US 2016/0109427 A1Published application

Stiffness measuring mechanism, rotary timber charger with stiffness measuring mechanism and method of operation for same

AssigneeVab Machines Inc.

InventorsClaude GRAVEL, David LAROCHELLE

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Abstract

A rotary timber charger having a charging assembly with at least two spaced apart transfer wheels each having at least one timber piece grasping assembly operative to grasp a section of a piece of timber at a grasping position, release the section of the piece of timber at a release position, and retain the section of the piece of timber therebetween. The rotary timber charger also comprises a stiffness measuring mechanism with at least one load application wheel positioned between consecutive transfer wheels and each comprising at least one load application member configured to momentarily apply a load on the piece of timber and at least one surface position measuring assembly measuring a first position and a second position of a measure surface, angularly spaced-apart from one another, with the load being applied in at least one of the first position and the second position of the measure surface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A rotary timber charger comprising:

a charging assembly with at least two transfer wheels spaced apart from one another and mounted to a main rotatable shaft, each one of the at least two transfer wheels having at least one timber piece grasping assembly operative to grasp a section of a piece of timber at a grasping position, release the section of the piece of timber at a release position, and retain the section of the piece of timber between the grasping position and the release position;
and
a stiffness measuring mechanism comprising:
at least one load application wheel positioned between consecutive transfer wheels, each one of the at least one load application wheel comprising at least one load application member configured to momentarily apply a load on the piece of timber retained by a corresponding one of the at least one timber piece grasping assembly of the consecutive ones of the at least two transfer wheels;
and
a deformation measuring system comprising at least one surface position measuring assembly measuring a first position of a measure surface of the piece of timber and a second position of the measure surface of the piece of timber, the second position of the measure surface being angularly spaced-apart from the first position, with the load being applied by the at least one load application member of the at least one load application wheel in at least one of the first position and the second position of the measure surface.

3 more elements

A stiffness measuring mechanism for a rotary timber charger having a rotatable charging assembly including at least one set of timber piece grasping assemblies and being operative to transfer successive pieces of timber from a first carrier assembly to a second carrier assembly, the stiffness measuring mechanism comprising:

at least one load application wheel positioned between consecutive grasping assemblies of the at least one set of timber grasping assemblies of the rotatable charging assembly, the at least one load application wheel comprising at least one load application member configurable between an inactive configuration where no load is applied on a transferred piece of timber and an active configuration where a load is applied on the transferred piece of timber;
and
a deformation measuring system comprising at least one surface position measuring assembly measuring a first position of a measure surface of the transferred piece of timber and a second position of the measure surface of the transferred piece of timber;
wherein the stiffness measuring mechanism operates concurrently with the rotatable charging assembly transferring the successive pieces of timber from the first carrier assembly to the second carrier assembly.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/918,060Filed 20 Oct 2015
Priority: 20 Oct 2014
Published: 21 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G01N 33/46
Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00: wood
B27B 25/00
Feeding devices for timber in saw mills or sawing machines
G01N
Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties
B27B
Saws for wood or similar material