US3324909A

US3324909A - Apparatus and process for peeling logs

Info

Publication number: US3324909A
Application number: US430134A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mccranie Ulysses Shasta
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-02-03
Filing date: 1965-02-03
Publication date: 1967-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-13

Description

June i3, i967 u. s. MCCRANIE 3,324,909

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR PEELNG LOGS Filed Feb. L1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet BY a (7 la., f., L Hw( ATTORNEYS june M, W6? u. S. MccRANaE 3,324,909

APPARATUS ND PROCESS FOI( FEELING LOGS Filed Feb. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet L? INVENTOR [il S. M'S CWA /V/E nited States Patent O 3,324,909 APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR PEELING LOGS Ulysses Shasta McCranie, Willacoochee, Ga. 31650 Filed Feb. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 430,134 9 Claims. (Cl. 14d-326) This invention relates to the processing of wood products and more particularly to the peeling of logs which are intended for use as poles for various purposes. The invention relates more particularly to the peeling of logs and the production of useful wood particles or chips formed as a by-product of such log peeling.

Heretofore, in the process of log peeling, relatively long sheets or sticks of material, e.g. 2"-8", have been removed from the outer surface of the log, and such has been of little value. -In -accordance with the present invention, the material of the outer layer of wood removed from the log is in the form of chips which are useful for various purposes, including for pulp in the paper-making industry.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention t0 provide log peeling apparatus and procedures by means of which logs may be peeled and in which the removed material is in the form of useful chips.

These and other objects of the invention will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a fragmentary sectional view of a cutter head embodying the present invention and indicating its use in association with the log and the log supporting and feeding means;

FIG. 2, an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a fragmentary perspective of an end of a planer knife in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5, a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modified planer knife;

FIG. 6, la plan view illustrating the tooth form of the planer knife of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7, a fragmentary perspective illustrating the cutting action of the knife and associated blade;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, enlarged fragmentary sections illustrating the cutting action; and

FIG. 11, a perspective to an enlarged scale of a typical chip.

Briefly stated, the present invention includes the provision of a planer knife having spaced teeth in combination with a blade adjacent thereto which cooperate to remove the outer layer from a log lin the form of chips which are useful in the pulp industry. The method includes the removal of the outer layer from a log by cutting actions fwhich substantially simultaneously slice said outer layer and subdivide it into chips.

The log peeler with which the present invention is used may be of the type described in the patent to Efurd et al. 2,671,480 dated Mar. 9, 1954. In that patent, however, the apparatus is described as removing the bark from a log. Prior to peeling the log in accordance with the present invention, the log is rst debarked. Such debarking may be done by various machines well known in the trade such as that produced by Soderhamn Machine Manufacturing Company of Talladega, Ala.

With further reference to the drawings, there is illustrated an arrangement including a log 10 supported on bull wheels 11 and 12 beneath a cutter head 13. The general arrangement is well known in the art and is of the type described in Patent 2,671,480 to Efurd et al. Instead of the cutters engaging substantially the highest point of the log as shown in that patent, the cutters are arranged to cut at a position angularly disposed (e.g. angle a in FIG. 1 may be approximately 30-45) from the highest point ICC of the Ilog `as indicated in IFIG. 1. This offsetting positioning of the cutter from the top of the log results in a combined simultaneous cutting action which will be described hereafter.

The bull wheels 11 and 12 are driven to rotate the log 10 and at the same time to cause it to move axially. The cutter head V13 is mounted on arm 14 which is movably mounted to permit the cutter head to ride on the log on a support member 15.

The cutter head is mounted on a shaft 16 which is driven by a 'belt 17 or other suitable means through a sheave (not shown).

The -cutter head has mounted therein a plurality of knives 20 which are at and have a beveled edge 21. Next to the slicing knives 2G planer knives 22 in accordance with the present invention are mounted. Such planer knives have -a bar portion 23 and a plurality of spaced upstanding teeth 24. The knife 22 may be separate from or integral with the `flat knife 20. The teeth 24 have cutting edges 25 which initially engage the log just .ahead of the straight edges 21 of the knife 20.

As indicated in FIGS. 7 to 10, the leading edges of the teeth 24 ordinarily contact the log prior to its engagement by the flat knife 20. However, due to the engagement of the log on its side portion, the elongated edge of knife 20 engages the log while the teeth 24 are still performing a cutting action on a localized area of wood. It is understood that the speed of rotation of thecutter head is much faster than that of the log, as is well known in the art. Hence the combined action as indicated in FIGS. 7 to 10 results in a simultaneous cutting by the teeth and by the edge of the knife 2t) in order to remove chips such as indicated in FIG. l1.

These chips are of uniform length in the direction of their grain, corresponding to the spacing between the adjacent edges 25 of the teeth of knife 22. The knife 22 may be Selected with teeth spaced at desired distances from each other in order to produce chips of a predetermined length.

In order to mount the knife 22 ya plurality of set screws 30 are provided which are threaded into the side of the knife and are backed off with the knife in proper position in order that the screws may tightly engage the face 31 of the cutter head. In order to further secure the knife 22 in place and to maintain its precise position with respect to the knife 20, a plurality of set screws 33 are threaded into the knife 22 through bores 34 whose direction is substantially perpendicular to the bores receiving the set screws 30. The set screws 33 permit tine adjustment of the tips of the teeth with respect to the knife 20 as indicated in FIG. 3. It has been found that a preferred arrangement is that the tips of the teeth project beyond the edge of the knife 20` approximately 132 of an inch.

In FIGS. 5 `and 6 a form of teeth is indicated in which the leading edge is reduced to a sharp edge, the plan view of FIG. 6 indicating that the teeth are substantially V- shaped. Such shape may be preferred in some situations in order to promote the combined cutting action and to reduce the amount of fines.

While knives having particular shapes have been described, various coniigurations may be employed within the scope of the present invention. Itis furthermore contemplated that the

knives

20 and 22 may be integral instead of separate as shown in the drawings. The cutter head, itself, may have integral therewith either or both of the

knives

20 and 22.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a log peeler having means for supporting a log substantially horizontally and for rotating said log and moving it axially, a rotary cutter head mounted to engage the outer periphery of the log in order to remove a layer therefrom, said rotary cutter having a plurality of elongated blades mounted to -rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the log, a planer knife mounted on the face of said blades, said planer knife having upstanding teeth Whose tips extend radially substantially the same distance as the cutting edge of the blade, whereby a layer of wood removed from the outside of said log will be subdivided into chips by the action of said upstanding teeth and said elongated blade, said cutter head being mounted so that the blades and planer knife engage the log at a position substantially spaced from the high portion of the log, whereby the teeth of said planer knife and the edges of said blades perform a substantially simultaneous cutting action.

2. The invention of claim 1, in which the teeth of the planer knife extend approximately 1/32 of an inch beyond the cutting edge of the blade.

3. The invention of claim 1, in which the teeth have a reduced leading edge, such teeth being V-shaped in plan.

4. A rotary cutter head for peeling logs when mounted to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to a log to be peeled, said cutter head having an elongated log peeling blade and planer knife means mounted along the face of said blade, said planer knife means having spaced outwardly extending chip cutting teeth the tips of which extend radially of said head substantially the same distance as the cutting edge of said blade, the leading edge of said teeth being of a construction and arrangement to engage a log in advance of said cutting edge of said blade, thereby cutting the log circumferentialdly ahead of the peeling action.

5. A log peeler rotary cutter head having an aixs of rotation, at least one recess spaced about said axis in the periphery of said head, a peeling knife combination held in said recess, said knife combination having a peeling blade portion backed by a wall of said recess on one side thereof and having a planing blade portion on another side thereof, said peeling blade portion having a cutting edge extending generally axially of said head, said planing blade portion having ya series of teeth portions having cutting edges extending beyond the peeling blade and transaxially of said head and generally normal to the face of the peeling blade portion.

6. A cutter head according to claim 5 wherein said blade portions are separable units.

7. A cutter head according to claim 5 wherein said teeth have converging side portions that form knife edges that lead said planing edges in the direction of rotation of the said cutter.

8. In a -rnethod of peeling logs and producing chips having a uniform grain length as a byproduct of said peeling, comprising mounting a log for rotary and axial movement in predetermined directions, mounting a cutter member for rotary movement adjacent said log in such a manner that axial and transaxial cutting edges of said cutting member will engage a portion of the said log at ya position 30-45 removed about the periphery of the said log from the high point of the log periphery adjacent the said cutter thereby simultaneously to score portions of predetermined length of the outer layer of wood of the log and peel out said scored portions while said log is rotated and axially fed past said rotary cutter engaged with the outer layer of said log.

9. In a log peeler having means yfor supporting a log substantially horizontally and for rotating said log and moving it axially, a rotary cutter head for peeling logs and producing chips having a uniform grain length as a byproduct of said peeling, said rotary cutter head being mounted to rotate and to engage the outer periphery of the log in order to remove a layer therefrom, said rotary cutter having a plurality of elongated blades mounted to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the log, a planer knife mounted on the face of said blades, said planer knife having spaced generally parallel upstanding teeth whose tips extend radially and transaxially substantially the same distance as the cutting edge of the blade, whereby the axial and transaxial cutting edges of said blades and planer knife will engage a portion of said log at a position 30-45 removed about the periphery of said log from the high point of such periphery adjacent the said cutter thereby to simultaneously score portions of predetermined length and a layer of wood removed from the outside of said log will be subdivided into chips by the action of said upstanding teeth and said elongated blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,787 6/1932 Buchan 144-230 2,449,605 9/ 1948 Kelton 144-230 2,671,480 3/1954 Efurd et al 144-208' 2,825,371 3/1958 Forman 144-172 X 2,889,861 6/1959 Kolirnbat 144-230 X 3,017,912 1/1962 Sybertz et al. 144-230 WILLIAM W. DYER, I R., Primary Examiner.

W. D. BRAY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A LOG PEELER HAVING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A LOG SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY AND FOR ROTATING SAID LOG AND MOVING IT AXIALLY, A ROTARY CUTTER HEAD MOUNTED TO ENGAGE THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE LOG IN ORDER TO REMOVE A LAYER THEREFROM, SAID ROTARY CUTTER HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED BLADES MOUNTED TO ROTATE ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LOG, A PLANER KNIFE MOUNTED ON THE FACE OF SAID BLADES, SAID PLANER KNIFE HAVING UPSTANDING TEETH WHOSE TIPS EXTEND RADIALLY SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE BLADE, WHEREBY A LAYER OF WOOD REMOVED FROM THE OUTSIDE OF SAID LOG WILL BE SUBDIVIDED INTO CHIPS BY THE ACTION OF SAID UPSTANDING TEETH AND SAID ELONGATED BLADE, SAID CUTTER HEAD BEING MOUNTED SO THAT THE BLADES AND PLANER KNIFE ENGAGE THE LOG AT A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED FROM THE HIGH PORTION OF THE LOG, WHEREBY THE TEETH OF SAID PLANER KNIFE AND THE EDGES OF SAID BLADES PERFORM A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUS CUTTING ACTION.