Apparatus for routing logs
AssigneeWisconsin Bridge & Iron Co.
InventorEdward Andrew Grebe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for routing logs to various locations in a sawmill. The logs are conveyed in end-to-end relation on a conveyor and pass beneath a rotatable log kicker unit having a series of radially extending arms which, when rotated, will kick the log laterally to either side of the conveyor for delivery to sawing operations. Located at the downstream end of the log kicker unit is a movable gate disposed to be engaged by the end of the log as it is moved laterally by the log kicker to align the laterally discharged logs. By moving the gate out of the conveying path, the log can be conveyed through the log kicker unit to a third delivery location.
Claims4
An apparatus for routing logs to various locations, comprising a conveyor to convey logs in an end-to-end relation, a rotatable log kicker disposed above the conveyor and mounted for rotation about an axis disposed generally parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyor, said log kicker having a plurality of outwardly extending arms disposed to engage the log on the conveyor as the kicker is rotated in either direction to move the log laterally to either side of the conveyor, reversible drive means operably connected to the log kicker and operable to rotate the arms through an arc of travel generally equal to the arc between adjacent arms, means operably connected to the drive means for operating said drive means at a first speed through a first portion of said arc of travel and for operating said drive means at a second speed during a second position of said arc of travel, said second speed being slower than said first speed, and brake means for stopping rotation of said arms when said arms have completed travel through said arc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.