US 5,350,272 A · Automatic stick laying apparatus

Abstract

An automatic stick laying apparatus having retainer arm assemblies for retaining spacing sticks in position on stacked tiers of lumber. The automatic stick laying apparatus is designed to successively position the spacing sticks on stacks of lumber for spacing the lumber. In a preferred embodiment the stick laying apparatus includes a fixed frame designed for positioning over the lumber, a spacing stick accumulator mounted on the fixed frame and a carriage assembly attached to the fixed frame in vertically movable relationship. The accumulator includes a pair of spaced, horizontal accumulator chains fitted with accumulator chain cleats located above spaced drop gates for receiving and deploying the spacing sticks in a continuous loop. The carriage assembly is fitted with parallel chain channels supporting horizontal positioner chains having positioner chain cleats for receiving the spacing sticks from the accumulator through the drop gates and positioning the spacing sticks over respective layers of lumber. The retainer arm assemblies are spaced between the chain channels and serve to retain the spacing sticks on tile positioner chain cleats until the proper spacing stick displacing interval is achieved. Multiple pivoting diverter assemblies are also spaced between the chain channels for sequentially displacing selected spacing sticks on or from the positioner chain cleats after release by the retainer arm assemblies, to facilitate depositing these spacing sticks in selectively spaced relationship on the underlying tiers of stacked lumber by advancement of the positioner chains. The automatic stick laying apparatus may be connected to a programmable controller for automatic operation.

Claims26

Dependent claims

Apparatus for successively positioning sticks on layers of wood, comprising a frame;

accumulator chain means rotatably carried by said frame on an accumulator chain axle in substantially horizontal, linearly advancing disposition for receiving the sticks by gravity in spaced relationship with respect to each other;
drop gate means carried by said frame beneath said accumulator chain means;
positioner chain means rotatably carried by said frame on a positioner chain axle beneath said drop gate means in substantially horizontal, linearly advancing disposition for selectively receiving sticks from said accumulator chain means by gravity responsive to operation of said drop gate means and transporting the sticks over the layers of wood along a path of travel;
drive means operatively connected to said accumulator chain means and said positioner chain means in driving relationship;
diverter means pivotally carried by said positioner chain means for selectively pivoting into the path of travel of the sticks and displacing the sticks from said positioner chain means onto the wood in a selected spacing responsive to advancement of said positioner chain means;
stick retaining means pivotally carried by said positioner chain means for selectively pivoting into the path of travel of the sticks on said positioner chain means and preventing the sticks from prematurely exiting said positioner chain means prior to advancement of said positioner chain means, responsive to displacement of the sticks from said positioner chain means by said diverter means;
and carriage assembly means vertically slidably carried by said frame and wherein said positioner chain means, said diverter means and said stick retaining means are mounted on said carriage assembly means.

4 more elements

The apparatus of claim i further comprising programmable controller means operably connected to said drop gate means, said diverter means and said stick retaining means for orchestrating operation of said drop gate means, said diverter means and said stick retaining means and locating the sticks on the wood in a selected spacing.

Apparatus for successively positioning spacing sticks on layers of stacked lumber, comprising a fixed frame;

a pair of accumulator chains disposed in spaced, substantially parallel, horizontal and rotatable relationship on said fixed frame and a plurality of accumulator chain cleats carried by said accumulator chains in parallel, spaced sets for receiving the spacing sticks in spaced relationship;
a plurality of normally closed, fluid-operated drop gates carried by said fixed frame beneath said accumulator chains in spaced relationship;
a carriage assembly vertically slidably carried by said frame, said carriage assembly disposed over the lumber;
a pair of rotatable positioner chains disposed in spaced, substantially parallel, substantially horizontal relationship on said carriage assembly beneath said accumulator chains and said drop gates and a plurality of positioner chain cleats carried by said positioner chains in parallel, spaced sets for sequentially receiving the spacing sticks from said accumulator chains and said drop gates, respectively, and transporting the spacing sticks over the lumber along a path of travel;
drive meals mounted on said carriage assembly and operably connected to said accumulator chains and said positioner chains in driving relationship;
a plurality of fluid-operated diverter means pivotally carried by said carriage assembly in spaced relationship between said positioner chains;
and a plurality of stick retaining means pivotally carried by said carriage assembly in spaced relationship between said positioner chains, whereby said drop gates are operated to sequentially drop the spacing sticks from said accumulator chains to said positioner chains and fill said positioner chain cleats, said carriage assembly is lowered in sequence over the lumber, selected ones of said diverter means are pivotally operated to engage corresponding ones of the spacing sticks and reposition the spacing sticks on said positioner chain cleats for diversion to, the lumber in a preselected spacing responsive to limited advancement of said positioner chains and said stick retaining means are pivoted into the path of travel of the spacing sticks on said positioner chains and prevent premature exiting of the spacing sticks from said positioner chain cleats, respectively.

4 more elements

A method of successively positioning spacing sticks in a selected spaced relationship, on tiers of lumber, comprising the steps of accumulating spacing sticks on spaced, oppositely-disposed pairs of accumulator chain cleats provided on a pair of spaced accumulator chains;

operating a drop gate positioned beneath said accumulator chains and delivering the spacing sticks from said accumulator chain cleats to spaced, oppositely-disposed pairs of positioner chain cleats provided on a pair of positioner chains disposed over the lumber and beneath said drop gate and said accumulator chains;
positioning the spacing sticks above the lumber along a path of travel by rotation of the positioner chains;
lowering said positioner chains and said positioner chain cleats over the lumber;
operating pivoting diverter assemblies from retracted mode into extended mode and repositioning the spacing sticks on selected ones of the positioner chain cleats;
operating pivoting stick retaining assemblies from retracted mode into extended mode and retaining assemblies from retracted mode into extended mode and retaining the spacing sticks on said positioner chain cleats for a selected period of time;
sequentially advancing said positioner chains and said positioner chain cleats for displacing the spacing sticks over the lumber;
operating the diverter assemblies and stick retaining assemblies from extended mode into retracted mode, respectively;
and raising said positioner chains and said positioner chain cleats.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic stick laying apparatus

Life of this patent

Automatic stick laying apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26