Saw guide pad seal
AssigneeCoe Newnes/McGehee ULC
InventorsRonald W. McGehee, Patrick M. Doyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A saw guide pad seal enables recycling of the coolant/lubricant used in a lumber sawing operation. The saw guide pad seal directs the coolant to coolant return chambers. The coolant return chambers have a negative pressure developed from the motion of the saw blade or provided by a vacuum pump or blower, and return the coolant to the coolant tank. A heat-exchanger is optionally used to control the temperature of the coolant, providing more consistent operation of the saw, and a filter is optionally used to remove contaminants before the recycled coolant is provided to the saw blade(s).
Claims52
A saw guide pad, for use with a saw blade movable in a first direction, comprising:
- a body having a bearing side, said bearing side having a saw blade bearing surface configured to bear against a side of a saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant discharge region fluidly coupleable to a source of coolant;
- said bearing side having a leading portion and a trailing portion relative to the direction of rotation of the saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant return chamber formed therein, said coolant return chamber positioned towards the trailing portion of the bearing side, said coolant return chamber fluidly coupled to the coolant discharge region and fluidly coupleable to a coolant exit so that coolant introduced at the coolant discharge region can cool the opposed saw blade and then be removed through the coolant return chamber;
- and
- a seal mounted to the bearing side of the body so that a portion of the seal extends outwardly of the bearing surface.
A saw guide, for use with a saw blade movable in a first direction, comprising a saw guide arm portion and a saw guide pad portion, said saw guide pad portion comprising:
- a body having a bearing side, said bearing side having a saw blade bearing surface configured to bear against a side of a saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant discharge region fluidly coupleable to a source of coolant;
- said bearing side having a leading portion and a trailing portion relative to the direction of movement of the saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant return chamber formed therein, said coolant return chamber positioned towards the trailing portion of the bearing side, said coolant return chamber fluidly coupled to the coolant discharge region and fluidly coupleable to a coolant exit so that coolant introduced at the coolant discharge region can cool the opposed saw blade and then be removed through the coolant return chamber;
- and
- a seal mounted to the bearing side of the body so that a portion of the seal extends outwardly of the bearing surface.
A saw guide pad, for use with a saw blade movable in a first direction, comprising:
- a body having a bearing side;
- said bearing side having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of movement of the saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant chamber formed therein towards the leading edge, said coolant chamber coupleable to a source of coolant;
- said bearing side having a coolant return chamber formed therein towards the trailing edge, said coolant return chamber fluidly coupled to the coolant chamber and coupleable to a coolant exit so that coolant in the coolant chamber can be removed through the coolant return chamber;
- said bearing side having a bearing surface at least partially defining the coolant chamber;
- and
- a seal, mounted to the bearing side of the body so that a portion of the seal extends outwardly of the bearing surface.
A saw guide pad, for use with a saw blade movable in a first direction, comprising:
- a body having a bearing side;
- said bearing side having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of movement of the saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant chamber formed therein towards the leading edge, said coolant chamber coupleable to a source of coolant;
- said bearing side having a coolant return chamber formed therein towards the trailing edge, said coolant return chamber opening onto to the coolant chamber and coupleable to a coolant exit so that coolant in the coolant chamber can be removed through the coolant return chamber;
- said bearing side having a bearing surface at least partially defining the coolant chamber;
- a floating seal, mounted to the bearing side of the body so that a portion of the seal extends outwardly of the bearing surface;
- and
- means for biasing the floating seal outwardly towards the opposed saw blade.
A saw guide pad, for use with a saw blade movable in a first direction, comprising:
- a body having a bearing side;
- said bearing side having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of movement of the saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant chamber formed therein towards the leading edge, said coolant chamber coupleable to a source of coolant;
- said bearing side having a vacuum chamber formed therein towards the trailing edge, said vacuum chamber opening onto to the coolant chamber and coupleable to a vacuum source so that coolant in the coolant chamber can be removed through the vacuum chamber;
- said bearing side having a bearing surface comprising:
- a perimeter bearing surface region circumscribing the coolant chamber;
- and
- supplemental bearing surface regions within the perimeter bearing surface region;
- a floating seal, mounted to the bearing side of the body so that a portion of the seal extends outwardly of the bearing surface;
- and
- adjustable force means for adjustably biasing the floating seal outwardly towards the opposed saw blade with an adjustable biasing force.
A saw guide, for use with a saw blade movable in a first direction, comprising a saw guide arm portion and a saw guide pad portion, said saw guide pad portion comprising:
- a body having a bearing side;
- said bearing side having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of movement of the saw blade;
- said bearing side having a coolant chamber formed therein towards the leading edge, said coolant chamber coupleable to a source of coolant;
- said bearing side having a vacuum chamber formed therein towards the trailing edge, said vacuum chamber opening onto to the coolant chamber and coupleable to a vacuum source so that coolant in the coolant chamber can be removed through the vacuum chamber;
- said bearing side having a bearing surface comprising:
- a perimeter bearing surface region circumscribing the coolant chamber;
- and
- supplemental bearing surface regions within the perimeter bearing surface region;
- a floating seal, mounted to the bearing side of the body so that a portion of the seal extends outwardly of the bearing surface;
- and
- adjustable force means for adjustably biasing the floating seal outwardly towards the opposed saw blade with an adjustable biasing force.
A floating saw guide seal comprising:
- an elongated body having a sealing portion;
- and
- said sealing portion configured to sealingly engage a surface of a saw blade with which it is to be used.
The gang of saw guides according to claim 50 wherein said coolant return chamber comprises a vacuum chamber that is fluidly coupleable to a vacuum source.
The gang of saw guides according to claim 50 wherein said pressure-equalizing fluid conduits comprise:
- first fluid conduits defined by said saw guide pad portions and fluidly coupled to the coolant chambers;
- and
- second fluid conduits defined by said saw guide arm portions and fluidly coupling the first fluid conduits to one another.
The gang of saw guides according to claim 50 wherein said body has first and second bearing sides, and said pressure-equalizing fluid conduits fluidly couple the coolant chambers on said first and second sides to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.