US3228440A

US3228440A - Log debarking apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3228440A
Application number: US339398A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis G Ferrabee
Original assignee: Canadian Ingersoll Rand Co Ltd
Current assignee: Canadian Ingersoll Rand Co Ltd
Priority date: 1964-01-22
Filing date: 1964-01-22
Publication date: 1966-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-11
Also published as: GB1022250A; FR1421956A

Description

1965 F. G. FERRABEE LOG DEBARKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1964 INVENTOR. FRANCIS 6. FERRABEE' ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1966 F G. FERRABEE 3,228,440

LOG DEBARKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

INVENTOR.

FRANCIS 6. FERRA BEE ATTORNEY 1966 F. G. FERRABEE LOG DEBARKING AFPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 22. 1964 INVENTOR. FRANCIS 6. FEHRABEE 2 I ATTORY Jan. 11, 1966 F, G. FERRABEE LOG DEBARKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. FRANCIS G. F ERRABEE' ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Patented Jan. '11, 1955 3,228,440 LOG DEhARKlNG APPARATUS Francis G. Ferrabee, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Canadian lngersoll-Rand Co., Ltd, Montreai, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed Jan. 22, 1964-, Ser. No. 339,338 9 Claims. (61. 144-238) This invention relates to apparatus for abrading fibrous objects and more particularly to an improved automated log debarking apparatus.

The objections to and defects of conventional automated log debarking apparatus are that:

(1) Machines of this kind are composed of a large number of parts and are subject to severe wear, breakage and maintenance; and

(2) Such machines are expensive to build, to install and to maintain.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other diificulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of an improved automated log debarking apparatus which:

(1) Maintains the logs in continuous rolling abrading contact to efiiciently debark the logs;

(2) Is economical in labor and in power consumption;

(3) Removes bark from logs of any length, shape or diameter;

(4) Is simple, rugged and durable;

(5) Is low in initial cost, in installation cost and in maintenance cost;

(6) Substantially eliminates frequent shut down to sharpen or replace cutters;

(7) Completely removes the bark from the logs and does not remove or damage valuable wood in the debarked logs;

(8) Is completely automated and capable of high debarked log production;

(9) Easily and quickly feeds logs to and discharges logs from the apparatus;

(10) Reduces materially the log load and log impact on the drum, thereby reducing the weight, vibration strain, wear and breakage in the apparatus, and simplifies the journalling problem; and

(11) Efficiently removes frozen bark from the logs.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing log debarking apparatus for automatically debarking logs. As will be seen from the accompanying drawings and the following description, this apparatus, in brief, comprises a first supporting means and a second supporting means adjacent and facing the first supporting means. The first and second supporting means cooperate to form a log passage therebetween and incline to opposing sides of the log passage. A plurality of first debarking staves are carried by the first supporting means for movement therearound in the direction of the incline thereof and a plurality of second or stationary debarking staves is carried by the second supporting means. The first debarking means is operative to rotate the logs in frictional contact with each other and the first debarking means and the stationary debarking means to debark the logs.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention filled with logs and showing the endless chain means, first debarking means, stationary debarking means, log feed means, log discharge means, first positioning means for the first debarking means, weir means, weir positioning means, log feeding means, log discharging means, and bark discharge means;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the endless chain means with the end plate first positioning means, etc., removed to show the details of the endless chain means;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the first debarking means;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first debarking means shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the stationary debarking means;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of the stationary debarking means;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of an alternative embodiment showing a sectionalized first debarking means and stationary debarking means with positionable weir means disposed between such sections and eliminating for clarity the logs, log feeding means, log discharge means and end plate on the endless chain means; and

FIG. 8 is an end view of a further alternative embodiment showing a positionable stationary debarking means.

Although the principles of the present invention are broadly applicable to apparatus for abrading fibrous objects, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with the debarking of logs and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, and referring particularly to FIG. 1, a log debarking apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. This log debarking apparatus 10 is utilized for automatically debarking logs 12 (FIG. 1) and has an endless chain means 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2), which endless chain means is rotatable about its lateral axis and is comprised of

sections

14a, 14b and 14c.

The structure utilized for the endless chain means 14 (FIG. 2) has a ribbed frame or support 16, a plurality of gear Wheels 16 mounted on shafts 20, the lower one of the shafts 29, as viewed in FIG. 2, being jo-urnalled in a bed plate 22 (FIG. 1) and being driven by conventional means, such as a motor (not shown). Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an endless chain 24 is composed of a plurality of spaced hinged plates 26. End plates 28, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, cover the ribbed frame 16 (FIG. 2) and gear wheels 18.

In order to integrate the spaced hinged plates 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the endless chain 24, first debarking means, such as movable staves 30 (FIGS. 14) are disposed on the hinged plates 26, as by conventional securing means, such as welding. The movable staves 30 are employed for debarking the logs 12 (FIG. 1). These movable staves 30 may be of any conventional shape, such as serrated or formed of protu berances, or cavities, all not shown.

Disposed adjacent the movable staves 30 is a stationary debarking means 31 (FIG. 1) for cooperating with the movable staves 30 to de-bark the logs 12. As shown in FIG. 1, such stationary debarking means 31 comprises a frame or support 32 having beams 33 (one of which is shown dotted in FIG. 1) and a plurality of stationary staves 34 (FIGS. 5 and 6) secured as by welding in spaced relation on the frame 32. The stationary staves 34 may be serrations, corrugations, protuberances or cavities or the like, all not shown.

The movable staves 3% are operative to rotate the logs 12 (FIG. 1) in frictional contact with each other and the movable staves 30 and the stationary staves 34 to debark the logs 12.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, as shown in PEG. 1, the log debarking apparatus 10 may be provided with log feeding means, such as the log feeding conveyor 36 for feeding the logs 12 into the movable staves 3 and stationary staves 34.

Also, as shown in FIG. 1, a log discharge means, such as the log discharge conveyor 38, may be employed to discharge the debarked logs 10a from the log debarking apparatus 10.

A weir plate 40 (FIG. 1) may be employed to control the passage of the logs 12 through the log debarking apparatus 10. The weir plate 40, as illustrated in FIG. 1, may be mounted upon suitable weir positioning means such as the hydraulic cylinders 41 such that the period of time the logs 12 remain in the log debarking apparatus 10 may be easily controlled.

For the purpose of inclining the movable staves 30 at an optimum angle with respect to stationary staves 34 for optimum debarking of the logs 12, which optimum angle varies with different types of wood and seasons of the year, a first positioning means, such as a plurality of positionable hydraulic cylinders 42 (FIG. 1) are used.

Referring to FIG. 1, bark 50 falls between the movable staves 30 and the stationary staves 34 into a bark discharge means, such as the bark discharge conveyor 52.

In addition, the movable staves 30 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and the stationary staves 34 (FIGS. and 6) are provided with bark removal means, such as the clearance spaces 54, through which the bark 50 drops into a bark tray 56 (FIG. 1) and thence into the bark discharge con- 7 veyor 52.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the improved log debarking apparatus may be alternatively constructed as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Alternative embodiments It will be noted from FIG. 7 that the endless chain means 14 and the stationary debarking means 31 may be divided into

sections 14a

14b, 14c and sections 31a, 31b, 316, respectively. For the purpose of controlling the flow of the logs 12 between sections 14a"- 31a, 145 -3111 and 146 -310 and the time period necessary for complete removal of the bark from such logs 12, weir means, such as the weir plates 40 may be mounted thereinbetween. Such weir plates 40 are positionablle on weir positioning means (not shown in FIG. 7) but similar to weir positioning means 41 in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 8, the beams 33a of the stationary debarking means 31 may be pivoted at 44 and raised by a second positioning means, such as a plurality of positionable hydraulic cylinders 46, one for each section 3111 etc., to the optimum debarking angle.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing an improved log debarking apparatus which:

(2) Is economical in labor and in power consumption;

(3) Removes bark from logs of any length, shape or diameter;

(4) Is simple, rugged and durable;

(5) Is low in initial cost, in installation cost and in maintenance cost;

(6) Substantially eliminates frequent shut down to sharpen or replace cutters;

(8) Is completely automated and capable of high debarked log production;

(9) Easily and quickly feeds logs to and discharges logs from the apparatus;

(10) Reduces materially the log load and log impact on the drum, thereby reducing the weight, vibration strain, wear and breakage in the apparatus; and simplifies the journalling problem; and

(11) Efliciently removes frozen bark from the logs.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred and alternative embodiment of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for automatically debarking logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

second supporting means adjacent said first supporting means and facing said first supporting means;

said first and second supporting means cooperating to form a log passage therebetween and inclining to opposing sides of said log passage;

a plurality of first debarking staves carried by said first supporting means for movement therearound in the direction of the incline of said first supporting means;

a plurality of second debarking staves carried by said second supporting means; and

means operatively connected to said first debarking staves for moving such around said first supporting means in the direction of the incline thereof to cause said first debarking staves to agitate logs passing through said log passage into frictional contact with each other and with said first and second debarking staves to deb-ark said logs.

2. An apparatus for automatically debarking logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

said first and second supporting means cooperating to form a log passage therebetween and inclining towards opposing sides of said log passage;

endless belt means extending around said first supporting means in the direction of the incline thereof for movement around said first supporting means in the direction of the incline thereof;

a plurality of first debarking staves upon said endless belt means for movement therewith;

a plurality of stationary debarking staves upon said second supporting means; and

means operatively connected to said endless belt means for moving such in the direction of the incline of said first supporting means to cause said first debarking staves to agitate logs passing through the log passage into frictional contact with each other and with said first and stationary debarking staves to debark said logs.

3. An apparatus for automatically debarking logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

positioning means operatively connected to one of said first and second supporting means for adjusting the incline thereof;

4. An apparatus for automatically debarlring logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

positioning means operatively connected to said first supporting means for adjusting the incline thereof;

5. An apparatus for automatically debarlcing logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

said first and second supporting means cooperating to form a log passage therebetween and inclining to wards opposing sides of said log passage;

a plurality of stationary debarking staves upon said second supporting means;

means cooperating with said first and said stationary debarking staves for transporting bark removed by said first and said stationary debarking staves from such staves; and

6. An apparatus for automatically debarking logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

a plurality of endless belts extending around said first supporting means in the direction of the incline thereof for movement around said first supporting means in the direction of the incline thereof;

a plurality of first debarking staves upon each of said endless belts for movement therewith;

means operatively connected to said endless belts for moving such in the direction of the incline of said first supporting means to cause said first debarking staves to agitate log-s passing through the log passage into frictional contact With each other and With said first and stationary debarking staves to debark said logs.

7. An apparatus for automatically debarking logs, said apparatus comprising:

first supporting means;

a plurality of stationary debarking staves upon said second supporting means, said stationary debarking staves being longitudinally divided into a plurality of stave sections;

weir means disposed in the log passage intermediate the stave sections comprising said stationary staves for controlling the flow of logs between said stave sections and the time period the logs are subjected to each of the stave sections; and

8. A debarking apparatus according to claim 7 wherein positioning means are operatively connected to said Weir means for adjusting the effective control area of said weir means.

9. A debarking apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said endless belt means comprises a plurality of aligned endless belts and a plurality of first debarking staves is disposed upon each of said endless belts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,137,452 11/1938 Hillbom. 2,647,548 8/ 1953 Guettler.

FOREIGN PATENTS 117,766 2/ 1901 Germany.

WILLIAM W. DYER, 111., Primary Examiner. W. D. BRAY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DEBARKING LOGS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS; SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS ADJACENT SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS AND FACING SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS; SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS COOPERATING TO FORM A LOG PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN AND INCLINING TO OPPOSING SIDES OF SAID LOG PASSAGE; A PLURALITY OF FIRST DEBARKING STAVES CARRIED BY SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT THEREAROUND IN THE DIRECTION OF THE INCLINE OF SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS; A PLURALITY OF SECOND DEBARKING STAVES CARRIED BY SAID SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS; AND