Adjustable cable driven carriage system and method

An end-dogging log carriage system comprising:

• respective first and second carriage sections each including respective dogging means for dogging a respective end of a log, said first carriage section being supportably and movably guided for relative movement selectively toward and away from said second carriage section;
• log clamping means for applying a first force to said first carriage section tending to move said first carriage section toward said second carriage section for dogging a log therebetween, said first force imposing a dogging moment upon said first carriage section while said log is dogged;
• counter-moment means for applying a second force to said first carriage section, in a direction opposite to said first force, for imposing on said first carriage section a moment in opposition to said dogging moment;
• and
• wherein said log clamping means applies said first force to said first carriage section at a first location and said counter-moment means applies said second force to said first carriage section at a second location, said first location being vertically intermediate said dogging means and said second location.

An end-dogging log carriage system comprising:

• an elongated track;
• respective first and second carriage sections each including respective dogging means for dogging a respective end of a log, said first carriage section being supportably and movably guided for relative movement selectively toward and away from said second carriage section;
• log clamping means for applying a first force to said first carriage section tending to move said first carriage section toward said second carriage section for dogging a log therebetween, said first force imposing a dogging moment upon said first carriage section while said log is dogged;
• counter-moment means for applying a second force to said first carriage section, in a direction opposite to said first force, for imposing on said first carriage section a moment in opposition to said dogging moment;
• wherein said first and second carriage sections are supportably guided on said elongated track, and said countermost means comprising carriage drive means including an elongated flexible drive tension member extending between and interconnecting said first and second carriage sections for selectively driving said first and second carriage sections in unison along said track;
• and
• wherein said clamping means comprises an elongated flexible clamping tension member extending between and connecting said first and second carriage sections.

An end-dogging log carriage system having a log carriage with means for gripping the ends of a log therebetween supportably guided on an elongated track for movement through log processing equipment, said system comprising:

• elongated carriage guide means extending parallel to said track and spaced therefrom for engaging one side of said log carriage and guiding said log carriage through said log processing equipment;
• and
• biasing means for forcing said log carriage sideways against said carriage guide means in a direction transverse to said track as said carriage moves through said log processing equipment;
• wherein said carriage guide means comprises a vertically oriented linear guide surface located vertically intermediate said track and said means for gripping the end of a log.

An end-dogging log carriage system for reciprocatingly passing logs through log processing equipment comprising:

• an elongated overhead track;
• an elongated underneath track parallel to the vertically coplanar with said overhead track;
• an overhead log carriages supportably guided on said overhead track for longitudinal movement along said overhead track;
• an underneath log carriage supportably guided on said underneath track for longitudinal movement along said underneath track;
• each of said underneath and overhead log carriages having respective opposed dogging means mounted thereon which are extensible and retractable, respectively, toward and away from the other one of said log carriages, each of said respective dogging means being adaptable for engagingly supporting a log proximate the ends thereof when extended;
• said overhead log carriage and said underneath log carriage each having respective carriage drive means for selectively moving said respective overhead and underneath log carriage through said log processing equipment in an alternating reciprocating fashion wherein said respective log carriages pass each other while moving longitudinally in opposite directions, said respective dogging means being sufficiently retractable that said respective log carriages can pass each other without interference therebetween when the dogging means of one carriage is retracted and the dogging means of the other carriage is extended.

A carriage system, comprising:

• an elongated track;
• a first carriage section supportively guided on said track, for movement longitudinally of the track;
• a second carriage section supportively guided on said track, for movement longitudinally of the track;
• a first cable sheave at one end of the track;
• a second cable sheave at the second end of the track;
• a cable drum carried by the second carriage section;
• cable means extending from a first point of connection to the first carriage section to and then over the first cable sheave, then extending to and over the second cable sheave, and then extending to the cable drum, and being wrapped about said cable drum, and then extending to a second point of connection to the first carriage section;
• first reversible drive means connected to one of said cable sheaves, for rotating said sheave;
• second reversible rotary drive means for rotating said cable drum relative to said second carriage section;
• first connector means carried by the first carriage section, for connecting to one end of an object positioned between the two carriage sections;
• and
• second connector means carried by the second carriage section, for connecting to the second end of an object positioned between the two carriage sections,
• whereby operation of the first drive means to rotate the cable sheave to which it is connected will move the cable means about both sheaves and the moving cable means will carry with it both carriage sections and any object connected to the carriage sections, and rotation of the cable drum will cause the second carriage section to move in position along the cable means relative to the first carriage section.

A method of engaging and carrying a random length object through a processing station, comprising:

• establishing an elongated track to extend to and through the processing station;
• supportively guiding a first carriage section on said track, for movement along the track;
• supportively guiding a second carriage section on said track, for movement along the track;
• locating a first cable sheave at one end of the track;
• locating a second cable sheave at the second end of the track;
• locating a reversible rotary cable drum on the second carriage;
• connecting a cable means to a first point of connection to the first carriage section, then extending the cable means to and over the first cable sheave, then to and over the second cable sheave, and then to and over and around said cable drum, so that it is wrapped onto said cable drum, and then to a second point of connection to the first carriage section;
• providing a reversible rotary drive means and connecting it to one of said cable sheaves, for rotating said sheave;
• providing a second reversible rotary drive means for rotating said cable drum relative to said second carriage section;
• providing a first connector means on the first carriage section, for use in connecting one end of an object positioned between two carriage sections, to said first carriage section;
• providing a second connector means on the second carriage section, for connecting the second end of an object positioned between the two carriage sections to said second carriage section;
• operating the first reversible rotary drive means for rotating the cable sheave to which it is connected, for moving the cable means about both sheaves, and moving the two carriage sections and any object connected to them in position relatively along the elongated track;
• and
• adjusting the distance between the two carriage sections, to fit the length of a particular object to be carried, by operating the second reversible rotary drive means for rotating the cable drum, to cause the second carriage section to move in position along the cable means relative to the first carriage section.

A carriage system, comprising:

• an elongated track;
• a first carriage section supportively guided on said track, for movement longitudinally of the track;
• a second carriage section supportively guided on said track, for movement longitudinally of the track;
• first connector means carried by the first carriage section, for connecting to an object positioned between the two carriage sections;
• second connector means carried by the second carriage section, for also connecting to an object positioned between the two carriage sections,
• means for moving the carriage sections relatively together and apart, for adjusting the space between the carriage sections to a particular object to be carried by the carriage sections;
• means for moving the carriage sections and any object between them relatively along the track;
• means for guiding and stabilizing the carriage sections, said means comprising an elongated guide rail spaced vertically below said track, and extending substantially parallel to said track, in a position to be contacted by side portions of the carriage sections as they are moved along the track, and means for providing a sideways moment on the carriage sections, urging them towards said guide rail.

A carriage system, comprising:

• an elongated track;
• a first carriage section supportively guided on said track, for movement longitudinally of the track;
• a second carriage section supportively guided on said track, for movement longitudinally of the track;
• a cable drum carried by at least the second carriage section;
• cable means spaced vertically from said track, said cable means extending to the cable drum, and being wrapped about said cable drum, and then extending to the first carriage section;
• reversible rotary drive means for rotating said cable drum relative to said second carriage section;
• first connector means carried by the first carriage section, for connecting to one end of an object positioned between the two carriage sections;
• and
• second connector means carried by the second carriage section, for connecting to the second end of an object positioned between the two carriage sections,
• whereby rotation of the cable drum will cause the second carriage section to move in position along the cable means relative to the first carriage section.

A log carriage system for processing random-length logs, comprising:

• an elongated track;
• a pair of log carriage sections supportably guided on said track, each of said carriage sections including means for supportably engaging one end of a log;
• carriage drive means including an elongated flexible drive tension member which is connected to both log carriage sections;
• drive means for moving the elongated flexible drive tension member along its axis, with said log carriage sections moving with said elongated flexible drive tension member as it moves;
• and
• means for adjusting the distance that the two log carriage sections are spaced apart along said track, for the purpose of adjusting the distance between the respective means for supportably engaging one end of a log, to in that manner adjust the system to a log of a particular length, said means comprising an elongated flexible clamping tension member extending between and interconnecting said respective log carriage sections, and spooling means mounted on a first one of said carriage sections, said spooling means engaging said elongated flexible clamping tension member;
• and
• drive means for said spooling means operable to rotate the spooling means in one direction, for lengthening the elongated flexible clamping tension member, and in the opposite direction for shortening said elongated flexible clamping tension member.