US 4,416,169 A · Automatic saw chain grinder

Abstract

An automatic saw chain grinder includes a saw chain support mounted for reciprocative movement on a support carriage. A spring urges the carriage in one direction to move a cutter tooth of a supported saw chain into a grinding wheel against the residual pressure of fluid in a first single-acting hydraulic cylinder. Pressurization of the cylinder moves the carriage in the opposite direction away from the grinding wheel. The grinding wheel is spring-biased toward an active, grinding position and moved away from such position by a second single-acting hydraulic cylinder. The first and second cylinders are sized and the respective springs of the carriage and grinder selected such that upon pressurization of the common hydraulic circuit for such cylinders, the carriage retracts the cutter tooth away from the grinding wheel before the grinding wheel retracts from the grinding position. Conversely, upon depressurization of the circuit, the grinding wheel moves into its grinding position before the carriage moves the cutter tooth into the grinding wheel. Indexing means including a chain wheel power-operated by a reciprocating rod shifts the saw chain along its support to move each successive cutter tooth to be sharpened against a chain stop adjacent the grinding position when a tooth has been sharpened. Power-operated sequencing means including cam-operated levers control reciprocation of the rod and pressurization of the hydraulic circuit to index the chain, move the grinder, and shift the carriage in proper sequence for fully automatic operation.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An automatic saw chain grinder for grinding a selected surface of successive cutter links of a saw chain, comprising:

a rotatable grinding wheel,
mounting means mounting the grinding wheel for movement toward and away from a grinding position,
saw chain support means for mounting a saw chain for indexing movement therealong to position successive cutter links adjacent said grinding position,
first hydraulic pressure-operated means acting on said mounting means for controlling the movement of said grinding wheel toward and away from said grinding position,
indexing means including a power-operated reciprocating rod means acting on a chain wheel for moving said chain along said support means to index successive cutter links for sharpening,
and power-operated sequencing means operable to reciprocate said rod means and pressurize and depressurize said hydraulic pressure-operated means in sequence such that a first cutter link is indexed for grinding before said grinding wheel is moved to said grinding position and said grinding wheel is moved from said grinding position before a second cutter link is indexed for grinding,
carriage means mounting said saw chain support means for reciprocation to move a cutter link on said support means between said grinding position and a retracted position,
second hydraulic pressure-operated means acting on said carriage means for controlling said reciprocation,
common hydraulic conduit means for supplying pressure fluid from a common source to said first and second pressure-operated means,
and control means for controlling the operation of said first and second pressure-operated means in sequence upon operation of said sequencing means to pressurize and depressurize said common conduit means such that said grinding wheel moves to said grinding position before said support means moves an indexed cutter link to said grinding position and such that said support means moves said cutter link to said retracted position before said grinding wheel moves from said grinding position.

7 more elements

An automatic saw chain grinder for grinding a selected surface of successive cutter links of a saw chain, comprising:

a rotatable grinding wheel,
mounting means mounting the grinding wheel for movement toward and away from a grinding position,
first fluid cylinder means for moving the grinding wheel toward and away from said grinding position,
saw chain support means for mounting a saw chain for indexing movement therealong to index successive cutter links for grinding,
carriage means mounting said support means for moving an indexed cutter link to and from said grinding position;
second fluid cylinder means for operating said carriage means to move a cutter link to and from said grinding position,
first sequencing means for controlling the sequential operation of said first and second fluid cylinder means such that (1) said first cylinder means enables movement of said grinding wheel to said grinding position before said second cylinder means enables said carriage means to move said cutter link to said grinding position, but (2) said second cylinder means enables said carriage means to move said cutter link away from said grinding position before said first cylinder means enables movement of said grinding wheel away from said grinding position,
saw chain stop means cooperative with said support means for determining an indexed position of a cutter link on said support means,
power-operated indexing means for moving a saw chain along said support means in a first direction to advance a cutter link past said stop means and then in a reverse direction to back said cutter link against said stop means at said indexed position,
second sequencing means operable to control the operating sequence of said indexing means and said first sequencing means such that said indexing means operates to index a cutter link on said support means at said indexing position before said first sequencing means enables movement of said grinding wheel to said grinding position and such that said first sequencing means enables movement of said grinding wheel away from said grinding position before said indexing means advances the next successive cutter link to said indexed position.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic saw chain grinder

Life of this patent

Automatic saw chain grinder

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18