot -by a gate or by a xed stop is still moving in the direction of the conveyor at approximately the speed of the conveyor and in addition has a lateral motion imparted by the diagonal position of the gate or fixed stop across the slot. The lumber on leaving the slot rst strikes at its forward end against the curved stop, for example stop 70` at the forward end of the slot opening above bay 27. The stop 70 halts the forward motion of the lumber in the direction of the conveyor, and because of the curved shape of stop 70 like a quadrant of an ellipse, the lateral motion of the lumber is increased. The outwardly moving lumber then strikes the arms 73 of hanging batile 72 broadside, which stops the outward motion of the lumber so that the lumber drops down to a position above diagonal Yplate 74 between arms 73 and the pipes 78 of skid 77.

The lumber in this position is straight across with respect to the bay conveyor 37. When lumber of sufficient Weight, one or more separate boards, accumulates above diagonal plate 74, the weight acting on the wedge formed by plate 74 causes hanging baille 72 to move away from the pipes 78 and the lumber then drops down onto bay conveyor 37 in a position straight across the bay conveyor and adjacent the lower ends of pipes 78 of the skid.

The bay conveyors 'are used as accumulators for lumber received from the sorter, and therefore it is desirable that each bay conveyor `be able to hold as muchlumber as possible at a given time. The lumber holding capacity is increased by the dropping of the lumber from the sorter close in to the side of the sorter described in the preceding paragraph. Were the lateral motion of the Ilumber not stopped by the hanging baflle 72, the lumber would be thrown farther out from the side of conveyor 10, and would alight randomly on the bay conveyor, instead of straight across it, thereby further reducing its capacity. In addition, the capacity of each bay conveyor is increased by provision of the end stops, only end stop 103 being shown in FIGURE l, but identical end stops being likewise provided for the other bay conveyors, 30--27 and 29, as well. These end stops permit deeper piling of lumber on the bay conveyors, as will be obvious, and in addition prevent accidental discharge of lumber from the bay conveyors to the cross conveyors, Vfor example cross conveyor 43, which receives lum-ber from bay conveyors 35-39.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown Iand described, many modifications thereto may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, 4and it is desired to protect by Letters Patent all forms of the invention falling within the scope of the `following claims.

We claim:

1. In broad handling apparatus comprising channel forming means including a conveyor and guide means at each side of the conveyor along the length thereof, an opening in the side of the guide means at one side of the conveyor, said opening being long compared to the width of the channel defined between said guide means whereby a board disposed on said conveyor with its length in the direction of travel of said conveyor can be moved transversely off the conveyor through said opening, gate means at the downstream end of -said opening for deflecting boards by an acute angle out of said channel through said opening, forward stop means adjacent said gate means for stopping the component of the board motion parallel to the channel, storage means at a lower level than said conveyor disposed adjacent said opening to receive boards discharged therefrom, the improvement comprising said stop means adjacent said channel extending transversely therealong opposite said opening for stopping the horizontal component of the board motion perpendicular to the channel, and wherein said storage means includes a chain conveyor extending transverse to the channel, said chain conveyor including a chain sprocket shaft disposed beneath the iirst said conveyor that forms part of said channel, saidk storage means further including skid means guiding boards falling oif the first said conveyor onto said chain conveyor away from said chain sprocket shaft.

2. The combination of claim l whe-rein said storage means further includes la pivotally mounted stop means at a portion of the chain conveyor removed from said channel, said pivotal `stop means being provided with readily operable and releasable means for holding said pivotal stop means in position to support boards laterally against motion along the chain conveyor farther `away from said channel.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said side stop means comprises a baille, means `supporting the bale for pivotal motion about a horizontal axis adjacent the upper part of the baille whereby the weight of the baille tends to cause the baille to hang vertically, and wedge means lat the lower part of the baille to swing the baille away from the conveyor in response to board weight imposed on said wedge means, and said skid means includes a portion lying next to the lower part of the baille forming therewith a pocket to receive boards which opens when the baille swings away from the conveyor.

4. -In board handling apparatus comprising channel forming means including a conveyor and guide means -ateach side. of the conveyor along the lengththereof,

an opening in the side of the guide means at one side of the conveyor, said opening being long compared to the width of the channel defined between said guide means whereby a board disposed on said conveyor with its length in the direction of travel of said conveyor can be moved transversely oi the conveyor through said opening, gate means at the downstream end of said opening for deecting boards by an acute angle out of said channel through said opening, forward stop means adjacent said gate means for stopping the component of the board motion parallel to the channel, storage means at a lower level than the top of said conveyor disposed adjacent said opening to receive boards discharged therefrom, said storage means including horizontally disposed means extending laterally from the conveyor at a lower level than the top of the 'conveyor and skid means extending laterally and downwardly from the top of said conveyor toward said horizontally extending means guiding boards falling oi the conveyor onto said horizontally extending means, the improvement comprising side stop means adjacent said channel extending therealong opposite said opening for stopping the horizontal component of the board motion perpendicular to the channel, said side stop means comprising a baie and means supporting the baille for pivotal motion about a horizontal axis above the level of the top of said guide means whereby the yWeig-ht of the baille tends to vcause the baiiie to hang vertically, said baille when hanging vertically being spaced horizontally from said conveyor and extending vertically from above the top of said guide means to below the top of said conveyor to said skid means, the lower portion of said baffle forming with said skid means a pocket to receive boards which opens when the lateral pressure of the boards against the baie causes it to swing away from the skid means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said channel forming means includes a plurality of switch actuators near said opening for controlling said gate means, each switch actuator comprising a pivotally mounted bell crank shaped plate, each bell crank shaped plate including one arm normally projecting 4into said channel for actuation by boards passing therethrough and another arm controlling a switch disposed on the opposite side of the pivot axis of the actuator from the tirst said one arm, whereby the motion of the portion of the arm controlling the switch is away from the switch when boards depress said one arm.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein said gate means at the downstream end of the opening in the guide means comprises a pair of vertical plates contacting each other along a vertical edge of each and lying at an acute angle to each other, and means supporting the plates for pivotal motion about a vertical axis adjacent the edges of said plates opposite from said contacting edges, said contacting edges of said plates including a beveled portion adapted to lie flat against the guide means when the gate is in closed position and the plate on one side thereof serves to deilect boards through said opening, the other plate of said gate serving to guide boards into said channel when said gate is open.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said stop means adjacent said gate means for stopping the component of the board motion parallel to the channel includes a vertical plate curved in plan with the portion closest to the conveyor pointing upstream relative to board travel on the conveyor being more nearly tangent to the direction of board travel along the conveyor and the portion adjacent the baiiie being perpendicular to the baille, whereby the last said component of the board motion is gradually eliminated.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,455 Comly May 21, 1901 2,229,638 Chamberlain et al Ian. 28, 1941 2,600,147 Wilson .Tune 10, 1952 2,636,601 Bovay et al Apr. 28, 1953 2,762,508 Parton Sept. 11, 1956 2,821,301 Montague Jan. 28, 1958