US 4,572,258 AGranted

Chain flail

OwnerKenneth J. Mischelinventor

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Abstract

A flail device for use in conjunction with debarking or delimbing apparatus is disclosed. The device comprises a rotatable drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart rows of longitudinally spaced-apart openings, a plurality of rods extending longitudinally within the drum, each of the rods positioned radially inward of the openings, and a plurality of guide plates rigidly attached to the drum for rotation therewith. The guide plates have slots sized to removably receive and support the rods. A plurality of chain flails are attached to each of the rods, attachment being by extension of the rod through an interior aperture of an attaching link of the flail. The rods have a size in the radial direction to substantially fill the aperture of the attaching link to minimize the radial movement of the attaching link relative to the rod during usage.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A flail device comprising:

a rotatable drum, said drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart rows of longitudinally spaced-apart openings;
a plurality of rods extending longitudinally within said drum, each of said rods being positioned radially inward of one of said rows of openings;
a plurality of guide plates rigidly attached to said drum for rotation with said drum, said guide plates having slots sized to removably receive and support said rods for rotation therewith;
and
a plurality of chain flails attached to each of said rods, each of said flails having a length of interconnected chain links passing through one of said drum openings and attached to one of said rods positioned radially inward thereof, attachment being by said one rod extending through an interior aperture defined by an attaching link of said chain links, said rods having a size in the radial direction to substantially fill said apertures of said attaching links to minimize radial movement of said attaching links relative to said rods during usage.

2 more elements

A flail device comprising:

a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart openings;
a plurality of chain flails having a length of interconnecting chain links, with at least one of said flails passing through each of said drum openings and having at least one elongated attaching link toward an end of said flail and positioned within said drum;
at least one rod extending longitudinally within said drum and positioned inward of said openings, said rod having a cross-sectional shape sized to substantially fill the interior aperture of said attaching link and extending through said attaching link aperture, said rod being positioned with its larger dimension oriented in the radial direction, said rod having hardened portions along the radially inward side thereof whereat said attaching links of said flail engage said rod and having unhardened portions radially outward of said hardened portions to maintain the shear strength of said rod;
a plurality of guide plates rigidly attached to said drum for rotation with said drum, said guide plates have slots sized to removably receive and support said rod against deflection and for rotation with said drum;
and
means for releasably retaining said rod within said drum and supported by said guide plates, and for selective withdrawal of said rod from said drum.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.