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US 11,885,074 B2Granted
Tie plate dispenser and method therefore
AssigneeB & B Metals, Inc.
InventorCoty T. Coots
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Present embodiments relate to a tie plate dispenser which selectively changes the orientation of the tie plates being ejected, if needed. An actuator is used to flip the tie plate as it falls from an ejection location of the dispenser.
Claims16
A tie plate dispenser, comprising:
- a conveyor configured to move a plurality of tie plates and dispense individually each tie plate of said plurality of tie plates;
- said conveyor having a frame and a conveying surface which extends a preselected distance, said frame extending beyond an end of said conveying surface and forming an opening;
- a magnet located above one of said conveying surface or said opening, said magnet located to individually retain each said tie plate of said plurality of tie plates;
- said magnet configured to selectively release each said tie plate of said plurality of tie plates from said conveyor along a falling path;
- an arm which is selectively actuatable along said falling path that each said tie plate moves when released by said magnet, said arm movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in one of said first position or said second position said arm engages each said tie plate;
- the arm causing said tie plate to change orientation upon engaging each said tie plate.
3 more elements
A tie plate dispenser, comprising:
- a conveyor having a frame defined by one or more structural elements, and a conveying surface;
- said conveying surface capable of moving a plurality of tie plates from a first position to a second position along said conveyor;
- at least one magnet disposed near an end of said conveying surface and capable of magnetically engaging each tie plate of said plurality of tie plates when said tie plates reach said end of said conveying surface;
- wherein said plurality of tie plates are individually selectively released to fall from engagement with said at least one magnet near said end of said conveying surface;
- an arm which is actuatable between a first position and a second position, wherein one of said first position or said second position is along a path that said tie plates fall when selectively released from said at least one magnet;
- wherein said one of said first position or said second position causes said arm to engage each said tie plate along said path that each said tie plate falls.
3 more elements
A method of operating a tie plate dispenser, comprising:
- sensing with a sensor, a feature of a tie plate
- magnetically engaging said tie plate from a conveying surface;
- determining a first orientation or a second orientation of said tie plate from said sensing;
- extending an actuator if said determining indicates said tie plate is in one of said first orientation or said second orientation;
- selectively releasing the tie plate;
- changing the orientation of said tie plate if said tie plate is in said one of said first orientation or said second orientation as the tie plate falls from said selectively releasing.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.