Phase shifting debarking apparatus, system and method
AssigneeBid Group Technologies Ltd
InventorNicholas Jaccob Thuemler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a phase shifting debarker. The shifting debarker generally comprises a phase shifting mechanism being powered by a main motor and being connected to an operative assembly by the mean of timing belts. The main motor is being configured to control, by the mean of a belt, the movement of the phase shifting mechanism which is being adapted to control the movement of the operative assembly by the mean of the timing belts. The operative assembly generally comprises an actuator ring and a main ring. The activation of the shifting mechanism creates a shift phase between the actuator ring and the main ring while rotating at the same speed.
Claims31
1) A phase shift log debarker, the debarker comprising:
- an operative assembly comprising:
- an aperture adapted to receive a log;
- two rings;
- a rotation member adapted to rotate each ring about a common axis;
- tool arms adapted to be move in and out of the aperture;
- a drive system for rotating the two rings;
- a phase shift mechanism adapted to vary the rotation speed of a first of the two rings with regard to the other ring;
- wherein the variation of the rotation speed of the first ring triggers the movement of the tool arms.
17) A phase shift mechanism for a log debarker, the phase shift mechanism comprising:
- two idling wheels pivotally mounted on a shaft, the two idling wheels being driven by a drive system;
- a ball screw comprising a ball nut, the ball screw being substantially parallel to the shaft and being driven by a servomotor;
- a cross-member, the cross-member being slidably and pivotally mounted to the ball screw at a first end and pivotally mounted to the shaft at a second end;
- the cross-member being adapted to slide along the ball screw when the ball nut rotates;
- the servomotor being configured to momentarily reverse the rotation direction of the ball screw;
- a first of the two idling wheels comprising an engaging portion adapted to rotate in one direction when the cross-member moves towards the change direction the first idling wheel and to rotate in another direction when the cross-member moves away from the first idling wheel.
21) A method for debarking a log, the method comprising:
- measuring the diameter of a portion of the log to be debarked;
- automatically moving tool arms of an operative assembly to form a passage having a diameter being a function of the measured diameter of the log;
- inserting the measured portion of the log in the passage;
- rotating the tools arms around the log.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.