Pallet machine with improved nailing system
OwnerJonathon E. Gudiminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pallet machine (10) includes improved fastening systems (30, 106) for nailing the boards (16, 18) to the stringers (14). Each fastening system (30, 106) includes a vibratory nail bowl (38), a movable nail holder (40) and transfer block (42), and nailing assemblies (58). The transfer block (42) includes a pick plate (45) movable between blocking and feeding positions so that nails can be simultaneously fed to the nailing assemblies (58). The nailing assemblies (58) include recessed mounts (68, 70) and bearings (74) for better load transfer and distribution from recoil during high cyclical operation.
Claims20
Apparatus for manufacturing pallets, comprising:
- means defining a predetermined feed path;
- means for feeding a plurality of stringers in predetermined longitudinal orientation along said feed path;
- means for feeding a plurality of first boards in predetermined transverse orientation onto the stringers on said feed path;
- first means for fastening said first boards to said stringers, said fastening means including a single vibratory nail bowl and a plurality of nail guns mounted in transverse spaced-apart orientation, each nail gun also being mounted for selective vertical movement into and out of operative engagement with said boards;
- means for flipping the first boards and stringers over after nailing;
- means for feeding a plurality of second boards in predetermined transverse orientation onto the stringers on said feed path after flipping;
- and
- means for fastening said second boards to said stringers, said second fastening means including a single vibratory nail bowl and a plurality of nail guns mounted in transverse spaced-apart orientation, each nail gun also being mounted for selective vertical movement into and out of operative engagement with said second boards to complete sequential manufacture of the pallets.
Apparatus for assembling pallets from stringers, boards and nails, comprising:
- means defining a predetermined feed path having input and output ends;
- a plurality of first hoppers disposed at the input end of the feed path for receiving a supply of said stringers;
- means for simultaneously advancing a plurality of said stringers in predetermined, mutually spaced-apart longitudinal orientation along said feed path;
- a second hopper disposed along said feed path for receiving a supply of first boards;
- means for sequentially feeding the first boards in predetermined transverse orientation onto the stringers on said feed path;
- first means for fastening the first boards to the stringers, said first fastening means including a single vibratory nail bowl and a plurality of associated first nail guns mounted for selective vertical movement into and out of operative engagement with the first boards to form semi-completed pallets;
- means for disposed along said feed path for sequentially inverting the semi-completed pallets;
- a third hopper disposed along said feed path for receiving a supply of second boards;
- means for sequentially feeding the second boards in predetermined transverse orientation onto the stringers of the semi-complete pallets;
- and
- second means for fastening said second boards to said stringers, said second fastening means including a single vibratory nail bowl and a plurality of second nail guns mounted for selective vertical movement into and out of operative engagement with said second boards to complete manufacture of the pallets at the output end of said feed path.
A fastening system for use in a pallet machine, which comprises:
- a vibratory nail bowl for receiving a supply of loose nails, said nail bowl including an outlet;
- a nail block adapted to individually receive nails from the outlet of said nail bowl and arrange said nails in a plurality of predetermined columns;
- means for supporting said nail block for selective transverse positioning relative to the outlet of said nail bowl
- a plurality of nail guns;
- means for mounting said nail guns in mutually spaced apart orientation;
- and
- means for simultaneously transferring individual nails from said nail block and feeding said nails to said nail guns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.