US3841945A - Apparatus for assembling glue-coated wood veneer sheets into a continuous linearly extending stack - Google Patents

Apparatus for assembling glue-coated wood veneer sheets into a continuous linearly extending stack Download PDF

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Publication number
US3841945A
US3841945A US00258898A US25889872A US3841945A US 3841945 A US3841945 A US 3841945A US 00258898 A US00258898 A US 00258898A US 25889872 A US25889872 A US 25889872A US 3841945 A US3841945 A US 3841945A
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United States
Prior art keywords
sheets
stack
conveyer
sheet
shuttle
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US00258898A
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English (en)
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A Johnson
C Johnson
A Troutner
J Russell
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Trus Joist Corp
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Individual
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Priority to US00258898A priority Critical patent/US3841945A/en
Priority to SE7300614A priority patent/SE399001B/xx
Priority to CA161,500A priority patent/CA984861A/en
Priority to AU51689/73A priority patent/AU5168973A/en
Priority to FI509/73A priority patent/FI59547C/fi
Priority to GB999773A priority patent/GB1429722A/en
Priority to JP3366073A priority patent/JPS5651082B2/ja
Priority to DE2318284A priority patent/DE2318284A1/de
Priority to AU58845/73A priority patent/AU480137B2/en
Priority to US05/467,944 priority patent/US3963552A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3841945A publication Critical patent/US3841945A/en
Priority to CA246,187A priority patent/CA1007559A/en
Assigned to TRUS JOIST CORPORATION A DE CORP. reassignment TRUS JOIST CORPORATION A DE CORP. MERGER (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: TRUS JOIST CORPORATION
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B21/00—Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board
    • B32B21/14—Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board comprising wood board or veneer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
    • B27D—WORKING VENEER OR PLYWOOD
    • B27D1/00—Joining wood veneer with any material; Forming articles thereby; Preparatory processing of surfaces to be joined, e.g. scoring
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B21/00—Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board
    • B32B21/13—Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board all layers being exclusively wood
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B7/00—Layered products characterised by the relation between layers; Layered products characterised by the relative orientation of features between layers, or by the relative values of a measurable parameter between layers, i.e. products comprising layers having different physical, chemical or physicochemical properties; Layered products characterised by the interconnection of layers
    • B32B7/04—Interconnection of layers
    • B32B7/12—Interconnection of layers using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/66—Advancing articles in overlapping streams
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/17—Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/17—Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
    • Y10T156/1702—For plural parts or plural areas of single part
    • Y10T156/1744—Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship
    • Y10T156/1751—At least three articles
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/17—Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
    • Y10T156/1702—For plural parts or plural areas of single part
    • Y10T156/1744—Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship
    • Y10T156/1768—Means simultaneously conveying plural articles from a single source and serially presenting them to an assembly station

Definitions

  • FIG. 6 1 J4
  • Sheets of material, wood veneers in particular are assembled into a continuous, linear, composite stack by arranging a first stack of sheets above a lineal conveyer with the sheets progressively lapped by predetermined increments in the direction of movement of the conveyer. The bottom-most sheet is deposited on the conveyer. The conveyer is advanced a predetermined linear travel increment while placing the first sheet of a second stack on the conveyer with its leading end overlapping the trailing end of the sheet from the first stack already there.
  • the stepwise advancement of the conveyer is continued while alternately depositing and lapping additional sheets.
  • the second stack is elevated above the conveyer and a third stack interleaved with the second stack in the same progression.
  • This sequence is continued indefinitely, producing a continuous, linear, composite stack of sheet materials.
  • the stack comprises glue-coated sheets of wood veneer, it may be introduced into a continuous press for the production of a glued, laminar wood product.
  • This invention relates to a method of assembling sheets of material, particularly glue-coated wood veneer sheets, into a continuous linearly-extending, composite stack suitable for introduction into a continuous press. It relates further to the composite product which is produced by the method and to an apparatus for use in the execution of the method.
  • the invention is applicable particularly to the assembling of glue-coated wood veneers into a continuous, linearly-extending, composite stack and is described with reference to such application although no limitation thereby is intended.
  • the continuous charge fed to the press necessarily must consist of a multiplicity of sheets of wood veneer or other material pieced together in one manner or another, it necessarily follows that the lfinal consolidated product discharged from, the press will possess a multiplicity of joints occurring at the points of contact of any two adjacent sheets. If the joints are too closely aligned with each other across the thickness of the product, or too close together longitudinally of the product, planes or areas of structural weakness are introduced. Also, any irregularity in the spacing of the joints along 3,841,945 Patented Oct. 15, 1974 the length of the product introduces a corresponding irregularity in the strength qualities of the product. These factors may detract materially from the commercial application of the product.
  • the starting materials comprise wood veneer sheets
  • a difiiculty is presented in that the sheets are fragile and break easily, particularly along the grain and in areas of defective Wood. This makes difficult the problem of stacking them into a continuous press charge.
  • wood veneers are commercial veneers produced by usual manufacturing processes, they almost invariably are of different widths.
  • the width differences are occasioned by numerous factors, including the veneer clipping routine, breakage, and shrinkage occurring in the dryer. Clipping the veneers to uniform width obviously introduces a substantial waste factor.
  • Using veneers of random width tends to produce a press charge of non-uniform thickness along its longitudinal margins. This in turn makes necessary trimming the consolidated press product to remove the defective margins, with attendant loss of material.
  • -It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel laminar product resulting from the method of the invention, and to provide apparatus for its practice.
  • the present invention comprises a method, apparatus employed in executing the method, and a novel product of the method, for assembling sheets of material, particularly wood veneers, into a linearlyextending composite stack suitable for introduction into a continuous press.
  • a first stack of the sheets is arranged above a linear conveyor with the sheets progressively lapped by predetermined increments in the direction of movement of the conveyor.
  • the lowermost sheet is deposited on the conveyer, the conveyer advanced a predetermined linear travel increment, and the first sheet of a second stack placed on the conveyer with its leading end lapping the trailing end of the sheet from the first stack already deposited thereon.
  • This sequence is repeated until all of the first stack has been deposited on the conveyer in a vertically offset or staggered manner, and a second stack has been built up with the leading ends of the sheets of the second stack lapping the trailing ends of the sheets of the first stack. At least the trailing portion of the second stack then is lifted and the foregoing sequence repeated to build up a third stack of the same nature, with the leading ends of its component sheeets interleaved with and lapping the trailing ends of the component sheets of the second stack.
  • This procedure is repeated indefinately, producing a continuous, linear, composite stack made up of a plurality of component interleaved and lapping individual stacks.
  • the individual sheets are aligned in the stacks and the lapped joints produced between the sheets are staggered and disposed in a uniform arrangement, thereby leading to the production of a laminar product of uniform properties requiring but a minimum of trim.
  • FIGS. IA and 1B are sequential plan views of the apparatus, with parts broken away for convenience of illustration;
  • FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1A illustrating vertically indexing sheet support arms employed in the hereindescribed apparatus.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, illustrating a ratchet control for the support arms.
  • FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1B, illustrating the means for driving the support arms.
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, transverse section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1A, illustrating aligning means for aligning a sheet being processed by the apparatus.
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1A illustrating a further means for aligning the sheets.
  • FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, transverse section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1B, illustrating means for holding down and restraining a stack of sheets being processed by the apparatus of the invention.
  • FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, transverse section taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1B and illustrating hold-down roller means for the stack.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic side elevation, as viewed from lines 10-10 of FIG. 1A, illustrating the drive for a reciprocating or shuttle conveyer employed in the hereindescribed apparatus.
  • FIG. 11A is a diagrammatic side elevation illustrating the lay up pattern of a stack of sheets composited by the presently described apparatus, with the shuttle conveyers in retracted position and the indexing arms ready to be raised.
  • FIG. 11B is a progression of FIG. MA, with the shuttle conveyers advanced.
  • FIG. 12 is a semi-diagrammatic, fragmentary elevation illustrating the lapped pattern of a stack of veneers after assembly, but before consolidation in a press.
  • FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12, but enlarged about four times thereover, and illustrating the stack after the application of consolidating pressure.
  • FIG. 14 is a foreshortened transverse section taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 13.
  • FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view corresponding to FIG. 13, but illustrating the application of sheets having scarfed ends in the method of the invention.
  • FIG. 16 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus illustrating the arrangement of the principal subcombinations thereof.
  • the apparatus composites a continuous, glued, laminated billet of indefinite length, having a width of three or four feet, and a thickness of from two to four inches.
  • a billet may be sawed longitudinally in the production of beams, timbers, joist chords, or other structural members of great and uniform strength.
  • the plywood veneers which comprise the preferred raw material for the present purposes consist of the commercially produced veneers normally used in the production of plywood. Such veneers have a uniform length of slightly more than the eight feet, non-uniform widths, and a substantially uniform thickness of about However, various veneer thicknesses may be employed with suitable modification of the layup pattern.
  • the veneers In the preparation of the veneers, they are sorted or cut to a width corresponding approximately to the width of the layup apparatus and downstream press. They then are glue-coated by any of the conventional techniques, i.e. by spraying, curtain coating, brushing, or roll coating. Suflicient glue is employed to fill any voids and coat the surfaces. Thermosetting or cold setting glues may be employed.
  • the glue-coated veneers then are charged to the hereindescribed apparatus, which basically consists of six subassemblies: A reciprocating shuttle conveyer which feeds the veneers, a veneer aligning assembly which aligns the veneers on the shuttle conveyer, a horizontally indexing gate assembly which aligns the sheets on the shuttle conveyer and assists in their discharge therefrom; a vertically indexing support arm assembly which supports the sheets in staggered, stacked arrangement preliminary to assembling them; a hold-down assembly which holds down and restrains the assembled continuous stack of sheets; and a lineal conveyer assembly which ofiFbears the continuous stack to further processing, for example to a continuous press.
  • a reciprocating shuttle conveyer which feeds the veneers
  • a veneer aligning assembly which aligns the veneers on the shuttle conveyer
  • a horizontally indexing gate assembly which aligns the sheets on the shuttle conveyer and assists in their discharge therefrom
  • a vertically indexing support arm assembly which supports the sheets in staggered, stacked arrangement preliminary to assembling them
  • shuttle conveyers To increase the production rate, and also to produce a desirably spaced joint pattern in the final assembly, two or more shuttle conveyers preferably are employed in the present apparatus. They serve the functions of aligning the sheets and feeding them one at a time to build up the lapped, continuous, composite stack which is the product of the apparatus. In the presently illustrated form of the invention, there are two such shuttle conveyers.
  • the shuttle conveyer indicated generally at 10, together with the other sub-assemblies of the apparatus of our invention, is mounted on a frame 12 which in turn is supported on legs 14.
  • the frame consists of upper and lower longitudinal structural members 16 and 18, sup ported by uprights 20 and braced by cross members 22.
  • upper and lower segmented rails 24, 26 are mounted detachably on horizontal frame members 16, 18, respectively, by means of mounting blocks 28.
  • Preshaped brackets 30, integral with rails 24 and 26, are secured to blocks 28 by means of bolts 32.
  • the upper and lower shuttle conveyers are indicated generally at 34 and 36, respectively.
  • Each consists of a bed plate 38 carrying at spaced intervals along its longitudinal side margins a plurality of mounting blocks 40.
  • Angled wheels 42 are rotatably mounted on the blocks.
  • the wheels track on upper and lower rails 24, 26.
  • each shuttle conveyer has spaced shallow ribs 44 extending its full lengths, FIG. 1A.
  • the ribs are separated by grooves which are of functional importance in discharging the sheet from the conveyer, as shall appear hereinafter.
  • a vertically extending gu1de 45 which also serves as a stop, extends upwardly along the longitudinal side edge of the bed plate.
  • Pushing pro ections 46 extends upwardly from the rear upper surfaces of ribs 44. These engage the trailing end of each sheet and assist in its propulsion.
  • Suitable means are provided for driving each shuttle conveyer 34 and 36 in reciprocating lineal motion.
  • the drive comprises fluid operated cylinders, specifically air cylinders 48 and 50 with associated cable connections (FIGS. 1A, 2 and
  • Each conveyer 34, 36 has an integral mounting post 52 to which one of cables 54, 56 is anchored.
  • the cables are trained around pulleys 58 which are rotatably mounted on brackets 60 secured to cylinders 48, 50. From pulleys 58, each cable passes through a sealing wall 62 with which the associated cylinder is provided, and dead ends at the cylinder piston 64.
  • Cylinders 48, 50 are supplied with compressed air through conduits 66. Shock absorbing means is associated with each cylinder to absorb the shock necessarily created by the repeated change of direction of the shuttle conveyer. To this end cylinders 48 and 50 are fixed to plates 68, 70 respectively. The latter in turn are supported on horizontal frame members 16, 18.
  • Bumper arms 72, 74 extend outwardly from the right rear corners of conveyers 34, 36. At the limits of their travel, arms 72, 74 contact shock absorbing units 76, 78 mounted on plates 68.
  • Means are provided for aligning the sheets and maintaining their alignment as they progress through the apparatus.
  • segmented, spaced, parallel guide fences 80 supported by posts 82 and brackets 84 along the length of the apparatus, FIGS. 1, 2 and 6.
  • each shuttle conveyer has associated with it horizontal sheet aligning means indicated generally at 86, FIGS. 1A and 6.
  • Each of the horizontal aligning sub-assemblies comprises a lever arm 88 having a rectangular base 90.
  • the latter is pivotally mounted by shoulder bolt 92 threaded into bed plate 38.
  • the pivotally mounted lever arm is spring pressed in the direction of advancement against a sheet carried by the shuttle conveyer by means of a threaded stud 94.
  • the latter is pivotally mounted by means of pivot pin 96 to the rectangular lever arm base 90. It passes through a plate 98 which is integral with bed plate 38 and mounts a tension spring 100- Tension spring 100 bears against plate 98 at one end and tension-adjusting lock nuts 102 at the other end.
  • a roller 104 is journaled to the rear outer corner of rectangular base 90. In the retracted position of the carriage, the roller bears against a cam ramp 106. The latter is bolted to brackets 110 on horizontal frame members 16, 18.
  • lever 88 In the advancing position of the shuttle conveyer, lever 88 is urged forwardly by spring 100 into engagement with the side edge of a sheet carried by the conveyer. This movement of the lever is permitted by a break in fence 80.
  • lever 88 In its forward position, lever 88 bears against the side edge of a sheet carried by the shuttle conveyer, urging it against the opposite side wall of the carriage, thereby aligning it.
  • roller 104 on lever base 90 engages cam ramp 106 moving the lever arm to its retracted position and enabling loading a new sheet on the shuttle conveyer.
  • the gate assembly is supported on a pair of grooved, vertical standards 114 positioned inwardly of and integral with frame members 16, 18.
  • a pair of upper fluid operated cylinders, preferably air cylinders 116, and'a pair of lower fluid operated cylinders, preferably air cylinders 118 are attached by bolts 120 to the upper and lower ends of the standards.
  • the cylinder rams 122 are attached by pins 124 to the outer ends 126 of upper gate member 128, and the outer ends 130 of lower gate member 132. Outer ends 126 and 130 of the gate members terminate within vertical grooves 134 formed on the inner faces 136 of standards 114.
  • the central portions 138 of the gate members operate between and within guides 80. Their lower edges are serrated, being provided with integral, downwardly extending short fingers 140 spaced to register with the raised portions 44 of bed plates 38 of the shuttle conveyer. Registering with grooves 47 on the latter, and interspersed with short fingers 140, are slightly longer fingers 142. These project into grooves 47 when gate members 128, 132 are lowered. In the fully lowered osition of the gate members, short fingers 140 just clear the top surfaces of longitudinal ribs 44.
  • sheet guide and restraining means are provided for guiding and restraining the leading ends of the sheets as they are introduced onto the shuttle conveyer. Such means is illustrated particularly in FIG. 7.
  • a horizontal, transverse finger plate 146 is mounted on the upper front edge of shuttle conveyers 34, 36 by means of screws 148 passing through spacer blocks 150 and entering tapped holes in bed plates 38.
  • the spacing between the fingers of plate 146 is alternated with the spacing between fingers 140 of the serrated gate member to permit the downward extension of the vertical fingers of the latter.
  • a transverse guide 156 is positioned slightly ahead of and above each of finger plates 146.
  • the outermost ends of guide 156 are mounted on grooved standards 114 by means of arms 158 and bolts 160 threaded into the standards.
  • the leading end of an irregular sheet introduced onto the shuttle conveyer is guided by the angled surface of guide 156 beneath finger plate 146.
  • the gate rises, permitting passage of the conveyer and a sheet super-imposed thereon beneath the gate.
  • the gate lowers and the conveyer retracts.
  • the long fingers 142 of the serrated gate member thereupon engage the trailing edge of the sheet, discharging it from the conveyer.
  • (D) The Vertically Indexing Support Arm- Assembly The sheet discharged by the conveyer in the manner described above is received by four cooperating, horizontally spaced pairs of vertically indexing support arms.
  • the support arm subassemblies provide a plurality of upwardly indexing shelves, three in the illustration, for receiving the sheets, stacking them, and progressing them along the assembly line in an order and manner which composites them into a total sheet assembly having a desired continuity and lap pattern.
  • All of the support arm subassemblies, indicated generally at 162, are tied together so that they may be indexed upwardly in unison by means of two pairs of upper and lower shafts 164, 166 journaled within bearings 168 fixed to frame members 16, 18.
  • Sprockets 170 fixed to upper and lower shafts 164, 166 support endless chains 172.
  • each chain 172 extends outwardly and are bent at opposing right angles to form ears 176. These are mounted to blocks 178, 180 entering threaded holes 182.
  • Each block 178 supports on each side four rollers 184, operating; in slots 186. The latter are located on the inner faces of vertical guideways '188 secured to the inner sides of frame 16, 18 by bolts 190.
  • the guideways are of a length sufficient to engage three of blocks 178 at a time.
  • each block 178 Located in the center of each block 178 is. a hole 192 into which is threaded the inner end of an index arm 194. The latter is provided with three anti-friction rollers 196 spaced longitudinally along its outwardly extending portion 198.
  • each indexing arm assembly there is provided in association with each indexing arm assembly a ratchet assembly 202, FIG. 2. This is mounted to the bottom of frame 16 along the center line of chain 172 by means of bolts 200.
  • the ratchet assembly consists of a case 204 with integral twin mounting lugs 206.
  • case 204 Formed within case 204 is a horizontal bore 207 in which is slidably mounted a ratchet finger 208.
  • the latter member has a relieved portion 209 at its operating end 210 so that it will clear the inner faces of the inner links 174 of chain 172.
  • the operating end 210 of the finger terminates in an inclined surface 212.
  • a keyway 214 is formed in ratchet case 204.
  • a key 215 is slidably positioned in the keyway and secured to ratchet finger 208 in the usual manner.
  • Ratchet finger 208 has an enlarged end 2 16 which operates in an enlarged bore 217. Positioned between enlarged end 216 and cover 218, secured by screws 219, is a compression spring 220 which forces the enlarged end 216 of the finger against a shoulder 222.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 The drive for the indexing arm assemblies is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
  • a center line mounted actuating cylinder 226 is pivotally mounted by means of integral stud shafts 228 journaled within a mounting block 230 which is mounted to a transverse sub-frame member 232.
  • Bolts 234 pass through holes 236 formed in sub-frame member 232 and enter tapped holes 238 formed within block 230.
  • a cylinder ram 240 The upper end of a cylinder ram 240 is secured to a transverse U-shapedframe 242.
  • a pair of rack gears 244 are mounted to the vertical portion 246 of frame 242 by bolts 248. The latter pass through holes 250 in vertical members 246 and are threaded into tapped holes 252 formed in rack gears 244.
  • Rack gears 244 are slidably positioned between a pair of vertically spaced and angled frames 254 secured at their bottoms to sub-frame 232 and at their upper ends to frame 18.
  • the inner faces 256 of angled frames 254 provide additional guides for the vertical portions 246 of frame 232.
  • Pinion gears 258 are rotatably journaled on shafts 166 and are aligned with rack gears 244.
  • Slip clutches 260 are secured to the shafts by keys 262 and are joined with gears 258.
  • cylinder 226 is actuated. Both of shafts 166 thereupon are driven by the rack and pinion assemblies indexing all the support arm assemblies upwardly one stage through the agency of the interconnected chain and sprocket drives. The arms are maintained in their newly assumed positions by the action of ratchet assemblies 202. Cylinder 226 thereupon retracts, retracting racks 244. During their retraction, pinion gears 258 free wheel because of the action of the associated slip clutches 260. The drive then is ready for a subsequent indexing stroke.
  • the Sheet Hold-Down Assembly Means are provided for holding down and restraining the stacks of sheets built on the arms by the action of the shuttle conveyers, FIGS. 1B and 8.
  • the hold-down assemblies 264 are secured to frames 12 by integral angle frames 266 secured by bolts 268.
  • Each hold-down assembly 264 consists of side walls 270 spaced and secured by upper and lower plates 272, 274 assembled by means of bolts 276.
  • An L-shaped carriage frame indicated generally at 277 mounts a pair of inwardly extending hold-down fingers 278 supported by and extending inwardly from a vertical segment 280 of the frame.
  • An actuating cylinder 282 is pivotably mounted by means of stud shafts 284 to a pair of ears 286 on side walls 270.
  • the ram 288 of the cylinder is connected through pin 290 to a projection 292 on segment 294 of frame 277.
  • Two pairs of rollers 296 are attached to the sides of segments 280 and 294 of frame 277. They project into upper and lower tracks 298 and 300, respectively.
  • An additional two pairs of rollers 302 are attached to the upper and lower surfaces of segments 294 and project slightly beyond the width of segment 294 contacting the inner surfaces 304 of walls 270. This provides lateral guide means for frame 277.
  • fingers 278 When ram 288 is extended, fingers 278 will be fully retracted within a chamber 306 formed by walls 270 and plates 272 and 274. When ram 288 is retracted, associated rollers 296 will enter inclined portions 308, 310 respectively, of tracks 298 and 300. This moves fingers 278 in an inward and downward direction until frame 277 contacts a stop 312 connected to walls 270. Then, as shown particularly in FIG. 8, the upper one of hold-down fingers 278 contacts and holds down a stack of sheets on an elevated sequence of arms while the lower one of hold-down fingers 278 contacts and restrains a stack of sheets on a lower group of arms.
  • a hold-down roller assembly indicated generally at 314 and illustrated particularly in FIG. 9.
  • An inverted U-shaped frame 316 is secured to the inner face of frame 18 by bolts 318. It is further secured to a cross frame 232 by bolts 320.
  • An actuating cylinder 322 is mounted to frame 316 by bolts 324.
  • the ram 326 of the cylinder is secured to the center of an inverted U-shaped movable frame 328 by pin 330.
  • Downwardly formed extensions 332 of frame 328 support two pairs of outwardly disposed rollers 334. These operate in vertical tracks 336 formed on the inner faces 338 of downwardly extended legs 340 of frame 316. Additional pairs of rollers 342 are positioned on the sides and lower portions of lower extensions 332 and project slightly beyond the faces 344 of extensions 332. They contact the inner faces 338 of extension members 340.
  • Rollers 334, 342 provide guiding means for the verti cal movement of frame 328.
  • a transverse shaft 346 is anchored at both ends to frame extension 332 by pins 348.
  • Rotatably mounted hold-down wheels 350 are evenly spaced and journaled on shaft 346 as shown in FIGS. 1B and 9.
  • a support roller 352 Positioned directly below wheels 350 is a support roller 352 having both of its ends journaled within a lower portion of frame 332.
  • the conveying system includes an interrupted series of conveyers 354. These are aligned with each other, coplanar, and alternated with the support arm assemblies, and positioned with their upper working stretches at an elevation slightly above the plane of the lowermost of the working arms of the support arm assemblies, as appears particularly in FIG. 11.
  • conveyers 354 are coupled together and driven synchronously.
  • conveyers 354 advantageously may be locked into the continuous press drive thereby insuring that their movement is timed correctly with respect to the movement of the charge through the press.
  • the continuously stacked veneers may be drawn into the press drive, eliminating the necessity of applying power to conveyers 354.
  • the conveyers all are driven by the drive of press 356 transmitted by means of drive chains 358, 360.
  • Transverse rollers 362 are randomly positioned along the same center line with conveyers 354 and provide additional support. Both conveyers and rollers find their ultimate support in frame members 364.
  • the stroke of the shuttle conveyers is correlated with the length of the sheets. T o achieve a uniform result, the sheet length should be evenly divisible by the conveyer stroke length.
  • shuttle conveyers 34, 36 are retracted, aligning lever assemblies 86 are retracted, gate assemblies 112 are closed, and vertically indexing support arm assemblies 162 are stationary to provide three horizontal sequences of aligned arms. These form in effect three shelves upon which sheets may be stacked in lapped relation.
  • Hold-down assemblies 264 are advanced and press 356 operates continuously.
  • Lineal conveyers 354 drive synchronously in the advancing direction, at the same rate as the press drive advances the work through the press.
  • the operator has two choices. Under one, he may manually lap and stack the start-up sheets, feeding them into the press and building up a charge on the conveyers and support arms which is a duplicate of that which would be built up thereon by operation of the shuttle and lineal conveyers. This eliminates end trim from the pressed billet.
  • FIGS. 11A, 11B The progressive build-up of the continuous stack is illustrated schematically in FIGS. 11A, 11B.
  • FIGS. 11A and 11B it must be kept in mind that the showing of these figures is schematic.
  • the sheets are represented for clarity of illustration in straight line parallel relationship.
  • the sheets drape downwardly onto the supporting surfaces immediately below.
  • These may be a succession of the support arms of assemblies 162, or one or more of lineal conveyers 354 or rollers 362.
  • the sheets are assembled in two separate stacks by means of two separate shuttle conveyors. The sheets are thus shown in the drawings, but it is to be kept in mind that at the outfeed end of the apparatus the two stacks merge into a single stack which is then fed into press 356.
  • the stack condition is essentially that illustrated in FIG. 11B, with a minor alteration which Will be described later.
  • a first stack of sheets V rests on the upper tier of support arms.
  • a second stack of veneers V' rests on the intermediate stack of support arms.
  • Shuttle conveyer 34 is arranged to pass between the upper and intermediate tiers of support arms, below the stack of sheets V.
  • Shuttle conveyer 36 is arranged to pass between the intermediate and lower tiers of support arms, beneath the stack of sheets V.
  • Conveyers 354 underlie shuttle conveyer 36. The plane of the conveyers is slightly above the plane of the lower tier of support arms, so that the latter at this point are non-working.
  • the gate is raised and shuttle conveyer 34 advanced until the trailing end of the sheet is beyond the vertical plane of the gate.
  • the sheet is aligned laterally by the action of lateral aligning assembly 86 including aligning lever 88. Inertial displacement of sheet rearwardly over the trailing end of the conveyer is prevented by pushing plates 46 thereon.
  • Linear conveyers 354 now are activated, as by locking them into the drive of press 356. This advances the stacks by a predetermined increment-suflicient to cause the underlying sheet of each stack to drop off the sup port bar which is farthest downstream and to come to rest on the underlying sheet with the sheet ends lapped by the precisely desired amount, as determined by the position of the gate assembly and sheet length.
  • the foregoing sequence is repeated as described. However, if it is necessary to introduce an odd sheet, the thirteenth sheet in the present example, this is accomplished by introducing an odd sheet numbered 7 between the stacks of sheets V and V in the manner indicated in FIG. 1113. The seventh sheet is introduced on the upper shuttle conveyer 34, the lower shuttle conveyer remaining empty.
  • the above described sequence then is repeated.
  • the upper shuttle conveyer operates in the space between the stacks of sheets V and V While the lower conveyer operates in the space between the lower stack of sheets V and couveyers 354. They deposit the next series of sheets one at a time on the respective underlying surfaces. Then upon advancement of the conveyers one stage at a time, the lowermost sheets of the overlying stacks drop down on the freshly deposited sheets, lapping them by the desired increment.
  • the sheets comprise plywood veneers to be consolidated into a continuous laminar billet, they are first coated with a suitable plywood glue.
  • Uppermost sheet V6 is reserved from this treatment, however, and is applied dry save for a transverse strip of glue on its upper face, applied to provide a glue-coated lap surface.
  • the upper stack drops downwardly and merges with the lower stack into a unitary composite stack 366 of thirteen sheets which is introduced into the press.
  • FIG. 12 shows a typical pattern of thirteen sheets.
  • this composite stack 366 is composed of an indefinite number of component stacks of thirteen sheets each, the sheets of each component stack being out of register by uniform increments in the linear direction, and the adjacent ends of adjacent stacks being interleaved and lapped by predetermined amounts. This produces a uniform pattern of lap joints which are spaced in the optimum manner for producing a consolidated product of maximum strength.
  • FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the stack after consolidation. It will be observed that the consolidated billet 368 is of indefinite length, and of a width determined by the width of the individual sheets. Where the individual sheets are of different widths, one side of the billet still will be of uniform thickness because of the aligning action of lateral aligning assembly 86. This has the advantage of requiring the longitudinal trimming of one side only of the billet to achieve a final billet of uniform thickness across its width.
  • Uniform thickness of the billet is achieved further by pressing the lapped sheets to uniform thickness in the press. As is indicated clearly in FIG. 13, in the case of wood veneers this requires some crushing and compression of the wood fibers in the lap joint areas. Any voids in such areas are filled with the glue with which the sheets are coated.
  • points of weakness such as cleavage planes is avoided by maintaining the spacing between the lap joints, both laterally and longitudinally, at optimum, uniform values. This insures uniform properties and uniform strength in the products. Where even greater strength is required, this may be achieved by scarfing the ends of the sheets and creating sarf joints rather than lap joints, in the manner indicated by the consolidated billet 370 of FIG. 15.
  • Apparatus for assembling sheets of material into a continuous, linearly extending stack comprising:
  • (e) sheet placement means arranged for placing the first sheet of a second stack on the conveyer with its leading end lapping the trailing end of the sheet from the first stack already deposited thereon.
  • Apparatus for assembling sheets of material into a continuous, linearly extending stack which comprises:
  • shuttle conveyer means arranged to reciprocate between a retracted position and an advanced position wherein it overlies the infeed end of the lineal conveyer means
  • gate drive means connected to the gate means and operable to adjust it between an open position wherein it permits passage of the shuttle conveyer means and a sheet carried thereby on the advancing traverse of the shuttle conveyer means, and a closed position wherein it intercepts the trailing end of the sheet and wipes it from the shuttle conveyer means on the retracting traverse thereof, the sheet thereby being deposited on the linear conveyer in lapped relation to a sheet already present thereon.
  • gate means comprises a horizontal bar positioned transversely across the path of the shuttle conveyer means, a plurality of longitudinally spaced fingers extending downwardly from the bar and reciprocating drive means connected to the bar for moving it between raised and lowered positions.
  • the shuttle conveyer means comprises a bed plate having on the floor thereof a plurality of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending ribs providing intermediate grooves dimensioned to receive the fingers of the gate means on the retracting traverse of the shuttle conveyer means and wherein the reciprocating drive means comprises fluid operated cylinder means connected to the bar.
  • the apparatus of claim 2 including sheet aligning means on the shuttle conveyer means, the sheet aligning means comprising:
  • the lever means being operable to press the sheet against the stop on the advancing traverse of the shuttle conveyer means and to retract to inoperative position on the retracting traverse thereof.
  • the apparatus of claim 2 including vertically indexing support arm means for receiving and supporting sheets fed by the shuttle conveyer means to the lineal conveyer means.
  • the apparatus of claim 2 including sheet hold-down means positioned and arranged above the lineal conveyor means for contacting and holding down a stack of sheets conveyed thereby.
  • a shuttle conveyer comprising:
  • bed plate means dimensioned to receive the sheets one at a time
  • the shuttle conveyer of claim 9 including aligning means for aligning the sheets placed on the bed plate means.
  • the aligning means comprises a stop projecting upwardly along one side edge of the bed plate means, and spring pressed lever means mounted on the opposite side of the bed plate means and positioned for pressing the sheet against the stop thereby aligning the same.
  • the aligning means comprises as top projecting upwardly along one side edge of the bed plate means, and spring pressed lever means mounted on the opposite side of the bed plate means and positioned for pressing the sheet against the stop thereby aligning the same;
  • the spring pressed lever means comprising:
  • cam means mounted adjacent the shuttle conveyer means in its retracted position for engaging the base and shifting the lever arm to a retracted position out of contact with the sheet, against the pressure of the spring.
  • the shuttle conveyer of claim 9 including gate means mounted downstream from the bed plate means in the retracted position of the latter, extending transversely across the path of travel of the bed plate means, and adjustable between a raised position permitting passage of the bed plate means and a superimposed sheet carried thereby, and a lowered position predetermined to permit passage of the bed plate means only.
  • the shuttle conveyer of claim 13 including horizontal guide means adjacent and upstream of the gate means, positioned for guiding the leading end of a sheet introduced onto the bed plate means toward the gate means.
  • a vertically indexing support arm assembly comprising:
  • indexing drive means comprises rack and pinion guide means.
  • the support arm assembly of claim 16 including ratchet means engaging the flexible support and permitting its movement in the advancing direction only.
  • the indexing support arm assembly of claim 16 including arm stabilizing means mounted on the endless support and engaging the arms at a point intermediate between their points of attachment to the support and their outer ends.
  • the support arm assembly of claim 16 wherein the endless flexible support comprises chain and sprocket means and including stabilizing means for the arms, the stabilizing means comprising a vertical track mounted adjacent the arms a spaced distance outwardly from the working stretch of the chain, a plurality of stub shafts extending laterally from the chain, the stub shafts being dimensioned for reception in the track for stabilizing the arms.
  • a hold-down assembly for holding down the stack as it moves past a hold-down station, the hold-down assembly comprising:

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Veneer Processing And Manufacture Of Plywood (AREA)
  • Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
US00258898A 1972-06-01 1972-06-01 Apparatus for assembling glue-coated wood veneer sheets into a continuous linearly extending stack Expired - Lifetime US3841945A (en)

Priority Applications (11)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00258898A US3841945A (en) 1972-06-01 1972-06-01 Apparatus for assembling glue-coated wood veneer sheets into a continuous linearly extending stack
SE7300614A SE399001B (sv) 1972-06-01 1973-01-17 Sett att ansamla materialskivor och maskin for utforande av settet
CA161,500A CA984861A (en) 1972-06-01 1973-01-17 Feeding apparatus for continuous laminating press
AU51689/73A AU5168973A (en) 1972-06-01 1973-02-01 Feeding apparatus for continuous laminating press
FI509/73A FI59547C (fi) 1972-06-01 1973-02-20 Foerfarande och anordning foer framstaellning av en skiktprodukt
GB999773A GB1429722A (en) 1972-06-01 1973-03-01 Assembling sheets of material into a continuous linearly-ex tending composite stack suitable for introduction into a continuous press
JP3366073A JPS5651082B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-06-01 1973-03-26
DE2318284A DE2318284A1 (de) 1972-06-01 1973-04-11 Vorrichtung zur beschickung kontinuierlich arbeitender verbundstoffpressen
AU58845/73A AU480137B2 (en) 1972-09-01 1973-08-02 Motor vehicle radio receiver antenna arrangements
US05/467,944 US3963552A (en) 1972-06-01 1974-05-08 Method of feeding sheets to a continuous laminating press
CA246,187A CA1007559A (en) 1972-06-01 1976-02-20 Feeding apparatus for continuous laminating press

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00258898A US3841945A (en) 1972-06-01 1972-06-01 Apparatus for assembling glue-coated wood veneer sheets into a continuous linearly extending stack

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US05/467,944 Division US3963552A (en) 1972-06-01 1974-05-08 Method of feeding sheets to a continuous laminating press

Publications (1)

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US3841945A true US3841945A (en) 1974-10-15

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US00258898A Expired - Lifetime US3841945A (en) 1972-06-01 1972-06-01 Apparatus for assembling glue-coated wood veneer sheets into a continuous linearly extending stack

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Country Link
US (1) US3841945A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5651082B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU5168973A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA984861A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2318284A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FI (1) FI59547C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1429722A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE399001B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5779845A (en) * 1996-10-16 1998-07-14 Baker, Knapp & Tubbs, Inc. Thick veneering process and product
US5895546A (en) * 1996-07-04 1999-04-20 Maschinenfabrik J. Dieffenbacher Gmbh & Co. Process and plant for the continuous assembly and gluing of veneer panels to form veneer laminates
US6280560B1 (en) 1998-10-14 2001-08-28 Maschinenfabrik J. Dieffenbacher Gmbh & Co. Method and plant for producing endless laminated veneer boards
US20050279450A1 (en) * 2004-06-16 2005-12-22 Kevin King Method and apparatus for producing laminated products of infinite length

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS55123404A (en) * 1979-03-15 1980-09-22 Oshika Shinko Co Preparation of laminated product to be clamped
FI73163C (fi) * 1982-02-04 1987-09-10 Metsae Serla Oy Foerfarande och anordning foer stapling av skikthalvfabrikat av trae.
JPS62203015A (ja) * 1986-03-03 1987-09-07 Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd 自動車用状態量表示方法
JPH0194993U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1987-12-17 1989-06-22
DE102009055282B4 (de) * 2009-12-23 2016-01-14 Danzer Services Schweiz Ag Gefügte Furnierbahn
CN106042130B (zh) * 2016-04-26 2019-01-18 烟台博海木工机械有限公司 一种自动圆木拼接机
CN113247362B (zh) * 2021-06-21 2021-09-17 山东盛富莱实业有限公司 一种装配式建筑龙骨加工组装生产线

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5895546A (en) * 1996-07-04 1999-04-20 Maschinenfabrik J. Dieffenbacher Gmbh & Co. Process and plant for the continuous assembly and gluing of veneer panels to form veneer laminates
US5942079A (en) * 1996-07-04 1999-08-24 Mashinenfabrik J. Dieffenbacher Gmbh & Co. Apparatus for the continuous assembly and gluing of veneer panels to form veneer laminates
CN1314522C (zh) * 1996-07-04 2007-05-09 J·迪芬巴赫机器制造有限公司 连续迭合和胶粘胶合板以形成胶合层压板用的方法和设备
US5779845A (en) * 1996-10-16 1998-07-14 Baker, Knapp & Tubbs, Inc. Thick veneering process and product
US6280560B1 (en) 1998-10-14 2001-08-28 Maschinenfabrik J. Dieffenbacher Gmbh & Co. Method and plant for producing endless laminated veneer boards
US20050279450A1 (en) * 2004-06-16 2005-12-22 Kevin King Method and apparatus for producing laminated products of infinite length

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1429722A (en) 1976-03-24
DE2318284A1 (de) 1973-12-20
AU5884573A (en) 1975-02-06
CA984861A (en) 1976-03-02
FI59547C (fi) 1981-09-10
JPS5651082B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1981-12-03
SE399001B (sv) 1978-01-30
FI59547B (fi) 1981-05-29
JPS4927982A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-03-12
AU5168973A (en) 1974-08-01

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