Apparatus and method for loading of logs

#This invention relates to an apparatus and method for loading elongate objects such as logs into a loading region in organized, aligned piles.

#Large scale equipment for the automatic processing of logs is well known in the forestry industry. Equipment such as waferizers, flakers, chippers and stranders are used to convert raw logs into wafers, flakes, chips and strands, respectively, for use in particle and strand boards and like products. An example of such large scale processing equipment is disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,094 issued Sep. 12, 1989 for a Long Log Waferizer. Such large scale equipment is capable of processing large quantities of logs in a very short time. In order to keep this equipment fed with a steady supply of raw logs, a log feeding system that can handle large quantities of logs quickly and efficiently is required. It is important that the feeding system be capable of stacking and organizing logs into neat and compact batches for conversion by the processing equipment. If the logs are not organized correctly, jamming of the feeding system and the processing equipment is possible, leading to damage and wasted time while the machinery is being unjammed or repaired.

#For example, when processing logs into flakes, it is important that the wood grain of the flake is parallel with the length of the flake, and therefore, the logs need to be aligned parallel with the cutting blades of the flaking equipment. Typically, the cutting blades are arranged to be parallel with the side walls of a feeding chute by which batches of logs are delivered to the flaker. The logs are fed into the chute at a loading region remote from the flaking equipment to lie aligned with the longitudinal axis of the chute. The logs are then moved longitudinally down the chute toward the flaking equipment to be processed. Most current log feeding system operate in two steps such that as one batch of logs is being loaded into the loading region, another batch of previously organized logs is being fed along the chute into the flaking equipment. As might be expected, when logs are fed into the loading area, there is the possibility that certain logs, particularly shorter logs, will lie diagonally across the chute. This reduces the quality of the flakes produced by the flaker as these misaligned logs are not parallel with the cutting blades. In addition, it is important that the logs are kept parallel between the chute walls as this allows the chute to be filled efficiently with the maximum amount of wood per unit volume of the chute. The flaker production capacity is reduced when misaligned logs are present, as the packing of the logs in the chute is also reduced.

#Aspects of the present invention are illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the general arrangement of the log loading apparatus of the present invention with respect to a feed chute for log processing equipment;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 of a first embodiment of the present invention in which the side wall adjacent an infeed log conveyor is stationary; and

#Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a plan view of a log loading apparatus 2 according to the present invention. Apparatus 2 is intended to be positioned adjacent the end of a feed conveyor 4 that delivers logs to the processing chamber 8 of a log processing machine 6. A disc flaker 7 with drive motor 9 is illustrated in FIG. 1, but it will be understood that any form of log processing equipment can be used with the apparatus of the present invention. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention can be used to supply logs to ring or drum cutters that cut on the inside or outside of the ring or drum. Apparatus 2 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of feed conveyor 4. In FIG. 1, log loading apparatus 2 is illustrated schematically and either of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be used with the general arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

#The apparatus 2 of the present invention is used to load logs 10 into feed chute 4 for delivery to log processing equipment 6. The apparatus of the present invention is intended to receive logs 10 from a log conveyor 12 and retain the logs in an organized pile in which all logs are aligned with the longitudinal axis of feed chute 4. In effect, apparatus 2 of the present invention provides a loading region 14 for log processing equipment 6 that establishes an aligned group of logs for delivery to feed chute 4.

#Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a cross-section through a first embodiment of the apparatus 2 of the present invention taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1. A framework 20 supports the apparatus which comprises essentially a stationary first side wall 22, a second side wall 24 that is movable with respect to the first side wall and a lower floor surface 26 between the two side walls. Side walls 22 and 24 and floor surface 26 co-operate to define a expandable loading region 14 having an open top. The open top is an inlet that accepts logs delivered by log conveyor 12 adjacent stationary first side wall 22. Log conveyor 12 is positioned transversely to the longitudinal axis of loading region 14 so that logs 10, when delivered to the loading region, are generally aligned with the longitudinal axis. As the logs are dropped off the end of conveyor 12 into loading region 14 to collide and rebound from floor 26 or other logs, it is possible that the logs will become misaligned. The apparatus of the present invention is intended to minimize this problem and organize the logs delivered in the loading region into a pile of neatly stacked, substantially parallel logs.