# US 10,478,988 B2 · Method of conveying tissue logs in a saw conveyor with independent lane control cutting and variable conveyor flight length > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,988 B2 - Document ID: US10478988B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/299,241 - Filed: 2019-03-12 - Published: 2019-07-11 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-11 - Assignees: Paper Converting Machine Company - Applicants: Paper Converting Machine Company - Inventors: Matthew J. Chike; Cory P. Gussert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478988B2 ## CPC - B26D 7/0625: {by endless conveyors, e.g. belts} - B26D 3/16: Cutting rods or tubes transversely {(cutting tubes longitudinally B26D3/001)} - B26D 7/01: Means for holding or positioning work - B26D 7/0683: {specially adapted for elongated articles} - B65G 19/02: for articles, e.g. for containers - B65G 19/225: {for article conveyors, e.g. for container conveyors (B65G19/24 takes precedence)} - B65G 47/31: by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series - B26D 1/16: mounted on a movable arm or the like - B26D 2007/013: {the work being tubes, rods or logs} - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A method involves conveying tissue logs in a saw conveyor. The conveyor has independent lane control cutting and variable conveyor flight length. In one aspect of the method a first tissue log is received in a lane of a conveyor. With a first log advancement member, the first tissue log is advanced in the lane of the conveyor for cutting with a tissue log saw. A second tissue log is received in the lane of the conveyor when the first tissue log has advanced sufficiently in the lane to accommodate the second tissue log in the lane. With a second log advancement member, the second tissue log is advanced in the lane of the conveyor for cutting with the tissue log saw independently of the step of advancing the first tissue log in the lane. The conveyor may also have multiple lanes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a first tissue log in a lane of a conveyor; with a first log advancement member, advancing the first tissue log in the lane of the conveyor for cutting with a tissue log saw; receiving a second tissue log in the lane of the conveyor when the first tissue log has advanced sufficiently in the lane to accommodate the second tissue log in the lane; and with a second log advancement member, advancing the second tissue log in the lane of the conveyor for cutting with the tissue log saw independently of the step of advancing the first tissue log in the lane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising engaging the second tissue log with the first log advancement member before cutting the second tissue log with the tissue log saw. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of advancing the first tissue log in the lane comprises stopping travel of the first tissue log in the lane as the saw moves a blade of the saw into the first lane to cut the first tissue log and restarting travel of the first tissue log in the lane as the blade completes cutting of the tissue log in the lane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising advancing the second tissue log adjacent to the first tissue log. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising moving a blade of a tissue log saw in a direction of advancement of the conveyor during cutting of the first tissue log. ### Claim 6 A method comprising: receiving a lead tissue log in a first lane of a conveyor; with a first lane lead log advancement member, advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane of the conveyor for cutting with a tissue log saw; receiving a lead tissue log in a second lane of the conveyor, wherein the second lane is adjacent to the first lane; with a second lane lead log advancement member, advancing the lead tissue log in the second lane of the conveyor for cutting with the tissue log saw; receiving a successive tissue log in the first lane of the conveyor when the lead tissue log has advanced sufficiently in the first lane to accommodate the successive tissue log in the first lane; with a first lane successive log advancement member, advancing the successive tissue log in the first lane of the conveyor for cutting with the tissue log saw independently of the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane; receiving a successive tissue log in the second lane of the conveyor when the lead tissue log in the second lane has advanced sufficiently in the second lane to accommodate the successive tissue log in the second lane; and with a second lane successive log advancement member, advancing the successive tissue log in the second lane of the conveyor for cutting with the tissue log saw independently of the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the second lane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising cutting the lead tissue logs in the first and second lanes with a saw comprising a saw arm having a saw head with a rotary blade orbiting relative to the first and second lanes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane comprises stopping travel of the lead tissue log in the first lane as the saw arm moves the rotary blade into the first lane to cut the lead tissue log in the first lane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane comprises restarting travel of the lead tissue log in the first lane as the blade completes cutting of the lead tissue log in the first lane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the second lane comprises stopping travel of the lead tissue log in the second lane as the saw arm moves the rotary blade into the second lane to cut the lead tissue log in the second lane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the second lane comprises restarting travel of the lead tissue log in the second lane as the blade completes cutting of the lead tissue log in the second lane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane comprises stopping travel of the lead tissue log in the first lane as the saw arm moves the rotary blade into the first lane to cut the lead tissue log in the first lane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the step of advancing the successive tissue log in the first lane includes advancing the successive tissue log adjacent to the lead tissue log of the first lane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the second lane comprises stopping travel of the lead tissue log in the second lane as the saw arm moves the rotary blade into the second lane to cut the lead tissue log in the second lane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the second lane comprises restarting travel of the lead tissue log in the second lane as the blade completes cutting of the lead tissue log in the second lane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane comprises stopping travel of the lead tissue log in the first lane as the saw arm moves the rotary blade into the first lane to cut the lead tissue log in the first lane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the step of advancing the lead tissue log in the first lane comprises restarting travel of the lead tissue log in the first lane as the blade completes cutting of the lead tissue log in the first lane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of advancing the successive tissue log in the second lane includes advancing the successive tissue log adjacent to the lead tissue log of the second lane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the steps of advancing the lead and successive tissue logs of the first lane and at least one of the steps of advancing the lead and successive tissue logs of the second lane includes synchronizing advancement of the respective lead and successive tissue log of the first lane with advancement of the respective lead and successive tissue log of the second lane, with advancement of the lead tissue logs of the first and second lanes being independent of advancement of the successive tissue logs of the first and second lanes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the blade of the saw moves in a direction of advancement of the conveyor during cutting of the lead logs in the first and second lanes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the step of cutting the lead logs in the first and second lanes includes constraining the respective logs on the periphery during cutting. ### Claim 22 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the steps of advancing the lead and successive tissue logs of the first lane and at least one of the steps of advancing the lead and successive tissue logs of the second lane includes applying a drag force to the respective log during advancement.