US341951A - Log-turner - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. SHELBOURNE.

LOG TURNER.

No. 341,951. Patented May 18, 1886.

WITNESSES (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l R. W. SHELBOURNE.

LOG TURNER.

PA'rhr FFMEG ROBISOX \V. SHELBOURNE, OF BLANDVILLE, KENTUCKY.

LOG TURNER.

- PEGIPIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,951, dated May 18, 1886.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBISON TV. SHED BOURNE, of Blandville, in the county of Ballard and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Log-Turner for Saw-Mills, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description.

Myinvention relates to log-turning appara tus for saw-mills,and has for its object to facilitate the turning of the logs on the mill-can riage, and by devices acting automatically and all in ready command of the sawyer, so that the work may be done by the machinery ofthe mill and without using cant-hooks operated by hand, thereby economizing time and labor.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts ofthe logturning apparatus, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forn'iingapartofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of a sawmill fitted with my log-turning apparatus. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken through the sawmill carriage on the line a m, Fig. 1, and in larger size. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3 Fig. l, and showing also parts of devices I employ for pushing thelog to the mill-carriage; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged detail views of portions of the log-turning devices.

The letter A indicates the cireularsaw ofthe mill, which is journaled by its shaft to in the saw-frame a, and the letter B indicates the shaft from which the carriage, thelog-turning head-block, hook, and pushing-arms, and inclined benches are operated, as hereinafter described.

a is a frictionwheel, which is journaled so as to be in contact with the friction-wheel a on the saw-shaft, and a is a friction-wheel, which has cone-pulleys a receivinga belt from cone-pulleys a on the saw-shaft a, said wheels a a" running continuously at opposite sides or faces of the friction-wheel b, fixed on the driving-shaft B, which is fitted in adjustable bearings at b on the saw-frame, and isconnected to a lever, b, in reach of the sawyer, who may work the lever for throwing the wheel 1) against the frictionwheels m a, respectively, for feeding the log to the saw and running back the carriage O by means of a pinion or gear-wheel, c, which is fast to a long sleeve, B, splined to the shaft B, so that gear-wheel a may be turned with shaft B at the proper time to engage a rack, c, on the under side of a rail, 0, fixed to the carriage, and as hereinafter more fully explained.

On the end of shaft B, beneath the carriageway, is fixed a half-clutch, 13 which carries fixedly the bevel gear-wheel d, which meshes with the bevel gear-Wheel (1, fast on a shaft, D, which is journaled to suitable posts set in the ground orto supports fixed to the carriagebed. This shaft D connects by a universal joint, 6, a shaft, E, and a universal joint, 6, with a shaft, E, which is jourualed in a frame, E, pivoted at e" to one of the carriagetracks or other fixed support. The shaft E carries the long fast pinion Efiwhich is adapted to engage a gear-wheel, E", fixed to ashaft, e, which is jourualed to the carriage headblock (1 next the one 0 in which latter is fitted the knee F, in which thelog-turningor cant hook F is arranged, as present-1y described.

To the farther end of the shaft e of gearwheel E is connected by a universal joint, 9, the shaft G, which is fitted telescopically in a tubular shaft, G, which in turn is connected by a universal joint, 9, with the shaft F journaled at the head of theknee F, and on which shaft F is fixed a pinion or gear-wheel, F, which meshes with a rack, f, formed along the back edge of the post f, to which the canthook F is pivoted at 1, the post f being fitted to slide vertically in the knee F, for raising the hook F and allowing it to fall. I make the cant-hook F with a long hook-point, f, to catch round logs or round faces of partlysquared logs, and with a shorter hook, f, to catch squared corners of logs in turning them. The hook has a backwardly-bent upper arm,

f, on which is placed a weight, f", for swinging the hook-points outward beyond the face of the knee to catch on the log, and the headblock has a curved inward finish at the outer lower portion, as at f, on which the curved back of the point f may strike as the hook swings downward at the front of the headblock, and which at such times insures aback swing of the hook-points out of the path of the being made long, so that the wheel E on the' carriage will gear with it should the carriage not stop precisely at the same place every time a log is to be turned.

For swinging the frame E upward on its hinge to engage the gears E E", I employ a two-armed crank, E, which is journaled in a fixed support, c, Fig. 3, and is connected by one arm to the frame and by its other arm to a rod, E, which connects to a crank-arm, e,

on one end of a rod, FF, which is journaled to suitable supports, and has a foot-lever, e, in command of the sawyer,who may operate said lever to hold the gears E E in mesh as long as may be required to lift the hook F sufficiently for turning logs of different sizes, and as the hook-points f" are liable to stick in the log as it turns the lever b will be operated just as the log is falling over on the benches, hereinafter described, to throw the frictionwheel I) away from the friction-wheel a, by which contact the turning hook had been raised, and the sawyer will throw the wheel 12 against the opposite friction-wheel, a, which has a quicker motion than the friction-wheel a, and reverses the motion of the turninghook F, or moves it-downward' quickly to disengage the hook-point from the log just as the log falls over on the benches, and drive the hook down and back into the recess in the head-block made for it, and after the turninghook has been disengaged from the log, as above described, pressure on the lever 6 will be relaxed to allow the weight of the frame F to lower it and disengage the gears E E.

When the carriage is to be run either way, a hand-wheel, b", on a shaft, Z), journaled in the saw-frame will be turned in one direction to cause a pinion, 11 on said shaft engaging an annular rack, b, on the sleeve B, to move the sleeve lengthwise on the shaft B, for engaging a half-clutch, If, on the end of the sleeve with the half-clutch head B which is keyed or pinned to the shaft B and turns with it. The hand-wheel and shaft b Z2 will be turned the other way for disengaging the clutch b B to allow the carriage to remain at rest when the log-turning hook, log-pushers, and inclined benches are to be operated, as hereinafter described.

The head-block knee F, which carries the cant-hook F, and the knees F" of all the other head-blocks O of the log-carriage are provided alike with racks h, with which pinions h on a shaft, H, are adapted to engage, said shaft H being journaled in the carriage and carrying a bevel-pinion, h which engages a bevel-pinion, W, on a short shaft, 71*, which is journaled across the carriage O, and carries at its outeror back end the wheel H,which has two rims, h h, adapted to engage the rails H. H, respectively. A contact of the wheel-rim h with the rail H which is lifted by link-connections and rack-and-pinion mechanism, op crates to set the knees and log up toward the saw A in the first part of the forward run of the carriage, and the contact of the wheel-rim h with the rail H" operates to back off the head-block knees, as required in turning the log, and as hereinafter more fully explained.

The mechanism for setting up the log and backing off the head block knees is fully shown and described in Letters Patent No. 308,538, granted to me September 23, 1884, and it will suffice here to state that the backing-off rail H is connected by a crank-arm, h with a shaft, H, which is suitably journaled, and has a foot-lever, H near the sawyer, who may press the lever down as the carriage runs back, to cause the hacking off of the headblock-knees prior to and while turning the log, by means of the hook F and the push arms and benches, as presently described.

At I in Fig. 3 is shown the log-truck, which runs on tracks 2'2, and receives the logs-to bring them into the mill, and opposite skids, J, and push-arm guide blocks K, which also serve as skids, onto and over which skids and blocks J K the logs are pushed by the heads I of rack-bars I", which are operated by rackand-pinion mechanism at the other side of the logtruckway. These rack-bars I I" will not be herein particularly described, as they, with their operating mechanism and related parts, form the subject-matter of another application for Letters Patent filed of even date herewith.

Each of the blocks K is provided with two parallel lengthwise grooves, 7c is, which range at right angles with the mill carriage O. In the groove 7c of each block is fitted in grooves or ways k a rackbar, L, which has pivoted to its back or outer end at Z the arm M, which pushes the log over by bearing on its outer face below its longitudinal center as the log is raised at its rear side by the log-turning hook, as hereinafter more fully explained. Under the arm M is pivoted at n a lever, N, which is forced upwardto the push-arm M by a spring, N, set into a recess at the forward end of block K, said spring normally holding the arm M up into position for action on the log in turning it, and allowing the arm, with the lever N, to be pressed down below the top of block K by the log as it falls. The lever N serves also as a support and guide to the arm M when it is fully drawn back, as in Fig. 3.

In the groove of each block K is fitted to slide in a groove or way, It", a rack-bar, O, which at its forward end has hinged to it, as at p, a brace, P, the other end of which is hinged at p to a bar, R, which is pivoted at its forward end at r to the block K. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) v

To a shaft, S, which is journaled in suitable lever H to throw the rail H wheel I) of driving'shaft B with hearings in the skids J and blocks K, are fixed a series of pinions, T, which engage the teeth Z0 of the rack-bars L 0, respectively, and at diametrically opposite sides of the pinions, so that as the shaft S is turned the rackbars L 0 will be moved in reverse directions for operating the push-arms M and the logbenches P R, as presently explained.

As the pinions operating the rack-bars 0 run out of their racks 0 at the extreme back portions of the bars, and remain so while the push-arms M are fully projected for turning the log, I have provided springs O, to act against the back ends, 0, of the bars 0 to force these bars forward, so that their racks 0 will be engaged by the pinions T on the re verse motion of the shaft S, for moving back the puslrarins M and lowering the benches P R, as hereinafter more frilly described.

Motion is given shaft S by means of a gearwheel, 8, on it, meshing with a gear-wheel, u, on the outer end of a shaft, U, which is journaled in the saw-frame a, and in one of the skids J, and is capable of endwise movement, and on the other end of shaft U is fixed a bevel-gear wheel,V,which is adapted to mesh with the bevelgear wheel V, fast on the driving-shaft B,which may be rotated in opposite directions by the friction-wheels b a a, as hereinbefore explained.

The hub of gearwheel V has a suitable con nection with a lever, W, which is pivoted at 10 to the saw-frame,to cause the gear-wheel V to be engaged with the gear-wheel V when a rod, \V, fixed to the free end of the lever WV,

is drawn upon,the handle 20 of said rod being within easy reach of the sawyer, and when the rod W" is pushed back the gears V V will be disengaged to disconnect shafts S B, to allow the other mechanism of the mill to be operated for moving the carriage.

The operation of the log-turning mechanism isas follows: W'hile thelog-oarriage is being run back after the last out through the log, prior to turning it,and during the last part of the back movement of the carriage, the sawyer will press against the rim h" of friction-wheel H to back off the head blocks,to carry the overhanginglower corner of the log on which it turns in upon the head blocks. The sawyer then will operate handwheel I) to move sleeve B to disconnect the clutch b B", to allow the carriage to rest, and then he will operate the foot-lever e to raise the hinged frame E to throw the pinion E into gear with the wheel E, which will give motion to pinion F, to raise the cant-hook F to turn the log, and meanwhile the sawyer will draw on lever \V, to engage the gears V V, and also will operate lever N, to engage the the frictionwheel a, to rotate shaft S and its pinions T in direction of the arrows in Figs. 3 and 6, and cause the pnsh-arms M to be projected against the lower portion of the log, to push it back as the hook F lifts the log, and

to the shaft of said whereby the log will be turned so as to fall on the benches R, which had been raised as the push arms M were thrust forward, and thelog will press down the arms M without injuring them. The benches R are supported against the shocks of the log on them in falling by the impact of the back ends of the slides 0 against shoulders 0 on the guide blocks K. The partly turned log will slide by its gravity down the inclined benches R, onto the mill carriage, being thereby fully turned ready to be dogged to the headblocks, whereupon the motion of shaft S will be reversed by throwiug the wheel 1) against the friction-wheel a", for simultaneously lowering the benches R, and drawing back the push arms M to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 6, and the lever W will be pushed back to disengage the gears V V, and the set-works H H H will be operated to set the dogged log to the saw by shifting the head blocks, the sleeve B being moved by operating handwheel I)" to engage the carriage rack by the pinion c, as before described, and all is ready for the next cut through the log. The telescopingshaft G G allows the head-blocks to be shifted lengthwise of the carriage to accommodate logs of different lengths, and meanwhile maintain operative connections with the cant-hook F, as above described.

Havingthus described myinvention, Iclaim as new and desire tosecure byLetters Patent-- 1. A log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, comprising a cant'hook hung to a bar vertically movable in one of the headblock knees and provided with a rack, a pinion on the knee gearing with said rack, a shaft coupled to the shaft of said pinion and to a gear-wheel mounted in an adjacent head-block and adapt ed to be geared with a pinion which is connected by shafts and pinions with the drivingshaft, and push-arms fitted to slide in. guideblocks arranged transversely to the carriage, and mechanism, substantially as described, for operating said push arms from the drivingshaft, substantially as herein set forth.

2. A log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, comprising a cant-hook hung to a bar vertitically movable in one of the headblook knees and provided with a rack, a pinion on the knee gearing with said rack, a shaft coupled pinion and to a gear-wheel mounted in an adjacent head-block and. adapted to be geared with a pinion which is connected by shafts and pinions with the driving shaft. push-arms fitted to slidein guide-blocks arranged transversely to the carriage, folding benches comprising barslinked to slides fitted in guideblocks and adapted to be set up in inclined positions to receive the turning log, and mechanism, substantially as described, for operating said push-arms and benches from the drivingshaft, substantially as herein set forth.

8. In log-turning apparatus for sawmills, the cant-ho0k F, pivoted to a bar adapted to slide vertically in a knee of one of the headblocks,and provided with long and short hookpoints f J, substantially as herein set forth.

. 4. In log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, the combination, with the cant-hook F, pivoted to the rack-slide f, fitted in a head-block knee, and provided with hook-points and a rearwardly-extending arm, f, of the weight f, substantially as herein set forth.

5. In log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, the combination, with the head-block 0*, having an inclined or rounded face, f, at its inner end portion, of the head-block knee F and the weighted cant-hook F, pivoted to a slide, f, fitted in the head-block knee, substantially as described, whereby the hook will be forced inward as it falls to clear the saw, as set forth.

6. In log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, the combination, with the push-arms M, pivoted to slides fitted in guide-blocks K, of the levers N, pivoted to the guide-blocks, and the springs N, and mechanism for operating said slides, substantially as herein set forth.

7. In log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, the combination, with the push-arms M, pivoted to slides L, having racks Z, and fitted in guide-blocks K, of the shaft S, having pinions T, meshing with racks Z, substantially as herein set forth.

8. In a log-turning apparatus, the combination, with the head-block having a vertically-sliding cant-hook, of a guide-block in front of the cant-hook, a folding bench on said guide-block, and mechanism for operating said hook and bench, substantially as set forth.

9. In a logrturning apparatus, the combination, with a vertically-adjustable cant-hook, of a guide-block in front of the same, a folding bench on said guide-block, a sliding pusher mounted on the guide-block parallel with the bench, and mechanism for operating the cant-hook, bench, and pusher, substantially as and in the manner set forth.

10. In a log-turning apparatus, the guideblock and the folding bench, in combination with the sliding pusher, also on said guideblock, and a shaft and gearing for simultaneously operating said bench and pusher, substantially as set forth.

11. In log-turning apparatus for saw-mills, the combination,with the guide-blocks K, the shaft S, and pinions T, below said blocks, of the slides 0, having racks 0 on their under sides, meshing with the pinions T, the benches It, pivoted at r to the guide-blocks, and the braces P, hinged at their ends to the slide 0 and benches It, substantially as set forth.

12. In log-turning apparatus, the combination, with the guide-blocks K, the shaft S,

below the same, and the pinions T, of the rack-slides O 0, operated by said pinions, the springs O on the guides in rear of the slides, the benches R, pivoted at r to the guides, and the braces P, hinged at p p to the slides and benches, substantially as set forth.

13. In a log-tnrning apparatus, the combination, with the guide-blocks K, having ways formed therein, and shoulders O at the rear ends of said ways, of the slide-racks O 0 in said ways in front of the shoulders, the benches It, hinged at r to the guide-blocks,

the braces P, hinged atp p to the slides and benches, the operating-shaft S and pinions T, meshing with the racks of the slides, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination, with the log-turning mechanism, and the drivingshaft S. and pinions T therefor, of the shaft U, having a pinion, a, meshing with a pinion, s, on the end of shaft S, and a bevel-gear, V, the shaft B, the bevel-gear V thereon, adapted to mesh with the bevel-gear V, and. means forthrowing the bevcl-gears V V into and out of engagement, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with the log-turning mechanism, the driving-shaft S, and pinions T,for operating the same, of the shaft U, having a pinion, a, on one end meshing with a pinion, s, on said shaft S, and a bevel-gear,V, on its other end, the lever W, connected with the gear V, the operating-rod WV, for operating the lever W, and the shaft B, having agearwheel, V, adapted to be engaged by the bevelgear V through the medium of the rod VVand lever W, substantially as set forth.

ROBISON W. SHELBOURNE.

Witnesses: '&

BEN FLINT, W. F. HAwEs.

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